Explosion-proof valve, battery box body, battery pack and vehicle

Abstract

The utility model discloses an explosion-proof valve, a battery box body, a battery pack and a vehicle, the explosion-proof valve is installed on a box main body of the battery box body, when the pressure in the box main body is greater than a preset value, fluid in the box main body pushes a cover body to rotate relative to a valve main body, and an opening is opened by a preset angle; air flow in the box body can be sprayed out of the box body in the opening direction of the cover body. In the action process of the cover body, the guide rod can be driven to move in the first direction, valve opening stability can be improved through translation of the guide rod, the guide rod and the cover body are connected through the connecting rod mechanism, movement flexibility of the guide rod and the cover body can be improved, and smooth rotation of the cover body is facilitated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of batteries, and in particular to an explosion-proof valve, a battery housing, a battery pack, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Battery packs are an important component of new energy vehicles. Their operation generates a lot of heat, and their thermal safety is one of the important factors to consider in product design.

[0003] Currently, battery packs consist of a battery housing, inside which several battery cells are installed. Thermal runaway of the battery cells can cause an increase in internal pressure within the battery housing. To ensure the safety of the battery pack, an explosion-proof valve is usually installed on the battery housing to expel gas or liquid from the housing and reduce the internal pressure.

[0004] The explosion-proof valve includes a valve cover, valve body, elastic element, and guide rod. The valve body has an opening, and the valve cover closes to the opening under the action of the elastic element. The guide rod is fixedly connected to the valve cover, guiding its movement. When a battery cell experiences thermal runaway, the valve cover is axially lifted to a predetermined height by a high-temperature gas flow. The gas, carrying the contents of the battery cell, is ejected forward through the gap between the valve cover and the valve body to the outside of the battery box. This forward ejection of gas impacts vehicle components directly opposite the explosion-proof valve, such as the electric drive system's motor and controller, and the thermal management system's piping and wiring harnesses, causing damage to these components.

[0005] Therefore, minimizing the probability of damage to other vehicle components caused by the ejection of thermal runaway media from inside the battery pack is a technical problem that needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of this application is to provide an explosion-proof valve for a battery box, which can control the direction of thermal runaway gas discharge inside the battery box, reducing damage to other vehicle components, and the explosion-proof valve has high opening stability. Another purpose of this application is to provide a battery box, battery pack, and vehicle including the above-mentioned explosion-proof valve.

[0007] This application provides an explosion-proof valve for a battery enclosure, comprising:

[0008] The valve body has an opening;

[0009] The valve body is rotatably connected to the valve body, and the guide rod is limited and installed on the valve body and can move relative to the valve body in a first direction. The guide rod is connected to the valve body through a linkage mechanism.

[0010] When the pressure inside the valve body exceeds a predetermined value, the fluid inside the valve body pushes the cover to rotate relative to the valve body, opening the opening by a predetermined angle. The airflow inside the valve body is then ejected to the outside of the valve body along the opening direction of the cover. During the cover's movement, it drives the guide rod to move in the first direction. The translational movement of the guide rod improves the stability of valve opening, and the connection between the guide rod and the cover through a linkage mechanism enhances their flexibility of movement, facilitating smooth rotation of the cover.

[0011] In one example, the linkage mechanism includes at least one link body, and the guide rod is connected to the cover body via one or more link bodies that are hinged sequentially.

[0012] In one example, there is one connecting rod body, one end of which is hinged to the guide rod, and the other end of which is hinged to the side wall of the cover facing the guide rod.

[0013] In one example, the linkage body includes a first linkage and a second linkage that are parallel to each other. The first ends of the first linkage and the second linkage are hinged to the guide rod via a first rotation axis, and the second ends of the first linkage and the second linkage are hinged to the cover via a second rotation axis.

[0014] In one example, the valve body has a central axis, the guide rod is offset relative to the central axis, and the guide rod is located on the side of the central axis away from the rotatable connection between the cover and the valve body.

[0015] In one example, the cover includes a main body having a first surface facing away from the opening, and the cover also includes a connector connected to the first surface, the connector being rotatably connected to the outer wall of the valve body.

[0016] In one example, when the cover is placed over the opening, the main body is at least partially located inside the opening and circumferentially fitted to the inner wall of the opening.

[0017] In one example, the entire main body is located inside the opening, and the connector has a recessed structure on the side facing the valve body to avoid the side wall of the valve body.

[0018] In one example, the cover also includes a brim connected to the circumferential outer edge of the main body, and both sides of the connector have brims. When the cover is closed over the opening, the brim is located outside the valve body.

