Battery modules and battery packs

Abstract

This utility model relates to the field of battery technology and discloses a battery module and battery pack. The battery module includes a cell and a clamping assembly. By setting the clamping assembly on the tab side of the cell, and the clamping assembly having a relatively slidable double-layer plate, the first plate is provided with a first protrusion and a first through groove, and the second plate is provided with a second protrusion and a second through groove. By sliding the second plate relative to the first plate, the first protrusion is aligned with the second through groove and inserted into the second through groove, thereby fixing the first plate and the second plate relatively, and clamping the first sealing edge of the cell between the first protrusion and the second protrusion, thereby reinforcing the first sealing edge of the cell on the tab side, increasing the difficulty of breaking the tab side of the cell, preventing the cell from ejecting from the tab side in the event of thermal runaway, preventing thermal runaway of other cells due to heat conduction from the tab, and thus preventing thermal runaway of the entire battery module, improving the overall safety of the battery module.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of battery technology, specifically to battery modules and battery packs. Background Technology

[0002] In the design of battery module layout, it is necessary to consider how to maximize passenger safety through structural design in the event of thermal runaway of a battery cell, giving passengers more time to evacuate to a safe area or to isolate the out-of-control vehicle. While existing technologies consider and design for venting in battery modules, they do not restrict the venting direction of the battery cells. Currently, most cells experience venting from the tab side during thermal runaway. However, since a battery module consists of several cells connected in series or parallel, when one cell experiences thermal runaway and vents, excessive heat transfer from the tab can easily trigger thermal runaway in other cells, leading to thermal runaway of the entire battery pack. Therefore, venting from the tab side during cell thermal runaway poses a significant safety hazard, resulting in poor safety and reliability. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of this, the present invention provides a battery module and battery pack to solve the problem that thermal runaway of a battery cell can easily cause thermal runaway of other battery cells in the module when the thermal runaway of the battery cell is triggered by the ejection from the tab side.

[0004] In a first aspect, this utility model provides a battery module, comprising: a battery cell, including a battery cell body, and a first sealing edge and a tab connected to one end of the battery cell body; a clamping assembly disposed on the side of the battery cell body having the tab, the clamping assembly comprising a first plate and a second plate stacked together, the first plate having a first protrusion on the side facing the second plate, and the first plate also having a first through groove adjacent to the first protrusion; the second plate having a second protrusion on one side, and the second plate also having a second through groove adjacent to the second protrusion, the first sealing edge being adapted to pass through the first through groove and the second through groove; the clamping assembly having a sliding state in which the first plate can move relative to the second plate, and a locking state in which the first protrusion is inserted into the second through groove; when the clamping assembly is in the locking state, the first protrusion and the second protrusion are adapted to clamp the first sealing edge.

[0005] Beneficial effects: By setting a clamping assembly on the tab side of the battery cell, and the clamping assembly having a relatively slidable double-layer plate, the first plate is provided with a first protrusion and a first through groove, and the second plate is provided with a second protrusion and a second through groove, the first protrusion can be aligned with and inserted into the second through groove by sliding the second plate relative to the first plate, thereby fixing the first plate and the second plate, and clamping the first sealing edge of the battery cell between the first protrusion and the second protrusion, thereby reinforcing the first sealing edge of the battery cell on the tab side, increasing the difficulty of breaking the battery cell on the tab side, thereby preventing the battery cell from emitting gas from the tab side when thermal runaway occurs, specifying the direction of the exhaust gas of the battery cell in the event of thermal runaway, avoiding thermal runaway of other battery cells due to heat conduction of the tab, and thus preventing thermal runaway of the entire battery module, improving the overall safety of the battery module.

[0006] In one optional embodiment, the number of battery cells is multiple, and the multiple battery cells are stacked sequentially; the number of the first protrusion, the first through slot, the second protrusion, and the second through slot is equal to the number of battery cells.

[0007] Beneficial effects: By setting the number of battery cells to multiple, and the number of the first protrusion and the second protrusion being equal to the number of battery cells, the number of clamping structures formed by the first protrusion and the second protrusion is equal to the number of battery cells. At the same time, the number of the first through slot and the second through slot is also equal to the number of battery cells. Thus, the first sealing edge of each battery cell can be inserted into a corresponding set of second through slots and first through slots. Therefore, the first sealing edge of one battery cell can be clamped by each set of clamping structures, thereby achieving clamping and reinforcement of the tab side of each battery cell in the battery module. All battery cells are connected to the clamping assembly through the clamping structure, which can increase the stability of the positional relationship between the individual battery cells and has a pre-positioning effect on several battery cells.

