Batteries and power consuming devices

Abstract

This application belongs to the field of battery technology, and specifically discloses a battery and a power consuming device, the battery including a housing and a battery array, the housing having a receiving cavity, the battery array being received in the receiving cavity, the battery array being formed by arranging M×N battery cells in M ​​rows and N columns, M≧1, N≧1, M and N are both positive integers. The battery cells in each column of the battery array are arranged along a first direction, the first direction being the longitudinal direction of the battery or the running direction of the power consuming device having the battery, the battery cells in each row of the battery array are arranged along a second direction, the second direction and the first direction intersect and intersect a vertical plane, respectively. The maximum size of the battery array in the second direction is D1, and the maximum size of the receiving cavity in the second direction is D2, where D1 / D2∈[0.9,1], thereby increasing the occupancy ratio of the battery array in the housing and reducing the gap between the battery array and the housing, thereby helping to improve the space utilization rate of the battery and increase the energy density of the battery.

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] With the development of new energy, more and more fields are adopting new energy as power. Power batteries have advantages such as high energy density, rechargeable, safety and environmental friendliness, and are widely used in fields such as new energy automobiles, home appliances, and energy storage systems.

[0003] A power battery typically includes a housing and a number of battery cells, which are arranged in an array within the housing. Conventional battery cells are spaced apart from the frame of the housing, which reduces the space utilization rate of the battery and is disadvantageous in improving the energy density of the battery. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present application has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a battery and a power consuming device that solves the problem of the low space utilization rate of conventional batteries.

[0005] A first aspect of the present application provides a battery, the battery comprising: a housing having a receiving cavity; The battery array accommodated in the accommodating cavity includes a battery array formed by arranging M*N battery cells in M ​​rows and N columns, where M≧1, N≧1, and M and N are both positive integers; The battery cells in each column of the battery array are arranged along a first direction, the first direction being a longitudinal direction of the battery or a traveling direction of a power consuming device having the battery, and the battery cells in each row of the battery array are arranged along a second direction, the second direction and the first direction intersect with each other and intersect with a vertical plane; The maximum size of the battery array in the second direction is D1, and the maximum size of the accommodating cavity in the second direction is D2, where D1 / D2 ∈ [0.9, 1].

[0006] According to the battery of the present application, all the battery cells form a battery array, in which each column of the battery array is arranged along a first direction and each row of the battery array is arranged along a second direction, in the second direction, the maximum size of the battery array is D1 and the maximum size of the accommodating cavity of the housing is D2, and by setting the value of D1 / D2 in the interval of [0.9, 1], the occupancy rate of the battery array in the housing can be made larger and the gap between the battery array and the housing can be made smaller, which is helpful in improving the space utilization rate of the battery and increasing the energy density of the battery.

[0007] In some embodiments of the present application, D1 / D2∈[0.99, 1]. In this embodiment, the value of D1 / D2 is further set in the range of [0.99, 1] to further reduce the gap between the battery array and the housing, further improve the space utilization rate within the housing, and further increase the space utilization rate and energy density of the battery.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present application, the longitudinal direction of the battery is parallel to or intersects with the direction of travel of the power consuming device. In this embodiment, the longitudinal direction of the battery is parallel to or intersects with the direction of travel of the power consuming device, which improves the convenience of arranging the battery in the power consuming device.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present application, the housing includes at least one partition beam installed in the housing to separate at least two of the accommodating cavities in the housing, and the battery array is installed in each of the accommodating cavities. In this embodiment, the partition beam is installed in the housing, and the accommodating cavities in the housing are separated by the partition beam, and the partition beam is installed in the housing, so that the strength of the entire housing can be increased and the partition beam can protect the battery array, thereby reducing damage to the battery array due to impact.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present application, the housing includes a frame that is installed along the first direction and intersects with the second direction, the frame constitutes a part of the accommodation cavity, and a part of the edge of the battery array is connected to the frame. In the present embodiment, by connecting a part of the edge of the battery array to the frame, it is possible to reduce the gap between the battery array and the housing, and further improve the space utilization rate and energy density of the battery.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery cell includes a plurality of surfaces, the plurality of surfaces including a first surface, the first surface being the surface with the largest area, the first surface being arranged along the first direction and intersecting a horizontal plane, the first surfaces of two adjacent battery cells in each row of the battery cells being arranged opposite to each other along the second direction, and the first surface of the battery cell closest to the frame being connected to the frame. In this embodiment, by connecting the surface (first surface) of the battery cell with the largest area to the frame, the support strength of the housing for the battery cell can be increased, and the expansion resistance of the battery can be reinforced.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery cell includes a plurality of surfaces including a first surface and a second surface, the first surface is the surface with the largest area, the second surface is smaller than the first surface, the second surface is arranged along the first direction and intersects with a horizontal plane, the first surface is arranged along the second direction and intersects with a horizontal plane, the first surfaces of two adjacent battery cells in each column are arranged opposite to each other along the first direction, the second surfaces of two adjacent battery cells in each row are arranged opposite to each other along the second direction, and the second surfaces of the battery cells closer to the frame are connected to the frame. In this embodiment, the first surface is the surface with the largest area of ​​the battery cell, and the area of ​​the second surface is smaller than that of the first surface, and by setting the arrangement directions of the first surface and the second surface, the battery array can meet the demands of different batteries and enhance the adaptability of the batteries.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery cell includes a plurality of surfaces, the plurality of surfaces includes a first surface having the largest area, the first surfaces of two adjacent battery cells in each column of the battery cells are arranged opposite to each other along the first direction, the first surfaces of two adjacent battery cells in each row of the battery cells are arranged offset from each other along the second direction, and the first surface of the battery cell close to the frame is connected to the frame. In this embodiment, the first surface is the surface having the largest area of ​​the battery cell, and by arranging the first surfaces of the two adjacent battery cells in each row and the first surfaces of the two adjacent battery cells in each column, the battery array can meet the demands of different batteries and enhance the adaptability of the batteries.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery cell includes a plurality of surfaces, the plurality of surfaces includes a first surface having the largest area, the first surfaces of two adjacent battery cells in each column of the battery cells are offset along the first direction, the first surfaces of two adjacent battery cells in each row of the battery cells are oppositely arranged along the second direction, and the first surface of the battery cell close to the frame is connected to the frame. In this embodiment, the first surface is the surface having the largest area of ​​the battery cell, and by arranging the first surfaces of the two adjacent battery cells in each row and the first surfaces of the two adjacent battery cells in each column, the battery array can meet the demands of different batteries and enhance the adaptability of the batteries.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present application, in the battery array, M≧2, and in each row of the battery cells, an adhesive is installed between two adjacent battery cells; And / or, in the battery array, N≧2, and an adhesive is installed between two adjacent battery cells in each row of the battery cells.

[0016] In this embodiment, the battery array is installed in M ​​rows and N columns, and when the number of battery cells in each column is two or more, adhesive is used to connect and fix two adjacent battery cells in each column, and when the number of battery cells in each row is two or more, adhesive is used to connect and fix two adjacent battery cells in each row. The method of connecting and fixing two adjacent battery cells using adhesive has a simple structure and makes it easy to carry out the assembly process, thereby speeding up the production pace and improving production efficiency.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present application, in the battery array, M≧2, and in the battery cells in each row, a partition member is installed between two adjacent battery cells; Alternatively, in the battery array, N≧2, and a partition member is provided between two adjacent battery cells in each column of the battery cells.

[0018] In this embodiment, a partition member is provided between two adjacent battery cells in each column, and the two adjacent battery cells can be spaced apart, thereby reducing adverse effects between the two adjacent battery cells, allowing the battery to perform at its full potential, and improving safety during battery use. Also, by providing a partition member between two adjacent battery cells in each row, the two adjacent battery cells can be spaced apart, which similarly reduces adverse effects between the two adjacent battery cells, allowing the battery to perform at its full potential, and improving safety during battery use.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present application, the partition member includes at least one of a heat-conducting member, a buffer member, and a partition plate.

[0020] In this embodiment, the partition member is provided as at least one of a thermal conduction member, a buffer member, a partition plate, and a partition beam, and two adjacent battery cells are separated from each other. Corresponding partition members are provided according to different demands, so that the battery array can meet the corresponding usage demands.

[0021] In some embodiments of the present application, the partition member includes a thermally conductive member arranged along the first direction and crossing the second direction, the thermally conductive member is arranged on at least one side of the battery cells in each row, and the battery cells in each row are thermally conductively connected to one of the thermally conductive members. In this embodiment, the thermally conductive member is arranged, and the arrangement of the thermally conductive member allows the battery cells in each row to be thermally connected to the thermally conductive member, thereby realizing efficient heat dissipation for the battery cells in each row, thereby maintaining the battery cells in a relatively safe operating temperature range, and further improving the safety of the battery use.

[0022] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery cell includes an electrode assembly, the electrode assembly includes a body and a tab protruding from the body, the tab is electrically connected to the electrode terminal, and in the second direction, the projections of the thermally conductive member and the body at least partially overlap and have an overlapping area. In the present embodiment, by providing the thermally conductive member and the body at least partially overlapping along the second direction, the body can be effectively heat-exchanged by the thermally conductive member, thereby enhancing the heat exchange effect to the battery cell.

[0023] In some embodiments of the present application, along the third direction, the size of the main body is L1, the size of the thermal conduction member is L2, and the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction intersect two by two, where 0.5≦L2 / L1≦1.5.

[0024] In this embodiment, by setting the range value of L2 / L1 within the interval [0.5, 1.5], the space occupied by the heat conductive member in the third direction can be reduced, thereby further improving the space utilization rate of the battery.

[0025] In some embodiments of the present application, in the third direction, the overlapping area has a size L3, where 0.5≦L3 / L1≦1.

[0026] In this embodiment, by setting the size of the overlapping area in the third direction, the heat exchange area between the heat conduction member and the main body can be rationally set, and the heat exchange effect of the heat conduction member with the main body can be greatly enhanced.

[0027] In some embodiments of the present application, a passage for accommodating a heat exchange medium is provided in the heat conductive member, and in this embodiment, the battery cells perform heat transfer with the heat exchange medium in the passage through the heat conductive member, and the heat exchange medium flows through the passage, which has high heat exchange efficiency and a simple structure.

[0028] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery further comprises a current collector in fluid communication with the thermally conductive member.

[0029] Here, the current collector is provided at one end of the heat conducting member in the first direction, or the current collector is provided at each of both ends of the heat conducting member in the first direction.

