Battery pack and battery module

Abstract

To provide a battery pack in which an operation for assembling a battery module is simplified and assembly efficiency is high.SOLUTION: A battery pack is provided, including a cover plate 1, a liquid cooling plate 2, and a battery cell 3, where the battery cell is disposed on the liquid cooling plate, the cover plate covers the liquid cooling plate and the battery cell, the liquid cooling plate is connected to the cover plate, an accommodating cavity 4 is formed between the cover plate and the battery cell, the liquid cooling plate is provided with a liquid outlet pipe 20 and a liquid inlet pipe 21 in communication with each other, the liquid outlet pipe and the liquid inlet pipe are located in the accommodating cavity, and connection assemblies are disposed on a top surface and a bottom surface of the cover plate. The electrical connection member and the liquid cooling connection member may be enclosed by a surrounding plate so as not to be exposed to the outside, meanwhile, a top surface and a bottom surface of the surrounding plate are provided with connection assemblies that can be matched with each other, and the liquid cooling plate is fixedly connected to the surrounding plate, so that the surrounding plates of the two battery packs can be matched with each other through the connection assemblies, thereby achieving the effect of vertically stacking and splicing the two battery packs.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of battery packs, and more particularly to battery packs and battery modules. [Background technology]

[0002] As the energy source of a new energy vehicle, a battery is the most important component of the new energy vehicle. The battery in a new energy vehicle is usually a battery module assembled by electrically connecting multiple battery packs. Different models of new energy vehicles have different electrical energy needs. For example, medium- and large-sized vehicles usually require a large amount of electrical energy storage, while small-sized vehicles only require a small amount of electrical energy storage. Therefore, the number of battery packs included in the battery module of a medium- and large-sized vehicle is greater than the number of battery packs included in the battery module of a small-sized vehicle. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] Conventional battery packs have a low degree of modularization, and when connecting multiple battery packs, the multiple battery packs must be fixed to each other using a separate fixing frame before being assembled, resulting in low assembly efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery pack including a shroud, a liquid-cooled plate, and battery cells, the battery cells are mounted on the liquid-cooled plate, the shroud surrounds the liquid-cooled plate and the battery cells, and the liquid-cooled plate is connected to the shroud, a chamber is provided between the shroud and the liquid-cooled plate, a liquid outlet pipe and a liquid inlet pipe are provided in communication with the liquid-cooled plate, both the liquid outlet pipe and the liquid inlet pipe are located in the chamber, the battery cells are provided with output terminals, and the output terminals are located in the chamber, and matable connection assemblies are provided on both the top and bottom surfaces of the shroud.

[0005] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery module comprising a plurality of the battery packs as described above, all assembled in a stack, with adjacent two battery packs connected by the connection assembly. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] The shroud surrounds the liquid-cooled plate and battery cells, and the inlet and outlet pipes and output electrodes are all located within the chamber between the shroud and the liquid-cooled plate. This allows the electrical connection members and liquid-cooled connection members to be enclosed by the shroud and not exposed to the outside world. At the same time, the top and bottom surfaces of the shroud are both provided with matable connection assemblies, and the liquid-cooled plate is fixedly connected to the shroud. By mating the shrouds of two battery packs with the connection assemblies, the effect of stacking and joining two battery packs together can be achieved, simplifying the operation of assembling the battery packs into battery modules. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of a battery pack of the present application; [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an embodiment of a battery pack of the present application. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a stacked battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a structural schematic diagram of a connection assembly in another embodiment of the battery pack of the present application. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of a battery module of the present application; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Referring to FIG. 1, this is an embodiment of a battery pack of the present application, which includes a shroud 1, a liquid-cooled plate 2, and battery cells 3. The battery cells 3 are mounted on the liquid-cooled plate 2. The shroud 1 surrounds the liquid-cooled plate 2 and the battery cells 3, and the liquid-cooled plate 2 is connected to the shroud 1. A storage chamber 4 is located between the shroud 1 and the liquid-cooled plate 2. The liquid-cooled plate 2 is provided with an outlet pipe 20 and an inlet pipe 21 that communicate with each other, and both the outlet pipe 20 and the inlet pipe 21 are located in the storage chamber 4. The battery cells 3 are provided with output terminals 19, which are located within the storage chamber 4. The top and bottom surfaces of the shroud 1 are provided with matable connection assemblies.

