Batteries and power-consuming devices

Abstract

The embodiment of the present application provides a battery (10) and a power consumption device. The battery (10) includes a housing (11), a battery cell row accommodated in the housing (11), the battery cell row includes a battery cell (20) arranged along a first direction, the battery cell row is arranged along a second direction, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, the battery cell (20) includes a first wall (201), and an electrode terminal (214) is installed on the first wall (201), and a connection bar (101), the connection bar (101) extends in the second direction and is connected to the first wall (201) of the battery cell (20) in the battery cell row arranged along the second direction. The technical solution according to the embodiment of the present application can improve the structural strength and energy density of the battery (10), thereby improving the performance of the battery (10).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to batteries and power consuming devices. [Background technology]

[0002] As environmental pollution becomes more serious day by day, new energy industry has attracted more and more attention from people, and battery technology is a key factor in the development of new energy industry.

[0003] The space utilization rate inside a battery affects the structural strength and energy density of the battery, and further affects the performance of the battery. Therefore, how to improve the performance of the battery is a technical issue in battery technology that needs to be solved as soon as possible. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present application provides a battery and a power consuming device that can improve the performance of the battery by improving the structural strength and energy density of the battery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to a first aspect, a battery is provided, the battery including: a housing; a plurality of battery cell rows housed in the housing, the battery cell row including a plurality of the battery cells arranged along a first direction, the plurality of the battery cell rows arranged along a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, the battery cells including first walls, and electrode terminals being installed on the first walls; and a connection bar, the connection bar extending in the second direction and connected to the first walls of a plurality of the battery cells in the plurality of the battery cell rows arranged along the second direction.

[0006] In the embodiment of the present application, the connection bar is connected to the first walls on which the electrode terminals of the battery cells in the row of the battery cells arranged along the second direction are installed, and the battery cells are connected as a whole through the connection bar, in this case, no side plate is installed inside the battery, and no structure such as a beam is required, and the space utilization rate inside the battery can be greatly improved, and the structural strength and energy density of the battery can be improved. Therefore, the technical solution according to the embodiment of the present application can improve the performance of the battery.

[0007] In one possible embodiment, the connection bar includes a middle connection bar connected to the first walls of two adjacent battery cells in the battery cell string.

[0008] The middle connecting bar connects the first walls of two adjacent battery cells in the battery cell string, thereby improving the structural strength of the battery cell string by connecting the two adjacent battery cells in the battery cell string.

[0009] In one possible embodiment, the connection bar includes an end connection bar connected to a first wall of the battery cell located at an end in the first direction in the battery cell string.

[0010] The end connection bar is connected to the first wall of the battery cell located at the end in the first direction in the battery cell group, thereby improving the structural strength of the battery cell located at the end in the first direction in the battery cell group and improving the structural strength of the battery.

[0011] In one possible embodiment, the middle connection bar is installed between two adjacent electrode terminals of the two adjacent battery cells.

[0012] The middle connection bar is connected to the first walls of two adjacent battery cells, and the electrode terminals are installed on the first walls. By installing the connection bar between the two adjacent electrode terminals of the two adjacent battery cells, the connection bar avoids covering the electrode terminals when connecting the two adjacent battery cells, and avoids affecting the electrical connection of the batteries.

[0013] In one possible embodiment, the connecting bar is a metal material plate, in this way the strength of the connecting bar can be guaranteed.

[0014] In one possible embodiment, an insulating layer is provided on the surface of the connection bar, so that the surface of the connection bar connected to the first wall can be an insulating surface.

[0015] In one possible embodiment, the connecting bar is a plate of a non-metallic material.

[0016] In one possible embodiment, a cavity is provided inside the connecting bar. The first cavity ensures the strength of the connecting bar and can reduce the weight of the connecting bar.

[0017] In one possible embodiment, the cavity is used to accommodate a heat exchange medium to regulate the temperature of the battery cells, thus allowing the temperature of the battery cells to be effectively managed.

[0018] In one possible embodiment, the connection bar has a size T in a third direction between 0.5 and 30 mm, the third direction being perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

[0019] When the size T of the connection bar in the third direction is too small, the stiffness of the connection bar is low, so the structural strength of the battery cannot be effectively improved. When the size T of the connection bar in the third direction is too long, it occupies too much space inside the battery, which is disadvantageous for improving the energy density of the battery. Therefore, by setting the size T of the connection bar in the third direction to 0.5 - 30 mm, the energy density of the battery can be guaranteed and the structural strength of the battery can be improved.

