Shell top plate and barrel for high-capacity battery and high-capacity battery

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the field of batteries, and particularly relates to a shell top plate and a barrel for a high-capacity battery and the high-capacity battery. The technical problems that due to existence of welding seams, insufficient welding occurs between a shell top plate area corresponding to a through hole and an upper cover plate of a single battery, and even welding cannot be achieved are solved. The shell top plate comprises a top plate main body, the top plate main body is provided with a plurality of avoiding holes in one-to-one correspondence with the polar terminals of the single batteries, and the avoiding holes are used for allowing the corresponding polar terminals to pass through; an avoiding groove is formed in the wall surface of one side, close to the single battery, of the top plate main body. The barrel comprises a shell top plate, and the high-capacity battery comprises a shell which comprises a shell top plate. According to the large-capacity battery, the protruding weld joint on the upper cover plate of the single battery in the large-capacity battery can be embedded into the avoiding groove, and when laser welding is carried out, the upper cover plate of the single battery can be tightly attached to the top plate of the shell, so that a gap is eliminated, and the cold solder joint risk is greatly reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of batteries, specifically a top plate and cylinder for a large-capacity battery, as well as a large-capacity battery. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, most battery modules (also known as battery packs) are made by connecting multiple individual cells in parallel or series.

[0003] However, existing battery modules have inherent differences among their individual cells. Due to the "weakest link" effect, the performance of the weakest cell often affects the overall capacity and cycle life of the entire battery module, severely limiting its capacity. Therefore, improving the uniformity of individual cells within a battery module has become a key focus and challenge in this field.

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, Chinese patent CN117977079A discloses a high-capacity battery. This type of high-capacity battery includes a casing and multiple individual cells connected in parallel within the casing. The casing has a shared chamber (here, the shared chamber is an electrolyte shared chamber and / or a gas shared chamber), which communicates with the individual cell cavities. The electrolyte and / or gas within each individual cell cavity are connected through the electrolyte shared chamber and / or gas shared chamber, ensuring that the electrolyte and / or gas of all individual cells are in the same system. This reduces the differences between individual cells, improves the consistency between individual cells to a certain extent, and thus improves the cycle life of the high-capacity battery to some extent.

[0005] The top plate of the aforementioned high-capacity battery casing has through holes that allow the terminals of each individual battery cell to extend out; the terminals of each individual battery cell extend out of the through holes, and the casing area corresponding to the through holes is fixedly sealed to the individual battery cell casing.

[0006] Generally, laser welding is used to weld the top plate area of ​​the outer casing corresponding to each through hole (the top plate area of ​​the outer casing corresponding to the through hole can be the wall of the through hole or the top plate area of ​​the outer casing around the through hole) to the top cover of the individual battery to achieve sealing.

[0007] It is worth noting that the top cover of each individual battery cell is sealed to its casing by welding, and the weld seam usually protrudes from the top cover. Therefore, due to the presence of these weld seams, the top cover of the individual battery cell cannot fit tightly to the casing, resulting in a gap between the top cover and the casing. This situation may lead to incomplete welding between the top plate area of ​​the casing corresponding to the through hole and the top cover during laser welding, or even welding failure, thus affecting the yield of high-capacity batteries. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this utility model is to provide a top plate of the outer casing, a cylindrical body, and a large-capacity battery for a large-capacity battery, thereby solving the technical problem that the presence of weld seams causes incomplete welding between the top plate area of ​​the outer casing corresponding to the through hole and the top cover of the individual battery, or even makes welding impossible.

[0009] The first aspect of this utility model provides a top plate for a high-capacity battery casing. The high-capacity battery includes a casing and n individual cells located inside the casing, where n is an integer greater than 1. The top plate includes a top plate body, on which a plurality of clearance holes corresponding one-to-one with the polarity terminals of the individual cells are formed, and the clearance holes are used for the corresponding polarity terminals to pass through. A clearance groove is formed on the wall surface of the top plate body near the individual cells, and the inner cavity of the clearance groove is used to accommodate the weld seams on the top cover of each individual cell.

[0010] When a single cell is installed inside a casing with a top plate, the protruding weld on the top plate of the single cell can be embedded in the clearance groove. When laser welding is performed, the top plate of the single cell can fit tightly with the top plate of the casing, eliminating gaps, greatly reducing the risk of incomplete welding, making the welding process more stable, thereby significantly improving the welding quality and ensuring the sealing and stability of the overall structure of the large-capacity battery.

[0011] Furthermore, the aforementioned clearance groove includes two first sub-grooves, which are arranged along the width direction of the top plate body on both sides of the top plate body, and each first sub-grooves extends along the length direction of the top plate body; the inner cavities of the two first sub-grooves are respectively used to accommodate the two welds extending along the length direction of the top plate body on the cover of each individual battery cell.

[0012] The first sub-slot can accommodate the welds of all individual cells extending along the length of the top plate. Compared to machining clearance slots for each individual cell, firstly, it eliminates the need for precise positioning and machining of individual clearance slots for each cell, reducing numerous tedious positioning and machining processes and significantly improving production efficiency. Secondly, machining clearance slots for each individual cell could compromise the overall structural strength of the top plate, while the two continuous first sub-slots form a unified structure with the top plate, enhancing the strength and stability of the top plate and making it more effective at resisting thermal stress and external mechanical stress generated during battery charging and discharging.