[0008] In one alternative embodiment, the second plate is located between the first plate and the cell body, the first protrusion is connected to the surface of the first plate facing the second plate, and the second protrusion is connected to the surface of the second plate facing or away from the first plate.

[0009] Beneficial effects: By setting the second plate between the first plate and the cell body, the first protrusion and the second protrusion on the first plate are both located on the side of the first plate away from the electrode tab, which can avoid interference between the protrusion on the plate and the electrode tab, and help ensure assembly quality.

[0010] In one optional embodiment, the battery cell further includes a side sealing edge, which is connected to both sides of the first sealing edge along the extension direction of the first sealing edge, and the side sealing edge is bent relative to the first sealing edge, and both the first through groove and the second through groove are U-shaped.

[0011] Beneficial effects: By setting the side seals on both sides of the battery cell to be bent relative to the first seal, the space occupied by the side seals can be reduced, thereby reducing the volume of the battery module. At the same time, by setting the first and second through slots to be U-shaped, the opening shape of the first and second through slots matches the shape formed by the first and side seals, which facilitates the accommodation of the first and side seals and strengthens the fixing effect of the side seals. This can suppress the emission of smoke generated during thermal runaway of the battery cell from the side seals, further limiting the emission of the battery cell to the second seal, which is away from the first seal along the second direction, thus improving the safety of the exhaust process.

[0012] In one optional embodiment, the first protrusion is in the shape of an "I" and the extension direction of the first protrusion is parallel to the extension direction of the first edge seal; the second protrusion includes a main body and two side parts, the extension direction of the main body is parallel to the extension direction of the first edge seal, and the two side parts are disposed at both ends of the main body; the first edge seal is sandwiched between the main body and the first protrusion, and the side edge seal is sandwiched between the side parts and the first protrusion.

[0013] Beneficial effects: By setting the second protrusion to a straight line shape, it is easy for the second protrusion to be smoothly inserted into the second through groove. By setting the second protrusion to include the main body and the side parts distributed at both ends of the main body along the extension direction of the main body, the second protrusion is in a U-shape. This makes the shape of the second protrusion match the shape of the side sealing edge and the first sealing edge, which makes it easy to ensure that the side parts clamp the side sealing edge while the first protrusion clamps the first sealing edge with the main body. This allows the clamping assembly to clamp and fix the first sealing edge and the side sealing edge at the same time, improving reliability.

[0014] In one optional embodiment, the battery module further includes a base plate, which is disposed on one side of the battery module along the stacking direction of the battery cells; a first connecting portion is disposed on the first plate or the second plate, and a second connecting portion is disposed on the base plate, wherein the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are detachably connected.

[0015] Beneficial effects: By setting a first connecting part on the first plate or the second plate, and setting a second connecting part corresponding to the first connecting part on the base plate, the second plate and the base plate can be fixedly connected by connecting the first connecting part and the second connecting part. The base plate provides a fixed support for the second plate, thereby achieving relative fixation between the clamping component and the base plate, ensuring the stability of the clamping component and the integrity of the battery module.

[0016] In one optional embodiment, the first connecting portion is disposed on one side of the first plate or the second plate along the stacking direction of the battery cell, the first connecting portion being a tenon and the second connecting portion being a mortise.

[0017] Beneficial effects: The tenon and mortise are matched to form an expansion joint mortise and tenon structure, thereby achieving a stable connection between the first or second plate and the base plate. The mortise and tenon structure has good stability and high reliability, and the structure is relatively simple, making it easy to process and assemble.

[0018] In one alternative embodiment, the first protrusion is integrally formed or bonded to the first plate; and / or, the second protrusion is integrally formed or bonded to the second plate.

[0019] Beneficial effects: The one-piece molded structure is more robust, effectively ensuring the reliability of the connection; the adhesive connection method is relatively simple, each part is easy to mold, and the adhesive can also ensure a reliable connection between the two parts.

[0020] In one alternative embodiment, both the first plate and the second plate are made of insulating material.

[0021] Beneficial effects: Both the first and second plates are made of insulating materials, which effectively ensures the insulation of the first and second plates, prevents short circuits, and provides effective support for components such as busbars.

