Drain valves, batteries, and power consumption devices

Abstract

A drain valve (13), a battery (100), and a power-consuming device, belonging to the battery technology field. The drain valve comprises a valve body (131), a valve core (132), a gas-generating substance (133), and a check member (135), the valve body having a liquid inlet (1311) and a liquid outlet (1312). The valve core is movably fitted with the valve body and seals the liquid outlet. The gas-generating substance is at least partially installed inside the valve body and is configured to react with liquid water to generate gas that pushes the valve core and opens the liquid outlet. The check member is configured to allow liquid water to enter the valve body from the liquid inlet and to restrict gas from flowing out of the valve body from the liquid inlet.

Description

Technical Field

[0005] ,

[0001] Cross - reference to Related Applications This application claims the priority of Chinese Patent Application No. 202310640714.8, titled "Drain Valve, Battery and Power - consuming Equipment", proposed on May 31, 2023. All contents of this application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This application relates to the field of battery technology, specifically to a drain valve, a battery and a power - consuming equipment.

Background Art

[0003] Batteries are widely applied in electronic devices, such as battery cars, electric vehicles, electric airplanes, electric ships and power tools.

[0004] In the development of battery technology, in addition to improving the performance of batteries, the reliability during battery use is also an issue that should be considered.

[0005] Therefore, how to improve the reliability during battery use is one of the urgent problems to be solved in battery technology.

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] [[ID=3,6]]In view of the above problems, this application provides a drain valve, a battery and a power - consuming equipment that can improve the reliability during battery use.

[0007] According to a first aspect, the present application provides a drain valve comprising a valve body, a valve core, a gas-generating substance, and a check member, wherein the valve body has a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet. The valve core is movably fitted with the valve body and seals the liquid outlet. The gas-generating substance is at least partially installed inside the valve body and is configured to react with liquid water to generate gas that pushes the valve core and opens the liquid outlet. The check member is configured to allow liquid water to enter the valve body from the liquid inlet and to restrict gas from flowing out of the valve body from the liquid inlet.

[0008] In the invention of this invention, the drain valve comprises a valve body, a valve core, a gas generating substance, and a check member, wherein the valve body has a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet. The valve core is movably fitted with the valve body and seals the liquid outlet. The gas generating substance is at least partially installed inside the valve body and is configured to react with liquid water to generate gas that pushes the valve core and opens the liquid outlet. The check member is configured to allow liquid water to enter the valve body from the liquid inlet and to restrict gas from flowing out of the valve body from the liquid inlet. Taking the example of a drain valve used in a battery, a gas-generating substance reacts with liquid water to produce gas, and a check valve restricts the gas from flowing out of the valve body through the liquid inlet. As the gas generated by the gas-generating substance gradually increases, the pressure inside the valve body gradually increases, causing the valve core to move and press against the liquid outlet, thereby allowing the liquid water to be discharged from the battery through the liquid outlet. This reduces the risk of the battery cells short-circuiting due to leaked liquid water, causing the battery temperature to rise and potentially leading to battery ignition, thus improving the reliability of the battery during its use.

[0009] In some embodiments, the check valve is installed in the path between the liquid inlet and the gas-generating substance.

[0010] In some embodiments, the drain valve further includes an elastic member connecting the valve core and the valve body, which is used to apply an elastic force to the valve core and hold it in a position that seals the liquid outlet. For example, if the drain valve is used in a battery, and there is no liquid leakage inside the battery, the elastic member can hold the valve core in a position that seals the liquid outlet, reducing the risk of foreign matter or liquid from outside the battery housing entering the battery housing, short-circuiting the battery cells, and causing the battery temperature to rise and the battery to catch fire.

[0011] In some embodiments, the valve body defines a first chamber communicating with a liquid inlet, and the valve core and valve body together define a second chamber, with a communication port in the valve body for connecting the first and second chambers, and the gas-generating material being placed in the second chamber. With such a design, the liquid water can enter the second chamber through the communication port and react with the gas-generating material only after flowing through at least the first chamber, thereby lengthening the path through which the liquid water flows inside the drain valve when the drain valve opens, and reducing the risk of the drain valve opening unintentionally.

[0012] In some embodiments, a check valve is installed in the path between a first chamber and a second chamber, and is configured to allow liquid water to enter the second chamber from the first chamber and to restrict gas from flowing out of the second chamber. Such a design is used, for example, when the drain valve is used in a battery, where gas generated by a gas-generating substance cannot flow out of the second chamber, rapidly increasing the pressure in the second chamber over a period of time and reducing the time required to open the drain valve.

