Upper cover assembly, battery module and battery pack

Abstract

The utility model provides an upper cover assembly, a battery module and a battery pack. The upper cover assembly comprises an upper cover, a fixing piece and a temperature sensor, the upper cover is used for covering a battery cell assembly and is provided with a pressure relief opening, and the fixing piece is close to the pressure relief opening. The temperature sensor is arranged on the fixing piece and is spaced from the upper cover. Compared with the prior art that the temperature sensor is easily influenced by thermal shock, when the battery cell is subjected to the thermal runaway test, the temperature sensor which is close to the pressure relief opening and is arranged at an interval with the pressure relief opening can stably collect the temperature and cannot be damaged by the thermal shock, so that the authenticity and effectiveness of the collected data are ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a top cover assembly, a battery module and a battery pack. Background Art

[0002] In related technologies, when conducting thermal runaway testing on battery cells, it is necessary to collect temperature changes at various locations within the battery module. To accurately reflect the temperature changes associated with thermal runaway, thermocouples are typically placed near the pressure relief valves of the battery cells for temperature measurement. However, when the pressure relief valves open, a significant impact force is generated, causing the thermocouples to vibrate violently or be dislodged by gas, resulting in ineffective data collection. Utility Model Content

[0003] The embodiments of the present application provide a top cover assembly, a battery module, and a battery pack, which can improve the technical problem of difficulty in collecting temperature during thermal runaway testing of battery cells.

[0004] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a top cover assembly, comprising:

[0005] An upper cover is used to cover the battery core assembly, and the upper cover is provided with a pressure relief port;

[0006] A fixing member connected to a side of the upper cover facing away from the battery core assembly and arranged near the pressure relief port;

[0007] A temperature sensor is connected to the fixing member and spaced apart from the upper cover to collect the temperature near the pressure relief port.

[0008] In some embodiments, the temperature sensor is connected to an end of the fixing member away from the upper cover.

[0009] In some embodiments, the temperature sensor is at least partially facing the pressure relief port.

[0010] In some embodiments, the fixing member includes a fixing structure and two fixing rods spaced apart from each other, the fixing structure is connected between the two fixing rods, and the temperature sensor is fixed on the fixing structure.

[0011] In some embodiments, the fixing member includes a fixing structure and two fixing rods, the two fixing rods are spaced apart on both sides of the pressure relief port, the fixing structure is connected between the two fixing rods and at least partially faces the pressure relief port, and the temperature sensor is fixed on the fixing structure.

[0012] In some embodiments, the temperature sensor is detachably fixed to the fixing structure.

[0013] In some embodiments, each of the fixing rods is provided with a fixing hole, the fixing structure is a steel wire, and two ends of the fixing structure are respectively passed through one of the fixing holes and wound around the fixing rod.

[0014] In some embodiments, the temperature sensor includes a probe and a wiring harness connected to the probe, the wiring harness is fixed to the fixed structure, and the probe is at least partially facing the pressure relief port.

[0015] In some embodiments, the upper cover assembly further includes a fixing tape, and the fixing tape is wrapped around the fixing structure and the wiring harness.

[0016] In some embodiments, the two fixing rods are arranged on the diagonal line of the pressure relief port; or,

[0017] The two fixing rods are arranged on the center line of the pressure relief port.

[0018] In a second aspect, the present application further provides a battery module, comprising:

[0019] The upper cover assembly as described above;

[0020] The battery cell assembly includes multiple battery cell units arranged along a first direction, multiple grooves are provided on both sides of the pressure relief port, and the battery module also includes multiple bus bars arranged along the first direction, each bus bar is installed in one of the grooves and connected to one of the battery cell units.

[0021] In some embodiments, the battery module further includes a positioning post disposed in the groove, the busbar is correspondingly provided with a positioning hole, and the positioning post is passed through the positioning hole.

[0022] In some embodiments, one end of the positioning post away from the groove is flush with one end of the fixing member away from the upper cover.

[0023] In a third aspect, the present application also provides a battery pack comprising the battery module as described above.

[0024] Beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present application:

[0025] The present application provides an upper cover assembly, a battery module and a battery pack. The upper cover assembly provided in the present application includes an upper cover, a fixing part and a temperature sensor. The upper cover is used to cover the battery cell assembly and is provided with a pressure relief port. The fixing part is close to the pressure relief port. The temperature sensor is arranged on the fixing part and is spaced apart from the upper cover. Compared with the temperature sensor in the prior art which is easily affected by thermal shock, in the present application, when the battery cell is subjected to a thermal runaway test, the temperature sensor close to the pressure relief port and spaced apart from the pressure relief port is less affected by shaking or shock and will not be damaged by thermal shock, so that the temperature can be stably collected, ensuring the authenticity and validity of the collected data. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a top view of the upper cover assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0028] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The structural diagram of the upper cover assembly is shown.