[0009] The liquid-cooled plate 2 is a hollow rectangular plate, with the inlet pipe 21 and outlet pipe 20 both located at one end of the plate in the longitudinal direction. A plurality of battery cells 3 are arranged on the plate 2 along its length. The shroud 1 is rectangular overall and surrounds the outside of the plate 2. The two long sides of the plate 2 are welded to the shroud 1 to secure the battery cells 3. The two width sides of the battery cells 3 are spaced apart from the shroud 1, forming two storage chambers 4. The shroud 1 is made up of four plates, two width plates and two length plates. Adjacent plates are connected by bolts or welding. In this embodiment, welding is used. The two width sides of each plate are beveled, increasing the contact area between the adjacent plates and allowing them to be welded more firmly. The shroud 1 surrounds the liquid-cooled plate 2 and the battery cells 3, and the inlet pipes 21, outlet pipes 20, and output electrodes 19 are all located within the accommodation chamber 4 between the shroud 1 and the liquid-cooled plate 2. This allows the electrical connection components and liquid-cooled connection components to be enclosed by the shroud 1 and not exposed to the outside world. At the same time, the top and bottom surfaces of the shroud 1 are both provided with matable connection assemblies, and the liquid-cooled plate is fixedly connected to the shroud 1. By mating the shrouds 1 of two battery packs with the connection assemblies, the effect of stacking and joining two battery packs can be achieved, simplifying the operation of assembling the battery packs into battery modules.

[0010] In this embodiment, the connection assembly comprises a first plug member 7, a first groove 8, a second plug member 9 and a second groove 10, the first plug member 7 and the first groove 8 are provided on the top surface of the shroud 1, the second plug member 9 and the second groove 10 are provided on the bottom surface of the shroud 1, the first plug member 7 and the second groove 10 are fitted to each other, and the second plug member 9 and the first groove 8 are fitted to each other.

[0011] 1 to 4, the first insert member 7 is plate-shaped, is provided along the extension direction of the top surface of the shroud 1, is integrally molded with the shroud 1, and because the first insert member 7 is located on the side of the top surface of the shroud 1 that is closer to the liquid-cooled plate 2, a first groove 8 is formed on the top surface of the shroud 1 on the side that is away from the liquid-cooled plate 2. Because the second insert member 9 is located on the bottom surface of the shroud 1 on the side that is away from the liquid-cooled plate 2, a second groove 10 is formed on the bottom surface of the shroud 1 on the side that is closer to the liquid-cooled plate 2. The first plug 7 and the second plug 9 have the same shape. Thus, when two adjacent shrouds 1 are stacked together, the second plug 9 of the upper shroud 1 is inserted into the first groove 8 of the lower shroud 1, and the first plug 7 of the lower shroud 1 is inserted into the second groove 10 of the upper shroud 1, so that the first plug 7 and the second plug 9 form a tenon-and-mortise structure. To strengthen the connection between the two adjacent shrouds 1, after the two shrouds 1 are joined, fasteners such as bolts may be inserted through the overlapping portions of the first plug 7 and the second plug 9, i.e., the bolts may be used to fix the first plug 7 and the second plug 9 relative to each other, thereby enabling the two adjacent shrouds 1 to be fixedly connected.

[0012] In another embodiment, referring to FIG. 5, the connection assembly may comprise a plug member 5 and a groove 6, where the plug member 5 is provided on the bottom surface of the shroud 1 and the groove 6 is provided on the top surface of the shroud 1.

[0013] When joining and assembling two battery packs, the shrouds 1 of the two battery packs are joined by inserting the plug 5 located on the upper shroud 1 into the groove 6 located on the lower shroud 1. The plug 5 is plate-shaped and installed along the bottom surface of the shroud 1. The plug 5 is arranged along the extension direction of the bottom surface of the shroud 1 and may be connected to the shroud 1 by welding or integral molding. In this embodiment, the plug 5 is integrally molded with the shroud 1, and the groove 6 is provided corresponding to the plug 5. In order to increase the strength of the connection between two adjacent shrouds 1, after the two shrouds 1 are joined using the insert members 5 and the grooves 6, a fastener such as a bolt may be inserted into the shroud 1 from the point where the insert members 5 and the grooves 6 are connected, i.e., the bolt may be passed through the insert members 5 and the grooves 6, thereby holding the insert members 5 and the grooves 6 fixed relative to each other.