[0022] Secondly, this utility model also provides a battery pack, comprising: a housing; and the aforementioned battery module, wherein the battery module is disposed within the housing. Since the battery pack includes the battery module and has the same effects as the battery module, it will not be described further here. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of this utility model or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of a battery module and the end cap of a housing according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0025] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A magnified view of part A in the diagram;

[0026] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A top view of the battery module and the end cover assembly structure of the casing shown;

[0027] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A magnified view of part B in the diagram;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the first plate and the base plate in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0029] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A magnified view of part of C;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a first plate body according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0031] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of the first plate shown;

[0032] Figure 9 for Figure 7 The bottom view of the first plate shown;

[0033] Figure 10 for Figure 9 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of the first plate shown;

[0034] Figure 11 for Figure 7 The front view of the first plate shown;

[0035] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a second plate according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0036] Figure 13 for Figure 12 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of the second plate shown;

[0037] Figure 14 for Figure 12 The top view of the second plate shown;

[0038] Figure 15 for Figure 14 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of the second plate shown;

[0039] Figure 16for Figure 12 The front view of the second plate shown.

[0040] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0041] 1. Battery cell; 100. Battery cell body; 101. First sealing edge; 102. Electrode tab; 103. Side sealing edge; 2. First plate; 201. First protrusion; 202. First through groove; 203. First connecting part; 3. Second plate; 301. Second protrusion; 3011. Main body; 3012. Side part; 302. Second through groove; 4. Base plate; 401. Second connecting part; 5. End cap; 501. Explosion-proof valve. Detailed Implementation

[0042] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0043] In related technologies, the venting of battery modules often adopts a design that sprays gas towards the tab side of the cell. However, when the high-temperature fumes generated by thermal runaway of the cell are sprayed from the tab side, excessive heat transfer between adjacent cell tabs can easily trigger thermal runaway of other cells, posing a significant safety hazard. In addition, related technologies use a large amount of glue to fill the non-ejection side of the cell to suppress the fumes from the non-ejection side, thereby limiting the direction of the fumes. However, a large amount of glue will increase the weight of the battery pack, which is not conducive to improving the energy density of the battery pack. Moreover, the glue filling process is complex, cumbersome to operate, and costly. Alternatively, related technologies use clamping brackets to suppress the fumes from the cell. However, the clamping brackets are usually designed as independent brackets, lacking overall connectivity and pre-positioning effect on the cell. Furthermore, the clamping bracket structure is complex, requires numerous components, and is inconvenient to install.

[0044] The following is combined Figures 1 to 16 The following describes embodiments of the present invention.

[0045] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a battery module is provided, comprising: a battery cell 1 and a clamping assembly. The battery cell 1 includes a battery cell body 100, and a first sealing edge 101 and a tab 102 connected to one end of the battery cell body 100; the clamping assembly is disposed on the side of the battery cell body 100 with the tab 102, and the clamping assembly includes a first plate 2 and a second plate 3 stacked together. A first protrusion 201 is provided on the side of the first plate 2 facing the second plate 3, and a first through groove 202 adjacent to the first protrusion 201 is also provided on the first plate 2; a second through groove 202 is provided on one side of the second plate 3. The second plate 3 also has a second through groove 302 adjacent to the second protrusion 301. The first sealing edge 101 is adapted to pass through the first through groove 202 and the second through groove 302. The clamping assembly has a sliding state in which the first plate 2 can move relative to the second plate 3, and a locking state in which the first protrusion 201 is inserted into the second through groove 302. When the clamping assembly is in the locked state, the first protrusion 201 and the second protrusion 301 are adapted to clamp the first sealing edge 101.

[0046] It should be noted that the battery module has three intersecting directions: a first direction X, a second direction Y, and a third direction Z. The first direction refers to... Figure 1 The direction indicated by the "X" in the middle arrow is firstly the direction of the cell's thickness, and secondly... Figure 1 The direction indicated by the middle arrow pointing to the "Y" is the third direction. Figure 1 Preferably, the direction indicated by the middle arrow "Z" is perpendicular to the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z. The first sealing edge 101 is connected to one end of the cell body 100 along the third direction Z, and the tab 102 extends out of the first sealing edge 101 along the third direction Z. In the battery module, a CCS (Cells Contact System) is provided on the side of the cell 1 where the tab is provided (i.e., the tab side). The CCS is an important component in the battery module and has functions such as electrical connection, data acquisition, and charge and discharge management. In this embodiment, the clamping component is part of the CCS and is used to clamp the first sealing edge 101 of the cell 1. The clamping component is located between the tab 102 and the cell body 100.