[0030] In this embodiment, the current collector is provided to realize the gathering of the heat exchange medium in the heat conductive member, reducing the number of parts and thereby improving the space utilization rate in the housing. In addition, when the battery is pressed or impacted in the second direction, the installation position of the current collector can avoid the pressing or collision, reducing the possibility of the current collector being damaged, and the battery can be sufficiently dissipated by the heat exchange medium, further reducing the safety risk of the battery caused by excessive temperature.

[0031] In some embodiments of the present application, there are two current collectors, and the two current collectors are installed at one end of the heat conductive member in the first direction, and the two current collectors are arranged along a third direction, and the first direction, the second direction and the third direction intersect two by two. In this embodiment, by installing two current collectors, the current collection performance for the heat exchange medium is improved, the heat exchange medium has a good flow rate, and the heat exchange ability of the heat exchange medium for the battery cell is further improved. In addition, by installing two current collectors together at one end of the first direction and arranging them in the third direction, the space occupied by the current collectors in the first direction in the battery can be effectively reduced, which makes it easier to install other structures in the battery.

[0032] In some embodiments of the present application, the partition member includes a thermally conductive member arranged along the second direction and crossing the first direction, the thermally conductive member is arranged on at least one side of the battery cells in each row, and the battery cells in each row are thermally conductively connected to the thermally conductive member. In this embodiment, the thermally conductive member is arranged, and the arrangement of the thermally conductive member allows the battery cells in each row to be thermally conductively connected to the thermally conductive member, thereby realizing efficient heat dissipation for the battery cells in each row, thereby maintaining the battery cells in a relatively safe operating temperature range, and further improving the safety of the battery.

[0033] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery cell is fixedly connected to the housing by a first adhesive layer, the battery further includes a thermally conductive member, the thermally conductive member is thermally conductively connected to the battery cell by a second adhesive layer, and the thermal conductivity of the first adhesive layer is equal to or lower than the thermal conductivity of the second adhesive layer. In the embodiments, the first adhesive layer is used to connect and fix the battery cell to the housing, and the second adhesive layer is used to thermally conductively connect the battery cell to the thermally conductive member, so that the thermal conductivity of the first adhesive layer is equal to or lower than the thermal conductivity of the second adhesive layer, ensuring more efficient heat dissipation from the battery cell by the thermally conductive member.

[0034] In some embodiments of the present application, the ratio of the thermal conductivity of the first adhesive layer to the thermal conductivity of the second adhesive layer is in the range of 0.1 to 1. In the present embodiment, any of the above ratio ranges can effectively dissipate heat from the battery cell by the thermal conductive member.

[0035] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery cell includes an electrode terminal, and the electrode terminal is disposed on at least one of the plurality of surfaces. In this embodiment, the electrode terminal is provided to realize electrical conduction to the battery cell through the electrode terminal, thereby ensuring that the battery cell can effectively realize charging and discharging operations.

[0036] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of surfaces further includes a third surface, the first surface, the second surface, and the third surface intersect two by two, and the electrode terminal is disposed on the third surface. In this embodiment, the electrode terminal position can be set to meet the mounting demand of batteries with different configurations of battery cells, and further improve the application range of the battery cells.

[0037] In some embodiments of the present application, the number of the third surfaces is two, the two third surfaces are oppositely disposed and cross the first surface respectively, the battery cell includes two electrode terminals of opposite polarity, the two electrode terminals of opposite polarity are disposed on one of the third surfaces, or the two electrode terminals of opposite polarity are disposed on two of the third surfaces respectively. In this embodiment, the positions of the electrode terminals can be set to meet the mounting demands of batteries with different configurations of the battery cells, and further improve the application range of the battery cells.

[0038] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery cell includes two electrode terminals of opposite polarity, and the two electrode terminals of opposite polarity are disposed on the third surface, or one of the two electrode terminals of opposite polarity is disposed on the third surface, and the casing of the battery cell constitutes the other of the two electrode terminals of opposite polarity. In this embodiment, the position of the electrode terminals can be set to meet the installation demands of batteries with different configurations of the battery cell, and further improve the application range of the battery cell.

[0039] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery cell includes the first surface and a fourth surface disposed opposite to the first surface, the first surface and the fourth surface are disposed opposite to each other along a first direction or a second direction, a recess is disposed on an edge of the fourth surface, the first surface is used for mounting the electrode terminal, and the electrode terminal is disposed to protrude from the first surface in the second direction and corresponds to the recess. In this embodiment, by setting the position of the electrode terminal, the mounting demand of batteries with different configurations of the battery cell can be met, and the application range of the battery cell can be further improved.

[0040] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery cells in each row include at least two of the battery cells, and the at least two battery cells are arranged along the first direction. In this embodiment, the at least two battery cells are arranged along the first direction, which facilitates the layout of the battery cells inside the housing.

[0041] In some embodiments of the present application, the maximum size of the battery cell along the first direction is L, and the maximum size of the battery cell along the second direction is D, where the value of L / D ranges from 1 to 30. In the present embodiments, the power capacity of the battery cell can be maximized by setting the sizes of the battery cell in the first direction and the second direction.

[0042] In some embodiments of the present application, the maximum size of the battery cells along the first direction is L, and the maximum size of the battery cells along the third direction is H, and the value of L / H is in the range of 0.5 to 6. The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction intersect with each other two by two. In the present embodiment, the battery cells are installed with the above size ratio, thereby maximizing the amount of power of the battery cells.

[0043] In some embodiments of the present application, along the second direction, N×D=n×D2, where n∈[0.7,1]. In this embodiment, by setting the ratio of N×D and D2, the battery array can be more adapted to the battery case, and the battery space utilization rate can be effectively improved while satisfying the installation of the battery array, and the energy density of the battery can be effectively increased.

[0044] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery cell includes an electrode assembly, the electrode assembly has a rolled structure and a flat shape, an outer surface of the electrode assembly has two flat surfaces, and the two flat surfaces face each other along a second direction; Alternatively, the electrode assembly has a stacked structure, and the first plate, the separator, and the second plate of the electrode assembly are stacked along the second direction. In this embodiment, the electrode assembly is configured to be flat with a wound structure, and the outer surface of the electrode assembly is configured to include two flat surfaces, and the two flat surfaces are opposed to each other along the second direction, or the electrode assembly is configured to have a stacked structure, thereby reducing the space occupied by the electrode assembly in the first direction and facilitating the layout and installation of other components in the first direction of the battery.

[0045] A second aspect of the present application provides a power consuming device, comprising a battery as described above, said battery being adapted to supply electrical energy to run said power consuming device.

[0046] In some embodiments of the present application, when the longitudinal direction of the battery and the running direction of the power consuming device are different, the first direction is the running direction of the power consuming device.

[0047] In this embodiment, the first direction is the traveling direction of the power consumption device, and the third direction crosses the first direction and the horizontal direction, the battery cell located inside the battery casing has a first surface and a second surface, an electrode terminal is installed on the first surface, and the second surface is connected to the casing, and the setting of the first direction facilitates the installation and layout of the battery in the power consumption device, and by adjusting the arrangement method of the battery cells inside the casing, the usage needs of various power consumption devices are met.

[0048] The above description is only an outline of the technical solution of the present application. In order to make the technical means of the present application more clearly understood and implemented according to the content of the specification, and to make the above and other objectives, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and understandable, specific embodiments of the present application are specifically cited below. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0049] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded structural diagram of a battery according to an embodiment of the present application. [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded structural diagram of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present application. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded structural diagram of a battery according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 7] 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery cell in the battery module shown in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 9]9 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery cell in the battery module shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 11] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 12] 12 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery cell in the battery module shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. FIG. [Figure 13] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 14] 14 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery cell in the battery module shown in FIG. 13. [Figure 15] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 16] 16 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery cell in the battery module shown in FIG. 15. [Figure 17] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 18] 18 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery cell in the battery module shown in FIG. 17. [Figure 19] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 20] 20 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery cell in the battery module shown in FIG. 19. [Figure 21] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 22] 22 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery cell in the battery module shown in FIG. 21. [Figure 23] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 24] 24 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery cell in the battery module shown in FIG. 23. [Diagram 25] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a heat-conducting member according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 26] FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a second portion of a housing according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 27] FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery according to an embodiment of the present application (a first part of the housing is not shown); [Figure 28] 28 is a diagram showing an enlarged structure of part A in the structure shown in FIG. 27. FIG. [Figure 29] 28 is a cross-sectional view of the BB portion in the structure shown in FIG. 27. [Diagram 30] 30 is a diagram showing an enlarged structure of part C in the structure shown in FIG. 29. [Diagram 31] 28 is a diagram showing the structure of the battery module shown in FIG. 27. [Diagram 32] 32 is a diagram showing the structure of the battery module shown in FIG. 31 from another viewpoint. [Diagram 33] FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram showing a second portion of a housing according to an embodiment of the present application. [Diagram 34] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a distribution structure of batteries in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0050] 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.

[0051] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art of this application. The terms used herein are used only to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application. The terms "including", "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".

[0052] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the terms "first", "second", etc. are used only for the purpose of distinguishing different objects, and are not understood to express or imply relative importance, or to imply the number, specific order, or primary-subordinate relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specified by specific limitations.

[0053] When referring to an "embodiment" in the present specification, it means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present 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 can explicitly and implicitly understand that the embodiment described in this specification can be combined with other embodiments.

[0054] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the term "and / or" 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 combination of A and B, and B alone. In addition, the character " / " in the text generally indicates that the related objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0055] In describing the embodiments of the present application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple groups" refers to two or more groups (including two groups), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more pieces (including two pieces).

[0056] 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.

[0057] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified or limited, the technical terms "attached", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, they may be fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrated, may be mechanically connected, may be electrically connected, may be directly connected, may be indirectly connected via an intermediate medium, may be internally connected between the two elements, or may be in an interactive relationship 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 situation.

[0058] At present, in view of the development of the market situation, the application of power battery is expanding more and more. Power battery is not only applied to energy storage power supply systems such as hydroelectric, thermal, wind and solar power stations, but also widely applied in many fields such as electric transportation tools such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles and electric cars, military equipment, aerospace flight, etc. With the continuous expansion of the application field of power battery, the market demand is also constantly expanding.