[0013] Furthermore, the main body of the top plate, which has two first sub-grooves, is integrally formed using an extrusion process.

[0014] The first sub-groove is integrally formed by extrusion process, which arranges two grooves along the width of the main body of the top plate and extends along the length. Compared with the traditional multi-process processing method, this greatly simplifies the production process, significantly reduces the production cycle, and lowers labor costs and equipment wear and tear costs.

[0015] Furthermore, the aforementioned clearance groove also includes n+1 second sub-grooves, which are arranged along the length of the main body of the top plate. Each second sub-groove extends along the width of the main body of the top plate and is connected to the first sub-groove. The inner cavities of the two outermost second sub-grooves are respectively used to accommodate the welds extending along the width of the main body of the top plate on the outer side of the two outermost single cells. The inner cavities of the remaining second sub-grooves in the middle are used to accommodate the two adjacent welds extending along the width of the main body of the top plate on the upper cover of the adjacent single cell.

[0016] Each of the second sub-slots located in the middle can accommodate two adjacent welds extending along the width of the top plate from adjacent individual cells, effectively solving the problem of the top cover plate not fitting snugly against the outer casing top plate due to weld protrusion in this direction. Furthermore, compared to machining separate clearance slots for each individual cell's welds in this direction, the manufacturing process is relatively simple. Only a certain number of slots need to be arranged along the length of the top plate, and the size and shape of the slots are relatively uniform, reducing processing time and cost, and improving production efficiency. This advantage is even more pronounced in large-scale production. In addition, the rationally distributed n+1 second sub-slots can provide uniform support for the individual cells after installation. When large-capacity batteries experience thermal expansion and contraction during charging and discharging, or are subjected to external forces such as vibration during transportation and use, the second sub-slots can evenly distribute these stresses, preventing structural loosening and deformation of the large-capacity battery due to uneven local stress. This helps improve the overall stability of the large-capacity battery, extends its lifespan, and ensures reliable operation under various working conditions.

[0017] Furthermore, two limiting grooves are provided on the wall surface of the top plate body away from the single battery. The two limiting grooves are arranged along the width direction of the top plate body on both sides of the top plate body, and each limiting groove extends along the length direction of the top plate body.

[0018] When a large-capacity battery has a baffle assembly, the aforementioned limiting groove can serve as the installation position for the baffle assembly in the large-capacity battery. Some of the baffles can be precisely embedded along the length of the limiting groove, and the limiting groove limits the baffles from both sides to ensure the accuracy of the baffle installation position.

[0019] The second aspect of this utility model provides a cylindrical body for a large-capacity battery, including a cylindrical body body with open ends at opposite ends, and is formed by a first shell with a U-shaped cross-section and the aforementioned outer shell top plate for a large-capacity battery, wherein the first shell and the outer shell top plate are an integral structure.

[0020] The unibody structure eliminates the weak points at the joints in traditional spliced ​​structures, making the battery body more robust and durable. During battery charging and discharging, it can better withstand internal pressure changes and potential external impacts, reducing the risk of battery damage due to structural deformation and improving battery safety and stability.

[0021] The third aspect of this utility model provides a high-capacity battery, including a casing and n individual cells located inside the casing, the cavities of the n individual cells being interconnected.

[0022] The aforementioned housing includes a top panel, which is the aforementioned top panel for a high-capacity battery.

[0023] The weld seams on the top cover of each individual battery are embedded in the clearance groove on the main body of the top plate, and the polarity terminals of each individual battery extend out of the corresponding clearance holes. The area of ​​the outer shell top plate corresponding to the clearance holes is welded and sealed to the top cover of the individual battery.

[0024] Furthermore, the aforementioned high-capacity battery also includes a heat exchange component, which contacts the portion of each individual cell's polarity terminal located outside the casing to exchange heat with the polarity terminal.

[0025] As a crucial component connecting the internal structure of a high-capacity battery to the external environment, the polarity terminal allows current to flow in and out of the battery during charging and discharging. When heat is generated inside the battery, the polarity terminal provides a relatively direct heat conduction path. Heat can be rapidly conducted from inside the battery to the polarity terminal, and then dissipated into the external environment.

[0026] Furthermore, since the polarity terminals are typically located at the positive and negative terminals of a high-capacity battery, these areas are often where heat is concentrated during charging and discharging. By dissipating heat from the polarity terminals, the temperature of these critical components can be reduced more effectively.

[0027] Furthermore, the aforementioned high-capacity battery also includes a baffle assembly, which is fixed to the top plate of the outer casing and together with the edge of the top plate of the outer casing to form a glue injection space; an insulating sealant layer is laid in the glue injection space, and at least part of the heat exchange component is located within the insulating sealant layer.

[0028] During actual battery use, especially in environments with significant temperature and humidity fluctuations, condensation is highly likely to occur on heat exchange components. Once condensation forms, the moisture can corrode the battery's internal circuitry and electronic components, leading to serious malfunctions such as short circuits. The insulating sealant layer, with its excellent sealing properties, effectively prevents external moisture from entering the battery, reducing the likelihood of condensation at its source. Even in environments with high relative humidity, the sealant layer forms a reliable barrier, ensuring a dry internal environment and maintaining stable battery performance.

