A battery module

Abstract

This utility model relates to the field of lithium-ion battery technology, specifically to a battery module, including an insulating cover, a sampling plate, a module bracket, multiple battery cells, two end plates, two side plates, and a bottom plate. The bottoms of the two end plates are detachably connected to both ends of the bottom plate, and the bottoms of the two side plates are detachably connected to both sides of the bottom plate. The bottom plate, insulating cover, two side plates, and two end plates enclose the battery module housing. The sampling plate, module bracket, and multiple battery cells are arranged sequentially below the insulating cover. The sampling plate is detachably connected to the module bracket. The tops of the two side plates and two end plates are detachably connected to the module bracket. The insulating cover is fastened to the module bracket. This utility model improves the space utilization and structural stability of the battery module. The end plates are fixed to the module bracket and insulating cover of the housing, and the side plates are fixed to the module bracket. This improves the overall structural stability and strength of the battery pack, and also enhances the overall safety of the battery pack.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of lithium-ion battery technology, specifically to a battery module. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of various technologies and applications in the new energy field, and the changes in the current international situation, new energy batteries have attracted much attention and have great market prospects. In addition to being used in new energy vehicles, new energy lithium-ion batteries are also gradually penetrating into industries such as low-speed two-wheeled vehicles and electric motorcycles. Due to the requirements for overall vehicle weight, spatial structure constraints and high performance requirements, electric motorcycles have put forward higher requirements for the energy density, rate performance and safety of the lithium-ion batteries used.

[0003] Soft-pack lithium-ion batteries are widely used in electric motorcycles due to their advantages such as light weight, high energy density, good safety performance, long cycle life, and large battery capacity. In order to achieve overall lightweighting of the battery pack and improve the overall space utilization, the battery modules are placed in the battery box directly without using battery end plates or side plates to increase the pre-tightening force on the assembled cells. However, the cell assembly, especially the soft-pack cell assembly, will expand and deform during use. At the same time, the electric motorcycle application scenario will also cause the cells to heat up. Therefore, the overall structural stability and safety of the battery pack cannot be guaranteed. In addition, the voltage sampling of the battery pack usually uses the sampling line soldered to the connecting piece, which is prone to falling off during use, causing problems such as battery pack failure. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address the aforementioned technical issues, this utility model provides a battery module that employs an integrated battery module bracket, thereby improving the space utilization and structural stability of the battery module. The end plate is fixed to the module bracket and insulating cover of the housing, and the side plate is fixed to the module bracket. This enhances the overall structural stability and strength of the battery pack, while also improving the overall safety of the battery pack.

[0005] This utility model is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0006] A battery module includes an insulating cover, a sampling plate, a module bracket, multiple battery cells, two end plates, two side plates, and a bottom plate. The bottom of the two end plates is detachably connected to both ends of the bottom plate, and the bottom of the two side plates is detachably connected to both sides of the bottom plate. The bottom plate, the insulating cover, the two side plates, and the two end plates enclose a housing for the battery module. The sampling plate, the module bracket, and the multiple battery cells are arranged sequentially below the insulating cover. The sampling plate is detachably connected to the module bracket. The tops of the two side plates and the two end plates are detachably connected to the module bracket, and the insulating cover is fastened to the module bracket.

[0007] More preferably, the module bracket has multiple tab holes, and a receiving cavity for a battery busbar is provided between multiple adjacent tab holes. The tabs of multiple battery cells pass through the tab holes of the module bracket and are welded on the module bracket for series and parallel connection of the battery cells.

[0008] More preferably, the module bracket has transverse reinforcing ribs and longitudinal reinforcing ribs between multiple receiving cavities to increase the overall structural strength of the battery module bracket.

[0009] In a further preferred embodiment, sampling nickel strips are provided on both sides along the length of the sampling plate, and the sampling nickel strips are welded to the battery busbars on the module bracket for voltage sampling.

[0010] More preferably, the sampling board has rectangular openings at both ends, and two connectors are provided inside one of the rectangular openings. The insulating cover has rectangular holes at both ends, with the rectangular holes corresponding to the rectangular openings and connectors, providing space for the battery module input busbar and output busbar.

