Batteries and power consuming devices

Abstract

An embodiment of the present application provides a battery and power consumption device, including a housing, a battery pack, and a thermal management assembly. The battery pack is installed in the housing, the number of the battery packs is two or more and is arranged along a first direction, each battery pack includes two or more battery cells arranged along a second direction, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, the battery cells include a first side wall and a second side wall connected to each other, the first side wall is the wall with the largest area among all the outer walls of the battery cells, the first direction is perpendicular to the first side wall, and the second side walls of two adjacent battery cells are installed opposite to each other along the second direction. The thermal management assembly includes two or more heat exchange plates distributed along the first direction, the heat exchange plates are connected to the first side walls of the battery cells to adjust the temperature of the battery cells. The embodiment of the present application can meet the demands of thermal management and structural strength, improve space utilization, and realize a lightweight design.

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Energy conservation and emission reduction are key to the sustainable development of the automotive industry, and electric vehicles have become an important part of this due to their energy-saving and environmental advantages. Battery technology is a key element in the development of electric vehicles.

[0003] In conventional battery manufacturing processes, cooling structures and reinforcing structures are usually installed to satisfy the heat dissipation effect and structural strength respectively. However, this installation method results in a low utilization rate of the battery's internal space, which makes it impossible to meet the demand for weight reduction. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present application provides a battery and a power consuming device, where the battery can meet the demands of thermal management and structural strength, improve space utilization, and realize a lightweight design.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery including a housing, a battery pack, and a thermal management assembly. The battery packs are installed in the housing, the number of the battery packs is two or more and arranged along a first direction, each battery pack includes two or more battery cells arranged along a second direction, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, the battery cells include a first side wall and a second side wall connected to each other, the first side wall is a wall having a largest area among all the outer walls of the battery cells, the first direction is perpendicular to the first side wall, and the second side walls of two adjacent battery cells are installed opposite to each other along the second direction. The thermal management assembly includes two or more heat exchange plates distributed along the first direction, the heat exchange plates are connected to the first side walls of the battery cells to adjust the temperature of the battery cells.

[0006] In the embodiment of the present application, the thermal management assembly includes two or more heat exchange plates connected to the first side wall of the battery cell to adjust the temperature of the battery cell and meet the thermal management demand for the battery cell, and at the same time, each heat exchange plate of the thermal management assembly can be used as a structural member of the housing to meet the higher demand for the structural strength of the entire battery, thereby eliminating the horizontal and vertical beams installed inside the housing, achieving a high degree of integration, reducing costs, improving the space utilization rate of the housing, and realizing a lightweight design. In addition, the first side wall is the wall with the largest area among all the outer walls of the battery cell, and the heat exchange plate can better exchange heat with the battery cell, thereby adjusting the temperature of the battery cell and improving the thermal management efficiency.

[0007] In some embodiments, the heat exchange plate is adhesively secured to the first sidewall of the battery cell.

[0008] This is advantageous in improving the connection strength and connection stability between the heat exchange plate and the battery cell, thereby ensuring the safety and reliability of the battery. In addition, by integrally connecting the heat exchange plate and the battery cell by adhesive, the thermal management efficiency of the battery cell can be improved, and the installation of adjacent battery packs can be made more compact, thereby increasing the space utilization rate of the housing.

[0009] In some embodiments, a heat exchange plate is sandwiched between two adjacent battery packs.

[0010] In this way, the thermal management efficiency of the battery cells and the structural strength of the entire battery can meet higher demands.

[0011] In some embodiments, the thermal management assembly further includes a set of connecting tubes, the medium flow paths being provided in the heat exchange plates, the set of connecting tubes being used to communicate the medium flow paths of two or more heat exchange plates.

[0012] By installing a connecting pipe group and connecting the medium flow paths of two or more heat exchange plates through the connecting pipe group, it is not necessary to install a corresponding pipeline directly connected to a device for providing a heat exchange medium for each heat exchange plate, and it is possible to provide a heat exchange medium to each heat exchange plate and perform effective thermal management for each battery cell, while also simplifying the structure of the thermal management assembly and increasing the space utilization rate of the housing.

[0013] In some embodiments, the connecting pipe group includes a communication passage, an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, and along the first direction, the medium flow paths of two adjacent heat exchange plates are connected via the communication passage, and the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe are connected to the medium flow paths of the same heat exchange plate.

[0014] In this way, each heat exchange plate only needs one inlet pipe and one outlet pipe to meet the demand for heat exchange medium, which reduces the space occupied by the connecting pipe group and simplifies the structure of the connecting pipe group, facilitates assembly and replacement, and can be adapted to supply heat exchange medium for different numbers of heat exchange plates, improving flexibility and versatility.

[0015] In some embodiments, the housing is provided with a through hole, and the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe each extend from the housing through the through hole.

[0016] The inlet pipe and the outlet pipe can extend to the outside of the housing through the through hole, i.e., the external heat exchange medium can enter the housing through the inlet pipe and flow out of the housing through the outlet pipe, and the heat exchange medium Import and drainage, while at the same time reducing the risk of the heat exchange medium leaking into the housing, thereby ensuring the safety and reliability of the battery.

[0017] In some embodiments, the heat exchange plate has an upper wall, a lower wall, and a side wall connected to the upper wall and the lower wall, which are arranged opposite to each other along a first direction, and the upper wall, the lower wall, and the side wall surround and form a media flow path, and at a predetermined pressure, the upper wall and the lower wall are movable toward each other at least partially along the first direction to absorb the expansion force of the battery cells.

[0018] In the embodiment of the present application, when the battery cell expands during operation and the acting force on the heat exchange plate exceeds a certain pressure, the heat exchange plate can deform to absorb the expansion force of the battery cell, improving the safety performance of the battery, and the heat exchange plate can always maintain close contact with the first side wall of the battery cell, ensuring the thermal management effect, while making the connection between the battery cell and the heat exchange plate more compact and improving the connection strength.

[0019] In some embodiments, the heat exchange plate includes a support assembly installed in the medium flow path, the support assembly including a plurality of first support members distributed at intervals along a height direction of the housing, the first support members being connected to the upper wall and the lower wall, respectively, the first support members being installed at an incline and forming an angle with one of the upper wall and the lower wall of less than 90°.

[0020] The support assembly is installed to improve the support effect for the heat exchange plate, avoid the risk of the heat exchange plate absorbing the expansion force and the upper and lower walls being stuck together, and ensure the effectiveness of the medium passage. In addition, the first support member is installed at an incline and the angle between the first support member and one of the upper and lower walls is less than 90°, so that the first support member can be deformed better to meet the demand of the heat exchange plate absorbing the expansion force. In addition, the first support member may be manufactured with a reinforcing rib to realize a lightweight design.

[0021] In some embodiments, the first support member is a plate-like structure, which facilitates production processing, improves manufacturing efficiency, and is favorable for bending deformation, and meets the requirement of the heat exchange plate to absorb the expansion force of the battery cell.

[0022] In some embodiments, the support assembly further includes a plurality of second support members distributed at intervals along the height of the housing, the second support members having an extension dimension in the first direction that is smaller than the distance between the upper wall and the lower wall, and the second support members are connected to at least one of the upper wall and the lower wall.

[0023] By providing a second support member and setting its extension dimension in the first direction to be smaller than the distance between the upper wall and the lower wall, a better support effect can be achieved in cooperation with the first support member, and the deformation range of the heat exchange plate can be controlled. When the second support member of one of the upper wall and the lower wall contacts the other, the deformation of the heat exchange plate can be further limited, the blockage of the medium flow path can be avoided, and the effectiveness of the medium flow path can be ensured, thereby ensuring the effectiveness of the heat exchange plate.

