Battery cell housing and manufacturing method, battery cell, battery, and power consumption device

Abstract

The present application provides a battery cell housing and manufacturing method, a battery cell, a battery, and a power consuming device. The housing includes at least two side plates, each of which is individually molded, and the at least two side plates are sequentially arranged and connected along the circumferential direction of the housing to form a hollow tubular structure.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to a Chinese patent application, application number 202310583206.0, filed on May 23, 2023, entitled "Battery cell housing and manufacturing method, battery cell, battery and power consumption device," the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present application relates to the field of battery technology, and more particularly to battery cell housings and manufacturing methods, battery cells, batteries, and power consuming devices. [Background technology]

[0003] With the development of new energy technology, batteries are being increasingly widely applied in mobile phones, notebook computers, battery cars, electric vehicles, electric aircraft, electric ships, electric toy cars, electric toy ships, electric toy aircraft, power tools, etc.

[0004] The housing is an important component of a battery cell, and the difficulty of molding it directly affects the production cost of the battery cell. Therefore, how to efficiently reduce the difficulty of molding the housing is an urgent issue that needs to be resolved in battery technology. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above problems, the present application provides a battery cell housing and manufacturing method, a battery cell, a battery, and a power consumption device that can efficiently reduce the difficulty of molding the housing and improve the dimensional accuracy of the housing.

[0006] According to a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a housing for a battery cell, the housing including at least two side plates, each side plate being individually molded, and the at least two side plates being sequentially arranged and connected along the circumferential direction of the housing to form a hollow tubular structure.

[0007] In the above technical solution, the housing is formed by joining at least two separately molded side plates. Compared with a housing that is stamped and integrally molded, the process is simpler, the thickness of the housing is more uniform, and the curvature of the corners of the housing can be effectively controlled, thereby efficiently improving the dimensional accuracy of the housing.

[0008] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the thickness t1 of the side plate satisfies the relationship 0.1 mm≦t1≦0.3 mm, which not only enables the housing to meet the strength requirements but also reduces the weight of the housing and effectively improves the energy density of the battery cell.

[0009] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the tubular structure is a rectangular tubular structure or a cylindrical structure, and the specific structural shape of the tubular structure can be diversified to effectively improve the applicability of the housing.

[0010] In some embodiments of the first aspect, two adjacent side plates in the circumferential direction of the housing are welded together, and welding provides superior strength and lower costs compared to other connection methods.

[0011] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the housing includes two side panels, each side panel including a main body portion and two folded portions, the two folded portions respectively connected to both ends of the main body portion along a first direction and folded relative to the main body portion, the main body portions of the two side panels facing each other along a second direction, the first direction intersecting the second direction, and the two folded portions of one side panel respectively connected to the two folded portions of the other side panel.

[0012] The above technical solution adopts a method in which two side plates are connected to form a housing, which not only greatly simplifies the structural complexity of the housing and further improves the dimensional accuracy of the housing, but also helps to reduce the manufacturing cost of the housing.

[0013] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the dimension of the main body portion in the first direction is d1, the dimension of the folded portion in the third direction is d2, d1≧2*d2, and the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other two by two.

[0014] By limiting the dimension of the main body in the first direction and the dimension of the bent part in the third direction within the above ranges, the above technical solution can to some extent avoid the dimension of the bent part in the third direction being too long, which reduces precision and affects the connection between the two side plates, thereby improving not only the connection strength between the two side plates but also the structural strength of the entire housing and further improving the dimensional precision of the entire housing.

[0015] In some embodiments of the first aspect, d1 satisfies the relationship 100 mm≦d1≦1000 mm, which can meet the requirement of accommodating an electrode assembly with a large dimension and effectively improve the applicability of the housing.

[0016] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the tubular structure has a first opening formed at one end, and the housing further includes a first end cover connected to the at least two side panels and covering the first opening.

[0017] The above technical solution molds the first end cover separately and connects it to the side plate to jointly form the housing, which further improves the curvature of the connection point between the first end cover and the side plate, thereby further improving the dimensional accuracy of the housing.

[0018] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the first end cover is welded to the at least two side plates, and welding provides higher strength and lower cost than other connection methods.

[0019] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the thickness of the first end cover is greater than the thickness of the side plate, which allows the first end cover to have better structural strength, meet the requirements for bearing the weight of the electrode assembly, and improve the reliability of the housing.

[0020] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the thickness t2 of the first end cover satisfies the relationship 0.4 mm≦t2≦1 mm, which not only enables the first end cover to meet the strength requirements but also reduces the weight of the housing and effectively improves the energy density of the battery cell.

[0021] In some embodiments of the first aspect, at least a portion of the first end cover is accommodated in an accommodation space surrounded by a cylindrical structure, and the outer surface of the first end cover abuts against the surface of the side panel that is closest to the accommodation space, thereby reducing the volume of the entire housing and advantageously improving the energy density of the battery cell.

[0022] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the first end cover is completely housed in the housing space, which can further improve the energy density of the battery cell.

[0023] According to a second aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a battery cell including a housing according to any embodiment of the first aspect.

[0024] In some embodiments of the second aspect, a second opening is formed at the other end of the tubular structure, and the battery cell further includes a second end cover and an electrode assembly, the second end cover being connected to the at least two side panels and covering the second opening, and the electrode assembly being housed in the housing.

[0025] In some embodiments of the second aspect, the thickness t3 of the second end cover satisfies the relationship 0.4 mm≦t3≦0.8 mm, so that the second end cover not only meets the strength requirements but also reduces the weight of the housing and effectively improves the energy density of the battery cell.

[0026] In some embodiments of the second aspect, the second end cover is provided with a pressure relief hole and a stress relief groove surrounding the pressure relief hole. The battery cell further includes a pressure relief mechanism attached to the second end cover and covering the pressure relief hole.

[0027] The stress relief groove in the above technical solution can absorb the stress generated during the installation process of the pressure reducing mechanism and the pressure reducing port, thereby reducing the impact of the installation of the pressure reducing mechanism and the pressure reducing port on the second end cover, which is beneficial to improving the product yield.

[0028] According to a third aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a battery including a battery cell according to any of the embodiments of the second aspect.

[0029] According to a fourth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a power consumption device including a battery cell according to any embodiment of the second aspect for supplying electrical energy.