[0020] In one possible embodiment, the size T of the connection bar in the third direction and the weight M of the battery cell satisfy 0.05 mm / kg < T / M ≤ 50 mm / kg, and the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

[0021] If T / M is too large, the battery will lose weight energy density. Therefore, by making the size T of the connection bar in the third direction and the weight M of the battery cell satisfy 0.05 mm / kg < T / M ≤ 50 mm / kg, the weight energy density of the battery is guaranteed.

[0022] In one possible embodiment, 0.05 mm / kg < T / M ≤ 30 mm / kg, thereby further improving the weight energy density of the battery.

[0023] In one possible embodiment, the battery cell includes a second wall with the largest surface area in the battery cell, and the second direction is perpendicular to the second wall.

[0024] The wall with the largest surface area in the battery cell is perpendicular to the arrangement direction of multiple rows of battery cells and parallel to the arrangement direction of multiple battery cells in each row. That is, when multiple battery cells in each row are arranged, the smaller surfaces of two adjacent battery cells are arranged opposite to each other. When multiple rows of battery cells are arranged, the second walls with the largest surface area of two adjacent rows of battery cells are arranged opposite to each other. Such an arrangement method facilitates the assembly and layout of multiple rows of battery cells and other components in the battery.

[0025] In one possible embodiment, for fixing the connecting bar, an end of the connecting bar in the second direction is fixed to the housing.

[0026] In one possible embodiment, the connection bar includes a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite each other in a third direction, the first surface being connected to the first wall and the second surface being connected to a housing of the battery, and the third direction being perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

[0027] A first surface of the connection bar is connected to the first wall, and a second surface of the connection bar is connected to the housing, so that the battery cells are connected to the housing via the connection bar to fix the battery cells and improve the structural strength of the battery.

[0028] In one possible embodiment, the housing includes a fixed wall connected to a third wall of each of the battery cells in a plurality of the battery cell rows, the third wall being spaced apart and opposite the first wall along a third direction, the third direction being perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

[0029] The fixing wall is connected to the third wall of the battery cell, thereby fixing the battery cell and improving the structural strength of the battery.

[0030] In one possible embodiment, when the battery is installed in a power consuming device, the connection bar is located below the battery cells, and the fixed wall is for suspending the battery cells.

[0031] The connecting bar is located below the battery cell, i.e., the electrode terminal of the battery cell faces downward, and in the third direction, the first wall of the battery cell is located below the third wall, and the fixed wall is connected to the third wall to suspend the battery cell. In this case, the wall facing the electrode terminal is not a force-receiving wall, and there is no need to leave a large gap between the electrode terminal and the wall, which saves the space of the battery and improves the energy density of the battery.

[0032] In one possible embodiment, when the battery is installed in a power consumer device, the connection bar is located above the battery cell, and the fixed wall is for supporting the battery cell.

[0033] The connection bar is located above the battery cell, i.e., the electrode terminal of the battery cell faces upward, and in the third direction, the first wall of the battery cell is located above the third wall, and the fixed wall is connected to the third wall to support the battery cell and improve the structural strength of the battery.

[0034] In one possible embodiment, the connecting bar is glued to the first wall. Through the gluing method, the connecting bar and the first wall are fixedly connected, which simplifies the structure and facilitates processing and assembly.

[0035] According to a second aspect, there is provided a power consumption device, the power consumption device including a battery of the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, the battery being for providing electrical energy.

[0036] In the technical solution of the present application, the connection bar is connected to the first wall on which the electrode terminals of the multiple battery cells arranged along the second direction are installed, and the multiple battery cells are connected as a whole through the connection bar, in this case, no side plate is installed inside the battery, and no structure such as a beam is required to be installed, and the space utilization rate inside the battery can be greatly improved, and the structural strength and energy density of the battery can be improved. Therefore, the technical solution according to the embodiment of the present application can improve the performance of the battery.

[0037] In order to more clearly describe the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings that need to be used in the embodiments of the present application, it is obvious that the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on the drawings without making creative efforts. In the drawing parts, the drawings are not drawn according to actual scale. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0038] [Figure 1] 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a battery according to an embodiment of the present application. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded structural view of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a battery according to an embodiment of the present application. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a connection bar according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 6] 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a battery according to one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 7] 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a battery according to one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 8] 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a battery according to one embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0039] The embodiments of the present application will be described in more detail below in conjunction with the drawings and examples. The detailed description of the following examples and the drawings are for illustrative purposes of the principles of the present application, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present application, i.e., the present application is not limited to the described examples.

