Reinforced notebook lithium battery thermal runaway protection device

Abstract

The application provides a reinforced notebook lithium battery thermal runaway protection device, which comprises a shell, a heat dissipation fan, a pneumatic valve and a battery pack; the shell is provided with a partition plate, and the partition plate is provided with a vent hole; the partition plate divides the shell into a first mounting cavity and a second mounting cavity; the heat dissipation fan is installed in the first mounting cavity; the pneumatic valve is installed in the vent hole and is used for controlling the opening and closing of the vent hole; the battery pack is installed in the second mounting cavity; the battery pack comprises an electric core and a refrigeration part arranged around the electric core; when the electric core is internally short-circuited, the refrigeration part can spray refrigeration gas, the refrigeration gas drives the pneumatic valve to move, so as to open the vent hole and make the refrigeration gas discharged from the exhaust port of the heat dissipation fan, the purpose of timely discharging harmful gas and inhibiting temperature rise in the initial stage of thermal runaway is achieved, the further development of thermal runaway is effectively inhibited, and the safety of the reinforced notebook lithium battery is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of notebook computer technology, and more specifically, relates to a lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized notebook computers. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, laptops, as portable electronic devices, primarily rely on lithium batteries for their battery life. However, during use, lithium batteries can experience thermal runaway due to factors such as internal short circuits, overcharging, over-discharging, and mechanical damage. This can cause a rapid increase in battery temperature, potentially leading to combustion or explosion, seriously threatening the personal safety and property of users. Especially for ruggedized laptops, which need to operate in complex environments, the safety requirements for batteries are even higher. Traditional battery protection measures, such as overcurrent and overvoltage protection, are often insufficient to effectively suppress thermal runaway and cannot fundamentally solve the safety hazards it poses. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this application is to provide a thermal runaway protection device for lithium batteries in ruggedized laptops, so as to solve the technical problem that existing ruggedized laptop lithium batteries are prone to thermal runaway caused by internal short circuits, overcharging and over-discharging in complex environments, which is difficult to effectively suppress.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted in this application is as follows: A thermal runaway protection device for a ruggedized laptop lithium battery is provided, comprising a housing, a cooling fan, a pneumatic valve, and a battery pack; the housing is provided with a partition, and the partition is provided with a vent hole; the partition divides the housing into a first mounting cavity and a second mounting cavity; the cooling fan is installed in the first mounting cavity; the pneumatic valve is installed in the vent hole and is used to control the opening and closing of the vent hole; the battery pack is installed in the second mounting cavity; the battery pack includes battery cells and a cooling element disposed around the battery cells; when a short circuit occurs inside the battery cell, the cooling element can eject cooling gas, and the cooling gas drives the pneumatic valve to move, thereby opening the vent hole and allowing the cooling gas to be discharged from the exhaust port of the cooling fan.

[0005] Further, the pneumatic valve includes a pneumatic valve body, a first piston, and a connecting rod; the pneumatic valve body has a first cylinder, and the side wall of the pneumatic valve body has a first exhaust port, which connects the first cylinder to the outside; the first piston is movably disposed within the first cylinder; the first piston has a second exhaust port, which connects to the side and end face of the first piston; one end of the connecting rod has a sealing cap, and the other end of the connecting rod is connected to the first piston; the pneumatic valve has a first state and a second state. In the first state, the sealing cap blocks the vent, the first cylinder is pre-filled with gas, and the first exhaust port and the second exhaust port are misaligned; in the second state, the first piston moves, pushing the connecting rod to move, the sealing cap and the vent separate, the first exhaust port and the second exhaust port are aligned and connected, and the gas in the first cylinder is discharged.

[0006] Furthermore, the pneumatic valve also includes a second piston and a support rod; one end of the support rod is connected to the connecting rod, and the other end of the support rod is connected to the second piston; the pneumatic valve body is provided with a second cylinder, the second piston is disposed in the second cylinder, and the second cylinder is divided into a first chamber and a second chamber; the second piston is provided with a plurality of through holes, the second cylinder is filled with lubricating liquid, and the lubricating liquid can flow between the first chamber and the second chamber through the through holes.

[0007] Furthermore, the battery pack also includes a battery casing, which has a plurality of cell mounting holes for accommodating the cells. Cooling component mounting holes are provided around the cell mounting holes for accommodating the cooling components.

[0008] Furthermore, the cooling component mounting hole is located in the gap between two adjacent battery cell mounting holes.

[0009] Furthermore, the refrigeration component includes a cooling rod and a flame-retardant rod; the refrigeration component mounting hole includes a cooling rod mounting hole and a flame-retardant rod mounting hole, wherein the cooling rod mounting hole is used to accommodate the cooling rod, and the flame-retardant rod mounting hole is used to accommodate the flame-retardant rod.

[0010] Furthermore, the cooling rod includes a first fusible plug, a first nozzle, a flow restrictor, and a first liquid storage section; one end of the first nozzle is connected to the first fusible plug, and the other end of the first nozzle is connected to the first liquid storage section; along the length of the first nozzle, the cross-section of the first nozzle is smaller in the middle and larger at both ends, and the flow restrictor is installed at the position with the smallest cross-section inside the first nozzle; the first liquid storage section is filled with non-flammable refrigerant.

[0011] Furthermore, the flame-retardant rod includes a second hot melt plug, a second nozzle, and a second liquid storage section; one end of the second nozzle is connected to the second hot melt plug, and the other end of the second nozzle is connected to the second liquid storage section; along the length of the second nozzle, the cross-section of the second nozzle is smaller in the middle and larger at both ends; the second liquid storage section is filled with flame-retardant gas or liquefied gas.