[0030] According to a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for manufacturing a housing according to any one of the embodiments of the first aspect, the method comprising: providing at least two separately molded side panels; and welding at least two side plates in sequence around the periphery of the housing to surround it, thereby forming a hollow tubular structure.

[0031] In an embodiment of any of the fifth aspect, the method of manufacturing the housing further comprises: providing a first end cover; and welding a first end cover to one end of the tubular structure.

[0032] In any embodiment of the fifth aspect, the welding is laser welding.

[0033] The above description is only a summary of the technical solution of the present application. In order to more clearly understand the technical solution of the present application, the following provides specific embodiments of the present application, which can be implemented according to the content of the specification, and to more clearly understand the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present application. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0034] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. The drawings are for the purpose of illustrating the preferred embodiments and should not be considered as limiting the present application. In all drawings, the same elements are designated using the same reference numerals. The drawings are as follows:

[0035] [Figure 1] 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 2] 1 is an exploded schematic view of a battery according to some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a structural schematic diagram of the battery module shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is an exploded schematic view of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 5] 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a housing of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 6] 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a side plate of a housing of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an exploded axonometric view of another battery cell housing according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an exploded side view of another battery cell housing according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a side view of another battery cell housing assembly structure according to some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an enlarged schematic structural view of part H in FIG. 9. [Figure 11]FIG. 10 is a structural schematic diagram of yet another battery cell housing according to some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is an enlarged structural schematic diagram of a second end cover of yet another battery cell housing according to some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 12.

[0036] The reference numerals in the drawings in the description of the invention are as follows:

[0037] 1 vehicle, 2 battery, 3 controller, 4 motor, 5 housing, 5a first housing part, 5b second housing part, 5c storage space, 6 battery module, 7 battery cell, 71 housing, 72 electrode assembly, 73 end cover, 10 side plate, 11 main body portion, 12 bent portion, 13 first opening, 14 storage space, 15 second opening, 20 first end cover, 30 second end cover, 31 pressure reduction port, 32 stress relief groove, X first direction, Y second direction, Z third direction DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] In order to clarify the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below clearly and completely with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present application, and not all of the embodiments, and all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present application without any creative efforts fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0039] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains, and the terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to be limiting of the present application. The terms "comprises," "has," and their variants in the present specification and claims, as well as the above description of the drawings, are intended to be non-exclusive. Terms such as "first," "second," and the like in the present specification and claims or the above drawings are used to distinguish between different objects, and are not used to describe a particular order or hierarchy.

[0040] The term "embodiment" as used herein means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. Appearances of the term "embodiment" in various places in this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment, nor do they refer to mutually exclusive, independent, or alternative embodiments of other embodiments.

[0041] It should be explained in the description of this application that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "attach," "connected," "connection," and "attachment" should be understood in a broad sense, and may refer to, for example, a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. They may be directly connected, indirectly connected via an intermediate medium, or internal communication between two elements. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application according to specific circumstances.

[0042] The term "and / or" in this application merely describes the relationship between related objects and indicates that three relationships may exist, for example, A and / or B may represent three cases: A alone, a combination of A and B, and B alone. Also, the character " / " in this application generally indicates that the related objects before and after it are in an "or" relationship.

[0043] In the embodiments of the present application, the same reference numerals represent the same elements, and for the sake of brevity, detailed descriptions of the same elements will be omitted in different embodiments. It should be understood that the thickness, length, width, and other dimensions of various elements in the embodiments of the present application shown in the drawings, and the overall thickness, length, width, and other dimensions of the integrated device, are illustrative examples and should not be construed as any limitation on the present application.

[0044] The term "plurality" as used herein refers to two or more (including two).

[0045] The term "parallel" in this application not only includes the case where something is absolutely parallel, but also includes the situation where it is generally recognized in engineering as being approximately parallel, and at the same time, the term "perpendicular" not only includes the case where something is absolutely perpendicular, but also includes the situation where it is generally recognized in engineering as being approximately perpendicular.

[0046] In the embodiments of the present application, the battery cell may be a secondary battery cell, which is a battery cell that can be continuously used by activating the active material in a manner that the battery cell is charged after being discharged.

[0047] The battery cells may be lithium ion battery cells, sodium ion battery cells, sodium lithium ion battery cells, lithium metal battery cells, sodium metal battery cells, lithium sulfur battery cells, magnesium ion battery cells, nickel metal hydride battery cells, nickel cadmium battery cells, lead acid battery cells, etc., and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0048] A battery cell typically includes an electrode assembly, which includes a positive electrode sheet, a negative electrode sheet, and a separator. During the charge and discharge process of the battery cell, active ions (e.g., lithium ions) are inserted and removed between the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet. The separator, located between the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet, prevents short circuits between the positive and negative electrodes while allowing the active ions to pass through.

[0049] In some embodiments, the positive electrode sheet can include a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode active material disposed on at least one surface of the positive electrode current collector.

[0050] As an example, the positive electrode current collector has two surfaces opposing each other in the thickness direction, and the positive electrode active material is provided on one or both of the two opposing surfaces of the positive electrode current collector.

[0051] As an example, the positive electrode current collector may be a metal foil sheet or a composite current collector. For example, the metal foil sheet may be made of silver-surface-treated aluminum or stainless steel, stainless steel, copper, aluminum, nickel, graphite, carbon, nickel, or titanium. The composite current collector may include a polymer substrate layer and a metal layer. The composite current collector may be formed by forming a metal material (such as aluminum, aluminum alloy, nickel, nickel alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, silver, or silver alloy) on a polymer substrate (such as a substrate of polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polystyrene, or polyethylene).

[0052] As an example, the positive electrode active material may include at least one of a lithium-containing phosphate, a lithium transition metal oxide, and a modified compound thereof. However, the present application is not limited to these materials, and other conventional materials that can be used as a battery positive electrode active material may also be used. These positive electrode active materials may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Examples of lithium-containing phosphates include, but are not limited to, at least one of lithium iron phosphate (e.g., LiFePO4 (also referred to as LFP)), a composite material of lithium iron phosphate and carbon, lithium manganese phosphate (e.g., LiMnPO4), a composite material of lithium manganese phosphate and carbon, lithium manganese iron phosphate, and a composite material of lithium manganese iron phosphate and carbon. Examples of lithium transition metal oxides include lithium cobalt oxide (e.g., LiCoO2), lithium nickel oxide (e.g., LiNiO2), lithium manganese oxide (e.g., LiMnO2, LiMn2O4), lithium nickel cobalt oxide, lithium manganese cobalt oxide, lithium nickel manganese oxide, and lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (LiNi 1 / 3 Co 1 / 3 Mn 1 / 3 O2 etc. (NCM 333 (also called), LiNi 0.5 Co 0.2 Mn 0.3 O2(NCM 523 (also called), LiNi 0.5 Co 0.25 Mn 0.25 O2(NCM 211 (also called), LiNi 0.6 Co 0.2 Mn 0.2 O2(NCM 622 (also called), LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O2(NCM 811 Lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (LiNi 0.85 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O2) and / or modifying compounds thereof.

