Box structure and battery pack

Abstract

The application provides a box structure and a battery pack, and relates to the technical field of energy storage batteries. The box structure comprises a frame assembly and a liquid cooling plate. The frame assembly comprises a surrounding frame and a support. The support is arranged in a hollow area inside the surrounding frame and is fixedly connected with the surrounding frame. The liquid cooling plate has opposite top and bottom surfaces. The support is arranged in contact with the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate. The surrounding frame is connected with the liquid cooling plate. The box structure can simplify the assembly process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of energy storage battery technology, and more specifically, to a housing structure and a battery pack. Background Technology

[0002] With breakthroughs in battery technology, battery energy density is increasing, and liquid cooling has gradually replaced air cooling. Indirect liquid cooling is the current mainstream liquid cooling method. The battery heat is transferred to the liquid cooling plate, and the coolant flowing in the liquid cooling plate cools the heat and carries it away. During this process, the battery and the coolant do not come into direct contact, and the heat is transferred through the liquid cooling plate.

[0003] In energy storage liquid cooling plates, the liquid cooling plate not only plays a role in transferring heat, but also bears the weight of the battery. Since the weight of the energy storage battery is difficult to be supported by the liquid cooling plate alone, a frame is needed to support the weight of the battery to ensure strength and rigidity. Currently, conventional liquid cooling plate box structures require a frame to be installed on top of the liquid cooling plate and a support plate to be installed below the liquid cooling plate, making the assembly process relatively complicated. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this application includes, for example, providing a housing structure that simplifies the assembly process.

[0005] The purpose of this application also includes providing a battery pack that simplifies the assembly process.

[0006] The embodiments of this application can be implemented as follows: An embodiment of this application provides a box structure, which includes a frame assembly and a liquid cooling plate. The frame assembly includes a perimeter frame and a support member. The support member is disposed in the hollow area of ​​the perimeter frame and is fixedly connected to the perimeter frame. The liquid cooling plate has opposing top and bottom surfaces. The support member is in contact with the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate. The perimeter frame is connected to the liquid cooling plate.

[0007] Optionally, the support member includes a support plate and a support strip, and there are multiple support plates and multiple support strips. The multiple support plates are spaced apart along the length direction of the frame and are welded to the frame. The support strips extend along the length direction of the frame and are welded to the support plates. The support strips are in contact with the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate.

[0008] Optionally, the surface of the support strip facing the liquid cooling plate is provided with structural adhesive, the support strip is connected to the liquid cooling plate through the structural adhesive, and the support plate is welded or riveted to the liquid cooling plate.

[0009] Optionally, the support member is a support plate, and the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate is provided with a support strip. There are multiple support plates and multiple support strips. The multiple support plates are spaced apart along the length direction of the frame. The multiple support plates are welded to the frame. The support strips extend along the length direction of the frame and are connected to the support plates.

[0010] Optionally, the support bar is welded to the liquid cooling plate, and the support bar is riveted to the support plate or connected by fasteners.

[0011] Optionally, the support plate has a protrusion on the surface facing the liquid cooling plate, and the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate has a recess, and the protrusion and the recess are riveted together.

[0012] Optionally, the housing structure includes a plurality of rivet nuts, which are spaced apart circumferentially along the frame, and the frame is riveted to the liquid cooling plate by the plurality of rivet nuts.

[0013] Optionally, a module crossbeam is also provided on the top surface of the liquid cooling plate. The module crossbeam extends along the length or width of the frame and is used to fix the battery module.

[0014] Optionally, the module crossbeam and the liquid cooling plate are welded or riveted together.

[0015] This application also provides a battery pack, including the aforementioned housing structure.

[0016] The beneficial effects of the housing structure and battery pack provided in this application embodiment include, for example, simplifying the assembly process, a housing structure is designed, the housing structure includes a frame assembly and a liquid cooling plate, the frame assembly includes a surrounding frame and a support member, the support member is disposed in the hollow area inside the surrounding frame and is fixedly connected to the surrounding frame, the liquid cooling plate has a top surface and a bottom surface opposite each other, the support member is in contact with the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate, and the surrounding frame is connected to the liquid cooling plate.