[0029] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 An enlarged schematic diagram of a portion A of the upper cover assembly is shown.

[0030] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 The front view of the upper cover assembly is shown.

[0031] Figure 5 It is a structural schematic diagram of the battery module provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0032] Figure 6 This is an exploded view of the battery pack provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0033] Reference numerals:

[0034] 100. Upper cover assembly;

[0035] 10. Upper cover; 11. Pressure relief port;

[0036] 20. Fixing member; 21. Fixing rod; 211. Fixing hole; 212. Fixing structure;

[0037] 30. Temperature sensor;

[0038] 200, battery module; 201, groove; 202, positioning column; 203, busbar;

[0039] 300, battery pack; 301, box body; 3011, box body cover; 3012, box body; 3013, seal; 303, battery cell assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application. In addition, it should be understood that the specific implementation methods described herein are only used to illustrate and explain the present application, and are not used to limit the present application. In the present application, unless otherwise specified, the directional words used, such as "upper" and "lower", generally refer to the upper and lower parts of the device in actual use or working state, specifically the drawing direction in the accompanying drawings; and "inside" and "outside" refer to the outline of the device.

[0041] When performing a thermal runaway test on a battery cell, in order to accurately reflect the temperature change of thermal runaway, a temperature sensor 30 needs to be arranged on the battery module 200 to collect the temperature. Figure 1-Figure 2 , Figure 1 is a top view of the upper cover assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application, Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The structural diagram of the upper cover assembly is shown. The present application provides an upper cover assembly 100, which can be applied to a battery module. The upper cover assembly 100 includes an upper cover 10 and a fixing member 20. The upper cover assembly 100 is used to cover the battery cell assembly 303 of the battery module, and the upper cover 10 is provided with a pressure relief port 11. The fixing member 20 is connected to the side of the upper cover 10 away from the battery cell assembly 303, and is arranged close to the pressure relief port 11. The pressure relief port 11 of the battery is used to prevent the pressure of the battery from being too high due to gas accumulation during charging or use. When gas is generated inside the battery (such as due to overcharging, over-discharging, temperature increase, etc.), the pressure relief port 11 can release these gases to prevent the internal pressure from being too high, thereby avoiding battery explosion or leakage.

[0042] The upper cover assembly 100 also includes a temperature sensor 30, which is connected to the fixing member 20 and is spaced apart from the upper cover 10 to collect the temperature near the pressure relief port 11. Specifically, the temperature sensor 30 is a device for measuring temperature and converting it into an electrical signal. In practical applications, thermal resistors, thermistors, etc. can also be used. This application uses thermocouples for temperature detection. Thermocouples have a wide measurement range and a fast response time, and can better measure the temperature of the battery pack 300. Among them, multiple thermocouples are connected to a thermocouple controller, and the collected temperature parameter information is transmitted to the thermocouple controller for monitoring and management by the thermocouple controller.

[0043] It can be understood that when there are multiple pressure relief ports 11, the upper cover assembly 100 may include multiple fixings 20 and multiple temperature sensors 30. Each temperature sensor 30 is connected to an end of each fixing 20 away from the upper cover 10 and is spaced apart from the upper cover 10 for collecting the temperature near each pressure relief port 11.

[0044] In the prior art, aluminum foil tape is usually used to stick the temperature sensor next to the battery cell pressure relief valve. However, since the battery cell assembly is arranged at a certain distance from the pressure relief port 11, it is impossible to accurately and truly collect the temperature changes near the pressure relief port 11. Therefore, some technologies directly stick the temperature sensor 30 to the pressure relief port 11. However, when the battery cell pressure relief valve is opened, a large impact force will be generated, causing the thermocouple position to shake violently, or be blown away by the gas, resulting in failure of experimental data collection. In the upper cover assembly 100 provided in the present application, the fixing part 20 is close to the pressure relief port 11, and the temperature sensor 30 is arranged on the fixing part 20 and is spaced apart from the upper cover 10. When the battery cell is subjected to a thermal runaway test, the temperature sensor 30 above the pressure relief port 11 is less shaken or impacted, and can stably collect the temperature. It will not be easily damaged by thermal shock, thereby ensuring the authenticity and validity of the collected data.