[0053] In some embodiments, the negative electrode sheet can include a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material disposed on at least one surface of the negative electrode current collector.

[0054] For example, the negative electrode current collector can be a metal foil, a metal foam, or a composite current collector. For example, the metal foil can be silver-surface-treated aluminum or stainless steel, stainless steel, copper, aluminum, nickel, a carbon electrode, carbon, nickel, or titanium. The metal foam can be nickel foam, copper foam, aluminum foam, alloy foam, or carbon foam. The composite current collector can include a polymer substrate layer and a metal layer. The composite current collector can be formed by forming a metal material (such as copper, copper alloy, nickel, nickel alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, silver, or silver alloy) on a polymer substrate (such as a substrate of polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polystyrene, or polyethylene).

[0055] As an example, the negative electrode current collector has two surfaces that face each other in the thickness direction of the negative electrode current collector, and the negative electrode active material is provided on one or both of the two facing surfaces of the negative electrode current collector.

[0056] For example, the negative electrode active material may be a negative electrode active material for battery cells known in the art. For example, the negative electrode active material may include at least one of artificial graphite, natural graphite, soft carbon, hard carbon, silicon-based materials, tin-based materials, lithium titanate, etc. The silicon-based material may be selected from at least one of silicon elemental, silicon oxide, silicon carbon composite, silicon nitrogen composite, and silicon alloy. The tin-based material may be selected from at least one of tin elemental, tin oxide, and tin alloy. However, the present application is not limited to these materials, and other conventional materials usable as battery negative electrode active materials may also be used. These negative electrode active materials may be used alone or in combination.

[0057] In some embodiments, the positive current collector material may be aluminum and the negative current collector material may be copper.

[0058] In some embodiments, the electrode assembly further includes a separator disposed between the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet.

[0059] In some embodiments, the isolating member is a separator. The present application does not particularly limit the type of separator, and any separator with a well-known porous structure having good chemical and mechanical stability may be selected.

[0060] For example, the main material of the separator may be selected from at least one of glass fiber, nonwoven fabric, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, and ceramics. The separator may be a single-layer thin film or a multi-layer composite thin film, without any particular limitations. When the separator is a multi-layer composite thin film, the materials of each layer may be the same or different, without any particular limitations. The separator may be located between the positive and negative electrodes as a separate component, or may be attached to the surfaces of the positive and negative electrodes.

[0061] In some embodiments, the separator is a solid electrolyte, which is disposed between the positive and negative electrode sheets and simultaneously serves to transfer ions and separate the positive and negative electrodes.

[0062] In some embodiments, the battery cell further includes an electrolyte, which serves to conduct ions between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The present application does not particularly limit the type of electrolyte, and it can be selected as needed. The electrolyte may be liquid, gel-like, or solid.

[0063] In some embodiments, the liquid electrolyte comprises an electrolyte salt and a solvent.

[0064] In some embodiments, the electrolyte salt can be selected from at least one of lithium hexafluorophosphate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, lithium perchlorate, lithium hexafluoroarsenate, lithium bisfluorosulfonylimide, lithium bistrifluoromethanesulfonylimide, lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate, lithium difluorophosphate, lithium difluorooxalatoborate, lithium bisoxalatoborate, lithium difluorobisoxalatophosphate, and lithium tetrafluorooxalatophosphate.

[0065] In some embodiments, the solvent may be selected from at least one of ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, ethyl methyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, dipropyl carbonate, methyl propyl carbonate, ethyl propyl carbonate, butylene carbonate, fluoroethylene carbonate, methyl formate, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, propyl acetate, methyl propionate, ethyl propionate, propyl propionate, methyl butyrate, ethyl butyrate, 1,4-butyrolactone, sulfolane, dimethyl sulfone, ethyl methyl sulfone, and diethyl sulfone. The solvent may optionally be an ether-based solvent. The ether-based solvent may include one or more of ethylene glycol dimethyl ether, ethylene glycol diethyl ether, diethylene glycol dimethyl ether, triethylene glycol dimethyl ether, tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether, 1,3-dioxolane, tetrahydrofuran, methyl tetrahydrofuran, diphenyl ether, and crown ether.

[0066] The gel electrolyte contains a skeletal network of polymer electrolytes combined with an ionic liquid-lithium salt.

[0067] The solid electrolyte includes a polymer solid electrolyte, an inorganic solid electrolyte, and a composite solid electrolyte.

[0068] By way of example, the polymer solid electrolyte may be polyether (polyoxyethylene), polysiloxane, polycarbonate, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylidene fluoride, polymethyl methacrylate, single ionic polymer, polyionic liquid-lithium salt, cellulose, and the like.

[0069] By way of example, the inorganic solid electrolyte may be one or more of an oxide solid electrolyte (crystalline perovskite, sodium superionic conductor, garnet), a sulfide solid electrolyte (crystalline lithium superionic conductor (lithium germanium phosphate sulfur, sulfur silver germanite), amorphous sulfide), a halide solid electrolyte, a nitride solid electrolyte, and a hydride solid electrolyte.

[0070] As an example, a composite solid electrolyte is formed by adding an inorganic solid electrolyte filler in a polymer solid electrolyte.

[0071] In some embodiments, the electrode assembly may have a flat or polygonal prism shape, or the like.

[0072] In some embodiments, the battery cell may include an outer case for packaging components such as the electrode assembly and the electrolyte. The outer case may be a steel case, an aluminum case, a plastic case (e.g., polypropylene), a composite metal case (e.g., a copper-aluminum composite case), an aluminum-plastic film, or the like.

