Battery module

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the field of batteries, and provide a battery module.SOLUTION: The battery module includes a cell assembly and a fender, the cell assembly includes a plurality of cell units arranged along a first direction and a second direction, an anti-explosion valve is provided at a top of each cell unit, the fender is located at a top of the cell assembly, the fender includes a fender body and a plurality of hollowed portions provided in the fender body, in a plane where the first direction and the second direction are located, an orthographic projection of the anti-explosion valve is located in an orthographic projection of the hollowed portion, the hollowed portion includes a breakthrough portion and at least one connecting portion; The connecting portion is located around the breakthrough portion, the breakthrough portion is connected to the fender body by the connecting portion, and a gap between the breakthrough portion and the connecting portion and the fender body constitutes a first hollowed-out region. The battery module provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure can at least improve the safety of the battery module.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present embodiment relates to the field of batteries, and more particularly to battery modules. [Background technology]

[0002] Battery modules are electrical storage products that contain energy storage cells, and the operation of these components generates internal thermal energy. To prevent and reduce the risk of cell explosion due to excessive internal pressure or temperature, cells are typically equipped with explosion-proof valves, which allow the heat and electrolyte generated after thermal runaway to escape. However, electrolyte leaking onto the top surface of a cell can easily cause safety hazards, such as the battery module catching fire or short-circuiting.

[0003] While aiming for high energy density of battery modules, thermal runaway of the battery module, the number of cells in the module, the cell fixing method, and the method of installing insulation between adjacent cells all have a significant impact on the module's lifespan, performance, and safety. Therefore, how to improve the module's reliability and safety has become an important issue that needs to be considered by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present embodiment provides a battery module that is advantageous in at least improving the safety of the battery module. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to some embodiments of the present application, in one aspect of the embodiments of the present application, a battery module is provided, the battery module including a cell assembly and a fender, the cell assembly having a plurality of cell units arranged along a first direction and a second direction, an explosion-proof valve is provided at the top of each cell unit, the fender is located on top of the cell assembly, the fender includes a fender body and a plurality of openwork portions provided in the fender body, in a plane where the first direction and the second direction are located, the orthogonal projection of the explosion-proof valve is located within the orthogonal projection of the openwork portion, the openwork portion includes a breakthrough portion and at least one connecting portion, the connecting portion is located around the breakthrough portion, the breakthrough portion is connected to the fender body by the connecting portion, and the gap between the breakthrough portion and the connecting portion and the fender body constitutes a first openwork area.

[0006] In some embodiments, the breakthrough portion includes opposing first and second ends, the angle between the line connecting the first end and the center point of the breakthrough portion and the breakthrough direction is acute, the angle between the line connecting the second end and the center point of the breakthrough portion and the breakthrough direction is obtuse, and the dimension of the connecting portion corresponding to the first end is larger than the dimension of the connecting portion corresponding to the second end.

[0007] In some embodiments, the orthographic area of ​​the openwork portion is greater than the orthographic area of ​​the explosion-proof valve in a plane where the first direction and the second direction lie.

[0008] In some embodiments, in a plane where the first direction and the second direction lie, the ratio of the orthogonal projection area of ​​the openwork portion to the orthogonal projection area of ​​the explosion-proof valve is 1.05 to 1.2.

[0009] In some embodiments, the vehicle further includes a harness spacer positioned between the cell assembly and the fender, the harness spacer having a through hole penetrating the harness spacer along a thickness direction of the harness spacer, and in a plane where the first direction and the second direction are located, an orthogonal projection of the explosion-proof valve is located within an orthogonal projection of the through hole.

[0010] In some embodiments, the size of the through hole is larger than the size of the explosion-proof valve and smaller than the size of the openwork portion.

[0011] In some embodiments, the fender further includes a locking hole penetrating the fender along the thickness direction of the fender, and the harness spacer further includes a locking peg protruding from a surface of the harness spacer toward the fender, wherein one end of the locking peg closer to the fender has a dimension larger than the dimension of the locking hole and one end of the locking peg closer to the harness spacer has a dimension smaller than the dimension of the locking hole, and the locking peg penetrates the locking hole to secure the fender and the harness spacer together.

[0012] In some embodiments, the harness separator further includes a protrusion protruding from the surface of the harness separator toward the fender, the protrusion being positioned around the through hole and forming a flow guide passage with the through hole.

[0013] In some embodiments, the gap distance between the protrusion and the fender is 0 to 0.2 mm.

[0014] In some embodiments, the ratio of the width of the connection between adjacent first openwork regions to the thickness of the fender body is between 1 and 1.5.

[0015] In some embodiments, the ratio of the width of the first openwork area between the breakthrough and the fender body to the thickness of the fender body is between 1 and 1.1.

[0016] In some embodiments, the breach includes a second openwork region extending through the breach from a thickness of the breach.

[0017] In some embodiments, the material of the breach is different from the material of the fender body.

[0018] In some embodiments, the shape of the openwork includes a circle, an oval, a rectangle, or a polygon. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] The technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application have at least the following advantages:

[0020] In the battery module provided in the embodiment of the present application, the cell assembly includes a plurality of cell units arranged along a first direction and a second direction, and each cell unit is provided with an explosion-proof valve at the top to prevent the risk of explosion due to excessive pressure or temperature inside the cell unit. The top of the cell assembly is further provided with a fender for isolating the cell assembly from other components in the battery module, and the fender includes a fender body and a plurality of openwork portions provided in the fender body, and on a plane including the first direction and the second direction, the orthographic projection of the explosion-proof valve is located within the orthographic projection of the openwork portions, i.e., the openwork portions are installed directly opposite the explosion-proof valve. The openwork portion includes a breakthrough portion and at least one connection portion, and the breakthrough portion and the fender body are connected only by the connection portion located around the breakthrough portion. When a jet of material is ejected from the explosion-proof valve, the ejected material exerts a force on the breakthrough portion in a direction away from the fender body, making the connection portion more likely to break. The jet of material and heat pass through the breakthrough portion of the fender and are further isolated on the side of the fender away from the cell assembly, thereby preventing the risk of jet material gathering between the cell units and causing thermal runaway of the battery module. In addition, the side of the fender away from the cell assembly is usually provided with other devices, such as a battery management system, for detecting the operating status of the cell assembly. Because the gap between the breakthrough and the connection portion and the fender body surrounds the first openwork area, the breakthrough can block the transfer of some heat compared to when the openwork portion is installed in a completely openwork structure. Furthermore, the dimensions of the first openwork area between the breakthrough and the fender body are small, so heat generated during normal operation of the cell assembly is less likely to be transferred through the first openwork area to the side of the fender away from the cell assembly. This reduces the impact of heat generated during normal operation of the cell assembly on the operation of the battery management system. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] One or more embodiments are illustratively described in corresponding figures in the accompanying drawings, but these illustrative descriptions are not intended to limit the embodiments, and unless otherwise specified, the figures in the accompanying drawings are not limited to scale. In order to more clearly explain the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can derive other drawings based on these drawings without any creative effort. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an exploded structure of a battery module provided in one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a top view of a fender provided in one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a local enlargement structure corresponding to the openwork area of ​​the fender provided in one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the explosion-proof valve and fender provided in one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a local enlargement structure corresponding to the openwork area of ​​another fender provided in one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the explosion-proof valve, harness separator, and fender provided in one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a harness separator and a fender according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a portion of an energy storage module provided in one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the assembly of a portion of the structure of an energy storage module provided in one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 shows the structure of the buffer structure provided in the examples of the present application. [Figure 11]FIG. 11 is a top view of another energy storage module provided in an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a top view of another energy storage module provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The present embodiment provides a battery module that is advantageous in improving at least the battery module.