[0013] In some embodiments, the check valve is provided at the communication port. This design allows the communication port to be used as a reference during the assembly process of the check valve, thereby reducing the difficulty of assembling the check valve.

[0014] In some embodiments, the check valve is a unidirectional membrane covering the communication port. With such a design, if the unidirectional membrane can be bonded near and cover the communication port, it can serve to allow liquid water to enter the second chamber from the first chamber and restrict gas from flowing out of the second chamber. There is no need to machine extra assembly grooves on the wall of the valve body or valve core, resulting in a relatively low difficulty of assembly.

[0015] In some embodiments, the valve body includes a top wall and side walls surrounding the top wall, with a liquid inlet provided on the side wall and / or top wall, and one end of the side wall away from the top wall encloses and forms a liquid outlet. Such a design allows the liquid inlet to be positioned at any circumferential position on the side wall and / or top wall, and the opening direction of the liquid inlet can be flexibly positioned according to different products.

[0016] In some embodiments, the valve body further includes a partition wall and a connector, the partition wall being located within a space enclosed by a top wall and a side wall, the partition wall being spaced apart from the top wall, the connector connecting the top wall and the partition wall, forming a first chamber between the partition wall and the top wall, a second chamber enclosed by the valve core and the partition wall, and a communication port provided in the partition wall. With such a design, the liquid inlet is provided in the side wall and / or top wall, and the communication port is provided in the partition wall, so that the liquid must pass through the liquid inlet and communication port in sequence to enter the second chamber, further lengthening the flow path required for the liquid to come into contact with the gas-generating substance within the valve body, and allowing the drain valve to open when a small amount of liquid is present in the housing, reducing the risk of the drain valve's lifespan being too short.

[0017] In some embodiments, the valve core includes a sleeve portion and a piston portion, the sleeve portion being fitted externally to and slidably fitted with a partition wall, the piston portion being connected to one end of the sleeve portion away from the top wall, the piston portion being used to seal or open the liquid outlet, and the sleeve portion, partition wall, and piston portion enclose a second chamber. Such a design makes the space of the second chamber smaller than the space of the first chamber, reducing the time required for gas to fill the second chamber and push the valve core to move, thereby moving the valve core faster and opening the liquid outlet. Taking the use of a drain valve in a battery as an example, reducing the opening time of the drain valve reduces the risk of a large amount of liquid accumulating inside the battery housing and short-circuiting the battery cells due to the drain valve being open for too long during the opening process.

[0018] In some embodiments, a gap is formed between the outer surface of the sleeve and the inner surface of the side wall, a flow port is provided in the sleeve, and a liquid inlet is provided in the side wall, which communicates with the first chamber via the gap and the flow port. With such a design, liquid water must flow through at least the liquid inlet, gap, flow port and communication port in order to enter the second chamber, and further lengthens the flow path necessary for the liquid water to react with the gas-generating substance within the valve body, and allows the drain valve to open when a small amount of liquid water is present in the housing, reducing the risk of the drain valve's lifespan being shortened too much.

[0019] In some embodiments, the piston portion protrudes from the outer circumferential surface of the sleeve portion along the radial direction of the sleeve portion. This design allows liquid to enter the drain valve from the liquid inlet and be discharged from the liquid outlet in embodiments where some of the valve core is located within the valve body. This reduces the opening time of the drain valve during the normal draining process, improving drainage efficiency.

[0020] In some embodiments, a sealing material is installed between the outer circumferential surface of the piston and the inner circumferential surface of the side wall. This design allows for control only of the cylindricity of the piston, eliminating the need to control the flatness of the piston, resulting in a relatively small machining area and relatively low difficulty of machining.

[0021] In some embodiments, the drain valve includes a protective member positioned away from the top wall of the piston. This reduces the risk of damage to the piston due to friction with foreign matter, which could hinder the movement of the valve core.

[0022] In some embodiments, the valve core includes a first guide portion, and the valve body includes a second guide portion, the second guide portion being located on the inner surface of the side wall, and the first guide portion being slidably fitted into the second guide portion. The installation of the first and second guide portions allows the movement of the valve core to be guided, reducing the risk of misalignment occurring when the valve core switches between the first and second positions, which would hinder the movement of the valve core and prevent communication between the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet.

[0023] In some embodiments, the first guide portion is a bump projecting from one side facing the top wall of the piston portion, and the second guide portion is a slide groove provided on the inner surface of the side wall, with the bump located between the side wall and the sleeve portion. The bump projecting from the side facing the top wall of the piston portion may be machined together with the piston portion, and the slide groove provided on the inner surface of the side wall may be machined together with the valve body, and the difficulty of machining is relatively low.