[0073] For example, the battery cells may be prismatic battery cells, soft-pack battery cells, or other shaped battery cells, where prismatic battery cells include rectangular battery cells, blade-shaped battery cells, and polygonal prismatic battery cells, and polygonal prismatic battery cells include hexagonal prismatic battery cells, etc., and the present application is not particularly limited thereto.

[0074] A battery as referred to in the present application refers to a single physical module containing one or more battery cells to provide higher voltage and capacity.

[0075] In some embodiments, the battery may be a battery module, and if there are multiple battery cells, the multiple battery cells are arranged and fixed to form a battery module.

[0076] In some embodiments, the battery may be a battery pack, which includes a housing and battery cells, and the battery cells or modules are housed in the housing.

[0077] In some embodiments, the housing may be part of a chassis structure of a vehicle, for example, a portion of the housing may form at least a portion of the floor of the vehicle, or a portion of the housing may form at least a portion of the cross beams and longitudinal beams of the vehicle.

[0078] In some embodiments, the battery may be an energy storage device, including an energy storage container, an energy storage cabinet, or the like.

[0079] In a battery cell, the outer case may include a housing and an end cover, the housing having an opening and the end cover sealing the opening of the housing. The housing is an important component of the battery cell, and the difficulty of molding it directly affects the production cost of the battery cell.

[0080] Generally, housings are formed by punching or stretching a base material, and during the forming process, the base material is subjected to a large force, which makes it prone to breakage, resulting in high difficulty in forming the housing, poor thickness uniformity, and a low yield rate. In particular, when the housing needs to be made thinner to improve the energy density of the battery cell, forming a thin-walled housing by punching or stretching is even more difficult and difficult to form.

[0081] Taking these factors into consideration, the inventors conducted extensive research and designed a battery cell housing, which is designed as a joined structure, i.e., the housing is made up of at least two side panels joined together. Compared to a housing that is stamped and molded as a single piece, the process is simpler and the housing has better thickness uniformity, which effectively reduces the difficulty of molding the housing and improves the dimensional accuracy of the housing.

[0082] The technical solutions described in the embodiments of the present application are applicable to battery cells, batteries, and power-consuming devices that use batteries.

[0083] The power consuming devices may be, but are not limited to, vehicles, mobile phones, mobile devices, laptops, ships, spacecraft, electric toys, power tools, etc. The vehicles may be, but are not limited to, gasoline-powered vehicles, natural gas-powered vehicles, or new energy vehicles, the new energy vehicles may be pure electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, range-extended vehicles, etc., the spacecraft may include, but are not limited to, aircraft, rockets, space shuttles, spaceships, etc., the electric toys may include, but are not limited to, game consoles, stationary or mobile electric toys such as electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric aircraft toys, and the power tools may include, but are not limited to, metal cutting power tools such as electric drills, electric grinders, electric wrenches, electric screwdrivers, electric hammers, electric impact drivers, concrete vibrators, and electric planers, polishing power tools, assembly power tools, and railroad power tools.

[0084] It should be noted that the technical solutions described in the embodiments of the present application are not only applicable to the batteries and power consumption devices described above, but also to the battery housings and all power consumption devices that use batteries. However, for the sake of simplicity, the following embodiments will be described using an electric vehicle as an example.

[0085] FIG. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0086] 1 , a battery 2 is installed inside the vehicle 1, and the battery 2 may be installed at the bottom, front, or rear of the vehicle 1. The battery 2 can be used to supply power to the vehicle 1, and can be used, for example, as an operating power source for the vehicle 1.

[0087] The vehicle 1 may further include a controller 3 and a motor 4, where the controller 3 is used to control the battery 2 to supply power to the motor 4, for example, to meet the operating power needs of the vehicle 1 for starting, navigation, and driving.

[0088] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery 2 can provide driving power to the vehicle 1 not only as an operating power source for the vehicle 1 but also as a driving power source for the vehicle 1, replacing or partially replacing fuel or natural gas.

[0089] FIG. 2 is an exploded schematic view of a battery according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0090] Continuing to refer to FIG. 2, the battery 2 includes a housing 5 and battery cells, the battery cells being housed within the housing 5.

[0091] The housing 5 is used to house the battery cells and may have various structures. In some embodiments, the housing 5 may include a first housing portion 5a and a second housing portion 5b, which are fitted over each other and together define a housing space 5c for housing the battery cells. The second housing portion 5b may have a hollow structure with one end open, and the first housing portion 5a may have a plate-like structure. The first housing portion 5a may be fitted over the open side of the second housing portion 5b, thereby forming the housing 5 having the housing space 5c. The first housing portion 5a and the second housing portion 5b may both have a hollow structure with one end open, and the open side of the first housing portion 5a may be fitted over the open side of the second housing portion 5b, thereby forming the housing 5 having the housing space 5c. The first housing portion 5a and the second housing portion 5b may have various shapes, such as a cylinder or a rectangular parallelepiped.

[0092] In order to improve the sealing performance after the first housing part 5a and the second housing part 5b are connected, a sealing member such as a sealant or a seal ring may be installed between the first housing part 5a and the second housing part 5b.

[0093] When the first housing part 5a is placed over the top of the second housing part 5b, the first housing part 5a can be called an upper housing cover, and the second housing part 5b can be called a lower housing.

[0094] The battery 2 may have one or more battery cells. If there are multiple battery cells, the multiple battery cells can be connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel, and a series-parallel connection refers to not only a series connection but also a parallel connection of the multiple battery cells. The multiple battery cells can be directly connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel, and then the entire configuration of the multiple battery cells can be housed in the housing 5. Of course, multiple battery cells can first be connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel to form a battery module 6, and then the multiple battery modules 6 can be further connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel to form an integrated battery module and housed in the housing 5.

[0095] FIG. 3 is a structural schematic diagram of the battery module shown in FIG.

[0096] In some embodiments, with continued reference to the figures, there are a plurality of battery cells 7, and the plurality of battery cells 7 are first connected in series, in parallel, or in series-parallel to form a battery module 6. The plurality of battery modules 6 are further connected in series, in parallel, or in series-parallel to form an integrated unit, which is housed in a housing.

[0097] The plurality of battery cells 7 in the battery module 6 are electrically connected by bus members, and the plurality of battery cells 7 in the battery module 6 are connected in series, in parallel, or in series-parallel.

