Shell structure and battery

Abstract

The utility model discloses a shell structure and a battery. The shell structure comprises a first assembly part, a second assembly part and a third assembly part, wherein the two first assembly parts are respectively used for forming a cover plate and a bottom plate of the shell structure; the two second assembly parts are arranged in parallel along the first direction and are respectively used for forming two side plates of the shell structure along the first direction; the two third assembly parts are arranged in parallel along the second direction and are respectively used for forming two side plates of the shell structure along the second direction; the second assembly parts and the third assembly parts are alternately arranged in the circumferential direction of the first assembly parts to form a side plate assembly, and the two first assembly parts are connected to the two ends, in the third direction, of the side plate assembly respectively so as to define a closed cavity used for containing a battery cell. The shell structure is not provided with a flange edge, so that the space utilization rate is higher, and the energy density of the battery is higher.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] Existing steel-cased batteries often consist of a bottom shell and a cover plate. The bottom shell is stamped to create a recessed groove for accommodating the battery cells. However, due to the stamping process requirements and the subsequent connection between the bottom shell and cover plate, a flange is often formed around the opening edge of the recess after the stamping process. This flange occupies a significant amount of available space, resulting in a lower energy density for the battery. Utility Model Content

[0003] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems in the prior art. To this end, the present invention proposes a housing structure without flange edges, thereby improving space utilization and increasing the energy density of the battery.

[0004] The utility model also provides a battery with the above-mentioned shell structure.

[0005] According to the first embodiment of the present invention, the housing structure includes:

[0006] a first assembly, wherein the two first assembly parts are used to form a cover plate and a bottom plate of the housing structure respectively, wherein the length direction of the housing structure is set as the first direction, the width direction is set as the second direction, and the thickness direction is set as the third direction;

[0007] a second assembly, two of the second assembly parts being arranged side by side along the first direction and respectively used to form two side panels of the housing structure along the first direction;

[0008] a third assembly, two of the third assembly pieces being arranged side by side along the second direction and respectively used to form two side panels of the housing structure along the second direction;

[0009] The second assembly and the third assembly are alternately arranged along the circumference of the first assembly to form a side plate assembly, and the two first assemblies are respectively connected to the two ends of the side plate assembly along the third direction to define a closed chamber for accommodating the battery cell.

[0010] The housing structure according to the embodiment of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0011] Compared with the shell structure formed by stamping in the prior art, each plate of the shell structure of the present application is made of independent assembly parts. The structure of each assembly part is simple, the processing difficulty is low, and the manufacturing accuracy and matching accuracy can be greatly improved. In addition, the assembled shell structure does not have a flange edge, and there is no need for a trimming process. The assembly process of the battery is relatively simple, and there is no waste of shell materials, and the material utilization rate is high. Due to the cancellation of the flange edge, the battery size can be further increased, thereby further improving the energy density. In addition, compared with the prior art, the bottom of the deep pit will form a fillet after stamping, which limits the size of the battery cell. The shell structure of the present application will not form a fillet, the size of the battery cell can be further improved, and the space utilization rate within the shell structure is high.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the second assembly includes a first main body and two first connecting parts respectively arranged at both ends of the first main body, and the third assembly includes a second main body and two second connecting parts respectively arranged at both ends of the second main body, and the first connecting part is overlapped and connected with the adjacent second connecting part.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the first connecting portion is bent relative to the first main body portion, and the second connecting portion is bent relative to the second main body portion.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a first abutment portion is provided on the opposite inner side of the first main body portion, the first abutment portion extends along the third direction, and the dimension of the first abutment portion along the third direction is smaller than the dimension of the first main body portion, and first step surfaces are formed at both ends of the first main body portion along the third direction, respectively, and the first step surfaces are used to support the first assembly member;

[0015] And / or, a second abutment portion is provided on the relative inner side of the second main body portion, the second abutment portion extends along the third direction, and the size of the second abutment portion along the third direction is smaller than the size of the second main body portion, and second step surfaces are formed at both ends of the second main body portion along the third direction, respectively, and the second step surfaces are used to support the first assembly.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the first connecting portions are located relatively outside the second connecting portions, wherein the length of the first connecting portions is not less than the length of the second connecting portions.

[0017] According to some embodiments of the present invention, along the third direction, the width of the first connecting portion is not less than the width of the second connecting portion.

