Battery box and battery pack

Abstract

This utility model provides a battery box and battery pack, belonging to the field of battery technology, including: a box body with an installation cavity inside; multiple box beams spaced apart along a straight line within the installation cavity, forming an installation space for accommodating battery cells between adjacent box beams; and heating elements fixedly mounted on the box beams. Heating elements are fixedly mounted on the opposite sides of the two outermost box beams. Heating elements are also fixedly mounted on the opposing sides of the remaining box beams along their distribution direction. The advantage is that the heating elements fixedly mounted on the opposite sides of the two outermost box beams and on the opposing sides of the remaining box beams along their distribution direction ensure that both sides of the battery cells within the installation space between adjacent box beams are uniformly heated. This effectively improves the thermal uniformity inside the battery box and significantly reduces performance inconsistencies between battery cells caused by temperature differences.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] With the rapid development of the new energy industry, lithium-ion batteries have become the main power source for electric vehicles and other portable devices due to their high energy density and long cycle life. However, the performance of lithium-ion batteries deteriorates significantly at low temperatures, especially below 0°C, where their charge / discharge efficiency and safety are severely affected. To ensure the normal operation of the battery system under low-temperature conditions, preheating is usually required. Currently, common battery heating methods include liquid cooling / liquid heating systems, PI heating films, and PTC heating elements. Liquid cooling / liquid heating systems are costly and space-consuming, and in some operating conditions, only heating functionality is needed, leading to resource waste. PI heating films pose certain safety hazards, such as localized overheating, and the large temperature difference between cells affects battery performance consistency. PTC heating elements, fixed on the module, can only achieve single-sided heating, resulting in uneven heating. Furthermore, the PTC mounting plate cannot function as a structural beam, failing to fully utilize space. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to address the aforementioned problems in existing technologies by proposing a battery box that reduces encroachment on the battery cell space and provides more uniform heating.

[0004] The objective of this utility model can be achieved through the following technical solution: a battery box, comprising:

[0005] The housing has an installation cavity inside;

[0006] Multiple box girders are spaced apart in the mounting cavity along a straight line, and an mounting space for accommodating battery cells is formed between two adjacent box girders.

[0007] A heating element is fixedly mounted on the box girder; wherein, the heating element is fixedly mounted on the opposite sides of the two outermost box girders; along the distribution direction of the box girders, the heating element is fixedly mounted on the opposite sides of the remaining box girders.

[0008] In one of the battery boxes described above, the heating element includes a heating element fixedly disposed within the box beam, the heating element extending along the length direction of the box beam.

[0009] In the aforementioned battery box, each box beam is provided with at least one set of heating elements. Along the height direction of the box beam, each set of heating elements includes two heating elements spaced apart, with the two heating elements in each set respectively disposed on both sides of the box beam.

[0010] In one of the battery boxes described above, a temperature equalization part is fixedly provided on the surface of the box beam, and the temperature equalization part is used to contact and connect with the battery cells in the installation space.

[0011] In one of the battery boxes described above, the temperature equalization section includes insulating sheets fixedly disposed on the surface of the box beam, and the number and position of the insulating sheets correspond one-to-one with those of the heating section.

[0012] In one of the battery boxes described above, the surface of the box beam is provided with a mounting groove extending along its length, and the insulating sheet is fixedly disposed in the mounting groove, the surface of the insulating sheet protruding from the surface of the box beam or flush with the surface of the box beam.

[0013] In one of the battery boxes described above, along the length of the box beam, the central axis of the insulating sheet is parallel to the central axis of the heating element; and the two coincide in the height direction of the box beam.

[0014] In one of the aforementioned battery boxes, a through-hole is provided on the box beam along its length. A connecting wire is provided in the box beam and electrically connected to the heating element. The other end of the connecting wire is communicatively connected to the electrical control module.

[0015] In the aforementioned battery box, a connecting block is fixedly provided on the inner sidewall of the mounting cavity, and an insertion block is integrally provided on the connecting block. Along the length direction of the box beam, an insertion cavity is provided at the end of the box beam, and the insertion cavity is inserted and fixedly connected to the insertion block.