[0098] FIG. 4 is an exploded schematic view of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0099] Continuing to refer to FIG. 4 , the end cover 73 is a member that covers the opening of the housing 71 and isolates the internal environment of the battery cell 7 from the external environment. The shape of the end cover 73 can be adapted to the shape of the housing 71 to fit the housing 71, but is not limited to this. Preferably, the end cover 73 is made of a material with a certain hardness and strength (e.g., aluminum alloy). This makes the end cover 73 less likely to deform when pressed or hit, allowing the battery cell 7 to have higher structural strength and improved reliability. The end cover 73 may be provided with functional components such as electrode terminals. The electrode terminals can be electrically connected to the electrode assembly 72 and are used to output electrical energy from the battery cell 7. In some embodiments, the end cover 73 may further be provided with a pressure-relief mechanism that is used to release internal pressure when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell 7 reaches a threshold. The end cover 73 may be made of various materials, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc. In some embodiments, an insulating member may be further installed inside the end cover 73, and the insulating member may be used to isolate the electrical connection members in the housing 71 from the end cover 73, thereby reducing the risk of short circuits. Illustratively, the insulating member may be plastic, rubber, etc.

[0100] The housing 71 is an assembly that mates with the end cover 73 to form an internal environment of the battery cell 7. This internal environment can be used to accommodate the electrode assembly 72, an electrolyte (not shown), and other components. The housing 71 and the end cover 73 may be separate components, or an opening may be formed in the housing 71, and the end cover 73 may be placed over the opening to form the internal environment of the battery cell 7. The end cover 73 and the housing 71 may be integrated. Specifically, the end cover 73 and the housing 71 may form a common connecting surface before other components are placed in the housing. When the interior of the housing 71 needs to be sealed, the end cover 73 may be placed over the housing 71, but this is not limited to this example. The housing 71 may have various shapes and sizes, such as a rectangular parallelepiped, a cylinder, or a hexagonal prism. Specifically, the shape of the housing 71 is determined by the specific shape and size of the electrode assembly 72. The housing 71 may be made of various materials, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, an aluminum alloy, or plastic.

[0101] The electrode assembly 72 is a component that generates an electrochemical reaction in the battery cell 7. One or more electrode assemblies 72 may be contained within the housing 71. The electrode assembly 72 is primarily formed by winding or stacking positive and negative electrode sheets, with a separator typically disposed between the positive and negative electrode sheets. The portions of the positive and negative electrode sheets containing active material constitute the body of the electrode assembly 72, while the portions of the positive and negative electrode sheets not containing active material constitute tabs, respectively. The positive and negative electrode tabs may be located together at one end of the body, or at both ends of the body. During the charge and discharge process of the battery, the positive and negative electrode active materials react with the electrolyte, and the tabs are connected to electrode terminals to form a current circuit.

[0102] FIG. 5 is a structural schematic diagram of a housing of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0103] Continuing to refer to FIG. 5, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery cell housing 71 including at least two side panels 10, each of which is individually molded, and the at least two side panels 10 are sequentially arranged and connected around the circumference of the housing 71 to form a hollow cylindrical structure.

[0104] The housing 71 may be a cylinder, a prism, etc. The prism may be a triangular prism, a square prism, a pentagonal prism, a hexagonal prism, etc. As an example, as shown in FIG. 5, the square prism may be a rectangular parallelepiped.

[0105] Alternatively, the number of side plates 10 may be two, three or more, but is not limited thereto, and can be selected according to the actual situation.

[0106] Alternatively, the side panel 10 may be made of a material such as metal or plastic. For example, the metal may be aluminum, stainless steel, or copper, the stainless steel may be stainless steel 316L or stainless steel 304, and the plastic may be polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyvinyl chloride.

[0107] For example, each side panel 10 being individually formed means that the side panels 10 are first processed into a specific structural shape by a process such as casting or punching, and then the side panels 10 are sequentially installed and connected along the circumferential direction of the housing 71 to form a surrounding hollow tubular structure. Optionally, the connection between the at least two side panels 10 may be by fastening, welding, adhesive, etc., and the specific connection method between the at least two side panels 10 may be selected according to actual circumstances.

[0108] In the above technical solution, the housing 71 is formed by joining at least two separately molded side plates 10. Compared with a housing 71 that is stamped and integrally molded, the process is simpler, the thickness of the housing 71 is more uniform, and the curvature of the corners of the housing 71 can be effectively controlled, thereby efficiently improving the dimensional accuracy of the housing 71.

[0109] In some embodiments, the thickness t1 of the side plate 10 satisfies the relationship 0.1 mm≦t1≦0.3 mm.

[0110] Exemplarily, the thickness t1 of the side plate 10 may be, but is not limited to, 0.1 mm, 0.15 mm, 0.17 mm, 0.19 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.23 mm, 0.25 mm, 0.27 mm, 0.29 mm, 0.3 mm, etc.

[0111] Furthermore, if the thickness t1 of the side plate 10 is less than or equal to 0.1 mm, the strength requirement cannot be met, resulting in reduced reliability of the battery cell. If the thickness t1 of the side plate 10 is greater than or equal to 0.3 mm, the overall weight of the housing 71 becomes too large, which, on the one hand, affects the energy density of the battery. On the other hand, if at least two side plates 10 are connected by welding, the thicker the side plates 10, the more heat is required for welding. If the heat is too great, the housing 71 is more likely to deform during the welding process, which affects product yield.

[0112] Therefore, by limiting the thickness of the side plate 10 within the above range, the above technical solution not only allows the housing 71 to meet the strength requirements, but also reduces the weight of the housing 71 and effectively improves the energy density of the battery cells.

[0113] In some embodiments, the tubular structure may be a rectangular tubular structure or a cylindrical structure, which can be selected according to the actual situation. The specific structural shape of the tubular structure can be diversified to effectively improve the applicability of the housing 71.

[0114] In some embodiments, two adjacent side plates 10 are welded together in the circumferential direction of the housing 71, and welding provides superior strength and lower costs compared to other connection methods.

[0115] FIG. 6 is a structural schematic diagram of a side plate of a housing of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0116] 5 and 6 , in some embodiments, the housing 71 includes two side panels 10. Each side panel 10 includes a main body portion 11 and two folded portions 12, and the two folded portions 12 are connected to both ends of the main body portion 11 along a first direction X and folded relative to the main body portion 11. The main bodies 11 of the two side panels 10 face each other along a second direction Y, and the first direction X intersects with the second direction Y. The two folded portions 12 of one side panel 10 are connected to the two folded portions 12 of the other side panel 10, respectively.

