Battery pack

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the technical field of batteries, and discloses a battery pack. The battery pack comprises a box body and a battery module, wherein a plurality of accommodating cavities are formed in the box body; the battery module is arranged in the accommodating cavity, the battery module comprises a supporting frame, at least one connecting bracket and a plurality of single cells, the supporting frame is fixed on the inner wall of the box body, the plurality of single cells are arranged along a first direction to form a cell group, and a plurality of cell groups arranged along a second direction are arranged in the supporting frame; a connecting bracket is clamped between two adjacent battery cell groups, and the connecting bracket is fixed on at least one battery cell group; wherein the support frame is filled with polystyrene foam, and the polystyrene foam is used for bonding the support frame, the at least one connecting bracket and the plurality of single battery cells into a whole. According to the battery pack, the mechanical strength of the battery modules in the battery pack can be improved, the use safety and reliability of the battery pack are improved, meanwhile, the structure is simple, and the production efficiency can be improved while the production cost can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a battery pack. Background Technology

[0002] In the prior art, cylindrical battery packs typically include a housing and battery modules disposed within the housing. The housing includes a ring frame and a bottom protective plate disposed at the bottom of the ring frame. The battery module includes a battery support mounted at the bottom of the housing, individual cells mounted on the battery support, and a CCS assembly mounted on the individual cells. The CCS assembly is welded to the individual cells.

[0003] In traditional assembly processes, the battery bracket is first assembled into the casing, then individual cells are arranged on the battery bracket to form the main body of the battery module, and finally, CCS components are welded on top of the main body of the battery module to form the battery module. This method of assembling battery modules is not only structurally complex, but also cumbersome, time-consuming, and labor-intensive, while the overall rigidity of the pack is relatively weak.

[0004] Another method, which uses plastic brackets to fix the battery cells into modules, requires bolts to secure the formed battery modules inside the battery box. Although this design is simple in structure, the plastic brackets themselves have poor strength, making it difficult for the battery modules to withstand vibration, impact, and compression within the battery pack, which can easily damage the cylindrical cells inside the battery modules.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide a new type of battery pack to solve the above-mentioned technical problems in the prior art. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of this utility model is to provide a battery pack that can improve the mechanical strength of the battery modules inside the battery pack, improve the safety and reliability of the battery pack, and at the same time, its simple structure can reduce production costs and improve production efficiency.

[0007] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0008] The battery pack includes a housing and a battery module. The housing has several accommodating cavities. The battery module is disposed within each of the accommodating cavities and includes a support frame, at least one connecting bracket, and multiple individual battery cells. The support frame is fixed to the inner wall of the housing. Several individual battery cells are arranged along a first direction to form a cell group. Several cell groups are arranged along a second direction within the support frame. The connecting bracket is sandwiched between two adjacent cell groups and is fixed to at least one cell group. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The support frame is filled with expanding foam, which is used to bond the support frame, at least one connecting bracket, and multiple individual battery cells together.

[0009] Optionally, the housing includes a bottom protective plate, the top wall of which supports the battery module, and the support frame is fixed to the bottom protective plate.

[0010] Optionally, the bottom of the support frame is provided with a fixing part extending outward in a direction away from the individual battery cell, and the fixing part is detachably connected to the bottom protective plate.

[0011] Optionally, the top wall of the bottom protective plate is provided with thermally conductive structural adhesive, the bottom wall of the foam is higher than the bottom wall of the individual battery cell, and the bottom of the individual battery cell is fixed to the thermally conductive structural adhesive.

[0012] Optionally, an overflow groove is provided between the fixing part and the bottom protective plate for the overflow of the thermally conductive structural adhesive.

[0013] Optionally, the bottom wall of the aforementioned bottom protective plate is provided with a liquid cooling plate.

[0014] Optionally, the height of the connecting bracket is 20% to 50% of the height of the individual battery cell.

[0015] Optionally, the height difference between the top end of the connecting bracket and the top end of the single cell is 5mm to 10mm, and the height difference between the bottom end of the connecting bracket and the bottom end of the single cell is 30mm to 50mm.

[0016] Optionally, the top port of the aforementioned support frame and the top wall of the aforementioned foam are not higher than the top wall of the aforementioned individual battery cell.

[0017] Optionally, the aforementioned single battery cell is a cylindrical battery cell, the sidewall of the aforementioned connecting bracket is wavy, and the aforementioned single battery cell is adapted to the sidewall of the aforementioned connecting bracket.