[0012] Furthermore, the battery pack also includes a cover plate, which covers the battery casing and has multiple vent holes, through which the cooling gas released by the cooling component can be discharged.

[0013] Furthermore, the battery casing is made of a material with high thermal conductivity.

[0014] The beneficial effects of the lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops provided in this application are as follows: Compared with the prior art, this application, by setting up a housing, a cooling fan, a pneumatic valve, and a battery pack, and using a partition to divide the housing into a first mounting cavity and a second mounting cavity, ensures that the cooling fan and the battery pack are in independent spaces. When an internal short circuit occurs in the battery cell, the surrounding cooling components can quickly eject cooling gas. This gas drives the pneumatic valve to move and open the vent, which is then discharged through the exhaust port of the cooling fan. This achieves the purpose of timely discharge of harmful gases and suppression of temperature rise in the early stage of thermal runaway, effectively suppressing the further development of thermal runaway and improving the safety of using ruggedized laptop lithium batteries. This structural design not only can quickly respond to the risk of battery thermal runaway, but also, through the cooperation of the independent cavities and the pneumatic valve, effectively avoids problems such as sealing failure or reduction in protection level that may occur in traditional protection methods, providing a more reliable safety guarantee for the use of ruggedized laptop lithium batteries in complex environments. At the same time, the pneumatic valve can also maintain the IP protection level, shock resistance, and impact resistance of the ruggedized laptop. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art 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.

[0016] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for a ruggedized laptop provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the pneumatic valve in the first state of the lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops provided in this application embodiment; Figure 3 for Figure 2Enlarged view of part A in the diagram; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the pneumatic valve in the second state of the lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops provided in this application embodiment; Figure 5 for Figure 4 Enlarged view of part B in the diagram; Figure 6 An explosion diagram of the pneumatic valve in the lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops provided in this application embodiment; Figure 7 A cross-sectional view of the pneumatic valve body in the lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops provided in this application embodiment; Figure 8 An explosion diagram of the battery pack in the lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops provided in this application embodiment; Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the battery casing in the lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops provided in this application embodiment; Figure 10 An explosion diagram of the cooling rod in the lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops provided in this application embodiment; Figure 11 A cross-sectional view of the cooling rod in the lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for a ruggedized laptop provided in this application embodiment; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the connecting rod and the support rod in the lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0017] The following are the labeling elements in the figure: 100 - Shell; 101 - Partition; 102 - Vent hole; 200- Cooling fan; 300 - Pneumatic valve; 301 - Pneumatic valve body; 311 - First cylinder; 312 - Second cylinder; 313 - First exhaust port; 302 - First piston; 321 - Second exhaust port; 322 - First sealing ring; 303 - Connecting rod; 331 - First through hole; 304 - Sealing cover; 305 - Second piston; 351 - Through hole; 352 - Second sealing ring; 306 - Support rod; 361 - Second through hole; 307 - Fixed base; 308 - Pneumatic valve body sealing cover; 391 - First fastening screw; 392 - Second fastening screw; 393 - Third fastening screw; 400-Battery pack; 401-Battery cell; 402-Battery casing; 421-Battery cell mounting hole; 422-Cooling rod mounting hole; 423-Flame retardant rod mounting hole; 403-Cooling rod; 431-First fusible plug; 432-First nozzle; 433-Current limiter; 434-First liquid storage section; 404-Flame retardant rod; 405-Cover plate. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To make the technical problems, technical solutions, and beneficial effects to be solved by this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0019] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component.

[0020] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. 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. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0021] 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 technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0022] Please refer to the following: Figure 1 and Figure 2The present application provides a description of a lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for a ruggedized laptop. This device includes a housing 100, a cooling fan 200, a pneumatic valve 300, and a battery pack 400. The housing 100 has a partition 101 with a vent 102. The partition 101 divides the housing 100 into a first mounting cavity and a second mounting cavity. The cooling fan 200 is installed in the first mounting cavity. The pneumatic valve 300 is installed in the vent 102 to control its opening and closing. The battery pack 400 is installed in the second mounting cavity. The battery pack 400 includes a battery cell 401 and a cooling element surrounding the battery cell 401. When a short circuit occurs inside the battery cell 401, the cooling element ejects cooling gas, which drives the pneumatic valve 300 to open the vent 102, allowing the cooling gas to escape from the exhaust port of the cooling fan 200.

[0023] The thermal runaway protection device for lithium batteries in ruggedized laptops provided in this application embodiment, compared with the prior art, sets up a housing 100, a cooling fan 200, a pneumatic valve 300, and a battery pack 400. A partition 101 divides the housing 100 into a first mounting cavity and a second mounting cavity, placing the cooling fan 200 and the battery pack 400 in independent spaces. When an internal short circuit occurs in the battery cell 401, the surrounding cooling components rapidly eject cooling gas. This gas drives the pneumatic valve 300 to move, opening the vent 102, which is then discharged through the exhaust port of the cooling fan 200. This achieves the purpose of timely expelling harmful gases and suppressing temperature rise in the early stages of thermal runaway, effectively inhibiting further development of thermal runaway and improving the safety of ruggedized laptop lithium batteries. This structural design not only responds quickly to the risk of battery thermal runaway but also, through the cooperation of the independent cavities and the pneumatic valve 300, effectively avoids problems such as sealing failure or reduced protection level that may occur in traditional protection methods, providing a more reliable safety guarantee for the use of ruggedized laptop lithium batteries in complex environments.