[0117] For example, the first direction X may be understood to be the length direction of the housing 71 , and the second direction Y may be understood to be the width direction of the housing 71 .

[0118] Alternatively, the connection between the bent portion 12 and the main body portion 11 may be by welding, bolting, or adhesive.

[0119] Alternatively, the folding portion 12 and the main body 11 may be an integrally molded structure, and the side panel 10 is formed by a casting or stamping process to integrally mold the main body 11 and the folding portion 12. On the one hand, the folding portion 12 and the main body 11 are connected without the need for an additional connecting process, which simplifies the manufacturing process flow. At the same time, compared to connecting the folding portion 12 and the main body 11 through an additional connecting process, the integrally formed folding portion 12 and the main body 11 have a higher connection strength, which further improves the structural strength of the side panel 10.

[0120] The above technical solution adopts a method in which two side plates 10 are connected to form the housing 71, which not only greatly simplifies the structural complexity of the housing 71 and further improves the dimensional accuracy of the housing 71, but also helps to reduce the manufacturing cost of the housing 71.

[0121] In some embodiments, the dimension of the main body portion 11 in the first direction X is d1, and the dimension of the folded portion 12 in the third direction Z is d2, where d1≧2*d2, and the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z are perpendicular to each other.

[0122] For example, the third direction Z may be understood to be the height direction of the housing 71. As described above, the two side plates 10 are connected via the bent portion 12, in other words, the bent portion 12 is the joint of the two side plates 10. As will be understood, the larger the dimension of the bent portion 12 in the third direction Z, the higher the possibility of deformation occurring during the manufacturing process, which will result in a decrease in precision and affect the connection effect between the two side plates 10.

[0123] Therefore, by limiting the dimension of the main body 11 in the first direction X and the dimension of the bent portion 12 in the third direction Z within the above ranges, the above technical solution can to some extent prevent the dimension of the bent portion 12 in the third direction Z from becoming too long, reducing precision and thereby affecting the connection effect between the two side plates 10. This not only improves the connection strength between the two side plates 10, but also improves the structural strength of the entire housing 71, and further improves the dimensional precision of the entire housing 71.

[0124] In some embodiments, d1 satisfies 100 mm≦d1≦1000 mm.

[0125] For example, the dimension d1 of the main body portion 11 in the first direction X may be, but is not limited to, 100 mm, 200 mm, 300 mm, 400 mm, 500 mm, 550 mm, 600 mm, 650 mm, 700 mm, 750 mm, 800 mm, 850 mm, 900 mm, 950 mm, 1000 mm, etc.

[0126] Note that the greater the dimension d1 of the main body 11 in the first direction X, the greater the length of the housing 71, and therefore the larger the electrode assembly that can be accommodated in the housing 71. Because the stamped, integrally molded housing 71 is affected by the material, it is often the case that only a housing 71 with a small capacity can be formed, and it is not compatible with a large electrode assembly.

[0127] Therefore, the above technical solution can form a housing 71 with a large length, which can meet the requirement of accommodating a large-sized electrode assembly, and can effectively improve the applicability of the housing 71.

[0128] FIG. 7 is an axonometric view of an exploded structure of another battery cell housing according to some embodiments of the present application, FIG. 8 is a side view of an exploded structure of another battery cell housing according to some embodiments of the present application, FIG. 9 is a side view of an assembled structure of another battery cell housing according to some embodiments of the present application, and FIG. 10 is an enlarged structural schematic view of part H in FIG. 9.

[0129] Continuing to refer to Figures 7 to 10, in some embodiments, a first opening 13 is formed at one end of the tubular structure, and the housing 71 further includes a first end cover 20 that is connected to the at least two side panels 10 and covers the first opening 13.

[0130] For example, a first opening 13 is formed at one end of the cylindrical structure along the third direction Z. The first end cover 20 may be understood to be a bottom cover of the housing 71, and the first end cover 20 may be made of the same material as the side plate 10 or may be made of a different material.

[0131] Alternatively, the first end cover 20 may be made of a material such as metal or plastic. For example, the metal may be aluminum, stainless steel, or copper, the stainless steel may be stainless steel 316L or stainless steel 304, and the plastic may be polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyvinyl chloride.

[0132] Alternatively, the connection between the first end cover 20 and the side plate 10 may be, but is not limited to, bolt connection, welding, adhesive connection, etc., and can be selected according to the actual situation.

[0133] The above technical solution involves separately molding the first end cover 20 and connecting it to the side plate 10 to jointly form the housing 71, which further improves the curvature of the connection between the first end cover 20 and the side plate 10, thereby further improving the dimensional accuracy of the housing 71 and, to some extent, reducing the risk of contact and interference between the electrode assembly and the housing 71.

[0134] In some embodiments, the first end cover 20 is welded to at least two side panels 10, and welding provides higher strength and lower cost than other connection methods.

[0135] In some embodiments, the thickness of the first end cover 20 is greater than the thickness of the side panel 10 .

[0136] As can be understood, the first end cover 20 can be the bottom cover of the housing 71, i.e., the first end cover 20 needs to bear the weight of the electrode assembly. Therefore, if the thickness of the first end cover 20 is greater than the thickness of the side panel 10, the first end cover 20 has better structural strength, thereby meeting the requirement of bearing the weight of the electrode assembly and improving the reliability of the housing 71.

[0137] In some embodiments, the thickness t2 of the first end cover 20 satisfies the relationship 0.4 mm≦t2≦1 mm.

[0138] Illustratively, the thickness t2 of the first end cover 20 may be, but is not limited to, 0.4 mm, 0.45 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.55 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.65 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.75 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.85 mm, 0.9 mm, 0.95 mm, 1 mm, etc.

[0139] Furthermore, if the thickness t2 of the first end cover 20 is less than or equal to 0.4 mm, the strength requirements cannot be met, resulting in reduced reliability of the battery cell. If the thickness t2 of the first end cover 20 is greater than or equal to 1 mm, the overall weight of the housing 71 becomes too large, which, on the one hand, affects the energy density of the battery. On the other hand, if the first end cover 20 and the side panel 10 are connected by welding, the thicker the first end cover 20, the more heat is required for welding. If the heat is too great, the housing 71 is more likely to deform during the welding process, which affects product yield.