[0047] The battery module of this embodiment uses a clamping assembly on the tab side of the cell 1. This clamping assembly has two slidable plates. The first plate 2 has a first protrusion 201 and a first through groove 202, and the second plate 3 has a second protrusion 301 and a second through groove 302. By sliding the second plate 3 relative to the first plate 2, the first protrusion 201 can be aligned with and inserted into the second through groove 302, thereby achieving the connection between the first plate 2 and the second plate 3. The relative fixation of body 3 clamps the first sealing edge 101 of cell 1 between the first protrusion 201 and the second protrusion 301, thereby reinforcing the first sealing edge 101 on the tab side of cell 1. This increases the difficulty of breaking the tab side of cell 1, thus preventing the cell from escaping from the tab side when thermal runaway occurs. It also specifies the direction of exhaust gas from cell 1 during thermal runaway, preventing other cells from experiencing thermal runaway due to heat conduction from the tab, thereby preventing thermal runaway of the entire battery module and improving the overall safety of the battery module.

[0048] Meanwhile, the clamping assembly is part of the CCS. In this embodiment, the first protrusion 201 is part of the first plate 2, and the second protrusion 301 is part of the second plate 3. That is, the clamping structure composed of the first protrusion 201 and the second protrusion 301 is integrated on the CCS. While ensuring the smoke exhaust path of the battery cell 1, the number of components is reduced, the structure is simple, it is easy to install and operate, and the space utilization rate is improved. It can also reduce the amount of potting compound used in the whole package, reduce the overall weight, and reduce the cost.

[0049] Further integration Figures 1 to 2 As shown, the first plate 2 and the second plate 3 are stacked along the third direction Z. The first through groove 202 passes through the first plate 2 along the third direction Z, and the second through groove 302 passes through the second plate 3 along the third direction Z. The first sealing edge 101 of the battery cell 1 passes through the second through groove 302 and the first through groove 202 in sequence. The electrode tab 102 passes through the second through groove 302 and the first through groove 202 and is bent. At the beginning of the assembly of the plate and the battery cell 1, the first protrusion 201 on the first plate 2 and the second through groove 302 on the second plate 3 are not completely aligned. Therefore, the first plate 2 and the second plate 3 can slide relative to each other along the first direction X until the first protrusion 201 and the second through groove 302 are aligned. The first protrusion 201 is inserted into the second through groove 302, and the two plates can be snapped and fixed. The operation process is simple.

[0050] It should be noted that the battery cell 1 has two ends arranged opposite each other along the third direction Z. When the battery module is installed in vehicles such as electric vehicles, the end of the battery cell 1 with the tab 102 faces upward. The clamping structure composed of the first protrusion 201 and the second protrusion 301 is used to suppress the upward discharge of smoke generated by thermal runaway of the battery cell, so that the overall smoke discharge direction of the module is downward. Since the battery pack is usually located under the passenger seat, the downward smoke discharge structure of the battery pack can minimize the probability of secondary injury events, give passengers more time to evacuate to a safe area or isolate the out-of-control vehicle, and further improve the overall safety of the battery pack. Here, "facing upward" means facing away from the ground, and "facing downward" means facing the ground.

[0051] In one embodiment, there are multiple battery cells 1, which are stacked sequentially. The number of each of the first protrusion 201, the first through slot 202, the second protrusion 301, and the second through slot 302 is equal to the number of battery cells 1. It should be noted that the multiple battery cells 1 are stacked sequentially along their thickness direction. Specifically, the multiple battery cells 1 are stacked along the first direction X. A first protrusion 201 and a second protrusion 301 cooperate to form a set of clamping structures. Each set of clamping structures corresponds to one battery cell 1, that is, the number of each of the first protrusion 201, the first through slot 202, the second protrusion 301, and the second through slot 302 is equal to the number of battery cells 1 and corresponds one-to-one. By setting the number of battery cells 1 to multiple, and the number of each of the first protrusion 201 and the second protrusion 301 being equal to the number of battery cells 1, the number of clamping structures formed by the first protrusion 201 and the second protrusion 301 is equal to the number of battery cells 1. At the same time, the number of the first through slot 202 and the second through slot 302 is also equal to the number of battery cells 1. Then, the first sealing edge 101 of each battery cell 1 can be inserted into a corresponding set of second through slots 302 and first through slots 202. Thus, the first sealing edge 101 of one battery cell 1 can be clamped by each set of clamping structures, thereby achieving clamping and reinforcement of the tab side of each battery cell 1 in the battery module. All battery cells 1 are connected to the clamping assembly through the clamping structure, which can increase the stability of the positional relationship between each battery cell 1 and has the effect of pre-positioning several battery cells 1.