[0024] In one embodiment of this application, please refer to the following: Figure 3 and Figure 5 The pneumatic valve 300 includes a pneumatic valve body 301, a first piston 302, and a connecting rod 303. A first cylinder 311 is located within the pneumatic valve body 301, and a first exhaust port 313 is located on the side wall of the pneumatic valve body 301, connecting the first cylinder 311 to the outside. The first piston 302 is movably disposed within the first cylinder 311. A second exhaust port 321 is located on the first piston 302, connecting its side and end faces. One end of the connecting rod 303 is provided with a sealing cap 304, and the other end of the connecting rod 303 is connected to the first piston 302. The pneumatic valve 300 has a first state and a second state. In the first state, such as... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the sealing cap 304 seals the vent 102, the first cylinder 311 is pre-filled with gas, and the first exhaust port 313 and the second exhaust port 321 are misaligned; in the second state, as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the first piston 302 moves, pushing the connecting rod 303 to move, the sealing cover 304 and the vent 102 separate, the first exhaust port 313 and the second exhaust port 321 are aligned and connected, and the gas in the first cylinder 311 is discharged.

[0025] In this embodiment, by configuring the cooperation between the first piston 302 and the first cylinder 311, when the cooling gas enters the second mounting cavity, the increased gas pressure pushes the first piston 302 to move within the first cylinder 311, thereby causing the connecting rod 303 and the sealing cover 304 to move synchronously, thus opening the vent 102. The first cylinder 311 is pre-filled with gas, which can balance the gas pressure inside and outside the first cylinder 311. When the lithium battery experiences thermal runaway, causing an abnormal temperature rise, the cooling gas in the second mounting cavity expands due to heat, further increasing the gas pressure and pushing the first piston 302 to move continuously. As the first piston 302 moves, the originally misaligned first exhaust port 313 and second exhaust port 321 gradually align. When they are fully connected, the pre-charged gas in the first cylinder 311 is quickly discharged to the outside through the first exhaust port 313 and second exhaust port 321, causing the gas pressure in the first cylinder 311 to drop rapidly. This ensures that the sealing cover 304 can remain stably open, allowing the vent 102 to remain unobstructed and ensuring that cooling gas can continuously enter the area where the lithium battery is located for cooling, effectively delaying or preventing further development of thermal runaway. Simultaneously, the connection structure design between the connecting rod 303 and the first piston 302 ensures the stability of the movement trajectory of the sealing cover 304 during the movement of the first piston 302, avoiding misalignment or jamming between the sealing cover 304 and the vent 102, and improving the reliability of the pneumatic valve 300. Furthermore, the pneumatic valve 300 also maintains the IP protection rating, shock resistance, and impact resistance of the ruggedized laptop.

[0026] Specifically, the sealing cover 304 is made of soft materials such as silicone or rubber, and one end of the connecting rod 303 has an annular groove. The sealing cover 304 is fixed in the annular groove, and the connection between the sealing cover 304 and the connecting rod 303 can be reinforced with glue or the like. This connection method not only ensures a tight fit between the sealing cover 304 and the vent 102, effectively blocking the gas flow between the two mounting cavities in the first state, but also maintains a stable posture when the sealing cover 304 moves with the connecting rod 303, avoiding sealing failure caused by excessively hard materials or loose connections.

[0027] In one embodiment of this application, please refer to the following: Figure 6 and Figure 7The pneumatic valve 300 also includes a second piston 305 and a support rod 306; one end of the support rod 306 is connected to the connecting rod 303, and the other end of the support rod 306 is connected to the second piston 305; a second cylinder 312 is provided inside the pneumatic valve body 301, and the second piston 305 is disposed inside the second cylinder 312, dividing the second cylinder 312 into a first chamber and a second chamber; the second piston 305 is provided with a plurality of through holes 351, and the second cylinder 312 is filled with lubricating liquid, which can flow between the first chamber and the second chamber through the through holes 351.

[0028] In this embodiment, by setting a second piston 305 and a second cylinder 312, when the connecting rod 303 moves under the drive of the first piston 302, the support rod 306 will synchronously push the second piston 305 to move within the second cylinder 312. Since the second piston 305 divides the second cylinder 312 into a first cavity and a second cavity, and the second cylinder 312 is filled with lubricating fluid, when the second piston 305 moves towards the first cavity, the lubricating fluid in the first cavity is squeezed and flows into the second cavity through multiple through holes 351 on the second piston 305; conversely, when the second piston 305 moves towards the second cavity, the lubricating fluid in the second cavity flows into the first cavity through the through holes 351. This design utilizes the flow of lubricating fluid between the first and second chambers to provide damping for the movement of the second piston 305. This effectively buffers the movement speed of the first piston 302 and the connecting rod 303, preventing the impact caused by the rapid opening of the sealing cover 304 due to a sudden increase in the pressure of the refrigerant gas, and preventing excessive airflow from the vent 102 when it opens, which could damage the cooling fan 200 or other components.

[0029] Specifically, the end face of the connecting rod 303 has a first mounting hole, such as Figure 12 As shown, the connecting rod 303 has a first through hole 331 on its side, which communicates with a first mounting hole. The first piston 302 is inserted into the first mounting hole. The first piston 302 and the connecting rod 303 are fixed by screwing a first fastening screw 391 into the first through hole 331. The end face of the support rod 306 has a second mounting hole, and the side of the support rod 306 has a second through hole 361, which communicates with the second mounting hole. The second piston 305 is inserted into the second mounting hole. The second piston 305 and the support rod 306 are fixed by screwing a first fastening screw 391 into the second through hole 361.