[0023] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail in conjunction with the drawings. However, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, although many technical details are proposed in the embodiments of the present disclosure to help readers better understand the present disclosure, the technical solution claimed for protection by the present application can be realized without these technical details and various changes and modifications based on the following embodiments.

[0024] As used herein, features (e.g., regions, structures, devices) described as "adjacent" to one another refer to features that are positioned closest (e.g., most proximate) to one another and that bear one or more disclosed labels. Other features (e.g., other regions, other structures, other devices) of one or more disclosed labels that do not correspond to "adjacent" features may be located between the "adjacent" features. In other words, "adjacent" features may be positioned directly adjacent to one another such that no other features intervene between the "adjacent" features, or "adjacent" features may be positioned indirectly adjacent to one another such that at least one feature bearing a label other than the label associated with at least one "adjacent" feature is positioned between the "adjacent" features.

[0025] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, technical terms such as "first," "second," etc. are used only to distinguish between different objects, and should not be understood as expressing or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number, specific order, or primary relationship of the technical features shown. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specified.

[0026] The term "embodiment" as used herein means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in combination with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to all the same embodiment, nor does it mean that the embodiment is independent of or interchangeable with other embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand, both explicitly and implicitly, that the embodiment described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0027] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the term "and / or" is merely a relational relationship that describes related objects, and means that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean that there are three situations: A exists, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists. In addition, the symbol " / " in this specification generally indicates that the related objects before and after it are in an "OR" relationship.

[0028] In describing the embodiments of the present application, the term "plurality" refers to two or more (including two); similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more sets (including two sets); and "plurality" refers to two or more (including two).

[0029] In describing the embodiments of the present application, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by technical terms such as "center," "longitudinal direction," "lateral direction," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial direction," "radial direction," and "circumferential direction" are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are intended merely to facilitate and simplify the description of the embodiments of the present application. They do not indicate or imply that a specified device or part must be configured or operated in a specific orientation, and should not be understood as limiting the embodiments of the present application.

[0030] In describing the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified or limited, technical terms such as "attached," "connected," "coupled," and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integrated structure. They may refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection. They may be directly connected or indirectly connected via an intermediate medium. They may refer to internal communication between two components or an interactive relationship between two components. Those skilled in the art will be able to understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application according to the specific circumstances.

[0031] In the drawings corresponding to the embodiments of the present invention, the thickness and area of ​​layers are exaggerated for better understanding and ease of explanation. When describing one component (e.g., a layer, film, region, or substrate) as being on or on the surface of another component, this component may be disposed "directly" on the surface of the other component, or a third component may exist between the two components. Conversely, when describing one component as being on the surface of another component, or having another component formed or attached to the surface of one component, this indicates that there is no third component between the two components. Furthermore, when describing one component as being "substantially" formed on another component, this means that the component is not formed on the entire surface (or front surface) of the other component, but rather on a partial edge of the entire surface.

[0032] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, when a component "includes" another component, other components are not excluded and may further include other components unless otherwise specified. Also, when a component such as a layer, film, region, or plate is said to be "located / positioned" on another component, it may be "directly" on the other component (i.e., there is no other component between it and the surface of the other component), or another component may exist between them.

[0033] In this specification, the terms used in the various embodiments described above are used only to describe particular embodiments and are not intended to be limiting. As used in the description of the various embodiments described and in the appended claims, "the member" is also intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Here, a member includes a component such as a layer, film, region, or plate.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an exploded structure of a battery module provided in one embodiment of the present application, FIG. 2 is a top view of a fender provided in one embodiment of the present application, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a local enlarged structure corresponding to the openwork area of ​​the fender provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the battery module includes a cell assembly 100 and a fender 200. The cell assembly 100 has a plurality of cell units 101 arranged along a first direction X and a second direction Y. An explosion-proof valve 111 is provided at the top of each cell unit 101. The fender 200 is located on top of the cell assembly 100. The fender 200 includes a fender body 201 and a plurality of openwork portions 202 provided in the fender body 201. In a plane including the first direction X and the second direction Y, the orthographic projection of the explosion-proof valve 111 is located within the orthographic projection of the openwork portion 202. The openwork portion 202 includes a breakthrough portion 212 and at least one connecting portion 222 for connecting the breakthrough portion 212 and the fender body 201. A gap between the breakthrough portion 212 and the connecting portion 222 and the fender body 201 constitutes a first openwork area 232.

[0036] In one embodiment, when the at least one connection is a plurality of connections, the connections are spaced apart around the periphery of the breakthrough.

[0037] In the battery module provided in the embodiment of the present application, the cell assembly 100 includes a plurality of cell units 101 arranged along a first direction X and a second direction Y, and each cell unit 101 is provided with an explosion-proof valve 111 at its top to prevent the risk of explosion due to excessive pressure or temperature inside the cell unit 101. The top of the cell assembly 100 is further provided with a fender 200 for isolating the cell assembly 100 from other components within the battery module, and the fender 200 includes a fender body 201 and a plurality of openwork portions 202 provided within the fender body 201. In the plane where the first direction X and the second direction Y are located, the orthographic projection of the explosion-proof valve 111 is located within the orthographic projection of the openwork portions 202, i.e., the openwork portions 202 are installed directly opposite the explosion-proof valve 111. The openwork portion 202 includes a breakthrough portion 212 and at least one connection portion 222, and the breakthrough portion 212 and the fender main body 201 are connected only by the connection portion 222 located around the breakthrough portion 212. When a jet of material is ejected from the explosion-proof valve 111, the ejected material applies a force to the breakthrough portion 212 in a direction away from the fender main body 201, making the connection portion 222 more likely to break. The jet of material and heat then penetrate the breakthrough portion 212 of the fender 200 and are further isolated on the side of the fender 200 away from the cell assembly 100, thereby preventing the risk of jet material gathering between the cell units 101 and causing thermal runaway of the battery module. In addition, the side of the fender 200 away from the cell assembly 100 is usually provided with other devices, such as a battery management system, for detecting the operating status of the cell assembly 100.Because the gap between the breakthrough portion 212 and the connecting portion 222 and the fender main body 201 surrounds the first openwork area 232, compared to when the openwork portion 202 is installed as a complete openwork structure, the breakthrough portion 212 can block the transfer of some of the heat. Furthermore, the dimensions of the first openwork area 232 between the breakthrough portion 212 and the fender main body 201 are small, so that heat generated during normal operation of the cell assembly 100 is less likely to be transferred to the side of the fender 200 away from the cell assembly 100 through the first openwork area 232. This reduces the impact of heat generated during normal operation of the cell assembly 100 on the operation of the battery management system.

[0038] For ease of explanation, FIG. 1 shows only the first and last cell units 101 arranged along the second direction Y in the cell assembly 100, and illustrates an example in which there are two cell units 101 arranged along the first direction X. However, this does not limit the number of cell units 101 arranged. It should be understood that the number of cell units 101 in the same cell assembly 100 can be set according to actual needs, and the positions of the openwork portions 202 on the corresponding fenders 200 may correspond one-to-one to the positions of the explosion-proof valves 111. A partition plate (e.g., the insulating buffer portion 410 described below) may be provided between adjacent cell units 101. The partition plate can be used to separate adjacent cells and prevent mutual interference between the cells. The partition plate can be made of a flame-retardant plastic plate such as polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS), or polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

[0039] In some embodiments, the cell assembly 100 includes an end plate 102 on at least one side in the first direction X, which isolates the cell assembly 100 from other components within the battery module and provides mounting space for wiring within the battery module, while also dissipating heat from the cell assembly 100, reducing the thermal expansion coefficient of the battery module, and lowering the risk of thermal runaway.