[0018] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the thickness D1 of the first main body portion has the following relationship: 0.1 mm ≤ D1 ≤ 0.4 mm, and the thickness d1 of the first connecting portion has the following relationship: D1 / 4 ≤ d1 ≤ D1 / 2;

[0019] And / or, the thickness D2 of the second main body portion has the following relationship: 0.1 mm≤D2≤0.4 mm, and the thickness d2 of the second connecting portion has the following relationship: D2 / 4≤d2≤D2 / 2.

[0020] According to some embodiments of the present invention, when the length and width of the housing structure are equal, the second assembly part and the third assembly part have the same size.

[0021] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the housing structure further defines a pole hole, and the pole hole is provided on any of the second assembly members or any of the third assembly members;

[0022] And / or, the shell structure further defines a liquid injection hole, and the liquid injection hole is provided on any of the second assembly parts or any of the third assembly parts.

[0023] According to the battery of the second embodiment of the present invention, the battery includes the shell structure mentioned in any one of the above embodiments.

[0024] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description and will become apparent from the following description or learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein:

[0026] Figure 1 This is an exploded schematic diagram of the housing structure of an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of a side panel assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the housing structure of an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a front view of the second assembly member of the embodiment of the utility model;

[0030] Figure 5 for Figure 4 a top view of the second assembly;

[0031] Figure 6 This is a front view of a third assembly member according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0032] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A top view of the third assembly.

[0033] Reference numerals:

[0034] First assembly 100; bevel 110;

[0035] Second assembly 200; first main body 210; first abutting portion 211; first step surface 212; first connecting portion 220;

[0036] The third assembly 300; the second main body 310; the second abutting portion 311; the second step surface 312; the second connecting portion 320;

[0037] Side panel assembly 400 ; transition section 410 ; welding point 420 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The following describes embodiments of the present invention in detail. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended only to explain the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0039] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that descriptions involving orientations, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They 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 orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limitations on the present invention.

[0040] In the description of this utility model, "several" means more than one, "plurality" means more than two, "greater than," "less than," and "exceed" are understood to exclude the number itself, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the number itself. The use of the terms "first" and "second" is solely for the purpose of distinguishing technical features and is not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, implicitly specifying the number of the indicated technical features, or implicitly specifying the order of the indicated technical features.

[0041] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined, terms such as setting, installing, and connecting should be understood in a broad sense, and technicians in the relevant technical field can reasonably determine the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific content of the technical solution.

[0042] In the description of the present invention, reference to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the exemplary expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0043] Existing steel-cased batteries often consist of a bottom shell and a cover plate. The bottom shell is stamped to create a recessed groove for accommodating the battery cells. However, due to the stamping process requirements and the subsequent connection between the bottom shell and cover plate, a flange is often formed around the opening edge of the recess after the stamping process. This flange occupies a significant amount of available space, resulting in a lower energy density for the battery.

[0044] In addition, in the prior art, after the flange shell is assembled, due to size restrictions, trimming is performed to reduce the width of the flange, thereby removing part of the material. On the one hand, this adds a trimming process and reduces the assembly efficiency of the battery. On the other hand, it wastes part of the shell material, resulting in poor material utilization.

[0045] It is understood that the shell structure of a battery should include at least a bottom plate, a cover plate, and side plates. For a square shell structure, the side plates are often divided into two side plates along the width direction of the shell structure and two side plates along the length direction of the shell structure. In the stamping process of the prior art, the bottom plate and side plates are directly stamped on the steel plate to form an integral body. In the shell structure of the present application, the shell structure is formed by splicing the first assembly 100, the second assembly 200, and the third assembly 300.

[0046] Specifically, such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the housing structure includes two first assemblies 100, two second assemblies 200 and two third assemblies 300. The two first assemblies 100 are used to form the cover plate and the bottom plate of the housing structure respectively. The two first assemblies 100 can be square or as shown in FIG. Figure 1 The structure shown is approximately square, and its four corners are connected by beveled edges 110 or arc edges. For the convenience of subsequent description, the length direction of the shell structure is set as the first direction, the width direction of the shell structure is set as the second direction, and the thickness direction of the shell structure is set as the third direction.

[0047] The two second assemblies 200 are arranged in parallel along the first direction, and are respectively used to form the two side panels of the shell structure along the first direction. The two third assemblies 300 are arranged in parallel along the second direction, and are respectively used to form the two side panels of the shell structure along the second direction. The second assemblies 200 and the third assemblies 300 are alternately arranged along the circumference of the first assembly 100 and connected to form the following structure: Figure 2 In the side plate assembly 400 shown, the two first assemblies 100 are respectively connected to the two ends of the side plate assembly 400 along the third direction, thereby defining a closed chamber for accommodating the battery cells.

