Cover assembly, case and battery pack

Abstract

The application discloses a cover assembly, a box body and a battery pack, and belongs to the technical field of batteries. The cover assembly comprises a cover body, a maintenance panel, a support and a first fastener, the cover body is provided with a maintenance hole, the maintenance panel is arranged on the outer side of the cover body and covers the maintenance hole, and the support is arranged on the inner side of the cover body and surrounds the maintenance hole. The cover body and the maintenance panel are both plastic parts, the support is a metal part, and the first fastener is sequentially arranged on the maintenance panel, the cover body and the support to detachably fix the maintenance panel on the cover body. By arranging the metal support on the inner side of the plastic cover body, the structural rigidity and the pre-tightening force stability of the connection area of the maintenance panel and the cover body are improved, the maintenance panel can be made of low-cost plastic, the sealing performance is ensured, and the overall cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a cover assembly, a housing, and a battery pack. Background Technology

[0002] In power battery packs, motor controllers, and other electronic control equipment, the cover typically has a maintenance hole and is equipped with a removable maintenance panel for inspecting internal components. To reduce costs, the cover is often made of plastic.

[0003] However, when the maintenance panel is also made of plastic, the plastic material is prone to creep and stress relaxation under the pre-tightening force of fasteners, and is also susceptible to warping deformation due to molding tolerances and temperature changes. This results in the connection area between the maintenance panel and the cover not maintaining uniform compression over a long period, leading to small gaps at the interface and a decrease in sealing performance. Moisture and dust can penetrate the enclosure along these gaps, posing a risk of electrical short circuits or corrosion. Therefore, maintenance panels are often made of sheet metal, utilizing the higher rigidity and dimensional stability of metal to improve the tightness of the connection surface, thereby ensuring reliable sealing. However, metal maintenance panels are more expensive, which is not conducive to overall cost reduction. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application provides a cover assembly, a housing, and a battery pack that reduce overall cost while ensuring sealing performance, thereby at least partially solving the aforementioned technical problems.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, according to a first aspect of this application, a cover assembly is provided, comprising: The cover body has a maintenance hole; A maintenance panel is located on the outside of the cover and covers the maintenance hole; A support member is located on the inner side of the cover and is arranged around the maintenance hole. First fastener; The cover and the maintenance panel are both made of plastic, and the support is made of metal. The first fastener is sequentially inserted through the maintenance panel, the cover, and the support to detachably fix the maintenance panel to the cover.

[0006] Optionally, the cover assembly further includes a first seal disposed between the support and the cover.

[0007] Optionally, the first fastener passes through the first seal.

[0008] Optionally, the cover assembly further includes a second fastener, which passes through the cover and the support member to detachably secure the support member to the cover.

[0009] Optionally, the first fastener includes a first threaded fastener, the second fastener includes a second threaded fastener, the support member includes a body and a plurality of nuts embedded in the body, the plurality of nuts respectively forming a first threaded hole and a second threaded hole, wherein the first threaded hole and the second threaded hole are respectively for the first threaded fastener and the second threaded fastener to pass through.

[0010] Optionally, the cover body is provided with a countersunk hole, which includes a straight hole section and a tapered hole section; The second threaded fastener includes a shank and a head, wherein the shank passes through the straight hole section and the head is located in the tapered hole section.

[0011] Optionally, the cover assembly further includes a second seal disposed between the service panel and the cover, and the second seal is arranged around the service hole.

[0012] Optionally, the maintenance panel has a mounting groove on the side facing the cover, and the second seal is accommodated in the mounting groove.

[0013] According to a second aspect of this application, a housing is provided for a battery pack, the housing comprising: The box body has an opening; A cover assembly, disposed over the opening, the cover assembly including the cover assembly described above.

[0014] According to a third aspect of this application, a battery pack is also provided, including the housing as described above.

