Control box for energy storage device and energy storage device

Abstract

[0009] An embodiment of the present application provides a control box for an energy storage device and an energy storage device, the control box for the energy storage device including: a first wall; a switch assembly installed on the first wall; and a protective cover covering the switch assembly, wherein an edge region of the protective cover is rotatably connected to the first wall via a first connecting member; and the protective cover is fixedly connected to the first wall via a removable second connecting member. When there is no need to operate the switch assembly, this can reduce the possibility of impurities from the external environment entering the control box and causing a malfunction of the control box. When there is a need to operate or maintain the switch assembly, the first connecting member allows the protective cover to be rotated relative to the first wall, eliminating the need to completely remove the protective cover. This reduces the possibility of losing the protective cover and is advantageous for protecting the switch assembly, thereby reducing the possibility of a malfunction of the control box.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims priority from a Chinese patent application bearing application number 202320696366.1 and entitled "Control box in energy storage device and energy storage device" filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China on March 31, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD Embodiments of the present application relate to the technical field of batteries, and more particularly to a control box in an energy storage device and an energy storage device. [Background technology]

[0003] With the rapid development of new energy technologies, various technologies related to energy storage have important research significance. An energy storage device can usually accommodate multiple energy storage elements and other functional components that manage or assist the multiple energy storage elements, among which the control box in the energy storage device is an important component for managing the energy storage device.

[0004] Therefore, how to reduce the possibility of control box failure remains a problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The embodiments of the present application provide a control box and an energy storage device in an energy storage device, which can reduce the possibility of a failure of the control box.

[0006] In a first aspect, there is provided a control box in an energy storage device, the control box including a first wall, a switch assembly installed on the first wall, and a protective cover covering the switch assembly, wherein an edge region of the protective cover is rotatably connected to the first wall via a first connecting member, and the protective cover is fixedly connected to the first wall via a removable second connecting member.

[0007] The protective cover of the switch assembly is installed on the first wall by two different connection methods. When the switch assembly does not need to be operated, the second connection member can maintain a fixed connection between the protective cover and the first wall, allowing the first wall to maintain relatively good waterproof and dustproof properties and reducing the possibility of impurities from the external environment entering the inside of the control box and causing failure of the control box. When the switch assembly needs to be operated or maintained, the first connection member allows the protective cover to be rotated relative to the first wall, eliminating the need to completely remove the protective cover and reducing the possibility of losing the protective cover, which is advantageous for protecting the switch assembly and thereby reducing the possibility of failure of the control box.

[0008] In some embodiments, the protective cover includes a first groove with an opening facing the first wall, the first groove being used to accommodate at least a portion of the switch assembly, and / or the first wall includes a second groove with an opening facing the protective cover, the second groove being used to accommodate at least a portion of the switch assembly.

[0009] By installing the first groove and / or the second groove to accommodate the switch assembly, protection for the switch assembly is realized, the possibility of interference between different structures is reduced, which is beneficial to the normal operation of the control box, and thereby reduces the possibility of failure of the control box.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first groove is positioned opposite the second groove.

[0011] The first and second grooves installed opposite each other can reduce unnecessary space waste, favor a rational layout of the components of the control box, and make it easy to manufacture a control box with appropriate dimensions.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first connecting member is installed on one side of the protective cover facing the gravity direction, the first groove protrudes from the protective cover along a first direction, the dimension of the first groove protruding from the first wall is equal to or greater than the dimension of the first connecting member protruding from the first wall, and the first direction is the thickness direction of the first wall.

[0013] The portion of the first groove protruding from the first wall can shield the first connecting member in the direction of gravity, making the first connecting member less susceptible to puddles or flooding above the control box, reducing the possibility of the first connecting member being eroded and damaged, and advantageously extending the service life of the first connecting member.

[0014] In some embodiments, the control box further includes a shielding structure installed on one side of the first connection member in a direction opposite to the gravity direction, and the projection of the shielding structure in the gravity direction covers the projection of the first connection member in the gravity direction.

[0015] The shielding structure reduces the accumulation of dust or water in the first connection member in the external environment due to the first connection, reduces the possibility of the first connection member being eroded and damaged, and is advantageous in extending the service life of the first connection member, thereby reducing the possibility of failure of the control box.

[0016] In some embodiments, the surface of the shielding structure facing in the direction opposite to the direction of gravity is a first surface, and the first surface is inclined in a second direction from a central region toward both ends along the direction of gravity, and the second direction is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the first wall and the direction of gravity.