[0024] In some embodiments, the second support member has a polygonal columnar shape, which is advantageous in that the second support member has a sufficient contact area with the upper wall or the lower wall, which can better ensure that the medium flow path is not blocked and that the heat exchange plate can operate normally.

[0025] In some embodiments, the first support members and the second support members are alternately distributed along the height of the housing.

[0026] This ensures uniformity of the supporting action on the upper and lower walls of the heat exchanger plate, prevents blockages in each part along the second direction of the cooling flow path, and better guarantees the effectiveness of the medium flow path.

[0027] In some embodiments, the battery further includes a stopper disposed within and fixedly connected to the housing, the stopper being used to limit deformation of the battery cell in the first direction.

[0028] In the embodiment of the present application, the stopper enables the positioning of the battery cell and the thermal management assembly, facilitates the installation efficiency and installation accuracy, and therefore ensures good quality of the battery. Furthermore, the stopper can cooperate with the heat exchange plate to better limit the deformation of the battery cell in the first direction, and ensure the safety performance of the battery.

[0029] In some embodiments, the stopper includes a limiting beam extending in the second direction, the limiting beam being connected to the housing at both ends in the second direction, the limiting beam being pressed against and connected to the heat exchange plate.

[0030] The stopper is in the form of a limiting beam, which saves the space required for its installation, allowing the housing to accommodate more battery cells and improving the space utilization rate of the housing.

[0031] In some embodiments, the battery includes a bus bar for electrically connecting two adjacent battery cells and two output members disposed on the same side in a first direction, the battery pack located at the outermost side along the first direction has two output ends, the two output ends are distributed along a second direction, and the two output members are electrically connected to the two output ends respectively to form a power supply path together with the bus bar.

[0032] The battery cells of two adjacent battery packs can be electrically connected by the bus bar, thereby realizing a series connection, a parallel connection, or a series-parallel connection of multiple battery cells in the battery pack. The two output members are electrically connected to the two output ends, respectively, and are provided on the same side in the first direction, thereby forming a power supply path together with the bus bar, avoiding the use of a large-sized output member spanning the battery pack, and being advantageous in improving the compactness and energy density of the battery cells.

[0033] In some embodiments, the two output ends are provided on two battery cells located at the second direction ends of the outermost battery pack, respectively, to ensure that the two output members are installed on the same side in the first direction, and the two output members and the two output ends form an output port for connection to an external power consumption device.

[0034] In some embodiments, the stopper is provided with an output member base, which is mounted to the stopper and is used to support the output member.

[0035] This makes it easy to attach and fix the output member, and also makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of contact short circuits, thereby ensuring the safety performance of the battery.

[0036] In some embodiments, the stopper is provided with a receiving groove, and the output member base is at least partially recessed within the receiving groove.

[0037] The receiving groove serves to restrict the output member base, preventing the displacement of the output member base from causing problems in battery safety, and at the same time serves as a positioning function, facilitating the installation of the output member base and improving manufacturing efficiency.

[0038] In some embodiments, the housing includes a top cover, a bottom cover, and a storage frame, the bottom cover and the top cover are installed opposite each other at both ends of the storage frame in the height direction of the housing, and the stoppers are connected to the storage frame and at least one of the top cover and the bottom cover, respectively.

[0039] The top cover, the bottom cover and the receiving frame can form a sealed space for placing the battery cells, which ensures the sealing requirements, facilitates processing and assembly, and further enhances the structural strength. In addition, the stoppers are respectively connected to the receiving frame and at least one of the top cover and the bottom cover, which allows the overall battery configuration to be set according to different needs, and enhances versatility.

[0040] In some embodiments, the housing further includes a connection base protruding from the receiving frame along the second direction, the connection base being used to attach the battery to the power consuming device.

[0041] By providing the connection base, the whole battery can be easily connected and fixed to the power consuming device to which it is applied, and the safety performance of the battery can be ensured.

[0042] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a power consuming device including a battery according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the battery is used to provide electrical energy to enable the power consuming device to operate normally. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0043] In order to more clearly explain 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 also obtain other drawings based on the drawings without exerting creative efforts. [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle provided according to an embodiment of the present application; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a battery provided in accordance with one embodiment of the present application. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view of a battery provided in accordance with one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a battery cell provided in accordance with one embodiment of the present application. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a partial top view of a battery provided in accordance with one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a top view of a thermal management assembly in a battery provided in accordance with one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 7] Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the direction AA in Fig. 6. In the drawing parts, the drawings are not drawn according to actual scale. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0044] The following detailed description will be given of the embodiments of the technical solution of the present application in conjunction with the drawings. The following embodiments are provided to more clearly explain the technical solution of the present application, and are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of protection of the present application.

[0045] It should be noted that unless otherwise explained, technical or scientific terms used in the examples of this application should have the ordinary meanings understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the examples of this application belong.

[0046] In describing the embodiments of the present application, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by technical terms such as "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial direction," "radial direction," "circumferential direction," and the like are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are for the convenience or simplification of the description of the embodiments of the present application, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to have a specific orientation and are required to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and should not be understood as limiting the embodiments of the present application.

[0047] Additionally, the technical terms "first", "second", etc. are for explanatory purposes only and should not be construed to indicate or imply relative importance or the number of technical features shown. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specified and specifically limited.

[0048] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified or limited, the technical terms "attached", "connected", "connected", "fixed", etc. should be understood in a broad sense, and may be, for example, fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrated, mechanically connected, electrically connected, directly connected, indirectly connected via an intermediate medium, or internally communicated or interacting between the two elements. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application according to the specific circumstances.

[0049] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified or limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a first feature may mean that the first and first features are in direct contact with each other, or that the first and first features are indirectly connected via an intermediate medium. Also, a first feature being "above," "above" or "on" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply means that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply means that the horizontal height of the first feature is lower than that of the second feature.

[0050] At present, in view of the development of the market situation, the application of power batteries is expanding more and more. Power batteries are not only applied to energy storage power systems such as hydroelectric, thermal, wind and solar power stations, but also widely used in many fields such as electric transportation tools such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles and electric cars, military equipment, aerospace flight and the like. With the continuous expansion of the application fields of power batteries, the market demand is also constantly expanding.

[0051] The applicant discovered that in order to improve the structural strength of conventional batteries, horizontal and vertical beams are usually provided inside the battery to increase rigidity and strength, and a structure such as a water-cooled plate is provided on one side of the inside of the battery to realize heat dissipation and temperature reduction of the battery. In addition, a heat insulating mat is provided between two adjacent battery cells to prevent heat from diffusing to the adjacent battery cells after thermal runaway of the battery cells. In addition, an expansion gap must be left between the two adjacent battery cells to avoid performance degradation due to the expansion force of the battery cells. However, while the above-mentioned provision satisfies the above-mentioned performance, the battery cannot guarantee a lightweight design, and the compactness of the battery is reduced, and the effective utilization rate of the space is reduced.

[0052] In order to achieve the goal of increasing space utilization and achieving a lightweight design while still meeting the demands of thermal management and structural strength, the applicant's research has revealed that improvements can be made to the structure and arrangement of the batteries.

[0053] Based on the above considerations, the applicant conducted extensive research and designed a battery that meets the requirements for heat management and structural strength while also achieving a lightweight design and improved compactness.