[0024] In some embodiments, the drain valve further includes a nut fitted onto the valve body, the nut being screw-connected to the side wall and having a flange formed at one end away from the top wall of the side wall. The gap between the nut and the flange can be adjusted by turning the nut, thereby allowing the drain valve to be fitted to mounting interfaces of different thicknesses, and the installation of the drain valve can be achieved by turning the nut, making the installation process simple and convenient.

[0025] In some embodiments, the nut is provided with a plurality of notches, and the notches communicate with the liquid inlet. With such a design, the leaked liquid water can pass through the notches and enter the interior of the valve body from the liquid inlet to contact the water-soluble member. After the nut is tightened, the risk that the liquid inlet is blocked by the nut, the liquid inlet is sealed, and the drain valve fails is reduced.

[0026] In some embodiments, a plurality of liquid inlets are provided, and the plurality of liquid inlets are provided at intervals along the circumferential direction of the side wall. With such a design, the leaked liquid water can enter the interior of the valve body from a plurality of different directions and contact the gas-generating substance, thereby enabling the drain valve to adapt to different liquid leakage operating conditions.

[0027] In some embodiments, the material of the gas-generating substance is one of calcium peroxide, a mixture of organic acid and carbonate, and sodium azide.

[0028] According to a second aspect, the present application provides a battery including a housing and the drain valve in the above embodiments. The drain valve is attached to the wall portion of the housing and is used to discharge the liquid in the housing.

[0029] According to a third aspect, the present application provides an electrical consumer device including the battery for supplying electrical energy in the above embodiments.

[0030] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present application. For a clearer understanding of the technical means of the present application, it may be implemented according to the content of the specification. And for a clearer and more understandable understanding of other objects, features and advantages of the present application, the following will specifically describe the specific embodiments of the present application.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031] By reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiments below, various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art. The drawings are used solely to illustrate the purpose of the preferred embodiments and are not intended to be considered limitations to this application. Note that in all drawings, the same drawing number indicates the same component. In the drawings, [Figure 1] These are schematic diagrams of the structure of several embodiments of the vehicle in this application. [Figure 2] This is an exploded view of a battery according to some embodiments of this application. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of the local structure of a battery according to several embodiments of this application. [Figure 4] This is an exploded view of a drain valve in several embodiments of this application. [Figure 5] These are cross-sectional views of the local structure of a battery in some embodiments of this application, showing the position of the valve core when it is in the second position. [Figure 6] These are cross-sectional views of the local structure of a battery in some embodiments of this application, showing the position of the valve core when it is in the first position. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view of the local structure of a battery in some other embodiments of this application. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view of a check valve member according to several embodiments of this application. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view of the valve core of several embodiments of this application. [Figure 10] This is a cross-sectional view of the local structure of a battery in several other embodiments of this application, showing the position of the valve core when it is in the second position. [Figure 11] This is a cross-sectional view of the local structure of a battery in several other embodiments of this application, showing the position of the valve core when it is in the first position. [Figure 12] This is a perspective view of the valve core of several other embodiments of this application. [Figure 13] This is a perspective view of the valve body of several embodiments of this application. [Figure 14] This is a perspective view of a nut in several embodiments of this application. [Figure 15]These are cross-sectional views of the local structure of a battery in some further embodiments of this application, showing the position of the valve core when it is in the second position. [Figure 16] These are cross-sectional views of the local structure of a battery in some further embodiments of this application, showing the position of the valve core when it is in the first position. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0032] The following describes in detail embodiments of the technical proposal of this application, accompanied by drawings. These embodiments are merely examples, intended to provide a clearer explanation of the technical proposal, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0033] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art relating to the present application. The terms used herein are solely for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application. The terms “including” and “having” and any variations thereof in the description of the specification, claims, and drawings of this application are intentionally intended to cover the non-exclusive “including.”

[0034] In the descriptions of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first," "second," etc., are merely used to distinguish different subjects and should not be understood as implicitly indicating or suggesting the relative importance of the number, specific order, or hierarchical relationship of technical features. In the descriptions of the embodiments of this application, unless specifically defined otherwise, "plural" means two or more.

[0035] As used herein, “Examples” means that certain features, structures, or characteristics described in conjunction with the examples may be included in at least one example of this application. The term “Examples” appearing in different parts of the specification does not necessarily refer to the same example, nor does it indicate an example that is exclusively independent or alternative to another example. Those skilled in the art will understand, both explicitly and implicitly, that the examples described herein can be combined with other examples.

[0036] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more sets (including two sets), and "multiple sheets" refers to two or more sheets (including two sheets).