[0019] In one example, the angle range of the cover relative to the valve body is 20° to 40°;

[0020] Alternatively / and, the explosion-proof valve further includes an elastic element pressed between the valve body and the guide rod, the elastic element being used to provide pressure for the cover to press against the opening.

[0021] This application embodiment also provides a battery box, including a box body and the explosion-proof valve described above, wherein the explosion-proof valve is installed on the box body.

[0022] This application embodiment also provides a battery pack, including the battery housing and battery cells described above, wherein the battery cells are located inside the housing body.

[0023] This application also provides a vehicle, including a vehicle body and the aforementioned battery pack, wherein the battery pack is mounted on the vehicle body.

[0024] The vehicle, battery pack, and battery housing of this application all include the aforementioned explosion-proof valve, and therefore the vehicle, battery pack, and battery housing also have the aforementioned technical effects of the explosion-proof valve. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of an explosion-proof valve in one embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the explosion-proof valve in the closed state.

[0027] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the explosion-proof valve in the open position.

[0028] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Assembly diagram of the valve body and cover;

[0029] Figure 5 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the middle cover structure;

[0030] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the cover from another direction.

[0031] in, Figures 1 to 6 The one-to-one correspondence between the reference numerals and component names in the attached drawings is as follows:

[0032] 1 Valve body; 11 Annular body; 111 Inner wall; 112 Mounting through hole; 12 Sleeve; 13 First mounting seat; 14 Rib;

[0033] 2. Cover; 21. Main body; 211. First surface; 212. Second surface; 22. Connector; 23. Second mounting base; 24. Cap brim; 3. Linkage mechanism; 31. First link; 32. Second link; 4. Guide rod; 41. Boss; 42. Third mounting base; 5. Elastic element; 6. Protective cover; 7. Sealing ring. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 1 This is an exploded view of an explosion-proof valve in one embodiment of this application; Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the explosion-proof valve in the closed state. Figure 3 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the explosion-proof valve in the open position. Figure 4 for Figure 1 Assembly diagram of the valve body and cover; Figure 5 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the middle cover structure; Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the cover from another direction.

[0035] This application provides a battery pack that can be applied to vehicles or other electrical devices, such as mobile phones, portable devices, laptops, electric vehicles, electric toys, power tools, electric vehicles, ships, and spacecraft. For example, spacecraft include aircraft, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft. The battery pack primarily provides electrical energy to vehicles and other electrical devices. This application uses the application of the battery pack in a vehicle as an example to further describe the technical solution and its effects.

[0036] In this embodiment, the vehicle can be a gasoline-powered vehicle, a natural gas-powered vehicle, or a new energy vehicle. New energy vehicles can be pure electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, or range-extended electric vehicles, etc. The vehicle includes a body, and a battery pack is mounted on the body. The battery pack can be located at the bottom, front, or rear of the vehicle. The battery pack can be used to power the vehicle; for example, it can serve as the vehicle's operating power source. In some embodiments of this application, the battery pack can not only serve as the vehicle's operating power source but also as its driving power source, replacing or partially replacing gasoline or natural gas to provide driving power for the vehicle.

[0037] In this embodiment, the battery pack includes a battery housing, which includes a main body and several battery cells located inside the main body. A battery cell is the smallest unit that makes up a battery pack or battery assembly. The battery cells are stacked along a first direction X to form a cell group. A cell group typically contains several cells, such as two or more. The specific number of cells depends on the specific product; however, it is not excluded that in some embodiments, a cell group may include only one cell. The first direction X is the direction in which the cells are stacked within the cell group. The battery housing may contain one cell group, or at least two cell groups arranged along a second direction Y. The cells can be assembled into cell groups first, and then the entire cell group is installed inside the battery housing, with each cell group forming a battery pack. Alternatively, the cells can be installed one by one inside the battery housing to directly form a battery pack. Although the specific structure of the battery pack is not shown in the figures, it does not hinder those skilled in the art from understanding the above description.

[0038] In this embodiment, the battery cell includes components such as a housing and electrode rolls. The housing has an inner cavity, and the electrode rolls are located inside the inner cavity, where they are used to store electrical energy. The battery cells are connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel via busbars to form a power supply. Typically, to improve the safety of the battery cells, a cell explosion-proof valve is installed on the battery cell housing. The specific structure of the cell explosion-proof valve is not described in detail here; please refer to current technology. When the internal pressure of the battery cell housing exceeds a predetermined pressure threshold, the high-temperature fluid medium inside the housing will be sprayed from the cell explosion-proof valve into the battery casing, ensuring the safety of the battery cell.