[0017] This structure is advantageous in that the dust or water slides down along the inclined first surface of the shielding structure under the action of gravity, preventing the dust or water from accumulating on the shielding structure, reducing the load-bearing capacity of the shielding structure, and extending the service life of the shielding structure, thereby reducing the possibility of the dust or water falling onto the first connecting member and reducing the possibility of the control box malfunctioning.

[0018] In some embodiments, the control box further includes drainage sections connected to the shielding structure and installed at both ends of the shielding structure along a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the thickness direction of the first wall and the direction of gravity.

[0019] The drainage section can further guide dust and water to slide off along a predetermined path, which is advantageous for better protecting the first connecting member. At the same time, the drainage section can further reduce the accumulation of dust or water on the shielding structure and reduce the possibility of dust or water falling onto the first connecting member, which is advantageous for extending the service life of the first connecting member.

[0020] In some embodiments, the control box further includes a seal member disposed between the protective cover and the first wall for sealing a periphery of the switch assembly.

[0021] The sealing member is advantageous in sealing the periphery of the switch assembly, making the control box less susceptible to dust and water in the external environment, reducing the possibility of impurities in the external environment entering the inside of the control box and causing failure of the control box, and further improving the waterproof and dustproof effect of the control box, thereby reducing the possibility of failure of the control box.

[0022] In some embodiments, the second connecting member is used to connect the first wall, the sealing member and the protective cover.

[0023] When maintaining a fixed connection between the protective cover and the first wall, connecting the first wall, the seal member, and the protective cover via a second connecting member allows these three to be arranged more closely, which is advantageous in improving the sealing performance of the seal member.

[0024] In some embodiments, the ratio of the length of the first connecting member to the length of the edge region in the length direction of the edge region is in the range of [1 / 4, 1 / 2].

[0025] If the ratio of the length of the first connecting member to the length of the edge region is too small, it is difficult to maintain the connection between the protective cover and the first wall, and the first connecting member is easily damaged during use.If the ratio of the length of the first connecting member to the length of the edge region is too large, dust and water from the external environment are more likely to enter the switch assembly through the gap between the first connecting member and the first wall, thereby increasing the possibility of failure of the control box.

[0026] In some embodiments, the first connecting member comprises a hinge and / or the second connecting member comprises a bolt.

[0027] By rotatably connecting the protective cover and the first wall with a hinge, it is possible to relatively easily realize rotation of the protective cover relative to the first wall. In some embodiments, by connecting the protective cover and the first wall via a bolt, it is possible to realize removal and attachment between the protective cover and the first wall with a relatively mature process, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0028] In a second aspect, there is provided an energy storage device including a control box according to any of the above embodiments.

[0029] In the embodiments provided by the present application, the protective cover of the switch assembly is installed on the first wall by two different connection methods. When the switch assembly does not need to be operated, the second connection member can maintain a fixed connection between the protective cover and the first wall, allowing the first wall to maintain a relatively good waterproof and dustproof effect and reducing the possibility of impurities from the external environment entering the inside of the control box and causing a malfunction of the control box. When the switch assembly needs to be operated or maintained, the first connection member allows the protective cover to be rotated relative to the first wall, eliminating the need to completely remove the protective cover, reducing the possibility of losing the protective cover and benefiting in protecting the switch assembly and thereby reducing the possibility of a malfunction of the control box. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] 1 is a structural schematic diagram of an energy storage device provided by an embodiment of the present application; FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is an exploded structural schematic diagram of a control box provided by an embodiment of the present application; FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a control box provided by an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 4] 1 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a control box provided by an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 5] 1 is an exploded structural schematic diagram of a control box provided by an embodiment of the present application; FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a control box provided by an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 7] 1 is an exploded structural schematic diagram of a control box provided by an embodiment of the present application; FIG. [Figure 8] 1 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a control box provided by an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 9] 1 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a control box provided by an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 10] 1 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a control box provided by an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 11] 1 is an exploded structural schematic diagram of a control box provided by an embodiment of the present application; FIG. [Figure 12] 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a protective cover provided by an embodiment of the present application; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] The following detailed description of the embodiments of the present application will be given in conjunction with the drawings and examples. The detailed description of the embodiments and the drawings below are used to exemplify the principles of the present application, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present application, i.e., the present application is not limited to the described examples.

[0032] In the description of this application, it should be explained that, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more, and the orientations or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "up," "down," "left," "right," "inside," and "outside" are solely for the purpose of facilitating and simplifying the description of this application and do not indicate or imply that the referenced device or element must have a particular orientation, be configured, or operate in a particular direction, and therefore should not be understood as limiting this application. Furthermore, terms such as "first," "second," and "third" are used solely for descriptive purposes and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. "Perpendicular" does not mean perpendicular in the strict sense, but has a margin of error. "Parallel" does not mean parallel in the strict sense, but has a margin of error.