[0011] In a further preferred embodiment, positioning posts are provided at the transverse and longitudinal reinforcing ribs of the module bracket to fix the sampling plate and increase the structural strength of the battery module. The insulating cover is also provided with through holes for the positioning posts of the battery module bracket to extend out.

[0012] More preferably, insulating sheets are provided between the inner sides of the end plate, side plate, and bottom plate and the multiple battery cells, for insulating the multiple battery cells from the end plate, side plate, and bottom plate.

[0013] More preferably, the end plate has an I-shaped buffer groove on the side near the battery cell to absorb the expansion generated by multiple battery cells during use.

[0014] In a further preferred embodiment, phase change plates are provided between multiple battery cells to cool the battery cells and absorb the expansion generated by the battery cells.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0016] 1. The present invention relates to a battery module, which adopts an integrated battery module bracket. The battery busbar is integrated onto the module bracket by hot pressing, which improves the space utilization and structural stability of the battery module. The PCB sampling board is fixed onto the module bracket by screw connection. The sampling nickel strip is welded to the battery busbar to realize voltage sampling, avoids wire harness detachment, and increases the stability and reliability of voltage sampling.

[0017] 2. This utility model features an insulating cover on the upper part of the sampling board. By engaging with the module bracket, it insulates the electrical connections of the battery module and the PCB sampling board from the overall high-voltage system of the battery pack, improving the overall electrical safety of the battery pack. The battery module consists of multiple cells connected in series and parallel. Phase change cooling is used for thermal management of the battery pack. Phase change plates are added between the cells to absorb the heat generated by the cells during battery pack use, preventing battery module failure.

[0018] 3. This utility model's battery module uses end plates and side plates fixed with screws to provide a housing for the battery cells, increasing the preload between the cells and preventing movement during use. The end plate design also effectively absorbs the expansion of the cells during use. The end plates are fixed to the module bracket and insulating cover of the housing, while the side plates are fixed to the module bracket. This improves the overall structural stability and strength of the battery pack, as well as its overall safety.

[0019] The specific embodiments of this utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present invention and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the present invention, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a battery module according to the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 This is an exploded structural diagram of a battery module according to this utility model.

[0023] 1-Base plate, 2-Side plate, 3-End plate, 4-Insulating cover, 5-Sampling plate, 6-Module bracket, 7-Battery cell, 8-Phase change plate, 9-Insulating sheet, 10-Buffer groove, 11-Buffer section, 12-Receiving cavity, 13-Sampling nickel strip, 14-Rectangular opening, 15-Connector, 16-Transverse reinforcing rib, 17-Vertical reinforcing rib, 18-Positioning post, 19-Rectangular hole. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0025] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," 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. They 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" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0026] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows for communication; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0027] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0028] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2A battery module includes: an insulating cover 4, a sampling plate 5, a module bracket 6, a battery cell 7, a phase change sheet 8, an insulating sheet 9, an end plate 3, side plates 2, and a bottom plate 1. There are two side plates 2 and two end plates 3. The two side plates 2 and two end plates 3 enclose the battery module housing. The insulating cover 4 is used on top, and the bottom plate 1 is used to seal the housing. Specifically, the bottoms of the two end plates 3 are connected to both ends of the bottom plate 1, and the bottoms of the two side plates 2 are connected to both sides of the bottom plate 1. The insulating cover 4 covers the tops of the two side plates 2 and the two end plates 3, thus forming a closed housing for the battery module. Preferably, the two end plates 3 and the bottom plate 1 are detachably connected, such as by screws, for easy disassembly.

[0029] Preferably, the main body of the end plate 3 is an aluminum plate formed by sheet metal processing. The plane in which the end plate 3 contacts the battery module is provided with an "I"-shaped buffer groove 10 to absorb the expansion generated by the battery cell 7 during use. The two sides of the end plate 3 are formed into buffer parts 11 by three bends. The edge of the buffer part 11 is fixed to the side plate 2 by screws.