[0018] Optionally, a filling gap is formed between the two aforementioned battery cell groups, and the dimension of at least one of the aforementioned filling gaps along the second direction is greater than the dimension of the other aforementioned filling gaps along the second direction.

[0019] Beneficial effects:

[0020] The battery pack of this invention uses a housing cavity within a box to accommodate battery modules. Each battery module includes a support frame, a connecting bracket, and individual battery cells. The individual battery cells are arranged into cell groups along a first direction and then fixed to the connecting bracket. Subsequently, several cell groups are placed into the support frame along a second direction. Foam is then injected and filled into the support frame, thereby fixing the cell groups, connecting bracket, and support frame into a single unit. Finally, the battery module is fixedly connected to the box by fixing the support frame within the housing. This battery pack improves the mechanical strength of the battery modules through the filling of foam, preventing the connecting bracket from detaching from the individual battery cells due to loosening, thus improving the safety and reliability of the battery pack. Furthermore, its simple structure eliminates the need for additional brackets to fix the individual battery cells, simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing production costs while increasing production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is an isometric view of the battery pack after the cover plate has been removed, according to a specific embodiment of this utility model.

[0022] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the battery module provided in a specific embodiment of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the battery pack with some components hidden, provided in a specific embodiment of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle;

[0025] Figure 5 This is an isometric view of a portion of the battery module structure provided in a specific embodiment of this utility model;

[0026] Figure 6 This is an isometric view of the battery module during installation according to a specific embodiment of this utility model;

[0027] Figure 7 This is an isometric view of the upper mold provided in a specific embodiment of this utility model.

[0028] In the picture:

[0029] 10. Lower mold; 11. Positioning boss; 12. Cell positioning hole; 20. Upper mold; 21. Glue filling hole; 22. Venting hole; 23. Cell clearance hole;

[0030] 100. Enclosure; 101. Receiving cavity; 110. Bottom protective plate; 111. Liquid cooling plate; 112. Glue overflow tank;

[0031] 200. Battery module; 210. Support frame; 211. Fixing part; 220. Connecting bracket; 230. Cell assembly; 231. Individual cell; 232. Filling gaps; 240. Foaming adhesive; 250. Thermally conductive structural adhesive. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention and not intended to limit it. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, the accompanying drawings show only the parts relevant to the present invention, not the entire structure.

[0033] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0034] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0035] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper," "lower," "right," etc., refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for ease of description and simplification of operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for distinction in description and have no special meaning.

[0036] The first direction described in this embodiment is: Figure 2 The X direction shown is the length direction of the battery module 200; the second direction is... Figure 2 The Y direction shown is the width direction of the battery module 200, and the first and second directions are perpendicular to each other.

[0037] Please refer to Figures 1 to 2 In this embodiment, the battery pack includes a housing 100 and a battery module 200. The housing 100 has several accommodating cavities 101 inside. The battery module 200 is disposed within each of the accommodating cavities 101. The battery module 200 includes a support frame 210, at least one connecting bracket 220, and multiple individual battery cells 231. The support frame 210 is fixed to the inner wall of the housing 100. The multiple individual battery cells 231 are arranged along a first direction to form a cell group 230. The frame 210 contains a plurality of the aforementioned battery cell groups 230 arranged along a second direction. A connecting bracket 220 is sandwiched between two adjacent battery cell groups 230. The connecting bracket 220 is fixed to at least one of the aforementioned battery cell groups 230. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The support frame 210 is filled with expanding foam 240, which is used to bond the support frame 210, at least one connecting bracket 220, and a plurality of individual battery cells 231 into a whole.

[0038] In this embodiment, the battery pack uses the receiving cavity 101 of the housing 100 to accommodate the battery module 200. The battery module 200 includes a support frame 210, a connecting bracket 220, and individual battery cells 231. After the individual battery cells 231 are arranged into a cell group 230 along a first direction, they are fixed on the connecting bracket 220. Then, a group of several cell groups 230 are placed into the support frame 210 along a second direction. Foam 240 is injected and filled into the support frame 210, thereby fixing the cell group 230, the connecting bracket 220, and the support frame 210 into a whole. Finally, the battery module 200 is fixedly connected to the housing 100 by fixing the support frame 210 inside the housing 100. The battery pack can improve the mechanical strength of the battery module 200 inside the battery pack by filling it with foam 240, and prevent the connecting bracket 220 from falling off the individual cell 231 due to loosening, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the battery pack. At the same time, its structure is simple and does not require additional brackets to fix the individual cell 231, which simplifies the production process and can reduce production costs while improving production efficiency.

