Battery cell tab supporting structure and battery pack

Abstract

The utility model discloses a battery cell tab support structure and battery pack, the support structure comprises a support piece and a first connecting piece, the first connecting piece is fixedly arranged on the support piece, and the two ends of the first connecting piece are used for the connection between battery cell stacks and / or the connection between the battery cell stacks and an external circuit. According to the utility model, the first connecting piece is fixedly arranged on the supporting piece to form the battery cell tab supporting structure, when the battery cell tab supporting structure is applied to a soft package battery, battery cell stacking bodies can be directly welded through the first connecting piece without independently using a connecting sheet and a fastener for connection, so that the use of parts such as the fastener is reduced, the system space is more compact, and the cost is reduced. The production cost of the soft package battery can be reduced, and the technical problems that the system space is occupied and the production cost is relatively high due to the fact that the number of connecting parts between the battery core stacking bodies of the soft package battery in the prior art is large are effectively solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of new energy batteries, and in particular to a battery cell tab support structure and a battery pack. Background Art

[0002] Power batteries are the power source for tools, typically referring to the batteries that power electric vehicles, electric trains, and electric bicycles. Power batteries are a core component of new energy vehicles, typically accounting for 40% to 50% of the total manufacturing cost. With intensifying competition in the new energy vehicle market, reducing battery manufacturing costs has become a growing trend.

[0003] Soft-pack batteries are usually composed of a battery case, a cell stack, a cooling system, a battery management system, and auxiliary components. In the actual production process of soft-pack batteries, the cell stack usually needs to rely on a supporting structure to support the cell tabs during the stacking process to achieve the stacking between the single cells and protect the cell tabs. After the cell stacking is completed, copper or aluminum busbars and other connecting pieces and bolts and other fasteners are usually required between the cell stacks to achieve electrical connections to form a battery module. The total positive and negative of the battery module are output through an integrated part. The integrated part requires additional system space. At the same time, the production of soft-pack batteries requires more parts and the manufacturing process is more complicated, resulting in a relatively high cost of using soft-pack batteries.

[0004] To this end, this application aims to propose a new battery cell tab support structure and battery pack to solve the above problems. Utility Model Content

[0005] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a cell tab support structure and a battery pack, aiming to solve the technical problems in the prior art of soft-pack batteries in which there are too many connecting components between the cell stacks, resulting in occupied system space and relatively high production costs of soft-pack batteries.

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose of the utility model, the utility model proposes a battery cell tab support structure on the one hand, including a support member and a first connecting member, the first connecting member is fixed to the support member, and the two ends of the first connecting member are used for connecting between battery cell stacks and / or for connecting the battery cell stacks with external circuits.

[0007] Furthermore, the support member includes a support portion and a first connecting portion, and two ends of the first connecting member are respectively arranged at the support portion and the first connecting portion.

[0008] Furthermore, the support portion and the first connecting portion are integrally connected, and the first connecting member is partially embedded in the support portion.

[0009] Furthermore, the support portion is provided with a protrusion, the first connecting portion is integrally connected to the protrusion, the first connecting portion extends along the length direction of the support portion, and the two battery cell tab support structures are connected in an upper and lower stacked manner through the support portion of the support member and the first connecting portion.

[0010] Furthermore, a first connecting block is provided above the supporting portion, a second connecting block is provided below the first connecting portion, and the two battery cell tab supporting structures are connected via the second connecting block and the first connecting block.

[0011] Furthermore, the support portion further includes a plurality of support blocks, and the plurality of support blocks are arranged at intervals in the upper and lower parts.

[0012] Furthermore, a boss is provided at the bottom of the support portion, one end of the first connector is provided in the boss, and a first surface of the first connector is higher than the boss for connection to the battery cell tab.

[0013] Furthermore, a recessed portion is provided on the upper surface of the first connecting portion, the other end of the first connecting member is provided in the recessed portion, and the second surface of the first connecting member is lower than the third surface of the first connecting portion.

[0014] Furthermore, the first connecting portion is bent along a direction perpendicular to the supporting portion to form a bent section perpendicular to the supporting portion, and the bent section is used to connect to an external circuit.

[0015] Furthermore, the battery cell tab support structure also includes a second connecting member, one end of the second connecting member is provided with a first connecting portion, and the other end is provided with a second connecting portion, the second connecting member is connected to the support portion through the first connecting portion, and the second connecting portion is used to connect to an external circuit.

[0016] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose of the utility model, the second aspect of the utility model provides a battery pack, including the battery cell tab support structure described in any one of the above-mentioned items.