[0030] In one embodiment of this application, please refer to Figure 6The pneumatic valve 300 also includes a fixed base 307, which is fixed to the housing 100 by screws, clips, etc. The pneumatic valve body 301 is installed on the fixed base 307 by a second fastening screw 392. The fixed base 307 provides a stable mounting foundation for the pneumatic valve body 301. The connection method between the fixed base 307 and the housing 100 can be flexibly selected according to actual assembly requirements to ensure that the pneumatic valve 300 can be firmly fixed inside the ruggedized laptop and avoid positional displacement or loosening of the connection due to vibration during the use of the ruggedized laptop.

[0031] In one embodiment of this application, please refer to Figure 6 The pneumatic valve 300 also includes a pneumatic valve body sealing cover 308, which is locked onto the pneumatic valve body 301 by a third fastening screw 393. An appropriate amount of sealant or a sealing rubber ring is applied to the connection between the pneumatic valve body sealing cover 308 and the pneumatic valve body 301. At this time, the first cylinder 311 has a semi-open structure, and the second cylinder 312 has a fully enclosed structure, preventing the lubricating fluid inside the second cylinder 312 from flowing out.

[0032] Specifically, the lubricating fluid can be hydraulic oil or silicone oil, which have good lubrication performance and stability. Its viscosity can be adjusted according to the actual damping requirements to ensure that the movement of the second piston 305 in the second cylinder 312 is smooth and controllable.

[0033] In one embodiment of this application, please refer to Figure 6 The main body of the first piston 302 has an annular groove for installing the first sealing ring 322; the main body of the second piston 305 has an annular groove for installing the second sealing ring 352. Both the first sealing ring 322 and the second sealing ring 352 are made of fluororubber, which has good high-temperature resistance and oil resistance, effectively preventing gas or liquid leakage from the first cylinder 311 and the second cylinder 312, ensuring stable and reliable sealing performance of the pneumatic valve 300.

[0034] In one embodiment of this application, please refer to the following: Figure 8 and Figure 9 The battery pack 400 can be fixed to the housing 100 by means of adhesive, clips or other means; the battery pack 400 also includes a battery housing 402, which has a plurality of cell mounting holes 421 for accommodating cells 401, and cooling component mounting holes are provided around the cell mounting holes 421 for accommodating cooling components.

[0035] In this embodiment, the battery casing 402 features independent cell mounting holes 421 and cooling component mounting holes, allowing the cells 401 and cooling components to be arranged in an orderly manner. This avoids heat concentration caused by direct contact between the cells 401 and ensures that the cooling components precisely correspond to the position of each cell 401. When a cell 401 is at risk of thermal runaway, the surrounding cooling components can quickly respond and release cooling gas to ensure targeted cooling of the abnormal cell 401. Simultaneously, this modular mounting hole design facilitates the assembly and maintenance of the battery pack 400. During production, automated equipment can quickly embed the cells 401 and cooling components into the corresponding mounting holes, improving production efficiency. In subsequent maintenance, damaged cells 401 or cooling components can be replaced selectively, reducing maintenance costs.

[0036] In one embodiment of this application, please refer to Figure 9 The cooling component mounting hole is set in the gap between two adjacent battery cell mounting holes 421.

[0037] In this embodiment, the cooling component mounting hole is positioned at the gap between adjacent cell mounting holes 421, maximizing the use of the internal space of the battery casing 402 and ensuring a close distance between the cooling component and the cells 401 on both sides. When the temperature of either of the two adjacent cells 401 rises abnormally, the cooling component located at the gap can simultaneously provide cooling coverage for both cells 401, improving the comprehensiveness of thermal runaway protection. This compact layout design effectively reduces the overall volume of the battery casing 402 while ensuring heat dissipation efficiency, making it more suitable for the miniaturization requirements of battery modules in ruggedized laptop devices.

[0038] In one embodiment of this application, please refer to Figure 8 The refrigeration component includes a cooling rod 403 and a flame-retardant rod 404; the refrigeration component mounting holes include a cooling rod mounting hole 422 and a flame-retardant rod mounting hole 423, the cooling rod mounting hole 422 is used to accommodate the cooling rod 403, and the flame-retardant rod mounting hole 423 is used to accommodate the flame-retardant rod 404.

[0039] In this embodiment, the combined design of cooling rod 403 and flame-retardant rod 404 achieves dual protection. Cooling rod 403 rapidly reduces the temperature around cell 401 by releasing non-flammable refrigerant, suppressing the triggering conditions for thermal runaway at the source. Flame-retardant rod 404 releases flame-retardant gas or liquefied gas to form a flame-retardant barrier on the surface of cell 401, preventing the spread of flames and isolating oxygen, further controlling the spread of thermal runaway. This synergistic protection mechanism of "cooling + flame retardancy" can provide precise responses to different stages of lithium battery thermal runaway, greatly improving the overall safety performance of battery pack 400. The independent setting of cooling rod mounting hole 422 and flame-retardant rod mounting hole 423 ensures that the two cooling components do not interfere with each other during installation and operation. Cooling rod 403 can respond first to temperature rise, while flame-retardant rod 404 is activated when an open flame or higher risk is detected, forming a tiered protection system.