[0037] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by technical terms such as "center," "vertical direction," "horizontal direction," "length," "width," "thickness," "top," "bottom," "front," "back," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inside," "outside," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial direction," "radial direction," and "circumferential direction" are orientations or positional relationships shown based on the drawings and are merely for the purpose of facilitating and simplifying the description of the embodiments of this application. They do not indicate or imply that the mentioned devices or elements have a specific orientation or must be configured and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0038] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise explicitly defined or limited, technical terms such as “attachment,” “connection,” “bonding,” and “fixing” should be understood in a broad sense. For example, these may be fixed connections, removable connections, integral connections, mechanical connections, electrical connections, direct connections, indirect connections via an intermediate medium, internal communication between two elements, or interaction relationships between two elements. Those skilled in the art may understand the specific meaning of these terms in the embodiments of this application depending on the specific circumstances.

[0039] In this application, the battery cell may include, but is not limited to, lithium-ion secondary batteries, lithium-ion primary batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, sodium-lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, or magnesium-ion batteries. The shape of the battery cell may include, but is not limited to, cylindrical, flattened, rectangular, or other shapes. Generally, battery cells are classified into cylindrical battery cells, rectangular battery cells, and pouch battery cells according to the packaging method, but is not limited to these.

[0040] The batteries referred to in the embodiments of this application refer to a single physical module comprising one or more battery cells to provide higher voltage and capacity. The batteries generally include a housing for packaging one or more battery cells. The housing can reduce the risk of liquid or other foreign matter affecting the charging or discharging of the battery cells.

[0041] To improve the operational reliability and stability of batteries, thermal management components are generally installed within the housing. In some cases, the thermal management component is located at the bottom of the housing and fixed to the side wall of the housing. In other cases, the thermal management component is located between adjacent battery cells and bonded to the large surface of the battery cells. The battery cells are generally connected to the thermal management component by a thermally conductive adhesive, thereby enabling heat exchange between the battery cells and the thermal management component, so that when the temperature of the thermal management component changes, the temperature of the battery cells in contact with it changes accordingly.

[0042] Generally, a thermal control component has a temperature-controllable fluid for multiple battery cells, where the fluid may be a liquid or a gas, and temperature control refers to heating or cooling the multiple battery cells. When cooling or cooling the battery cells, this thermal control component may also be called a cooling component, cooling system, or cooling plate, and the fluid contained therein may be called a cooling medium or cooling fluid, more specifically, a coolant or cooling gas. The thermal control component may also be used to heat the multiple battery cells to raise their temperature. Selectively, the fluid may flow in a circulation to achieve a better temperature control effect. Selectively, the fluid may be water, a mixture of water and ethylene glycol, or air, etc.

[0043] The development of battery technology requires simultaneous consideration of a wide range of design factors, such as energy density, cycle life, discharge capacity, and charge / discharge rate. Furthermore, improving the reliability of batteries during use is also a crucial consideration.

[0044] Taking the example of a drain valve used in a battery, during the long-term use of a battery, factors such as a disruption in the battery coolant cycle, deterioration and failure of the sealing material of the thermal management component, and damage to the piping of the thermal management component can cause the heat exchange medium, such as coolant, to leak into the housing. If the coolant accumulates inside the housing and cannot be drained, the risk of a short circuit in the battery cells increases. If a short circuit occurs in the battery cells, the battery temperature rises, causing the battery to ignite, resulting in relatively low reliability during the battery's operation.

[0045] In view of this, the present application provides a drain valve comprising a valve body, a valve core, a gas generating substance, and a check member, wherein the valve body has a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet. The valve core is movably fitted with the valve body and seals the liquid outlet. The gas generating substance is at least partially installed inside the valve body and is configured to react with liquid water to generate gas that pushes the valve core to open the liquid outlet. The check member is configured to allow liquid water to enter the valve body from the liquid inlet and to restrict gas from flowing out of the valve body from the liquid inlet. The gas generating substance reacts with liquid water to generate gas, and the check member restricts gas from flowing out of the valve body from the liquid inlet. As the gas increases, the pressure inside the valve body gradually increases, causing the valve core to move and push to open the liquid outlet, thereby allowing liquid water to be drained from the battery through the liquid outlet, reducing the risk of battery cells short-circuiting due to leaked liquid water in the battery, causing the battery temperature to rise and the battery to ignite, and improving the reliability of the battery during use.

[0046] The technical solutions described in the embodiments of this application are all applicable to various devices that use batteries, such as battery-powered vehicles, power tools, electric vehicles, ships and aerospace vehicles, and aerospace vehicles, for example, include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles and spacecraft.