[0017] Beneficial effects:

[0018] Compared with the prior art, a cell tab support structure according to an embodiment of the present application includes a support member and a first connector, wherein the first connector is fixed to the support member, and the two ends of the first connector are used to connect between cell stacks and / or to connect the cell stack to an external circuit. This technical solution forms a cell tab support structure by fixing the first connector on the support member. When applied to soft-pack batteries, after the single cells are stacked to form a cell stack, the cell stacks can be directly connected through the two ends of the first connector fixed to the support member. There is no need to set up separate connecting plates between the cell stacks. When the cell stacks are connected, the cell tabs and the first connector can be welded, and no additional fixing seats and fasteners are required. When the cell stacks are made into battery modules / modules through the support structure, the use of parts such as connecting plates and fasteners is reduced, making the battery system space more compact and the cell stacks and the support structure can be connected by welding, which simplifies the operation steps of connecting the cell stacks and can greatly reduce the production cost of soft-pack batteries.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present application includes any of the above-mentioned cell tab support structures. It is understood that the battery pack according to the present application can include all the technical features and technical effects of the above-mentioned cell tab support structures, which will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a battery cell tab support structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of a first connecting member according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of a battery cell tab support structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a battery cell stack connected via a first connector according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of another battery cell tab support structure according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of another battery cell tab support structure according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0026] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of another battery cell tab support structure according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0027] Figure 8This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of another battery cell tab support structure according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0028] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between a single battery and a first connecting member in a cell tab support structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] in:

[0031] 1. Cell tab support structure a; 10. Support member; 100. Support portion; 1000. Support block; 1001. First connecting block; 1002. Boss; 1003. Protrusion; 101. First connecting portion; 1010. Second connecting block; 1011. Recess; 1012. Third surface; 11. First connecting member; 110. Second surface; 111. First surface;

[0032] 2. Battery cell tab support structure b;

[0033] 3. Cell tab support structure c; 30. Second connector; 300. Second connecting portion;

[0034] 4. Battery cell stack; 40. Single battery cell; 400. Battery cell tab.

[0035] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0037] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" and the like, indicating directions or positional relationships, are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operate in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the said features. In the description of the present invention, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0038] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they may refer to mechanical connections, direct connections, or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; they may refer to internal communication between two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this utility model based on specific circumstances.

[0039] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or may include the first and second features being in contact not directly but through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above," "above," and "above" a second feature may include the first feature being directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below," and "below" a second feature may include the first feature being directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0040] The soft-pack battery cell mainly includes a positive electrode tab, a negative electrode tab, an electrolyte, a diaphragm and a shell. Exemplarily, the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab of the soft-pack battery cell are respectively arranged at both ends of the battery cell and extend out of the shell so as to be connected to the external circuit. Inside the battery cell, the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab are connected to the current collector (such as aluminum foil, copper foil) inside the battery cell to facilitate connection with the internal circuit of the battery cell, thereby achieving the purpose of leading the current to the outside of the shell. During the charge and discharge process of the soft-pack battery cell monomer, active ions (such as lithium ions) are embedded and extracted back and forth between the positive and negative electrodes of the battery cell. The diaphragm is arranged between the positive and negative electrodes to prevent direct contact between the positive and negative electrodes, play a role in preventing the positive and negative electrodes from short-circuiting, and allow active ions to pass through. The electrolyte plays a role in conducting active ions between the positive and negative electrodes. This application does not specifically limit the type of electrolyte, and can be selected according to actual application scenarios and needs.

[0041] When soft-pack batteries are used in electric vehicles, due to the limited voltage and capacity of single-cell batteries, it is usually necessary to arrange single-cell batteries with parameters such as capacity, voltage, and internal resistance as consistent as possible in series or parallel and group them to form a battery module or battery (battery pack) that meets actual needs. In the prior art, when soft-pack single-cell batteries with tabs at both ends form a battery stack, the single-cell battery is generally designed to be stacked in series. When multiple single-cell batteries are stacked together, the multiple single-cell batteries are arranged upright along the thickness direction of the battery cell. The positive and negative tabs between adjacent battery cells are set in opposite directions. The positive tabs between adjacent battery cells are connected together by connecting sheets to form a battery stack. During the stacking process, the battery stack usually needs to rely on a support structure to support the battery tabs to achieve the purpose of stacking between the single-cell batteries and protecting the battery tabs.

[0042] However, the inventors found that in the actual production process of soft-pack batteries, copper bars or aluminum bars and other connecting plates and fasteners such as bolts are usually required to achieve electrical connection between the battery cell stacks to form a battery module / module. The battery module / module uses an integrated part to achieve total positive and negative output. When multiple battery modules / modules are connected, it is usually necessary to connect copper bars in series between the total positive and negative, and then use fasteners to connect them to achieve electrical connection between the battery modules. However, the integrated part, fasteners, etc. require additional space in the battery system, and the manufacture of soft-pack batteries involves the installation and fixation of connecting plates, which are usually fixed with bolts. In automated manufacturing, devices such as electric screwdrivers are required to tighten the bolts. The production of soft-pack batteries requires many parts and equipment, and the manufacturing process is relatively complicated, resulting in a relatively high cost of using soft-pack batteries.