[0017] By pre-fixing the support components and the enclosure frame into a single, rigid integrated frame assembly, during assembly, the prefabricated frame assembly only needs to be placed under the liquid cooling plate, so that the support components are in contact with the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate and the enclosure frame is connected to the liquid cooling plate to achieve the assembly of the entire box structure. This significantly reduces the number of operation steps required for on-site assembly and simplifies the assembly process. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the box structure from a first-view perspective in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the box structure from a second perspective in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the box structure in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the framework components in an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a partial schematic diagram of the liquid cooling plate in an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a partial schematic diagram illustrating the connection relationship between the liquid cooling plate and the support plate in an embodiment of this application.

[0020] Icons: 100-Frame component; 110-Enclosure; 111-Front enclosure; 112-Rear enclosure; 113-Side enclosure; 120-Support plate; 121-Protrusion; 130-Support strip; 200-Liquid cooling plate; 210-Recess; 220-Module crossbeam; 300-Rivet nut. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, 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 some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0022] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0023] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0024] In the description of this application, it should be noted that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "inner," or "outer" are used to indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship that the utility model product is usually placed in during use, they are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0025] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be interpreted as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0026] It should be noted that, where there is no conflict, the features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.

[0027] Please refer to Figures 1-6 The embodiments of this application provide a box structure, including a frame assembly 100 and a liquid cooling plate 200. The frame assembly 100 includes a surrounding frame 110 and a support member. The support member is disposed in the hollow area inside the surrounding frame 110 and is fixedly connected to the surrounding frame 110. The liquid cooling plate 200 has a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to each other. The support member is in contact with the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate 200. The surrounding frame 110 is connected to the liquid cooling plate 200.

[0028] The support component is located in the hollow area inside the frame 110 and is fixedly connected to the frame 110 by welding, screwing, or snap-fitting to form an integrated frame assembly 100. The process of fixing the frame 110 and the support component is completed before assembling the liquid cooling plate 200, so that the relative position between the support component and the frame 110 can be accurately fixed, avoiding the cumulative error caused by the misalignment between parts during subsequent assembly.

[0029] The liquid cooling plate 200 has opposing top and bottom surfaces. Its bottom surface is used to directly contact the support member to transfer the load from the upper battery module. The load is then transferred downward from the liquid cooling plate 200 to the support member, and then distributed to the entire frame assembly 100 via the support member. At the same time, the enclosure 110 itself is also connected to the liquid cooling plate 200 to fix the relative positions of the enclosure 110 and the liquid cooling plate 200.

[0030] By pre-fixing the support components and the enclosure 110 together to form a rigid integrated frame assembly 100, the number of operational steps required for on-site assembly is significantly reduced. In practical applications, the prefabricated frame assembly 100 only needs to be placed under the liquid cooling plate 200, and the support components need to be attached to the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate 200 to complete the connection between the enclosure 110 and the liquid cooling plate 200, thus assembling the entire enclosure structure.

[0031] In some embodiments, the support member includes a support plate 120 and a support bar 130. There are multiple support plates 120 and multiple support bars 130. The multiple support plates 120 are spaced apart along the length direction of the frame 110. The multiple support plates 120 are welded to the frame 110. The support bars 130 extend along the length direction of the frame 110. The support bars 130 are welded to the support plates 120. The support bars 130 are in contact with the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate 200.

[0032] The enclosure 110 consists of a front enclosure 111, a rear enclosure 112, and two side enclosures 113. The front enclosure 111 and the rear enclosure 112 are arranged opposite to each other, and the two side enclosures 113 are arranged opposite to each other. Each support plate 120 is fixed to the hollow area inside the enclosure 110, and both ends of the support plate 120 are welded to the two side enclosures 113 respectively to ensure a stable connection between the support plate 120 and the enclosure 110. The multiple support plates 120 can be an integral structure or a separate structure. Preferably, the multiple support plates 120 are separate structures.

[0033] The support strip 130 extends along the length of the frame 110, spanning the area where the multiple support plates 120 are arranged. Specifically, each support strip 130 is welded to a portion of the support plates 120, for example, each support strip 130 is welded to three or four consecutive support plates 120, forming a support structure with high rigidity. Furthermore, as a component that directly abuts against the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate 200, the support strip 130 can provide uniform support force along its entire length, reducing the risk of sudden changes in local stress. The multiple support strips 130 can also be an integral structure or a separate structure.