[0047] The following explanation will primarily focus on the use of drain valves in batteries, specifically for draining leaked liquid coolant from the battery casing.

[0048] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 1, the vehicle 1000 may be a fuel-powered vehicle, a gas vehicle, or a new energy vehicle, and the new energy vehicle may be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a range-extender vehicle. Inside the vehicle 1000, a motor 300, a controller 200, and a battery 100 may be installed, and the controller 200 is used to control the power supply of the motor 300 by the battery 100. For example, the battery 100 may be installed at the bottom, front, or rear of the vehicle 1000. The battery 100 may be used to supply power to the vehicle 1000, for example, as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000, and may be used in the circuit system of the vehicle 1000, for example, for starting the vehicle 1000, navigation, and operating power consumption requirements during operation. In another embodiment of this application, the battery 100 can not only be an operating power source for the vehicle 1000, but can also be a driving power source for the vehicle 1000, providing driving power to the vehicle 1000 in place of or in place of fuel oil or natural gas.

[0049] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 2, the battery 100 may include a plurality of battery cells 12 to meet different power consumption demands. Here, the plurality of battery cells 12 may be connected in series, in parallel, or in series-parallel, where series-parallel is a combination of series and parallel connections. The battery 100 may also be called a battery pack. The battery 100 may further include a housing 11, the housing 11 having a hollow structure inside, and the plurality of battery cells 12 are housed within the housing 11. The housing 11 may include two parts, here referred to as a first part 111 and a second part 112, respectively, and the first part 111 and the second part 112 are engaged. The shapes of the first part 111 and the second part 112 may be determined according to the shape of the combination of the plurality of battery cells 12, and both the first part 111 and the second part 112 may have one opening surface. For example, the first part 111 and the second part 112 may both be hollow rectangular parallelepipeds, and each may have only one open surface. The open surfaces of the first part 111 and the second part 112 are positioned opposite each other, and the first part 111 and the second part 112 are engaged with each other to form a housing 11 with a sealed chamber. Multiple battery cells 12 are connected in parallel, in series, or in series-parallel and then placed in the housing 11 formed by the engagement of the first part 111 and the second part 112.

[0050] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 3, the battery 100 may further include a drain valve 13, taking the example that the drain valve 13 is installed in a second portion 112, the second portion 112 may include a bottom wall 1122, a peripheral wall 1121 surrounding the edge of the bottom wall 1122, the end face of one end of the peripheral wall 1121 away from the bottom wall 1122 being an open surface, and the first portion 111 covers the open surface to form a housing 11 having a sealed chamber. The drain valve 13 may be installed in the bottom wall 1122 or in the peripheral wall 1121. The number of drain valves 13 may be one or more, and the multiple drain valves 13 may be installed in the bottom wall 1122 and the peripheral wall 1121, or both may be installed in the bottom wall 1122 or both may be installed in the peripheral wall 1121.

[0051] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to Figures 2 and 4-6, the application provides a drain valve 13 comprising a valve body 131, a valve core 132, a gas generating substance 133, and a check member 135, the valve body 131 having a liquid inlet 1311 and a liquid outlet 1312. The valve core 132 is movably fitted with the valve body 131 and seals the liquid outlet 1312. The gas generating substance 133 is at least partially installed inside the valve body 131 and is configured to react with liquid water to generate gas that pushes the valve core 132 and opens the liquid outlet 1312. The check member 135 is configured to allow liquid water to enter the valve body 131 from the liquid inlet 1311 and to restrict gas from flowing out of the valve body 131 from the liquid inlet 1311.

[0052] For the sake of explanation, when the drain valve 13 is open, that is, when the gas generating substance 133 reacts with liquid water to generate gas, which pushes the valve core 132 and opens the liquid outlet 1312, the liquid inlet 1311 and the liquid outlet 1312 are in communication, and the position of the valve core 132 is the first position. When the drain valve 13 is closed, the liquid inlet 1311 and the liquid outlet 1312 are blocked, and the position of the valve core 132 is the second position.

[0053] The material of the valve body 131 includes, but is not limited to, plastic, martensitic stainless steel, and iron.

[0054] The material of the valve core 132 includes, but is not limited to, plastic, martensitic stainless steel, and iron.

[0055] The number of gas-generating materials 133 may be one, or for example, a sleeve-structured gas-generating material 133. The number of gas-generating materials 133 may be multiple columnar solids, and multiple gas-generating materials 133 are filled inside the valve body 131.

[0056] The gas-generating substance 133 may be a powdered solid or a solid having a regular shape.

[0057] The check valve member 135 may be made of a material that allows the passage of liquid but restricts the passage of gas, and the check valve member 135 may include, but is not limited to, a polyvinyl alcohol film with relatively low water solubility.