[0043] In order to solve the technical problem that there are many connecting parts between the above-mentioned battery cell stacks, which leads to relatively high production costs of soft-pack batteries, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery cell tab support structure. The battery cell tab support structure is formed by fixing a first connecting member on a support member. When single battery cells are stacked to form a battery cell stack, the battery cell stacks can be directly connected through the first connecting member, and there is no need to use connecting plates and fasteners separately for connection. When battery modules / modules are made, the use of parts such as fasteners is reduced, and the process flow of manufacturing battery modules / modules is simplified and the use of corresponding equipment is reduced, which can greatly reduce the production cost of soft-pack batteries.

[0044] Example 1: This example is applicable to scenarios where adjacent cell stacks 4 are connected via the cell tab support structure a1 and the cell stacks 4 are connected to an external circuit. The cell tab support structure a1 in the example of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0045] See also Figure 1 Combined with Figure 2 、 Figure 3 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 10 and Figure 9 In this embodiment, a battery cell tab support structure a1 is provided, comprising a support member 10 and a first connector 11. The first connector 11 is fixed to the support member 10, and the ends of the first connector 11 are used to connect battery cell stacks and / or to connect the battery cell stack to an external circuit. The support member 10 includes a support portion 100 and a first connector 101, with the ends of the first connector 11 being respectively disposed on the support portion 100 and the first connector 101.

[0046] In this embodiment, the cell tab support structure a1 provided by the present application is used for stacking between soft-pack single cells 40. For example, the positive and negative tabs of the single cells 40 of the present application are respectively arranged at both ends of the single cells 40 and extend out of the shell. When the single cells 40 are stacked into a cell stack 4, the positive and negative tabs between the single cells 40 are bent and welded to form a cell stack 4. Since the positive and negative tabs of the single cells 40 are thin sheets, after being stacked into the cell stack 4, the positive and negative tabs are made of soft materials and are easy to deform. They are easy to deform during use, which can easily lead to short circuits between the upper and lower layers or layers in the cell stack 4, thereby causing a short circuit in the cell stack 4, causing a sharp increase in the current inside the cell stack 4, and generating a large amount of heat. If this heat cannot be dissipated in time, the battery temperature will rise rapidly, thereby causing thermal decomposition, melting, and even combustion of the battery material. Therefore, the cell tab support structure a1 is required to separate the cell tabs 400 between the cell stacks 4 to avoid short circuits between the cell tabs 400. Specifically, the support member 10 is used to support and space the cell tabs 400 in the cell stack 4 to avoid short circuits between the cell tabs 400. At the same time, it can prevent the cell tabs 400 from being affected by external forces, thereby protecting the cell tabs 400 in the cell stack 4. The first connector 11 is used to connect the positive and negative tabs between the cell stacks 4. For example, after a plurality of single cells 40 are connected in series by bending and welding the cell tabs to form a cell stack 4, the single cells 40 located at the top and bottom of the cell stack 4 respectively form an unconnected positive and negative tabs. The first connector 11 can be used to achieve series connection between the positive and negative tabs between the two cell stacks 4. The plurality of cell stacks 4 are connected in series through the first connector 11 to form a battery module. For example, when the battery cell stacks 4 of the present application are connected by the first connector 11, they can be laser welded, riveted, or connected by bolts and threads. The present application does not impose any specific restrictions on the specific connection method between the battery cell stacks 4 through the first connector 11. It is only necessary to ensure that the battery cell stacks 4 are firmly connected through the first connector 11 to achieve the transmission of electrical energy. It is understandable that the main purpose of the present application is to solve the technical problem that there are many connecting components between the battery cell stacks 4, which leads to a relatively high production cost of soft-pack batteries. Therefore, the present application preferably uses laser welding when connecting the battery cell stacks 4 through the first connector 11. When connected, the two ends of the first connector 11 are respectively arranged on the support portion 100 and the first connecting portion 101, and the portion of the first connector 11 exposed from the support portion 100 and the first connecting portion 101 is used to connect the battery cell stacks 4 and / or for connecting the battery cell stack 4 to the external circuit, which can reduce the use of parts such as bolts or rivets, thereby achieving the purpose of reducing costs.

[0047] It should be noted that the support member 10 of the present application is an insulating member, which exemplarily includes plastic materials (such as polyvinyl fluoride plastics, phenolic plastics, insulating rubber, etc.), ceramic materials, mica boards, etc. The present application does not specify the material of the support member, and it is only necessary to meet the most basic insulation requirements to ensure that when supporting the battery tabs 400 of each single battery cell 40 in the battery cell stack 4, no short circuit occurs between the single battery cells 40, ensuring safety. The first connecting member 11 of the present application is a conductive material, preferably a metal member such as aluminum, copper, etc., which is used to connect between battery cell stacks and / or to connect the battery cell stack to an external circuit.

[0048] It can be understood that in the above embodiment, when multiple battery cell stacks 4 are connected in series through the first connecting member 11 of the battery tab support structure a1 of the present application to form a battery module / module, the first and last battery cell stacks 4 located in the battery module / module respectively form a total positive and total negative output structure, and one end of the first connecting member 11 in the battery tab support structure a1 on the last battery cell stack 4 forms a total positive or total negative output terminal, which can be used to connect an external circuit to provide electrical energy to electrical equipment.