[0030] Insulating sheets 9 are provided on the inner sides of the end plate 3, side plate 2, and bottom plate 1, respectively. The insulating sheets 9 have the same shape and size as the end plate 3, side plate 2, and bottom plate 1, and are used to insulate the battery module from the end plate 3, side plate 2, and bottom plate 1. This further insulates the battery pack from the battery pack housing and improves the overall electrical safety of the battery pack.

[0031] Multiple battery cells 7 are arranged inside the insulating sheet 9. The battery module consists of multiple battery cells 7 connected in series or in parallel. A phase change sheet 8 is arranged between the multiple battery cells 7. The phase change sheet 8 is attached to the battery cell 7. It can cool the battery cell 7 by absorbing heat during the use of the battery cell 7, and perform thermal management of the battery pack. At the same time, it can insulate between the battery cells 7, improve the overall electrical safety of the battery pack. It can also absorb the expansion generated by the battery cells 7 during the use of the battery pack, and increase the reliability of the battery pack. The battery cells 7 are separated from each other by the phase change sheet 8. When the battery cell 7 heats up, the phase change sheet 8 cools it, avoiding battery cell 7 failure and heat dissipation.

[0032] A module bracket 6 is provided on the top of the battery cell 7. The module bracket 6 is an integrated plate frame structure with multiple tab holes (not shown in the figure). Between multiple adjacent tab holes, there is a receiving cavity 12 for the battery busbar. The receiving cavity 12 is located on the side of the module bracket 6 away from the battery cell 7. The battery busbar is integrated into the receiving cavity 12 on the module bracket 6 by thermoforming. The tabs of multiple battery cells 7 pass through the tab holes of the module bracket 6 and are welded on the module bracket 6 to realize the series and parallel connection of the battery cells 7 to provide power to the electrical equipment. The module bracket 6 has transverse reinforcing ribs 16 and longitudinal reinforcing ribs 17 between the multiple receiving cavities 12 to increase the overall structural strength of the battery module bracket 6. The bottom of the module bracket 6 is fixed to the side plate 2 by screw connection to improve the overall structural strength and reliability of the battery pack.

[0033] A sampling plate 5 is provided between the module bracket 6 and the insulating cover 4. The sampling plate 5 is detachably connected to the module bracket 6, such as by screw connection. The sampling plate 5 is fixed to the module bracket 6 by screw connection. Sampling nickel strips 13 are provided on both sides along the length direction of the sampling plate 5. The sampling nickel strips 13 are welded to the battery busbar on the module bracket 6 to realize voltage sampling. Rectangular openings 14 are provided at the left and right ends of the sampling plate 5 to provide placement space for the battery module input busbar and output busbar. At the same time, two connectors 15 are provided inside one of the rectangular openings 14. The connectors 15 can be connected to the BMS through wire harness to improve the sampling accuracy and reliability. Positioning posts 18 are provided at the transverse reinforcing ribs 16 and longitudinal reinforcing ribs 17 of the module bracket 6 to fix the sampling plate 5 and increase the structural strength of the battery module. Preferably, the sampling plate 5 is a PCB board.

[0034] The insulating cover 4 is fastened to the module bracket 6 to insulate the electrical connection of the battery cell 7 group and the PCB sampling board 5 from the outside. The insulating cover 4 has rectangular holes 19 at both ends, and the rectangular holes 19 correspond to the rectangular openings 14, which serve as the connection positions for the input and output busbars of the battery module. The insulating cover 4 also leaves a position for the voltage sampling output connector 15 of the sampling board 5 at one end corresponding to the connector 15. That is, the length of the rectangular hole 19 at one end of the connector 15 is greater than that of the rectangular opening 14. The insulating cover 4 also has a through hole for the positioning post 18 of the battery module bracket 6 to extend out and fix high voltage devices, etc., above the insulating cover 4.

[0035] The main body of the side plate 2 is an aluminum plate, which is bent at the bottom by sheet metal bending. Together with the insulating sheet 9, it is closely attached to the side of the battery module. The left and right sides and the upper edge of the side plate 2 are provided with screw holes, which are fixed to the end plates 3 at the left and right ends and the upper module bracket 6 by screw connection, which improves the structural strength and stability of the battery module.