[0058] The number of liquid inlets 1311 may be multiple.

[0059] In the first position, the communication between the liquid inlet 1311 and the liquid outlet 1312 means that any leaked liquid water inside the housing 11 of the battery 100 can pass through the liquid inlet 1311 and the liquid outlet 1312 in sequence and be discharged outside the housing 11. In the second position, the blockage between the liquid inlet 1311 and the liquid outlet 1312 means that water or foreign matter from outside the housing 11 cannot pass through the liquid outlet 1312 and the liquid inlet 1311 and enter the housing 11.

[0060] The gas-generating substance 133 is manufactured from a substance that can generate gas by reacting with liquid water. The material of the gas-generating substance 133 may include, but is not limited to, calcium oxide, a mixture of organic acids and carbonates, and sodium azide.

[0061] The gas-generating substance 133 reacts with liquid water to generate gas, increasing the pressure inside the valve body 131. When the pressure inside the valve body 131 is greater than the pressure outside the valve body 131, the gas can push the valve core 132 to move to the first position. Compared to conventional methods of opening the drain valve 13, generating gas in contact with the liquid to open the drain valve 13 is faster and reduces the risk of liquid water accumulating inside the battery housing 11 causing a short circuit in the battery cells 12.

[0062] In some embodiments, the valve body 131 includes a top wall 1314 and side walls 1315 surrounding the top wall 1314, and a liquid inlet 1311 is provided on the top wall 1314, with one end away from the side walls 1315 enclosing and forming a liquid outlet 1312. A gas generating substance 133 is contained within the valve body 131, and a valve core 132 is used to seal the liquid outlet 1312, the valve core 132 being a disc-shaped valve core 132, and the drain valve 13 further includes an elastic member 134, one end of which is connected to the valve core 132, and the other end of which is connected to the valve body 131. An annular wall is provided inside the hole wall of the liquid outlet 1312, and in a second position, the valve core 132 abuts against the annular wall by the action of the elastic member 134, sealing the liquid outlet 1312. The drain valve 13 further includes a check member 135 located between the top wall 1314 and the valve core 132, the check member 135 being configured to allow liquid to enter the valve body 131 from the liquid inlet 1311 and to restrict gas from flowing out of the valve body 131.

[0063] In the invention of this application, the drain valve 13 comprises a valve body 131, a valve core 132, and a gas generating substance 133, the valve body 131 having a liquid inlet 1311 and a liquid outlet 1312. The valve core 132 is used to seal the liquid outlet 1312. The gas generating substance 133 is at least partially installed inside the valve body 131 and is configured to react with liquid water to generate gas that pushes the valve core 132 and opens the liquid outlet 1312. Taking the example of the drain valve 13 being used in a battery 100, the gas generating substance 133 reacts with liquid water to generate gas, and the check member 135 restricts the gas from flowing out of the valve body 131 from the liquid inlet 1311. As the gas increases, the pressure inside the valve body 131 gradually increases, causing the valve core 132 to move and press against the liquid outlet 1312 to open, thereby allowing the liquid water to be discharged from the battery 100 through the liquid outlet 1312. This reduces the risk of the battery cells 12 short-circuiting due to leaked liquid water inside the battery 100, causing the temperature of the battery 100 to rise and leading to the battery 100 catching fire, and improves the reliability of the battery 100 during use.

[0064] According to some embodiments of this application, the check valve member 135 is installed in the path between the liquid inlet 1311 and the gas generating substance 133.

[0065] The placement of the check valve member 135 in the path between the liquid inlet 1311 and the gas generating substance 133 means that the liquid water flows through the check valve member 135 before coming into contact with the gas generating substance 133.

[0066] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to Figures 2 and 4-6, the drain valve 13 further includes an elastic member 134 connecting the elastic valve core 132 and the valve body 131, which is used to apply an elastic force to the valve core 132 to hold the valve core 132 in a position that seals the liquid outlet 1312.

[0067] The material of the elastic member 134 may be a metal spring or a non-metal spring.

[0068] When in the second position, the installation of the elastic member 134 allows the battery housing 11 to be relatively sealed, reducing the possibility of water or foreign matter from outside the housing 11 entering the housing 11.

[0069] When in the second position, the elastic member 134 has a certain initial tensile force, and furthermore, the restoring force of the elastic member 134 itself can hold the valve core 132 in the second position.