[0040] In the description of this application, all technical and scientific terms used have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art, unless otherwise indicated, as should be explained. The terms used are intended to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application. The terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of this application and the above description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive "including". "Plurality" means two or more. The orientation or positional relationship indicated by terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inner", and "outer" does not indicate or imply that the indicated device or element must have a specific orientation and must be configured and operated in a specific orientation, but is merely intended to facilitate and simplify the description of this application and should not be understood as a limitation of this application. In addition, terms such as "first", "second", and "third" are used for explanatory purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. "Vertical" is not vertical in the strict sense, but is within the allowable range of error. "Parallel" does not mean parallel in the strict sense, but is within the tolerance of error.

[0041] An "embodiment" referred to in this application means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of the phrase in each place in the specification does not necessarily refer to all the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand, explicitly or implicitly, that the embodiments described in this application can be combined with other embodiments.

[0042] Any directional terms appearing in the following description are directions shown in the drawings, and are not intended to limit the specific structure of the present application. In the description of the present application, it should be further explained that unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "attached", "connected" and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, they may be fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally connected, may be directly connected, may be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or may communicate with the insides of two elements. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application according to the specific situation.

[0043] The term "and / or" in this application merely describes the relationship between related objects and indicates that three relationships may exist, for example, A and / or B may represent three cases: A alone, A and B in combination, and B alone. Also, the character " / " in this application generally indicates that the related objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0044] In the present application, the battery cell may include a lithium ion secondary battery, a lithium ion primary battery, a lithium sulfur battery, a sodium lithium ion battery, a sodium ion battery, or a magnesium ion battery, etc., but is not limited thereto in the embodiments of the present application. The battery cell may be a cylinder, a flat body, a rectangular parallelepiped, or other shape, etc., but is not limited thereto in the embodiments of the present application. Depending on the packaging form, the battery cell is generally divided into three types, namely, a cylindrical battery cell, a rectangular parallelepiped prismatic battery cell, and a pouch battery cell, but is not limited thereto in the embodiments of the present application.

[0045] The battery referred to in the embodiments of this application refers to a single physical module that includes one or more battery cells to provide higher voltage and capacity. For example, the battery referred to in this application may include a battery pack, etc. The battery generally includes a housing for packaging one or more battery cells. The housing can prevent liquids or other foreign objects from affecting the charging or discharging of the battery cells.

[0046] The battery cell includes an electrode assembly and an electrolyte, and the electrode assembly is composed of a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator. The battery cell is mainly operated by the movement of metal ions between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate. The positive electrode plate includes a positive electrode collector and a positive electrode active material layer, and the positive electrode active material layer is applied to the surface of the positive electrode collector, and the collector on which the positive electrode active material layer is not applied protrudes from the collector on which the positive electrode active material layer is applied, and the collector on which the positive electrode active material layer is not applied is called a positive electrode tab. Taking a lithium-ion battery as an example, the material of the positive electrode collector may be aluminum, and the positive electrode active material may be lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, ternary lithium, or lithium manganate, etc. The negative electrode plate includes a negative electrode collector and a negative electrode active material layer, the negative electrode active material layer is applied to the surface of the negative electrode collector, the collector on which the negative electrode active material layer is not applied protrudes from the collector on which the negative electrode active material layer is applied, and the collector on which the negative electrode active material layer is not applied is called a negative electrode tab. The material of the negative electrode collector may be copper, and the negative electrode active material may be carbon or silicon, etc. In order to prevent melting even when a large current is applied, the number of positive electrode tabs is stacked in a plurality, and the number of negative electrode tabs is stacked in a plurality. The material of the separator may be polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE), etc. In addition, the electrode assembly may be a wound type structure or a stacked type structure, and the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto.

[0047] In order to meet various power demands, a battery may include multiple battery cells, where the multiple battery cells may be connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel, and the series-parallel connection refers to a mixture of the series and parallel connections. Optionally, multiple battery cells may be connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel to form a battery module, and multiple battery modules may be connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel to form a battery. That is, multiple battery cells may directly form a battery, or a battery module may be first formed, and then the battery module may form a battery. The battery is further installed in a power consuming device to provide electrical energy for the power consuming device.

[0048] The development of battery technology requires consideration of various design factors, such as energy density, cycle life, discharge capacity, charge / discharge rate, safety, etc., at the same time. Here, when the internal space of a battery is determined, improving the utilization rate of the internal space of the battery is an effective means of improving the energy density of the battery. However, while improving the utilization rate of the internal space of the battery, there is a possibility of reducing the structural strength of the battery. For example, generally, a beam for suspending a battery module is installed inside a battery housing, and a side plate and an end plate are installed on the battery module in the battery. The beam, side plate and end plate realize the fixing of the battery, and at the same time, they occupy the internal space of the battery. However, if the beam, side plate and end plate are not installed, the structural strength of the battery will be insufficient, which will affect the performance of the battery.