[0040] In one embodiment of this application, please refer to the following: Figure 10 and Figure 11 The cooling rod 403 includes a first hot melt plug 431, a first nozzle 432, a flow restrictor 433, and a first liquid storage section 434; one end of the first nozzle 432 is connected to the first hot melt plug 431, and the other end of the first nozzle 432 is connected to the first liquid storage section 434; along the length direction of the first nozzle 432 ( Figure 11 The direction indicated by the double-headed arrow is the length direction of the first nozzle 432. The cross-section of the first nozzle 432 is smaller in the middle and larger at both ends. The flow limiter 433 is installed at the position with the smallest cross-section inside the first nozzle 432. The first liquid storage section 434 is filled with non-flammable refrigerant (such as R134a).

[0041] In this embodiment, the first fusible plug 431 is made of a low-melting-point material (such as rubber, silicone, etc.). When the temperature of the battery cell 401 reaches a preset threshold, it will quickly melt and open the passage of the first nozzle 432. The special cross-sectional design of the first nozzle 432, combined with the setting of the flow limiter 433, can accurately control the release rate and flow rate of the refrigerant, avoiding a sudden increase in local pressure or waste of resources due to excessive instantaneous release. The first liquid storage section 434 is made of high-strength corrosion-resistant material, which can stably store non-flammable refrigerant for a long time, ensuring reliable release when needed, providing a material basis and structural guarantee for the cooling rod 403 to quickly respond to temperature changes in the early stage of thermal runaway.

[0042] In one embodiment of this application, the structure of the flame-retardant rod 404 is similar to that of the cooling rod 403, except that the flame-retardant rod 404 does not include the flow limiter 433; the flame-retardant rod 404 includes a second hot melt plug, a second nozzle, and a second liquid storage section; one end of the second nozzle is connected to the second hot melt plug, and the other end of the second nozzle is connected to the second liquid storage section; along the length of the second nozzle, the cross-section of the second nozzle is smaller in the middle and larger at both ends; the second liquid storage section is filled with flame-retardant gas or liquefied gas.

[0043] In this embodiment, the second thermal plug is also made of a low-melting-point material. When the high temperature generated by the thermal runaway of the battery cell 401 is conducted to this point and reaches the set melting temperature, it will immediately rupture and open the release channel of the second nozzle. The variable diameter structure design of the second nozzle ensures the smooth flow of the flame-retardant medium while using fluid dynamics principles to initially regulate the release speed, so that the flame-retardant gas or liquefied gas forms a stable airflow or mist spray pattern during the ejection process. The second liquid storage section adopts a pressure-resistant container structure with excellent sealing performance. The flame-retardant gas (such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc.) or liquefied gas (such as heptafluoropropane, etc.) filled inside has highly efficient flame-retardant properties. When the second thermal plug is opened, these flame-retardant media will be quickly released to the vicinity of the battery cell 401 through the second nozzle. By isolating oxygen, reducing local temperature, or inhibiting the combustion chain reaction, it effectively prevents the further spread of thermal runaway, forming a synergistic protection mechanism with the cooling rod 403, improving the safety protection level of the reinforced laptop lithium battery from both active cooling and passive flame retardancy dimensions.

[0044] Specifically, the first nozzle 432 and the first liquid storage section 434 are connected together by interference fit or welding. The second nozzle and the second liquid storage section are connected by interference fit or welding. This connection method significantly improves the overall sealing and structural strength of the device, effectively preventing leakage of the flame-retardant medium when not in operation, and ensuring that the protection device maintains stable and reliable performance when the battery cell 401 is working normally. At the same time, the choice of interference fit or welding process can be flexibly adjusted according to actual production needs and cost control, ensuring both the robustness of the connection and adapting to the process requirements of large-scale production, thus providing convenient conditions for the industrial application of the device.

[0045] In this embodiment, the melting temperature of the first fusible plug 431 is lower than that of the second fusible plug; this temperature gradient setting realizes a graded response mechanism for thermal runaway protection. When the temperature of the battery cell 401 rises to the melting temperature of the first fusible plug 431, the cooling rod 403 is activated first, releasing non-flammable refrigerant to rapidly cool the battery cell 401, attempting to control the temperature within a safe range in the early stages of thermal runaway; if the temperature continues to rise and reaches the melting temperature of the second fusible plug, it indicates that the cooling effect of the cooling rod 403 has not met expectations. At this time, the flame-retardant rod 404 starts to work, releasing flame-retardant gas or liquefied gas to further prevent the spread of thermal runaway by isolating oxygen and inhibiting combustion. This graded response design avoids waste of resources and ensures that targeted protective measures can be taken at different stages of thermal runaway, significantly improving the response accuracy and protection effectiveness of the protection device.

[0046] It is worth noting that the ratio of cooling rods 403 to flame-retardant rods 404 can be configured according to actual requirements; they can all be configured as cooling rods 403 or all as flame-retardant rods 404. In this embodiment, the ratio of cooling rods 403 to flame-retardant rods 404 is set to 1:1. This ratio design achieves a balanced allocation of protection resources while taking into account both cooling and flame-retardant functions. When the lithium battery experiences a slight risk of thermal runaway, the equivalent number of cooling rods 403 can quickly form a cooling network to simultaneously control the temperature of multiple potential heat points. When the risk of thermal runaway intensifies, the equal number of flame-retardant rods 404 can simultaneously release flame-retardant media, constructing a comprehensive flame-retardant barrier around the cell 401, effectively preventing the flame from spreading across the cell 401. In addition, the 1:1 ratio also facilitates the symmetrical layout of the internal structure of the battery pack 400, making the distribution of cooling component mounting holes more uniform, avoiding protection blind spots caused by excessively dense or sparse local cooling components, and further improving the stability and reliability of the overall protection performance of the protection device.