[0052] In one embodiment, along the third direction Z, the second plate 3 is located between the first plate 2 and the cell body 100. The first protrusion 201 is connected to the surface of the first plate 2 facing the second plate 3, and the second protrusion 301 is connected to the surface of the second plate 3 facing or away from the first plate 2. It should be noted that the first protrusion 201 needs to be inserted into the second through slot 302 on the second plate 3, therefore the first protrusion 201 needs to be located on the side of the first plate 2 facing the second plate 3; while the second protrusion 301 is located on the surface of the second plate 3 facing or away from the first plate 2. Both the first and second protrusions can cooperate after the first protrusion 201 is inserted into the second through slot 302 to clamp the first sealing edge 101. Simultaneously, since the tab 102 clamping assembly is located on the side away from the cell body 100... If the second plate 3 is located on the side of the first plate 2 away from the cell body 100 and the second protrusion 301 is located on the side of the second plate 3 away from the first plate 2, the second protrusion 301 may interfere with the tab 102. Therefore, by setting the second plate 3 between the first plate 2 and the cell body 100, so that the first protrusion 201 and the second protrusion 301 on the first plate 2 are both located on the side of the first plate 2 away from the tab 102, interference between the protrusion on the plate and the tab 102 can be avoided, which is beneficial to ensuring assembly quality.

[0053] It should be noted that during the battery module assembly process, since the cell body 100 is located on the side of the second plate 3 opposite to the first plate 2, the cell body 100 will obstruct the view during the installation of the first plate 2 and the second plate 3. However, the space on the side of the first plate 2 opposite to the second plate 3 is relatively spacious, making it easier to observe the installation status of the two plates. Therefore, after the first sealing edge 101 passes through the first through groove 202 and the second through groove 302, it is preferable to keep the second plate 3 stationary and move the first plate 2 to achieve relative sliding between the first plate 2 and the second plate 3. This facilitates observation of whether the two plates are installed in place from the side of the first plate 2 opposite to the second plate 3, which helps to improve installation efficiency and ensure assembly quality.

[0054] Optionally, the second protrusion 301 is connected to the surface of the second plate 3 facing away from the first plate 2, so that after the first protrusion 201 is inserted into the second through groove 302, the upper surface of the second plate 3 can fit tightly against the lower surface of the first plate 2, thereby improving the compactness between the two plates, reducing the space occupied, which is beneficial to reducing the size of the battery module and realizing the miniaturization of the battery pack. Here, the upper surface of the second plate 3 refers to the surface of the second plate 3 facing away from the cell body 100 along the third direction Z; the lower surface of the first plate 2 refers to the surface of the first plate 2 facing the cell body 100 along the third direction Z.

[0055] Optionally, the second protrusion 301 is connected to the surface of the second plate 3 on the side close to the first plate 2. The dimension of the first protrusion 201 along the third direction Z is larger than the dimension of the second protrusion 301 along the third direction Z. This also ensures that the first protrusion 201 can be inserted into the second through groove 302 to clamp the first sealing edge 101.

[0056] In one embodiment, the battery cell 1 further includes a side sealing edge 103. The side sealing edge 103 is connected to both sides of the first sealing edge 101 along the extension direction of the first sealing edge 101, and the side sealing edge 103 is bent relative to the first sealing edge 101. The first through groove 202 and the second through groove 302 are both U-shaped. It should be noted that the extension direction of the first sealing edge 101 is the second direction Y; there are two side sealing edges 103, with one side sealing edge 103 on each side of the battery cell 1 along the second direction Y. The side sealing edge 103 is also the sealing edge of the encapsulation film. When the battery cell 1 is stacked in the battery module, the side sealing edge 103 is usually bent to make it close to the battery cell body, thereby reducing the space occupied by the side sealing edge 103 along the third direction Z. After bending, the side sealing edge 103 has increased structural strength and is less likely to be broken by gas, thereby suppressing the emission of smoke generated by thermal runaway of the battery cell from the side sealing edge 103. After bending, the side sealing edge 103 is shaped as follows: Figure 2 , Figure 4 As shown, the first edge seal 101 and the two side edge seals 103 together form a "U" shaped structure.