[0029] In addition, the insulating sealant layer tightly wraps around the heat exchange components, providing them with a stable fixation. During battery use, they may encounter vibrations and bumps. If the heat exchange components are not securely fixed, they may lose contact with the polarity terminals, affecting heat exchange efficiency. The sealant layer ensures that the heat exchange components maintain good contact with the polarity terminals at all times, ensuring continuous and stable heat transfer. This guarantees the normal operation of the battery cooling system and extends the battery's lifespan.

[0030] Furthermore, the baffle assembly includes a first baffle, a second baffle, and two third baffles; the two third baffles are respectively embedded in two limiting grooves on the top plate body, and the first baffle and the second baffle are respectively fixed at both ends of the two third baffles, forming a rectangular glue injection space on the top plate of the outer shell; a through hole is opened on the first baffle, and the end of the heat exchange component passes through the through hole for connection with external equipment.

[0031] This embedded installation ensures a tight bond between the third baffle plate and the main body of the top plate, enhancing the connection stability between the baffle plate assembly and the top plate of the casing. During battery transportation and use, even under vibration or bumps, the baffle plate assembly is not prone to displacement, maintaining its function of enclosing and forming the injection space, ensuring that the laying and curing of the insulating sealant layer are not affected.

[0032] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0033] 1. Solve the problem of fitting the top plate of the outer casing to the top cover of the individual battery, and improve the welding quality;

[0034] In existing technologies, the weld seams formed by welding the top cover plate of a single battery cell to its cylindrical body prevent the top cover plate from fitting tightly against the top plate of the outer casing. This invention adds a clearance groove to the top plate of the outer casing, whose inner cavity can accommodate the weld seams of each individual battery cell. During laser welding, the top cover plate of the individual battery cell can fit tightly against the top plate of the outer casing, eliminating gaps, greatly reducing the risk of incomplete welds, making the welding process more stable, and thus significantly improving welding quality, ensuring the sealing and stability of the overall structure of the large-capacity battery.

[0035] 2. Improve yield and reduce production costs;

[0036] In existing technologies, issues such as incomplete welds or even complete failure to weld due to weld seams severely reduce the yield of high-capacity batteries. This clearance groove design fundamentally solves this obstacle, enabling laser welding to proceed smoothly and significantly improving the yield of high-capacity batteries. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the top plate of the outer shell in Example 1;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the top plate of the outer shell in Example 2;

[0039] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cylinder structure in Example 3;

[0040] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the cylinder in Example 3;

[0041] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the high-capacity battery in Example 4;

[0042] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a partial explosion structure of the large-capacity battery in Example 4;

[0043] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the high-capacity battery in Example 4;

[0044] Figure 8 This is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view of the large-capacity battery in Example 4;

[0045] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a high-capacity battery in Example 6;

[0046] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a high-capacity battery in Example 6.

[0047] The attached figures are labeled as follows:

[0048] 1. Top plate main body; 2. Channel; 3. Clearance groove; 31. First sub-groove; 32. Second sub-groove; 321. Outermost second sub-groove; 4. Clearance hole; 5. Limiting groove; 6. Boss; 7. First shell; 8. Terminal post adapter; 9. Weld; 10. Single cell; 11. Top cover plate; 12. Terminal post; 13. End plate; 14. Electrolyte sharing chamber; 15. Support component; 16. Heat exchange component; 17. First baffle plate; 18. Second baffle plate; 19. Third baffle plate; 20. Through hole. Detailed Implementation

[0049] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this utility model, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0050] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0051] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "top," "bottom," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0052] This utility model relates to a high-capacity battery, which includes a casing and n individual cells arranged in the inner cavity of the casing, where n is an integer greater than 1; typically a rectangular casing is used, and the n individual cells are arranged in the inner cavity of the casing along the length of the rectangular casing.

[0053] For ease of description, the length direction of the outer shell is defined as the x-direction, the width direction as the y-direction, and the height direction as the z-direction.

[0054] The aforementioned outer casing comprises a cylindrical body having at least one open end and a sealing plate sealing the open end of the cylindrical body, wherein the cylindrical body can adopt at least the following three structures:

[0055] The first structure is a cylindrical body with open ends on both the left and right sides (i.e., the two ports parallel to the yz plane are open ends); there are two corresponding sealing plates in the outer shell, which are used to seal the two open ends of the cylindrical body respectively.

[0056] The second structure is a cylindrical body with open ends at both the top and bottom (i.e., both ports parallel to the xy plane are open ends); there are two corresponding sealing plates in the outer shell, which are used to seal the two open ends of the cylindrical body respectively.

[0057] The third structure: a cylinder with an open top (i.e., one of the ports parallel to the xy plane is an open end); the corresponding sealing plate in the outer shell is a single piece used to seal the open top end of the cylinder.

[0058] The internal cavities of each individual battery cell are interconnected, and this interconnection is usually achieved through a shared chamber located within the outer casing.