[0039] When a battery cell experiences thermal runaway, the high-temperature fluid inside is ejected into the battery casing, inevitably increasing the internal pressure. To prevent explosions caused by excessive internal pressure, an explosion-proof valve is installed on the casing. This valve can be mounted on the side wall of the casing, and its internal space is connected to the internal space of the casing. When the internal pressure of the casing exceeds a predetermined value, the explosion-proof valve opens, connecting the internal space of the casing to the external environment, allowing the fluid medium inside the casing to be ejected to the outside. This application's embodiment is an improvement on the explosion-proof valve structure installed on the battery casing.

[0040] In this embodiment, the explosion-proof valve includes a valve body 1, a cover 2, a guide rod 4, and a connecting rod mechanism 3. The valve body 1 and the explosion-proof valve can be made of metal or high-temperature resistant polymer materials, such as polyvinyl fluoride or fluoroplastics. In this embodiment, the valve body 1 has an opening 1A and includes an annular body 11 with a hollow cavity. The opening 1A is located at one end of the annular body 11. A fixing structure is provided on the outer wall of the annular body 11 for fixed connection with the housing body. The fixing structure can be fitted with a through hole 112, such as... Figure 1As shown, bolts or screws pass through the mounting holes to secure the main body of the box. Of course, the fixing structure can also be other forms, such as a welded structure.

[0041] In this embodiment, the cover 2 is rotatably connected to the opening 1A of the valve body 1, and the cover 2 can cover the opening 1A. That is to say, the cover 2 can be installed in conjunction with the valve body 1 to close the opening 1A on the valve body 1.

[0042] The cover 2 can be rotatably connected to the valve body 1 via a rotating shaft mechanism. For example, both the cover 2 and the valve body 1 are provided with mounting through holes, and the rotating shaft is limited and installed inside the mounting through holes of both the cover 2 and the valve body 1. The cover 2 can rotate relative to the valve body 1 around the rotating shaft. In this way, the opening 1A is opened at a position away from the rotatable connection between the cover 2 and the valve body 1, and the injection direction can be away from the motor, controller, thermal management system pipes or wiring harnesses, etc., reducing the probability of damage to vehicle parts and thus improving the overall vehicle safety.

[0043] In this embodiment, the guide rod 4 guides the movement of the cover 2. The guide rod 4 is movably mounted on the valve body 1 and can move relative to the valve body 1 along a first direction, which is the axial direction of the guide rod 4. One end of the guide rod 4 can be connected to the cover 2 via a linkage mechanism 3. The linkage mechanism 3 can include at least one link body section, and the guide rod 4 is connected to the cover 2 via one or more link bodies that are hinged sequentially. That is, the linkage mechanism 3 can include one link body section, or it can include two or more link bodies that are hinged sequentially. The accompanying drawings show a specific embodiment where the linkage mechanism 3 includes one link body section. The link body, guide rod 4, cover 2, and valve body 1 can form a four-bar linkage 3.

[0044] When the pressure inside the main body of the valve box exceeds a predetermined value, the fluid in the main body will push the cover 2 to rotate relative to the valve body 1, opening the opening 1A by a predetermined angle. The airflow inside the main body will then be sprayed out to the outside of the main body along the opening direction of the cover 2. During the operation of the cover 2, the guide rod 4 will move along the first direction. The translational movement of the guide rod 4 can improve the stability of valve opening. Furthermore, the guide rod 4 and the cover 2 are connected by a linkage mechanism 3, which can improve the flexibility of their movement and facilitate the smooth rotation of the cover 2.

[0045] In this embodiment, the linkage structure includes a linkage body, one end of which is hinged to the guide rod 4, such as... Figure 2 A third mounting base 42 is provided at the end of the guide rod 4 near the cover 2 for hinged connection with the connecting rod body. The other end of the connecting rod body is hinged to the side wall of the cover 2 facing the guide rod 4, as shown below. Figure 3The second surface 212 of the cover 2 is provided with a second mounting base 23 for hinged connection with the connecting rod body. The hinged connection structure is simple and highly flexible. Of course, the connecting rod body can also be connected to the cover 2 and the guide rod 4 through rotating components such as universal joints.

[0046] In this embodiment, the connecting rod body includes a first connecting rod 31 and a second connecting rod 32 that are parallel to each other. The first ends of the first connecting rod 31 and the second connecting rod 32 are hinged to the guide rod 4 via a first rotating shaft, and the second ends of the first connecting rod 31 and the second connecting rod 32 are hinged to the cover 2 via a second rotating shaft. The first connecting rod 31 and the second connecting rod 32 may have the same structure or be slightly different. This connecting rod body has relatively high strength.