[0015] In the cover assembly of this application embodiment, the support member is a metal component, disposed inside the plastic cover and arranged around the maintenance hole, serving as a high-strength connection base. When the first fastener sequentially passes through the plastic maintenance panel, the plastic cover, and the metal support member, the metal support member can effectively withstand the preload applied by the fastener. Due to the high rigidity and deformation resistance of the metal support member, it can maintain a stable stress state during the connection process, preventing the attenuation of clamping force caused by creep and stress relaxation of the plastic material, thereby ensuring that the connection surface between the maintenance panel and the cover remains uniformly fitted over a long period. This stable clamping state helps improve the sealing reliability of the connection area. Simultaneously, the maintenance panel is made of plastic, eliminating the need to replace it with sheet metal, thus avoiding the resulting increase in material costs and achieving effective cost control. The support member is arranged around the maintenance hole, and its area is much smaller than that of the maintenance panel; as a metal component, the cost increase it introduces is negligible. In summary, by providing a metal support member inside the plastic cover, the structural rigidity and preload stability of the connection area between the maintenance panel and the cover are improved, allowing the maintenance panel to be made of low-cost plastic material, reducing overall cost while ensuring sealing performance.

[0016] Other features and advantages of this application will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] To gain a more complete understanding of this application and its beneficial effects, the following description will be provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals in the following description denote the same parts.

[0018] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the structure of the cover assembly provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the cover; Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the maintenance panel in the middle; Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the support member and the first sealing member; Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A magnified view of part A in the diagram; Figure 6This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the maintenance panel and the second seal provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0019] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 100. Cover assembly; 1. Cover; 101. Maintenance hole; 102. Countersunk hole; 1021. Straight hole section; 1022. Tapered hole section; 11. Outer side; 12. Inner side; 2. Maintenance panel; 201. Mounting groove; 3. Support; 31. Body component; 32. Nut; 321. First threaded hole; 322. Second threaded hole; 4. First fastener; 41. First threaded fastener; 5. First seal; 6. Second fastener; 61. Second threaded fastener; 611. Rod; 612. Head; 7. Second seal. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the protection scope of this application.

[0021] Please see Figures 1 to 4 This application provides a cover assembly 100, which includes a cover 1, a maintenance panel 2, a support member 3, and a first fastener 4. The cover 1 has a maintenance hole 101. The maintenance panel 2 is located on the outer side 11 of the cover 1 and covers the maintenance hole 101. The support member 3 is located on the inner side 12 of the cover 1 and surrounds the maintenance hole 101. The cover 1 and the maintenance panel 2 are both made of plastic, and the support member 3 is made of metal. The first fastener 4 is sequentially inserted through the maintenance panel 2, the cover 1, and the support member 3 to detachably fix the maintenance panel 2 to the cover 1.

[0022] In this application's technical solution, the support member 3 is a metal part, and the cover 1 is a plastic part. The support member 3 is disposed on the inner side 12 of the plastic cover 1 and arranged around the maintenance hole 101, serving as a high-strength connection base. When the first fastener 4 sequentially passes through the plastic maintenance panel 2, the plastic cover 1, and the metal support member 3, the metal support member 3 can effectively withstand the preload applied by the first fastener 4. Because the metal support member 3 has high rigidity and resistance to deformation, it can maintain a stable stress state during the connection process, preventing the attenuation of clamping force due to creep and stress relaxation of the plastic material, thereby ensuring that the connection surface between the maintenance panel 2 and the cover 1 remains uniformly fitted for a long time. This stable clamping state helps improve the sealing reliability of the connection area. Simultaneously, the maintenance panel 2 is made of plastic, eliminating the need to replace it with sheet metal, thus avoiding the resulting increase in material costs and achieving effective cost control. The support member 3 is arranged around the maintenance hole 101, and its area is much smaller than that of the maintenance panel 2. As a local metal structure, it has a relatively small impact on the overall cost. In summary, by setting a metal support 3 on the inner side 12 of the plastic cover 1, the structural rigidity and pre-tightening stability of the connection area between the maintenance panel 2 and the cover 1 are improved, allowing the maintenance panel 2 to be made of low-cost plastic material, thus reducing the overall cost while ensuring sealing performance.

[0023] Understandably, the outer side 11 of the cover 1 refers to the side of the cover 1 facing the external environment, i.e., the side exposed to the outside of the equipment; the inner side 12 of the cover 1 refers to the side of the cover 1 facing the internal space of the equipment, i.e., the side facing the inside of the enclosure. The maintenance panel 2 is located on the outer side 11 of the cover 1, which facilitates the covering and opening of the maintenance hole 101 without opening the overall structure of the cover 1, making it convenient for later maintenance operations. The first fastener 4 is sequentially inserted through the maintenance panel 2, the cover 1, and the support member 3, reliably connecting the maintenance panel 2 to the cover 1 through fastening, and the support member 3 on the inner side 12 provides stable support, ensuring the reliability of the connection and the convenience of assembly.