[0016] A battery pack comprising the aforementioned battery case.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0018] (1) Heating elements are fixedly installed on the opposite sides of the two outermost box beams and on the opposite sides of the remaining box beams along their distribution direction, so that both sides of the battery cells in the installation space between adjacent box beams can be heated uniformly. This effectively improves the uniformity of the thermal field inside the battery box and significantly reduces the problem of inconsistent performance between battery cells caused by temperature differences.

[0019] (2) The heating element is directly integrated into the box beam. The box beam itself still retains the function of supporting the structure. There is no need to set up an independent heating device or occupy other effective space inside the box. This avoids encroachment on the space for cell arrangement, thereby significantly improving the utilization rate of the internal space of the battery box, which is conducive to the miniaturization and lightweighting of the battery pack.

[0020] (3) The two heating elements in each group are staggered along the height direction, which can effectively expand the heating range and make the heat conduction more evenly throughout the entire height of the box girder. Compared with centralized arrangement, this layout avoids local overheating or heat conduction blind spots, improves the temperature uniformity of the box girder itself, and thus achieves more balanced thermal management of the battery cells through direct or indirect contact with the battery cells. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the battery box;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the battery pack;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the battery pack;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the box girder;

[0025] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure;

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of multiple box girders;

[0027] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 Enlarged structural diagram at point A;

[0028] Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of the connecting block and the plug-in block.

[0029] In the diagram, 100 is the housing; 101 is the mounting cavity; 102 is the connecting block; 103 is the plug-in block; 200 is the box girder; 201 is the installation space; 202 is the heating element; 203 is the insulating sheet; 204 is the receiving cavity; 205 is the connecting wire; 206 is the plug-in cavity; 300 is the electrical control module; and 400 is the battery cell. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The following are specific embodiments of the present invention, which are described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0031] It should be noted that all directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in this utility model embodiment are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicator will also change accordingly.

[0032] like Figures 1-8 As shown, a battery box includes:

[0033] The housing 100 has an installation cavity 101 inside;

[0034] Multiple box beams 200 are spaced apart in the mounting cavity 101 along a straight line, and an mounting space 201 for accommodating the battery cell 400 is formed between two adjacent box beams 200.

[0035] Heating units are fixedly installed on the box girders 200; heating units are fixedly installed on the opposite sides of the two outermost box girders 200; heating units are fixedly installed on the opposite sides of the remaining box girders 200 along the distribution direction of the box girders 200.

[0036] In this embodiment, heating elements are fixedly installed on the opposite sides of the two outermost box beams 200, as well as on the opposite sides of the remaining box beams 200 along their distribution direction. This ensures that both sides of the battery cells 400 within the installation space 201 between adjacent box beams 200 can be uniformly heated. This effectively improves the uniformity of the thermal field inside the battery box and significantly reduces the performance inconsistencies between the individual battery cells 400 caused by temperature differences.

[0037] Meanwhile, the heating element is directly integrated into the box girder 200, and the box girder 200 itself still retains the function of supporting the structure. There is no need to set up an additional independent heating device or occupy other effective space inside the box 100, thus avoiding the encroachment on the space for arranging the battery cells 400. This significantly improves the utilization rate of the internal space of the battery box and is conducive to the miniaturization and weight reduction of the battery pack.

[0038] like Figures 4-5 As shown, specifically, the heating part includes a heating element 202 fixedly installed inside the box girder 200, and the heating element 202 extends along the length direction of the box girder 200.

[0039] The heating element 202 is arranged along the length of the box girder 200, which can cover a larger area of ​​the installation space 201 and ensure that heat is evenly distributed throughout the battery pack. This allows heat to be directly conducted to adjacent cells 400, improving heating efficiency and reducing the performance degradation of cells 400 caused by local overheating or uneven cooling.

[0040] Specifically, the heating element 202 is made of PTC (positive temperature coefficient thermistor) material and is embedded in the box girder 200.

[0041] Further specified, each box girder 200 is provided with at least one set of heating elements 202. Along the height direction of the box girder 200, each set of heating elements 202 includes two heating elements 202 that are spaced apart. The two heating elements 202 in each set are respectively arranged on both sides of the box girder 200.