[0047] In one embodiment of this application, please refer to Figure 8 The battery pack 400 also includes a cover plate 405, which covers the battery casing 402. The cover plate 405 has multiple vent holes, through which the cooling gas released by the cooling component can be discharged.

[0048] In this embodiment, the cover plate 405 effectively encapsulates the battery cells 401 and cooling components within the battery casing 402, preventing external dust, moisture, and other impurities from entering the battery pack 400 and affecting component performance. Multiple vents are evenly distributed on the cover plate 405. When the cooling component releases cooling gas, the gas can quickly diffuse through the vents to every corner of the second mounting cavity, ensuring uniform coverage of all battery cells 401 within the battery pack 400. The diameter and number of vents are optimized to ensure efficient cooling gas flow while preventing unnecessary vibration of the battery cells 401 due to excessive airflow during normal operation. Furthermore, the cover plate 405 is made of insulating, high-temperature resistant material, capable of withstanding high-temperature impacts during thermal runaway and effectively blocking current conduction between the battery cells 401 and the outside environment, further enhancing the safety protection level of the battery pack 400. When the pneumatic valve 300 opens the vent 102, the cooling gas in the second mounting cavity will be drawn in by the cooling fan 200 and will preferentially gather through the vent and flow to the vent 102, forming a directional airflow channel, accelerating the discharge of harmful gases and heat, and improving the overall heat dissipation efficiency.

[0049] Specifically, the cover plate 405 can be fixed to one end of the battery casing 402 by means of clips or adhesive. This fixing method is simple to operate and provides a stable connection, ensuring the overall sealing of the battery pack 400 while facilitating subsequent maintenance or component replacement inside the battery pack 400. The clip connection facilitates disassembly, allowing the cover plate 405 to be quickly opened when maintenance of the battery cell 401 or the cooling component is required. The adhesive method further enhances the sealing performance between the cover plate 405 and the battery casing 402, preventing leakage of cooling gas in non-thermal runaway states and ensuring that the cooling component can fully release the cooling medium at critical moments.

[0050] In one embodiment of this application, the battery casing 402 is made of a material with high thermal conductivity.

[0051] In this embodiment, the battery casing 402, made of a high thermal conductivity material (such as aluminum, copper, titanium, etc.), has a certain specific heat capacity, which can suppress the temperature rise of the battery cell 401 to a certain extent. Simultaneously, its excellent thermal conductivity can quickly transfer the heat generated by the battery cell 401 during operation to the surface of the casing 100, achieving initial heat dissipation through natural convection between the casing 100 and the external environment. When the battery cell 401 experiences localized overheating due to abnormal conditions, the high thermal conductivity material can quickly disperse the heat throughout the casing 100, preventing heat accumulation in a single area and thus delaying the thermal runaway process. Furthermore, when the high thermal conductivity material is used in conjunction with a cooling component, it can accelerate the heat exchange rate between the cooling gas and the battery cell 401, enabling effective temperature control of the battery cell 401 in a short time, further improving the thermal management efficiency and safety performance of the battery pack 400.

[0052] The working principle of the lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops provided in this application embodiment is as follows: When the temperature of the battery pack 400 is within the normal range, the first hot-melt plug 431 of the cooling rod 403 and the second hot-melt plug of the flame-retardant rod 404 maintain their original shapes, respectively clamping at the outlets of the first nozzle 432 and the second nozzle, ensuring a seal. One end of the first piston 302 is exposed inside the housing 100, and the other end is connected to the sealing cover 304 via the connecting rod 303. One end of the sealing cover 304 is exposed to the external environment. Since the air pressure inside the housing 100 is the same as the external air pressure, that is, the force exerted by the external air pressure on the sealing cover 304 is the same as the force exerted by the air pressure inside the housing 100 on the first piston 302, the pneumatic valve 300 is in the first state, and the position of the sealing cover 304 at this time is as follows: Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown. In this state, the vent 102 at the cooling fan 200 is completely blocked by the sealing cover 304, and the inside of the housing 100 is sealed, which can prevent liquids, sand and dust from entering the housing 100, and the original IP protection level is not compromised.

[0053] Under normal circumstances, the main cause of thermal runaway in cell 401 is an internal short circuit caused by diaphragm damage. Before thermal runaway occurs, the temperature often continues to rise. This application utilizes the characteristic of the continuous temperature rise before thermal runaway in cell 401 to design the following protection device to suppress thermal runaway in cell 401.

[0054] When the internal separator of one or more cells 401 in the battery pack 400 is damaged due to prolonged high-temperature operation or overcharging, resulting in an internal short circuit, the temperature of the cell 401 will rise. Since the cell 401 is installed in close contact with the battery casing 402, and the battery casing 402 is made of a high thermal conductivity material with a certain specific heat capacity, it can suppress the temperature rise of the cell 401 to a certain extent. If the energy stored in the cell 401 is low, the heat generated is minimal, and the battery casing 402 alone can prevent the cell 401 from thermal runaway. After the energy is released, the temperature will gradually decrease to ambient temperature.