[0057] Therefore, by setting the side sealing edges 103 on both sides of the battery cell 1 to be bent relative to the first sealing edge 101, the space occupied by the side sealing edges 103 can be reduced, thereby reducing the volume of the battery module. At the same time, by setting the first through groove 202 and the second through groove 302 to be "U" shaped, the opening shape of the first through groove 202 and the second through groove 302 respectively matches the shape formed by the first sealing edge 101 and the side sealing edge 103, which facilitates the accommodation of the first sealing edge 101 and the side sealing edge 103, and can strengthen the fixing effect of the side sealing edge 103. It can suppress the smoke generated during the thermal runaway of the battery cell from the side sealing edge 103, and further limit the battery cell to be ejected only from the second sealing edge away from the first sealing edge 101 along the second direction Y, thereby improving the safety of the smoke exhaust process.

[0058] In one embodiment, further combination Figures 9 to 10 As shown, the first protrusion 201 is in the shape of an "I", and the extending direction of the first protrusion 201 is parallel to the extending direction of the first edge sealing 101; further combined with Figures 14 to 15As shown, the second protrusion 301 includes a main body 3011 and two side parts 3012. The extension direction of the main body 3011 is parallel to the extension direction of the first sealing edge 101, and the two side parts 3012 are respectively disposed at both ends of the main body 3011. The first sealing edge 101 is sandwiched between the main body 3011 and the first protrusion 201, and the side sealing edges 103 are sandwiched between the side parts 3012 and the first protrusion 201. It should be noted that if the first sealing edge 101 extends along the second direction Y, then both the first protrusion 201 and the main body 3011 extend along the second direction Y. The second protrusion 301 is composed of the main body 3011 and two side parts 3012, and the two side parts 3012 are respectively disposed at both ends of the main body 3011 along the second direction Y. By setting the second protrusion 301 to be in the shape of an "I", it is easy for the second protrusion 301 to be smoothly inserted into the second through groove 302. By setting the second protrusion 301 to include a main body 3011 and side parts 3012 distributed at both ends of the main body 3011 along the extension direction of the main body 3011, the second protrusion 301 is in the shape of a "U". This makes the shape of the second protrusion 301 match the shape of the side sealing edge 103 and the first sealing edge 101. This makes it easy for the side parts 3012 to clamp the side sealing edge 103 while the first protrusion 201 and the main body 3011 clamp the first sealing edge 101. This allows the clamping assembly to clamp and fix the first sealing edge 101 and the side sealing edge 103 at the same time, thereby improving reliability.

[0059] It should be noted that the second protrusion 301 is U-shaped, and the protrusion direction of the side portion 3012 relative to the main body portion 3011 is the same as the bending direction of the side sealing edge 103 relative to the first sealing edge 101; along the second direction Y, the two sides of the first protrusion 201 form a first side surface, and each side portion 3012 forms a second side surface on the side facing the first protrusion 201, and the side sealing edge 103 is clamped between the first side surface and the second side surface.

[0060] In other embodiments, the first protrusion 201 is U-shaped and includes a main body and two side parts. The second protrusion 301 is I-shaped. The side part of the second through groove 302 has enough space along the second direction Y for the side part of the first protrusion 201 to be inserted. Similarly, the first protrusion 201 can be inserted into the second through groove 302 and cooperate with the second protrusion 301 to clamp the first sealing edge 101 and the side sealing edge 103.

[0061] In one embodiment, the battery module further includes a base plate 4, which is disposed on one side of the battery module along the stacking direction of the battery cells 1. A first connecting portion 203 is provided on the first plate 2 or the second plate 3, and a second connecting portion 401 is provided on the base plate 4. The first connecting portion 203 and the second connecting portion 401 are detachably connected. It should be noted that the stacking direction of the battery cells 1 is the first direction X. Multiple battery cells 1 are arranged along the first direction X to form a battery pack. The base plate 4 is located on one side of the battery pack composed of all the battery cells 1 along the first direction X. By providing the first connecting portion 203 on the first plate 2 or the second plate 3, and providing the second connecting portion 401 corresponding to the first connecting portion 203 on the base plate 4, the second plate 3 and the base plate 4 can be fixedly connected through the connection of the first connecting portion 203 and the second connecting portion 401. The base plate 4 provides a fixed support for the second plate 3, thereby achieving relative fixation between the clamping component and the base plate 4, ensuring the stability of the clamping component and the integrity of the battery module.