[0024] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the cover assembly 100 further includes a first seal 5 disposed between the support 3 and the cover 1. In these embodiments, by providing the first seal 5 between the support 3 and the cover 1, a continuous sealing interface can be formed between the two, effectively blocking the leakage path along the connection part and improving the overall sealing performance of the maintenance hole 101 area.

[0025] In some embodiments, the first sealing element 5 is an annular sealing gasket, which may be made of silicone, EPDM rubber or fluororubber, and has good elasticity and compression resilience. It can deform under the action of pre-tightening force to fully fill the interface gap between the support 3 and the cover 1 and achieve reliable sealing.

[0026] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the first fastener 4 passes through the first seal 5 (as shown in the figure, the first seal 5 has a hole for the first fastener 4 to pass through). In these embodiments, the passage of the first fastener 4 helps to position and axially compress the first seal 5, achieving a reliable connection while deforming the first seal 5 and tightly fitting it to the mating surface, thereby effectively ensuring the sealing performance of the connection area.

[0027] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the shape of the first sealing member 5 is adapted to the shape of the support member 3, covering the mating area between the support member 3 and the cover 1, so as to achieve a complete seal at the interface between the two.

[0028] Please see Figure 1 In some embodiments, the cover assembly 100 further includes a second fastener 6, which passes through the cover 1 and the support member 3 to detachably fix the support member 3 to the cover 1. In these embodiments, the support member 3 can be pre-fixed to the inner side 12 of the cover 1 by the second fastener 6, so that its relative position with the cover 1 remains stable, facilitating subsequent assembly. On this basis, the maintenance panel 2, the cover 1, and the support member 3 are sequentially passed through by the first fastener 4 to achieve a reliable connection between the maintenance panel 2, the cover 1, and the support member 3, thereby ensuring the assembly accuracy of the connection process and the stability of the overall structure. In addition, during subsequent use, the maintenance panel 2 can be disassembled and reassembled multiple times by the first fastener 4 to perform maintenance operations, while the support member 3 remains fixedly connected to the cover 1 by the second fastener 6 and does not detach when the maintenance panel 2 is disassembled, avoiding the loss or misalignment of the support member 3, which helps to improve the convenience and efficiency of maintenance operations.

[0029] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the first fastener 4 includes a first threaded fastener 41, the second fastener 6 includes a second threaded fastener 61, and the support member 3 includes a body member 31 and a plurality of nuts 32 embedded in the body member 31, the plurality of nuts 32 respectively forming a first threaded hole 321. Figure 4 The diagram shows eighteen holes) and the second threaded hole 322 ( Figure 4 (As shown in the diagram, four are present), the first threaded hole 321 and the second threaded hole 322 respectively provide the first threaded fastener 41 ( Figure 1 The diagram shows eighteen) and the second threaded fastener 61 ( Figure 1(Four are shown in the diagram). In these embodiments, the use of threaded fasteners facilitates detachable connections, allowing for repeated disassembly and assembly of the maintenance panel 2, while also enabling precise control of the preload to ensure connection reliability and stable sealing performance. The nut 32, as a connecting element embedded in the metal body 31, can form a high-strength internal thread on the relatively thin metal body 31, effectively improving the load-bearing capacity, fatigue resistance, and repeated disassembly and assembly life of the threaded connection. In some embodiments, the nut 32 can be a rivet nut.

[0030] Please see Figure 5 In some embodiments, the cover 1 is provided with a countersunk hole 102, which includes a straight hole section 1021 and a tapered hole section 1022; the second threaded fastener 61 includes a shank 611 and a head 612, with the shank 611 passing through the straight hole section 1021 and the head 612 located in the tapered hole section 1022. In these embodiments, the head 612 of the second threaded fastener 61 is housed within the tapered hole section 1022 after assembly. On the one hand, the axial positioning is achieved through the cooperation with the tapered hole section 1022, preventing the second threaded fastener 61 from coming out and ensuring the reliability of the connection between the support member 3 and the cover 1; on the other hand, the tapered hole section 1022 ensures that the head 612 of the second threaded fastener 61 is completely contained within the cover 1, preventing it from protruding onto the surface of the cover 1 facing the maintenance panel 2, thereby preventing interference with the maintenance panel 2. Therefore, the maintenance panel 2 can achieve a smooth fit with the outer side 11 of the cover body 1 without the need to set a notch or cavity to avoid the head 612 of the second threaded fastener 61 during assembly. This not only simplifies the structural design of the maintenance panel 2, but also helps to improve the appearance integrity and sealing performance of the connection area.