[0059] The aforementioned shared chamber can be an electrolyte shared chamber. This chamber ensures that each individual battery cell is in a uniform electrolyte environment, guaranteeing the homogeneity of the electrolyte within each cell and improving the performance and charge-discharge cycle life of the large-capacity battery. The electrolyte shared chamber described here is a liquid channel extending along the x-direction between the casing bottom plate and each individual battery cell. This liquid channel can be integrally formed with the casing bottom plate, or it can be formed by installing a support structure between the lower cover plate of the individual battery cell and the casing bottom plate.

[0060] It should be noted that:

[0061] For the outer shell with the first and third structural types mentioned above, the bottom plate of the outer shell is the bottom plate of the cylinder. For the cylinder with the second structure mentioned above, the bottom plate of the outer shell is the sealing plate covering the open end of the bottom of the cylinder.

[0062] The aforementioned shared chamber can also be a gas-sharing chamber. This chamber allows for gas balance among individual cells, improving the performance and charge-discharge cycle life of large-capacity batteries. Here, the gas-sharing chamber is a gas channel extending along the x-direction between the top plate of the casing and each individual cell.

[0063] It should be noted that:

[0064] For shells with the first type of cylindrical structure described above, the top plate of the shell is the top plate of the cylinder. For shells with the second and third types of cylindrical structures described above, the top plate of the shell is the sealing plate covering the open end of the top of the cylinder.

[0065] The aforementioned shared chamber can also be a gas-liquid shared chamber. A single gas-liquid shared chamber allows each individual battery cell to operate in a uniform electrolyte and gas environment, improving the performance and charge-discharge cycle life of the large-capacity battery. The gas-shared chamber described here is a channel extending along the length of the casing between the side panel of the casing and each individual battery cell.

[0066] It should be noted that:

[0067] For shells with the above three structural structures, the shell side plate here is the side plate in the shell that is parallel to the xz plane.

[0068] To facilitate electrical connection of such high-capacity batteries, clearance holes are made on the top plate of the casing corresponding to the polarity terminals of each individual battery. Each individual battery polarity terminal extends out of the corresponding clearance hole, and the area of ​​the top plate of the casing corresponding to the clearance hole (the area of ​​the top plate of the casing corresponding to the clearance hole here can be the area around each clearance hole on the top plate of the casing, or it can be the wall of the clearance hole) is fixedly sealed with the top cover of the individual battery, so that the clearance hole part of the top plate of the casing is sealed.

[0069] It should be noted that:

[0070] The polarity terminal of the single battery mentioned here can be the single battery post. In order to avoid the single battery post not being able to extend smoothly out of the clearance hole or the height of the extension hole not meeting the set requirements, a post adapter can be connected to the single battery post, and the overall structure of the single battery post and the post adapter can be used as the single battery polarity terminal.

[0071] In actual production, it was found that due to the presence of weld seams on the top cover of each individual battery, there is a gap between the top cover of the outer casing and the top cover of the individual battery. During laser welding, incomplete welding occurs between the area of ​​the top cover of the outer casing corresponding to the clearance hole and the top cover of the individual battery, and there are even problems with welding that cannot be performed.

[0072] To overcome this problem, this invention features a clearance groove on the wall of the top plate of the outer casing near the individual battery cells. The protruding weld seams on the top cover of each individual battery cell are embedded in the clearance groove. During laser welding, the top cover of the individual battery cell can fit tightly against the top plate of the outer casing, eliminating gaps, greatly reducing the risk of incomplete welding, making the welding process more stable, and thus significantly improving the welding quality and ensuring the sealing and stability of the overall structure of the large-capacity battery.

[0073] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0074] Example 1

[0075] like Figure 1 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the top plate of the casing in this embodiment. It includes a rectangular top plate body 1, on which a channel 2 extending in the x-direction is provided as a venting channel. After the large-capacity battery is assembled, this venting channel covers the venting ports of each individual battery cell 10. When any individual battery cell 10 experiences thermal runaway, the smoke generated by the thermal runaway rushes through the corresponding venting port and is discharged from the venting channel, thereby effectively preventing excessive internal pressure in the battery and improving battery safety performance.

[0076] In some other embodiments, the channel 2 can also serve as a gas sharing chamber, which can achieve gas balance among individual cells 10 and improve the performance and charge-discharge cycle life of large-capacity batteries.

[0077] As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, the top plate body 1 has multiple clearance holes 4 corresponding to the polarity terminals of the individual battery cells 10, allowing the corresponding polarity terminals to pass through. Simultaneously, multiple clearance grooves 3 are provided on the inner wall surface of the top plate body 1. Here, the inner wall surface refers to the wall surface of the top plate body 1 closest to each individual battery cell 10 in a large-capacity battery. The inner cavities of these clearance grooves 3 are used to accommodate the weld seams 9 on the cover plate 11 of each individual battery cell 10.