[0040] Figure 1 shows an example in which there is one cell assembly 100. In this case, the cell assembly 100 has end plates 102 on both sides in the first direction X. The end plates 102 not only provide mounting space for wiring within the battery module, but also provide a force-receiving surface when the cell unit 101 is tied to the cable tie 103, thereby preventing damage to the cell unit 101 due to the cable tie 103 being tied directly to the surface of the cell unit 101.

[0041] In some embodiments, the number of cell assemblies may be multiple. In this case, the end plate may be located on the side of the first cell assembly arranged along the second direction Y that is away from the other cell assemblies, or on the side of the last cell assembly arranged along the second direction Y that is away from the other cell assemblies. An intermediate end plate may be located between adjacent cell assemblies. The intermediate end plate is used to isolate adjacent cell assemblies and prevent heat concentration between the adjacent cell assemblies. At the same time, when the cell assemblies are bound together with cable ties, the end plates and intermediate end plates can withstand the force of the cable ties, thereby avoiding deformation of the cell assemblies after being bound together with cable ties.

[0042] In some embodiments, the material of the end plate 102 may be plastic, aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, or the like.

[0043] In some embodiments, the end plate 102 may be provided with a plurality of reinforcing rib structures to increase the strength of the end plate 102. In some embodiments, the fender 200 may use a mica sheet material or other material that is insulating, high temperature resistant, and flame retardant.

[0044] In the drawings provided in this embodiment, the shape of the openwork portion 202 is shown as an ellipse, but this does not limit the shape of the openwork portion 202. In some embodiments, the shape of the openwork portion may be a circle, a rectangle, a polygon, etc. As can be understood, the positions of the openwork portion 202 and the explosion-proof valve 111 correspond to each other along a direction perpendicular to the plane in which the first direction X and the second direction Y are located, and the shape of the openwork portion 202 can be adjusted according to the shape of the explosion-proof valve 111 or the injection conditions of the injection material.

[0045] In some embodiments, the orthogonal projection area of ​​the openwork portion 202 is larger than the orthogonal projection area of ​​the explosion-proof valve 111 on the plane where the first direction X and the second direction Y are located. Since the ejection material from the explosion-proof valve 111 may scatter around the explosion-proof valve 111 when ejected, the area of ​​the openwork portion 202 is set to be larger than the area of ​​the explosion-proof valve 111, thereby preventing the ejection material from remaining between the cell assembly 100 and the fender 200 and preventing heat or ejection material from accumulating between the cell units 101, which could pose a greater safety risk.

[0046] In some embodiments, the ratio of the orthogonal projection area of ​​the openwork portion 202 to the orthogonal projection area of ​​the explosion-proof valve 111 on a plane including the first direction X and the second direction Y is 1.05 to 1.2, such as 1.05, 1.07, 1.11, 1.15, 1.18, or 1.2. That is, the area of ​​the openwork portion 202 may be slightly larger than the area of ​​the explosion-proof valve 111 so that even if the projectile is scattered around the explosion-proof valve 111, it can still reach the side of the fender 200 away from the cell assembly 100 through the openwork portion 202. Furthermore, to avoid the area of ​​the openwork portion 202 being too large and preventing the impact force of the explosion-proof valve 111 from penetrating the breakthrough portion 212, the ratio of the area of ​​the openwork portion 202 to the area of ​​the explosion-proof valve 111 needs to be within an appropriate range.

[0047] In some embodiments, the orthogonal projection area of ​​the explosion-proof valve 111 on the plane where the first direction X and the second direction Y are located may be equal to or smaller than the orthogonal projection area of ​​the breakthrough portion 212. This allows the impact force of the projectile from the explosion-proof valve 111 to act intensively on the breakthrough portion 212, which helps the impact force of the explosion-proof valve 111 to break through the breakthrough portion 212.

[0048] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the explosion-proof valve and fender provided in one embodiment of the present application, where the cross-sectional direction shown in FIG. 4 is the A-A1 direction in FIG.

[0049] 3 and 4, in some embodiments, the explosion-proof valve 111 may have a breakthrough direction Z preset during design, where the breakthrough direction Z is not perpendicular to the plane of the first direction X and the second direction Y. The breakthrough portion 212 may have a first end I and a second end II facing each other. A first line segment S1 is a line connecting the first end I to the center point O of the breakthrough portion 212, and the included angle between the first line segment S1 and the breakthrough direction Z is an acute angle. A second line segment S2 is a line connecting the second end II to the center point O of the breakthrough portion 212, and the included angle between the second line segment S2 and the breakthrough direction Z is an obtuse angle. The dimension of the connecting portion 222 corresponding to the first end I (denoted by W1 in FIG. 3 ) is larger than the dimension of the connecting portion 222 corresponding to the second end II (denoted by W2 in FIG. 3 ). Here, the dimension of the connecting portion 222 refers to the corresponding width W along the circumferential direction of the breakthrough portion 212.

[0050] 4, for convenience of explanation, the plane on which the breakthrough direction Z and the first direction X are located is perpendicular to the plane on which the first direction X and the second direction Y are located, but this does not limit the breakthrough direction Z. In some embodiments, the breakthrough direction Z may be set to be neither perpendicular nor parallel to the plane on which the first direction X and the second direction Y are located.

[0051] Because the breakthrough direction Z of the explosion-proof valve 111 is not perpendicular to the plane on which the first direction X and the second direction Y are located, the direction of the force received by the breakthrough portion 212 is not perpendicular to the plane on which the first direction X and the second direction Y are located, and the force received by the first end I and the second end II of the breakthrough portion 212 is different. If the dimension of the connection portion 222 corresponding to the first end I is set larger than the dimension of the connection portion 222 corresponding to the second end II, the force required to break the connection portion 222 corresponding to the second end II is smaller than the force required to break the connection portion 222 corresponding to the first end I. As a result, the direction of the force received by the breakthrough portion 212, which is prone to breakthrough, corresponds to the breakthrough direction of the explosion-proof valve, increasing the probability that the breakthrough portion 212 will be broken through and preventing projectiles from the explosion-proof valve 111 from remaining between the fender 200 and the cell assembly 100. Furthermore, if the dimension of the connection portion 222 corresponding to the first end I is set larger than the dimension of the connection portion 222 corresponding to the second end II, the direction of the force that makes the breakthrough portion 212 more likely to break through corresponds to the breakthrough direction of the explosion-proof valve, the direction in which the breakthrough portion 212 breaks through is not perpendicular to the plane in which the first direction X and the second direction Y are located, and the movement trajectory of the breakthrough portion 212 after it breaks through and falls becomes a parabola, making it difficult for the fallen breakthrough portion 212 to return to the openwork portion 202 and preventing the fallen breakthrough portion 212 from blocking the explosion-proof valve 111.

[0052] In some embodiments, the widths of the connections at different positions in a direction relative to the circumferential direction of the breakthrough may be equal.

[0053] In some embodiments, the ratio of the width W of the connection portion 222 between adjacent first openwork regions 232 to the thickness T of the fender main body 201 is between 1 and 1.5, such as 1, 1.1, 1.3, or 1.5. It can be understood that the wider the width W of the connection portion 222, the stronger the connection between the corresponding breakthrough portion 212 and the fender main body 201, making it less likely that the connection portion 222 will break when the breakthrough portion 212 is impacted by the explosion-proof valve 111. Conversely, the narrower the width W of the connection portion 222, the weaker the connection between the corresponding breakthrough portion 212 and the fender main body 201, making it more likely that the breakthrough portion 212 will fall onto the explosion-proof valve 111 when not impacted, thereby blocking the explosion-proof valve 111. Therefore, the width W of the connection portion 222 between adjacent first openwork areas 232 needs to be set within an appropriate range, and if the ratio of the width W of the connection portion 222 to the thickness T of the fender main body 201 is 1 to 1.5, this contributes to maintaining good stability while the breakthrough portion 212 breaks through when subjected to an impact.