[0033] Any directional terms appearing in the following description refer to the directions shown in the drawings and do not limit the specific structure of the present application. In the description of the present application, and unless otherwise clearly specified or limited, the terms "attached," "coupled," and "connected" should be understood broadly to mean, for example, fixedly connected, detachably connected, integrally connected, directly connected, or indirectly connected via an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art will be able to understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present application depending on the specific circumstances.

[0034] The term "and / or" in this application is simply a relational relationship that describes related objects and indicates that three types of relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three cases: the presence of A, the simultaneous presence of A and B, and the presence of B. In addition, the symbol " / " in this application generally indicates that the related objects before and after it are in an "or" relationship.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art of this application, and the terms used in this specification are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application, and the terms "comprises" and "has" and any variations thereof in the specification, claims, and drawings of this application are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. Terms such as "first," "second," etc. in the specification, claims, and drawings of this application are used to distinguish between different objects and are not used to describe a particular order or priority.

[0036] In this application, a reference to an "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the application. The appearance of the phrase in various locations in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand, both explicitly and implicitly, that the embodiment described in this application may be combined with other embodiments.

[0037] An energy storage device is a device that accumulates energy and typically contains one or more energy storage elements, which may be, for example, batteries. A battery is also referred to as a battery case, which includes a case and one or more battery cells enclosed in the case. For example, the battery cells may include, but are not limited to, lithium-ion secondary batteries, lithium-ion primary batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, sodium-lithium batteries, sodium-ion batteries, or magnesium-ion batteries. The battery cells may include, but are not limited to, cylindrical, flat, rectangular, or other shapes.

[0038] The energy storage device may further include functional components that manage or assist in the operation of the multiple energy storage elements. For example, the energy storage device may include a thermal management component, which may include, but is not limited to, an air conditioning assembly, a fan assembly, a water-cooled pipe, etc., used for thermal management within the energy storage device to regulate the temperature within the energy storage device. For example, the energy storage device may also include a control box that can monitor and control various states of the energy storage device. In some embodiments, the multiple batteries may be connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel to each other and connected to a main control component via a bus component, which controls the electrical connection between the multiple batteries.

[0039] For a control box to operate normally, it usually needs to have a certain level of waterproof and dustproof properties. In particular, some functional components on the control box, such as switches, display screens, and operation panels, need to be further waterproof and dustproof to reduce the impact of the external environment on the normal operation of the control box. In particular, the switch components on the control box need to be relatively strict in waterproof and dustproof properties; otherwise, water and dust will easily enter the control box through the switch components, causing malfunction of the control box. When operating the switch components on the control box or performing maintenance on the control box, it is usually necessary to remove the protective structure of the switch components and then reattach the protective structure after the operation or maintenance is completed.

[0040] However, the protective structure for the switch member is easily lost after being removed, and it is also easy to forget to attach the protective structure after operation or maintenance is completed. This exposes the switch member to the external environment, and impurities in the external environment can easily enter the inside of the control box through the gaps between the switch assemblies, causing the control box to malfunction.

[0041] In view of these considerations, an embodiment of the present application provides a control box for an energy storage device, in which a switch member of the control box is provided with a protective cover, which is rotatably connected to the wall of the control box via a first connecting member and fixedly connected to the wall of the control box via a removable second connecting member. In the control box provided by this embodiment, the protective cover of the switch member is fixedly connected to the wall of the control box via the second connecting member when not removed, thereby maintaining a relatively good waterproof and dustproof effect. After the second connecting member is removed, the protective cover remains rotatably connected to the wall of the control box via the first connecting member, and after operation or maintenance is completed, the protective cover can be easily fixedly connected to the wall of the control box via the second connecting member. This is advantageous in reducing the possibility of losing the protective cover and reducing the risk of the waterproof and dustproof effect of the control box being lost, thereby reducing the possibility of the control box malfunctioning.

[0042] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application can be applied to energy storage devices of various types and sizes, and will be described below with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is an overall schematic diagram of an energy storage device provided by the embodiments of the present application.

[0043] 1, the energy storage device 100 may be, for example, a regular rectangular parallelepiped structure, of which six faces are six outer walls of the energy storage device 100. Installing the energy storage device 100 in a rectangular parallelepiped structure can facilitate fixed placement and transportation of the energy storage device 100.

[0044] The energy storage device 100 has a hollow structure, which can be divided into multiple functional compartments according to actual needs. For example, the energy storage device 100 shown in FIG. 1 can be divided into an energy storage compartment 110, a thermal management compartment 120, and a control compartment 130. The energy storage compartment 110 can be used to house an energy storage element for providing electrical energy, the thermal management compartment 120 can be used to house a thermal management component for regulating the temperature of the battery inside the energy storage device 100, and the control compartment 130 can be used to house a control box for managing or auxiliary operation of the components inside the energy storage device 100.