[0059] The applicant of the present application believes that a conventional power battery usually includes a housing and a plurality of battery cells, and all the battery cells are arranged and installed within the housing, and are installed at a distance between the conventional battery cells and the frame of the housing, which reduces the space utilization rate of the battery and is disadvantageous in providing the energy density of the battery. Therefore, how to solve the problem of the conventional battery's low space utilization rate has become a technical problem that must be solved as soon as possible by those skilled in the art.

[0060] In order to solve the problem of the low space utilization rate of the conventional battery, the inventors of the present application have found through research that the battery cells installed in the receiving cavity of the battery housing are formed into a battery array, and the battery array is formed by arranging M×N battery cells in M ​​rows and N columns, where M≧1, N≧1, and M and N are all positive integers, the battery cells in each column of the battery array are arranged along a first direction, the first direction is the longitudinal direction of the battery or the running direction of the power consumption device having the battery, the battery cells in each row of the battery array are arranged along a second direction, the second direction intersects with the first direction and intersects with a vertical plane respectively, the maximum size of the battery array in the second direction is D1, and the maximum size of the receiving cavity in the second direction is D2, where D1 / D2∈[0.9,1], thereby increasing the occupancy rate of the battery array in the housing and reducing the gap between the battery array and the housing, thereby helping to improve the space utilization rate of the battery and increase the energy density of the battery.

[0061] The battery cells according to the embodiments of the present application can be used in, but are not limited to, power consuming devices such as vehicles, ships, aircraft, etc. The power supply system of the power consuming device can be configured using the battery cells, batteries, etc. according to the present application.

[0062] In the embodiments of the present application, the power consumption device using a battery as a power source may be, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop, an electric toy, an electric tool, a battery car, an electric car, a ship, a spacecraft, etc. Here, the electric toy may include a stationary or mobile electric toy, such as a game console, an electric car toy, an electric steamer toy, an electric airplane toy, etc., and the spacecraft may include an airplane, a rocket, a space shuttle, a spacecraft, etc.

[0063] It should be noted that the technical solutions described in the embodiments of the present application are not only applicable to the above-mentioned batteries and power consuming devices, but are also applicable to all batteries including housings and power consuming devices using batteries. However, for the sake of simplicity, the following embodiments are all described using electric vehicles as examples.

[0064] Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle 1 according to some embodiments of the present application. The vehicle 1 may be a gasoline vehicle, a gas vehicle, or a new energy vehicle, and the new energy vehicle may be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, or an extended range electric vehicle, etc. A battery 10 is installed inside the vehicle 1, and the battery 10 can be installed at the bottom, head, or tail of the vehicle 1. The battery 10 is 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. The vehicle 1 may further include a controller 11 and a motor 12, and the controller 11 is used to control the battery 10 to supply power to the motor 12, for example, for starting the vehicle 1, navigation, and operating power consumption needs during driving.

[0065] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery 10 functions not only as an operating power source for the vehicle 1, but also as a traction power source for the vehicle 1, and can provide traction power to the vehicle 1 in place of, or in part in place of, fuel or natural gas.

[0066] In order to meet different power usage demands, the battery 10 may include a plurality of battery cells, which are the minimum units constituting a battery module or a battery pack. The plurality of battery cells may be connected in series and / or in parallel via electrode terminals to be applied to various application scenarios. The battery 10 referred to in this application includes a battery module or a battery pack. Here, the plurality of battery cells may be connected in series, in parallel, or in series-parallel, and the series-parallel connection refers to a mixture of series and parallel connections. The battery 10 may also be called a battery pack. In the embodiment of this application, the plurality of battery cells may directly constitute a battery pack, or a battery module may be first constituted, and then the battery module may constitute a battery pack.

[0067] FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery 10 according to an embodiment of the present application. In FIG. 2, the battery 10 includes a plurality of battery modules 20 and a housing 30, and the plurality of battery modules 20 are housed inside the housing 30. The housing 30 houses the battery cells 21 or the battery modules 20 to prevent liquids and other foreign matter from affecting the charging or discharging of the battery cells. The housing 30 may be a simple three-dimensional structure such as a single rectangular parallelepiped, a cylinder, or a sphere, or a complex three-dimensional structure combining simple three-dimensional structures such as a rectangular parallelepiped, a cylinder, or a sphere, and the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto. The material of the housing 30 may be 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 embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto.

[0068] 2, the housing 30 includes a first portion 31 and a second portion 32, the first portion 31 and the second portion 32 are placed over each other, and the first portion 31 and the second portion 32 together define a space for accommodating the battery cell 21. The second portion 32 may have a hollow structure with one end open, and the first portion 31 may have a plate-like structure, and the first portion 31 is placed over the open side of the second portion 32, so that the first portion 31 and the second portion 32 together define a space for accommodating the battery cell 21. The first portion 31 and the second portion 32 may both have a hollow structure with one end open, and the open side of the first portion 31 may be placed over the open side of the second portion 32.

[0069] FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module 20 according to an embodiment of the present application. In FIG. 3, the battery module 20 may include a plurality of battery cells 21, and the plurality of battery cells 21 may be first connected in series or parallel or series-parallel to form a battery module 20, and the plurality of battery modules 20 may be further connected in series or parallel or series-parallel to form a battery. In the present application, the battery cells 21 may include lithium ion batteries, sodium ion batteries, magnesium ion batteries, etc., and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto. The battery cells 21 may be cylindrical, flat, rectangular, or other shapes, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto. The battery cells 21 are generally divided into three types according to the package form: cylindrical battery cells, rectangular parallelepiped prismatic battery cells, and pouch battery cells, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0070] 4 is a schematic diagram of a battery cell 21 according to an embodiment of the present application. The battery cell 21 includes a casing 211, an end cap 212, and an electrode assembly 213.

[0071] The end cap 212 refers to a member that covers the opening of the casing 211 to isolate the internal environment of the battery cell 21 from the external environment. Although not limited thereto, the shape of the end cap 212 can be adapted to the casing 211 so as to match the shape of the casing 211. Optionally, the end cap 212 may be manufactured from a material (e.g., an aluminum alloy) having a certain hardness and strength that is not easily deformed when pressed or hit, so that the end cap 212 is not easily deformed when pressed or hit, and the structural strength of the battery cell 21 can be further improved and the safety performance can be improved. The material of the end cap 212 may be various, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc., and the embodiments of the present application are not particularly limited thereto. In some embodiments, an insulating member may be further provided inside the end cap 212, and the insulating member is used to isolate the electrical connection member in the casing 211 from the end cap 212 to reduce the risk of short circuit. Exemplarily, the insulating member may be plastic, rubber, etc.

[0072] The casing 211 is a member for fitting the end cap 212 to form an internal environment of the battery cell 21, where the internal environment is used to accommodate the electrode assembly 213, the electrolyte, and other components. The casing 211 and the end cap 212 may be separate members, and an opening is provided in the casing 211, and the end cap 212 is placed over the opening to form the internal environment of the battery cell 21. Although not limited thereto, the end cap 212 and the casing 211 may be integrated, but specifically, the end cap 212 and the casing 211 form a common connection surface before other components enter the casing, and when it is necessary to package the inside of the casing 211, the end cap 212 is placed over the casing 211. The casing 211 may have various shapes and sizes, such as a rectangular parallelepiped shape, a cylindrical shape, a hexagonal prism shape, and the like. Specifically, the shape of the casing 211 may be determined according to the specific shape and size of the cell assembly. The material of the casing 211 may be a variety of materials, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc., and the embodiment of the present application is not particularly limited thereto.

[0073] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figs. 5 to 33, the present application provides a battery 10 including a housing 30 and a battery array 20, the housing 30 having a housing cavity 34, the battery array 20 being housed in the housing cavity 34, and as shown in Figs. 27 and 32, the battery array 20 is formed by arranging M x N battery cells 21 in M ​​rows and N columns, where M ≥ 1, N ≥ 1, and M and N are both positive integers. The battery cells 21 in each column of the battery array 20 are arranged along a first direction which is the longitudinal direction of the battery 10 or the traveling direction of the power consumption device 1 having the battery 10, and the battery cells 21 in each row of the battery array 20 are arranged along a second direction, which intersects with the second direction and the first direction and intersects with a vertical plane, respectively. As shown in Fig. 29, the maximum size of the battery array 20 in the second direction is D1, and the maximum size of the housing cavity 34 in the second direction is D2, where D1 / D2 ∈ [0.9, 1].

[0074] In the present application, the battery array 20 may be configured with at least one row and one column, or may be configured with two rows and one column, or may be configured with one row and two columns, or may be configured with two rows and two columns. Here, as shown in Fig. 31, in the embodiment shown in the drawings of the present application, the battery array 20 is configured with multiple rows (three or more rows) and multiple columns (three or more columns).

[0075] Also, as shown in FIG. 27, the battery 10 has a roughly rectangular structure, and has a longitudinal direction, a width direction, and a height direction, and the first direction coincides with the longitudinal direction of the battery 10 or the running direction of the power consumption device 1, where the longitudinal direction and the running direction of the battery 10 may be the same or different, the second direction and the first direction are located in the same plane, and the two directions intersect, and the present application further has a third direction, where the third direction, the second direction, and the first direction intersect each other two by two.

[0076] Specifically, as shown in Figures 27 and 29, all the battery cells 21 form a battery array 20, in which each column of the battery array 20 is installed along a first direction and each row of the battery array 20 is installed along a second direction, in the second direction, the maximum size of the battery array 20 is D1, the maximum size of the accommodating cavity 34 of the housing 30 is D2, and the value of D1 / D2 is set within the interval [0.9, 1], so that the occupancy rate of the battery array 20 in the housing 30 is larger and the gap between the battery array 20 and the housing 30 is reduced, thus improving the space utilization rate of the battery 10 and being favorable for improving the energy density of the battery 10.

[0077] It should be understood that in this application, the battery array 20 may also be referred to as an assembly of batteries 10 .

[0078] The closer the value of D1 / D2 is to 1, the higher the spatial utilization rate of the battery 10. If the value of D1 / D2 is less than 0.9, the spatial utilization rate and energy density of the battery decrease, and if the value of D1 / D2 is greater than 1, the battery array cannot be accommodated inside the housing. Therefore, by setting the value of D1 / D2 in the range of [0.9, 1], it is possible to simultaneously satisfy the demands for mounting the battery array, increasing the spatial utilization rate of the battery, and increasing the energy density of the battery.

[0079] In this embodiment, D1 / D2 may be a value of 0.9, 0.91, 0.92, 0.93, 0.94, 0.95, 0.96, 0.97, 0.98, 0.99...1.