[0049] In view of this, the embodiments of the present application provide a technical solution, in which the connection bar is connected to the first walls on which the electrode terminals of the battery cells in a row of battery cells arranged along the second direction are installed, and the battery cells are connected as a whole through the connection bar, in which case no side plate is installed inside the battery, and no structure such as a beam is required, and the space utilization rate inside the battery can be greatly improved, and the structural strength and energy density of the battery can be improved. Therefore, the technical solution according to the embodiments of the present application can improve the performance of the battery.

[0050] The technical solutions described in the embodiments of the present application can be applied to various devices that use batteries, such as mobile phones, handheld devices, laptops, electric scooters, electric toys, electric tools, electric vehicles, ships, and spacecraft, including, for example, airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spaceships.

[0051] It should be understood that the technical solutions described in the embodiments of the present application are not only applicable to the devices described above, but also to all devices that use batteries. For the sake of simplicity, however, the following embodiments will be described using an electric vehicle as an example.

[0052] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a structural schematic diagram of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present application. The vehicle 1 may be a fuel oil vehicle, a gas vehicle, or a new energy vehicle, and the new energy vehicle may be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, a range extender vehicle, etc. A motor 40, a controller 30, and a battery 10 may be installed inside the vehicle 1, and the controller 30 is for controlling the battery 10 to supply power to the motor 40. For example, the battery 10 can be installed at the bottom, front, or rear of the vehicle 1. The battery 10 can be used to supply power to the vehicle 1. For example, the battery 10 can be used as an operating power source for the vehicle 1, for the electric circuit system of the vehicle 1, for example, for the operating power demand during starting, navigation, and running of the vehicle 1. In another embodiment of the present application, the battery 10 can not only be used as an operating power source for the vehicle 1, but also as a driving power source for the vehicle 1, to provide driving power to the vehicle 1 instead of gasoline or natural gas, or instead of a part thereof.

[0053] In order to meet various power consumption demands, the battery 10 may include multiple battery cells. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, which is a structural schematic diagram of the battery 10 according to an embodiment of the present application, the battery 10 may include multiple battery cells 20. The battery 10 may further include a housing 11, the inside of which is a hollow structure, and the multiple battery cells 20 are accommodated in the housing 11. For example, the multiple battery cells 20 are placed in the housing 11 after being combined by being connected in parallel, series, or series-parallel to each other.

[0054] Optionally, the battery 10 may further include other structures, but the description thereof will be omitted here. For example, the battery 10 may further include a busbar component for realizing electrical connection between the multiple battery cells 20, for example, parallel connection, series connection, or series-parallel connection. Specifically, the busbar member can be connected to the electrode terminals of the battery cells 20 to realize electrical connection between the battery cells 20. Furthermore, the busbar component can be fixed to the electrode terminals of the battery cells 20 by welding. The electrical energy of the multiple battery cells 20 can further be extracted through the housing by a conductive mechanism. Optionally, the conductive mechanism may belong to the busbar member.

[0055] The number of the battery units 20 may be set to any value according to various power demands. A large capacity or power can be realized by connecting a plurality of battery cells 20 in series, parallel, or series-parallel. Each battery 10 may contain a large number of battery cells 20, and for ease of installation, the battery cells 20 may be installed in groups, and each group of battery cells 20 may constitute a battery module. The number of battery cells 20 included in a battery module is not limited and may be installed according to demand. A battery may include a plurality of battery modules, and these battery modules may be connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 3, it is a structural schematic diagram of a battery cell 20 according to an embodiment of the present application. The battery cell 20 includes one or more electrode assemblies 22, a case 211, and a cover plate 212. The case 211 and the cover plate 212 form a housing or battery box 21. The walls of the case 211 and the cover plate 212 are both referred to as walls of the battery cell 20, where for a rectangular parallelepiped battery cell 20, the walls of the case 211 include a bottom wall and four side walls. The case 211 is determined based on the shape after assembling one or more electrode assemblies 22, for example, the case 211 may be a hollow rectangular parallelepiped or cube or cylinder, and one surface of the case 211 has an opening so that one or more electrode assemblies 22 can be placed in the case 211. For example, when the case 211 is a hollow rectangular parallelepiped or cube, one plane of the case 211 is an opening plane, i.e., the plane does not have a wall and communicates between the inside and the outside of the case 211. When the case 211 is a hollow cylinder, an end surface of the case 211 is an open surface, i.e., the end surface does not have a wall, and communicates between the inside and the outside of the case 211. A cover plate 212 covers the opening and is connected to the case 211 to form a sealed cavity for placing the electrode assembly 22. The case 211 is filled with an electrolyte, for example, an electrolyte solution.