[0055] If the battery cell 401 stores a large amount of energy, the temperature of the battery casing 402 gradually rises, and the temperatures of the cooling rod 403 and flame-retardant rod 404, which are in close contact with the battery casing 402, also rise accordingly. Once the first hot plug 431 in the cooling rod 403, which is closest to the battery cell 401 that has experienced an internal short circuit, reaches its melting temperature, the refrigerant filled inside the cooling rod 403 will be ejected from the first nozzle 432. Under the action of the first nozzle 432 and the current limiter 433, the refrigerant expands and accelerates, accompanied by a decrease in internal energy, manifested as a temperature decrease (Joule-Thomson effect). Under the action of the current limiter 433, the speed of refrigerant ejection is limited, which can slow down the rate of refrigerant consumption. As the refrigerant continues to be ejected, the temperature of the battery casing 402 decreases, thereby reducing the temperature of the battery cell 401, until the heat inside the battery cell 401 is completely consumed, suppressing the occurrence of thermal runaway. Because the cooling rod 403 releases refrigerant, it can reduce the temperature of the surrounding battery cells 401, suppressing the occurrence of chain thermal runaway.

[0056] If multiple battery cells 401 experience an internal short circuit, the adjacent cooling rods 403 will simultaneously eject refrigerant, gradually increasing the pressure inside the housing 100. Under this pressure, the pressure on the first piston 302 is greater than the pressure on the sealing cap 304. Since the first piston 302 and the second piston 305 are connected by a connecting rod 303 and can move simultaneously along the axial direction within their respective cylinders, the first piston 302 and the second piston 305 will gradually move upwards until they reach the second state position of the pneumatic valve 300. At this point, the gas pre-charged in the first cylinder 311 will be discharged through the exhaust port of the first piston 302 and the exhaust port of the pneumatic valve 300 body, causing the pressure of the first piston 302 moving downwards to become 0. The pneumatic valve 300 will remain in the second state, allowing the refrigerant gas inside the housing 100 to be smoothly discharged into the external environment, and the cooling rods 403 to continue cooling down until the refrigerant inside is consumed.

[0057] If the temperature of the battery cell 401 rises too quickly, the cooling rate of the cooling rod 403 cannot match the temperature rise rate of the battery cell 401, causing the temperature of the battery casing 402 and the cooling rod 403 to continue to rise. At this time, the pressure inside the cooling rod 403 will increase, and the friction between the current limiter 433 and the first nozzle 432 will not be able to resist the force formed by the internal and external pressure difference. The current limiter 433 will be ejected from the cooling rod 403 by the cooling gas. The flow area of ​​the cooling gas in the first nozzle 432 increases, and the cooling speed accelerates. When the high-pressure cooling gas passes through the gradually narrowing channel, its speed gradually reaches the local speed of sound. However, at this time, the high-pressure cooling gas has not yet fully expanded, that is, the pressure is greater than the external pressure. If it is ejected directly at this time, the gas will not be further accelerated, and the process of reducing internal energy will take place outside the battery casing 402, that is, it cannot effectively cool the battery cell 401. Therefore, the flow cross section of the first nozzle 432 is first narrowed and then increased. After the high-pressure refrigerant is accelerated to a local speed of sound at the throat of the first nozzle 432, it is further expanded and accelerated to supersonic speed under the guidance of the gradually increasing channel in the rear half. The internal energy is further reduced in the rear half of the first nozzle 432, which improves the cooling efficiency of the refrigerant. When the pressure inside the shell 100 reaches a certain level, the pneumatic valve 300 will change to the second state to discharge the refrigerant gas from the shell 100, ensuring the efficient cooling of the cooling rod 403.

[0058] When the refrigerant in all cooling rods 403 is exhausted, and the battery cell 401 continues to heat up, once the temperature of the battery pack 400 reaches the melting temperature of the second hot plug of the flame-retardant rod 404, the second hot plug is ejected from the second nozzle, releasing the flame-retardant gas inside the flame-retardant rod 404. The high-pressure gas is accelerated to supersonic speed under the guidance of the second nozzle, and the temperature decreases simultaneously, which can reduce the temperature of the battery cell 401 to some extent. After all the flame-retardant gas in the flame-retardant rods 404 has been released, if the temperature of the battery cell 401 continues to rise, the internal electrolyte boils, and the pressure increases until it triggers the pressure relief valve of the battery cell 401. The electrolyte and gas inside the battery cell 401 will then be ejected from the holes in the cover plate 405. Although the ejected gas contains a large amount of flammable gas, the air inside the casing 100 is mostly composed of flame-retardant gas, and the battery casing 402 is made of non-combustible material. Therefore, the possibility of open flame is small, effectively reducing the losses caused by battery thermal runaway.

[0059] Understandably, while existing technologies can use simpler sealing films or rubber plugs to block the vent 102 at the cooling fan 200, the internal pressure of the casing 100 can also break or squeeze out the sealing film or rubber plug when the cooling rod 403 and flame-retardant rod 404 release cooling and flame-retardant gases. However, this would affect the IP protection and shock resistance rating of the ruggedized laptop. Using a sealing film effectively protects the ruggedized laptop from rainwater and splashes entering the casing 100. To ensure that the cooling rod 403 and flame-retardant rod 404 can smoothly expel cooling and flame-retardant gases from the external environment, the rupture pressure of the sealing film cannot be set too high. This would prevent the ruggedized laptop from being submerged in deeper water, reducing its original IP protection rating. If a rubber plug is used to seal the through hole 351, although a limiting structure can be designed on the through hole 351 to prevent water leakage caused by water pressure forcing the rubber plug into the housing 100, the rubber plug will be shaken out of the through hole 351 when the reinforced laptop is subjected to vibration.