[0049] In the above embodiment, the present application forms a cell tab support structure a1 by fixing the first connecting member 11 on the support member 10. When applied to a soft-pack battery, when the single cells 40 are stacked to form a cell stack 4, the cell stacks 4 can be directly connected through the first connecting member 11, and there is no need to use connecting plates and fasteners separately for connection. When the battery module / module is made, the use of parts such as fasteners is reduced, and the process flow of manufacturing the cell module / module is simplified, which can greatly reduce the production cost of the soft-pack battery.

[0050] Exemplarily, when the first connecting member 11 is fixed on the support member 10, the entire first connecting member 11 can be embedded in the support member 10, and the parts at both ends used for connection are exposed from the support member 10. Specifically, the parts at both ends of the first connecting member located at the support part and the first connecting part are exposed, which are used for connecting between battery cell stacks and / or for connecting the battery cell stacks with external circuits, and the first connecting member and the support member form an integrated structure; the first connecting member 11 can also be fixed to the support member 10 by providing a card slot and a card slot in the card slot, and the first connecting member 11 can also be fixed to the support member 10 by means of bolts combined with nuts or screw holes. The present application does not impose specific restrictions on the formation of the first connecting member 11 being fixed to the support member 10. It is understandable that the above-mentioned method of providing a slot on the support member 10 to secure the first connector 11 to the support member 10 can fix the first connector 11 to the support member 10 when the material is received, but the clamping method is not as stable as the embedded method; the above-mentioned method of threaded fitting nuts or screw holes still requires fasteners such as bolts, and in actual use, the process cost and material cost are still higher than the embedded method. For this reason, the present application preferably adopts the method of embedding the first connector 11 into the support member 10 to secure the first connector 11 to the support member 10 to form the battery cell tab support structure a1. Specifically, the first connector 11 of the present application preferably adopts a copper busbar.

[0051] See also Figure 1 and combined Figure 2 、 Figure 3 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 10 and Figure 9 In one embodiment, the support portion 100 and the first connecting portion 101 are integrally connected, and the first connecting member 11 is partially embedded in the support portion 10 .

[0052] In this embodiment, the support member 10 provided in this application includes a support portion 100 and a first connecting portion 101. The support portion 100 serves as the main body of the support member 10 and is mainly used to support the battery cell tabs 400 in the battery cell stack 4. At the same time, the main body of the first connecting member 11 is embedded in the support member 10, wherein the two ends of the first connecting member 11 are respectively arranged on the support portion 100 and the first connecting portion 101, and the part of the first connecting member 11 exposed from the support portion 100 and the first connecting portion 101 is used for connection between the battery cell stacks 4 and / or for connection between the battery cell stack 4 and the external circuit.

[0053] See also Figure 1 and combined Figure 2 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 10 and Figure 9, in one embodiment, the support portion 100 is provided with a protrusion 1003, the first connection portion 101 is integrally connected to the protrusion 1003, the first connection portion 101 extends along the length direction of the support portion 100, and the support portions 100 of the support member 10 are stacked up and down with the first connection portion 101 between the two cell tab support structures a1.

[0054] In this embodiment, the upper end of the support portion 100 of the present application protrudes 1003 above the cell stack 4 in the height direction, forming a stepped structure with different heights above the support portion 100, and the first connection portion 101 extends along the length direction of the support portion 100. It can be understood that the protrusion 1003 at the upper end of the support portion 100 forms a stepped structure with different heights above the support portion 100, which is mainly used for the support portion 100 of the support member 10 and the first connection portion 101 to be stacked up and down between two adjacent cell tab support structures a1 when the cell stacks 4 are connected in parallel in series. After the two cell tab support structures a1 are stacked and connected, the two cell tab support structures a1 achieve the same height, that is, the first connection portions 101 of the two cell tab support structures a1 are at the same height in the length direction of the support portion 100, which is convenient for maintaining the overall height consistency when connecting the cell stacks 4 in series to form a battery module / modular. When applied to a battery pack, the space inside the battery pack can be fully utilized.

[0055] Specifically, in order to form the stepped structure with different heights above the support portion 100, the overall structure of the first connecting member 11 of the present application is Z-shaped, and the upper and lower horizontal ends of the Z-shaped are respectively located at the bottom of the first connection portion 101 and the support portion 100, and are respectively used for connecting between the cell stacks 4 and / or for connecting the cell stacks 4 to an external circuit. The present application does not make specific settings on the overall structure of the first connecting member 11. Exemplarily, the first connecting member 11 may also be an "I" - shaped structure, a "ユ" - shaped structure, a "コ" - shaped structure, a "ヨ" - shaped structure, etc. It can be understood that the upper and lower two parallel segments of the above - listed structures are used for connecting between the cell stacks 4 and / or for connecting the cell stacks 4 to an external circuit, and when the remaining part is integrally embedded in the support portion 100, the strength of this cell tab support structure a1 can be enhanced. Based on the consideration of material cost and the heat dissipation effect of the first connecting member 11, the first connecting member 11 is preferably designed with a Z - shaped structure.