[0014] In this embodiment, the liquid cooling plate 2 is provided with a plurality of position control plates 11, which abut against both sides in the extension direction in which the plurality of battery cells 3 are arranged, and the extension direction of the battery cells 3 is the stacked arrangement direction of the battery cells 3, and the position control plates 11 are fixedly connected to the shroud 1.

[0015] The position restricting plate 11 is rectangular, and its length is the same as the width of the battery cells 3. Two width sides of the position restricting plate 11 are welded to the shroud 1, and the bottom surface of the position restricting plate 11 is welded to the liquid cooling plate 2. The position restricting plate 11, liquid cooling plate 2, and shroud 1 tightly surround the battery cells 3, preventing expansion of the battery cells 3. The storage chamber 4 is located on the side of the position restricting plate 11 that faces away from the battery cells 3.

[0016] In this embodiment, since the inside of the position regulating plate 11 is hollow, the weight of the position regulating plate 11 can be reduced, the weight received by the liquid cooling plate 2 can be reduced, and deformation of the liquid cooling plate 2 can be prevented.

[0017] In this embodiment, a support plate 12 configured to increase the structural strength of the position restriction plate 11 along the extension direction of the battery cells 3 is provided within the position restriction plate 11 .

[0018] Because the positioning plate 11 is configured to resist expansion of the battery cells 3, it requires sufficient structural strength to avoid deformation. The support plate 12 is rectangular, with its length aligned with that of the positioning plate 11 and parallel to the top and bottom surfaces of the positioning plate 11. Two sides of the support plate 12 distributed along its width are welded to the inner walls of the positioning plate 11, reinforcing the structural strength of the positioning plate 11 from the width direction. The number of support plates 12 within the positioning plate 11 may be arbitrary. In this embodiment, three support plates 12 are provided within the positioning plate 11, and the three support plates 12 are spaced apart along the width direction of the positioning plate 11, thereby increasing the structural strength of the positioning plate 11 while reducing its weight.

[0019] In another embodiment, the two side edges along the length of the support plate 12 abut against the top and bottom surfaces of the position restriction plate 11, respectively, and the two side edges along the width of the support plate 12 are welded to the two side walls of the position restriction plate 11, respectively, similarly reinforcing the structural strength of the position restriction plate 11 from the width direction of the support plate 12. In this installation method of the support plate 12 in this embodiment, multiple support plates 12 need to be arranged in parallel on the position restriction plate 11 along the length direction of the position restriction plate.

[0020] In this embodiment, the interior of the shroud 1 is hollow, which reduces the weight of the entire battery pack, and when multiple battery packs are assembled into a battery module, the weight borne by the bottommost battery pack can be reduced.

[0021] In this embodiment, a reinforcing plate 13 configured to increase the structural strength of the shroud 1 is provided within the shroud 1 .

[0022] When the battery packs are assembled into a battery module, the shroud 1 of each battery pack must directly support the weight of the battery pack above it (except for the shroud 1 of the uppermost battery pack). Therefore, the hollow shroud 1 must be reinforced to provide structural strength. The reinforcing plate 13 is rectangular, and its extension direction is the same as that of the shroud 1. The reinforcing plate 13 is inclined within the shroud 1, and an angle is formed between the width direction of the reinforcing plate 13 and the top or bottom surface of the shroud 1. This provides structural reinforcement for the shroud 1 in both the thickness and width directions. The number of reinforcing plates 13 within the shroud 1 may be arbitrary. In this embodiment, there are two reinforcing plates 13 within the shroud 1, and the two reinforcing plates 13 are symmetrically arranged about the center line of the shroud 1 width. This increases the structural strength of the shroud 1 while reducing its weight.

[0023] Referring to Figures 3 and 6, this is an example of a battery module of the present application assembled by stacking four battery packs as described above, with two adjacent battery packs mated and connected by a connection assembly.

[0024] The top of the uppermost battery pack is covered with a top plate 14, and the tops of the other three battery packs are covered with the liquid cooling plates 2 of the upper battery packs. The shrouds 1 of two adjacent battery packs are fitted together by inserting the first insert members 7 into the second grooves 10 and the second insert members 9 into the first grooves 8, and at the same time, the two adjacent shrouds 1 are fixed together by inserting bolts into the first insert members 7 and the second insert members 9.