[0054] In such a battery, the battery pack is installed in the housing and meets the requirement of sealing. Two or more battery packs are distributed along a first direction of the housing, and each battery pack includes two or more battery cells distributed along a second direction of the housing, and the second side walls of two adjacent battery cells are installed opposite to each other along the second direction, and the first side wall is connected to a heat exchange plate included in a thermal management assembly to adjust the temperature of the battery cells and meet the thermal management demand of the battery cells. In addition, by doing so, the heat exchange plate can meet the demand for structural strength as a structural member of the housing, thereby canceling the horizontal and vertical beams installed inside the housing, thereby achieving a high degree of integration, reducing costs, improving the space utilization rate of the housing, and realizing a lightweight design. In addition, the first side wall is the wall with the largest area among all the outer walls of the battery cell, and the heat exchange plate can perform good heat exchange with the battery cells and improve the thermal management efficiency. In addition, by doing so, it is possible to avoid a situation where the heat exchange plate is installed only on one side of the housing, which is damaged due to an operating condition such as a collision, and even causing leakage, thereby ensuring the safety of the battery.

[0055] The technical solutions described in the embodiments of the present application are applied to battery-powered power consuming devices.

[0056] The power consumption device may be a vehicle, a mobile phone, a portable device, a notebook computer, a steamship, a spacecraft, an electric toy, an electric tool, etc. The vehicle may be a fuel oil vehicle, a gas vehicle, or a new energy vehicle, the new energy vehicle may be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a range extender vehicle, etc., the spacecraft may include an airplane, a rocket, a space shuttle, a spaceship, etc., the electric toy may include a stationary or mobile electric toy, such as a game console, an electric car toy, an electric steamship toy, an electric airplane toy, etc., and the electric tool may include a metal cutting electric tool, a polishing electric tool, an assembly electric tool, and a railway electric tool, such as an electric drill, an electric grinder, an electric wrench, an electric screwdriver, an electric hammer, a hammer drill, a concrete vibrator, an electric plane, etc. In the embodiment of the present application, the above-mentioned power consumption device is not particularly limited.

[0057] It should be understood that the technical solutions described in the embodiments of the present application are not only applicable to the power consumption devices described above, and for the sake of simplicity, the following embodiments will be described using an electric vehicle as an example.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a vehicle 1000 according to some embodiments of the present application. The vehicle 1000 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, an extended range electric vehicle, etc. A battery 100 is installed inside the vehicle 1000, and the battery 100 may be installed at the bottom, front or rear of the vehicle 1000. The battery 100 can be used to power the vehicle 1000, for example, the battery 100 can be an operating power source of the vehicle 1000. The vehicle 1000 may further include a controller 200 for controlling the battery 100 to supply power to the motor 300, for example, for starting, navigation and operating power needs during driving of the vehicle 1000, and a motor 300.

[0059] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery 100 can be used not only as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000, but also as a driving power source for the vehicle 1000, providing driving power to the vehicle 1000 in place of, or in place of, fuel oil or natural gas.

[0060] As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery 100 including a housing 10, a battery pack 20, and a thermal management assembly 40. The battery packs 20 are installed in the housing 10, and the number of the battery packs 20 is two or more and they are arranged along a first direction X, and each battery pack 20 includes two or more battery cells 21 arranged along a second direction Y, and the second direction Y is perpendicular to the first direction X, and the battery cells 21 include a first side wall 211 and a second side wall 212, and the first side wall 211 is the wall with the largest area among all the outer walls of the battery cell 21, and the first direction X is perpendicular to the first side wall 211, and the second side walls 212 of two adjacent battery cells 21 are installed opposite to each other along the second direction Y. The thermal management assembly 40 includes two or more heat exchange plates 41 distributed along the first direction X, and the heat exchange plates 41 are connected to the first side walls 211 of the battery cells 21 to adjust the temperature of the battery cells 21.

[0061] In the embodiment of the present application, the second direction Y is perpendicular to the first direction X, and optionally, the first direction X may be the longitudinal direction of the housing 10, and correspondingly, the second direction Y may be the width direction of the housing 10. Of course, the first direction X may be the width direction of the housing 10, and correspondingly, the second direction Y may be the longitudinal direction of the housing 10.

[0062] The housing 10 may be a simple three-dimensional structure such as a single rectangular parallelepiped or cylinder, or a complex three-dimensional structure formed by combining simple three-dimensional structures such as rectangular parallelepipeds or cylinders, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto. The material of the housing 10 may be, for example, an alloy material such as an aluminum alloy or an iron alloy, a polymer material such as polycarbonate or polyisocyanurate foam, or a composite material of glass fiber and epoxy resin, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0063] The housing 10 is used to house the battery cells 21 and can have various structures to seal and protect the battery pack 20.

[0064] In the battery 100, the battery cell 21 may be one or more. When there are more than one battery cell 21, the battery cells 21 may be connected in series, in parallel, or in series-parallel, and the series-parallel connection means that the battery cells 21 are connected in series and in parallel. The battery cells 21 may be directly connected in series, in parallel, or in series-parallel, and then the battery pack 20 may be housed in the housing 10 as a whole. Of course, the battery cells 21 may first be connected in series, in parallel, or in series-parallel to form a battery pack 20, and then the battery packs 20 may be connected in series, in parallel, or in series-parallel to be integrally formed and housed in the housing 10.

[0065] In the present application, the battery cell 21 may include a lithium ion battery cell 21, a sodium ion battery cell 21, a magnesium ion battery cell 21, etc., and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto. The battery cell 21 may be a flat body, a rectangular parallelepiped, or other shape, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto. The battery cell 21 is generally divided into a cylindrical battery cell 21, a prismatic battery cell 21, and a pouch battery cell 21 according to the package form, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto. However, for the sake of simplicity, the following embodiments will be described taking the prismatic battery cell 21 as an example.

[0066] Referring to FIG. 4 , a battery cell 21 refers to the smallest unit constituting the battery 100 , and the battery cell 21 includes an end cap 201 , a housing 202 , and an electrode assembly 203 .

[0067] The end cap 201 refers to a member that covers the opening of the housing 202 to isolate the internal environment of the battery cell 21 from the external environment. The shape of the end cap 201 may be adapted to the shape of the housing 202 so as to fit the housing 202, but is not limited thereto. Optionally, the end cap 201 may be made of a material (e.g., an aluminum alloy) having a certain hardness and strength. This makes the end cap 201 less likely to deform when pressed or hit, and can further increase the structural strength of the battery cell 21 and improve safety. The end cap 201 may be provided with functional parts such as an electrode terminal 201a. The electrode terminal 201a may be electrically connected to the electrode assembly 203 to input and output electrical energy of the battery cell 21. In some embodiments, the end cap 201 may further be provided with a pressure relief mechanism for releasing the internal pressure when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell 21 reaches a threshold value. The material of the end cap 201 can be various, for example, copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc., and is not particularly limited in the embodiments of the present application. In some embodiments, an insulating member may be provided on the inside of the end cap 201, and the insulating member may be used to isolate the electrical connection members in the housing 202 from the end cap 201 to reduce the risk of short circuit. Exemplarily, the insulating member may be plastic, rubber, etc.