[0078] The depth design of the clearance groove 3 is crucial. It needs to ensure that it can fully accommodate the weld 9 on the cover plate 11 of the individual battery 10, preventing the weld 9 from protruding and affecting the fit between the cover plate 11 and the main body 1 of the top plate. Generally, the groove depth needs to be slightly greater than the height of the weld 9 to allow for a certain buffer space. If the height of the weld 9 is 1-3 mm, considering the thermal expansion and contraction of the battery during charging and discharging, as well as possible vibrations, the depth of the clearance groove 3 can be designed to be 3-4 mm. This ensures that the weld 9 is fully accommodated and prevents friction and collision between the weld 9 and the groove wall of the clearance groove 3 due to the slight displacement of the individual battery 10 during battery operation, which could damage the weld 9 or affect battery performance.

[0079] The width design of the clearance groove 3 is equally crucial. The groove width must be adapted to the width of the weld 9. On the one hand, it must ensure that the weld 9 can be easily accommodated; on the other hand, it cannot be too wide, so as not to weaken the structural strength of the top plate body 1. If the width of the weld 9 is 2-3 mm, the groove width can be designed to be 3-4 mm. A groove width that is too narrow may lead to installation difficulties, as the weld 9 cannot be smoothly embedded in the groove; while a groove width that is too wide will reduce the effective load-bearing area of ​​the top plate body 1 at this location. When the large-capacity battery generates expansion force during charging and discharging, or when it is subjected to external impact during transportation and use, the top plate is prone to deformation or even breakage at this location, affecting the overall stability and safety of the battery. A reasonable groove width design can ensure the function of accommodating the weld 9 while maintaining the good structural performance of the top plate body 1, and improving the reliability of the large-capacity battery under various operating conditions.

[0080] from Figure 1 As can be seen from the figure, this embodiment includes two clearance grooves 3 extending along the x direction and 13 clearance grooves 3 extending along the y direction (correspondingly, the number of individual cells 10 in the large-capacity battery is 12). For ease of description, the clearance grooves 3 extending along the x direction are defined as the first sub-groove 31, and the clearance grooves 3 extending along the y direction are defined as the second sub-groove 32.

[0081] Two first sub-grooves 31 are arranged along the y-direction on both sides of the top plate body 1, corresponding to the two welds 9 extending along the x-direction on the cover plate 11 of all individual cells 10. That is, in the large-capacity battery, the two welds 9 extending along the x-direction on the cover plate 11 of all individual cells 10 are respectively embedded in the two first sub-grooves 31.

[0082] In some other embodiments, clearance grooves 3 can be machined on the top plate body 1 for each of the two weld seams 9 extending in the x-direction for each individual battery cell 10. That is, multiple clearance grooves 3 extending in the x-direction can be formed intermittently at the two side edges of the top plate body 1. For example, if the number of individual batteries 10 in a large-capacity battery is 12, then 12 clearance grooves extending in the x-direction need to be provided at one side edge of the top plate body 1.

[0083] This embodiment has several advantages compared to the embodiments described above:

[0084] In terms of structural strength, the two continuous first sub-grooves 31 are arranged along both sides of the top plate body 1. Compared with the multiple discontinuous avoidance grooves 3 extending in the x-direction on both sides, this arrangement can better maintain the overall structural strength of the top plate body 1. Discontinuous grooves will create more weak points on the top plate. When the battery is subjected to external impact or internal pressure changes, stress concentration is more likely to occur at the discontinuities, leading to cracks or even breakage of the top plate. In contrast, the continuous first sub-grooves 31 can distribute stress more evenly and enhance the deformation resistance of the top plate.

[0085] In terms of processing difficulty, this embodiment only requires processing two continuous first sub-grooves 31 on both sides of the top plate body 1. The process is relatively simple and the processing efficiency is high. For example, aluminum extrusion process can be used for integral molding. However, for each single cell 10, two weld seams 9 extending along the x direction are processed separately to form intermittent avoidance grooves 3. The processing steps are more complicated, which greatly increases the processing cost and time cost. In large-scale production, the processing advantages of this embodiment are particularly significant.

[0086] In this embodiment, 13 second sub-grooves 32 are arranged at equal intervals along the x-direction and are connected to the first sub-grooves 31 (when there is a channel 2, each second sub-groove 32 is cut off at the channel 2). The two outermost second sub-grooves 321 correspond to the weld seams 9 on the outer side of the cover plates 11 of the two outermost single cells 10 in the large-capacity battery; each of the remaining second sub-grooves 32 in the middle corresponds to the two adjacent weld seams 9 extending along the y-direction on the cover plates 11 of two adjacent single cells 10 in the large-capacity battery; that is, in the large-capacity battery, the weld seams 9 extending along the y-direction on the outer side of the cover plates 11 of the two outermost single cells 10 are respectively embedded in the outermost second sub-grooves 321, and in the remaining single cells 10, the adjacent weld seams 9 on each of two adjacent single cells 10 are respectively embedded in the same second sub-groove 32.

[0087] In some other embodiments, clearance grooves 3 can be machined on the top plate body 1 for each of the two weld seams 9 extending in the y direction for each individual cell 10. For example, if the corresponding large-capacity battery includes 12 individual cells 10, then 24 clearance grooves 3 extending in the y direction need to be machined on the top plate body 1.