[0034] It should be noted that since the support bar 130 is indirectly connected to the frame 110 through the support plate 120, the load on the liquid cooling plate 200 is sequentially transferred from the support bar 130 to the support plate 120, then from the support plate 120 to the frame 110, and finally borne by the entire frame assembly 100. This multi-stage force transmission path design helps to improve the overall load-bearing capacity of the structure. For example, when the battery module is installed on the top surface of the liquid cooling plate 200 and pressure is applied, the liquid cooling plate 200 undergoes a slight downward deformation, and its bottom surface fully contacts the support bar 130, so that the load is evenly distributed along the length of the support bar 130, and then transmitted to the frame 110 through multiple welding points via the support plate 120.

[0035] In an optional embodiment, structural adhesive is provided on the surface of the support strip 130 facing the liquid cooling plate 200, and the support strip 130 is connected to the liquid cooling plate 200 by the structural adhesive. The support plate 120 is welded or riveted to the liquid cooling plate 200.

[0036] Structural adhesive is applied to the upper surface of the support strip 130 to form a continuous bonding interface with the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate 200 after assembly. However, relying solely on adhesive application makes it difficult to ensure that the bonding surfaces maintain tight contact throughout the entire curing cycle without external pressure. Traditional processes often rely on external tooling to apply continuous pressure to the components to prevent gaps, but this increases equipment investment and operational complexity.

[0037] Therefore, this embodiment ensures good airtightness by directly welding the support plate 120 to the liquid cooling plate 200 or riveting it with a sealant-coated rivet. Specifically, the support plate 120, as the load-bearing base of the support strip 130, is already welded to the frame 110. Taking the riveting of the support plate 120 and the liquid cooling plate 200 as an example, when the support plate 120 is rigidly connected to the liquid cooling plate 200 by means of blind rivets, the entire frame assembly 100 is firmly fixed below the liquid cooling plate 200. This riveting action not only completes the mechanical fixation between the support plate 120 and the liquid cooling plate 200, but also pulls the support strip 130 upward to press against the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate 200, forming a stable pre-tightened state.

[0038] It should be noted that the riveting connection between the support plate 120 and the liquid cooling plate 200 allows for continuous contact pressure between the support strip 130 and the liquid cooling plate 200 without the need for additional clamping fixtures. This self-provided pressure from the internal structure effectively replaces the role of external counterweights or clamping fixtures, ensuring that the structural adhesive coated on the surface of the support strip 130 remains under pressure and in contact during the curing process, preventing gaps caused by vibration, gravity shift, or thermal deformation. The support strip 130 is positioned between two adjacent flow channels of the liquid cooling plate 200, enhancing the compactness of the structure.

[0039] In some other embodiments, the support member is a support plate 120, and the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate 200 is provided with a support strip 130. There are multiple support plates 120 and multiple support strips 130. Multiple support plates 120 are spaced apart along the length direction of the frame 110. Multiple support plates 120 are welded to the frame 110. The support strips 130 extend along the length direction of the frame 110 and are connected to the support plates 120.

[0040] The bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate 200 is provided with multiple support strips 130 extending along the length of the frame 110. These support strips 130 are no longer part of the frame assembly 100, but are directly integrated into the liquid cooling plate 200. Specifically, the support strips 130 are connected to the aforementioned support plate 120 to achieve mechanical transfer between the liquid cooling plate 200 and the frame assembly 100. This connection can be achieved through riveting, bolting, or other methods that can achieve a rigid connection, thereby transferring the battery load borne by the liquid cooling plate 200 to the support plate 120 via the support strips 130, and then distributing it to the entire frame 110. Similar to the aforementioned embodiment, the multiple support plates 120 can be an integral structure or a separate structure, and the multiple support strips 130 can also be an integral structure or a separate structure.

[0041] It should be noted that, unlike the previous embodiment where the support strip 130 is located above the support plate 120 and is attached to the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate 200, in this embodiment, the support strip 130 is located at the bottom of the liquid cooling plate 200 and is installed on the support plate 120 together with the liquid cooling plate 200. This design makes the support plate 120 the bearing surface, while the support strip 130 serves as the supported component. During assembly, the liquid cooling plate 200 with the support strip 130 is placed on the pre-welded support plate 120 and fixed by fastening. In practical applications, the liquid cooling plate 200 and the support strip 130 can be prefabricated and assembled first, and then installed as a whole onto the frame assembly 100.