[0068] The housing 202 is an assembly for forming an internal environment of the battery cell 21 together with the end cap 201, where the formed internal environment can be used to accommodate the electrode assembly 203, the electrolyte (not shown) and other components. The housing 202 and the end cap 201 may be independent members, or the housing 202 may have an opening and the end cap 201 may cover the opening at the opening to form the internal environment of the battery cell 21. The end cap 201 and the housing 202 may be integrated, but are not limited thereto. Specifically, the end cap 201 and the housing 202 may form a common connection surface before other components enter the casing, and when it is necessary to package the inside of the housing 202, the end cap 201 may cover the housing 202. The housing 202 may have various shapes and sizes, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped shape. Specifically, the shape of the housing 202 may be determined based on the specific shape and size of the electrode assembly 203. The material of the housing 202 may be various, for example, copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc., and the embodiment of the present application is not particularly limited thereto.

[0069] The electrode assembly 203 is a member where an electrochemical reaction occurs in the battery cell 21. One or more electrode assemblies 203 may be included in the housing 202. The electrode assembly 203 is mainly formed by winding or stacking a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate, and generally, a separator is provided between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate. The parts of the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate having active material constitute the main body of the electrode assembly 203, and the parts of the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate not having active material constitute tabs. The positive electrode tab 203a and the negative electrode tab 203b may both be located at one end of the main body, or may be located at both ends of the main body. During the charging and discharging process of the battery 100, the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material react with the electrolyte, and the tabs are connected to the electrode terminal 201a to form a current circuit.

[0070] Continuing to refer to FIGS. 3 and 4 , the battery 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes a thermal management assembly 40 including two or more heat exchange plates 41 distributed along a first direction X, and the heat exchange plates 41 are connected to the first side walls 211 of the battery cells 21 to regulate the temperature of the battery cells 21.

[0071] Optionally, the heat exchange plate 41 may be two or, of course, multiple.

[0072] Optionally, each heat exchange plate 41 may be connected to the first side wall 211 of the battery cell 21, i.e., one battery pack 20 is sandwiched between two adjacent heat exchange plates 41 in the first direction X, thereby thermally managing the battery cell 21 in contact therewith. Also, since the first side wall 211 is the wall with the largest area among all the outer walls of the battery cell 21, the contact area between the heat exchange plate 41 and the battery cell 21 can be made larger, which contributes to improving the efficiency of thermal management of the battery cell 21.

[0073] Each battery cell 21 may have two first side walls 211, that is, the two first side walls 211 of each battery cell 21 are respectively connected to the heat exchange plate 41 to better enhance the thermal management efficiency and ensure the stability of the temperature of the battery cell 21.

[0074] It should be understood that the thermal management is the transfer of heat between the heat exchange plate 41 and the battery cell 21. For example, the heat exchange plate 41 is brought into direct contact with the battery cell 21 to realize contact-type heat exchange, or a heat conductive structure (e.g., a thermally conductive adhesive) is provided between the heat exchange plate 41 and the battery cell 21 to perform heat exchange. Specifically, the thermal management assembly 40 dissipates heat, lowers the temperature of the battery cell 21 or heats it up through the heat exchange plate 41, controls the temperature of the battery cell 21 within an appropriate range, and improves the service life and safety performance of the battery cell 21. When a certain battery cell 21 experiences thermal runaway, the heat generated from the thermally runaway battery cell 21 is taken away by the heat exchange plate 41 in contact therewith, thereby lowering the temperature of the thermally runaway battery cell 21 and avoiding the thermal runaway problem from occurring in the adjacent battery cell 21, thereby ensuring the safety of the battery cell 21.

[0075] For example, one battery pack 20 is sandwiched between two adjacent heat exchange plates 41, and each heat exchange plate 41 is connected to one side wall 211 of a battery cell 21. That is, one battery pack 20 can exchange heat with two heat exchange plates 41, which is beneficial to improving the thermal management efficiency and enhancing the safety and reliability of the battery cell 21.

[0076] For example, by similarly installing a heat exchange plate 41 between the outermost battery pack 20, i.e., the battery pack 20 in which the first side wall 211 of the battery cell 21 is installed adjacent to the housing 10 in the first direction X, and the housing 10, the thermal management efficiency is improved and contact between the battery cell 21 and the housing 10 is avoided, preventing the occurrence of electrical connection or thermal runaway. At the same time, the heat exchange plate 41 provides support and protection for the battery cell 21 and increases the structural strength.

[0077] It can be understood that the number of heat exchange plates 41 is greater than that of battery packs 20 in order to better enhance the thermal management efficiency, structural strength and prevent thermal runaway problems.

[0078] Optionally, in the height direction Z, the height of the heat exchange plate 41 may be the same as the height of the battery cells 21, or of course, may be different.

[0079] Optionally, the height of the heat exchange plate 41 and the height of the battery cell 21 can be made the same to increase the connection area between the heat exchange plate 41 and the first side wall 211, thereby improving the heat exchange between the heat exchange plate 41 and the battery cell 21, thereby improving the thermal management effect of the thermal management assembly 40, and improving the safety and reliability of the battery 100.

[0080] Optionally, by making the height of the heat exchange plate 41 different from the height of the battery cell 21, i.e., by making the extension length of the heat exchange plate 41 in the height direction Z longer than the height of the battery cell 21, not only can the thermal management effect be improved, but the heat exchange plate 41 can support the battery cell 21, preventing forces from colliding or vibrating from the outside world from acting directly on the battery cell 21, improving protection for the battery cell 21, and mutually reinforcing the structural strength of the battery cell 21 and the heat exchange plate 41, thereby improving the structural strength of the battery 100.

[0081] By configuring the battery 100 as described above, the structural strength function can be integrated into the thermal management assembly 40, which is beneficial for improving the space utilization rate of the housing 10 while meeting the demands of thermal management and structural strength, and the horizontal and vertical beams installed inside the housing 10 can be eliminated, which is beneficial for achieving a high degree of integration, improving energy density, simplifying the manufacturing process, and reducing production costs, and also facilitating the realization of a lightweight design for the entire battery 100.

[0082] Additionally, by integrating structural strength features into the thermal management assembly 40 and spacing it out within the housing 10, the heat exchange plate 41 can be located on only one side of the housing 10, avoiding the risk of damage to the heat exchange plate 41 and leakage due to vibration, impact, or other operating conditions, thereby ensuring the safety of the battery 100.

[0083] In the battery 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application, the thermal management assembly 40 includes two or more heat exchange plates 41 connected to the first side wall 211 of the battery cell 21 to adjust the temperature of the battery cell 21 and meet the thermal management demand for the battery cell 21. At the same time, each heat exchange plate 41 of the thermal management assembly 40 can effectively improve the structural strength of the entire battery 100 as a structural member of the housing 10, thereby canceling the horizontal and vertical beams installed inside the housing 10, achieving a high degree of integration, reducing costs, improving the space utilization rate of the housing 10, and realizing a lightweight design. In addition, since the first side wall 211 is the wall with the largest area among all the outer walls of the battery cell 21, the heat exchange plate 41 can better exchange heat with the battery cell 21 and improve the thermal management efficiency. In addition, by providing two or more heat exchange plates 41 and connecting them to the first side wall 211 of the battery cell 21, i.e., by installing the heat exchange plates 41 inside the housing 10 rather than on only one side of the housing 10, it is possible to prevent the heat exchange plates 41 from being damaged and resulting in leakage of liquid during operating conditions such as collision or vibration, thereby improving the service life and safety reliability of the heat exchange plates 41, thereby improving the thermal management efficiency for the battery cell 21 and further ensuring the safety of the battery 100.