[0140] Therefore, by limiting the thickness of the first end cover 20 within the above range, the above technical solution not only enables the first end cover 20 to meet the strength requirements, but also reduces the weight of the housing 71 and effectively improves the energy density of the battery cells.

[0141] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the first end cover 20 is accommodated in the accommodating space 14 enclosed by a cylindrical structure, and the outer surface of the first end cover 20 abuts against the surface of the side panel 10 that is closest to the accommodating space 14.

[0142] At least a portion of the first end cover 20 is housed in the housing space 14 surrounded by a cylindrical structure, which allows the overall volume of the housing 71 to be reduced accordingly, which is advantageous for improving the energy density of the battery cell.

[0143] In some embodiments, the first end cover 20 is completely housed in the housing space 14, which can further improve the energy density of the battery cell.

[0144] According to some embodiments of the present application, the present application further provides a battery cell including the housing 71 according to any of the above embodiments.

[0145] FIG. 11 is a structural schematic diagram of yet another battery cell housing according to some embodiments of the present application, FIG. 12 is an enlarged structural schematic diagram of a second end cover of yet another battery cell housing according to some embodiments of the present application, and FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram along AA in FIG. 12 .

[0146] 10-12 , in some optional embodiments, a second opening 15 is formed at the other end of the tubular structure of the housing 71. The battery cell further includes a second end cover 30 and an electrode assembly, where the second end cover 30 is connected to the at least two side panels 10 and covers the second opening 15, and the electrode assembly is housed in the housing 71.

[0147] In this way, the first opening 13 is formed at one end of the cylindrical structure along the third direction Z. Exemplarily, the second opening 15 is formed at the other end of the cylindrical structure along the third direction Z, and the second end cover 30 may be understood to be a top cover of the battery cell (for example, end cover 73 shown in FIG. 4). The second end cover 30 may be made of the same material as the side plate 10, or may be made of a different material.

[0148] Alternatively, the second end cover 30 may be made of a material such as metal or plastic. For example, the metal may be aluminum, stainless steel, or copper, the stainless steel may be stainless steel 316L or stainless steel 304, and the plastic may be polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyvinyl chloride.

[0149] Alternatively, the connection method between the second end cover 30 and the side plate 10 may be bolted, welded, glued, etc., and the specific connection method between the second end cover 30 and the side plate 10 of the present application can be selected according to the actual situation.

[0150] In some embodiments, the thickness t3 of the second end cover 30 satisfies the relationship 0.4 mm≦t3≦0.8 mm.

[0151] Exemplarily, the thickness t3 of the second end cover 30 may be, but is not limited to, 0.4 mm, 0.45 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.55 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.65 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.75 mm, 0.8 mm, etc.

[0152] Furthermore, if the thickness t3 of the second end cover 30 is less than or equal to 0.4 mm, the strength requirements cannot be met, resulting in reduced reliability of the battery cell. If the thickness t3 of the second end cover 30 is greater than or equal to 0.8 mm, the overall weight of the housing 71 becomes too large, which, on the one hand, affects the energy density of the battery. On the other hand, if the second end cover 30 and the side panel 10 are connected by welding, the thicker the second end cover 30, the more heat is required for welding. If the heat is too great, the housing 71 is more likely to deform during the welding process, which affects product yield.

[0153] Therefore, by limiting the thickness of the second end cover 30 within the above range, the above technical solution not only enables the second end cover 30 to meet the strength requirements, but also reduces the weight of the housing 71 and effectively improves the energy density of the battery cells.

[0154] In some embodiments, the second end cover 30 is provided with a pressure relief hole 31 and a stress relief groove 32 surrounding the pressure relief hole 31. The battery cell further includes a pressure relief mechanism, which is attached to the second end cover 30 and covers the pressure relief hole 31.

[0155] For example, when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaches a threshold, the pressure reducing mechanism can release the internal pressure of the battery cell. As can be understood, the process of attaching the pressure reducing mechanism to the pressure reducing port 31 affects the second end cover 30. For example, if the pressure reducing mechanism is welded to the pressure reducing port 31, thermal stress may deform the second end cover 30 during the welding process, thereby affecting the flatness of the second end cover 30 and the attachment between the second end cover 30 and the housing 71. The material of the pressure reducing mechanism may include nickel. Furthermore, the pressure reducing mechanism may include a nickel sheet, which may be directly welded to the pressure reducing port 31.

[0156] Alternatively, the connection between the pressure reducing mechanism and the second end cover 30 may be by welding, such as laser welding, and the laser for the laser welding may be, but is not limited to, a fiber laser or a quasi-continuous wave laser. Furthermore, the fiber laser or the quasi-continuous wave laser can be combined with a galvanometer mirror to reduce the welding heat input. Furthermore, the speckle diameter in the laser welding is 0.2 mm or less, such as 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.15 mm, or 0.2 mm.

[0157] Alternatively, the number of stress relief grooves 32 may be one, and the stress relief grooves 32 may be annular and arranged around the pressure relief port 31, or the number of stress relief grooves 32 may be multiple, and the multiple stress relief grooves 32 may be spaced apart and surround the pressure relief port 31.

[0158] Alternatively, the stress relief grooves 32 may be recessed into the surface of the second end cover 30 opposite the first end cover 20, or may be recessed into the surface of the second end cover 30 adjacent to the first end cover 20.

[0159] The stress relief groove 32 in the above technical solution can absorb the stress generated during the installation process of the pressure reducing mechanism and the pressure reducing port 31, thereby reducing the impact of the installation of the pressure reducing mechanism and the pressure reducing port 31 on the second end cover 30, which is beneficial to improving the product yield.

[0160] According to some embodiments of the present application, the present application further provides a battery including a battery cell according to any of the above embodiments.

[0161] According to some embodiments of the present application, the present application further provides a power consuming device including a battery cell according to any of the above embodiments for supplying electrical energy.

[0162] According to some embodiments of the present application, the present application further provides a method for manufacturing the housing of any of the above embodiments, The method includes providing at least two separately formed side plates, and welding the at least two side plates in sequence around the circumference of the housing to surround it and form a hollow tubular structure.

[0163] In some embodiments, the method for manufacturing the housing further comprises: Providing a first end cover and welding the first end cover to one end of the tubular structure.