[0039] In this embodiment, the housing 100 is provided with a receiving cavity 101, which is only for accommodating one battery module 200. The housing 100 is also provided with other cavities for accommodating electrical components such as the battery management unit and the thermal management unit, which will not be described in detail here.

[0040] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 3 and Figure 4The aforementioned housing 100 includes a bottom protective plate 110, the top wall of which supports the battery module 200, and the aforementioned support frame 210 is fixed to the bottom protective plate 110. Specifically, the bottom protective plate 110 is used to support the battery module 200, has high mechanical strength, and can prevent the bottom of the battery module 200 from being damaged by external objects, making it the main load-bearing unit of the entire housing 100.

[0041] Optionally, a fixing part 211 is provided at the bottom of the support frame 210, extending outward away from the individual battery cell 231. The fixing part 211 is detachably connected to the bottom protective plate 110. It should be noted that the fixing part 211 is also the flange extending outward from the bottom of the support frame 210. The fixing part 211 is detachably connected to the bottom protective plate 110 by bolts, thereby achieving a reliable connection between the battery module 200 and the housing 100. This prevents the battery module 200 from loosening when the battery pack is in a vibrating environment, further improving the reliability of the battery pack.

[0042] In this embodiment, the top wall of the bottom protective plate 110 is provided with thermally conductive structural adhesive 250, and the bottom wall of the foam adhesive 240 is higher than the bottom wall of the individual battery cell 231. The bottom of the individual battery cell 231 is fixed to the thermally conductive structural adhesive 250. When the battery module 200 generates heat during discharge or charging, the thermally conductive structural adhesive 250 can conduct the generated heat outward from the bottom of the individual battery cell 231, avoiding the accumulation of heat inside the battery pack. At the same time, the thermally conductive structural adhesive 250 can also provide sufficient adhesive strength to firmly fix the battery module 200 inside the housing 100, further improving the reliability and safety of the battery pack.

[0043] Specifically, an overflow groove 112 is provided between the fixing part 211 and the bottom cover plate 110 to allow the thermally conductive structural adhesive 250 to overflow. After the bottom cover plate 110 is fully coated with thermally conductive structural adhesive 250, the battery module 200 is placed on the thermally conductive structural adhesive 250, and then the thermally conductive structural adhesive 250 overflows from the overflow groove 112. After installation, the support frame 210 can be fixed to the bottom cover plate 110. The overflow groove 112 can discharge excess thermally conductive structural adhesive 250, avoiding the battery module 200 from not being properly installed on the bottom cover plate 110 due to excessive thermally conductive structural adhesive 250, thus improving the structural reliability of the battery pack.

[0044] Furthermore, a liquid cooling plate 111 is provided on the bottom wall of the bottom protective plate 110. A liquid cooling channel is formed between the liquid cooling plate 111 and the bottom protective plate 110. Through the flow of coolant, heat is dissipated from the bottom of the individual battery cell 231, so as to realize the reliable and safe operation of the battery pack.

[0045] Optionally, the top port of the support frame 210 and the top wall of the foam 240 are not higher than the top wall of the individual battery cell 231. This arrangement exposes the terminal post at the top of the individual battery cell 231, facilitating the welding of electrical connection components such as busbars and improving assembly efficiency.

[0046] like Figure 5 As shown, the aforementioned single battery cell 231 is a cylindrical cell, and the sidewall of the aforementioned connecting bracket 220 is wavy. The single battery cell 231 is adapted to the sidewall of the aforementioned connecting bracket 220. In this embodiment, the connecting bracket 220 is bonded and fixed to the circumferential sidewall of the single battery cell 231. This configuration of the connecting bracket 220 can increase the contact area with the single battery cell 231, improve the reliability of fixing the single battery cell 231 to the connecting bracket 220, and at the same time reduce the size of the battery module 200 along the second direction, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery pack.

[0047] In this embodiment, the connecting bracket 220 is made of plastic, rubber or rubber, and has a certain degree of elasticity. It can prevent the connected individual cells 231 from colliding after the battery pack is squeezed, thus playing a buffering role and improving the safety of the battery pack.