[0070] In some embodiments, the valve body 131 includes a top wall 1314 and side walls 1315 surrounding the top wall 1314, and a liquid inlet 1311 is provided in the side wall 1315 and / or the top wall 1314, with one end away from the side wall 1315 enclosing and forming a liquid outlet 1312. The valve body 131 further includes a partition wall 1316 and a connecting portion 13110, the partition wall 1316 being located in a space enclosed by the top wall 1314 and the side wall 1315, the partition wall 1316 being spaced apart from the top wall 1314, the connecting portion 13110 connecting the top wall 1314 and the partition wall 1316, a first chamber 137 being formed between the partition wall 1316 and the top wall 1314, a second chamber 138 being enclosed by the valve core 132 and the partition wall 1316, and a communication port 13161 being provided in the partition wall 1316. The valve core 132 includes a sleeve portion 1323 and a piston portion 1321. The sleeve portion 1323 is fitted onto the partition wall 1316 and slidably fitted with the partition wall 1316. The piston portion 1321 is connected to one end of the sleeve portion 1323 away from the top wall 1314. The piston portion 1321 is used to seal or open the liquid outlet 1312. The sleeve portion 1323, partition wall 1316, and piston portion 1321 surround the second chamber 138. A first protrusion 13162 is provided on the side of the partition wall 1316 facing the piston portion 1321, and a second protrusion 13211 is provided on the side of the piston portion 1321 facing the partition wall 1316. One end of the elastic member 134 is connected to the first protrusion 13162, and the other end of the elastic member 134 is connected to the second protrusion 13211. One end of the elastic member 134 may be welded to the partition wall 1316, and the other end of the elastic member 134 may be welded to the piston portion 1321. In some other embodiments, one end of the elastic member 134 may be engaged with the first projection 13162, and the other end of the elastic member 134 may be engaged with the second projection 13211. In some embodiments, both the elastic member 134 and the gas generating material 133 are located within the valve body 131, the elastic member 134 is located between the partition wall 1316 and the piston portion 1321, the gas generating material 133 is a sleeve-shaped gas generating material 133, and the elastic member 134 is drilled into the gas generating material 133.

[0071] Taking the example of the drain valve 13 being used in a battery 100, if there is no liquid leakage inside the battery 100, the elastic member 134 can hold the valve core 132 in a position that seals the liquid outlet 1312, reducing the risk that foreign matter or liquid from outside the housing 11 of the battery 100 will enter the housing 11 of the battery 100, short-circuit the battery cells 12, and cause the temperature of the battery 100 to rise, leading to the battery 100 catching fire.

[0072] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to Figures 2 and 4-6, the valve body 131 defines a first chamber 137 communicating with a liquid inlet 1311, the valve core 132 and the valve body 131 together define a second chamber 138, the valve body 131 is provided with a communication port 13161 for connecting the first chamber 137 and the second chamber 138, and the gas generating substance 133 is placed in the second chamber 138.

[0073] The provision of a communication port 13161 in the valve body 131 for connecting the first chamber 137 and the second chamber 138 means that liquid can enter the second chamber 138 from the first chamber 137.

[0074] This design allows the liquid water to enter the second chamber 138 through the communication port 13161 and react with the gas-generating substance 133 only after it has flowed through at least the first chamber 137, thereby lengthening the path through which the liquid water flows inside the drain valve 13 when the drain valve 13 is opened, and reducing the risk of the drain valve 13 opening unintentionally.

[0075] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to Figures 2, 4-6, the check valve member 135 is installed in the path between the first chamber 137 and the second chamber 138, and the check valve member 135 is configured to allow liquid water to enter the second chamber 138 from the first chamber 137 and to restrict gas from flowing out of the second chamber 138.

[0076] The check valve member 135 may be structured to deform or invert during the process in which the liquid enters the second chamber 138 from the liquid inlet 1311, allowing the liquid to enter the second chamber 138 and come into contact with the gas-generating substance 133. When the gas generated by the gas-generating substance 133 coming into contact with the liquid flows toward the first chamber 137, the reaction force of the gas acts on the check valve member 135, causing the check valve member 135 to seal the second chamber 138 and further restricting the gas from flowing out of the second chamber 138.

[0077] The fact that the check valve 135 restricts the flow of gas out of the second chamber 138 means that in some cases only a small amount of gas generated by the gas-generating substance 133 may flow out of the chamber beyond the check valve 135, and as the gas-generating substance 133 continues to generate gas, most of the gas continues to fill the second chamber 138, making the pressure inside the second chamber 138 greater than the pressure outside the second chamber 138 and pushing the valve core 132 toward the first position.