[0057] The battery cell 20 may further include two electrode terminals 214, which may be installed on the cover plate 212. The cover plate 212 has a generally flat plate shape, and the two electrode terminals 214 are fixed on the flat surface of the cover plate 212, and the two electrode terminals 214 are a positive electrode terminal 214a and a negative electrode terminal 214b, respectively. A connecting member 23, which may also be called a current collecting member 23, is installed corresponding to each electrode terminal 214, and is located between the cover plate 212 and the electrode assembly 22 to realize an electrical connection between the electrode assembly 22 and the electrode terminals 214.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 3, each electrode assembly 22 has a first tab 221a and a second tab 222a. The first tab 221a and the second tab 222a have opposite polarities. For example, if the first tab 221a is a positive tab, the second tab 222a is a negative tab. The first tab 221a of one or more electrode assemblies 22 is connected to one electrode terminal via one connection member 23, and the second tab 222a of one or more electrode assemblies 22 is connected to another electrode terminal via another connection member 23. For example, the positive electrode terminal 214a is connected to the positive electrode tab via one connection member 23, and the negative electrode terminal 214b is connected to the negative electrode tab via another connection member 23.

[0059] In the battery cell 20, one or more electrode assemblies 22 may be installed according to actual usage needs. As shown in FIG. 3, four independent electrode assemblies 22 are installed in the battery cell 20.

[0060] A pressure relief mechanism 213 may further be installed on the battery cell 20. The pressure relief mechanism 213 is configured to operate when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell 20 reaches a threshold value, to release the internal pressure or temperature.

[0061] The pressure relief mechanism 213 may be any possible pressure relief structure, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto. For example, the pressure relief mechanism 213 may be a temperature-sensitive pressure relief mechanism configured to melt when the internal temperature of the battery cell 20 provided with the pressure relief mechanism 213 reaches a threshold, and / or the pressure relief mechanism 213 may be a pressure-sensitive pressure relief mechanism configured to burst when the internal air pressure of the battery cell 20 provided with the pressure relief mechanism 213 reaches a threshold.

[0062] 4 shows a structural schematic diagram of a battery 10 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 4, the battery 10 includes a housing 11, a plurality of battery cell strings housed in the housing 11, and a connection bar 101.

[0063] The battery cell string includes a plurality of battery cells 20 arranged along a first direction x, and the plurality of battery cell strings are arranged along a second direction y, the second direction y being perpendicular to the first direction x.

[0064] The first direction x is the arrangement direction of the multiple battery cells 20 in the battery cell string of the battery 10. That is, the battery cells 20 in the battery cell string are arranged along the x direction. The second direction y is the arrangement direction of the multiple battery cell strings in the battery 10. That is, the multiple battery cell strings in the battery 10 are arranged along the y direction.

[0065] The battery cell 20 includes a first wall 201 on which an electrode terminal 214 is installed. The connection bar 101 extends in a second direction y and is connected to the first walls 201 of a plurality of battery cells 20 in a plurality of battery cell rows arranged along the second direction y.

[0066] In the embodiment of the present application, the connection bar 101 is connected to the first walls 201 on which the electrode terminals 214 of the battery cells 20 in the battery cell rows arranged along the second direction y are installed, and the battery cells 20 are connected as a whole via the connection bar 101, in which case no side plate is installed inside the battery, and no structure such as a beam needs to be installed, and the space utilization rate inside the battery 10 can be greatly improved, and the structural strength and energy density of the battery 10 can be improved. Therefore, the technical solutions according to the embodiments of the present application can improve the performance of the battery 10.

[0067] Optionally, in one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. 4, the connection bar 101 includes a middle connection bar 101a connected to the first walls 201 of two adjacent battery cells 20 in the battery cell row.

[0068] That is, the middle connecting bar 101a connects the first walls 201 of two adjacent battery cells 20 in the battery cell string, thereby connecting the two adjacent battery cells 20 in the battery cell string, thereby improving the structural strength of the battery cell string.