[0031] In some other embodiments, the maintenance panel 2 is provided with a notch or cavity to avoid interference with the second threaded fastener 61 while fitting snugly against the cover 1. In these embodiments, by providing a partial avoidance structure on the maintenance panel 2, the head 612 of the second threaded fastener 61 is allowed to protrude partially from the surface of the cover 1, reducing the dependence on the machining accuracy of the countersunk hole 102 of the cover 1, which is suitable for scenarios where the assembly tolerance requirements of the maintenance panel 2 are relatively relaxed.

[0032] Please see Figure 6 In some embodiments, the cover assembly 100 further includes a second seal 7 disposed between the service panel 2 and the cover 1, and the second seal 7 surrounding the service hole 101. In these embodiments, the second seal 7 can form a continuous sealing path around the service hole 101 between the service panel 2 and the cover 1, effectively blocking external liquids or dust from seeping into the equipment along the edge of the service hole 101, further improving the sealing performance of the service area.

[0033] In some embodiments, the second seal 7 is a sealing ring, which may be made of silicone, EPDM rubber, or fluororubber. In these embodiments, the sealing ring is made of a material with excellent elasticity and aging resistance, which can undergo recoverable deformation under external force during assembly, effectively filling the gap between the maintenance panel 2 and the cover 1 to achieve reliable environmental sealing; at the same time, the selected material has good temperature resistance, weather resistance, and resistance to compression set, which can maintain the sealing performance for a long time.

[0034] Please see Figure 6 In some embodiments, the maintenance panel 2 has a mounting groove 201 on the side facing the cover 1, and the second seal 7 is accommodated in the mounting groove 201. In these embodiments, the mounting groove 201 provides positioning and limiting for the second seal 7. Combined with the pre-tightening pressure of the first fastener 4, the second seal 7 remains stable during assembly and use, effectively preventing displacement or extrusion. Therefore, reliable installation can be achieved without relying on additional fixing methods such as adhesives. At the same time, under the pre-tightening action, the second seal 7 is constrained within the mounting groove 201. After being compressed, it undergoes elastic deformation, fully filling the gap between the maintenance panel 2 and the cover 1, achieving a reliable sealing fit. The second seal 7 does not protrude from the mating surface of the maintenance panel 2, thereby maintaining the flat appearance of the cover assembly 100. It is also concealed by the structure of the maintenance panel 2 and is not visible from the outside, forming a hidden sealing layout. This avoids appearance defects caused by the exposure of the second seal 7 and significantly improves the overall aesthetics of the cover assembly 100.

[0035] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 6 In some embodiments, multiple first fasteners 4 are provided, and the multiple first fasteners 4 are arranged around the second seal 7. Figure 6 This is manifested in the multiple holes around the mounting groove 201 for the first fasteners 4 to pass through. In these embodiments, the multiple first fasteners 4 are distributed circumferentially around the second seal 7, which can apply a balanced clamping force to the service panel 2 during the tightening process, so that the second seal 7 is subjected to consistent force along its entire circumference, avoiding seal failure caused by insufficient local clamping or excessive compression. At the same time, this arrangement helps to improve the structural stability of the connection between the service panel 2 and the cover 1, preventing the service panel 2 from warping or loosening under vibration or thermal expansion and contraction, thereby further ensuring the reliability and long-term stability of the sealing performance.