[0042] Optionally, the support strip 130 is welded to the liquid cooling plate 200, and the support strip 130 is riveted to the support plate 120 or connected by fasteners (such as bolts or pins). In practical applications, the support strip 130 is first welded to the liquid cooling plate 200 as a whole, and then the support strip 130 is riveted to the support plate 120 or connected by fasteners, thereby fixing the liquid cooling plate 200 to the frame assembly 100.

[0043] In some embodiments, the support plate 120 has a protrusion 121 on the surface facing the liquid cooling plate 200, and the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate 200 has a recess 210, and the protrusion 121 and the recess 210 are riveted together.

[0044] A protrusion 121 is formed on the side of the support plate 120 facing the liquid cooling plate 200. Specifically, the protrusion 121 can be a stamped convex structure with a through hole inside. Correspondingly, a recess 210 is provided on the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate 200, formed by a partial recess of the liquid cooling plate 200 facing the support plate 120, and corresponds in position to the protrusion 121. In other embodiments, the recess 210 can be replaced by an aluminum block welded to the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate 200; the end face shape of the support plate 120 can be wavy, straight, or other shapes.

[0045] When the frame assembly 100 is assembled with the liquid cooling plate 200, the protrusion 121 on the support plate 120 and the recess 210 on the liquid cooling plate 200 are aligned with each other. Then, a blind rivet is inserted into the through hole of both and the riveting action is completed, thereby achieving a rigid connection between the two and ensuring airtightness. Specifically, this riveting process tightly presses the protrusion 121 and the recess 210 together to form a high-strength point connection structure.

[0046] It should be noted that both the protrusion 121 and the recess 210 refer to the raised structures formed on the surface of the sheet metal by processes such as stamping. Their function is to raise the height of the connection point, so as to make room for the rivet head between the support plate 120 and the liquid cooling plate 200, and to enhance the structural strength of the connection part.

[0047] When structural components are provided on the surface of the support strip 130, since the structural adhesive relies on curing to form a stable bond, it is necessary to ensure that there is no relative displacement or gap between the support strip 130 and the liquid cooling plate 200 during the adhesive curing period. By riveting the protrusion 121 and the recess 210, the drying process can apply continuous pressure in the opposite direction by using the locking force of the riveting itself without the need for external counterweight fixtures. This ensures that the support strip 130 is always tightly bonded to the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate 200 through the structural adhesive, while also improving the airtightness.

[0048] When the support bar 130 is welded to the liquid cooling plate 200, the relative stability between the liquid cooling plate 200 and the support plate 120 can also be improved by riveting the protrusion 121 to the recess 210.

[0049] In an optional embodiment, the housing structure includes a plurality of rivet nuts 300, which are spaced apart circumferentially along the frame 110, and the frame 110 and the liquid cooling plate 200 are riveted together by the plurality of rivet nuts 300.

[0050] Multiple rivet nuts 300 are evenly distributed circumferentially along the frame 110, forming a ring around the outer contour of the housing structure, ensuring good load-bearing balance at the connection points. One end of each rivet nut 300 passes through a pre-drilled hole in the frame 110 and undergoes plastic deformation under the action of the riveting tool, forming a stable blind-end anchoring structure, thereby fixing the frame 110 to the liquid cooling plate 200. After riveting, the rivet nuts 300 not only achieve a rigid connection between the frame 110 and the liquid cooling plate 200, but can also be used for bolt connection to the upper cover during subsequent battery module assembly.

[0051] It should be noted that the rivet nut 300 is a fastener that can be installed by applying force from one side. Its typical characteristic is that during the rivet gun's pulling of the mandrel, radial expansion or axial compression occurs, creating an irreversible locking state between the rivet nut and the connected plate. In practical applications, the frame 110 is typically constructed of a metal profile or stamped part of a certain thickness, with mounting holes matching the outer diameter of the rivet nut 300. The liquid-cooled plate 200 has through holes at corresponding positions on its edge area, allowing the rivet nut 300 to pass through and act between the two plates. After all the rivet nuts 300 are installed, a multi-point, high-strength connecting band is formed between the frame 110 and the liquid-cooled plate 200, effectively resisting the risk of loosening caused by external loads, vibration, or thermal cycling.