[0045] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, an energy storage chamber 110 is installed on one side of the energy storage device 100, and a thermal management chamber 120 and a control chamber 130 are installed on the other side, with the thermal management chamber 120 installed above the control chamber 130.

[0046] In some embodiments, the thermal management room 120 is located below the control room 130 .

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a structural schematic diagram of the control box 200 in the energy storage device 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 2, the control box 200 includes a first wall 210, a switch assembly 220, and a protective cover 230.

[0048] The switch assembly 220 is installed on the first wall 210, the protective cover 230 covers the switch assembly 220, the edge region of the protective cover 230 is rotatably connected to the first wall 210 via a first connecting member 231, and the protective cover 230 is fixedly connected to the first wall 210 via a removable second connecting member 232.

[0049] The switch assembly 220 refers to a structure in the control box 200 for controlling the on / off of the power supply to the control box 200, and may be, for example, an air switch. The switch assembly 220 typically faces the outside of the control box 200 to enable operation of the switch assembly 220, and the other side of the switch assembly 220 may be connected to a structure inside the control box 200, for example, connected to a control circuit inside the control box 200, and controlling the on / off of the internal circuit of the control box 200 to open or close the control box 200.

[0050] First wall 210 refers to a wall on which switch assembly 220 is installed. In some embodiments, control box 200 may include a case, and first wall 210 may be a wall of the case. In some embodiments, first wall 210 may be, for example, a wall of control box 200 facing a door of energy storage device 100, and components such as connections and knobs may be installed on that wall.

[0051] Considering that the switch assemblies 220 do not achieve a relatively high sealing performance and impurities from the external environment easily enter the inside of the control box 200 through gaps between the switch assemblies 220, resulting in the control box 200 being prone to malfunction, it is necessary to protect the switch assemblies 220 with the protective cover 230. When the switch assemblies 220 are installed on the first wall 210, the protective cover 230 may also be installed on the first wall 210. To achieve a relatively good protective effect, the protective cover 230 covers at least the switch assemblies 220 and reduces impurities from the external environment from entering the inside of the control box 200.

[0052] The first connecting member 231 is a structure that rotatably connects the protective cover 230 and the first wall 210, and the protective cover 230 can rotate via the first connecting member 231 only while connected to the first wall 210 via the first connecting member 231, but cannot completely detach from the first wall 210. The first connecting member 231 is attached to an edge of the protective cover 230, and in one embodiment, the protective cover 230 can rotate about the edge on which the first connecting member 231 is located as an axis. In another embodiment, the protective cover 230 can rotate in a plane approximately parallel to the plane on which the first wall 210 is located, with the area on which the first connecting member 231 is located as a center point. In some embodiments, when the protective cover 230 includes multiple edges, the first connecting member 231 may be attached to the edge of any side of the protective cover 230. 2, the protective cover 230 may be considered to be substantially rectangular, and the first connecting member 231 may be located on any side of the rectangle. In some embodiments, if the protective cover 230 includes one edge, the first connecting member 231 may be located at any position on the edge. For example, the protective cover 230 may be circular, and the first connecting member 231 may be located at any position on the circumference. In some embodiments, multiple first connecting members 231 may be located on the same edge of the protective cover 230.

[0053] The second connecting member 232 is a removable fixed connection structure for connecting the protective cover 230 and the first wall 210. The second connecting member 232 can provide a certain connection strength between the protective cover 230 and the first wall 210. When the protective cover 230 is simultaneously connected to the first wall 210 via the first connecting member 231 and the second connecting member 232, the protective cover 230 is fixed to the first wall 210 by the action of the second connecting member 232, and the protective cover 230 will not easily fall off or rotate relative to the first wall 210. The second connecting member 232 may be, for example, a bolt and / or a nut, and can be used to securely connect the protective cover 230 and the first wall 210 through corresponding through-holes installed in the protective cover 230 and the first wall 210. The position of the second connecting member 232 may be offset from the position of the first connecting member. Taking FIG. 2 as an example, the second connecting member 232 may be distributed around the peripheral area of ​​the protective cover 230, and in some embodiments, these peripheral areas may be in close contact with the first wall 210.