[0054] 3 and 4 , in some embodiments, the ratio of the width H of the first openwork area 232 between the breakthrough 212 and the fender main body 201 to the thickness T of the fender main body 201 is between 1 and 1.1, and may be, for example, 1, 1.01, 1.05, 1.07, or 1.1. Here, the first openwork area 232 is a linear openwork, for example, having a linear shape, and the extension direction of the first openwork area 232 is the length direction of the first openwork area 232, and the width H of the first openwork area 232 is, that is, the distance of the gap between the breakthrough 212 and the fender main body 201. The wider the width H of the first openwork region 232, the more easily heat from the cell assembly 100 is transferred to the side of the fender 200 away from the cell assembly 100 through the first openwork region 232, causing other components on the side of the fender 200 away from the cell assembly 100 to be affected by the heat released during normal operation of the cell assembly 100. Therefore, the narrower the width H of the first openwork region 232, the more disadvantageous it is for the installation of the connection portion 222. Therefore, the ratio of the width H of the first openwork region 232 between the breakthrough portion 212 and the fender main body 201 to the thickness T of the fender main body 201 must be within an appropriate range.

[0055] In some embodiments, the thickness T of the fender body 201 may be 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm, for example, 0.5 mm, 0.8 mm, 1 mm, 1.2 mm, or 1.5 mm. If the thickness T of the fender 200 is too large, space will be wasted, which is detrimental to improving the space utilization rate of the battery module. If the thickness T of the fender 200 is too small, the strength of the fender 200 itself will be reduced, making it more susceptible to crushing problems.

[0056] 3 illustrates an example in which the number of first openwork areas 232 and the number of connecting portions 222 are both four, but this does not limit the number of first openwork areas 232 and the number of connecting portions 222. In actual design, the number of first openwork areas 232 and the number of connecting portions 222 can be set according to actual needs. For example, in some embodiments, there may be only one first openwork area, the first openwork area having a ring shape, and the connecting portion is located between both ends of the first openwork area. That is, the breakthrough may be connected to the fender body via only one connecting portion, and the first openwork area is disposed surrounding the breakthrough.

[0057] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a local enlargement structure corresponding to the openwork area of ​​another fender provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0058] 5, in some embodiments, the breakthrough portion 212 includes a second openwork region 242 that penetrates the breakthrough portion 212 in the thickness direction of the breakthrough portion 212. As a result, when the breakthrough portion 212 is impacted by the explosion-proof valve 111 and the surrounding connection portion 222 is not broken, the force that the breakthrough portion 212 receives is uneven due to the presence of the second openwork region 242, causing the breakthrough portion 212 to deform or break through. This prevents the risk of the explosion-proof valve 111 not being able to break through the breakthrough portion 212 causing the remaining ejected material to concentrate between the cell units 101 and cause thermal runaway of the battery module.

[0059] 5 illustrates the second openwork area 242 as being "cross" shaped, but this is not intended to limit the shape of the second openwork area 242. In some embodiments, the openwork portion may be shaped like a "rice."

[0060] In some embodiments, the material of the breach 212 may be a mica sheet material or other material that is insulating, high temperature resistant, and flame retardant.

[0061] In some embodiments, the material of the fender body 201 may be a mica sheet material or other material with insulating, high temperature resistant, and flame retardant properties.

[0062] In some embodiments, the material of breakthrough portion 212 may be the same as the material of fender body 201. If first openwork region 232 is formed directly in fender body 201 by a milling or stamping process, then connection portion 222 is made of the same material as fender body 201.

[0063] In some embodiments, the material of breakthrough portion 212 may be different from the material of fender body 201. In this case, breakthrough portion 212 may be made of another material and fixed to fender body 201 via connecting portion 222. In this case, the material of connecting portion 222 may be different from the material of fender body 201. For example, fender body 201 may be made of a mica sheet, breakthrough portion 212 may be made of a plastic sheet that is insulating, high-temperature resistant, and flame-retardant, and connecting portion 222 may be made of an epoxy resin, and breakthrough portion 212 may be fixed to openwork portion 202 of fender body 201 by hardening the epoxy resin.

[0064] In some embodiments, the material of the connecting portion 222 may be the same as the material of the breakthrough portion 212. Thus, the connecting portion 222 may be integrally molded with the breakthrough portion 212, or the connecting portion 222 may be fixed to the fender main body 201 by adhesive. Here, the material of the fender main body 201 may be the same as or different from the material of the connecting portion 222.

[0065] As can be understood, in Figures 3 and 5, the positions of fender main body 201, connecting portion 222, and breakthrough portion 212 are distinguished by dotted lines to make it easier to distinguish between fender main body 201, connecting portion 222, and breakthrough portion 212, but this does not indicate that fender main body 201, connecting portion 222, and breakthrough portion 212 are structures independent of one another, and the materials for fender main body 201, connecting portion 222, and breakthrough portion 212 can be manufactured in combination with the above-mentioned material selection and manufacturing method.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 1 , in some embodiments, the battery module may further include a harness separator 300 positioned between the cell assembly 100 and the fender 200, wherein the harness separator 300 has a through-hole 301 penetrating the harness separator 300 along the thickness direction of the harness separator 300, and the orthogonal projection of the explosion-proof valve 111 is located within the orthogonal projection of the through-hole 301 on the plane where the first direction X and the second direction Y are located.

[0067] The harness separator 300 is used to prevent short circuits and crossovers of harnesses, and can effectively isolate electrical signals between different harnesses. The through-hole 301 of the harness separator 300 is installed directly opposite the explosion-proof valve 111, so that when a jet of material is ejected from the explosion-proof valve 111, the jet of material and heat can pass through the through-hole 301 and the opening 212 to directly reach the side of the fender 200 away from the cell assembly 100.

[0068] In some embodiments, the size of the through hole 301 is larger than the size of the explosion-proof valve 111 and smaller than the size of the openwork portion 202. If the size of the through hole 301 is larger than the size of the explosion-proof valve 111, even if the ejection material from the explosion-proof valve 111 scatters around, it will still pass through the through hole 301 and penetrate the breaching portion 212, contributing to reaching the side of the fender 200 away from the cell assembly 100. On the other hand, if the size of the through hole 301 is smaller than the size of the openwork portion 202, it will contribute to concentrating the ejection force from the explosion-proof valve 111 on the breaching portion 212.

[0069] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the explosion-proof valve, harness separator, and fender provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0070] 1 and 6, in some embodiments, the harness separator 300 further includes a protrusion 302 protruding from the surface of the harness separator 300 toward the fender 200, the protrusion 302 being positioned around the through-hole 301 and forming a guide passage 303 with the through-hole 301. This allows the spray force from the explosion-proof valve 111 to be concentrated and aimed at the breach 212 through the guide passage 303, and the sprayed material and heat generated in the explosion-proof valve 111 to reach the side of the fender 200 away from the cell assembly 100 through the guide passage 303 in a concentrated manner.

[0071] In some embodiments, the number of protrusions 302 corresponding to one through hole 301 may be one, and the protrusions 302 may continuously surround the through hole 301. In some embodiments, one through hole 301 may correspond to multiple protrusions 302, i.e., multiple protrusions 302 may surround the through hole 301 at intervals.