[0048] It is understood that during the assembly of this housing structure, the second and third assemblies 200 and 300 must first be connected to form a side panel assembly 400. The bottom panel is then connected to the side panel assembly 400 to form a recess with a single opening. After the battery cell is placed in the recess, the cover is placed over the opening and connected to the side panel assembly 400 to form a closed chamber. It should be noted that welding is preferably used for this connection to achieve good connection strength and good airtightness. Other methods such as gluing and clamping may also be used.

[0049] Based on the above, it can be found that compared with the shell structure formed by stamping in the prior art, the various panels of the shell structure of the present application are made of independent assembly parts, the structure of each assembly part is simple, the processing difficulty is low, and the manufacturing accuracy and matching accuracy can be greatly improved. In addition, the assembled shell structure does not have flange edges, and there is no need for trimming process. The assembly process of the battery is relatively simple, and there will be no waste of shell materials, and the material utilization rate is high. In addition, compared with the prior art, the bottom of the deep pit will form a rounded corner after stamping, which limits the size of the battery cell. The shell structure of the present application will not form a rounded corner, the size of the battery cell can be further improved, and the space utilization rate within the shell structure is high.

[0050] In some embodiments, as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the second assembly 200 includes a first main body 210 and two first connecting parts 220, which are respectively located at both ends of the length direction of the first main body 210. The third assembly 300 includes a second main body 310 and two second connecting parts 320, which are respectively located at both ends of the length direction of the second main body 310. The first connecting part 220 overlaps and connects with the adjacent second connecting part 320.

[0051] In such Figure 1 and Figure 2In the embodiment shown, the two first connection parts 220 are both bent relative to the first main body part 210. Specifically, the angle between the first connection part 220 and the first main body part 210 is greater than 90° and less than 180°. The two second connection parts 320 are both bent relative to the second main body part 310. Specifically, the angle between the first connection part 220 and the first main body part 210 is greater than 90° and less than 180°. The overall length of the second assembly 200 and the third assembly 300 is controlled within the range of 20 mm to 200 mm. Thus, after the first connection part 220 and the second connection part 320 are overlapped and connected, a transition section 410 connecting the two side edges is formed on the side panel assembly 400. Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the first connecting portion 220 and the second connecting portion 320 are both linear, resulting in a linear transition section 410. In other embodiments, the first connecting portion 220 and the second connecting portion 320 may both be curved, resulting in a rounded transition section 410. Accordingly, the corners of the first assembly 100 are also configured as beveled edges 110 or arcuate edges to match the shape of the transition section 410.

[0052] Further, such as Figures 3 to 5 As shown, a first abutting portion 211 is provided on the inner side of the first main body portion 210. The first abutting portion 211 extends along the third direction. The dimension of the first abutting portion 211 along the third direction is smaller than that of the first main body portion 210. First step surfaces 212 are formed at both ends of the first main body portion 210 along the third direction. The first step surfaces 212 are used to support the first assembly 100. It can be understood that in the embodiment shown in FIG. Figure 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the first main body portion 210 and the first abutting portion 211 are integrally formed, that is, the first main body portion 210 and the first abutting portion 211 can be formed as a single unit by casting or other methods, or the first abutting portion 211 can be formed by slotting the inner side of the first main body portion 210. In other embodiments, the first abutting portion 211 can also be manufactured separately and connected to the first main body portion 210 to form an integral structure. For example, the first abutting portion 211 can be a strip-shaped structure extending along the third direction, and the inner side of the first main body portion 210 is connected to a plurality of first abutting portions 211 spaced apart and arranged in parallel, thereby forming a first step surface 212 to support the first assembly 100.

[0053] like Figure 6 and Figure 7As shown, a second abutment portion 311 is also provided on the opposite inner side of the second main body portion 310. The second abutment portion 311 extends along the third direction and is smaller than the second main body portion 310 in the third direction. Second step surfaces 312 are formed at both ends of the second main body portion 310 in the third direction. The second step surfaces 312 are used to support the first assembly 100. The structure and design purpose of the second abutment portion 311 are the same as those of the first abutment portion 211 and will not be repeated here. The provision of the first step surface 212 and the second step surface 312 facilitates the positioning welding of the first assembly 100. It should be noted that after the first assembly 100 is assembled to the side panel assembly 400, the distance between the edge of the first assembly 100 and the outer peripheral surface of the side panel assembly 400 is 0 to 50 μm.