[0036] The base plate 1 is positioned under the insulating sheet 9 at the bottom of the battery cell group 7 and under the bent portions of the side plates 2 on both sides, thus insulating the bottom of the battery cell group 7 from the casing and improving the electrical safety of the battery module. The screw connection between the side plates 2 and the end plates 3 further strengthens the fixation of the base plate 1 within the battery module, preventing the battery cell group 7 from failing due to movement of the base plate 1 within the casing.

[0037] The above descriptions are merely embodiments of this utility model. Commonly known structures and characteristics are not described in detail here. Those skilled in the art are aware of all common technical knowledge in the field prior to the application date or priority date, are knowledgeable of all existing technologies in that field, and possess the ability to apply conventional experimental methods prior to that date. Therefore, those skilled in the art can, based on the guidance provided in this application, improve and implement this solution in conjunction with their own capabilities. Typical known structures or methods should not be obstacles for those skilled in the art to implement this application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several modifications and improvements without departing from the structure of this utility model. These modifications and improvements should also be considered within the scope of protection of this utility model, and will not affect the effectiveness of the implementation of this utility model or the practicality of the patent. The scope of protection claimed in this application should be determined by the content of its claims, and the specific embodiments described in the specification can be used to interpret the content of the claims.

Claims

1. A battery module, characterized in that: The battery module includes an insulating cover (4), a sampling plate (5), a module bracket (6), multiple battery cells (7), two end plates (3), two side plates (2), and a base plate (1). The bottoms of the two end plates (3) are detachably connected to both ends of the base plate (1), and the bottoms of the two side plates (2) are detachably connected to both sides of the base plate (1). The base plate (1), the insulating cover (4), the two side plates (2), and the two end plates (3) enclose the battery module housing. The sampling plate (5), the module bracket (6), and multiple battery cells (7) are arranged sequentially below the insulating cover (4). The sampling plate (5) is detachably connected to the module bracket (6). The tops of the two side plates (2) and the two end plates (3) are detachably connected to the module bracket (6), and the insulating cover (4) is fastened to the module bracket (6).

2. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The module bracket (6) has multiple tab holes, and a receiving cavity (12) for the battery busbar is provided between adjacent tab holes. The tabs of multiple battery cells (7) pass through the tab holes of the module bracket (6) and are welded on the module bracket (6) for the series and parallel connection of the battery cells (7).

3. A battery module according to claim 2, characterized in that: The module support (6) is provided with transverse reinforcing ribs (16) and longitudinal reinforcing ribs (17) between the plurality of receiving cavities (12) to increase the overall structural strength of the module support (6).

4. A battery module according to claim 3, characterized in that: Sampling nickel strips (13) are provided on both sides along the length of the sampling plate (5). The sampling nickel strips (13) are welded to the battery busbar on the module bracket (6) for voltage sampling.

5. A battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sampling plate (5) has rectangular openings (14) at both ends. Two connectors (15) are provided inside one of the rectangular openings (14). The insulating cover (4) has rectangular holes (19) at both ends. The rectangular holes (19) are positioned corresponding to the rectangular openings (14) and the connectors (15), providing space for the battery module input busbar and output busbar.

6. A battery module according to claim 3, characterized in that: Positioning posts (18) are provided at the transverse reinforcing ribs (16) and longitudinal reinforcing ribs (17) of the module bracket (6) to fix the sampling plate (5) and increase the structural strength of the battery module. The insulating cover (4) is also provided with through holes for the positioning posts (18) of the module bracket (6) to extend out.

7. A battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that: Insulating sheets (9) are provided between the inner sides of the end plate (3), the side plate (2) and the bottom plate (1) and the plurality of battery cells (7), respectively, for insulating the plurality of battery cells (7) from the end plate (3), the side plate (2) and the bottom plate (1).

8. A battery module according to claim 7, characterized in that: The end plate (3) has an I-shaped buffer groove (10) on the side near the battery cell (7) to absorb the expansion generated by the multiple battery cells (7) during use.

9. A battery module according to claim 8, characterized in that: A phase change plate (8) is provided between the plurality of said cells (7) for cooling the cells (7) and absorbing the expansion generated by the cells (7).

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