[0084] The battery 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application may adopt the above configuration, and during molding, the second side walls 212 of the battery cells 21 of the same battery pack 20 may be first placed opposite each other to form two or more battery packs 20. Then, the heat exchange plate 41 is connected to the first side walls 211 of the adjacent battery cells 21, and the heat exchange plate 41 and the battery pack 20 are stacked and integrated into the housing 10 by connecting the heat exchange plate 41 to the first side walls 211 of the adjacent battery cells 21, and then the housing 10 is sealed to complete the manufacturing of the battery 100. This molding method improves the space utilization rate of the housing 10 while satisfying the demands of thermal management and structural strength, realizes a lightweight design, and is easy to manufacture and advantageous for molding.

[0085] Optionally, during the above molding process, a heat exchange plate 41 may be connected to the first side wall 211 of each battery cell 21 in each battery pack 20, i.e., the heat exchange plate 41 and the battery pack 20 may be stacked and integrated into the housing 10, and the safety of the battery cells 21 may be better protected by connecting the battery pack 20 to the housing 10 via the heat exchange plate 41.

[0086] In some embodiments, the heat exchange plate 41 is adhesively fixed to the first side wall 211 of the battery cell 21 .

[0087] This makes the connection between the heat exchange plate 41 and each battery cell 21 stronger and more stable, ensuring that the entire battery 100 has a certain level of rigidity and strength, while reducing consumables and the total weight, and facilitating the realization of a lightweight design for the battery 100. Furthermore, adhesion simplifies the manufacturing process, and can improve production efficiency and assembly efficiency.

[0088] Optionally, a connecting adhesive layer may be provided between the heat exchange plate 41 and the first side wall 211 to adhesively fix the heat exchange plate 41 to each battery cell 21 .

[0089] Optionally, the connection adhesive layer includes a heat conductive structural adhesive, which not only has excellent adhesion effect, but also has properties such as heat conduction function, aging resistance, fatigue resistance, and corrosion resistance, which can improve the connection strength and thermal management efficiency between the battery cells 21 and the heat exchange plate 41, and more quickly transfer heat between the battery cells 21 and the heat exchange plate 41. Of course, the connection adhesive layer also includes double-sided tape, etc.

[0090] Furthermore, by connecting the battery cells 21 and the heat exchange plate 41 together by adhesion, adjacent battery packs 20 can be placed more compactly, improving the space utilization rate of the housing 10.

[0091] In some embodiments, a heat exchange plate 41 is sandwiched between two adjacent battery packs 20 .

[0092] In this manner, the first side walls 211 of each battery cell 21 of two adjacent battery packs 20 are both connected to the heat exchange plate 41, thereby meeting higher demands for thermal management efficiency of the battery cells 21 and structural strength of the entire battery 100.

[0093] As shown in Figures 2 to 6, in some embodiments, the thermal management assembly 40 further includes a connecting pipe group 42, in which a medium flow path 41a is provided in the heat exchange plate 41, and the connecting pipe group 42 is used to connect the medium flow paths 41a of two or more heat exchange plates 41.

[0094] The connecting pipe group 42 is a unit for connecting the medium flow paths 41a of the heat exchange plates 41 and can be connected to an external device that provides a heat exchange medium. The heat exchange medium flows in and out of the medium flow paths 41a of each heat exchange plate 41 via the connecting pipe group 42, and heat exchange management is performed for each battery cell 21.

[0095] By installing a connecting pipe group 42 and connecting the medium flow paths 41a of two or more heat exchange plates 41 via the connecting pipe group 42, it is not necessary to install a corresponding pipeline directly connected to a device for providing a heat exchange medium for each heat exchange plate 41, and while providing heat exchange medium to each heat exchange plate 41 and providing effective thermal management for each battery cell 21, the structure of the heat management assembly 40 can be simplified and the space utilization rate of the housing 10 can be increased.

[0096] Optionally, a group of connecting pipes 42 may be provided between the second side wall 212 of the battery cell 21 and the housing 10, and may be provided to communicate the medium flow paths 41a of each heat exchange plate 41, thereby achieving thermal management for the battery cell 21.

[0097] In some embodiments, the connecting pipe group 42 includes a communicating passage 421, an inlet pipe 422 and an outlet pipe 423, and along the first direction X, the medium flow paths 41a of two adjacent heat exchange plates 41 are connected via the communicating passage 421, and the inlet pipe 422 and the outlet pipe 423 are connected to the same heat exchange plate 41.

[0098] Optionally, the heat exchange medium can flow into the thermal management assembly 40 from the inlet pipe 422, and flow into the medium flow path 41a of each heat exchange plate 41 respectively through the connecting passage 421, and the heat exchange medium can flow into the other connecting passage 421 in the medium flow path 41a, and flow into the outlet pipe 423 through the connecting passage 421 to exit the thermal management assembly 40, thus completing the thermal management for the battery cell 21, meeting the thermal management demand, and ensuring the safety performance of the battery cell 21.

[0099] In this way, each heat exchange plate 41 can meet the demand for heat exchange medium with only one inlet pipe 422 and one outlet pipe 423, which reduces the space occupation rate of the connecting pipe group 42 and simplifies the structure of the connecting pipe group 42, facilitates assembly and replacement, and can be adapted to supply heat exchange medium for different numbers of heat exchange plates 41, improving flexibility and versatility.

[0100] Optionally, the communicating passage 421, the inlet pipe 422, and the outlet pipe 423 may be provided on the same side of the heat exchange plate 41 extending in the second direction Y, but of course they may be provided on both sides of the heat exchange plate 41 extending in the second direction Y.

[0101] Optionally, the extending direction of the inlet pipe 422 and the extending direction of the outlet pipe 423 may be the same or different.

[0102] Optionally, a heat exchange plate 41 is provided with a communication passage 421 on both sides extending in the second direction Y, and the communication passages 421 on both sides of each heat exchange plate 41 are connected in sequence and respectively connected to an inlet pipe 422 and an outlet pipe 423, which makes assembly and replacement easier and more flexible.

[0103] In addition, the connecting pipe group 42 is provided to include the communication passages 421, the inlet pipes 422, and the outlet pipes 423, and can be arbitrarily combined to be applicable to various numbers of heat exchange plates 41, which helps to improve flexibility and versatility.

[0104] Optionally, both sides of the heat exchange plate 41 extending in the second direction Y may be provided with connecting members to connect with the communication passages 421 to increase connection strength.

[0105] In some embodiments, the housing 10 is provided with a through hole, and the inlet pipe 422 and the outlet pipe 423 each extend from the housing 10 through the through hole.

[0106] In this manner, one end of the inlet pipe 422 and the outlet pipe 423 extend outside the casing 10, and the inlet pipe 422 can be connected to an external device that provides a heat exchange medium, facilitating the intake of the heat exchange medium and transporting it to the medium flow path 41a in the heat exchange plate 41, and the outlet pipe 423 can be connected to an external device that stores the heat exchange medium, and discharges the heat exchange medium that exchanges heat with the battery cells 21, facilitating the intake and discharge of the heat exchange medium and reducing the risk of leakage of the heat exchange medium within the casing 10, thereby ensuring the safety and reliability of the battery 20.

[0107] Optionally, the device for providing the external heat exchange medium and the device for storing the heat exchange medium may be provided as one and the same device, or of course as two separate devices.

[0108] 2 to 7, in some embodiments, the heat exchange plate 41 has an upper wall 41b, a lower wall 41c, and a side wall 41d connected to the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c, which are disposed opposite each other along the first direction X. The upper wall 41b, the lower wall 41c, and the side wall 41d surround and form a medium flow path 41a. Under a certain pressure, the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c are at least partially movable toward each other along the first direction X in order to absorb the expansion force of the battery cells 21.