[0164] In some embodiments, the welding is laser welding.

[0165] By way of example, but not limitation, the laser for laser welding the housing may be a quasi-continuous wave laser, which may further be combined with a galvanometer mirror to provide low welding heat input.

[0166] For example, the protective gas in the laser welding process of the housing may be, but is not limited to, nitrogen, and the welding speed is 70mm / s to 200mm / s.

[0167] To better understand the battery cell housing 71 according to the embodiment of the present application, an embodiment of the housing 71 in practical application will be described based on the same inventive concept.

[0168] An embodiment of the present application provides a battery cell housing 71. The housing 71 includes a first end cover 20 and two side panels 10. Each side panel 10 includes a main body 11 and two folded portions 12. The two folded portions 12 are connected to both ends of the main body 11 along a first direction X and folded relative to the main body 11. The main bodies 11 of the two side panels 10 face each other along a second direction Y, and the first direction X intersects with the second direction Y. The two folded portions 12 of one side panel 10 are connected to the two folded portions 12 of the other side panel 10, respectively, to form a hollow cylindrical structure. A first opening 13 is formed at one end of the cylindrical structure. A first end cover 20 is connected to the at least two side panels 10 and covers the first opening 13. The first end cover 20 is completely housed in the housing space 14 enclosed by the cylindrical structure, and the outer peripheral surface of the first end cover 20 abuts against the surface of the side plate 10 on the side adjacent to the housing space 14 .

[0169] The dimension of the main body 11 in the first direction X is d1, and the dimension of the bent portion 12 in the third direction Z is d2, where d1≧2*d2, and the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z are perpendicular to each other. d1 satisfies the relationship 100 mm≦d1≦1000 mm.

[0170] The thickness t1 of the side plate 10 satisfies the relationship 0.1 mm≦t1≦0.3 mm, and the thickness t2 of the first end cover 20 satisfies the relationship 0.4 mm≦t2≦1 mm.

[0171] This embodiment further provides a battery cell including a second end cover 30, an electrode assembly, a pressure reduction mechanism, and the above-mentioned housing 71, wherein a second opening 15 is formed at the other end of the tubular structure of the housing 71, the second end cover 30 is connected to at least two side panels 10 and covers the second opening 15, and the electrode assembly is accommodated in the housing 71. The second end cover 30 is provided with a pressure reduction port 31 and a stress relief groove 32 surrounding the pressure reduction port, and the pressure reduction mechanism is attached to the second end cover 30 and covers the pressure reduction port 31.

[0172] The thickness t3 of the second end cover 30 satisfies the relationship 0.4 mm≦t3≦0.8 mm.

[0173] The embodiments and features of the embodiments in the present application can be combined with each other as long as they are not contradictory.

[0174] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are merely for illustrating the technical solutions of the present application, and are not intended to limit the same. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions described in the above embodiments may still be modified, or some or all of the technical features therein may be equivalently substituted, and such modifications or substitutions do not cause the substance of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and all of them should be encompassed by the scope of the claims and the description of the present application. In particular, the technical features mentioned in the embodiments may be combined in any way as long as there is no structural contradiction. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions encompassed by the claims.

Claims

1. A battery cell housing including at least two side plates, Each of the side plates is individually molded, and the at least two side plates are sequentially installed and connected along the circumferential direction of the housing to form a surrounding hollow cylindrical structure.

2. The housing according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness t1 of the side plate satisfies the relationship 0.1 mm≦t1≦0.3 mm.

3. The housing according to claim 1 , wherein the tubular structure is a rectangular tubular structure or a cylindrical structure.

4. The housing according to claim 1 , wherein two adjacent side plates in the circumferential direction of the housing are welded together.

5. The housing includes two of the side plates, Each of the side plates includes a main body portion and two bent portions, the two bent portions being connected to both ends of the main body portion along the first direction and bent relative to the main body portion, the main body portions of the two side plates face each other along a second direction, the first direction intersects with the second direction, The housing according to claim 1 , wherein the two bent portions of one of the side plates are respectively connected to the two bent portions of the other of the side plates.

6. 6. The housing of claim 5, wherein the dimension of the main body portion in the first direction is d1, the dimension of the folded portion in the third direction is d2, d1≧2*d2, and the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other two by two.

7. The housing according to claim 6, wherein d1 satisfies the relationship 100 mm≦d1≦1000 mm.

8. a first opening formed at one end of the tubular structure; The housing of claim 1 , further comprising a first end cover connected to the at least two side panels and covering the first opening.

9. The housing of claim 8 , wherein the first end cover is welded to the at least two side plates.

10. The housing of claim 8 , wherein the thickness of the first end cover is greater than the thickness of the side plate.

11. The housing according to claim 10 , wherein the thickness t2 of the first end cover satisfies the relationship 0.4 mm≦t2≦1 mm.

12. 9. The housing according to claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the first end cover is accommodated in an accommodation space surrounded by the cylindrical structure, and an outer peripheral surface of the first end cover abuts against a surface of the side plate on a side closest to the accommodation space.

13. The housing of claim 12 , wherein the first end cover is completely received within the receiving space.

14. A battery cell comprising the housing of any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. The housing according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein a second opening is formed at the other end of the cylindrical structure; a second end cover connected to the at least two side panels and covering the second opening; an electrode assembly housed in the housing.

16. The battery cell according to claim 15 , wherein the thickness t3 of the second end cover satisfies the relationship 0.4 mm≦t3≦0.8 mm.

17. a pressure reduction port and a stress relief groove surrounding the pressure reduction port are provided in the second end cover; The battery cell according to claim 15 , further comprising a pressure reducing mechanism, the pressure reducing mechanism being attached to the second end cover and covering the pressure reducing port.

18. A battery comprising a plurality of battery cells according to any one of claims 14 to 17.

19. A power consuming device comprising a battery cell according to any one of claims 14 to 17 for supplying electrical energy thereto.

20. A method for manufacturing the housing according to any one of claims 1 to 13, comprising the steps of: providing at least two separately molded side panels; and welding the at least two side plates in sequence around the periphery of the housing to surround it, thereby forming a hollow cylindrical structure.

21. providing a first end cover; The method of claim 20 further comprising welding the first end cover to one end of the tubular structure.

22. The method for manufacturing a housing according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the welding is laser welding.

Images