[0080] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG. 29, the maximum size of the battery array 20 in the second direction is D1, and the maximum size of the accommodating cavity 34 in the second direction is D2, where D1 / D2 ∈ [0.99, 1].

[0081] Specifically, by further setting the value of D1 / D2 to the interval [0.99, 1], the gap between the battery array 20 and the housing 30 becomes smaller, the space utilization rate within the housing 30 is further improved, and the space utilization rate and energy density of the battery 10 are further improved.

[0082] In this embodiment, the value of D1 / D2 can be 0.99, 0.992, 0.994, 0.996, 0.998, . . . 1.

[0083] A specific explanation will be given below using concrete experimental data.

[0084] In the course of the experiment, an example was taken in which the longitudinal direction of the battery cell 21 coincides with the first direction, the width direction of the battery cell 21 coincides with the second direction, and the height direction of the battery cell 21 coincides with the third direction, where the maximum size of the battery 10 in the second direction is D1, and the maximum size of the accommodating cavity 34 in the second direction is D2, and specifically refer to Table 1.

[0085] [Table 1]

[0086] As can be seen from the above examples, as the value of D1 / D2 approaches 1, the energy density of battery 10 gradually increases. Therefore, by appropriately controlling the value of D1 / D2, the performance of battery 10 can be fully exhibited and it is effectively ensured that battery 10 has a high energy density.

[0087] In some embodiments of the present application, the longitudinal direction of the battery 10 is parallel to or intersects with the direction of travel of the power consuming device 1 .

[0088] In this application, the traveling direction of the power consuming device 1 refers to the direction in which the power consuming device 1 can generate a relative displacement to move forward or backward. When the longitudinal direction of the battery 10 is parallel to the traveling direction of the power consuming device 1, the longitudinal direction of the battery 10 is installed along the traveling direction of the power consuming device 1. When the longitudinal direction of the battery 10 intersects with the traveling direction of the power consuming device 1, the longitudinal direction of the battery 10 is installed at an angle to the traveling direction of the power consuming device 1, and this angle is not zero.

[0089] Specifically, by setting the relationship between the longitudinal direction of the battery 10 and the traveling direction of the power consumption device 1, the battery 10 can be attached to the power consumption device 1 according to the demand of the power consumption device 1, thereby improving convenience when placing the battery 10 in the power consumption device 1.

[0090] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG. 33 , the housing 30 has at least one partition beam 33 installed within the housing 30 so as to separate at least two storage cavities 34 within the housing 30, and a battery array 20 is installed within each of the storage cavities 34.

[0091] The partition beam 33 is installed inside the housing 30, and both ends of the partition beam 33 are respectively fixed. When the number of partition beams 33 is one, both ends of the partition beam 33 are respectively connected and fixed to the inner wall of the housing 30, and the space of the housing 30 located on both sides of the partition beam 33 forms two accommodating cavities 34, and a battery array 20 can be installed in each accommodating cavity 34. When the number of partition beams 33 is two or more, the partition beams 33 are installed in different positions inside the housing 30 to partition the internal space of the housing 30, and a plurality of accommodating cavities 34 can be formed. The accommodating cavity 34 may be formed by being surrounded by a plurality of partition beams 33, or the accommodating cavity 34 may be formed by being surrounded by the partition beam 33 and the housing 30.

[0092] Specifically, by providing a partition beam 33 within the housing 30 and dividing the storage cavity 34 within the housing 30 by the partition beam 33, and by providing the partition beam 33 within the housing 30, the strength of the entire housing 30 can be increased and the partition beam 33 can protect the battery array 20, thereby reducing damage to the battery array 20 due to impact.

[0093] In addition, the partition beam 33 may have a plate-like structure, a rod-like structure, or other structure, and the partition beam 33 and the housing 30 can be connected and fixed by adhesion, engagement, welding, etc., and the two connected partition beams 33 can also be connected and fixed by methods such as adhesion, engagement, welding, etc.

[0094] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG. 29 , the housing 30 includes a frame 32 that is installed along a first direction and intersects with a second direction, the frame 32 defining a portion of the accommodating cavity 34, and a portion of the edge of the battery array 20 is connected to the frame 32.

[0095] Specifically, by connecting a portion of the edge of the battery array 20 to the frame 32, the gap between the battery array 20 and the housing 30 can be reduced, and further the space utilization rate and energy density of the battery 10 can be improved.

[0096] In addition, the strength of the frame 32 is greater than the strength of other parts of the housing 30, and by abutting the battery array 20 against the frame 32 of the housing 30 and supporting the battery array 20 with the strong frame 32, the support strength for the battery array 20 is improved, thereby reinforcing the expansion resistance of the housing 30 relative to the battery array 20.

[0097] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the battery cell 21 includes a plurality of surfaces including a first surface 216, the first surface 216 is the surface with the largest area, the first surface 216 is arranged along a first direction and intersects a horizontal plane, along a second direction, the first surfaces 216 of two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row of battery cells 21 are arranged opposite to each other, and the first surfaces 216 of the battery cells 21 closer to the frame 32 are connected to the frame 32.

[0098] Specifically, by connecting the surface (first surface 216) of the battery cell 21 with the largest area to the frame 32, the support strength of the housing 30 for the battery cell 21 can be increased, thereby improving the expansion resistance of the battery 10.

[0099] In addition, by connecting the first surface 216 of the battery cell 21 closest to the frame 32 to the frame 32, the contact area between the battery cell 21 and the frame 32 is increased, and thermal conduction between the battery cell 21 and the frame 32 is achieved through heat exchange. This enables heat dissipation to the battery cell 21 and further enhances the heat dissipation effect to the battery cell 21.

[0100] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 , the battery cell 21 includes a plurality of surfaces, the plurality of surfaces including a first surface 216 and a second surface 217, the first surface 216 is the surface with the largest area, the area of ​​the second surface 217 is smaller than the area of ​​the first surface 216, the second surface 217 is disposed along a first direction and intersects a horizontal plane, the first surface 216 is disposed along a second direction and intersects a horizontal plane, along the first direction, the first surfaces 216 of two adjacent battery cells 21 in each column of the battery cells 21 are disposed opposite each other, along the second direction, the second surfaces 217 of two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row of the battery cells 21 are disposed opposite each other, and the second surfaces 217 of the battery cells 21 close to the frame 32 are connected to the frame 32.

[0101] Specifically, the first surface 216 is the surface with the largest area of ​​the battery cell 21, and the area of ​​the second surface 217 is smaller than the area of ​​the first surface 216. By setting the installation directions of the first surface 216 and the second surface 217, the battery array 20 can meet the demands of different batteries 10 and improve the applicability of the batteries 10.

[0102] Moreover, the first surface 216 is the surface having the largest area of ​​the battery cell 21, and the first surface 216 is arranged along the second direction and intersects with the horizontal plane, and a thermal conductive member 40 can be provided on one side of the first surface 216, and the thermal conductive member 40 is used to thermally connect to the first surface 216, thereby increasing the contact area between the thermal conductive member 40 and the battery cell 21 and further improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the battery cell 21. Moreover, the first surface 216 is the surface having the largest area of ​​the battery cell 21, and the first surface 216 is arranged along the second direction and intersects with the horizontal plane, and a corresponding reinforcing structure (such as a reinforcing beam or reinforcing rib) can be provided on the side of the housing 30 corresponding to the first surface 216, thereby improving the protection performance of the battery cell 21.

[0103] Furthermore, based on the structures of the first surface 216 and the second surface 217, they can be combined with other surfaces of the battery cell 21 to form various types of battery cells 21, such as rectangular battery cells, blade battery cells, and one-stop battery cells.

[0104] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figures 10 and 12, the battery cell 21 includes multiple surfaces, and the multiple surfaces include a first surface 216 having the largest area, and along the first direction, the first surfaces 216 of two adjacent battery cells 21 in each column of the battery cells 21 are arranged opposite each other, and along the second direction, the first surfaces 216 of two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row of the battery cells 21 are arranged offset from each other, and the first surfaces 216 of the battery cells 21 closer to the frame 32 are connected to the frame 32.

[0105] Specifically, the first surface 216 is the surface of the battery cell 21 with the largest area. By arranging the first surfaces 216 of two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row and the first surfaces 216 of two adjacent battery cells 21 in each column, the battery array 20 can meet the demands of different batteries 10 and improve the applicability of the batteries 10.

[0106] In addition, the first surface 216 is the surface of the battery cell 21 with the largest area, the first surface 216 is installed along the second direction and intersects with the horizontal plane, and the first surface 216 is connected to the frame 32, which increases the contact area between the battery cell 21 and the frame 32 and enables the battery cell 21 to conduct heat with the frame 32 in a heat exchange manner, thereby realizing heat dissipation to the battery cell 21 and further improving the heat dissipation effect to the battery cell 21.

[0107] In this embodiment, based on the structure of the first surface 216, the battery cell formed in combination with other surfaces of the battery cell 21 may have a cylindrical structure.

[0108] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, the battery cell 21 includes a plurality of surfaces, the plurality of surfaces includes a first surface 216 having the largest area, along the first direction, the first surfaces 216 of two adjacent battery cells 21 in each column of the battery cells 21 are offset from each other, along the second direction, the first surfaces 216 of two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row of the battery cells 21 are opposite to each other, and the first surfaces 216 of the battery cells 21 closer to the frame 32 are connected to the frame 32.

[0109] Specifically, the first surface 216 is the surface of the battery cell 21 with the largest area. By arranging the first surfaces 216 of two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row and the first surfaces 216 of two adjacent battery cells 21 in each column, the battery array 20 can meet the demands of different batteries 10 and improve the applicability of the batteries 10.

[0110] Moreover, the first surface 216 is the surface on which the battery cell 21 has the largest area, and the first surface 216 is arranged along the second direction and intersects with the horizontal plane, and a thermally conductive member 40 can be provided on one side of the first surface 216, and the thermally conductive member 40 is used to thermally connect to the first surface 216, thereby increasing the contact area between the thermally conductive member 40 and the battery cell 21 and improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the battery cell 21. Moreover, the first surface 216 is the surface on which the battery cell 21 has the largest area, and the first surface 216 is arranged along the second direction and intersects with the horizontal plane, and a corresponding reinforcing structure (such as a reinforcing beam or reinforcing rib) can be provided on the side of the housing 30 corresponding to the first surface 216, thereby improving the protection performance of the battery cell 21.

[0111] In this embodiment, based on the structure of the first surface 216, the battery cell formed in combination with other surfaces of the battery cell 21 may have a cylindrical structure.