[0109] The upper wall 41b, the lower wall 41c and the side wall 41d surround and form a medium flow path 41a, and the medium flow path 41a is connected in communication with the connecting pipe group 42, so that the connecting pipe group 42 can transmit the heat exchange medium into the medium flow path 41a and perform heat exchange with the battery cell 21, and the heat exchange medium after heat exchange can be transmitted from the medium flow path 41a to the connecting pipe group 42 and flow out, thereby completing thermal management for the battery cell 21.

[0110] The fact that the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c can move at least partially toward each other along the first direction X under a certain pressure means that when the battery cells 21 expand during operation and the force acting on the heat exchanger plate 41 exceeds a certain pressure, the heat exchanger plate 41 can be deformed to absorb the expansion force of the battery cells 21, i.e., the cross-sectional area of ​​the heat exchanger plate 41 in the first direction X becomes smaller, improving the safety performance of the battery 100. At the same time, the heat exchanger plate 41 can always keep the connection with the battery cells 21 more compact and increase the connection strength.

[0111] In some embodiments, the heat exchange plate 41 includes a support assembly 411 installed in the medium flow path 41a, and the support assembly 411 includes a plurality of first support members 4111 distributed at intervals along the height direction Z of the housing 10, and the first support members 4111 are respectively connected to the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c, and the first support members 4111 are installed at an incline and form an angle with one of the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c that is less than 90°.

[0112] The first support members 4111 are distributed at intervals in the height direction Z, and optionally, the size of the intervals between two adjacent first support members 4111 may be the same or different.

[0113] Optionally, the number of the first support members 4111 included in the support assembly 411 can be set according to the size of the heat exchange plate 41. The support assembly 411 is installed in the medium flow passage 41a and used to support the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c, and ensures the support demand for the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c.

[0114] The first support members 4111 are respectively connected to the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c, and when the heat exchange plate 41 deforms to absorb the expansion force of the battery cell 21, the first support members 4111 are deformable to accommodate the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c being able to move at least partially toward each other along the first direction X.

[0115] In addition, by installing the first support member 4111 at an angle and making the angle with either the upper wall 41b or the lower wall 41c less than 90°, the bendability of the first support member 4111 can be increased, allowing the heat exchange plate 41 to deform better to meet the need to absorb expansion force, and avoiding the risk of the deformation space being small due to a straight shape and the tendency for it to crack and become useless.

[0116] For example, by setting the angle between the first support member 4111 and one of the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c to a range of 30° to 60°, the support requirement is met, deformation is easily prevented, and the wall is less likely to break.

[0117] Optionally, the inclination directions of two adjacent first support members 4111 may be the same, or of course, may be different.

[0118] Optionally, the material of the first support member 4111 can be manufactured with a reinforcing rib structure, which ensures the supporting function while realizing a lightweight design of the heat exchange plate 41, and thus a lightweight design of the entire battery 100.

[0119] Optionally, the first support member 4111 is connected to the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c and extends in the second direction Y to increase the connection area between the first support member 4111 and the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c, and to increase the support strength.

[0120] In some embodiments, the first support member 4111 is a plate-like structure.

[0121] By providing the first support member 4111 as a flat plate structure so as to be more deformable, the demand for the heat exchange plate 41 to absorb the expansion force of the battery cells 21 can be met.

[0122] It is also advantageous for production processing and increases manufacturing efficiency.

[0123] In some embodiments, the support assembly 411 further includes a plurality of second support members 4112 distributed at intervals along the height direction Z of the housing 10, the second support members 4112 having an extension dimension in the first direction X that is smaller than the distance between the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c, and the second support members 4112 are connected to at least one of the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c.

[0124] Optionally, the second support member 4112 may be provided on the upper wall 41b or on the lower wall 41c, and illustratively, the second support member 4112 is provided on both the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c.

[0125] For example, in the height direction Z, the second support members 4112 are disposed between two adjacent first support members 4111. Optionally, one of the two adjacent second support members 4112 is provided on the upper wall 41b and the other is provided on the lower wall 41c, thereby ensuring that the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c receive an equal force and prevent the weight from being too heavy.

[0126] By providing the second support member 4112 and setting its extension dimension in the first direction X to be smaller than the distance between the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c, a better support effect can be achieved in cooperation with the first support member 4111, and the deformation range of the heat exchange plate 41 can be controlled. When the second support member 4112 of one of the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c contacts the other, the deformation of the heat exchange plate 41 can be further limited, the blockage of the medium flow path 41a can be avoided, and the effectiveness of the medium flow path 41a can be ensured, thereby ensuring the effectiveness of the heat exchange plate 41.

[0127] In some embodiments, the second support member 4112 is a polygonal prism.

[0128] By making the second support member 4112 polygonal columnar so as to have a sufficient cross-sectional area, when the heat exchange plate 41 absorbs the expansion force of the battery cells 21 and the second support member 4112 provided on the upper wall 41b or the lower wall 41c deforms until it comes into contact with the other wall, the second support member 4112 has a sufficient contact area, which improves the supporting capacity and avoids contact between the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c due to damage or even failure of the second support member 4112, thereby ensuring the effectiveness of the heat exchange plate 41.

[0129] Optionally, the second supporting member 4112 is installed perpendicularly to the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c to better ensure the supporting effect on the heat exchange plate 41, and ensure that the media flow passage 41a is not blocked.

[0130] In some embodiments, the first support members 4111 and the second support members 4112 are alternately distributed along the height direction Z of the housing 10.

[0131] The first support members 4111 and the second support members 4112 are distributed alternately, and optionally, two adjacent second support members 4112 may be alternately provided on the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c, but of course, the positions of the second support members 4112 may be set according to a certain arrangement rule.

[0132] For example, in the height direction Z, one of two adjacent second support members 4112 is installed on the upper wall 41b and the other is installed on the lower wall 41c, so that the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c receive equal forces while preventing the weight they receive from being too heavy.

[0133] This ensures uniformity of the supporting action on the upper wall 41b and the lower wall 41c of the heat exchanger plate 41, prevents blockages in each portion along the second direction Y of the cooling flow path, and better guarantees the effectiveness of the medium flow path 41a.

[0134] 2 to 5, in some embodiments, the battery 100 further includes a stopper 50 disposed within and fixedly connected to the housing 10, the stopper 50 being used to limit deformation of the battery cell 21 in the first direction X.

[0135] The provision of the stopper 50 provides positioning for the battery pack 20 and the thermal management assembly 40, facilitates accurate and rapid installation of the battery pack 20 and the thermal management assembly 40 at preset positions in the housing 10, prevents misalignment during installation that can cause other components to be inaccurately installed, improves installation efficiency and accuracy, and ensures good quality of the battery 100. In addition, the stopper 50 is fixedly connected to the housing 10, and as a structural member of the housing 10, it can meet the structural strength requirements and has a high degree of integration.

[0136] In addition, the deformation of the battery cells 21 in the first direction X can be restricted to protect the safe operation of the battery cells 21 and ensure the safe performance of the battery 100.

[0137] Optionally, the stopper 50 may be a structure that is integrally molded with the housing 10, and may be formed by a process such as bending, pressing, etc. Of course, the stopper 50 may be provided separately from the housing 10 and may be integrally connected thereto by welding, adhesive, etc.