[0056] It should be noted that the battery cell stack 4 can theoretically be stacked without restriction in the direction of the thickness of the single battery cell 40, and the height of the support portion 100 is also set according to the height of the battery cell stack 4. However, if the battery cell stack 4 is too high and is only supported by the support portion 100, the overall structure is not stable, and other auxiliary components are needed to achieve stacking between the battery cells to form a higher battery cell stack 4. To this end, the battery cell tab support structure a1 of the present application also provides a battery cell tab support structure a1 for stacking between two battery cell stacks 4. Specifically, the first connecting portion 101 extends along the height direction of the support portion 100 and folds inward parallel to the support portion 100 directly above it. At this time, the overall structure of the first connecting member 11 is in the shape of a "コ", "ユ" or "ヨ".

[0057] Furthermore, the overall structure of the first connector 11 of the present application can also be an "I"-shaped structure. When the first connector 11 of the "I"-shaped structure is fixedly mounted on the support portion 100, both ends of the first connector 11 are arranged at one end 100 of the support portion. When used to form a battery module / module, the total positive and total negative output terminals between the two battery cell stacks 4 are alternately arranged, that is, in two adjacent battery cell stacks 4, if one of the battery cell stacks 4 has a tab on one side of the topmost single cell along the thickness direction of the single cell as the positive electrode, then the other battery cell stack 4 has a tab on the same side of the topmost single cell along the thickness direction of the single cell as the negative electrode. The first connecting member 11 of the "I"-shaped structure is welded together with the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab between two adjacent battery cell stacks 4 at both ends, so as to realize the connection between adjacent battery cell stacks 4. Since the first connecting member 11 is fixed in the support member 10, when the first connecting member 11 is connected to the battery cell stack 4, it only needs to be welded, and no integral parts, connecting plates, fasteners and other components are required, so that the battery system space is more compact and the battery cell stack 4 and the support structure can be connected by welding, which simplifies the operation steps of connecting the battery cell stacks 4 and can greatly reduce the production cost of soft-pack batteries.

[0058] See also Figure 1 Combined with Figure 2 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 9 and Figure 10 In one embodiment, a first connecting block 1001 is provided above the support portion 100, and a second connecting block 1010 is provided below the first connecting portion 101. The two battery cell tab support structures a1 are connected via the second connecting block 1010 and the first connecting block 1001.

[0059] It should be noted that in the support member 10 of the present application, the support portion 100 is the main part of the support member 10, which is used to realize the support function of the support member 10. The first connecting portion 101, as a part of the support member 10, is also an insulating member and can play an insulating role. In addition to being used to wrap part of the first connecting member 11 and ensure the connection function of the first connecting member 11, it is mainly used to realize the installation, fixation and position positioning between the two supporting structures when connecting between the battery cell stacks 4. Therefore, the support member 10 of the present application can only be provided with the support portion 100, and can also realize the connection between the two battery cell stacks 4. In the present application, the support member 10 preferably adopts the setting of the support portion 100 and the first connecting portion 101, which can protect the first connecting member 11 while also realizing the installation, fixation and position positioning between the two supporting structures, which is beneficial to the assembly of the battery pack.

[0060] In this embodiment, it can be seen from the above embodiments that, in actual application, the cell tab support structure a1 of the present application has a protrusion 1003 at one end above the support portion 100, forming a stepped structure of different heights above the support portion 100. This is mainly used when the cell stacks 4 are connected in series side by side, and two adjacent cell tab support structures a1 are connected in a stacked manner via the support portion 100 and the first connecting portion 101 of the support member 10. In order to achieve stability in the connection between the support portion 100 and the first connecting portion 101, a first connecting block 1001 is provided above the support portion 100 of the present application, and a second connecting block 1010 is provided below the first connecting portion 101. The first connecting block 1001 and the second connecting block 1010 are used to firmly connect the two cell tab support structures a1.

[0061] For example, the first connection block 1001 of the present application is a buckle, and the second connection block 1010 is a latch hole. When set, the buckles are provided at the same position on both the inner and outer sides of the support portion 100, and two latch holes are provided at corresponding positions below the first connection portion 101. When connected, the two buckles and the two latch holes cooperate to maintain the stability of the connection between the two battery cell tab support structures a1. At the same time, the latch holes are provided on both sides, and the gap between the two latch holes can be engaged with the portion between the two buckles, further enhancing the stability of the connection between the two battery cell tab support structures a1.

[0062] See also Figure 1 Combined with Figure 2 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 9 and Figure 10 In one embodiment, the support portion 100 further includes a plurality of support blocks 1000 , and the plurality of support blocks 1000 are arranged at intervals in the upper and lower directions.