[0072] In some embodiments, the gap distance between the protrusion 302 and the fender 200 is 0 to 0.2 mm, and may be, for example, 0, 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.15 mm, or 0.2 mm. As can be appreciated, the protrusion 302 may be in direct contact with the fender 200 so as to abut against the fender 200, or the protrusion 302 may have a certain gap between it and the fender 200. If the gap distance between the protrusion 302 and the fender 200 is within the range of 0 to 0.2 mm, it contributes to concentrating the impact force generated in the explosion-proof valve 111 and the ejected material into the guide passage 303.

[0073] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a harness separator and a fender according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0074] 7 , in some embodiments, the fender 200 may further include a locking hole 203 penetrating the fender 200 along the thickness direction of the fender 200, and the harness spacer 300 may further include a locking peg 304 protruding from the surface of the harness spacer 300 facing the fender 200 in a direction toward the fender 200, wherein the dimension of one end of the locking peg 304 closer to the fender 200 is larger than the dimension of the locking hole 203 and the dimension of the other end of the locking peg 304 closer to the harness spacer 300 is smaller than the dimension of the locking hole 203. This allows the fender 200 and the harness spacer 300 to be directly fixed together by the locking peg 304 and the locking hole 203 without the need for additional screws. When the fender 200 and the harness spacer 300 approach each other, the end of the locking peg 304 closer to the fender 200 is slightly deformed and passes through the locking hole 203. After the end of the locking nail 304 that is closer to the fender 200 passes through the locking hole 203, the end of the locking nail 304 that is closer to the fender 200 returns to its original state. In this way, when the fender 200 and the harness spacer 300 are not subjected to an acting force in a direction that moves them apart from each other, the fender 200 and the harness spacer 300 can be kept in close contact and fixed.

[0075] As can be seen, there is a certain gap between the fender 200 and the harness spacer 300 because there is an additional harness (not shown) between the fender 200 and the harness spacer 300 .

[0076] In some embodiments, the fender 200 and the harness spacer 300 may be secured together with adhesive or bolts.

[0077] In some embodiments, the overall dimensions of the fender 200 in the plane of the first direction X and the second direction Y are smaller than the overall dimensions of the harness separator 300. This allows the fender 200 to provide a protective isolation function for the cell assemblies 100 and the harness separator 300 as a whole, while minimizing the fender 200's influence on the overall dimensions of the battery module.

[0078] In the battery module provided in the embodiment of the present application, the cell assembly 100 includes a plurality of cell units 101 arranged along a first direction X and a second direction Y, and each cell unit 101 is provided with an explosion-proof valve 111 at its top to prevent the risk of explosion caused by excessive internal pressure or temperature of the cell unit 101. The cell assembly 100 is further provided with a fender 200 at its top to isolate the cell assembly 100 from other components in the battery module. The fender 200 includes a fender body 201 and a plurality of openwork portions 202 provided in the fender body 201. In the plane of the first direction X and the second direction Y, the orthographic projection of the explosion-proof valve 111 is located within the orthographic projection of the openwork portions 202, i.e., the openwork portions 202 are installed directly opposite the explosion-proof valve 111. The openwork portion 202 includes a breakthrough portion 212 and at least one connection portion, and the breakthrough portion 212 and the fender main body 201 are connected only by the connection portion 222 located around the breakthrough portion 212. When a jet of material is ejected from the explosion-proof valve 111, the ejected material exerts a force on the breakthrough portion 212 in a direction away from the fender main body 201, making the connection portion 222 more likely to break. The jet of material and heat can then penetrate the breakthrough portion 212 of the fender 200 and be isolated on the side of the fender 200 away from the cell assembly 100. This prevents the jet of material from gathering between the cell units 101 and causing thermal runaway in the battery module. Furthermore, the side of the fender 200 away from the cell assembly 100 is usually provided with a device such as a battery management system for detecting the operating status of the cell assembly 100.Because the gap between the breakthrough portion 212 and the connecting portion 222 and the fender main body 201 surrounds the first openwork area 232, the breakthrough portion 212 can block some of the heat transfer compared to when the openwork portion 202 is installed as a complete openwork structure, and the dimensions of the first openwork area 232 between the breakthrough portion 212 and the fender main body 201 are small, so heat generated during normal operation of the cell assembly 100 is less likely to be transferred to the side of the fender 200 away from the cell assembly 100 via the first openwork area 232. This reduces the impact of heat generated during normal operation of the cell assembly 100 on the operation of the battery management system.

[0079] In addition, in the related art, the number of cells in an energy storage module, the method of fixing the cells, and the method of installing insulation between adjacent cells have a significant impact on the life and performance of the storage module.

[0080] As can be seen from the analysis, an energy storage module typically includes multiple cells, which can be fastened and secured with fasteners such as steel belts to form an energy storage module. However, as the number of cells in an energy storage module increases, the difficulty of ensuring the stability of the cells in the energy storage module correspondingly increases. If the fasteners that secure the cells as a module provide insufficient fastening force, the cells may sink during movement and transportation, which may result in deformation of the module. Currently, the insulation and buffering structure between adjacent cells is often simply a stack of insulation sheets and buffering sheets installed between the adjacent cells, which are fixed between the adjacent cells by pressure between the adjacent cells. Apart from the frictional force of the insulation sheet or buffering sheet itself, the insulation sheet or buffering sheet does little to stabilize the fixation of the adjacent cells.

[0081] The embodiments of the present application provide an energy storage module and a battery pack that contribute to at least increasing the reliability of the energy storage module.

[0082] According to some embodiments of the present application, in one aspect of the embodiment of the present application, there is provided an energy storage module, the energy storage module including a plurality of cells arranged at intervals along at least a first direction, an insulating buffer portion, a first adhesive portion, and a second adhesive portion, wherein the insulating buffer portion is located at a distance between two adjacent cells along at least the first direction, and the insulating buffer portion includes an insulating sheet and two buffer structures, each of which is located on either side of the insulating sheet facing the cells, and the buffer structures have openwork that penetrates the corresponding buffer structure along the thickness direction of the insulating sheet, the first adhesive portion is located between at least a portion of the buffer structure and a portion of the insulating sheet opposite to the buffer structure, and the buffer structure is adhesively fixed to the insulating sheet through the first adhesive portion, and the second adhesive portion is located between at least a portion of the insulating buffer portion and a portion of the cells opposite to the insulating buffer portion, and opposite sides of the insulating buffer portion are adhesively fixed to adjacent cells along the first direction by corresponding second adhesive portions, respectively.

[0083] According to some embodiments of the present application, for the buffer structure and the first adhesive portion located on either side of the insulation sheet along the first direction, the ratio of the orthogonal projected area of ​​the first adhesive portion on the surface of the insulation sheet to the orthogonal projected area of ​​the buffer structure on the surface of the insulation sheet exceeds 0.9.

[0084] According to some embodiments of the present application, in the second adhesive portion and the buffer structure adjacent to either side of the cell along the first direction, the ratio of the orthogonal projected area of ​​the second adhesive portion on the side of the cell to the orthogonal projected area of ​​the buffer structure on the side of the cell exceeds 0.9.

[0085] According to some embodiments of the present application, a cell includes at least a housing and a jelly roll, wherein the housing has a storage cavity, the jelly roll is positioned within the storage cavity, the housing has a top surface and a bottom surface opposing each other along a second direction, the jelly roll has a first top portion and a first bottom portion opposing each other along the second direction, the top surface is higher than the first top portion and the bottom surface is lower than the first bottom portion along the second direction, the insulating buffer portion has a second top portion and a second bottom portion opposing each other along the second direction, the second top portion is not lower than the first top portion, the second top portion is lower than the top surface, the second bottom portion is not higher than the first bottom portion, and the second bottom portion is higher than the bottom surface along the second direction.