[0062] In one embodiment, the first connecting part 203 is disposed on one side of the first plate 2 or the second plate 3 along the stacking direction of the battery cell 1. The first connecting part 203 is a tenon, and the second connecting part 401 is a mortise. Through the cooperation of the tenon and the mortise, an expansion joint mortise and tenon structure is formed, thereby realizing a stable connection between the first plate 2 or the second plate 3 and the base plate 4. The mortise and tenon structure has good stability, high reliability, and a relatively simple structure, which is easy to process and assemble. It should be noted that after the first protrusion 201 is inserted into the second through groove 302, the first plate 2 and the second plate 3 are engaged. Then, by providing the first connecting part 203 on one of the first plate 2 or the second plate 3, and connecting the first connecting part 203 with the second connecting part 401 on the base plate 4, the clamping assembly composed of the first plate 2 and the second plate 3 can be fixedly connected to the base plate 4.

[0063] It is understood that, as an alternative implementation, one of the first connecting part 203 and the second connecting part 401 is a snap-fit ​​and the other is a slot, which can also achieve a stable connection between the clamping component and the base plate 4.

[0064] In one embodiment, the first protrusion 201 is integrally formed with the first plate 2. The integrally formed structure is more robust, effectively ensuring the reliability of the connection between the first protrusion 201 and the first plate 2.

[0065] In other embodiments, the first protrusion 201 is bonded to the first plate 2. The bonding method is relatively simple; both the first protrusion 201 and the first plate 2 are easy to shape, and the bonding ensures a reliable connection between them.

[0066] In one embodiment, the second protrusion 301 is bonded to or integrally formed with the second plate 3. The integrally formed structure is more robust, effectively ensuring the reliability of the connection between the second protrusion 301 and the second plate 3.

[0067] In other embodiments, the second protrusion 301 is bonded to the second plate 3. The bonding method is relatively simple; both the second protrusion 301 and the second plate 3 are easy to mold, and the bonding ensures a reliable connection between them.

[0068] In one embodiment, the first through groove 202 and the second through groove 302 are formed by cutting.

[0069] In one embodiment, both the first plate 2 and the second plate 3 are made of insulating material, which effectively ensures the insulation of the first plate 2 and the second plate 3, prevents short circuits, and provides effective support for components such as busbars.

[0070] In one embodiment, the first plate 2 is made of fiberglass board, and the second plate 3 is made of bakelite. The fiberglass board is resin fiberglass board, which is commonly used and readily available. Bakelite is phenolic resin; phenolic resin is produced by the condensation reaction of phenolic and aldehyde compounds under acidic or alkaline catalysts. Bakelite powder is obtained by thoroughly mixing phenolic resin, sawdust, talc, curing agent, and pigments, and then heating and pressing the Bakelite powder in a mold to obtain thermosetting phenolic plastic products. Bakelite has advantages such as strong insulation, high electrical strength, corrosion resistance, good heat resistance, high strength, high hardness, and low price. Resin fiberglass board is not as hard as phenolic resin. The second plate 3 is located below the first plate 2 and provides support for it. Therefore, by selecting bakelite, which has higher hardness, for the second plate 3, the reliability of the overall structure can be ensured. The two plates can be connected. As an alternative embodiment, the second plate 3 can also be made of a thicker resin fiberglass board.

[0071] In one embodiment, the battery module further includes: a plurality of heat insulation layers, the plurality of heat insulation layers being spaced apart along a first direction X, and at least one battery cell 1 being disposed between two adjacent heat insulation layers. The heat insulation layers can reduce the transfer of heat between adjacent battery cells 1, thereby reducing the possibility of thermal runaway battery cells causing thermal runaway of other battery cells, and can also improve the insulation between adjacent battery cells 1, thereby improving the safety of the battery module.

[0072] It should be noted that during the battery module design, the series and parallel configurations of several battery cells 1 are first determined. Based on the specific parameters of these configurations, the length of the clamping assembly along the first direction X and the number of clamping structures required can be determined. After determining the above basic information and completing the stacking of the entire battery module, the second plate 3 is first embedded into the upper edge of the battery cell 1. The first sealing edge 101 and the tab 102 pass through the second through groove 302 on the second plate 3. Then, the first plate 2 is installed on top of the second plate 3, and the first sealing edge 101 and the tab 102 pass through the first through groove 202. This makes the second plate 3 closely adhere to the first plate 2 and push it along the first direction X towards the direction of the base plate 4 until the first protrusion 201 engages in the second through groove 302. The first plate 2 and the second plate 3 are thus engaged and fixed. At the same time, the clamping structure formed by the first protrusion 201 and the second protrusion 301 clamps and fixes the first sealing edge 101 of the battery cell 1 and positions each battery cell 1 in a predetermined position. Thus, the venting of each cell 1 is individually suppressed on the tab side, while the relative positions of the cells 1 are tightly fixed by the double-layer plate of the entire battery module. Even if thermal runaway occurs inside the cell 1 and gas is generated, causing a pressure surge, the gas will not be released from the tab side of the cell 1. In this case, all cells 1 in the entire battery module will be directed to the bottom (the unsealed weak area) for venting, protecting the tab side of the cells from damage, reducing heat diffusion and exchange at the tab, reducing the risk of triggering thermal runaway of other cells, thereby enhancing the safety and stability of the entire battery module and battery pack.