[0063] In this embodiment, the support block 1000 is used to support the battery cell tabs 400 between the battery cell stacks 4. The present application does not impose any specific restrictions on the specific shape of the support block 1000, as long as it can achieve the purpose of supporting the tabs between the battery cell stacks 4. Exemplarily, the support block 1000 can be a rectangular strip arranged along the length direction of the support portion 100, and multiple rectangular strips are stacked up and down, with gaps between adjacent support blocks 1000 that can accommodate the battery cell tabs 400, and the battery cell tabs 400 are arranged on the upper surface of the corresponding support block 1000; the support block 1000 of the present application can also be a small block with an irregular outer contour located at the same height at both ends of the support portion 100, and arranged at intervals up and down at different heights.

[0064] It should be noted that the single cell 40 is an energy carrier. When forming a cell stack 4 and a battery module / module, the single cell 40 will generate a certain amount of heat during operation. If the heat cannot be dissipated in time, it may cause the temperature of the cell stack 4 and the cell module / module to rise, thereby affecting its performance and safety. Therefore, based on the heat dissipation considerations between the single cells 40, the support block 1000 of the present application adopts the above-mentioned small blocks with irregular external contours at the same height at both ends of the support part 100, and at the same time, they are arranged at different heights up and down to facilitate the heat dissipation of the cell tabs 400, so as to reduce the risk of heat accumulation and thus reduce the probability of thermal runaway.

[0065] See also Figure 1 Combined with Figure 2 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 9 and Figure 10 In one embodiment, a boss 1002 is provided at the bottom of the support portion 100. One end of the first connector 11 is disposed within the boss 1002. A first surface 111 of the first connector 11 is higher than the boss 1002 and is configured to connect to the battery cell tab 400. The first connector 101 is provided with a recessed portion 1011. The other end of the first connector 11 is disposed within the recessed portion 1011. A second surface 110 of the first connector 11 is lower than a third surface 1012 of the first connector 101.

[0066] In this embodiment, the boss 1002 is used to cover and support the first connector 11, and the first surface 111 of the first connector 11 is higher than the boss 1002, so that the first surface 111 of the first connector 11 can be exposed from the support portion 100, facilitating connection with the battery tab 400, thereby achieving the purpose of connecting to the cell stack. The entire first connecting portion 101 is used to cover the first connector 11, and a recessed portion 1011 is provided on the first connecting portion 101 to expose the second surface 110 of the first connector 11. The second surface 110 is used to connect between the battery cell stacks 4 and / or to connect the battery cell stack 4 to an external circuit.

[0067] In the above embodiment, since the second surface 110 is lower than the third surface 1012 of the first connecting portion 101 and the first connecting member 11 as a whole is an insulating member, electrical insulation of the first connecting member 11 can be achieved. When applied to a battery pack, the safety inside the battery pack can be further ensured. For example, when the third surface 1012 and the battery case are overlapped by metal parts, since the second surface 110 is lower than the third surface 1012 of the first connecting portion 101, it is ensured that the battery pack case and the second surface 110 will not be connected through the metal parts and conduct electricity.

[0068] It can be understood that the present application does not impose any specific restrictions on the specific covering position of the first connecting member 11 and the first connecting portion 101. For example, the second surface 110 may also be higher than the third surface 1012. Based on the covering material, mold cost and safety considerations of the above-mentioned battery pack in terms of electrical insulation, the present application preferably adopts the technical solution of the above-mentioned embodiment.

[0069] Example 2: The difference between this example and Example 1 is that this example is applicable to the scenario where the battery cell stack 4 is connected to the external circuit through the battery cell tab support structure b2. The battery cell tab support structure b2 in the example of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0070] See also Figures 5 to 6 Combined with Figure 2 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 10 In one embodiment, the first connecting portion 101 is bent along a direction perpendicular to the supporting portion 100 to form a bent section perpendicular to the supporting portion 100, and the bent section is used to connect to an external circuit.

[0071] It should be noted that the cell tab support structure b2 of the present application is mainly used for stacking between single cells 40 to form a cell stack 4, and the cell stacks 4 can also be electrically connected through the cell tab support structure a1 to form a battery module. The present application forms the cell tab support structure b2 by fixing the first connector 11 on the support member 10. When applied to a soft-pack battery, when the single cells 40 are stacked to form a cell stack 4, the cell stacks 4 can be directly connected through the first connector 11, and there is no need to use connecting plates and fasteners separately. When the battery module is made, the use of parts such as fasteners is reduced, and the process flow of manufacturing the cell module is simplified, which can greatly reduce the production cost of the soft-pack battery. The above technical solution solves the technical problem that there are many connecting components between the cell stacks 4 of the soft-pack battery, which leads to a relatively high production cost of the soft-pack battery. The purpose of the present application is not limited to this. In the actual production process of the battery (battery pack), the battery module / module formed after the battery cell stack 4 is connected by the first connector 11 is only a semi-finished product of the battery (battery pack). It is necessary to cooperate with the battery case, cooling system, battery management system and auxiliary components to form the battery (battery pack) in the future. In the prior art, when the battery module / module is further formed into a battery (battery pack), the total positive and total negative are usually formed at both ends of the battery module / module and connected to the external circuit through an integral part or a total positive and total negative copper busbar. When connecting, fasteners are usually used to connect the two ends of the total positive and total negative copper busbars. The production of soft-pack batteries requires more parts and the manufacturing process is more complicated, resulting in a relatively high cost of using soft-pack batteries.