[0054] Furthermore, the first connection portion 220 is located at the relatively outer side of the second connection portion 320, wherein the length of the first connection portion 220 is not less than the length of the second connection portion 320. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the end of the first connection part 220 away from the first main body part 210 is a solder point 420, and the end of the second connection part 320 away from the second main body part 310 is a solder point 420. For this reason, when the length of the second connection part 320 is less than the length of the first connection part 220, extra space can be left on the inner side of the first connection part 220 to form a solder accumulation area, thereby facilitating the welding of the second connection part 320 and the first connection part 220.

[0055] Furthermore, along the third direction, the width of the first connection portion 220 is not less than the width of the second connection portion 320. After the first connection portion 220 and the second connection portion 320 are welded into a whole, the first connection portion 220 covers the second connection portion 320, which has a better aesthetic appearance. Figure 4 and Figure 6 As shown, the width H4 of the second connecting portion 320 has the following relationship with the width H3 of the second main body portion 310 and the width H2 of the second abutting portion 311: H3 / 2≤H4≤H2, and the width of the first connecting portion 220 is equal to the width of the first main body portion 210 and equal to the width H3 of the second main body portion 310.

[0056] Furthermore, the thickness D1 of the first main body portion 210 satisfies the following relationship: 0.1 mm ≤ D1 ≤ 0.4 mm, and the thickness d1 of the first connecting portion 220 satisfies the following relationship: D1 / 4 ≤ d1 ≤ D1 / 2. And / or, the thickness of the second main body portion 310 satisfies the following relationship: 0.1 mm ≤ D2 ≤ 0.4 mm, and the thickness d2 of the first connecting portion 220 satisfies the following relationship: D2 / 4 ≤ d2 ≤ D2 / 2. It will be appreciated that the main body thickness of both the second assembly 200 and the third assembly 300 is greater than the thickness of the connecting portion, thereby ensuring the structural strength of each side of the housing structure. The thinner connecting portions at both ends facilitate bending and assembly, and do not occupy additional space after assembly. Furthermore, the distance between the end of the first connecting portion 220 and the first main body portion 210 should be controlled within the range of 0 to 2.5 mm.

[0057] The thickness D2 of the second main body portion 310 of the third assembly 300 and the thickness d3 of the second abutting portion 311 also have the following relationship: 3 / 8*D2≤d3≤3 / 4*D2, and the thickness relationship of the first abutting portion 211 is the same. The depth H1 of the second step surface 312 also has the following relationship: 0.1mm≤H1≤0.3mm, and the depth relationship of the first step surface 212 is the same. The end of the first connecting portion 220 is angled, and the angle C1 is between 30° and 75°. The end of the second connecting portion 320 is also angled, and the angle C2 is between 30° and 75°. In addition, the length A3 of the overlapping area between the first connecting portion 220 and the second connecting portion 320 has the following relationship: 1 / 2(D3 / cosα)≤A3, as shown Figure 5 As shown, D3 is the distance from the end of the connecting portion to the outer periphery of the main body, and α is the angle between the connecting portion and the main body. The thickness A4 of the overlapping area has the following relationship: 0.6D1≤A4≤D1.

[0058] After the second assembly 200 and the third assembly 300 are assembled, Figure 3 As shown, the distance A2 from the end of the first connection part 220 to the outer peripheral surface of the second main body part 310 has the following relationship: 50μm≤A2≤100μm, so as to ensure that the material area after welding does not exceed the overall size of the shell structure. The distance A1 from the end of the second connection part 320 to the first main body part 210 has the following relationship: 1mm≤A1≤4mm, so that there is enough distance inside to facilitate internal welding. In order to further ensure the welding strength, welding can be performed again in the assembly overlap area, and it is located on the outside of the shell of the outer plate. It is not limited to spot welding, continuous penetration welding, etc. The welding shape is not limited, and the welding area is 30% to 75% (A3*H3). By increasing the welding area to improve the overall strength of the shell structure, the ability to resist deformation during falling is improved.

[0059] The housing structure is square. Furthermore, if the housing structure is rectangular, the length of the third assembly 300 is greater than the length of the second assembly 200. The two third assemblies 300 have the same specifications and dimensions and can be produced on the same production line. The two second assemblies 200 have the same specifications and dimensions and can be produced on the same production line. Furthermore, the two first assemblies 100 also have the same specifications and dimensions and can be produced on the same production line. Furthermore, the housing structure of the present application requires only three sheet metal parts, greatly simplifying the manufacturing difficulty of the housing structure.