[0054] 3, the protective cover 230 is connected to the first wall 210 simultaneously via the first connecting member 231 and the second connecting member 232. Due to the action of the second connecting member 232, the first connecting member 231 only connects the protective cover 230 to the first wall 210, and the protective cover 230 is not rotated relative to the first wall 210 via the first connecting member 231. When operation or maintenance of the switch assembly 220 of the control box 200 is required, the second connecting member 232 can be removed, and the protective cover 230 is connected to the first wall 210 only via the first connecting member 231. As shown in FIG. 4 (where the switch assembly 220 is omitted), the protective cover 230 can be rotated relative to the first wall 210, exposing the switch assembly 220 for convenient operation or maintenance. When operation or maintenance of the switch assembly 220 is completed, the second connecting member 232 can be attached to the protective cover 230 to restore the fixed connection between the protective cover 230 and the first wall 210, thereby allowing the protective cover 230 to maintain its protective effect on the switch assembly 220 when operation or maintenance of the switch assembly 220 is not required.

[0055] In some embodiments, the second connecting member 232 is attached to the protective cover 230 in a manner that prevents it from easily falling off, for example, the second connecting member 232 can maintain a constant connection with the protective cover 230 after it is removed. This structure can further reduce the possibility of the second connecting member 232 being lost, and the protective cover 230 can provide a relatively good protective effect for the switch assembly 220 even when the protective cover 230 is repeatedly attached and removed.

[0056] The protective cover 230 of the switch assembly 220 is installed on the first wall 210 in two different connection methods. When the switch assembly 220 does not need to be operated, the second connection member 232 can maintain a fixed connection between the protective cover 230 and the first wall 210, allowing the first wall 210 to maintain a relatively good waterproof and dustproof effect and reducing the possibility of impurities from the external environment entering the control box 200 and causing a malfunction of the control box 200. When the switch assembly 220 needs to be operated or maintained, the first connection member 231 allows the protective cover 230 to rotate relative to the first wall 210, eliminating the need to completely remove the protective cover 230, reducing the possibility of losing the protective cover 230 and benefiting in protecting the switch assembly 220, thereby reducing the possibility of a malfunction of the control box 200.

[0057] According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, the protective cover 230 includes a first groove 233 with an opening facing the first wall 210, the first groove 233 being used to accommodate at least a portion of the switch assembly 220, and / or the first wall 210 is provided with a second groove 211 with an opening facing the protective cover 230, the second groove 211 being used to accommodate at least a portion of the switch assembly 220.

[0058] 5 shows one side of the protective cover 230 facing the first wall 210. As shown in FIG. 5, a first groove 233 may be provided on the surface of the protective cover 230 facing the first wall 210, with the opening of the first groove 233 facing the first wall 210. The first groove 233 has a certain accommodating space and may be used to accommodate at least a portion of the switch assembly 220. Optionally, a second groove 211 may be provided on the first wall 210 of the control box 200, with the opening of the second groove 211 facing the protective cover 230 or the opening of the second groove 211 facing the outside of the control box 200. The second groove 211 also has a certain accommodating space and may be used to accommodate at least a portion of the switch assembly 220.

[0059] In one possible control box 200, the first groove 233 may be installed only in the protective cover 230, and no groove may be installed in the first wall 210, the switch assembly 220 may be installed on the surface of the first wall 210 facing outward from the control box 200, the switch assembly 220 may protrude from the first wall 210, and the first groove 233 may accommodate the portion of the switch assembly 220 protruding from the first wall 210.

[0060] In another possible control box 200, the second groove 211 is provided only in the first wall 210, and the switch assembly 220 is provided on the bottom wall of the second groove 211 and protrudes toward the outside of the control box 200 along the thickness direction of the first wall 210. In this case, the second groove 211 can accommodate the entire switch assembly 220, and the protective cover 230 does not need to have a groove.

[0061] In another possible control box 200, a first groove 233 is provided in the protective cover 230, and a second groove 211 is provided in the first wall 210, and the first groove 233 and the second groove 211 together form a space for accommodating the switch assembly 220, where the first groove 233 can accommodate a part of the switch assembly 220 and the second groove 211 can accommodate another part of the switch assembly 220.

[0062] By installing the first groove 233 and / or the second groove 211 to accommodate the switch assembly 220, protection for the switch assembly 220 is realized, and the possibility of interference between different structures is reduced, which is beneficial to the normal operation of the control box 200, and thereby reduces the possibility of failure of the control box 200.

[0063] According to some embodiments of the present application, the first groove 233 is optionally positioned opposite the second groove 211 .