[0060] To address the shortcomings of sealing films and rubber plugs, this application designs a pneumatic valve 300. When the ruggedized laptop is used in deep water, the water pressure forces the sealing cover 304 to move into the housing 100. When it reaches a certain position, the connecting rod 303 abuts against the main body of the pneumatic valve 300, and the main body of the pneumatic valve 300 locks into the housing 100. Therefore, the sealing cover 304 will not move further into the housing 100, the ruggedized laptop is well sealed, and the original IP protection rating is not changed.

[0061] If a rubber plug is used for sealing, and a limiting structure is designed at the through-hole 351 of the cooling fan 200 to prevent the rubber plug from entering the housing 100, the original IP protection rating of the ruggedized laptop remains unchanged. However, when the ruggedized laptop is used on various vehicles, the impact and vibration it experiences can cause the rubber plug to fall out of the through-hole 351, leading to seal failure. In the pneumatic valve 300 of this application, the second piston 305 has a certain number of through-holes 351, allowing the second piston 305 to move axially in the second cylinder 312 filled with lubricating fluid. When the pneumatic valve 300 changes from the first state to the second state, the lubricating fluid at the bottom of the second piston 305 flows into the upper space through the through-holes 351 of the second piston 305. When the ruggedized laptop is subjected to vibration or impact, the viscosity of the lubricating fluid prevents the second piston 305 from moving with the vibration or impact; that is, in the pneumatic valve 300, the second piston 305 can play a shock-absorbing role. Furthermore, a certain volume of air is pre-filled into the first cylinder 311, meaning that under normal circumstances, the sealing cover 304 tends to move toward the housing 100, ensuring that the pneumatic valve 300 can always remain in the first state when the ruggedized laptop is vibrated or impacted, so that the housing 100 is always in a sealed state.

[0062] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops, characterized in that, include: The housing has a partition with vent holes; the partition divides the housing into a first mounting cavity and a second mounting cavity. A cooling fan is installed in the first mounting cavity; A pneumatic valve is installed in the vent hole and is used to control the opening and closing of the vent hole; A battery pack is installed in the second mounting cavity; the battery pack includes battery cells and a cooling component disposed around the battery cells. When a short circuit occurs inside the battery cell, the cooling component can eject cooling gas, which drives the pneumatic valve to move, thereby opening the vent hole and allowing the cooling gas to be discharged from the exhaust port of the cooling fan.

2. The lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The pneumatic valve includes: A pneumatic valve body, wherein a first cylinder is provided inside the pneumatic valve body, and a first exhaust port is provided on the side wall of the pneumatic valve body, the first exhaust port being connected to the first cylinder and the outside; A first piston is movably disposed within the first cylinder body; the first piston is provided with a second exhaust port, which connects to the side and end face of the first piston. A connecting rod, one end of which is provided with a sealing cap, and the other end of which is connected to the first piston; The pneumatic valve has a first state and a second state. In the first state, the sealing cover blocks the vent hole, the first cylinder is pre-filled with gas, and the first exhaust hole and the second exhaust hole are misaligned. In the second state, the first piston moves, pushing the connecting rod to move, the sealing cover and the vent hole separate, the first exhaust hole and the second exhaust hole are aligned and connected, and the gas in the first cylinder is discharged.

3. The lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The pneumatic valve further includes a second piston and a support rod; one end of the support rod is connected to the connecting rod, and the other end of the support rod is connected to the second piston; the pneumatic valve body is provided with a second cylinder, the second piston is disposed in the second cylinder, and the second cylinder is divided into a first chamber and a second chamber; the second piston is provided with a plurality of through holes, the second cylinder is filled with lubricating liquid, and the lubricating liquid can flow between the first chamber and the second chamber through the through holes.

4. The lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops as described in any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The battery pack also includes a battery casing, which has a plurality of cell mounting holes for accommodating the cells. Cooling component mounting holes are provided around the cell mounting holes for accommodating the cooling components.

5. The lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The cooling component mounting hole is located in the gap between two adjacent battery cell mounting holes.

6. The lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The refrigeration component includes a cooling rod and a flame-retardant rod; the refrigeration component mounting holes include cooling rod mounting holes and flame-retardant rod mounting holes, wherein the cooling rod mounting holes are used to accommodate the cooling rod and the flame-retardant rod mounting holes are used to accommodate the flame-retardant rod.

7. The lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The cooling rod includes a first hot-melt plug, a first nozzle, a flow restrictor, and a first liquid storage section; one end of the first nozzle is connected to the first hot-melt plug, and the other end of the first nozzle is connected to the first liquid storage section; along the length of the first nozzle, the cross-section of the first nozzle is smaller in the middle and larger at both ends, and the flow restrictor is installed at the position with the smallest cross-section inside the first nozzle; the first liquid storage section is filled with non-flammable refrigerant.

8. The lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The flame-retardant rod includes a second hot melt plug, a second nozzle, and a second liquid storage section; one end of the second nozzle is connected to the second hot melt plug, and the other end of the second nozzle is connected to the second liquid storage section; along the length of the second nozzle, the cross-section of the second nozzle is smaller in the middle and larger at both ends; the second liquid storage section is filled with flame-retardant gas or liquefied gas.

9. The lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The battery pack also includes a cover plate, which covers the battery casing and has multiple vent holes, through which the cooling gas released by the cooling component can be discharged.

10. The lithium battery thermal runaway protection device for ruggedized laptops as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The battery casing is made of a material with high thermal conductivity.

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