[0069] Optionally, in one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. 4 , the connection bar 101 includes an end connection bar 101b connected to a first wall 201 of a battery cell 20 located at an end in the first direction x in the battery cell row.

[0070] The end connection bar 101b is connected to the first wall 201 of the battery cell 20 located at the end of the battery cell row in the first direction x, thereby improving the structural strength of the battery cell 20 located at the end of the battery cell row in the first direction x, and improving the structural strength of the battery 10.

[0071] Optionally, in one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. 4, the middle connection bar 101a is installed between two adjacent electrode terminals 214 of two adjacent battery cells 20.

[0072] The middle connection bar 101a is connected to the first walls 201 of two adjacent battery cells 20, and the electrode terminals 214 are installed on the first walls 201. Therefore, the connection bar 101 is installed between the two adjacent electrode terminals 214 of the two adjacent battery cells 20, so that when the connection bar 101 connects the two adjacent battery cells 20, it avoids covering the electrode terminals 214 and affecting the electrical connection of the battery 10.

[0073] Optionally, in one embodiment of the present application, the connection bar 101 may be a metal material plate. That is, the connection bar 101 is entirely made of a metal material. In this case, an insulating layer is provided on the surface of the connection bar 101. Optionally, the insulating layer may be an insulating film bonded to the surface of the connection bar 101 or an insulating paint applied to the surface of the connection bar 101.

[0074] Optionally, in one embodiment of the present application, the connection bar 101 may be a non-metallic material plate, i.e., the connection bar 101 is entirely made of a non-metallic insulating material.

[0075] Optionally, in one embodiment of the present application, as shown in Figure 5, a cavity 1013 may be provided in the connecting bar 101. The cavity 1013 can ensure the strength of the connecting bar 101 and reduce the weight of the connecting bar 101.

[0076] Optionally, in one embodiment of the present application, the cavity 1013 can be used to accommodate a heat exchange medium to regulate the temperature of the battery cell 20.

[0077] The heat exchange medium may be liquid, gas or solid, and adjusting the temperature refers to heating or cooling the plurality of battery cells 20. When lowering the temperature of the battery cells 20, the cavity 1013 may accommodate a cooling medium to adjust the temperature of the plurality of battery cells 20, and in this case, the heat exchange medium may be called a cooling medium, and more specifically, may be called a cooling liquid, a cooling gas, or a cooling solid. The heat exchange medium may also be used for heating, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto. Optionally, the heat exchange medium may be circulated to achieve a better temperature adjustment effect. Optionally, the heat exchange medium may be water, a mixture of water and ethylene glycol, a coolant, or air, etc.

[0078] Optionally, in one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. 6 , the connecting bar 101 has a size T in a third direction z of 0.5-30 mm, and the third direction z is perpendicular to the first direction x and the second direction y.

[0079] If the size T of the connection bar 101 in the third direction z is too small, the rigidity of the connection bar 101 will be low, and the structural strength of the battery 10 will not be effectively improved. If the size T of the connection bar 101 in the third direction z is too long, it will occupy too much space inside the battery 10, which is disadvantageous for improving the energy density of the battery 10. Therefore, by setting the size T of the connection bar 101 in the third direction z to 0.5 to 30 mm, the energy density of the battery 10 can be guaranteed and the structural strength of the battery 10 can be improved.

[0080] Optionally, in one embodiment of the present application, the size T of the connection bar 101 in the third direction z and the weight M of the battery cell 20 satisfy 0.05 mm / kg < T / M ≤ 50 mm / kg.

[0081] If T / M is too large, the battery 10 will lose weight energy density. Therefore, by making the size T of the connection bar 101 in the third direction z and the weight M of the battery cell 20 satisfy 0.05 mm / kg < T / M ≤ 50 mm / kg, the weight energy density of the battery 10 is guaranteed.

[0082] Optionally, in one embodiment of the present application, in order to further improve the weight energy density of the battery 10, the size T of the connection bar 101 in the third direction z and the weight M of the battery cell 20 may further satisfy 0.05 mm / kg < T / M ≤ 30 mm / kg.

[0083] Optionally, in one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. 6, the second wall 202 with the largest surface area in the battery cell 20 is included, and the second direction y is perpendicular to the second wall 202.