[0138] Furthermore, the number of stoppers 50 may be one or two, or, of course, a plurality of stoppers may be provided.

[0139] In some embodiments, the ratio of the height dimension of the stopper 50 to the height dimension of the battery cell 21 is set to 2 / 3 to 11 / 10, and by having the two extreme values ​​of 2 / 3 and 11 / 10, the function of structural strength and deformation resistance are satisfied, while saving space and improving space utilization.

[0140] In some embodiments, the stopper 50 includes a limiting beam extending in the second direction Y, the limiting beam being connected to the housing 10 at both ends in the second direction Y, and the stopper plate being pressed against and connected to the heat exchange plate 41.

[0141] By making the stopper 50 in the form of a limiting beam, the arrangement space of the limiting beam can be saved, more battery cells 21 can be accommodated in the housing 10, and the space utilization rate inside the housing 10 can be improved.

[0142] Illustratively, the cross-sectional areas of the portions of the limiting beam in the height direction Z are all the same, which is advantageous for manufacturing and saves internal space of the housing 10.

[0143] The limiting beam is pressed against and connected to the heat exchange plate 41 to provide a supporting effect, and the limiting beam and the heat exchange plate 41 together can reinforce the structural strength and play a role in resisting deformation of the battery cells 21.

[0144] 2 to 5 , in some embodiments, the battery cells 21 include a bus bar 213 for electrically connecting two adjacent battery cells 21, and two output members 215 installed on the same side in the first direction X. The battery pack 20 located at the outermost side along the first direction X has two output ends, which are distributed along the second direction Y, and the two output members 215 are electrically connected to the two output ends, respectively, to form a power supply path together with the bus bar 213.

[0145] Optionally, the number of bus bars 213 can be one, two, or of course multiple.

[0146] Two adjacent battery cells 21 can be electrically connected via a bus bar 213, and optionally, the bus bar 213 can be connected to the electrode terminals 201a in the adjacent battery cells 21, thereby realizing a series connection, parallel connection, or series-parallel connection of multiple battery cells 21 within the same battery pack 20 or within two adjacent battery packs 20.

[0147] The battery pack 20 located at the outermost side in the first direction X has two output terminals provided thereon, namely, two electrode terminals 201a that are not connected to the bus bar 213.

[0148] The two output members 215 are electrically connected to the two output ends respectively and are arranged on the same side in the first direction X, thereby forming a power supply path together with the bus bar 213. This is advantageous in avoiding the use of a large-sized output member 215 spanning the battery pack 20 and improving the compactness and energy density of the battery 100.

[0149] Optionally, the shape of the output member 215 may be a curved plate or other shape, and the present application is not limited thereto.

[0150] In some embodiments, the two output terminals are provided to two battery cells 21 located at the ends of the outermost battery pack 20 in the second direction Y, respectively.

[0151] Doing so is advantageous in ensuring that the two output members 215 are installed on the same side of the first direction X, and the two output members 215 and the two output ends form an output port for connection to an external power consumption device.

[0152] In some embodiments, stopper 50 is provided with an output member base 214, which is mounted to stopper 50 and is used to support output member 215. Optionally, output member base 214 includes an insulating material.

[0153] This facilitates the attachment and fixing of the output member 215, prevents the occurrence of contact short circuits, and ensures the safety of the battery 100.

[0154] In some embodiments, the stopper 50 is provided with a receiving groove 51 and the output member base 214 is at least partially recessed within the receiving groove 51 .

[0155] Optionally, the number of the accommodating grooves 51 may be one, two, or of course more than one. Optionally, the shape of the accommodating groove 51 may be a shape that matches the output member base 214, and the accommodating groove 51 may be provided so as to be inserted exactly into the output member base 214, and the position of the accommodating groove 51 may be restricted to prevent it from being displaced.

[0156] The receiving groove 51 serves to restrict the output member base 214, preventing safety problems of the battery 100 caused by its displacement; at the same time, it also serves as a positioning function, facilitating the installation of the output member base 214 and improving manufacturing efficiency.

[0157] Optionally, the number of the accommodating grooves 51 and the output member bases 214 may correspond one-to-one, or may be provided in a multi-to-one correspondence, i.e., multiple output member bases 214 may be provided in the same accommodating groove 51.

[0158] Illustratively, the stopper 50 is provided with two or more receiving grooves 51 spaced apart from each other.

[0159] Optionally, the receiving groove 51 can be formed by press molding, that is, the receiving groove 51 can be quickly formed in the stopper 50, the process is simple, and material can be saved, which helps to realize a lightweight design.

[0160] Continuing to show in Figures 2 to 5, in some embodiments, the housing 10 includes a top cover 30, a bottom cover 11, and a accommodating frame 12, the bottom cover 11 and the top cover 30 are installed opposite each other at both ends of the accommodating frame 12 in the height direction Z of the housing 10, and the stopper 50 is connected to at least one of the accommodating frame 12, the top cover 30, and the bottom cover 11, respectively.

[0161] The top cover 30, the bottom cover 11 and the receiving frame 12 together form a housing 10 that receives the battery cells 21 and ensures the sealing requirement.

[0162] Optionally, the accommodating frame 12 may have an opening 10a, and optionally, the accommodating frame 12 has the opening 10a on one side, i.e., the accommodating frame 12 is integrally formed with one of the top cover 30 and the bottom cover 11, and the other seals the opening 10a and connects to the accommodating frame 12 to surround and form the housing 10 to seal and protect the battery pack 20. Of course, the accommodating frame 12 has openings 10a on both sides, and the top cover 30 and the bottom cover 11 seal both openings 10a, respectively, and connect to the accommodating frame 12 to surround and form the housing 10 to seal and protect the battery pack 20.

[0163] In order to improve the sealing performance after the accommodating frame 12 is connected to the top cover 30 and the bottom cover 11, a sealing member such as a sealant or a sealing ring may be provided between the accommodating frame 12 and the top cover 30 or the bottom cover 11.

[0164] Optionally, the top cover 30, the bottom cover 11 and the receiving frame 12 may be connected by bolts, Flowdrill Screws (FDS), adhesives, welding, etc., and the present application is not limited in this regard.

[0165] Optionally, the top cover 30 or the bottom cover 11 can be made of a material (e.g., aluminum alloy) with a certain high hardness and high strength, which is not easily deformed, has higher structural strength, and improves safety performance.

[0166] For example, at least a portion of the top cover 30 may be recessed along the height direction Z to form a recess, and a heat exchange plate 41 may be connected to the recess. When there is a gap between the recess and the battery cell 21 and other operating conditions such as collision or vibration occur, the recess can better absorb the force received by the heat exchange plate 41, thereby enhancing safety and reliability.

[0167] Optionally, a protective layer may be provided within this gap to prevent the top cover 30 from melting off in the event of thermal runaway of the battery cell 21.

[0168] Optionally, the bottom cover 11 and the receiving frame 12 may be a one-piece structure, and the housing 10 is formed by a process such as folding, pressing, etc. Of course, the bottom cover 11 and the receiving frame 12 may be provided separately and then connected together by welding, gluing, etc.

[0169] For example, the bottom cover 11 is detachably connected to the accommodating frame 12, which can reduce costs and allows the bottom cover 11 or the accommodating frame 12 to be easily replaced if a problem such as damage occurs.

[0170] Optionally, the bottom cover 11 and the receiving frame 12 may be made of the same material, but of course they may also be made of different materials.