[0060] If the housing structure is a square, that is, if the length and width of the housing structure are equal, the second assembly 200 and the third assembly 300 have the same size. Furthermore, the second assembly 200 and the third assembly 300 can be produced on the same production line, which further reduces the number of housing components and simplifies manufacturing.

[0061] In some embodiments, the housing structure further defines a pole hole (not shown in the figures), which is provided on any second assembly 200 or any third assembly 300. In other embodiments, the housing structure further defines a liquid injection hole (not shown in the figures), which is provided on any second assembly 200 or any third assembly 300. It will be understood that, depending on the structural design of the battery cell or battery, the pole hole and the liquid injection hole can be located on the same second assembly 200 or the same third assembly 300, or on different second assemblies 200 or different third assemblies 300. Alternatively, either the pole hole or the liquid injection hole can be located on the second assembly 200, and the other can be located on the third assembly 300.

[0062] An embodiment of the second aspect of the present application provides a battery, which includes the shell structure mentioned in any of the above embodiments.

[0063] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Various modifications can be made within the scope of knowledge possessed by a person skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In addition, the embodiments of the present invention and the features of the embodiments can be combined with each other unless there is a conflict.

Claims

1. Shell structure, characterized in that, include: a first assembly, wherein the two first assembly parts are used to form a cover plate and a bottom plate of the housing structure respectively, wherein the length direction of the housing structure is set as the first direction, the width direction is set as the second direction, and the thickness direction is set as the third direction; a second assembly, two of the second assembly parts being arranged side by side along the first direction and respectively used to form two side panels of the housing structure along the first direction; a third assembly, two of the third assembly pieces being arranged side by side along the second direction and respectively used to form two side panels of the housing structure along the second direction; The second assembly and the third assembly are alternately arranged along the circumference of the first assembly to form a side plate assembly, and the two first assemblies are respectively connected to the two ends of the side plate assembly along the third direction to define a closed chamber for accommodating the battery cell.

2. The housing structure according to claim 1, wherein: The second assembly includes a first main body and two first connecting parts respectively arranged at both ends of the first main body. The third assembly includes a second main body and two second connecting parts respectively arranged at both ends of the second main body. The first connecting part overlaps and is connected to the adjacent second connecting part.

3. The housing structure according to claim 2, wherein: The first connecting portion is bent relative to the first main body portion, and the second connecting portion is bent relative to the second main body portion.

4. The housing structure according to claim 2, wherein: A first abutment portion is provided on the opposite inner side of the first main body portion, the first abutment portion extends along the third direction, and a dimension of the first abutment portion along the third direction is smaller than a dimension of the first main body portion, and first step surfaces are formed at both ends of the first main body portion along the third direction, the first step surfaces being used to support the first assembly member; And / or, a second abutment portion is provided on the relative inner side of the second main body portion, the second abutment portion extends along the third direction, and the size of the second abutment portion along the third direction is smaller than the size of the second main body portion, and second step surfaces are formed at both ends of the second main body portion along the third direction, respectively, and the second step surfaces are used to support the first assembly.

5. The housing structure according to claim 2, wherein: The first connection parts are all located on the relatively outer sides of the second connection parts, wherein the length of the first connection parts is not less than the length of the second connection parts.

6. The housing structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: Along the third direction, a width of the first connection portion is not less than a width of the second connection portion.

7. The housing structure according to claim 2, wherein: The thickness D1 of the first main body portion has the following relationship: 0.1 mm ≤ D1 ≤ 0.4 mm, and the thickness d1 of the first connecting portion has the following relationship: D1 / 4 ≤ d1 ≤ D1 / 2; And / or, the thickness D2 of the second main body portion has the following relationship: 0.1 mm≤D2≤0.4 mm, and the thickness d2 of the second connecting portion has the following relationship: D2 / 4≤d2≤D2 / 2.

8. The housing structure according to claim 1, wherein: When the length and width of the housing structure are equal, the second assembly and the third assembly have the same size.

9. The housing structure according to claim 1, wherein: The housing structure further defines a pole hole, wherein the pole hole is provided on any one of the second assembly parts or any one of the third assembly parts; And / or, the shell structure further defines a liquid injection hole, and the liquid injection hole is provided on any of the second assembly parts or any of the third assembly parts.

10. A battery, characterized in that The invention comprises a housing structure according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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