[0112] In some embodiments of the present application, in the battery array 20, M≧2, and an adhesive is installed between two adjacent battery cells 21 among the battery cells 21 in each row.

[0113] Specifically, the battery array 20 is arranged in M ​​rows and N columns, and when the number of battery cells 21 in each row is two or more, an adhesive is used to connect and fix two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row. The method of connecting and fixing two adjacent battery cells 21 using an adhesive has a simple structure and makes it easy to carry out the assembly process, thereby speeding up the production pace and improving production efficiency.

[0114] The adhesive that connects two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row may be a paste-like adhesive or a double-sided adhesive.

[0115] In addition, in the present application, the rows in the battery array 20 may be arranged along the first direction or along the second direction.

[0116] In some embodiments of the present application, in the battery array 20, N≧2, and in each row of the battery cells 21, an adhesive is disposed between two adjacent battery cells 21.

[0117] The adhesive for connecting two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row may be a paste-like adhesive or a double-sided adhesive.

[0118] In the present application, the rows in the battery array 20 may be arranged along a first direction or along a second direction.

[0119] Specifically, the battery array 20 is installed in M ​​rows and N columns, and when the number of battery cells 21 in each column is two or more, an adhesive is used to connect and fix two adjacent battery cells 21 in each column. The method of connecting and fixing two adjacent battery cells 21 using an adhesive has a simple structure and makes it easy to carry out the assembly process, thereby speeding up the production pace and improving production efficiency.

[0120] In some embodiments of the present application, two adjacent battery cells 21 are spaced apart from each other.

[0121] Specifically, in the present application, the battery array 20 consists of M rows and N columns, and when both M rows and N columns are greater than 1, two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row are installed with a space between them, and two adjacent battery cells 21 in each column are installed with a space between them, and by installing the two adjacent battery cells 21 with a space between them, it is possible to prevent the two adjacent battery cells 21 from coming into direct contact with each other. When a battery cell 21 deforms, the effect on the adjacent battery cells 21 can be reduced, thereby improving the safety of the battery 10 during use.

[0122] In addition, the battery cells 21 may expand during use. When two adjacent battery cells 21 abut against each other and one battery cell 21 expands, the other battery cell 21 is pressed against the other battery cell 21, thereby affecting the performance of the other battery cell 21.

[0123] It should be noted that, on the premise that the distance between two adjacent battery cells 21 satisfies the demand, the smaller the distance between them, the more the battery 10 contributes to improving its space utilization rate and energy density.

[0124] In some embodiments of the present application, in the battery array 20, M≧2, and a partition member is provided between two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row of the battery cells 21.

[0125] Specifically, by providing a partition member between two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row, the two adjacent battery cells 21 can be installed at a distance from each other, thereby reducing the adverse effects of the two adjacent battery cells 21, allowing the battery 10 to fully exhibit its performance, and improving the safety of the battery 10 during use.

[0126] Furthermore, by providing a partition member between two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row, the strength of the entire battery array 20 can be increased, thereby reducing the adverse effects on the battery array 20 of external factors such as vibration, and effectively improving the adaptability of the battery 10.

[0127] In some embodiments of the present application, in the battery array 20, N≧2, and in the battery cells 21 in each row, a partition member is installed between two adjacent battery cells 21.

[0128] Specifically, by providing a partition member between two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row, the two adjacent battery cells 21 can be installed at a distance from each other, thereby reducing the adverse effects of the two adjacent battery cells 21, allowing the battery 10 to fully exhibit its performance, and improving the safety of the battery 10 during use.

[0129] Furthermore, by providing a partition member between two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row, the strength of the entire battery array 20 can be increased, thereby reducing the adverse effects on the battery array 20 of external factors such as vibration, and effectively improving the adaptability of the battery 10.

[0130] In some embodiments of the present application, the partition member includes at least one of a heat-conducting member 40, a buffer member, and a partition plate.

[0131] Specifically, by using at least one of a thermal conductive member 40, a buffer member, a partition plate, and a partition beam 33 as the partition member, two adjacent battery cells 21 can be separated and corresponding partition members can be provided according to different demands, so that the battery array 20 can meet the corresponding usage demands.

[0132] In some embodiments of the present application, the partition member is a buffer member, which is installed between two adjacent battery cells 21, and the buffer member can absorb the tolerances generated during the manufacturing process of the two adjacent battery cells 21 and ensure efficient installation of the battery cells 21; the buffer member can also provide buffering between the two adjacent battery cells 21 and reduce the two adjacent battery cells 21 from being pressed against each other and being damaged.

[0133] In some embodiments of the present application, the partition member is a partition plate that is installed between two adjacent battery cells 21 and is used to separate the two adjacent battery cells 21 and prevent the two adjacent battery cells 21 from being pressed against each other and being damaged.

[0134] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figures 27 to 30, the partition member includes a thermally conductive member 40 arranged along a first direction and crossing a second direction, the thermally conductive member 40 is arranged on at least one side of the battery cells 21 in each row, and each of the battery cells 21 in each row is thermally conductively connected to one of the thermally conductive members 40.

[0135] Specifically, a thermally conductive member 40 is provided, and the thermally conductive member 40 is disposed within the housing 30 of the battery 10, and the thermally conductive member 40 is disposed along a first direction. At least one side of the battery cells 21 in each row is thermally conductively connected to the thermally conductive member 40, which enables efficient heat dissipation to the battery cells 21 in each row, thereby allowing the battery cells 21 to be maintained within a relatively safe operating temperature range, and further improving the safety of the use of the battery 10.

[0136] The surface where the battery cell 21 and the thermally conductive member 40 are thermally connected may be the surface of the battery cell 21 with the largest area, in which case the contact area between the thermally conductive member 40 and the battery cell 21 can be increased, thereby improving the heat dissipation performance for the battery cell 21. The surface where the battery cell 21 and the thermally conductive member 40 are thermally connected may be a non-maximum area surface in order to meet the requirements of different mounting layouts for the battery cell 21.

[0137] Also, the heat conducting member 40 may be provided on one side of each row of battery cells 21, or on both sides to meet the heat dissipation needs of the battery 10.

[0138] In some embodiments of the present application, the heat conducting member 40 may be an electronic cooling fin, such as a PTC.

[0139] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG. 30 , the battery cell 21 includes an electrode assembly 213 including a main body portion 2131 and a tab 2132 protruding from the main body portion 2131, the tab 2132 being electrically connected to the electrode terminal 214, and in the second direction, the projections of the thermally conductive member 40 and the main body portion 2131 at least partially overlap and have an overlap area.

[0140] Specifically, during use of the battery cell 21, the heat generated therefrom is mainly concentrated in the main body 2131 of the electrode assembly 213, and by providing an overlapping area between the thermally conductive member 40 and the main body 2131, efficient heat dissipation between the main body 2131 and the thermally conductive member 40 is enabled, improving the heat exchange performance of the thermally conductive member 40 with the main body 2131, thereby enabling the battery cell 21 to be maintained at a safe temperature, thereby enhancing safety during use.

[0141] As shown in Figures 29 and 30, in some embodiments of the present application, along the third direction, the size of the main body 2131 is L1, the size of the thermal conduction member 40 is L2, and the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction intersect two by two, where 0.5≦L2 / L1≦1.5.

[0142] In this embodiment, by setting the range value of L2 / L1 to the interval [0.5, 1.5], the space occupied by the thermal conductive member 40 in the third direction can be reduced, thereby further improving the space utilization rate of the battery 10.

[0143] If L2 / L1 is less than 0.5, the size of the heat conductive member 40 is too small to efficiently exchange heat with the battery cells 21. If L2 / L1 is more than 1.5, the size of the heat conductive member 40 is large and tends to occupy space in the battery 10, which is disadvantageous in increasing the space utilization rate of the battery 10.

[0144] In this embodiment, L2 / L1 can take the values ​​of 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, . . . 1.5.

[0145] In some embodiments of the present application, in the third direction, the size of the overlapping area is L3, where 0.5≦L3 / L1≦1.

[0146] In this embodiment, by setting the size of the overlapping area in the third direction, the heat exchange area between the heat conduction member 40 and the main body portion 2131 can be rationally set, and the heat exchange effect of the heat conduction member 40 with the main body portion 2131 can be greatly improved.

[0147] In some embodiments of the present application, in the third direction, the size of the overlapping area is L3 (0.1≦L3 / L1≦1).

[0148] In this embodiment, by setting the size of the overlapping area in the third direction, the heat exchange area between the heat conduction member 40 and the main body portion 2131 can be rationally set, and the heat exchange effect of the heat conduction member 40 with the main body portion 2131 can be greatly improved.

[0149] Furthermore, if L3 / L1 is less than 0.5, the overlapping area between the heat conductive member 40 and the main body portion 2131 is too small, reducing the heat exchange effect of the heat conductive member 40 to the battery cell 21, and making it impossible to efficiently dissipate heat to the battery cell 21.

[0150] In this embodiment, L3 / L1 can take the values ​​of 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9...1.

[0151] In some embodiments of the present application, thermally conductive member 40 includes passages therein that contain a heat exchange medium.

[0152] Specifically, a medium circulating device is connected to the heat conductive member 40, and the passages are filled with a heat exchange medium (such as water or oil), which can circulate within the passages. The battery cells 21 transfer heat to the heat exchange medium within the passages via the heat conductive member 40, and the heat exchange medium flows through the passages and carries away the heat exchanged with the battery cells 21. This heat exchange method has high heat exchange efficiency and a simple structure.

[0153] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figures 27 and 28, the battery 10 further includes a current collector 50 in fluid communication with the thermal conduction member 40, where the current collector 50 is disposed at one end of the thermal conduction member 40 in the first direction, or where the current collector 50 is disposed at each end of the thermal conduction member 40 in the first direction.

[0154] Specifically, the current collector 50 is disposed at one or both ends of the heat conducting member 40 in the first direction. By providing the current collector 50, the heat exchange medium in the heat conducting member 40 can be collected, the number of parts can be reduced, and the space utilization rate in the housing 30 can be improved.

[0155] In addition, when the battery 10 is subjected to pressure or impact in the second direction, the installation position of the current collector 50 can dissipate the pressure or impact, reducing the possibility of the current collector 50 being damaged, and the heat exchange medium can sufficiently dissipate heat from the battery 10, further reducing safety concerns caused by the temperature of the battery 10 being too high.

[0156] In some embodiments of the present application, there are two current collectors 50, and the two current collectors 50 are installed at one end of the heat conductive member 40 located in the first direction, and the two current collectors 50 are arranged along the third direction, and the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction intersect two by two.