[0171] In some embodiments, the bottom cover 11 may be made of a material having a higher strength than the material of the accommodating frame 12, which is advantageous for absorbing external impact forces and achieving a cushioning effect for the battery 100, preventing deformation and failure of the battery 100 due to vibration, impact, etc., improving the safety and reliability of the battery 100, further enhancing the structural strength of the entire battery 100, and adapting to various operating conditions.

[0172] Optionally, the bottom cover 11 may be provided with a reinforcing rib structure to further enhance the structural strength of the battery 100 .

[0173] Optionally, the stopper 50 can be connected to the receiving frame 12 and the bottom cover 11, or of course, to the receiving frame 12 and the top cover 30, or to the receiving frame 12, the top cover 30 and the bottom cover 11. In this way, the entire configuration of the battery 100 can be set according to different needs, which enhances versatility.

[0174] In some embodiments, the housing 10 further includes a connection base 13 protruding from the receiving frame 12 along the second direction Y, the connection base 13 being used to attach the battery 100 to a power consuming device.

[0175] The provision of the connection socket 13 is advantageous for the connection and fixation of the entire battery 100 to the power consumption device that uses it, making it easier to fix it to, for example, the chassis of the vehicle 1000, improving the connection stability and making the connection more solid, while at the same time avoiding safety risks to the battery 100 due to connection failure and ensuring the safety and reliability of the battery 100.

[0176] Optionally, the connection base 13 is provided protruding on one side of the accommodating frame 12 along the second direction Y, but of course, a protruding connection base 13 is provided on both sides of the accommodating frame 12 along the second direction Y.

[0177] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a power consuming device including the battery 100 of any of the above embodiments. The battery 100 is used to provide electrical energy to enable the power consuming device to operate normally.

[0178] It should be noted that the power consumption device provided in the examples of the present application has the beneficial effects of the battery 100 in any of the above-mentioned embodiments, but specifically, please refer to the description of the beneficial effects of the battery 100 described above, and the examples of the present application will not provide a detailed description thereof.

[0179] It should be explained that, where not inconsistent, the embodiments and features in the embodiments in the present application can be combined with each other.

[0180] Finally, it should be explained that the above embodiments are only used to explain the technical solutions of the present application, and are not limited thereto. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art can still understand that the technical solutions described in the above embodiments can be modified or some of the technical features can be replaced with equivalents, and such modifications and replacements do not cause the substance of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0181] In the drawings: 1000-vehicle;100-battery;200-controller;300-motor; 10—housing; 10a—opening; 11—bottom cover; 12—accommodating frame; 13—connection base; 20—battery pack; 21—battery cell; 211—first side wall; 212—second side wall; 213—bus bar; 214—output member base; 215—output member; 201-end cap; 201a-electrode terminal; 202-housing; 203-electrode assembly; 203a-positive tab; 203b-negative tab; 30-top cover; 40—thermal management assembly; 41—heat exchange plate; 41a—media flow path; 41b—upper wall; 41c—lower wall; 41d—side wall; 411—support assembly; 4111—first support member; 4112—first support member; 42—connecting tube group; 421—communicating passage; 422—inlet tube; 423—outlet tube; 50-stopper; 51-receiving groove; X-first direction; Y-secondary direction; Z-height direction.

Claims

1. A battery, A housing and a battery pack installed in the housing, the number of the battery packs being two or more and arranged along a first direction, each of the battery packs including two or more battery cells arranged along a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, the battery cells including a first side wall and a second side wall connected to each other, the first side wall being a wall having a largest area among all the outer walls of the battery cell, the first direction being perpendicular to the first side wall, and the second side walls of two adjacent battery cells being installed facing each other along the second direction; a thermal management assembly including two or more heat exchange plates distributed along the first direction, the heat exchange plates connected to the first side walls of the battery cells to regulate a temperature of the battery cells.

2. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange plate is adhesively secured to the first side wall of the battery cell.

3. The battery according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heat exchange plate is sandwiched between two adjacent battery packs.

4. 4. The battery of claim 3, wherein the thermal management assembly further comprises a group of connecting tubes, the group of connecting tubes being used to communicate the medium flow paths of two or more of the heat exchange plates, the group of connecting tubes being provided in the heat exchange plates with each other.

5. 5. The battery of claim 4, wherein the connecting pipe group includes a communication passage, an inlet pipe, and an outlet pipe, and along the first direction, the medium flow paths of two adjacent heat exchange plates are connected via the communication passage, and the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe are connected to the medium flow paths of the same heat exchange plate.

6. The battery of claim 5 , wherein the housing is provided with a through hole, and the inlet tube and the outlet tube each extend from the housing through the through hole.

7. The heat exchange plate has an upper wall, a lower wall, and a side wall connected to the upper wall and the lower wall, which are disposed opposite each other along the first direction, and the upper wall, the lower wall, and the side wall surround the medium flow path, 5. The battery of claim 4, wherein at a predetermined pressure, the upper wall and the lower wall are movable toward each other at least partially along the first direction to accommodate expansion forces of the battery cells.

8. 8. The battery of claim 7, wherein the heat exchange plate includes a support assembly installed in the medium flow path, the support assembly including a plurality of first support members distributed at intervals along the height direction of the housing, the first support members being connected to the upper wall and the lower wall, respectively, the first support members being installed at an incline and forming an angle with one of the upper wall and the lower wall of less than 90°.

9. The battery according to claim 8 , wherein the first support member is a plate-like structure.

10. 9. The battery of claim 8, wherein the support assembly further includes a plurality of second support members distributed at intervals along the height direction of the housing, the second support members having an extension dimension in the first direction that is smaller than the distance between the upper wall and the lower wall, and the second support members are connected to at least one of the upper wall and the lower wall.

11. The battery of claim 10 , wherein the second support member is a polygonal column.

12. The battery according to claim 10 , wherein the first support members and the second support members are alternately distributed along a height direction of the housing.

13. The battery of any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising a stopper installed within the housing and fixedly connected to the housing, the stopper being used to limit deformation of the battery cell in the first direction.

14. The battery of claim 13 , wherein the stopper includes a limiting beam extending in the second direction, the limiting beam being connected to the housing at both ends in the second direction, and the limiting beam being pressed against the heat exchange plate and connected to the heat exchange plate.

15. the battery includes a bus bar for electrically connecting two adjacent battery cells and two output members installed on the same side in the first direction; 14. The battery of claim 13, wherein the battery pack located outermost along the first direction has two output ends, the two output ends are distributed along the second direction, and the two output members are electrically connected to the two output ends respectively to form a power supply path together with the bus bar.

16. The battery according to claim 15 , wherein the two output terminals are provided on two of the battery cells located at ends of the outermost battery pack in the second direction, respectively.

17. 16. The battery of claim 15, wherein the stopper is provided with an output member base, the output member base being mounted on the stopper and used to support the output member.

18. 18. The battery of claim 17, wherein the stopper is provided with a receiving groove, and the output member base is at least partially recessed within the receiving groove.

19. The battery according to any one of claims 13 to 18, wherein the housing includes a top cover, a bottom cover, and a storage frame, the bottom cover and the top cover are arranged opposite each other at both ends of the storage frame in the height direction of the housing, and the stopper is connected to the storage frame and at least one of the top cover and the bottom cover, respectively.

20. The battery of claim 19 , wherein the housing further includes a connection base protruding from the accommodating frame along the second direction, the connection base being used to attach the battery to a power consuming device.

21. A power consuming device including a battery according to any one of claims 1 to 20, said battery being adapted to provide electrical energy.

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