[0042] Since the heating element 202 is embedded within the box girder 200, and the box girder 200 itself, as a structural component, needs to balance lightweight design and mechanical strength, its cross-sectional thickness is strictly limited. If two heating elements 202 are arranged side-by-side in the thickness direction, it would significantly impact the structural integrity of the box girder 200, and the available material space would be insufficient to support such a layout. Therefore, arranging them at intervals in the height direction allows for the integration of the two heating elements 202 without increasing the thickness of the box girder 200, thus solving the problem of limited structural space.

[0043] Secondly, by staggering the two heating elements 202 in each group along the height direction, the heating range can be effectively expanded, allowing heat to be conducted more evenly throughout the entire height of the box girder 200. Compared to a centralized arrangement, this layout avoids localized overheating or heat conduction blind spots, improves the temperature uniformity of the box girder 200 itself, and further achieves more balanced thermal management of the battery cells 400 through direct or indirect contact with them.

[0044] Based on the above scheme, even the outermost box girder 200 has heating elements 202 on both sides, making its heating structure consistent with that of the middle box girder 200. This ensures that all box girders 200 (including the two side box girders 200) have the same heat output structure and heating mode, achieving unified temperature control and consistent thermal management of the entire battery pack. This avoids the problem of lower module edge temperatures caused by the weaker heating capacity of the boundary box girder 200 compared to the inner box girder 200, and improves the uniformity and consistency of temperature rise of the entire battery pack in low-temperature environments.

[0045] The outermost box beam 200 is closer to the battery box 100 and is more susceptible to external environmental influences. By setting heating elements 202 on both sides of it, the heating power compensation capability of the edge area is enhanced, the boundary heat loss is offset, the temperature difference between the cells 400 is further reduced, and the performance consistency and cycle life of the battery pack are ensured.

[0046] Preferably, a temperature equalization section is fixedly provided on the surface of the box girder 200, which is used to make contact with the battery cell 400 in the installation space 201. This forms a stable contact heat transfer interface, reduces contact thermal resistance, and improves heat transfer efficiency, allowing the heat generated by the heating element to quickly diffuse to the entire battery cell 400. The temperature equalization section includes an insulating sheet 203 fixedly provided on the surface of the box girder 200. The insulating sheet 203 provides reliable electrical insulation protection while achieving efficient heat conduction, preventing accidental conduction between the battery cell 400 shell and the metal box girder 200 or internal heating elements.

[0047] Specifically, the surface of the box girder 200 is provided with an installation groove extending along its length. The insulating sheet 203 is fixedly installed in the installation groove, providing a precise installation position and limiting structure for the insulating sheet 203 to prevent it from shifting, sliding or falling off during assembly or use. The surface of the insulating sheet 203 protrudes from the surface of the box girder 200 or is flush with the surface of the box girder 200 to ensure that it is in contact with the battery cell 400.

[0048] The insulating sheet 203 can be made of thermally conductive silicone pad or polyimide (PI) film.

[0049] Along the length of the box girder 200, the central axis of the insulating sheet 203 is parallel to the central axis of the heating element; and the two coincide in the height direction of the box girder 200. This ensures that the heat source and the heat transfer interface are highly coincident in space, guaranteeing that heat is transferred to the battery cell 400 along the shortest path vertically or approximately vertically, reducing lateral heat loss within the box girder 200, and improving heating response speed and energy efficiency.

[0050] like Figure 4 As shown, preferably, a through-type receiving cavity 204 is provided on the box girder 200 along its length. A connecting wire 205, electrically connected to the heating element 202, is installed within the receiving cavity 204. This fully utilizes the internal space of the structural components, avoiding the extra space and protective structures required for external wiring, and significantly improving the utilization efficiency of the battery box's internal space. The receiving cavity 204 provides physical protection for the connecting wire 205, effectively preventing damage to the wire during use due to external forces such as squeezing, friction, and vibration, thus reducing the risk of electrical faults such as short circuits and open circuits.