[0047] In order to enable the cover 2 to quickly return to the closed opening 1A position after the jetting ends, an elastic element 5 can be further provided in this embodiment. The elastic element 5 is press-fitted between the valve body 1 and the guide rod 4. During the process of opening the opening 1A, the guide rod 4 will compress the elastic element 5. When the fluid in the box body is discharged, the pressure in the box body decreases. Under the restoring force of the elastic element 5, the guide rod 4 will drive the cover 2 to quickly reset through the linkage mechanism 3 to close the opening 1A, which is beneficial to ensure the safety of battery pack use.

[0048] Furthermore, under the force of the elastic element 5, the cover 2 can also close to the opening 1A, eliminating the need for other locking structures for the cover 2 and valve body 1, thus simplifying the explosion-proof valve structure.

[0049] Specifically, a boss 41 is provided at the end of the guide rod 4 away from the cover 2. The elastic element 5 can be a spring, which is fitted onto the guide rod 4 and pressed between the boss 41 and the valve body 1. In one example, the valve body 1 also includes a sleeve 12, which is located in the inner cavity of the annular body 11. The sleeve 12 is connected to the inner wall of the annular body 11 through ribs 14. A fluid channel is provided between the annular body 11 and the sleeve 12, specifically, the fluid channel can be formed between the ribs 14. The spring can be press-fitted between the sleeve 12 and the boss 41. The guide rod 4 passes through the inside of the sleeve 12, and the sleeve 12 slides with the guide rod 4. The sleeve 12 can guide the reciprocating movement of the guide rod 4 in the first direction.

[0050] To maximize the service life of the spring, a protective cover 6 can be fitted over the spring, and the protective cover 6 is installed on the valve body 1.

[0051] A sealing ring 7 can also be provided on the mating surface between the valve body 1 and the box body to improve the sealing performance between them.

[0052] In this embodiment, the valve body 1 has a central axis, and the guide rod 4 is offset relative to the central axis. The guide rod 4 is located on the side of the central axis away from the rotating connection end between the cover 2 and the valve body 1. That is, the guide rod 4 is not located at the center of the annular body 11, but is offset relative to the center of the annular body 11, and is located on the side away from the rotating end of the cover 2. This facilitates the quick opening of the opening 1A of the cover 2, and the cover 2 moves more flexibly.

[0053] In this embodiment of the application, the cover 2 includes a main body 21 and a connecting body 22. The main body 21 has a first surface 211 facing away from the opening 1A. The first surface 211 is connected to the connecting body 22, and the connecting body 22 is rotatably connected to the outer wall of the valve body 1. Figure 1 As shown, a first mounting seat 13 is provided on the peripheral wall of the valve body 1. The first mounting seat 13 extends approximately radially, and the connecting body 22 is connected to the first mounting seat 13 via a rotating shaft. The connecting body 22 is completely located outside the opening 1A, avoiding affecting the sealing performance when the cover 2 closes the opening 1A, and the structure is relatively simple.

[0054] In this embodiment, when the cover 2 is placed over the opening 1A, the main body 21 is at least partially located inside the opening 1A and is circumferentially fitted to the inner wall 111 of the opening 1A. This improves the sealing performance of the cover 2 over the opening 1A.

[0055] In this embodiment, the main body 21 is entirely located inside the opening 1A. The connecting body 22 has a recessed structure 221 on the side facing the valve body 1 to avoid the side wall of the valve body 1, mainly avoiding the circumferential side wall of the valve body 1. In this embodiment, the first surface of the main body 21 is not higher than the opening 1A, minimizing the occupation of the external space of the box body and facilitating the arrangement of other vehicle components.

[0056] In this embodiment, the opening angle of the cover 2 is related to the length of the connecting rod body and the height of the guide rod 4 along the first direction. The longer the connecting rod body, the larger the opening angle of the cover 2; the smaller the height difference between the guide rod 4 and the valve body 1 in the first direction, the larger the opening angle. Theoretically, the rotation angle range of the cover 2 relative to the valve body 1 can be 0° to 90°. In one example, the rotation angle range of the cover 2 relative to the valve body 1 is 0° to 40°, for example, the opening angle can be 10°, 15°, 20°, 25°, 30°, 35°, or 40°. In one example, when the cover 2 rotates relative to the valve body 1 from 20° to 40°, the guide rod 4 can play a good guiding role without affecting the pressure relief.

[0057] Of course, the maximum angle at which the cover 2 can rotate relative to the valve body 1 can be any value between 20° and 40°, and is not limited to the values ​​listed above.