[0036] This application exemplarily describes the assembly process of the cover assembly 100: see [link to documentation]. Figure 4The support member 3 is placed horizontally with the threaded holes (first threaded hole 321 and second threaded hole 322) of the nut 32 facing upwards. The first sealing member 5 (sealing gasket) with single-sided adhesive is then attached to the support member 3 with the adhesive side facing the support member 3, ensuring that the holes of the support member 3 and the first sealing member 5 coincide, thus completing the assembly of the support member 3 and the first sealing member 5; see reference. Figure 6 The maintenance panel 2 is placed horizontally with the side having the mounting groove 201 facing upwards. The second sealing element 7 (sealing ring) is then inserted into the mounting groove 201 of the maintenance panel 2 in the direction opposite to the mounting groove 201, thus completing the assembly of the second sealing element 7 and the maintenance panel 2; see reference. Figure 1 Place the cover 1 horizontally with the flange facing upwards. Install the support 3, equipped with the first seal 5, onto the inner side 12 of the cover 1, with the threaded holes (first threaded hole 321 and second threaded hole 322) facing the inner side 12 of the cover 1. Secure it from the outer side 11 of the cover 1 with four second fasteners 6 (screws). Then, install the maintenance panel 2, equipped with the second seal 7, with the side containing the second seal 7 facing the outer side 11 of the cover 1, ensuring that the holes on the maintenance panel 2 coincide with the holes on the cover 1. Secure it with eighteen first fasteners 4 (screws), thus completing the assembly of the cover assembly 100. Figure 1 As shown. In short, the support member 3 is installed and fixed from the inner side 12 of the cover 1, and the maintenance panel 2 is installed from the outer side 11 to cover it, forming a double-layer sealing structure. It should also be noted that this embodiment uses four second fasteners 6 and eighteen first fasteners 4 as a preferred embodiment. The specific number can be adjusted according to the size of the maintenance hole 101, and this application is not limited thereto.

[0037] According to a second aspect of this application, a box is provided, including a box body and a cover assembly 100. The box body has an opening; the cover assembly 100 covers the opening. As described above, since this box adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0038] According to a third aspect of this application, a battery pack is also provided, including a housing as described above. Since this battery pack adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0039] The cover assembly 100 described in this application, through the cooperation of inner and outer double seals, enables the battery pack cover sealing structure to achieve a certain protection level (e.g., IP67), effectively blocking the intrusion of water vapor and dust, and meeting the stringent sealing requirements of energy storage products.

[0040] In the description of this application, 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 technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0041] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in other embodiments.

[0042] The embodiments, implementation methods, and related technical features of this application can be combined and substituted for each other without conflict.

[0043] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application in any way. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of this application without departing from the scope of the technical solution of this application shall still fall within the scope of the technical solution of this application.

Claims

1. A cover assembly (100), characterized in that, include: The cover (1) has a maintenance hole (101); A maintenance panel (2) is provided on the outside (11) of the cover (1) and covers the maintenance hole (101); A support member (3) is provided on the inner side (12) of the cover (1) and is disposed around the maintenance hole (101); and, First fastener (4); The cover (1) and the maintenance panel (2) are both made of plastic, the support (3) is made of metal, and the first fastener (4) is sequentially inserted through the maintenance panel (2), the cover (1), and the support (3) to detachably fix the maintenance panel (2) onto the cover (1).

2. The cover assembly (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cover assembly (100) further includes a first seal (5) disposed between the support (3) and the cover (1).

3. The cover assembly (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first fastener (4) passes through the first seal (5).

4. The cover assembly (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cover assembly (100) further includes a second fastener (6) which passes through the cover (1) and the support member (3) to detachably fix the support member (3) to the cover (1).

5. The cover assembly (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first fastener (4) includes a first threaded fastener (41), the second fastener (6) includes a second threaded fastener (61), and the support member (3) includes a body member (31) and a plurality of nuts (32) embedded in the body member (31). The plurality of nuts (32) respectively form a first threaded hole (321) and a second threaded hole (322), wherein the first threaded hole (321) and the second threaded hole (322) are respectively for the first threaded fastener (41) and the second threaded fastener (61) to pass through.

6. The cover assembly (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that, The cover (1) is provided with a countersunk hole (102), which includes a straight hole section (1021) and a tapered hole section (1022); The second threaded fastener (61) includes a shank (611) and a head (612), wherein the shank (611) passes through the straight hole section (1021) and the head (612) is located in the tapered hole section (1022).

7. The cover assembly (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cover assembly (100) further includes a second seal (7) disposed between the maintenance panel (2) and the cover (1), and the second seal (7) is arranged around the maintenance hole (101).

8. The cover assembly (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that, The maintenance panel (2) has a mounting groove (201) on the side facing the cover (1), and the second sealing member (7) is housed in the mounting groove (201).

9. A housing suitable for a battery pack, characterized in that, The enclosure includes: The box body has an opening; A cover assembly (100) is disposed over the opening, the cover assembly (100) comprising the cover assembly (100) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A battery pack, characterized in that, Includes the housing as described in claim 9.

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