[0088] This embodiment has several advantages compared to the embodiments described above:

[0089] Structural Integrity and Stability: In this embodiment, the 13 second sub-grooves 32 are arranged at equal intervals along the x-direction and are connected to the first sub-grooves 31, forming an interconnected structural system. Compared to the embodiment where 24 independent clearance grooves 3 are processed for each of the two weld seams 9 extending along the y-direction of each individual battery cell 10, this embodiment has stronger structural integrity. The 24 independent clearance grooves 3 would cause more structural interruptions on the top plate body 1, weakening the overall strength of the top plate.

[0090] Simplified processing: Machining 24 independent avoidance grooves 3 extending along the y-direction is extremely cumbersome, greatly increasing processing time and costs. This embodiment only requires machining 13 second sub-grooves 32, significantly reducing the number of processing steps, improving processing efficiency, and lowering production costs, making it particularly suitable for large-scale production scenarios.

[0091] Example 2

[0092] This embodiment presents a different top plate from Embodiment 1. Based on Embodiment 1, a limiting groove 5 is formed on the outer wall of the top plate body 1 to fix the baffle assembly in the large-capacity battery. Here, the outer wall refers to the wall of the top plate body 1 that is away from each individual battery cell 10 in the large-capacity battery.

[0093] Its structure is as follows Figure 2 As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, two limiting grooves 5 are opened on the outer wall of the top plate body 1. The two limiting grooves 5 extend along the x direction and are arranged along the y direction at the two side edges of the top plate body 1. The limiting grooves 5 are used to install the baffle plate assembly in the large capacity battery, providing precise positioning for the installation of the baffle plate assembly.

[0094] When the top plate of the outer shell is thick, two methods can be used to form the limiting groove 5. One method is to directly remove part of the structure on the top plate of the outer shell through machining, such as milling, to form the limiting groove 5. The other method is to use a one-piece molding process, such as aluminum extrusion, to integrally form the top plate of the outer shell with the limiting groove 5. The one-piece molding process is more efficient than machining, enables continuous production, and the formed product has good mechanical properties and dimensional stability, which has a significant cost advantage in large-scale production scenarios.

[0095] When the thickness of the outer shell top plate is small, in order to ensure the structural strength and functional realization of the limiting groove 5, two protrusions 6 can be provided on the outer wall surface of the top plate body 1. Figure 2In this structure, two bosses 6 are arranged along the width of the top plate on both sides of the outer shell, and each boss 6 extends along the length of the top plate. A limiting groove 5 extending along the length of each boss 6 serves as the mounting track and positioning structure for the baffle plate. Furthermore, the bosses 6 also function as reinforcing ribs, significantly improving the structural strength of the top plate in the weakest direction, effectively enhancing its rigidity, and making it less prone to bending deformation under external forces.

[0096] Example 3

[0097] This embodiment is a cylindrical body having the outer shell top plate described in the above embodiment, and its structure is as follows: Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, Figure 3 and Figure 4 Take the top plate of the outer shell as an example, as shown in Embodiment 2.

[0098] In this embodiment, the cylinder is the cylinder of the first structure described above, with its left and right ends being open ends (the two ports parallel to the yz plane are open ends), and the top plate of the outer shell serves as the top plate of the cylinder (the top plate of the cylinder is parallel to the xy plane).

[0099] For ease of description, such a cylindrical body can be considered to be formed by an outer shell top plate and a U-shaped first shell 7 as described in the above embodiments.

[0100] The cylinder can be integrally formed using an aluminum extrusion process. During the forming process, two first sub-grooves 31 and two limiting grooves 5 can be formed simultaneously, avoiding the tedious steps of processing these structures separately in the future, greatly improving production efficiency, and is especially suitable for large-scale production scenarios.

[0101] Example 4

[0102] This embodiment describes a high-capacity battery, the structure of which is as follows: Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, it includes a housing and 12 individual battery cells 10 arranged in the housing along the x-direction. In some other embodiments, the number of individual battery cells 10 can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0103] The outer shell is composed of the cylindrical body in Example 3 and sealing plates at both ends. In this example, the sealing plates at both ends are defined as end plates 13.

[0104] The bottom of each individual battery cell 10 is connected through an electrolyte sharing chamber 14. In this embodiment, the electrolyte sharing chamber 14 is formed by setting a support member 15 between the lower cover plate of the individual battery cell 10 and the bottom plate of the outer casing.

[0105] The explosion venting channel on the main body 1 of the top plate covers the explosion venting port of the cover plate 11 of each individual battery cell 10.

[0106] like Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the weld seams 9 on the cover plates 11 of each individual battery cell 10 are embedded in the clearance grooves 3 on the top plate body 1, so that the cover plates 11 of each individual battery cell 10 and the top plate (top plate body 1) fit tightly together. Specifically, in this embodiment, the two weld seams 9 extending along the x-direction on the cover plates 11 of the 12 individual battery cells 10 are respectively embedded in the two first sub-grooves 31. The weld seams 9 extending along the y-direction on the outer side of the cover plates 11 of the two outermost individual battery cells 10 are respectively embedded in the two outermost second sub-grooves 321. In the remaining individual battery cells 10, the adjacent weld seams 9 on every two adjacent individual battery cells 10 are respectively embedded in the same second sub-grooves 32. Figure 7 and Figure 8 The diagram only schematically shows two first sub-grooves 31 and two welds 9 extending along the x-direction.