[0064] In the control box 200 having the first groove 233 formed in the protective cover 230 and the second groove 211 formed in the first wall 210, the fact that the first groove 233 and the second groove 211 are arranged opposite each other may mean that the opening of the first groove 233 and the opening of the second groove 211 generally overlap, so that the first groove 233 and the second groove 211 together can form a relatively large accommodating space for accommodating the switch assembly 220. In this case, the first groove 233 and the second groove 211 do not need to be relatively deep to accommodate the switch assembly 220. On the one hand, reducing the depth of the first groove 233 is advantageous for reducing the dimension of the protective cover 230 protruding from the first wall 210, thereby reducing the additional space occupied by the energy storage device 100 and improving the energy density of the energy storage device 100; on the other hand, reducing the depth of the second groove 211 is advantageous for the first wall 210 to maintain a relatively high strength at the second groove 211.

[0065] By arranging the first groove 233 and the second groove 211 opposite each other, unnecessary space waste can be reduced, which is advantageous for rationally laying out the components of the control box 200, and it is easy to manufacture a control box 200 with appropriate dimensions.

[0066] According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, the first connecting member 231 is installed on one side of the protective cover 230 facing the gravity direction G, the first groove 233 protrudes from the protective cover 230 along a first direction T, the dimension of the first groove 233 protruding from the first wall 210 is equal to or greater than the dimension of the first connecting member 231 protruding from the first wall 210, and the first direction T is the thickness direction of the first wall 210.

[0067] In some embodiments, the first connecting member 231 may be installed on one edge of the protective cover 230 facing the direction of gravity G. For example, in FIG. 6 , which is a schematic view of the control box 200 viewed from one side, the first connecting member 231 may be installed on the bottom edge of the protective cover 230 along the direction of gravity G. In some embodiments, the control box 200 is disposed in the energy storage device 100, and the first connecting member 231 may be located below the protective cover 230.

[0068] The first groove 233 is a groove in the protective cover 230 whose opening faces the first wall 210, and the first groove 233 protrudes from the protective cover 230 in a direction away from the first wall 210, specifically, protrudes from other parts of the protective cover 230 excluding the first groove 233. The dimension L1 by which the first groove 233 protrudes from the first wall 210 refers to the farthest distance between the first groove 233 and the first wall 210 in the thickness direction of the first wall 210, on the surface where the first groove 233 deviates from the first wall 210. The dimension L2 by which the first connecting member 231 protrudes from the first wall 210 refers to the farthest distance between the first connecting member 231 and the first wall 210 in the thickness direction of the first wall 210, on the surface where the first connecting member 231 deviates from the first wall 210.

[0069] The dimension L1 by which the first groove 233 protrudes from the first wall 210 is greater than or equal to the dimension L2 by which the first connecting member 231 protrudes from the first wall 210, and the projection of the first groove 233 in the gravity direction G can cover the projection of the first connecting member 231.

[0070] The portion of the first groove 233 protruding from the first wall 210 can shield the first connecting member 231 in the direction of gravity G, making the first connecting member 231 less susceptible to puddles or flooding above the control box 200, reducing the possibility of the first connecting member 231 being eroded and damaged, and advantageously extending the service life of the first connecting member 231.

[0071] According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, the control box 200 further includes a shielding structure 240 installed on one side of the first connecting member 231 along the direction opposite to the gravity direction G, and the projection of the shielding structure 240 in the gravity direction G covers the projection of the first connecting member 231 in the gravity direction G.

[0072] FIG. 7 shows a schematic exploded view of the control box 200 with the shielding structure 240 installed, and FIG. 8 shows a schematic partial view of the control box 200 with the protective cover 230 covered.

[0073] The shielding structure 240 refers to a structure for protecting the first connecting member 231, and in some embodiments, the shielding structure 240 can shield at least the first connecting member 231 from dust or water that may fall in the direction of gravity G, thereby reducing the possibility that the first connecting member 231 will be affected by the external environment and its service life will be shortened.

[0074] The shielding structure 240 may have various shapes or structures that satisfy the condition that its projection in the direction of gravity G must cover the projection of the first connecting member 231 in the direction of gravity G. For example, the shielding structure 240 may be a thin plate, which may have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and can shield the first connecting member 231 in the direction of gravity G. That is, the shielding structure 240 can reduce the probability that impurities in at least the external environment will fall onto the first connecting member 231 perpendicular to the direction of gravity G.

[0075] The shielding structure 240 is advantageous in reducing the accumulation of dust or water in the first connection member 231 in the external environment due to the first connection, reducing the possibility of the first connection member 231 being eroded and damaged, and extending the service life of the first connection member 231, thereby reducing the possibility of failure of the control box 200.

[0076] According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, the surface of the shielding structure 240 facing in the direction opposite to the direction of gravity G is a first surface 241, and the first surface 241 is inclined in a second direction from the central region toward both ends along the direction of gravity G, and the second direction is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the first wall 210 and the direction of gravity G.