[0052] In an optional embodiment, a module crossbeam 220 is also provided on the top surface of the liquid cooling plate 200. The module crossbeam 220 extends along the length or width direction of the frame 110 and is used to fix the battery module.

[0053] The module crossbeam 220 is arranged on the top surface of the liquid cooling plate 200 and can optionally extend along the width direction of the frame 110. The module crossbeams 220 can be arranged in pairs, with one pair of module crossbeams 220 used to fix one battery module. The module crossbeam 220 and the liquid cooling plate 200 are connected by brazing, riveting or screwing to ensure that the force flow can be effectively transferred from the battery module to the liquid cooling plate 200 through the module crossbeam 220 and further introduced into the frame assembly 100 below.

[0054] An embodiment of this application also provides a battery pack, including the aforementioned housing structure. The battery pack further includes an upper cover and a battery module. The rivet nut 300 is bolted to the upper cover to form a complete housing structure. The battery module is disposed within the housing structure and fixed to the module crossbeam 220.

[0055] In summary, this application provides a housing structure and battery pack. The housing structure includes a frame assembly 100 and a liquid cooling plate 200. The frame assembly 100 includes a surrounding frame 110 and supporting members. By pre-fixing the supporting members and the surrounding frame 110 together, a rigid integrated frame assembly 100 is formed, significantly reducing the operational steps required for on-site assembly. In practical applications, the pre-fabricated frame assembly 100 only needs to be placed under the liquid cooling plate 200, allowing the supporting members to adhere to the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate 200, thus completing the connection between the surrounding frame 110 and the liquid cooling plate 200, thereby assembling the entire housing structure.

[0056] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A box structure, characterized in that, The system includes a frame assembly (100) and a liquid cooling plate (200). The frame assembly (100) includes a frame (110) and a support member. The support member is disposed in the hollow area inside the frame (110) and is fixedly connected to the frame (110). The liquid cooling plate (200) has a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to each other. The support member is in contact with the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate (200). The frame (110) is connected to the liquid cooling plate (200).

2. The box structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support includes a support plate (120) and a support strip (130). There are multiple support plates (120) and multiple support strips (130). The multiple support plates (120) are spaced apart along the length direction of the frame (110). The multiple support plates (120) are all welded to the frame (110). The support strips (130) extend along the length direction of the frame (110). The support strips (130) are welded to the support plates (120). The support strips (130) are in contact with the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate (200).

3. The box structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The support strip (130) has structural adhesive on its surface facing the liquid cooling plate (200), and the support strip (130) is connected to the liquid cooling plate (200) by the structural adhesive. The support plate (120) is welded or riveted to the liquid cooling plate (200).

4. The box structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support member is a support plate (120), and the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate (200) is provided with a support strip (130). There are multiple support plates (120) and multiple support strips (130). Multiple support plates (120) are spaced apart along the length direction of the frame (110). Multiple support plates (120) are welded to the frame (110). The support strips (130) extend along the length direction of the frame (110) and are connected to the support plates (120).

5. The box structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The support bar (130) is welded to the liquid cooling plate (200), and the support bar (130) is riveted to the support plate (120) or connected by fasteners.

6. The box structure according to any one of claims 3-5, characterized in that, The support plate (120) has a protrusion (121) on its surface facing the liquid cooling plate (200), and the bottom surface of the liquid cooling plate (200) has a recess (210). The protrusion (121) and the recess (210) are riveted together.

7. The box structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The box structure includes a plurality of rivet nuts (300), which are spaced apart circumferentially along the frame (110). The frame (110) and the liquid cooling plate (200) are riveted together by the plurality of rivet nuts (300).

8. The box structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, A module crossbeam (220) is also provided on the top surface of the liquid cooling plate (200). The module crossbeam (220) extends along the length or width of the frame (110) and is used to fix the battery module.

9. The box structure according to claim 8, characterized in that, The module crossbeam (220) and the liquid cooling plate (200) are welded or riveted together.

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

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