[0107] Each individual battery cell 10 has its polarity terminal extending out of the corresponding clearance hole 4, and the area of ​​the outer casing top plate corresponding to the clearance hole 4 is welded and sealed to the upper cover plate 11 of the individual battery cell 10.

[0108] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the polarity terminal is an integral structure consisting of the single cell battery 10 terminal 12 and the terminal adapter 8. Figures 5 to 8 In order to facilitate the display of the positional relationship between the upper cover plate 11 of the single cell 10 and the top plate of the outer casing, the terminal adapter 8 is not shown in the figure.

[0109] In this embodiment, a sealed connection is achieved by welding the edge of the clearance hole 4 near the single cell 10 to the upper cover plate 11 of the single cell 10.

[0110] Besides the welding method used in this embodiment, in some other embodiments, laser welding can also be used to weld the area around each clearance hole 4 on the top plate of the outer casing to the area around the corresponding upper electrode post 12 on the top cover plate 11 of the individual battery 10. Laser welding has advantages such as concentrated energy, fast welding speed, and high weld quality, and can achieve high-precision welding. However, this welding method requires a relatively thick top plate wall. If the top plate wall is too thin, it is easy to cause problems such as the plate burning through during the welding process. A thicker top plate will increase the cost and weight of the large-capacity battery.

[0111] Additionally, it should be noted that, due to the potential inconsistency in the height of the weld seam 9 among each individual battery cell 10, even after the weld seam 9 is embedded in the clearance groove 3, minute gaps may still exist between the top cover plate 11 and the top plate of some individual battery cells 10. This issue can be addressed by filling these gaps with solder to achieve welding. Since these gaps are extremely small relative to the height of the weld seam 9, it ensures that the filled solder can fully fuse with the welded area, forming a good sealing connection and further improving the battery's sealing performance and structural stability.

[0112] In some other embodiments, the casing of the high-capacity battery may be composed of a cylindrical body with the second or third structure described above and a corresponding sealing plate. In this case, the top plate of the casing in Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2 seals the open end of the top of the cylindrical body.

[0113] Example 5

[0114] To optimize the heat dissipation performance of the large-capacity battery in the above embodiments, this embodiment can further add a heat exchange component 16 (see above) to the large-capacity battery. Figure 9 and Figure 10 Heat exchange is performed on the polarity terminals. As a crucial connection between the battery's internal structure and the external environment, the polarity terminals are through which current flows in and out of the battery during charging and discharging. When heat is generated inside the battery, heat dissipation through the polarity terminals provides a relatively direct heat conduction path. Heat can be rapidly conducted from the battery's interior to the polarity terminals, and then dissipated from the terminals to the external environment. Furthermore, since the polarity terminals are typically located at the positive and negative terminals of the battery, these areas are often where heat is concentrated during charging and discharging. By dissipating heat from the polarity terminals, the temperature of these critical components can be reduced more effectively.

[0115] The heat exchange component 16 can be a heat transfer tube; each individual cell 10 has a through groove or through hole on the part of its polarity terminal located outside the casing for installing the heat transfer tube; the heat transfer tube is fixed in the through groove or through hole. By using the heat transfer tube on the polarity terminal, the heat generated inside the battery is conducted to the heat transfer tube through the polarity terminal, and then the heat transfer tube dissipates the heat to achieve heat dissipation of the battery.

[0116] The heat exchange component 16 can also be a heat exchange device, which is located on top of the large-capacity battery. At least a portion of the polar terminal structure can directly contact the heat exchange medium; another portion of the polar terminal structure is located outside the heat exchange device, serving as an electrical connection. By placing a portion of the polar terminal structure directly within the heat exchange medium flow cavity (the inner cavity of the heat exchange device), the polar terminal directly contacts the heat exchange medium, achieving heat exchange at the polar terminal. This provides a shorter heat exchange path, and the heat exchange medium directly acts on the polar terminal, improving the utilization efficiency of the heat exchange medium and enhancing the battery's heat exchange efficiency.

[0117] Example 6

[0118] Based on Example 5, this embodiment lays an insulating sealant layer on the top plate of the outer shell, enclosing at least a portion of the structure of the heat exchange component 16 within the insulating sealant layer.

[0119] The insulating sealant used in this embodiment is generally the battery potting compound commonly used in batteries. For example, an organosilicon thermally conductive potting compound can be used, which has good sealing, insulation, vibration resistance, heat dissipation and waterproof functions.

[0120] During prolonged battery use, condensation easily forms on the surface of the heat exchange component 16 due to the temperature difference between its internal and external parts. When condensation accumulates to a certain level, it can potentially cause a short circuit, seriously threatening the battery's safety and performance. The application of an insulating sealant layer is an effective way to address this potential hazard. When condensation forms on the surface of the heat exchange component 16, the insulating sealant layer provides robust protection, effectively preventing short circuits. Fundamentally, once moisture enters the battery, it corrodes the internal circuitry and electronic components, leading to a series of serious malfunctions such as short circuits. The insulating sealant layer effectively prevents external moisture from entering the battery, significantly reducing the likelihood of condensation at its source.