[0086] According to some embodiments of the present application, the plurality of cells arranged at intervals along the first direction constitute one cell group, the energy storage module includes a plurality of cell groups arranged at intervals along a third direction, and the insulating buffer portion is further located between two adjacent cells along the third direction.

[0087] According to some embodiments of the present application, a plurality of insulating buffer sections arranged along the first direction are included between two adjacent cell groups along the third direction, and a plurality of insulating sheets of the plurality of insulating buffer sections arranged along the first direction are integrally molded, and / or a plurality of buffer structures located on the same side of the plurality of insulating sheets are integrally molded.

[0088] According to some embodiments of the present application, one row of cells arranged along the third direction is one cell row, and between two adjacent cell rows along the first direction, multiple insulating buffer sections arranged along the third direction are included, and multiple insulating sheets of the multiple insulating buffer sections arranged along the third direction are integrally molded, and / or multiple buffer structures located on the same side of the multiple insulating sheets are integrally molded.

[0089] According to some embodiments of the present application, the buffer structure includes at least four buffer strips, the four buffer strips being connected in sequence to form the buffer structure, and the orthogonal projection of the buffer structure on the surface of the insulation sheet is in the shape of a "circle."

[0090] According to some embodiments of the present application, the four buffer strips are integrally formed, or the four buffer strips are independent of each other.

[0091] According to some embodiments of the present application, in another aspect of the embodiments of the present application, there is further provided a battery pack including the energy storage module described in the above embodiments.

[0092] The technical means provided in the embodiments of the present application have at least the following advantages: an insulating buffer portion between two adjacent cells in the first direction; the insulating buffer portion including an insulating sheet and buffer structures located on opposite sides of the insulating sheet; the insulating sheet for insulating the adjacent cells; the buffer structures for dealing with cell expansion and preventing the cells from pressing against each other; the buffer structures having an openwork pattern not only contribute to reducing the consumption of the buffer structure but also improve the cushioning performance of the buffer structure; the buffer structure is adhesively fixed to the insulating sheet by a first adhesive portion, and the insulating buffer portion is adhesively fixed to the side of the cell by a second adhesive portion; thereby, the insulating buffer portion can fix the adjacent cells arranged in the first direction to a certain extent; and in combination with a fastener, the multiple cells are fixed as an energy storage module, which not only effectively reduces the impact of thermal expansion and cooling contraction of the cells on the energy storage module but also contributes to mitigating cell subsidence and improving the structural stability of the energy storage module.

[0093] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9, the energy storage module provided in the embodiments of the present application includes a plurality of cells 400 arranged at intervals along at least a third direction J, a heat insulating buffer portion 410 located at an interval between two adjacent cells 400 along at least the third direction J, a first adhesive portion 413, and a second adhesive portion 420, wherein the heat insulating buffer portion 410 includes a heat insulating sheet 411 and two buffer structures 412, the two buffer structures 412 being located on both sides of the heat insulating sheet 411 facing the cells 400, and the buffer structures 412 are openwork. 4122, the openwork 4122 penetrates the corresponding buffer structure 412 along the thickness direction of the insulating sheet 411, the first adhesive portion 413 is located at least between the buffer structure 412 and the insulating sheet 411 facing it, the buffer structure 412 is adhesively fixed to the insulating sheet 411 by the first adhesive portion 413, the second adhesive portion 420 is located at least between the insulating buffer portion 410 and the cell 400 facing it, and along the third direction J, both opposing sides of the insulating buffer portion 410 are adhesively fixed to the adjacent cell 400 by the corresponding second adhesive portion 420.

[0094] In the insulating buffer section 410, the insulating sheet 411 is used to insulate adjacent cells 400, preventing thermal runaway to some extent in the energy storage module and improving the safety performance of the energy storage module. The buffer structure 412 is used to absorb the compression and expansion of the cells 400 during the expansion process and prevent mutual pressure between the cells 400. The buffer structure 412 has an openwork 4122, which not only reduces the consumption of the buffer structure 412 and lowers manufacturing costs, but also contributes to improving the buffering performance of the buffer structure 412. Furthermore, unlike the conventional method of simply stacking insulation and buffering materials in a straight line, in which the buffer structure 412 is bonded to the insulation sheet 411 by the first adhesive part 413 and the insulation buffer part 410 is bonded to the side of the cell 400 by the second adhesive part 420, and thereby achieving the dual functions of insulation and buffering, in this invention, the insulation sheet 411 and the insulation buffer part 410 are bonded with double-sided back adhesive, so that the insulation buffer part 410 can effectively achieve the dual functions of buffering and insulation and can also provide a certain fixing effect for adjacent cells 400. Furthermore, by combining with fixing devices to fix multiple cells 400 into an energy storage module, not only can the impact of thermal expansion and cooling contraction of the cells 400 on the energy storage module be effectively reduced, but also the settlement phenomenon of the cells 400 can be alleviated, contributing to improving the structural stability of the energy storage module.

[0095] The energy storage module may be a battery module in a battery pack, and in some embodiments, one energy storage module may include multiple cells 400 arranged at intervals along the third direction J.

[0096] In some embodiments, the plurality of cells 400 may be tethered to the lower box by fasteners such as steel belts.

[0097] In some embodiments, cell 400 may be an electrochemical device sealed in a housing, converting chemical energy into electrical energy through a chemical reaction, with cell 400 being a unit that stores and releases electrical energy. In some embodiments, cell 400 may be comprised of a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator, and an electrolyte.

[0098] The insulating buffer section 410 is used to achieve insulation and buffering between adjacent cells 400. Installing the insulating buffer section 410 between adjacent cells 400 can prevent thermal runaway in the energy storage module to a certain extent, contributing to improving the safety performance of the energy storage module. The insulating buffer section 410 absorbs the compression and expansion during the expansion process of the cells 400, reduces the pressing force between the cells 400, and contributes to improving the reliability of the energy storage module.

[0099] The insulating buffer portion 410 includes an insulating sheet 411, which is made of a material with excellent insulating properties, and is the main part of the insulating buffer portion 410 that exerts an insulating effect. In some embodiments, the material of the insulating sheet 411 is mica.

[0100] The heat insulating sheet 411 has two opposing surfaces, and two buffer structures 412 are respectively located on the two opposing surfaces of the heat insulating sheet 411. The buffer structures 412 are formed of a compressible material having elasticity, and are the main part that performs the buffering function in the heat insulating buffer section 410. In some embodiments, the material of the buffer structure 412 is silicone foam. The buffer structure 412 has an openwork 4122, which can be formed by cutting a sheet-like buffer sheet, and the openwork 4122 penetrates the buffer structure along the thickness direction of the buffer structure.

[0101] Compared to using an entire buffer sheet as a buffer material between adjacent cells, less buffer structure 412 with openwork 4122 is consumed, contributing to reducing production costs. In addition, the buffer structure 412 forms a cavity between the cell 400 and the insulating sheet 411, and the cavity can easily absorb the compression and expansion of the cell 400 during its expansion process, contributing to improving the cushioning performance of the insulating buffer part 410.

[0102] In some embodiments, the thickness of the insulating sheet 411 may be between 0.475 mm and 0.525 mm, for example, 0.48 mm, 0.485 mm, 0.49 mm, 0.5 mm, or 0.515 mm.