[0045] In some embodiments, the temperature sensor 30 is connected to the end of the fixing member 20 away from the upper cover 10. Connecting to the end away from the upper cover 10 can reduce the impact of thermal shock on the temperature sensor 30 while ensuring the temperature collection effect.

[0046] In some embodiments, the temperature sensor 30 is at least partially opposite the pressure relief port 11. It is understood that the temperature sensor 30 at least partially opposite the pressure relief port 11 can make the measurement more accurate. The temperature sensor 30 can be arranged directly above the pressure relief port 11, that is, the projection of the temperature sensor 30 in the plane of the upper cover 10 is entirely located within the pressure relief port 11. It can also be arranged on one side of the pressure relief port 11 and partially extend into the pressure relief port 11.

[0047] In some embodiments, the fixing member 20 includes a fixing structure 212 and two fixing rods 21. The two fixing rods 21 are spaced apart on both sides of the pressure relief port 11. The fixing structure 212 is connected between the two fixing rods 21. The fixing structure 212 is at least partially facing the pressure relief port 11. The temperature sensor 30 is fixed on the fixing structure 212 to face the pressure relief port 11 and is spaced apart from the pressure relief port 11. The fixing structure 212 can be a fixing rope, a fixing rod, a steel wire, an iron wire, etc. The fixing structure 212 should have a certain structural rigidity to avoid damage during impact.

[0048] Among them, the distance between the fixing rod 21 and the pressure relief port 11 and the size of the pressure relief port 11 can be flexibly set according to the size of the upper cover 10. For example, the size of the pressure relief port 11 can be 45mm, 48mm, 50mm, 52mm, 55mm, etc., and the distance between each fixing rod 21 and the pressure relief port 11 can be 5mm, 6mm, or 7mm. It should be noted that the distance between the fixing rod 21 and the pressure relief port 11 and the size of the pressure relief port 11 are not one-to-one corresponding, and the specific values ​​are not limited in this application.

[0049] In some examples, the fixing structure 212 and the fixing member 20 are integrally formed. It is understood that the integrally formed structure can increase the stability of the structure, reduce the number of processing steps, and improve the efficiency of structural processing.

[0050] In some examples, the fixing structure 212 and the fixing member 20 are detachable. As is understandable, an integrated mold structure requires high mold precision and is expensive. Using an independent fixing structure 212 can reduce the production cost of the upper cover assembly 100, simplify the placement of the temperature sensor 30, and facilitate replacement of the fixing structure 212.

[0051] Please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3 yes Figure 2 The figure shows an enlarged schematic diagram of a portion A of the upper cover assembly. Specifically, each fixing rod 21 has a fixing hole 211. The fixing structure 212 is a steel wire. The two ends of the fixing structure 212 are respectively passed through a fixing hole 211 and wound around the fixing rod 21. After passing through the fixing hole 211, the steel wire is wound around the fixing rod 21.

[0052] It is understandable that if the steel wire is directly wound around the fixing rod 21, the steel wire may be detached when the upper cover 10 shakes or is impacted. By setting the fixing hole 211, the steel wire will not easily escape the restriction of the hole when displacing in the vertical direction, thereby increasing the stability of the fixing structure 212.

[0053] In some examples, a positioning groove can be provided on the fixing rod 21 to limit the fixing structure 212 in the positioning groove to prevent it from loosening. According to the different fixing structures 212, the structure of the fixing rod 21 can be changed to increase the structural stability, which is not limited in this application.

[0054] In some embodiments, the temperature sensor 30 includes a probe and a wiring harness (not shown) connected to the probe, the probe being used to detect temperature. The wiring harness is fixed to the fixing structure 212 , and the probe is at least partially facing the pressure relief port 11 .

[0055] In some examples, the wire harness is wound around the fixing structure 212 . The winding structure can improve the stability of the wire harness when it is fixed, so that the wire harness will not easily separate from the fixing structure 212 when subjected to thermal shock.

[0056] In some examples, the wiring harness may also be tied to the fixed structure 212 by other means, such as by wire, rope, etc., which is not limited in this application.