[0048] Furthermore, the height of the connecting bracket 220 is 20% to 50% of the height of the individual battery cell 231. If the height of the connecting bracket 220 is too small compared to the height of the individual battery cell 231, it will not be able to provide support; if the proportion is too large, it will generate significant redundancy, increasing the weight of the battery module 200 and reducing its mass energy density. In this embodiment, the height of the connecting bracket 220 is 28.6% of the height of the individual battery cell 231, that is, the height of the individual battery cell 231 is 70mm, and the height of the connecting bracket 220 is 20mm.

[0049] Optionally, the height difference between the top end of the connecting bracket 220 and the top end of the single battery cell 231 is 5mm to 10mm, and the height difference between the bottom end of the connecting bracket 230 and the bottom end of the single battery cell 231 is 30mm to 50mm. This arrangement allows the connecting bracket 231 to be located in the upper middle part of the single battery cell 231, avoiding interference with the fixing structure at the bottom of the single battery cell 231, such as the thermally conductive structural adhesive 250, and circumferentially positioning and fixing the single battery cell 231 from both the top and bottom ends, resulting in higher stability of the battery module 200.

[0050] In this embodiment, a filling gap 232 is formed between two of the aforementioned cell groups 230, and at least one of the aforementioned filling gaps 232 has a larger dimension along the second direction than the other aforementioned filling gaps 232 along the second direction. Specifically, the filling gap 232 between two connected cell groups 230 is the thickness of a connecting bracket 220. Every four cell groups 230 form a whole, wherein three connecting brackets 220 are provided between the four cell groups 230, and a thickened connecting bracket 220 is provided every four cell groups 230, so that the width of the filling gap 232 here is greater than the width of the other filling gaps 232, thereby facilitating the flow of the expanding foam 240 to fill every corner when filling, achieving complete filling of the expanding foam 240, and further improving the reliability of the battery pack.

[0051] Please continue to refer to this. Figures 1 to 4 This embodiment also provides a battery pack manufacturing method for producing battery packs as described in any of the above embodiments, comprising the following steps: S1, assembling a cell assembly 230: arranging a plurality of individual cells 231 along a first direction, and then fixing a connecting bracket 220 to the circumferential sidewall of the individual cells 231 to form the cell assembly 230; S2, placing the plurality of cell assemblies 230 from step S1 along a second direction in a lower mold 10, and then surrounding the plurality of cell assemblies 230 with a support frame 210; S3, placing the upper mold... S20 is placed on top of the support frame 210. The upper mold 20, the support frame 210 and the lower mold 10 form a sealed space. The upper mold 20 is provided with a glue-filling hole 21. S4. The foaming adhesive 240 is poured into the sealed space through the glue-filling hole 21. After the foaming adhesive 240 solidifies, the upper mold 20 and the lower mold 10 are removed to obtain the battery module 200. S5. The battery module 200 is placed in the receiving cavity 101 of the housing 100, and the support frame 210 is fixed to the housing 100.

[0052] The battery pack manufacturing method in this embodiment first arranges individual battery cells 231 along a first direction to form a cell group 230, which is then fixed to a connecting bracket 220. Subsequently, several cell groups 230 are placed into a support frame 210 along a second direction. Foam 240 is then injected and filled into the support frame 210, thereby fixing the cell group 230, connecting bracket 220, and support frame 210 into a single unit. Finally, the battery module 200 is fixedly connected to the housing 100 by fixing the support frame 210 within the housing 100. This battery pack manufacturing method improves the mechanical strength of the battery module 200 within the battery pack through the filling of foam 240, preventing the connecting bracket 220 from detaching from the individual battery cells 231 due to loosening, thus improving the safety and reliability of the battery pack. Furthermore, its simple structure eliminates the need for additional brackets to fix the individual battery cells 231, simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing production costs while increasing production efficiency.

[0053] Specifically, in step S1, the connecting bracket 220 is bonded and fixed to the circumferential sidewall of the single cell 231.

[0054] Optionally, step S1 is followed by step S11, which involves spraying a release agent: spraying a release agent onto the top wall of the lower mold 10 and the bottom wall of the upper mold 20. The release agent prevents the expanded polystyrene 240 from adhering to the surfaces of the upper mold 20 and the lower mold 10 after curing, facilitating the removal of the upper mold 20 and the lower mold 10, improving production efficiency, and preventing damage to the already formed expanded polystyrene 240.

[0055] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, in this embodiment, the top wall of the lower mold 10 is provided with a plurality of cell positioning holes 12, and the bottom of each individual cell 231 is inserted into the cell positioning hole 12 in a corresponding manner. The cell positioning holes 12 facilitate the arrangement of individual cells 231 into a cell group 230 along the first direction, thereby improving production efficiency.