[0084] The wall with the largest surface area in the battery cell 20, that is, the second wall 202, is perpendicular to the second direction y. That is, the second wall 202 is perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the plurality of rows of battery cells 20 and parallel to the arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells 20 in each row. That is, when the plurality of battery cells 20 in each row of battery cells 20 are arranged, the surfaces with smaller surface areas of two adjacent battery cells 20 are arranged facing each other. When the plurality of rows of battery cells 20 are arranged, the second walls 202 with the largest surface areas of two adjacent rows of battery cells 20 are arranged facing each other. Such an arrangement method facilitates the assembly and layout of the plurality of rows of battery cells 20 and other members in the battery 10. For example, a water cooling plate may be installed between each row of battery cells 20. In such an arrangement method, the water cooling plate faces the second wall 202 of the battery cell 20, that is, faces the wall with the largest surface area of the battery cell 20. In this way, the contact area between the water cooling plate and the battery cell 20 is large, and effective thermal management of the battery 10 can be performed.

[0085] Optionally, in one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. 4, an end of the connecting bar 101 in the second direction y is fixed to the housing 11 to fix the connecting bar 101.

[0086] Optionally, the end of the connecting bar 101 in the second direction y may be glued to the housing 11 to be fixed thereto. It should be understood that the end of the connecting bar 101 in the second direction y may be connected to the housing 11 in other manners, such as riveting, welding, bolting, etc., but the present application is not limited thereto.

[0087] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 4, the end of the connecting bar 101 in the second direction y may be fixed to an outer frame 113 and / or an inner beam 114 of the housing 11.

[0088] Optionally, in one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. 6 , the connecting bar 101 includes a first surface 1011 and a second surface 1012 arranged opposite each other in the third direction z, the first surface 1011 being connected to the first wall 201 and the second surface 1012 being connected to the housing 11.

[0089] Specifically, the second surface 1012 may be connected to a cover 111 of the housing 11 as shown in FIG.

[0090] A first surface 1011 of the connection bar 101 is connected to the first wall 201, and a second surface 1012 of the connection bar 101 is connected to the housing 11, so that the battery cells 20 are connected to the housing 11 via the connection bar 101, thereby fixing the battery cells 20 and improving the structural strength of the battery 10.

[0091] Optionally, in one embodiment of the present application, as shown in Fig. 7, the second surface 1012 may be spaced apart from the cover 111 of the housing 11. In this way, there is a sufficient space between the electrode terminal 214 and the cover 111, so as to avoid the electrode terminal 214 and the cover 111 being collided and damaged due to the distance between them being too small.

[0092] Optionally, the second surface 1012 of the connecting bar 101 is glued to the housing 11. It should be understood that the second surface 1012 of the connecting bar 101 may be connected to the housing 11 in other manners, such as by riveting, welding, bolting, etc., and the present application is not limited thereto.

[0093] Optionally, in one embodiment of the present application, as shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the housing 11 includes a fixed wall 112 connected to a third wall 203 of each battery cell 20 in the multiple battery cell rows, and the third wall 203 is disposed opposite and separated from the first wall 201 along the third direction z.

[0094] The fixing wall 112 is connected to the third wall 203 of the battery cell 20 to fix the battery cell 20 and improve the structural strength of the battery 10 .

[0095] Optionally, in one embodiment of the present application, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, when the battery 10 is installed in a power consumption device, the connection bar 101 is located above the battery cells 20, and the fixed walls 112 are for supporting the battery cells 20.

[0096] Specifically, the connection bar 101 is located above the battery cell 20, i.e., the electrode terminal 214 of the battery cell 20 faces upward, and in the third direction z, the first wall 201 of the battery cell 20 is located above the third wall 203, and the fixed wall 112 is connected to the third wall 203, thereby supporting the battery cell 20 and improving the structural strength of the battery 10.

[0097] Optionally, in one embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. 8, when the battery 10 is installed in a power consumption device, the connection bar 101 is located below the battery cell 20, and the fixed wall 112 is for suspending the battery cell 20.

[0098] Specifically, the connection bar 101 is located below the battery cell 20, that is, the electrode terminal 214 of the battery cell 20 faces downward, and in the third direction z, the first wall 201 of the battery cell 20 is located below the third wall 203, and the fixed wall 112 is connected to the third wall 203, thereby suspending the battery cell 20. In this case, the wall toward which the electrode terminal 214 faces is not a force-receiving wall, and there is no need to leave a large gap between the electrode terminal 214 and the wall, thereby saving the space of the battery 10 and improving the energy density of the battery 10.

[0099] Optionally, in one embodiment of the present application, the connecting bar 101 is glued to the first wall 201. In the glued manner, the connecting bar 101 and the first wall 201 are fixedly connected, which simplifies the structure and facilitates processing and assembly.

[0100] It should be understood that the connecting bar 101 and the first wall 201 may be connected in other manners, such as, for example, by riveting, welding, bolting, etc., and the present application is not limited thereto.