[0051] Connecting wire 205 connects the heating element 202 to the electrical control module 300 (such as BMS or dedicated heating controller) inside the battery box, enabling real-time monitoring and control of the heating status. The control system can dynamically adjust the heating power or start / stop the heating element 202 based on battery temperature feedback, achieving precise temperature control and ensuring safe start-up and efficient operation of the battery in low-temperature environments.

[0052] like Figures 7-8As shown, specifically, a connecting block 102 is fixedly installed on the inner wall of the mounting cavity 101, and an insertion block 103 is integrally installed on the connecting block 102, providing a stable support point for the box girder 200, so that the box girder 200 can be firmly fixed in the battery box 100. Along the length direction of the box girder 200, an insertion cavity 206 is provided at the end of the box girder 200. The insertion cavity 206 is fixed after being inserted and matched with the insertion block 103. The precise matching between the insertion block 103 and the insertion cavity 206 at the end of the box girder 200 can effectively ensure the positional accuracy of the box girder 200 during installation.

[0053] In this embodiment, initial positioning and mechanical locking can be achieved through the insertion cavity 206 and the insertion block 103, and the connection strength between the two can be further strengthened by riveting. In order to further increase the connection stability between the box beam 200 and the battery box, the bottom of the box beam 200 is welded and fixed to the inner wall of the mounting cavity 101 along the height direction of the box beam 200.

[0054] A battery pack comprising the aforementioned battery case.

[0055] It should be noted that in this utility model, the use of terms such as "first," "second," and "a" is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. In the description of this utility model, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly defined. The terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two elements or the interaction between two elements, unless otherwise explicitly defined. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0056] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of this utility model can be combined with each other, but only if they are based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.

[0057] The specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative examples illustrating the spirit of this utility model. Those skilled in the art to which this utility model pertains may make various modifications or additions to the described specific embodiments or use similar methods to substitute them, without departing from the spirit of this utility model or exceeding the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A battery box, characterized in that, include: The housing has an installation cavity inside; Multiple box girders are spaced apart in the mounting cavity along a straight line, and an mounting space for accommodating battery cells is formed between two adjacent box girders. A heating element is fixedly mounted on the box girder; wherein, the heating element is fixedly mounted on the opposite sides of the two outermost box girders; along the distribution direction of the box girders, the heating element is fixedly mounted on the opposite sides of the remaining box girders.

2. The battery box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating element includes a heating plate fixedly disposed inside the box girder, and the heating plate extends along the length direction of the box girder.

3. A battery box according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each box girder is provided with at least one set of heating elements. Along the height direction of the box girder, each set of heating elements includes two heating elements spaced apart, with the two heating elements in each set respectively located on both sides of the box girder.

4. A battery box according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, A temperature equalization part is fixedly provided on the surface of the box girder, and the temperature equalization part is used to make contact with the battery cell in the installation space.

5. A battery box according to claim 4, characterized in that, The temperature equalization section includes insulating sheets fixedly disposed on the surface of the box girder, and the number and position of the insulating sheets correspond one-to-one with those of the heating section.

6. A battery box according to claim 5, characterized in that, The surface of the box girder is provided with an installation groove extending along its length, and the insulating sheet is fixedly installed in the installation groove. The surface of the insulating sheet protrudes from the surface of the box girder or is flush with the surface of the box girder.

7. A battery box according to claim 5, characterized in that, Along the length of the box girder, the central axis of the insulating sheet is parallel to the central axis of the heating element; and the two coincide in the height direction of the box girder.

8. A battery box according to claim 2, characterized in that, Along the length of the box girder, a through cavity is provided on the box girder, and a connecting wire is provided in the cavity to be electrically connected to the heating element. The other end of the connecting wire is communicatively connected to the electrical control module.

9. A battery box according to claim 1, characterized in that, A connecting block is fixedly installed on the inner wall of the mounting cavity, and an insertion block is integrally installed on the connecting block. Along the length direction of the box girder, an insertion cavity is provided at the end of the box girder, and the insertion cavity is inserted and fixed to the insertion block.

10. A battery pack, characterized in that, Includes the battery box as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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