[0058] In this embodiment, the cover 2 further includes a brim 24, which is connected to at least a portion of the circumferential edge of the main body 21. The main body 21 has the brim 24 on a portion of its circumferential section located on both sides of the connecting body 22. When the cover 2 is closed over the opening 1A, the brim 24 is located outside the valve body 1. When the cover 2 is moved away from the opening 1A by fluid force, the brim 24 near the connecting body 22 can act as a barrier to the fluid, allowing the fluid to flow out from the side of the cover 2 away from the connecting body 22. In other words, the brim 24 guides the fluid to a certain extent.

[0059] Figures 4 to 6 As shown, both sides of the connector 22 have brims 24, which occupy half of the circumference of the cover 2. The arc length of the brims 24 on each side of the connector 22 is approximately one-quarter of the length of the cover 22. Of course, the length of the brims 24 on the cover 2 is not limited to what is described herein, and the central angle corresponding to the arc length of the brims 24 on each side of the connector 22 is approximately 30 degrees to 150 degrees.

[0060] For other structural details regarding the vehicle, battery pack, and battery housing, please refer to current technology; this application will not elaborate further.

[0061] The vehicle, battery pack, and battery housing of this application all include the aforementioned explosion-proof valve, and therefore the vehicle, battery pack, and battery housing also have the aforementioned technical effects of the explosion-proof valve.

[0062] In the description of embodiments of this application, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0063] In the embodiments of this application, terms such as "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "several" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0064] In the embodiments of this application, "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0065] This document uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The descriptions of the embodiments above are only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several improvements and modifications to this application without departing from the principles of this application, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. An explosion-proof valve for a battery box, characterized in that, include: The valve body (1) has an opening (1A); The cover (2) and the guide rod (4) are rotatably connected to the valve body (1) and can cover the opening (1A). The guide rod (4) is limited and installed on the valve body (1) and can move relative to the valve body (1) in a first direction. The guide rod (4) is connected to the cover (2) through a linkage mechanism (3).

2. The explosion-proof valve for the battery box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The linkage mechanism (3) includes at least one link body, and the guide rod (4) is connected to the cover (2) through one or more links of the link body that are hinged in sequence.

3. The explosion-proof valve for the battery box according to claim 2, characterized in that, The number of connecting rod bodies is one. One end of the connecting rod body is hinged to the guide rod (4), and the other end of the connecting rod body is hinged to the side wall of the cover (2) facing the guide rod (4).

4. The explosion-proof valve for the battery box according to claim 3, characterized in that, The main body of the connecting rod includes a first connecting rod (31) and a second connecting rod (32) that are parallel to each other. The first ends of the first connecting rod (31) and the second connecting rod (32) are hinged to the guide rod (4) through a first rotating shaft, and the second ends of the first connecting rod (31) and the second connecting rod (32) are hinged to the cover (2) through a second rotating shaft.

5. The explosion-proof valve for the battery box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve body (1) has a central axis, the guide rod (4) is offset relative to the central axis, and the guide rod (4) is located on the side of the central axis away from the cover (2) and the valve body (1) rotatably connected.

6. The explosion-proof valve for the battery box according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The cover (2) includes a main body (21) having a first surface (211) facing away from the opening. The cover also includes a connector (22) connected to the first surface (211) and the connector (22) is rotatably connected to the outer wall of the valve body (1).

7. The explosion-proof valve for the battery box according to claim 6, characterized in that, When the cover (2) is placed over the opening (1A), the main body (21) is at least partially located inside the opening (1A) and is circumferentially fitted to the inner wall of the opening (1A).

8. The explosion-proof valve for the battery box according to claim 7, characterized in that, The main body (21) is entirely located inside the opening (1A), and the connector (22) has a recessed structure (221) on the side facing the valve body (1) to avoid the side wall of the valve body (1).

9. The explosion-proof valve for the battery box according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cover (2) also includes a brim (24), which is connected to the outer periphery of the main body (21), and the brim (24) is present on both sides of the connector (22). When the cover (2) is closed on the opening (1A), the brim (24) is located outside the valve body (1).

10. The explosion-proof valve for the battery box according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The angle range of the cover (2) relative to the valve body (1) is 0° to 40°; Alternatively / and, the explosion-proof valve further includes an elastic element (5) pressed between the valve body (1) and the guide rod (4), the elastic element (5) being used to provide pressure for the cover (2) to press against the opening (1A).

11. A battery housing, characterized in that, It includes a housing body and the explosion-proof valve as described in claims 1 to 10, wherein the explosion-proof valve is installed on the housing body.

12. A battery pack, characterized in that, It includes the battery housing and battery cell as described in claim 11, wherein the battery cell is located inside the housing body.

13. A vehicle, characterized in that, It includes a vehicle body and the battery pack of claim 12, the battery pack being mounted on the vehicle body.

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