[0157] Specifically, by providing two current collectors 50, the current collection performance of the heat exchange medium is improved, the heat exchange medium can have a good flow rate, and the heat exchange capacity of the heat exchange medium for the battery cells 21 is further improved.

[0158] In addition, by providing two current collectors 50 together at one end in the first direction and arranging them along the third direction, the space occupied by current collectors 50 along the first direction within battery 10 can be effectively reduced, thereby making it easier to install other structures within battery 10.

[0159] In some embodiments of the present application, the partition member includes a thermally conductive member 40 arranged along the second direction and intersecting the first direction, the thermally conductive member 40 is arranged on at least one side of the battery cells 21 in each row, and each of the battery cells 21 in each row is thermally conductively connected to one of the thermally conductive members 40.

[0160] Specifically, a thermally conductive member 40 is provided, and the thermally conductive member 40 is disposed within the housing 30 of the battery 10, and the thermally conductive member 40 is disposed along the second direction. At least one side of the battery cells 21 in each row is thermally conductively connected to the thermally conductive member 40, which enables efficient heat dissipation from the battery cells 21 in each row, and allows the battery cells 21 to be maintained within a relatively safe operating temperature range, thereby improving the safety of using the battery 10.

[0161] The surface where the battery cell 21 and the thermally conductive member 40 are thermally connected may be the surface of the battery cell 21 with the largest area, in which case the contact area between the thermally conductive member 40 and the battery cell 21 can be increased, thereby improving the heat dissipation performance for the battery cell 21. The surface where the battery cell 21 and the thermally conductive member 40 are thermally connected may be a non-maximum area surface in order to meet the requirements of different mounting layouts for the battery cell 21.

[0162] Also, the heat conducting member 40 may be provided on one side of each row of battery cells 21, or on both sides to meet the heat dissipation needs of the battery 10.

[0163] In the present application, the heat conducting member 40 may be an electronic cooling fin (for example, PTC or the like), and the heat conducting member 40 may be a part that provides a passage for accommodating a heat exchange medium.

[0164] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery cell 21 is fixedly connected to the housing 30 by a first adhesive layer 60, and the battery 10 further includes a thermally conductive member 40 thermally connected to the battery cell 21 by a second adhesive layer 70, and the thermal conductivity of the first adhesive layer 60 is less than or equal to the thermal conductivity of the second adhesive layer 70.

[0165] Specifically, the first adhesive layer 60 is used to connect and fix the battery cells 21 to the housing 30, and the second adhesive layer 70 is for thermally conductively connecting the battery cells 21 to the thermal conductive member 40. Therefore, the thermal conductivity of the first adhesive layer 60 is set to be equal to or lower than the thermal conductivity of the second adhesive layer 70, ensuring that heat from the battery cells 21 is more effectively dissipated via the thermal conductive member 40.

[0166] In some embodiments of the present application, the ratio of the thermal conductivity of the first adhesive layer 60 to the thermal conductivity of the second adhesive layer 70 is in the range of 0.1-1.

[0167] Specifically, any of the above ratio ranges allows the heat conductive member 40 to effectively dissipate heat from the battery cells 21.

[0168] If the ratio of the thermal conductivity of the first adhesive layer 60 to the thermal conductivity of the second adhesive layer 70 is greater than 1, the thermal conduction ability of the first adhesive layer 60 is poor, and the side surface of the battery cell 21 connected to the first adhesive layer 60 cannot transmit heat through one side of the first adhesive layer 60. In this case, the heat dissipation effect for the battery cell 21 cannot be sufficiently guaranteed by transmitting heat only through one side of the second adhesive layer 70. If the ratio of the thermal conductivity of the first adhesive layer 60 to the thermal conductivity of the second adhesive layer 70 is less than 0.1, the thermal conduction ability of the first adhesive layer 60 is stronger than that of the second adhesive layer 70, and the heat dissipation ability of the heat conductive member 40 of the battery cell 21 is weakened, thereby reducing the heat dissipation effect of the battery cell 21.

[0169] The ratio of the thermal conductivity of the first adhesive layer 60 to the thermal conductivity of the second adhesive layer 70 may be 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, . . . 1.

[0170] In this embodiment, the first adhesive layer 60 and the second adhesive layer 70 may be the same adhesive, but the thermal conductivity of the two is different, i.e., the thermal conductivity of the first adhesive layer 60 is lower than that of the second adhesive layer 70. For example, the first adhesive layer 60 and the second adhesive layer 70 each use a thermally conductive polyurethane adhesive layer, and different amounts of thermally conductive particles are added thereto to achieve different thermal conductivities.

[0171] In addition, the first adhesive layer 60 and the second adhesive layer 70 may be two different types of adhesives. For example, the first adhesive layer 60 may be a structural adhesive, a foam filling adhesive, a pressure-sensitive adhesive, a potting adhesive, etc., and the second adhesive layer 70 may be a thermally conductive adhesive, etc.

[0172] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery cell 21 includes an electrode terminal 214 disposed on at least one of the multiple surfaces.

[0173] Specifically, electrode terminals 214 are provided to realize electrical conduction to the battery cells 21 via the terminals of the battery 10, thereby ensuring that the charging and discharging operations of the battery cells 21 can be performed efficiently.

[0174] It should be noted that the battery cell 21 has a plurality of surfaces, and the electrode terminals 214 may be disposed on corresponding surfaces of the battery cell 21 as necessary.

[0175] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figures 7, 9, and 12, the multiple surfaces further include a third surface 218, the first surface 216, the second surface 217, and the third surface 218 intersect two by two, and the electrode terminal 214 is disposed on the third surface 218.

[0176] Specifically, the battery cell 21 includes a plurality of surfaces including the first surface 216 which has the largest area, and the areas of the second surface 217 and the third surface 218 are all smaller than the area of ​​the first surface 216. By setting the position of the electrode terminal 214, the battery cell 21 can meet the mounting needs of batteries 10 having different configurations, and further increase the application range of the battery cell 21.

[0177] Furthermore, by providing the electrode terminal 214 on the third surface 218, the first surface 216 and the heat conductive member 40 can be thermally connected, interference between the electrode terminal 214 and the heat conductor 40 can be prevented, effective heat conduction between the heat conductive member 40 and the battery cell 21 can be ensured, and the heat dissipation effect of the heat conductive member 40 to the battery cell 21 can be further enhanced.

[0178] In some embodiments of the present application, the number of third surfaces 218 is two, the two third surfaces 218 are disposed opposite to each other and intersect with the first surface 216 respectively, and the battery cell 21 includes two electrode terminals 214 of opposite polarity, and the two electrode terminals 214 of opposite polarity are disposed on one third surface 218, or the two electrode terminals 214 of opposite polarity are disposed on the two third surfaces 218 respectively, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 9 .

[0179] Specifically, as shown in Figures 7, 9, 18 and 20, the battery cell 21 includes a plurality of surfaces, which include a first surface 216, a second surface 217, and a third surface 218, where the first surface 216 is the surface with the largest area, and the areas of the second surface 217 and the third surface 218 are all smaller than the area of ​​the first surface 216.

[0180] As shown in FIG. 7 or FIG. 18 , when the first surface 216 is arranged along a first direction and intersects with a horizontal plane, and the two third surfaces 218 are arranged opposite to each other in the first direction, two electrode terminals 214 of opposite polarities can be arranged on one third surface 218, or two electrode terminals 214 of opposite polarities can be arranged on the two third surfaces 218, respectively.

[0181] As shown in Figures 9 or 20, when the first surface 216 is arranged along the second direction and intersects with a horizontal plane, and the two third surfaces 218 are arranged opposite each other in the second direction, two electrode terminals 214 of opposite polarities can both be arranged on one third surface 218, or two electrode terminals 214 of opposite polarities can also be arranged on the two third surfaces 218, respectively.

[0182] By setting the positions of the electrode terminals 214, the mounting needs of the batteries 10 having different configurations of the battery cells 21 can be met, and the application range of the battery cells 21 is further improved.

[0183] 14 and 16, in some embodiments of the present application, the battery cell 21 includes a first surface 216 and a fourth surface disposed opposite to the first surface 216, the first surface 216 and the fourth surface disposed opposite to the first direction (as shown in FIG. 14) or the second direction (as shown in FIG. 16), and the second direction, the first direction and the third direction intersect two by two. A recess is disposed on the edge of the fourth surface, and the first surface 216 is for mounting an electrode terminal 214, and the electrode terminal 214 is disposed protruding from the first surface 216 in the second direction and corresponds to the recess.

[0184] Specifically, the battery cell 21 includes multiple surfaces including a first surface 216 having the largest area, and the multiple surfaces further include a fourth surface, with the fourth surface and the first surface 216 facing each other in the first or second direction. Of two adjacent battery cells 21 in the battery array 20, the electrode terminal 214 of one battery cell 21 is installed corresponding to a recess in the other battery cell 21, and the recess-recess fitting structure makes the combined structure of the two adjacent battery cells 21 more compact, making the structure of the battery array 20 more compact and contributing to improving the space utilization rate and energy density of the battery 10.

[0185] By setting the positions of the electrode terminals 214, the mounting needs of the batteries 10 having different configurations of the battery cells 21 can be met, and the application range of the battery cells 21 is further improved.

[0186] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figures 21 to 24, the multiple surfaces further include a third surface 218, where the first surface 216, the second surface 217, and the third surface 218 intersect two by two, the third surface 218 is the surface with the largest area, and the areas of the first surface 216 and the second surface 217 are all smaller than the area of ​​the third surface 218.

[0187] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 24, the first surface 216 is disposed along a first direction and intersects with the horizontal plane, and the second surface 217 is disposed along a second direction and intersects with the horizontal plane, or as shown in Fig. 22, the first surface 216 is disposed along the second direction and intersects with the horizontal plane, and the second surface 217 is disposed along the first direction and intersects with the horizontal plane. The electrode terminals 214 can be provided on the first surface 216 or the second surface 217, and the position of the electrode terminals 214 can be set to meet the mounting needs of batteries 10 having different configurations of the battery cells 21, and further improve the application range of the battery cells 21.

[0188] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG. 12 , the battery cell 21 includes two electrode terminals 214 of opposite polarity, and the two electrode terminals 214 of opposite polarity are disposed on the third surface 218, or one of the two electrode terminals 214 of opposite polarity is disposed on the third surface 218, and the casing 211 of the battery cell 21 constitutes the other of the two electrode terminals 214 of opposite polarity.