[0103] In some embodiments, the orthogonal projection of the openwork 4122 of the buffer structure 412 on the surface of the insulating sheet 411 may be circular, rectangular, triangular, or irregular.

[0104] In some embodiments, the thickness of the buffer structure 412 in the thickness direction of the insulating sheet 411 may be 0.95 mm to 1.05 mm, for example, 0.98 mm, 0.99 mm, 1 mm, 1.02 mm, or 1.03 mm.

[0105] In some embodiments, the number of fretworks 4122 provided in one buffer structure 412 may be one. In other embodiments, the number of fretworks 4122 provided in one buffer structure 412 may be multiple.

[0106] FIG. 10 shows the structure of the buffer structure provided in the examples of the present application.

[0107] 10 , the number of openwork 4122 provided in one buffer structure 412 is one, and the shape of the openwork 4122 of the buffer structure 412 when orthogonally projected on the surface of the insulating sheet 411 is a rectangle, the buffer structure 412 includes at least four buffer strips 4121, and the four buffer strips 4121 are connected in sequence to form the buffer structure 412, and the orthogonal projection of the buffer structure 412 on the surface of the insulating sheet 411 is a "knob" shape (rectangle). The "knob"-shaped buffer structure 412 not only has excellent buffering capacity, but also has a simple structure, which contributes to reducing the difficulty of manufacturing the buffer structure 412.

[0108] In some embodiments, the orthogonal projection of the buffer structure 412 on the surface of the insulating sheet 411 is in the shape of a "circle", the buffer structure 412 includes four buffer strips 4121, and the four buffer strips 4121 are connected in series to form the buffer structure 412, where the four buffer strips 4121 are integrally formed.

[0109] 10, the four buffer strips 4121 are independent of one another, that is, when one buffer structure 412 is fixed to one surface of the insulating sheet 411 by the first adhesive portion 413, the four independent buffer strips 4121 can be sequentially adhered to one surface of the insulating sheet 411, and the four buffer strips 4121 can be sequentially connected to one another. This reduces the difficulty of assembling the insulating buffer portion 410, and thus contributes to reducing the difficulty of assembling the energy storage module.

[0110] The insulating buffer unit 410 further includes a first adhesive portion 413, which is used to adhesively fix the buffer structure 412 to the surface of the insulating sheet 411, so that the insulating sheet 411 and the buffer structure 412 in the insulating buffer unit 410 are fixed to each other in a fixed positional relationship. This prevents the buffer structure 412 from sliding relative to the insulating sheet 411 in a direction parallel to the surface of the insulating sheet 411, contributing to improving the stability of the fixation between the cells 400.

[0111] In some embodiments, the first adhesive portion 413 is an adhesive layer, and specifically may be a UV resin liquid or a flame-retardant acrylic resin. The flame-retardant acrylic resin has a certain degree of flame retardancy, and using the flame-retardant acrylic resin as the first adhesive portion 413 contributes to improving the safety of the energy storage module.

[0112] 9 , for the buffer structure 412 and the first adhesive portion 413 located on either side of the insulating sheet 411 along the third direction J, the ratio of the area of ​​the first adhesive portion 413 as orthogonally projected on the surface of the insulating sheet 411 to the area of ​​the buffer structure 412 as orthogonally projected on the surface of the insulating sheet 411 is greater than 0.9, and may be, for example, 0.9, 0.95, 0.97, 0.98, or 1. This contributes to ensuring high adhesive stability between the insulating sheet 411 and the buffer structure 412, and ultimately contributes to improving the stability of the structure in which the multiple cells 400 are fixed in the energy storage module. The closer the ratio of the area of ​​the first adhesive portion 413 as orthogonally projected on the surface of the insulating sheet 411 to the area of ​​the buffer structure 412 as orthogonally projected on the surface of the insulating sheet 411 is to 1, the better the adhesive stability between the insulating sheet 411 and the buffer structure 412.

[0113] The energy storage module further includes a second adhesive portion 420, which is used to bond and fix the insulating buffer portion 410 and the cells 400, so that the insulating buffer portion 410 and the adjacent cells 400 are fixed to each other in a fixed positional relationship. This prevents the insulating buffer portion 410 from sliding relative to the cells 400 in a direction parallel to the surface of the insulating sheet 411, contributing to improved fixing stability between the cells 400.

[0114] In some embodiments, the second adhesive portion 420 is an adhesive layer, specifically, a UV resin liquid or a flame-retardant acrylic resin. Using the flame-retardant acrylic resin as the second adhesive portion 420 contributes to improving the safety of the energy storage module.

[0115] In some embodiments, the ratio of the area of ​​the second adhesive portion 420 orthogonally projected on the side surface of the cell 400 to the area of ​​the buffer structure 412 orthogonally projected on the side surface of the cell 400 in the second adhesive portion 420 and the buffer structure 412 orthogonally projected on the side surface of the cell 400 in the third direction exceeds 0.9, and may be, for example, 0.9, 0.95, 0.97, 0.98, or 1. This contributes to ensuring high adhesion stability between the insulating buffer portion 410 and the cell 400, and ultimately contributes to improving the stability of the structure in which the multiple cells 400 are fixed in the energy storage module. The closer the ratio of the area of ​​the second adhesive portion 420 orthogonally projected on the side surface of the cell 400 to the area of ​​the buffer structure 412 orthogonally projected on the side surface of the cell 400 is to 1, the better the adhesion stability between the insulating buffer portion 410 and the cell 400 is.

[0116] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8 , the CDVX 400 includes at least a housing and a jelly roll (not shown), the housing having a storage cavity, the jelly roll positioned within the storage cavity, the housing having a top surface 401 and a bottom surface 402 opposing each other along a fourth direction P, the jelly roll having a first top portion and a first bottom portion opposing each other along the fourth direction P, the top surface 401 being higher than the first top portion and the bottom surface 402 being lower than the first bottom portion along the fourth direction P, the insulating buffer portion 410 having a second top portion 4401 and a second bottom portion 4402 opposing each other along the fourth direction P, the second top portion 4401 not being lower than the first top portion, the second top portion 4401 being lower than the top surface 401, the second bottom portion 4402 not being higher than the first bottom portion, and the second bottom portion 4402 being higher than the bottom surface 402 along the fourth direction P. Here, the jelly roll is generally made of a positive electrode sheet and a negative electrode sheet wound up, and the jelly roll is the main source of heat in the cell 400 and the main component of the expansion of the cell 400. By arranging the insulating buffer portion 410 corresponding to the side of the cell 400, not only can the dimension of the insulating buffer portion 410 in the fourth direction P be prevented from being too large, but also interference of the insulating buffer portion 410 with components installed on the top surface 401 and bottom surface 402 can be avoided, thereby realizing more effective thermal insulation buffering and reducing consumption of the insulating buffer portion 410.

[0117] Furthermore, the advantage of second top 4401 not being lower than first top and second bottom 4402 not being higher than first bottom is that, since the jelly roll is the main source of heat and deformation in cell 400, it ensures that insulating buffer portions 410 are provided between adjacent jelly rolls, and helps ensure that insulating buffer portions 410 provide effective insulation and cushioning for adjacent cells 400.

[0118] In some embodiments, the distance between the second top portion 4401 and the top surface 401 in the fourth direction P may be 10 mm to 20 mm, for example, 10 mm, 12 mm, 15 mm, or 18 mm. In some embodiments, the distance between the second bottom portion 4402 and the bottom surface 402 in the fourth direction P may be 10 mm to 20 mm, for example, 10 mm, 12 mm, 15 mm, or 18 mm.