[0056] Optionally, the top wall of the lower mold 10 is provided with a positioning boss 11 that mates with the support frame 210, and the positioning boss 11 is provided with the cell positioning hole 12. The positioning boss 11 enables a cavity to be formed between the bottom of the individual cell 231 and the inner wall of the support frame 210 when the foaming adhesive 240 is poured in. This facilitates the subsequent placement of the thermally conductive structural adhesive 250 into the cavity when the battery module 200 is placed into the housing 100, thereby achieving cooling and heat dissipation of the individual cell 231.

[0057] Furthermore, the bottom wall of the upper mold 20 is provided with multiple cell clearance holes 23, and the top of each individual cell 231 is inserted into one of the cell clearance holes 23. The cell clearance holes 23 can prevent the foam adhesive 240 from contaminating the terminal post on the top of the individual cell 231, and can also make the top wall of the individual cell 231 at the same horizontal plane, which facilitates the subsequent welding of the busbar.

[0058] It should be noted that the upper mold 20 is not only provided with several injection holes 21, specifically four, but also with multiple vent holes 22, which allows the expanding foam 240 to be injected more smoothly into the sealed space formed by the upper mold 20, the support frame 210 and the lower mold 10, while also discharging excess expanding foam 240. This will not be elaborated further here.

[0059] Obviously, the above embodiments of this utility model are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present utility model, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present utility model. Those skilled in the art can make various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions without departing from the protection scope of this utility model. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A battery pack, characterized by, The application relates to a battery module and a battery box. The battery module comprises a box body (100) internally provided with a plurality of accommodating cavities (101); a battery module (200) arranged in the accommodating cavity (101), wherein the battery module (200) comprises a supporting frame (210), at least one connecting support (220) and a plurality of single battery cells (231); the supporting frame (210) is fixed to the inner wall of the box body (100); a plurality of the single battery cells (231) are arranged along a first direction to form a battery cell group (230); a plurality of the battery cell groups (230) are arranged along a second direction in the supporting frame (210); the connecting support (220) is arranged between two adjacent battery cell groups (230); the connecting support (220) is fixed to at least one battery cell group (230); and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The supporting frame (210) is filled with foaming glue (240), and the foaming glue (240) is used for bonding the supporting frame (210), the at least one connecting support (220) and the plurality of single battery cells (231) into an integrated whole. The box body (100) comprises a bottom guard plate (110) at the bottom, the top wall of the bottom guard plate (110) carries the battery module (200), and the supporting frame (210) is fixed to the bottom guard plate (110).

2. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein, The bottom of the supporting frame (210) is provided with a fixing portion (211) extending outward in a direction away from the single battery cell (231), and the fixing portion (211) is detachably connected with the bottom guard plate (110).

3. The battery pack of claim 2, wherein, The top wall of the bottom guard plate (110) is provided with heat-conducting structural glue (250), the bottom wall of the foaming glue (240) is higher than the bottom wall of the single battery cell (231), and the bottom of the single battery cell (231) is fixed to the heat-conducting structural glue (250).

4. The battery pack of claim 3, wherein, An overflow groove (112) is arranged between the fixing portion (211) and the bottom guard plate (110) to allow the heat-conducting structural glue (250) to overflow.

5. The battery pack of claim 4, wherein, The bottom wall of the bottom guard plate (110) is provided with a liquid cooling plate (111).

6. The battery pack of claim 4, wherein, The height of the connecting support (220) is 20% to 50% of the height of the single battery cell (231).

7. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein, The height difference between the top end of the connecting support (220) and the top end of the single battery cell (231) is 5 mm to 10 mm, and the height difference between the bottom end of the connecting support (220) and the bottom end of the single battery cell (231) is 30 mm to 50 mm.

8. The battery pack of claim 7, wherein, The top of the supporting frame (210) and the top wall of the foaming glue (240) are not higher than the top wall of the single battery cell (231).

9. The battery pack of any one of claims 1-8, wherein, The single battery cell (231) is a cylindrical battery cell, the side wall of the connecting support (220) is wavy, and the single battery cell (231) is matched with the side wall of the connecting support (220).

10. The battery pack of any one of claims 1-8, wherein, ​ 11. The battery pack of any one of claims 1-8, wherein, Two of the cell groups (230) form a filling gap (232) therebetween, and at least one of the filling gaps (232) has a dimension along the second direction that is greater than a dimension along the second direction of the other filling gaps (232).

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