[0072] In order to solve the above-mentioned problem of a large number of connecting components between the battery module / module and the external circuit, in this embodiment, the first connecting portion 101 is provided with a bent section, which is used to connect to the external circuit. Since the first connecting member 11 is embedded in the support member 10, when the battery module / module is connected to the external circuit, it can be connected directly through the first connecting member 11, and there is no need to use a separate integral part or a total positive and total negative copper busbar. At the same time, when the battery module / module is connected to the external circuit, only one end of the first connecting member 11 needs to be connected with a fastener, and the other end needs to be connected to the battery module / module by laser welding, which further reduces the use of fasteners and helps to reduce the manufacturing cost of the battery pack.

[0073] Example 3: This example is also applicable to the scenario where the battery cell stack 4 is connected to the external circuit via the battery cell tab support structure c3. The battery cell tab support structure c3 in the example of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0074] See also Figure 7 and Figure 8 and combined Figure 2 、 Figure 4 and Figure 10 In one embodiment, the battery cell tab support structure c3 also includes a second connecting member 30, one end of the second connecting member 30 is provided with a first connecting portion 101, and the other end is provided with a second connecting portion 300, the second connecting member 30 is connected to the support portion 100 through the first connecting portion 101, and the second connecting portion 300 is used to connect to an external circuit.

[0075] It should be noted that, since the first connecting member 11 provided in the present application preferably adopts a Z-shaped structure in Example 1, it can solve the problem of too many connecting components between the battery cell stacks 4, but cannot solve the problem of too many connecting components or complicated processes between the battery module / module and the external circuit. Therefore, in Example 2, the first connecting part 101 is set to be a bent section structure, which can solve the problem of too many connecting components or complicated processes between the battery module / module at the total positive or total negative end and the external circuit. However, the above-mentioned bending section can only solve the problem of too many connecting components or complicated processes between the battery module / module at the total positive or total negative end and the external circuit, and cannot solve the problem of too many connecting components or complicated processes between the corresponding total negative or total positive battery module / module at the other end and the external circuit.

[0076] In order to completely solve the problem that when the above-mentioned battery modules / modules form a battery (battery pack), there are many connecting components or complicated processes between the total negative and total positive battery modules / modules and the external circuit, in this embodiment, the battery cell tab support structure c3 also includes a second connecting member 30, and a first connecting portion 101 is provided at one end of the second connecting member 30. The function and technical effect of the first connecting portion 101 are the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiment 1 and are not repeated here. A second connecting portion 300 is provided at the other end, and the second connecting member 30 is connected to the support portion 100 through the first connecting portion 101, and the second connecting portion 300 is used to connect to the external circuit.

[0077] It can be understood that the cell tab support structure c3 provided in this application in combination with the cell tab support structure b2 provided in Example 2 can solve the problem of having too many connecting components or complex processes between the total negative and total positive battery modules / modules and the external circuit.

[0078] Specifically, when the first connection portion 101 of this embodiment is connected to the support portion 100, it can be a buckle and hole connection as in the first embodiment, or the first connection portion 101 can be integrally connected above the support portion 100. The first connection portion 101 is used to connect to the total positive or total negative, and the second connection portion 300 can be the bent segment structure as in the second embodiment, used to connect to an external circuit. The cell tab support structure c3 provided in this embodiment, in conjunction with the cell tab support structure c3 provided in the first and second embodiments, can completely solve the technical problem of relatively high production costs of soft-pack batteries due to the large number of connection components between the cell stacks 4 and between the battery modules and the external circuit when the cell stacks 4 form battery modules / modules and the battery modules / modules form batteries (battery packs).

[0079] In order to achieve the purpose of this utility model, please refer to Figures 1 to 10 In one embodiment, the present application also provides a battery pack, comprising the battery cell tab support structure described in any of the above embodiments.

[0080] In actual use, the battery module / module and battery (battery pack) grouping process provided by this application is:

[0081] The single battery forms a battery stack through the battery tab support structure 4: Figures 1 to 9 , the negative electrode tab of the single cell 40 is connected to the first connecting block 1001 located in the boss 1002 by welding, the positive electrode tab on the other side is bent and connected in series with the negative electrode tab of the single cell 40 of the second layer, the negative electrode tab of the second layer is connected in series with the positive electrode tab of the third layer, and the connected cell tabs 400 are placed on the support block 1000 of the bottom layer, and so on, until the polarity of the cell tabs 400 at the same end of the single cell 40 of the upper layer is opposite to that of the single cell 40 of the bottom layer, and a cell stack 4 is formed. In the above process, one of the cell stacks 4 uses the cell tab support structure b2 provided in Example 2 of the present application, another cell stack 4 uses the cell tab support structure c3 provided in Example 3 of the present application, and the remaining cell stacks 4 use the cell tab support structure a1 provided in Example 1 of the present application.