[0119] FIG. 11 is a top view of another energy storage module provided in an embodiment of the present application, and FIG. 12 is a top view of another energy storage module provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0120] As shown in Figures 11 and 12, in some embodiments, the multiple cells 400 arranged at intervals along the third direction J are one cell group 40, and the energy storage module includes multiple cell groups 40 arranged at intervals along the fifth direction Q, and an insulating buffer portion is located between two adjacent cells 400 along the fifth direction Q.

[0121] 11 , in some embodiments, a plurality of insulating buffer portions arranged along the third direction J are included between two cell groups 40 adjacent to each other along the fifth direction Q, and a plurality of insulating sheets 411 of the plurality of insulating buffer portions arranged along the third direction J are integrally formed, and / or a plurality of buffer structures 412 located on the same side of the plurality of insulating sheets 411 are integrally formed. As a result, in the process of forming the energy storage module, a plurality of independent cell groups 40 can be first formed, and one cell group 40 includes a plurality of cells 400 arranged at intervals along the third direction J, with an insulating buffer portion provided between two adjacent cells 400. Then, the plurality of cell groups 40 are arranged along the fifth direction Q, and a large insulating buffer portion 410 is provided between two cell groups 40 adjacent to each other along the fifth direction Q. This contributes to reducing the difficulty of assembling the energy storage module.

[0122] As shown in FIG. 12 , in some embodiments, one row of cells 400 arranged along the fifth direction Q is one cell row 41, and two adjacent cell rows 41 arranged along the third direction J include multiple insulating buffer sections arranged along the fifth direction Q between them, and multiple insulating sheets 411 are integrally molded for the multiple insulating buffer sections arranged along the fifth direction Q, and / or multiple buffer structures 412 located on the same side of the multiple insulating sheets 411 are integrally molded. As a result, in the process of forming the energy storage module, first, multiple independent cell rows 41 are formed, and one cell row 41 includes multiple cells 400 arranged at intervals along the fifth direction Q, and an insulating buffer section is provided between two adjacent cells 400, and then the multiple cell rows 41 are arranged along the third direction J, and a large insulating buffer section is provided between two adjacent cell rows 41 along the third direction J. This contributes to reducing the difficulty of assembling the energy storage module.

[0123] In the energy storage module provided in the above embodiment, the insulating buffer part adhesively fixed to the cell insulates and buffers the adjacent cells. The insulating buffer part includes an insulating sheet and a buffer structure. The insulating sheet is used to insulate the adjacent cells, preventing the occurrence of thermal runaway in the energy storage module to a certain extent and improving the safety performance of the energy storage module. The buffer structure is used to absorb the compression and expansion amount during the cell expansion process and avoiding mutual pressure between the cells. The buffer structure has an openwork structure, which not only reduces the consumption of buffer structure material and reduces manufacturing costs but also contributes to improving the buffer performance of the buffer structure. Therefore, unlike the conventional method of simply stacking insulation and buffering materials in a straight line, where the insulation sheet is glued and fixed, and the insulation buffer is glued and fixed to the side of the cell by a second adhesive, this invention applies double-sided back adhesive to the insulation sheet and the insulation buffer, allowing the insulation buffer to effectively achieve the dual functions of buffering and insulation and also to provide a certain fixing effect to adjacent cells.In addition, in combination with fixing devices, multiple cells are fixed as an energy storage module, which not only effectively reduces the impact of thermal expansion and cooling contraction of the cells on the energy storage module, but also mitigates the sinking phenomenon of the energy storage module and contributes to improving the structural stability of the energy storage module.

[0124] The present invention also provides a battery pack including the energy storage module described in the above embodiment, and the same or corresponding parts as those in the above embodiment will not be described here.

[0125] In some embodiments, a battery pack may include multiple energy storage modules electrically connected in series.

[0126] In addition, in the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 7 and the embodiments shown in Figures 8 to 12, similar components are referred to using different terms, such as battery module and energy storage module, cell unit 101 and cell 400, but their positions and functions are similar, and the details of each embodiment can be combined with each other as long as there are no discrepancies.

[0127] Those skilled in the art will understand that the above embodiments are specific examples for realizing the present application, but that various changes in form and details are possible in practice without departing from the scope of the present application. Since anyone skilled in the art can make changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application, the scope of protection of the present application should be based on the scope limited by the claims.

Claims

1. a cell assembly; and a fender, The cell assembly includes a plurality of cell units arranged along a first direction and a second direction, and an explosion-proof valve is provided at the top of each of the cell units; The fender is located on top of the cell assembly, and the fender includes a fender body and a plurality of openwork portions provided in the fender body, and on a plane where the first direction and the second direction are located, an orthogonal projection of the explosion-proof valve is located within an orthogonal projection of the openwork portions, and the openwork portions include a breakthrough portion and at least one connecting portion, and the connecting portion is used to connect the breakthrough portion and the fender body, and gaps between the breakthrough portion and the connecting portion and the fender body constitute a first openwork area, The breakthrough portion includes a first end and a second end facing each other, an included angle between a line connecting the first end and a center point of the breakthrough portion and a breakthrough direction of the explosion-proof valve is an acute angle, an included angle between a line connecting the second end and a center point of the breakthrough portion and a breakthrough direction of the explosion-proof valve is an obtuse angle, and a dimension of the connecting portion corresponding to the first end is larger than a dimension of the connecting portion corresponding to the second end. A battery module characterized by:

2. In a plane where the first direction and the second direction are located, the orthogonal projection area of ​​the openwork portion is larger than the orthogonal projection area of ​​the explosion-proof valve; The battery module according to claim 1 .

3. In a plane where the first direction and the second direction are located, the ratio of the orthogonal projection area of ​​the openwork portion to the orthogonal projection area of ​​the explosion-proof valve is 1.05 to 1.2; The battery module according to claim 2 .

4. The vehicle further includes a harness spacer positioned between the cell assembly and the fender, the harness spacer having a through hole penetrating the harness spacer along a thickness direction of the harness spacer, and an orthogonal projection of the explosion-proof valve is located within an orthogonal projection of the through hole on a plane in which the first direction and the second direction are located. The battery module according to claim 2 .

5. The size of the through hole is larger than the size of the explosion-proof valve and smaller than the size of the openwork portion; The battery module according to claim 4 .

6. The fender further includes a locking hole penetrating the fender along a thickness direction of the fender, and the harness spacer further includes a locking peg protruding from a surface of the harness spacer toward the fender, wherein a dimension of one end of the locking peg closer to the fender is larger than a dimension of the locking hole and a dimension of one end of the locking peg closer to the harness spacer is equal to or smaller than a dimension of the locking hole, and the locking peg cooperates with the locking hole to fix the fender and the harness spacer. The battery module according to claim 4 .

7. The harness separator further includes a protrusion protruding from a surface of the harness separator toward the fender, the protrusion being positioned around the through hole and forming a guide passage together with the through hole. The battery module according to claim 4 .

8. The gap distance between the protrusion and the fender is 0 to 0.2 mm. The battery module according to claim 7 .

9. a ratio of the width of the connection portion between adjacent first openwork regions to the thickness of the fender body is 1 to 1.5; 9. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are electrically connected to each other.

10. a ratio of a width of the first openwork area between the breakthrough portion and the fender body to a thickness of the fender body is 1 to 1.1; 9. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are electrically connected to each other.

11. The breakthrough portion includes a second openwork region penetrating the breakthrough portion from a thickness direction of the breakthrough portion.

9. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are electrically connected to each other.

12. The material of the breakthrough portion is different from the material of the fender body.

9. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are electrically connected to each other.

13. The shape of the openwork portion includes a circle, an ellipse, a rectangle, or a polygon; 9. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are electrically connected to each other.

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