[0101] An embodiment of the present application further provides a power consumption device, which may include the battery 10 in the above embodiment. Optionally, the power consumption device may be a vehicle 1, a ship, a spacecraft, etc., but the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto.

[0102] The following describes the examples of the present application. The examples described below are illustrative and are only for interpreting the present application, and should not be understood as limitations on the present application. If no specific techniques or conditions are specified in the examples, they are carried out according to the techniques or conditions described in the technical literature or product instructions.

[0103] Using the battery cell 20 and the connection bar 101 shown in the drawings, a safety test was conducted on the battery 10 in accordance with GB38031-2020, and the test results are shown in Table 1.

[0104] [Table 1]

[0105] As can be seen from the above test results, the battery 10 according to the present application can meet the requirements of safety performance.

[0106] Although the present application has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, various improvements may be made thereto and the elements therein may be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope of the present application. In particular, the respective technical features mentioned in each embodiment may be combined in any manner, as long as there is no structural contradiction. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions included in the claims.

Claims

1. A battery (10), comprising: A housing (11); a battery cell row housed in the housing (11), the battery cell row including a plurality of battery cells (20) arranged along a first direction (x), the plurality of battery cell rows arranged along a second direction (y), the second direction (y) being perpendicular to the first direction (x), the battery cells (20) including a first wall (201), and an electrode terminal (214) being installed on the first wall (201); a connection bar (101) extending in the second direction (y) and connected to the first walls (201) of a plurality of the battery cells (20) in a plurality of the battery cell rows arranged along the second direction (y).

2. 2. The battery (10) of claim 1, wherein the connection bar (101) includes a middle connection bar (101a) connected to the first walls (201) of two adjacent battery cells (20) in the battery cell row.

3. The battery (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the connection bar (101) includes an end connection bar (101b) connected to a first wall (201) of the battery cell (20) located at an end in the first direction (x) in the battery cell row.

4. The battery (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the middle connection bar (101a) is installed between two adjacent electrode terminals (214) of the two adjacent battery cells (20).

5. The battery (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting bar (101) is a plate of metallic material.

6. 6. The battery (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that an insulating layer is provided on the surface of the connection bar (101).

7. The battery (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting bar (101) is a plate of a non-metallic material.

8. The battery (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a cavity (1013) is provided inside the connecting bar (101).

9. The battery (10) of claim 8, wherein the cavity (1013) is used to accommodate a heat exchange medium to regulate the temperature of the battery cells (20).

10. The battery (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the connecting bar (101) has a size T in a third direction (z) of 0.5 to 30 mm, the third direction (z) being perpendicular to the first direction (x) and the second direction (y).

11. The battery (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that a size T of the connection bar (101) in a third direction (z) and a weight M of the battery cell (20) satisfy 0.05 mm / kg < T / M ≦ 50 mm / kg, and the third direction (z) is perpendicular to the first direction (x) and the second direction (y).

12. 12. The battery (10) of claim 11, wherein 0.05 mm / kg<T / M≦30 mm / kg.

13. The battery (10) of any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the battery cell (20) includes a second wall (202) having a largest surface area in the battery cell (20), and the second direction (y) is perpendicular to the second wall (202).

14. The battery (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the end of the connecting bar (101) in the second direction (y) is fixed to the housing (11).

15. The battery (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the connecting bar (101) includes a first surface (1011) and a second surface (1012) arranged opposite each other in a third direction (z), the first surface (1011) being connected to the first wall (201) and the second surface (1012) being connected to the housing (11), and the third direction (z) being perpendicular to the first direction (x) and the second direction (y).

16. The battery (10) of any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the housing (11) includes a fixed wall (112) connected to a third wall (203) of each of the battery cells (20) in the plurality of battery cell rows, the third wall (203) being spaced apart from and opposite the first wall (201) along a third direction (z), and the third direction (z) being perpendicular to the first direction (x) and the second direction (y).

17. The battery (10) of claim 16, characterized in that when the battery (10) is installed in a power consumption device, the connection bar (101) is located below the battery cell (20) and the fixing wall (112) is for suspending the battery cell (20).

18. The battery (10) of claim 16, characterized in that when the battery (10) is installed in a power consumption device, the connection bar (101) is positioned above the battery cell (20) and the fixed wall (112) is for supporting the battery cell (20).

19. The battery (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting bar (101) is glued to the first wall (201).

20. 20. An electrical power consumer comprising a battery (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 19, said battery (10) being for providing electrical energy.

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