[0073] According to an embodiment of the present invention, another aspect provides a battery pack, including: a housing and the aforementioned battery module, wherein the battery module is disposed within the housing.

[0074] In one embodiment, the housing includes a shell (not shown in the figure) and an end cover 5 that are interlocked. The battery module is located in the receiving space formed by the shell and the end cover 5. An explosion-proof valve 501 is provided on the end cover 5. The explosion-proof valve 501 opens when the battery cell in the battery module experiences thermal runaway in order to discharge high-temperature fumes.

[0075] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and such modifications and variations all fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A battery module, characterized by, Comprising: a battery cell (1), including a battery cell body (100), a first sealing edge (101) and a tab (102) connected to one end of the battery cell body (100); a clamping assembly disposed on a side of the battery cell body (100) having the tab (102), the clamping assembly including a first plate body (2) and a second plate body (3) stacked, a first protrusion (201) being provided on a side of the first plate body (2) facing the second plate body (3), and a first through groove (202) adjacent to the first protrusion (201) being defined in the first plate body (2); a second protrusion (301) being provided on one side of the second plate body (3), and a second through groove (302) adjacent to the second protrusion (301) being defined in the second plate body (3), the first sealing edge (101) being adapted to pass through the first through groove (202) and the second through groove (302); the clamping assembly has a sliding state in which the first plate body (2) is movable relative to the second plate body (3), and a locking state in which the first protrusion (201) is inserted into the second through groove (302); when the clamping assembly is in the locking state, the first protrusion (201) and the second protrusion (301) are adapted to clamp the first sealing edge (101).

2. The battery module of claim 1, wherein, The number of the battery cells (1) is plural, and the plural battery cells (1) are stacked in sequence; The numbers of the first protrusion (201), the first through groove (202), the second protrusion (301) and the second through groove (302) are each equal to the number of the battery cells (1).

3. The battery module of claim 1, wherein, The second plate body (3) is located between the first plate body (2) and the battery cell body (100), the first protrusion (201) is connected to a surface of the first plate body (2) on a side facing the second plate body (3), and the second protrusion (301) is connected to a surface of the second plate body (3) on a side facing or背离 the first plate body (2).

4. The battery module of claim 1, wherein, The battery cell (1) further includes side sealing edges (103), the side sealing edges (103) are connected to both sides of the first sealing edge (101) along the extension direction of the first sealing edge (101), and the side sealing edges (103) are bent relative to the first sealing edge (101), and both the first through groove (202) and the second through groove (302) are in a "U" shape.

5. The battery module of claim 4, wherein, The first protrusion (201) is in a "one" shape, and the extension direction of the first protrusion (201) is parallel to the extension direction of the first sealing edge (101); The second protrusion (301) includes a main body portion (3011) and two side portions (3012), the extension direction of the main body portion (3011) is parallel to the extension direction of the first sealing edge (101), and the two side portions (3012) are respectively disposed at both ends of the main body portion (3011); The first sealing edge (101) is sandwiched between the main body (3011) and the first protrusion (201), and the side sealing edge (103) is sandwiched between the side (3012) and the first protrusion (201).

6. The battery module of claim 1, wherein, The battery module also includes a base plate (4), which is disposed on one side of the battery module along the stacking direction of the battery cells (1); A first connecting part (203) is provided on the first plate (2) or the second plate (3), and a second connecting part (401) is provided on the bottom plate (4). The first connecting part (203) and the second connecting part (401) are detachably connected.

7. The battery module of claim 6, wherein, The first connecting part (203) is disposed on one side of the first plate (2) or the second plate (3) along the stacking direction of the battery cell (1). The first connecting part (203) is a tenon, and the second connecting part (401) is a mortise.

8. The battery module of claim 1, wherein, The first protrusion (201) is integrally formed or bonded to the first plate (2); And / or, the second protrusion (301) is integrally formed or bonded to the second plate (3).

9. The battery module of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, Both the first plate (2) and the second plate (3) are made of insulating material.

10. A battery pack, characterized by, include: Box; The battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the battery module is disposed in the housing.

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