[0121] Furthermore, during battery use, it may encounter vibrations and bumps. If the heat exchange component 16 is not securely fixed, it may lose contact with the polarity terminal, affecting the heat exchange effect. In this embodiment, the insulating sealant layer can tightly wrap the heat exchange component 16, improving the stability of the connection between the heat exchange component 16 and the polarity terminal. This ensures that the heat exchange component 16 maintains good contact with the polarity terminal at all times, ensuring continuous and stable heat transfer. This, in turn, guarantees the normal operation of the battery cooling system and extends the battery's lifespan.

[0122] During the application of the insulating sealant layer, to prevent the sealant from overflowing from the edge of the top plate of the outer casing, this embodiment also includes a sealant baffle assembly on the top plate of the outer casing, such as... Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the baffle assembly mainly consists of a first baffle 17, a second baffle 18, and two third baffles 19 forming a rectangular frame.

[0123] During installation, the two third baffle plates 19 are respectively embedded into the two limiting grooves 5 on the top plate body 1. This embedded installation method ensures that the third baffle plates 19 fit tightly against the top plate body 1, greatly enhancing the connection stability between the baffle plate assembly and the outer shell top plate. Subsequently, the first baffle plate 17 and the second baffle plate 18 are respectively fixed to the two ends of the two third baffle plates 19, thus successfully enclosing a rectangular glue injection space on the outer shell top plate.

[0124] It should be noted that a specific through hole 20 is also provided on the first baffle plate 17, through which the end of the heat exchange component 16 can pass smoothly, thereby achieving effective connection with external equipment.

Claims

1. A top plate for a high-capacity battery casing, the high-capacity battery comprising a casing and n individual cells located within the casing, wherein n is an integer greater than 1; characterized in that: The top plate of the outer casing includes a top plate body, on which a plurality of clearance holes are provided, each corresponding to a polarity terminal of a single battery cell. The clearance holes are used for the corresponding polarity terminals to pass through. A clearance groove is provided on the wall surface of the top plate body near the single battery cell. The inner cavity of the clearance groove is used to accommodate the weld seams on the top cover of each single battery cell.

2. The top plate of the casing for a high-capacity battery according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clearance groove includes two first sub-grooves, which are arranged along the width direction of the top plate body on both sides of the top plate body. Each first sub-grooves extends along the length direction of the top plate body. The inner cavities of the two first sub-grooves are respectively used to accommodate the two welds extending along the length direction of the top plate body on the cover of each individual battery cell.

3. The top plate of the casing for a high-capacity battery according to claim 2, characterized in that: The main body of the top plate, which has two first sub-grooves, is integrally formed by extrusion.

4. The top plate of the casing for a high-capacity battery according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The clearance groove also includes n+1 second sub-grooves, which are arranged along the length of the main body of the top plate. Each second sub-groove extends along the width of the main body of the top plate and is connected to the first sub-groove. The inner cavities of the two outermost second sub-grooves are used to accommodate the welds extending along the width of the main body of the top plate on the outer side of the two outermost single cells. The inner cavities of the remaining second sub-grooves in the middle are used to accommodate the two adjacent welds extending along the width of the main body of the top plate on the upper cover of the adjacent single cell.

5. The top plate of the casing for a high-capacity battery according to claim 1, characterized in that: Two limiting grooves are provided on the wall surface of the top plate body away from the single battery. The two limiting grooves are arranged along the width direction of the top plate body on both sides of the top plate body, and each limiting groove extends along the length direction of the top plate body.

6. A cylindrical body for a high-capacity battery, characterized in that: It includes a cylindrical body with open ends at both ends, and is enclosed by a first shell with a U-shaped cross-section and a top shell for a high-capacity battery as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first shell and the top shell are an integral structure.

7. A high-capacity battery, characterized in that: It includes an outer casing and n individual battery cells located inside the casing, with the internal cavities of the n individual battery cells interconnected. The housing includes a top plate, which is the high-capacity battery housing top plate according to any one of claims 1 to 5; The weld seams on the top cover of each individual battery are embedded in the clearance groove on the main body of the top plate, and the polarity terminals of each individual battery extend out of the corresponding clearance holes. The area of ​​the outer shell top plate corresponding to the clearance holes is welded and sealed to the top cover of the individual battery.

8. The high-capacity battery according to claim 7, characterized in that: It also includes heat exchange components, which contact the polar terminals of each individual battery cell located outside the casing to exchange heat with the polar terminals.

9. The high-capacity battery according to claim 8, characterized in that: It also includes a baffle assembly, which is fixed to the top plate of the outer shell and together with the edge of the top plate of the outer shell to form a glue injection space; an insulating sealant layer is laid in the glue injection space, and at least part of the heat exchange component is located in the insulating sealant layer.

10. The high-capacity battery according to claim 9, characterized in that: The baffle assembly includes a first baffle, a second baffle, and two third baffles; the two third baffles are respectively embedded in two limiting grooves on the top plate body, and the first baffle and the second baffle are respectively fixed at both ends of the two third baffles, forming a rectangular glue injection space on the top plate of the outer shell; a through hole is opened on the first baffle, and the end of the heat exchange component passes through the through hole for connection with external equipment.

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