[0057] In some embodiments, the battery module 200 further includes a securing tape that is wrapped around the securing structure 212 and the wiring harness. As will be appreciated, simply wrapping the wiring harness provides limited stability, and further bonding with the tape can enhance securing. The securing tape can be insulating tape, aluminum foil tape, or the like. These tapes are typically temperature-resistant and can be used stably in high-temperature environments, preventing damage to the wiring harness from excessive heat from thermal shock.

[0058] In some embodiments, two fixing rods 21 are arranged on the diagonal line of the pressure relief port 11. Specifically, when the fixing rods 21 are arranged on the diagonal line of the pressure relief port 11, the length of the fixing structure 212 will increase, and the length of the wiring harness of the temperature sensor 30 wrapped around the fixing structure 212 will increase accordingly, thereby avoiding bending of the wiring harness of the temperature sensor 30, so that the bent wiring harness contacts the positive or negative pole of the battery cell when routing, thereby improving battery safety.

[0059] In some embodiments, two fixing rods 21 are arranged on the center line of the pressure relief port 11. Specifically, the upper cover 10 includes two first side edges and two second side edges forming the pressure relief port 11, the first side edges are arranged relative to each other along the length direction of the upper cover, and the second side edges are arranged relative to each other along the width direction of the upper cover. The center line can be the center line of the two first side edges of the pressure relief port 11, or the center line of the two second side edges of the pressure relief port 11, that is, one fixing rod 21 can be arranged near one first side edge and the other fixing rod 21 can be arranged near the other first side edge, or one fixing rod 21 can be arranged near one second side edge and the other fixing rod 21 can be arranged near the other second side edge. This application does not limit this.

[0060] In some embodiments, one fixing rod 21 is arranged near the midpoint of a first side, and the other fixing rod 21 is arranged near the midpoint of a second side. Compared with being arranged along a diagonal line or a center line, the distance between the fixing rods 21 in this embodiment is closer, the length of the fixing structure 212 is smaller, but the detection area is also relatively small.

[0061] It should be noted that when there are multiple pressure relief vents 11, the upper cover assembly 100 is provided with multiple corresponding fixing members 20. In the fixing members 20 provided for different pressure relief vents 11, the two fixing rods 21 may be positioned in the same or different positions. For example, some fixing rods 21 may be positioned along the diagonal line, while others may be positioned along the center line.

[0062] Please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 : This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the battery module provided by an embodiment of the present application. The present application also provides a battery module 200, comprising the aforementioned upper cover assembly 100 and a cell assembly 303, the cell assembly 303 comprising a plurality of cell monomers arranged along a first direction, a plurality of grooves 201 being provided on both sides of the plurality of pressure relief ports 11, the battery module 200 further comprising a plurality of busbars 203 arranged along the first direction, each of the busbars 203 being installed in one of the grooves 201 and connected to one of the cell monomers. It is understandable that the plurality of pressure relief ports 11 form a row along the length direction of the upper cover 10, a row of grooves 201 being provided on both sides of the pressure relief ports 11, and adjacent busbars 203 being electrically connected. One end of one row of busbars 203 is connected to the positive output row, and the other end is connected to the negative output row. The positive output row is connected to the positive electrode of the cell monomer at one end of the battery module 200, and the negative output row is connected to the negative electrode of the cell monomer at the other end, so as to connect the cell monomers in series or in parallel.

[0063] Please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4 yes Figure 1 The front view of the upper cover assembly is shown. In some embodiments, the battery module 200 further includes a positioning post 202 disposed within the groove 201. The busbar 203 is provided with a corresponding positioning hole, and the positioning post 202 is inserted into the positioning hole. It is understood that when the busbar 203 is installed in the groove 201, the positioning post 202 can be inserted into the positioning hole. The cooperation between the positioning post 202 and the positioning hole allows for quick installation of the busbar 203.

[0064] In some examples, two positioning posts 202 are disposed in each groove 201 , and each positioning post 202 is connected to one end of the bus bar 203 .

[0065] In some embodiments, the end of the positioning post 202 away from the groove 201 is flush with the end of the fixing member 20 away from the upper cover 10. Specifically, because the positioning post 202 is located within the groove 201 and the fixing member 20 is located outside the groove 201, if the positioning post 202 and the fixing member 20 were the same height, the positioning post 202 would have an uneven surface after the busbar 203 is installed. However, the end of the positioning post 202 away from the groove 201 is flush with the end of the fixing member 20 away from the upper cover, which can maintain the height of the upper cover assembly 100 regular, making the upper cover assembly 100 more aesthetically pleasing. When the battery is installed, it does not occupy the space utilization of the battery pack 300.