[0189] Specifically, the battery cell 21 includes a plurality of surfaces including the first surface 216 which has the largest area, and the areas of the second surface 217 and the third surface 218 are all smaller than the area of ​​the first surface 216. By setting the position of the electrode terminal 214, the battery cell 21 can meet the mounting needs of batteries 10 having different configurations, and further increase the application range of the battery cell 21.

[0190] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, each row of battery cells 21 includes at least two battery cells 21, and the at least two battery cells 21 are arranged along a first direction.

[0191] In particular, at least two or more battery cells 21 are arranged and installed along the first direction, which makes it easy to lay out the battery cells 21 inside the housing 30.

[0192] In addition, when at least two battery cells 21 are arranged along the first direction, the wider surface (the surface having the largest area) of the battery cell 21 may be arranged along the first direction and intersect with the horizontal plane, or may be arranged along the second direction and intersect with the horizontal plane.

[0193] In some embodiments of the present application, along the first direction, the maximum size of the battery cell 21 is L, and along the second direction, the maximum size of the battery cell 21 is D, where the range of L / D is 1-30.

[0194] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, by setting the sizes of the battery cell 21 in the first direction as L and the maximum size of the battery cell 21 in the second direction as D in FIG. 7, the energy density of the battery cell 21 can be maximized.

[0195] If the L / D size ratio is greater than 30, the size of the battery cell 21 in the first direction becomes too large, making installation difficult and reducing the support strength of the battery cell 21. If the L / D size ratio is less than 1, the size of the battery cell 21 in the first direction becomes too small, reducing the amount of electricity in the battery cell 21.

[0196] The value of L / D can be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, ... 30. By setting the L / D to different values, the battery cells 21 can be made into different shapes, and further the demands of different types of batteries 10 can be met.

[0197] In some embodiments of the present application, along the first direction, the maximum size of the battery cells 21 is L, along the second direction, the maximum size of the battery cells 21 is H, the range of L / H is 0.5 to 6, and the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction intersect two by two.

[0198] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, in FIG. 7, the maximum size of the battery cell 21 in the first direction is L, and the maximum size of the battery cell 21 in the third direction is H, and the battery cell 21 is installed with the above size ratio, so that the support strength of the battery cell 21 is ensured and the electrical quantity of the battery cell 21 can be maximized.

[0199] If the L / H size ratio is greater than 6, the size of the battery cell 21 in the first direction is too large, making installation difficult and reducing the support strength of the battery cell 21. If the L / H size ratio is less than 0.5, the size of the battery cell 21 in the third direction is too large, making installation difficult and reducing the support strength of the battery cell 21.

[0200] The value of L / H can be 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, ... 6. By setting the L / H to different values, the battery cells 21 can be made into different shapes to meet the demands of different types of batteries 10.

[0201] In some embodiments of the present application, along the second direction, N×D=n×D2, where n∈[0.7,1].

[0202] Specifically, by setting the ratio of N×D to D2, the battery array 20 can be made to fit better into the housing 30 of the battery 10, and the space utilization efficiency of the battery 10 can be effectively improved while satisfying the installation requirements of the battery array 20, thereby effectively improving the energy density of the battery 10.

[0203] If the value of n is less than 0.7, the space utilization rate and energy density of the battery decrease, and if the value of n is greater than 1, the battery array cannot be contained inside the housing. Therefore, by setting the value of n in the range of [0.7, 1], it is possible to simultaneously satisfy the demands for mounting a battery array, increasing the space utilization rate of the battery, and increasing the energy density of the battery.

[0204] Here, n can take the value of 0.7, 0.75, 0.8, 0.85, 0.9, 0.95, ..., 1. By setting n to a different value, the space utilization rate within the housing 30 is improved, which contributes to improving the space utilization rate and energy density of the battery 10.

[0205] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery cell 21 includes an electrode assembly 213, the electrode assembly 213 is flat with a wound structure, the outer surface of the electrode assembly 213 has two flat surfaces, and the two flat surfaces face each other along the second direction, or the electrode assembly 213 has a stacked structure, and the first plate, the separator, and the second plate of the electrode assembly 213 are stacked along the second direction.

[0206] The electrode assembly 213 is a member that causes an electrochemical reaction in the battery cell 21. The battery cell 21 may include one or more electrode assemblies 213 inside. The electrode assembly 213 is mainly formed by winding or stacking plates (positive and negative plates), and usually a separator is installed between the positive plate (first plate) and the negative plate (second plate). The parts of the plates (first and second plates) that have active material constitute the main body 2131 of the electrode assembly 213, and the parts of the first and second plates that do not have active material constitute the tabs 2132, respectively. The positive and negative tabs may be located together at one end of the main body 2131, or may be located at both ends of the main body 2131, respectively.

[0207] Specifically, the electrode assembly 213 is configured in a flat shape with a wound structure, and the outer surface of the electrode assembly 213 is configured to include two flat surfaces, which face each other along the second direction, or the electrode assembly 213 is configured in a stacked structure, thereby reducing the space occupied by the electrode assembly 213 in the second direction and facilitating the layout and installation of other components of the battery 10 in the second direction.

[0208] A second aspect of the present application provides a power consuming device 1, comprising a battery 10 as described above, the battery 10 being used to supply electrical energy to run the power consuming device 1.

[0209] In some embodiments of the present application, the first direction is the direction of travel of the power consuming device 1, if the longitudinal direction of the battery 10 and the direction of travel of the power consuming device 1 are different.

[0210] In this embodiment, the first direction is the traveling direction of the power consumption device 1, and the third direction is set to intersect with the first direction and the horizontal direction, and the battery cell 21 located inside the casing 30 of the battery 10 has a first surface 216 on which the electrode terminal 214 is installed, and a second surface 217 connected to the casing 30. The setting of the first direction facilitates the installation and layout of the battery 10 to the power consumption device 1, and also meets the usage needs of different power consumption devices 1 by adjusting the arrangement method of the battery cell 21 inside the casing 30.

[0211] The above description is only an outline of the technical solution of the present application. In order to enable the technical solutions of the present application to be more clearly understood and implemented according to the content of the specification, and to make the above and other objectives, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, specific embodiments of the present application are given below.

[0212] In an embodiment of the present application, as shown in Figs. 1 to 34, the present application provides a battery 10 including a housing 30 and a battery array 20, the housing 30 has a housing cavity 34, the battery array 20 is housed in the housing cavity 34, and the battery array 20 is formed by arranging M x N battery cells 21 in M ​​rows and N columns, where M ≥ 1, N ≥ 1, and M and N are both positive integers. The battery cells 21 in each column of the battery array 20 are arranged along a first direction which is the longitudinal direction of the battery 10 or the traveling direction of the power consumption device 1 having the battery 10, and the battery cells 21 in each row of the battery array 20 are arranged along a second direction, which intersects with the second direction and the first direction, and each intersects with a vertical plane. The maximum size of the battery array 20 in the second direction is D1, and the maximum size of the housing cavity 34 in the second direction is D2, where D1 / D2 ∈ [0.9, 1].

[0213] Specifically, all the battery cells 21 form a battery array 20, in which each column of the battery array 20 is arranged along a first direction and each row of the battery array 20 is arranged along a second direction, in which the maximum size of the battery array 20 is D1 and the maximum size of the accommodating cavity 34 of the housing 30 is D2, and the value of D1 / D2 is set within the interval [0.9, 1], so that the occupancy rate of the battery array 20 in the housing 30 is larger and the gap between the battery array 20 and the housing 30 is reduced, thus improving the space utilization rate of the battery 10 and favoring the improvement of the energy density of the battery 10.

[0214] Furthermore, the value of D1 / D2 is set to the interval [0.99,1].

[0215] Furthermore, the housing 30 includes a partition beam 33 , the number of which is at least one, and the receiving cavity 34 in the housing 30 is formed by being partitioned by the partition beam 33 .

[0216] Furthermore, the housing 30 has a frame 32 that is installed along the first direction and intersects with the second direction, and a part of the edge of the battery array 20 is connected to the frame 32.

[0217] Furthermore, the battery cell 21 includes a plurality of surfaces including a first surface 216, a second surface 217, and a third surface 218. When the first surfaces 216 are the two surfaces with the largest areas, the two first surfaces 216 are arranged opposite each other along the first direction, and at this time, the second surfaces 217 of two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row are arranged opposite each other, and the second surfaces 216 of two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row are arranged opposite each other. When the first surface 216 is the surface with the largest area and there are two of them, the two first surfaces 216 are arranged opposite each other in the first direction, in which case the first surfaces 216 of two adjacent battery cells 21 in each column are arranged opposite each other, and the second surfaces 217 of two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row are arranged opposite each other; when the first surface 216 is the surface with the largest area and there is only one of them, the first surface 216 can form the outer peripheral surface of the battery cell 21, in which case the two adjacent battery cells 21 in each column are arranged along the first direction and the two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row are staggered, or the two adjacent battery cells 21 in each row are arranged along the first direction and the two adjacent battery cells 21 in each column are staggered.

[0218] Along the first direction, the maximum size of the battery cells 21 is L, and along the second direction, the maximum size of the battery cells 21 is D, where the value of L / D ranges from 1 to 30. In the third direction, the maximum size of the battery cells 21 is H, and the value of L / H ranges from 0.5 to 6.

[0219] Further, the battery cell 21 includes an electrode terminal 214, the electrode terminal 214 includes two electrode terminals 214 of opposite polarity, and the two electrode terminals 214 of opposite polarity may be installed on the same surface of the battery cell 21, or may be installed on different surfaces of the battery cell 21, or one may be installed on the surface of the battery cell 21 and the other may be formed by the cell casing 211 of the battery 10.

[0220] Further, the battery cell 21 is provided with a pressure relief mechanism 215, which may be provided on any one of the first surface 216, the second surface 217, and the third surface 218. In the configuration shown in the drawings of this application specification, the pressure relief mechanism 215 and the electrode terminal 214 are both provided on the first surface 216.

[0221] Furthermore, in the second direction, the projections of the heat conducting member 40 and the main body portion 2131 at least partially overlap each other and have an overlapping region.

[0222] Furthermore, in the third direction, the size of the main body 2131 is L1, and the size of the heat conductive member 40 is L2, where 0.5≦L2 / L1≦1.5.

[0223] Furthermore, in the third direction, the size of the overlapping area is L3, where 0.5≦L3 / L1≦1.