[0025] In this embodiment, the shroud 1 facing the battery pack storage chamber 4 is provided with a main inlet pipe 16 and a main outlet pipe 15, and the outlet pipes 20 of different battery packs are connected in parallel and communicate with the main outlet pipe 15, and the inlet pipes 21 of different battery packs are connected in parallel and communicate with the main inlet pipe 16.

[0026] The main inlet pipes 16 and the main outlet pipes 15 may be inserted into different shrouds 1, or they may be installed together on the same shroud 1. In this embodiment, the main inlet pipes 16 and the main outlet pipes 15 are installed in the shroud 1 facing the storage chamber 4 where the inlet pipes 21 and outlet pipes 20 of the bottommost battery pack are installed. The inlet pipes 21 of the four battery packs each communicate with one main pipe via a branch pipe, which further communicates with the main inlet pipe 16, and the outlet pipes 20 of the four battery packs each communicate with one main pipe via a branch pipe, which further communicates with the main outlet pipe 15. In this way, the coolant can be introduced into the four liquid-cooled plates 2 simply by introducing it into the main inlet pipe 16, and at the same time, the coolant can be discharged from the four liquid-cooled plates 2 simply by discharging the coolant flowing out of the main outlet pipe 15. The output electrodes 19 of two adjacent battery packs are electrically connected by copper bars 17, and a high-voltage connector 18 is connected to the copper bar 17 of the top battery pack, which passes through the shroud 1 and is connected to external electrical equipment. In a battery module assembled from the above-mentioned battery packs, the electrical connection members (i.e., copper bars 17, output electrodes 19, etc.) and liquid-cooling connection members (i.e., inlet pipes 21, outlet pipes 20, etc.) are all enclosed within the housing 4 by the shroud 1, preventing them from being exposed to the outside world and preventing damage to the electrical connection members and liquid-cooling connection members. In addition, different numbers of battery packs can be installed for different vehicle models, making assembly easy, fast, and convenient. [Explanation of symbols]

[0027] 1. Shroud, 2. Liquid cooling plate, 3. Battery cell, 4. Storage chamber, 5. Insertion member, 6. Groove, 7. First insertion member, 8. First groove, 9. Second insertion member, 10. Second groove, 11. Position control plate, 12. Support plate, 13. Reinforcing plate, 14. Top plate, 15. Main outlet pipe, 16. Main inlet pipe, 17. Copper bar, 18. High-voltage connector, 19. Output pole, 20. Outlet pipe, 21. Inlet pipe.

Claims

1. The battery cell is mounted on the liquid-cooled plate, the shroud surrounds the liquid-cooled plate and the battery cells, and the liquid-cooled plate is connected to the shroud. A chamber is provided between the shroud and the battery cells. A liquid outlet pipe and a liquid inlet pipe are provided in the liquid-cooled plate and communicate with each other. The liquid outlet pipe and the liquid inlet pipe are both located in the chamber. A connection assembly is provided on both the top and bottom surfaces of the shroud. Battery pack.

2. The connection assembly includes a plug member provided on the bottom surface of the shroud and a groove provided on the top surface of the shroud. The battery pack according to claim 1 .

3. The connection assembly includes a first insert and a first groove on the top surface of the shroud, and a second insert and a second groove on the bottom surface of the shroud, the first insert and the second groove being compatible with each other, and the second insert and the first groove being compatible with each other. The battery pack according to claim 1 .

4. The liquid cooling plate is provided with a plurality of position restriction plates that abut on both side surfaces of the liquid cooling plate in the direction in which the battery cells are arranged and stacked, and are fixedly connected to the shroud. The battery pack according to claim 1 .

5. The inside of the position regulating plate is hollow. The battery pack according to claim 4.

6. a support plate configured to increase the structural strength of the position restriction plate along the direction in which the battery cells are arranged and stacked is provided within the position restriction plate; The battery pack according to claim 5 .

7. The interior of the shroud is hollow. The battery pack according to claim 1 .

8. A reinforcing plate is provided within the shroud to enhance the structural strength of the shroud. The battery pack according to claim 7.

9. a plurality of battery packs according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which are all stacked and assembled, with adjacent two battery packs being connected by the connection assembly; Battery module.

10. The shroud is provided with a main inlet pipe and a main outlet pipe, the main inlet pipe being arranged along the direction in which the battery cells are arranged and stacked, the outlet pipes of different battery packs being connected in parallel and communicating with the main outlet pipe, and the inlet pipes of different battery packs being connected in parallel and communicating with the main inlet pipe. The battery module according to claim 9 .

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