[0077] 9, when the control box 200 is disposed on the energy storage device 100, the first surface 241 may be the upper surface of the shielding structure 240. The central region of the first surface 241 may be slightly higher than both end regions of the first surface 241 in the direction of gravity G, thereby forming a structure that is inclined from the central region toward both ends.

[0078] This structure is advantageous in that the dust or water is guided to slide down along the inclined first surface 241 of the shielding structure 240 under the action of gravity, and the dust or water does not accumulate on the shielding structure 240, which is advantageous in reducing the load-bearing capacity of the shielding structure 240 and extending the service life of the shielding structure 240. This reduces the possibility that the dust or water falls onto the first connecting member 231, and reduces the possibility of the control box 200 malfunctioning.

[0079] In some embodiments, the first surface 241 may be sloped from one end in the second direction to the other end in the second direction.

[0080] In some embodiments, the surface of the shielding structure 240 facing the direction of gravity G is the second surface 242, which may be disposed substantially parallel to the first surface 241. Specifically, the second surface 242 may be inclined in the second direction from a central region toward both ends along the direction of gravity G, and the regions on the second surface 242 corresponding to the inclined portions of the first surface 241 may be inclined at the same angle. Optionally, the second surface 242 may be inclined at different angles.

[0081] In some embodiments, the second surface 242 may be generally horizontal without any tilt.

[0082] According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, the drainage portion 250 is connected to the shielding structure 240 and is installed at both ends of the shielding structure 240 along a second direction, and the second direction is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the first wall 210 and the gravity direction G.

[0083] As shown in Fig. 10, the drainage portion 250 is connected to the shielding structure 240 and refers to a structure for allowing dust and water to slide off. The ends of the shielding structure 240 in the second direction may refer to both end regions of the shielding structure 240 in the second direction, for example, regions in the up, down, left, and right directions of the ends of the shielding structure 240. The drainage portion 250 shown in Fig. 10 is installed along the direction of gravity G. In some embodiments, the drainage portion 250 may be installed at an angle. For example, the drainage portion 250 may be inclined from one end of the drainage portion 250 connected to the shielding structure 240 to the other end so as to deviate from the protective cover 230 in the second direction.

[0084] In some embodiments, the drains 250 may be provided near shielding structures 240 having different shapes or configurations. For example, in the control box 200 shown in FIG. 9, the drains 250 may be provided at both ends of the shielding structure 240 along the second direction.

[0085] The drainage portion 250 can further guide dust and water to slide off along a predetermined path, which is advantageous for better protecting the first connecting member 231. At the same time, the drainage portion 250 can further reduce the accumulation of dust or water on the shielding structure 240 and reduce the possibility of dust or water falling onto the first connecting member 231, which is advantageous for extending the service life of the first connecting member 231.

[0086] According to some embodiments of the present application, the control box 200 optionally further includes a seal member 260 disposed between the protective cover 230 and the first wall 210 for sealing the area surrounding the switch assembly 220.

[0087] 11 shows an exploded view of the control box 200 with the sealing member 260 installed. The sealing member 260 is installed between the protective cover 230 and the first wall 210 and can fill any gaps that may exist between the protective cover 230 and the first wall 210, thereby reducing the amount of dust and water from the external environment that can enter the inside of the control box 200 through the gaps between the protective cover 230 and the first wall 210. In some embodiments, the sealing member 260 is installed around the switch assembly 220 and fills the space around the switch assembly 220, making it easy to seal the switch assembly 220 in different directions.

[0088] In some embodiments, the sealing member 260 may have a certain elasticity, for example, may be made of a rubber material, and may be compressed during the installation process to achieve a better sealing effect.

[0089] In some embodiments, based on the structure shown in FIG. 11, a shielding structure 240 and / or a drainage section 250 can be installed on the control box 200 to further protect the first connection member 231.

[0090] The sealing member 260 is advantageous in sealing the periphery of the switch assembly 220, making the control box 200 less susceptible to dust and water in the external environment, reducing the possibility of impurities in the external environment entering the inside of the control box 200 and causing a malfunction of the control box 200, and further improving the waterproof and dustproof effect of the control box 200, thereby reducing the possibility of a malfunction of the control box 200.

[0091] According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, a second connecting member 232 is used to connect the first wall 210 , the sealing member 260 and the protective cover 230 .

[0092] When the seal member 260 is installed in the control box 200, the second connecting member 232 can further fixedly connect the first wall 210, the seal member 260, and the protective cover 230. The second connecting member 232 has a removable fixed connection structure, and when the seal member 260 needs to be replaced or inspected, the seal member 260 can be further operated after the second connecting member 232 is removed.