[0224] Furthermore, the battery 10 further includes a current collector 50 disposed at an end of the heat conducting member 40 located in the first direction and in communication with the heat exchange medium passages of the heat conducting member 40 .

[0225] Finally, it should be explained that the above embodiments are only used to explain the technical solution 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 still be modified or some or all of the technical features therein can be replaced with equivalents, and these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solution from the scope of the technical solution of each embodiment of the present application, and should be included in the scope of the claims and the specification of the present application. In particular, as long as there is no structural contradiction, the technical features mentioned in each embodiment may be combined in any manner. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and includes all technical solutions included in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0226] 1: Power consumption device; 10: battery, 11: controller, 12: motor; 20: battery array, 21: battery cell, 211: casing, 212: end cap, 213: electrode assembly, 2131: main body, 2132: tab, 214: electrode terminal, 215: pressure relief mechanism, 216: first surface, 217: second surface, 218: third surface; 30: housing, 31: first part, 32: second part, 321: frame, 33: partition beam, 34 is a receiving cavity; 40: heat conductive member; 50: current collector; 60: 1st adhesive layer; 70: Second adhesive layer.

Claims

1. A battery, A housing (30) having a receiving cavity; The battery array accommodated in the accommodating cavity includes a battery array formed by arranging M×N battery cells (21) in M ​​rows and N columns, where M≧1, N≧1, and M and N are both positive integers; The battery cells (21) in each column of the battery array are arranged along a first direction, the first direction being a longitudinal direction of the battery or a traveling direction of a power consuming device having the battery, and the battery cells (21) in each row of the battery array are arranged along a second direction, the second direction and the first direction intersect with each other and each intersect with a vertical plane; A battery, characterized in that the maximum size of the battery array in the second direction is D1 and the maximum size of the accommodating cavity in the second direction is D2, where D1 / D2∈[0.9,1].

2. 2. The battery of claim 1, wherein D1 / D2 ∈ [0.99, 1].

3. 3. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal direction of the battery is parallel to or intersects with the direction of travel of the power consuming device.

4. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the housing (30) has at least one partition beam installed in the housing (30) so as to separate at least two of the storage cavities within the housing (30), and the battery array is installed in each of the storage cavities.

5. The battery described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the housing (30) includes a frame (321) installed along the first direction and intersecting the second direction, the frame (321) constituting a portion of the accommodating cavity, and a portion of an edge of the battery array is connected to the frame (321).

6. 6. The battery of claim 5, wherein the battery cells (21) include a plurality of surfaces, the plurality of surfaces including a first surface (216), the first surface (216) being the surface with the largest area, the first surface (216) being arranged along the first direction and intersecting a horizontal plane, the first surfaces (216) of two adjacent battery cells in each row of the battery cells (21) being arranged opposite each other along the second direction, and the first surfaces (216) of the battery cells (21) closest to the frame (321) being connected to the frame (321).

7. 6. The battery of claim 5, wherein the battery cell (21) includes a plurality of surfaces including a first surface (216) and a second surface (217), the first surface (216) being the surface with the largest area, the second surface (217) being smaller in area than the first surface (216), the second surface (217) being disposed along the first direction and intersecting a horizontal plane, the first surface (216) being disposed along the second direction and intersecting a horizontal plane, the first surfaces (216) of two adjacent battery cells in each column of the battery cells (21) being disposed opposite each other along the first direction, the second surfaces (217) of two adjacent battery cells in each row of the battery cells (21) being disposed opposite each other along the second direction, and the second surfaces (217) of the battery cells (21) closer to the frame (321) being connected to the frame (321).

8. The battery of claim 5, wherein the battery cells (21) include a plurality of surfaces, the plurality of surfaces including a first surface (216) having the largest area, the first surfaces (216) of two adjacent battery cells in each column of the battery cells (21) are arranged opposite each other along the first direction, the first surfaces (216) of two adjacent battery cells in each row of the battery cells (21) are arranged offset along the second direction, and the first surfaces (216) of the battery cells (21) closest to the frame (321) are connected to the frame (321).

9. The battery of claim 5, wherein the battery cell (21) includes a plurality of surfaces, the plurality of surfaces including a first surface (216) having the largest area, the first surfaces (216) of two adjacent battery cells in each column of the battery cells (21) are offset from each other along the first direction, the first surfaces (216) of two adjacent battery cells in each row of the battery cells (21) are oppositely arranged along the second direction, and the first surfaces (216) of the battery cells (21) closest to the frame (321) are connected to the frame (321).

10. In the battery array, M≧2, and in each row of the battery cells (21), an adhesive is provided between two adjacent battery cells (21); And / or the battery according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that in the battery array, N>2, and in the battery cells (21) in each row, an adhesive is provided between two adjacent battery cells (21).

11. In the battery array, M≧2, and in each row of the battery cells (21), a partition member is provided between two adjacent battery cells (21); Alternatively, the battery array is characterized in that N≧2, and a partition member is provided between two adjacent battery cells (21) in each row of the battery cells (21).

12. The battery according to claim 11, characterized in that the partition member includes at least one of a heat-conducting member (40), a buffer member, and a partition plate.

13. The battery described in claim 12, characterized in that the partition member includes a thermally conductive member (40) arranged along the first direction and intersecting the second direction, the thermally conductive member (40) is arranged on at least one side of the battery cells (21) in each row, and each of the battery cells (21) in each row is thermally conductively connected to one of the thermally conductive members (40).

14. The battery described in claim 13, characterized in that the battery cell (21) includes an electrode assembly (213), the electrode assembly (213) includes a main body portion (2131) and a tab (2132) protruding from the main body portion (2131), the tab (2132) is electrically connected to an electrode terminal (214), and in the second direction, the projections of the thermal conduction member (40) and the main body portion (2131) at least partially overlap and have an overlap area.

15. The battery described in claim 14, characterized in that in a third direction, the main body portion (2131) has a size L1, the thermal conduction member (40) has a size L2, and the first direction, the second direction and the third direction intersect two by two, where 0.5≦L2 / L1≦1.

5.

16. 16. The battery of claim 15, wherein in the third direction, the overlap region has a size L3, where 0.5≦L3 / L1≦1.

17. 15. The battery according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the heat conducting member (40) is provided with passages for containing a heat exchange medium.

18. The battery further includes a current collector (50) in fluid communication with the thermally conductive member (40); Here, the battery described in any one of claims 13 to 16 is characterized in that the current collector (50) is provided at one end of the heat conduction member (40) in the first direction, or the current collector (50) is provided at each of both ends of the heat conduction member (40) in the first direction.

19. The battery of claim 18, characterized in that there are two current collectors (50), the two current collectors (50) are installed at one end of the heat conduction member (40) in the first direction, the two current collectors (50) are arranged along a third direction, and the first direction, the second direction and the third direction intersect two by two.

20. The battery described in claim 12, characterized in that the partition member includes a thermally conductive member (40) arranged along the second direction and intersecting the first direction, the thermally conductive member (40) is arranged on at least one side of the battery cells (21) in each row, and the battery cells (21) in each row are each thermally conductively connected to one of the thermally conductive members (40).

21. The battery described in any one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the battery cell (21) is fixedly connected to the housing (30) by a first adhesive layer (60), the battery further includes a heat conductive member (40) thermally connected to the battery cell (21) by a second adhesive layer (70), and the thermal conductivity of the first adhesive layer (60) is equal to or lower than the thermal conductivity of the second adhesive layer (70).

22. The battery of claim 21, wherein the ratio of the thermal conductivity of the first adhesive layer (60) to the thermal conductivity of the second adhesive layer (70) is in the range of 0.1 to 1.

23. The battery according to any one of claims 6 to 22, characterized in that the battery cell (21) includes an electrode terminal (214) disposed on at least one of a plurality of surfaces.

24. 24. The battery of claim 23, wherein the plurality of surfaces further includes a third surface (218), the first surface (216), the second surface (217) and the third surface (218) intersect in pairs, and the electrode terminal (214) is disposed on the third surface (218).

25. The battery of claim 24, characterized in that the number of the third surfaces (218) is two, the two third surfaces (218) are disposed opposite to each other and intersect with the first surface (216), the battery cell (21) includes two electrode terminals (214) of opposite polarity, the two electrode terminals (214) of opposite polarity are disposed on one of the third surfaces (218), or the two electrode terminals (214) of opposite polarity are disposed on two of the third surfaces (218), respectively.

26. The battery of claim 24, characterized in that the battery cell (21) includes two electrode terminals (214) of opposite polarity, and the two electrode terminals (214) of opposite polarity are installed on the third surface (218), or one of the two electrode terminals (214) of opposite polarity is installed on the third surface (218), and a casing (211) of the battery cell (21) constitutes the other of the two electrode terminals (214) of opposite polarity.

27. The battery cell (21) includes the first surface (216) and a fourth surface arranged opposite to the first surface (216), the first surface (216) and the fourth surface are arranged opposite to each other along a first direction or a second direction, a recess is arranged on an edge of the fourth surface, the first surface (216) is used for installing the electrode terminal (214), and the electrode terminal (214) is installed protruding from the first surface (216) in the second direction and corresponds to the recess.

28. The battery of any one of claims 1 to 27, characterized in that each row of the battery cells (21) includes at least two of the battery cells (21), and the at least two of the battery cells (21) are arranged along the first direction.

29. The battery of any one of claims 1 to 28, characterized in that along the first direction, the maximum size of the battery cells (21) is L, and along the second direction, the maximum size of the battery cells (21) is D, where the value of L / D ranges from 1 to 30.

30. The battery of any one of claims 1 to 29, wherein along the first direction, a maximum size of the battery cell (21) is L, along a third direction, a maximum size of the battery cell (21) is H, a value range of L / H is 0.5 to 6, and the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction intersect two by two.

31. 30. The battery of claim 29, wherein along the second direction, N×D=n×D2, where n∈[0.7, 1].

32. The battery cell (21) includes an electrode assembly (213), the electrode assembly (213) has a wound structure and is flat, and an outer surface of the electrode assembly (213) has two flat surfaces, the two flat surfaces facing each other along a second direction; Alternatively, the electrode assembly (213) has a stacked structure, and the first plate, the separator, and the second plate of the electrode assembly (213) are stacked along the second direction.

33. 33. A power consumer comprising a battery according to any preceding claim for providing electrical energy to drive the travel of said power consumer.

34. The power consuming device of claim 33 , wherein the first direction is a traveling direction of the power consuming device when a longitudinal direction of the battery and a traveling direction of the power consuming device are different.

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