[0082] The battery cell stack 4 forms a battery module / module through the battery cell tab support structure: please refer to Figures 1 to 9The cell stack 4 using the cell tab support structure b2 provided in the second embodiment is used as the total negative output end of the battery module / module. The cell stack 4 using the cell tab support structure a1 provided in the first embodiment is connected in series with the positive tab of the single cell 40 at the top of the cell stack 4 using the cell tab support structure b2 provided in the second embodiment through laser welding via the first connecting piece 11 exposed on the first connecting part 101. The same process is repeated until the cell stack 4 using the cell tab support structure c3 provided in the third embodiment is connected to the cell stack 4 using the cell tab support structure a1 provided in the first embodiment to form a battery module / module.

[0083] The battery module / module is formed into a battery (battery pack) through the cell tab support structure: in the above steps, the step of forming the battery module / module by the cell stack 4 through the cell tab support structure is completed in the battery case, and after connecting with the cooling system, battery management system and auxiliary components according to the actual process, the battery cover is sealed and connected to the battery case to form a battery (battery pack).

[0084] In summary, an embodiment of the present application provides a cell tab support structure, which includes a support member 10 and a first connecting member 11. The first connecting member 11 is fixed to the support member 10, and the two ends of the first connecting member 11 are used to connect between cell stacks 4 and / or for connecting the cell stack 4 with an external circuit. This technical solution forms a cell tab support structure by fixing the first connecting member 11 on the support member 10. When applied to soft-pack batteries, after the single cells are stacked to form a cell stack 4, the cell stacks 4 can be directly connected through the two ends of the first connecting member 11 fixed to the support member 10. There is no need to set separate connecting plates between the cell stacks 4. When the cell stacks 4 are connected, they can be welded through the cell tab 400 and the first connecting member 11, and there is no need to additionally set up fixing seats and fasteners. When the cell stacks 4 are made into battery modules / modules through the support structure, the use of parts such as connecting plates and fasteners is reduced, making the battery system space more compact and the cell stacks 4 and the support structure can be connected by welding, which simplifies the operation steps of connecting the cell stacks 4 and can greatly reduce the production cost of soft-pack batteries.

[0085] Compared with the prior art, a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present application includes any of the above-mentioned cell tab support structures. It is understood that the battery pack according to the present application can include all the technical features and technical effects of the above-mentioned cell tab support structures, which will not be repeated here.

[0086] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation made by using the contents of the description and drawings of the present invention, or directly or indirectly applied in other related technical fields, are also included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A battery cell tab support structure, characterized in that: include: A support member and a first connecting member, wherein the first connecting member is fixed to the support member, and two ends of the first connecting member are used for connecting between battery cell stacks and / or for connecting the battery cell stack with an external circuit.

2. The battery cell tab support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The supporting member includes a supporting portion and a first connecting portion, and two ends of the first connecting member are respectively arranged at the supporting portion and the first connecting portion.

3. The battery cell tab support structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The support portion and the first connecting portion are integrally connected, and the first connecting member is partially embedded in the support portion.

4. The battery cell tab support structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The support portion is provided with a protrusion, the first connecting portion is integrally connected to the protrusion, the first connecting portion extends along the length direction of the support portion, and the two battery cell tab support structures are connected in an upper and lower stacked manner through the support portion of the support member and the first connecting portion.

5. The battery cell tab support structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: A first connecting block is provided above the support portion, a second connecting block is provided below the first connecting portion, and the two battery cell tab supporting structures are connected via the second connecting block and the first connecting block.

6. The battery cell tab support structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The support portion further includes a plurality of support blocks, and the plurality of support blocks are arranged at intervals in an upper and lower direction.

7. The battery cell tab support structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The support portion is provided with a boss, one end of the first connector is provided in the boss, and a first surface of the first connector is higher than the boss for connection with the battery cell tab.

8. The battery cell tab support structure according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first connecting portion is provided with a recessed portion, the other end of the first connecting member is provided in the recessed portion, and the second surface of the first connecting member is lower than the third surface of the first connecting portion.

9. The battery cell tab support structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first connecting portion is bent along a direction perpendicular to the supporting portion to form a bent section perpendicular to the supporting portion, and the bent section is used to connect to an external circuit.

10. The battery cell tab support structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes a second connecting member, one end of which is provided with a first connecting portion, and the other end of which is provided with a second connecting portion. The second connecting member is connected to the supporting portion through the first connecting portion, and the second connecting portion is used to connect to an external circuit.

11. A battery pack, characterized in that: The invention comprises a battery cell tab support structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 10 above.

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