[0093] When the protective cover 230 and the first wall 210 are fixedly connected, the first wall 210, the seal member 260, and the protective cover 230 can be connected via the second connecting member 232 to more closely align the three, which is advantageous in improving the sealing performance of the seal member 260.

[0094] According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, in the length direction of the edge region, the ratio of the length L3 of the first connecting member 231 to the length L4 of the edge region ranges in value from [1 / 4, 1 / 2].

[0095] In some embodiments, the protective cover 230 may have a polygonal structure, and the first connecting member 231 may occupy a portion of the edge region of the protective cover 230. As shown in Fig. 12, the length L4 of the edge region of the protective cover 230 refers to the maximum length of the edge of the first connecting member 231 installed on the protective cover 230 in the extension direction of the edge, and the length L3 of the first connecting member 231 refers to the maximum length of the first connecting member 231 in the same direction. In some embodiments, the value range of the ratio of the length L3 of the first connecting member 231 to the length L4 of the edge region is [1 / 4, 1 / 2].

[0096] If the ratio of the length L3 of the first connecting member 231 to the length L4 of the edge region is too small, it is difficult to maintain the connection between the protective cover 230 and the first wall 210, and the first connecting member 231 is easily damaged during use. If the ratio of the length L3 of the first connecting member 231 to the length L4 of the edge region is too large, dust and water from the external environment are more likely to enter the switch assembly 220 through the gap between the first connecting member 231 and the first wall 210, which increases the likelihood of failure of the control box 200.

[0097] According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, the first connecting member 231 includes a hinge and / or the second connecting member 232 includes a bolt.

[0098] By rotatably connecting the protective cover 230 and the first wall 210 with a hinge, it is relatively easy to realize the rotation of the protective cover 230 relative to the first wall 210. In some embodiments, by connecting the protective cover 230 and the first wall 210 with a bolt, it is possible to realize the removal and installation between the protective cover 230 and the first wall 210 with a relatively mature process, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0099] The present application provides an energy storage device 100 including a control box 200 according to any of the above embodiments.

[0100] The above are only specific embodiments of the present application, and the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily made by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed by the present application should be included in the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application should be based on the scope of protection described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0101] 100 Energy Storage Device 110 Energy Storage Room 120 Heat management room 130 Control Room 200 Control Box 210 The First Wall 211 Second Groove 220 Switch Assembly 230 Protective Cover 231 first connecting member 232 second connecting member 233 First Groove 240 Shielding structure 241 First Surface 242 Second Surface 250 Drainage section 260 Sealing material

Claims

1. 1. A control box in an energy storage device, comprising: The first wall and a switch assembly mounted to the first wall; a protective cover that covers the switch assembly, wherein an edge region of the protective cover is rotatably connected to the first wall via a first connecting member, and the protective cover is fixedly connected to the first wall via a removable second connecting member. Control box.

2. the protective cover includes a first recessed groove with an opening facing the first wall, the first recessed groove being used to accommodate at least a portion of the switch assembly; and / or The first wall has a second groove formed therein, the second groove having an opening facing the protective cover, and the second groove is used to accommodate at least a part of the switch assembly. The control box of claim 1 .

3. The first groove is disposed opposite to the second groove. The control box of claim 2 .

4. the first connecting member is installed on one side of the protective cover facing the gravity direction, the first groove protrudes from the protective cover along a first direction, a dimension of the first groove protruding from the first wall is equal to or greater than a dimension of the first connecting member protruding from the first wall, and the first direction is a thickness direction of the first wall.

4. The control box according to claim 2 or 3.

5. The control box The present invention further includes a shielding structure installed on one side of the first connecting member along a direction opposite to the direction of gravity, and a projection of the shielding structure in the direction of gravity covers a projection of the first connecting member in the direction of gravity. A control box according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. a surface of the shielding structure facing in a direction opposite to the direction of gravity is a first surface, the first surface is inclined in a second direction from a central region toward both ends along the direction of gravity, and the second direction is perpendicular to a thickness direction of the first wall and the direction of gravity; The control box of claim 5.

7. The control box The shielding structure further includes drainage sections connected to the shielding structure and installed at both ends of the shielding structure along a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the thickness direction of the first wall and the direction of gravity.

7. The control box according to claim 5 or 6.

8. The control box a sealing member disposed between the protective cover and the first wall for sealing a surrounding area of ​​the switch assembly; A control box according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. the second connecting member is used to connect the first wall, the sealing member, and the protective cover. The control box of claim 8.

10. In the length direction of the edge region, the ratio of the length of the first connection member to the length of the edge region is in the range of [1 / 4, 1 / 2]. A control box according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The first connecting member includes a hinge, and / or the second connecting member includes a bolt. A control box according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A control box according to any one of claims 1 to 11, Energy storage device.

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