[0066] In some examples, the thickness of the portion of the upper cover 10 not provided with the groove 201 is 2 mm, and the height of the fixing rod 21 is 5 mm, that is, the overall height of the upper cover assembly 100 is 7 mm. The length of the positioning column 202 is greater than the length of the fixing rod 21, so that the overall height of the upper cover 10 remains at 7 mm. In actual applications, the height of the upper cover assembly 100 can be set according to actual conditions and is not limited herein.

[0067] In some embodiments, the upper cover assembly 100 is formed by vacuum forming. Compared with the injection molding of the upper cover 10 which requires the use of a more complex mold, the upper cover 10 formed by the vacuum forming process is thinner overall, which can reduce the use of production materials and thus reduce costs. In addition, the upper cover 10 formed by the vacuum forming process is thinner overall and has a stronger deformation ability.

[0068] In some embodiments, the upper cover assembly 100 is made of polycarbonate (PC), which has high impact strength and excellent processability. In practical applications, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), etc. can also be used as an alternative.

[0069] Please refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6 : is an exploded view of a battery pack provided in an embodiment of the present application. The present application also provides a battery pack 300, comprising the battery module 200 as described above. The battery pack 300 comprises a housing 301, which comprises a housing cover 3011 and a housing body 3012. The battery module 200 is disposed in the housing body 3012, and the housing cover 3011 is disposed on the housing body 3012 to seal the battery pack 300. The periphery of the housing cover 3011 is provided with a seal 3013, such as sealing rubber, sealing silicone, etc. In some embodiments, the periphery of the housing cover 3011 is connected to the housing body 3012 by fasteners, and the fasteners are disposed through the housing cover 3011, the seal 3013, and the housing body 3012. It can be understood that the seal 3013 is used to ensure the sealing effect of the housing 301, protect the battery from the influence of the external environment, and improve the safety of battery use.

[0070] The above is a detailed introduction to the embodiments of the present application. Specific examples are used herein to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present application. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the method and core idea of ​​the present application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, based on the ideas of the present application, there may be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope. In summary, the content of this specification should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

Claims

1. A top cover assembly, characterized in that: include: An upper cover is used to cover the battery core assembly, and the upper cover is provided with a pressure relief port; A fixing member connected to a side of the upper cover facing away from the battery core assembly and arranged near the pressure relief port; A temperature sensor is connected to the fixing member and spaced apart from the upper cover to collect the temperature near the pressure relief port.

2. The upper cover assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The temperature sensor is connected to an end of the fixing member away from the upper cover.

3. The upper cover assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The temperature sensor is at least partially opposite to the pressure relief port.

4. The upper cover assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fixing member includes a fixing structure and two fixing rods, the two fixing rods are spaced apart and arranged on both sides of the pressure relief port, the fixing structure is connected between the two fixing rods and at least partially faces the pressure relief port, and the temperature sensor is fixed on the fixing structure.

5. The upper cover assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that: The temperature sensor is detachably fixed to the fixing structure.

6. The upper cover assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: Each of the fixing rods is provided with a fixing hole. The fixing structure is a steel wire. Two ends of the fixing structure are respectively passed through one of the fixing holes and are correspondingly wound around one of the fixing rods.

7. The upper cover assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: The temperature sensor includes a probe and a wiring harness connected to the probe, the wiring harness is fixed to the fixed structure, and the probe is at least partially facing the pressure relief port.

8. The upper cover assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that: The upper cover assembly further includes a fixing tape, which is wound around the fixing structure and the wiring harness.

9. The upper cover assembly according to any one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that: The two fixing rods are arranged on the diagonal line of the pressure relief port; or, The two fixing rods are arranged on the center line of the pressure relief port.

10. A battery module, characterized in that: include: The upper cover assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9; The battery cell assembly includes multiple battery cell units arranged along a first direction, multiple grooves are provided on both sides of the pressure relief port, and the battery module also includes multiple bus bars arranged along the first direction, each bus bar is installed in one of the grooves and connected to one of the battery cell units.

11. The battery module according to claim 10, characterized in that: The battery module further includes a positioning post disposed in the groove, the busbar is correspondingly provided with a positioning hole, and the positioning post is passed through the positioning hole.

12. The battery module according to claim 11, characterized in that: One end of the positioning column away from the groove is flush with one end of the fixing member away from the upper cover.

13. A battery pack, characterized in that: Comprising the battery module according to any one of claims 10 to 12.

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