[0078] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 4 and 7, the check valve member 135 is made of a flexible material that is easily deformed when subjected to external forces, such as rubber. The central part of the check valve member 135 is connected to the valve body 131, and the edge of the check valve member 135 and the valve body 131 are separated. In the process of the liquid passing sequentially through the liquid inlet 1311 and the communication port 13161 into the second chamber 138, the edge of the check valve member 135 moves toward the gas generating substance 133 due to the gravity of the liquid itself, and further causes the liquid to flow into the second chamber 138 from between the check valve member 135 and the valve body 131. After the gas-generating substance 133 comes into contact with the liquid and generates gas, the gas tends to move upward and flow out of the second chamber 138. At this time, the gas moves the edge of the check valve member 135 away from the gas-generating substance 133, and further seals the communication port 13161 with the check valve member 135, thereby sealing the second chamber 138 and limiting the outflow of gas continuously generated by the gas-generating substance 133 from the second chamber 138.

[0079] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 8-11, the valve body 131 includes a top wall 1314 and side walls 1315 surrounding the top wall 1314, and a liquid inlet 1311 is provided in the side wall 1315 and / or the top wall 1314, with one end away from the side wall 1315 enclosing and forming a liquid outlet 1312. The valve body 131 further includes a partition wall 1316 and a connecting portion 13110, the partition wall 1316 being located in a space enclosed by the top wall 1314 and the side wall 1315, the partition wall 1316 being spaced apart from the top wall 1314, the connecting portion 13110 connecting the top wall 1314 and the partition wall 1316, a first chamber 137 being formed between the partition wall 1316 and the top wall 1314, a second chamber 138 being enclosed by the valve core 132 and the partition wall 1316, and a communication port 13161 being provided in the partition wall 1316. The valve core 132 includes a sleeve portion 1323 and a piston portion 1321, the sleeve portion 1323 being fitted onto and slidably fitted with the partition wall 1316, the piston portion 1321 being connected to one end of the sleeve portion 1323 away from the top wall 1314, and the piston portion 1321 being used to seal or open the liquid outlet 1312, the sleeve portion 1323, the partition wall 1316 and the piston portion 1321 enclose the second chamber 138. The check member 135 includes a body portion 1353 and rotating portions 1352 installed at opposing ends of the body portion 1353, the outer diameter of the body portion 1353 being the same as the inner diameter of the sleeve portion 1323, and the outer edge of the body portion 1353 being in contact with the inner wall of the sleeve portion 1323. A guide groove 13232 is provided on one side of the piston portion 1321 facing the second chamber 138, and the check member 135 is attached to the valve core 132 by fitting the rotating portion 1352 with the guide groove 13232. A mounting hole 1351 is provided in the center of the main body portion 1353, and the mounting hole 1351 includes a relief portion 13511 and a rotary fitting portion 13512, the rotary fitting portion 13512 being closer to the gas generating substance 133 than the relief portion 13511. A first protrusion 13162 is provided on the side of the partition wall 1316 away from the top wall 1314, and at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the first protrusion 13162 is a spherical surface in contact with the rotary fitting portion 13512.Referring to Figures 9 and 10, the liquid enters the second chamber 138 by passing through the liquid inlet 1311 and the communication port 13161 in sequence, and then acts on one end of the check valve member 135 in the Z direction due to the action of gravity of the liquid itself. One end of the check valve member 135 rotates in the X direction, and the other end of the check valve member 135 rotates in the Y direction, allowing the liquid to flow along the surface of the check valve member 135 into the second chamber 138 and come into contact with the gas generating substance 133. When the gas-generating substance 133 comes into contact with the liquid and generates gas, the gas tends to flow out of the chamber through the communication port 13161. Referring to Figures 7 and 11, the gas pushes the check valve member 135 along the guide groove 13232 toward the partition wall 1316. The rotational fitting portion 13512 of the check valve member 135 moves toward the partition wall 1316 while maintaining contact with the circumferential surface of the first protrusion 13162, and when the check valve member 135 is bonded to one side of the partition wall 1316 toward the piston portion 1321, the check valve member 135 seals the communication port 13161, thereby limiting the outflow of gas from the chamber. As the amount of gas generated by the gas-generating substance 133 increases, the valve core 132 moves toward the first position, opening the drain valve 13.

[0080] Such a design, for example, when the drain valve 13 is used in a battery 100, prevents the gas generated by the gas-generating substance 133 from flowing out of the second chamber 138, rapidly increasing the pressure inside the second chamber 138 over a certain period of time and shortening the time required to open the drain valve 13.

[0081] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to Figures 2 and 4-6, the check valve member 135 is provided in the communication opening 13161.

[0082] The communication opening 13161 may be a through-hole that penetrates the wall portion containing the valve body 131, and the through-hole may be a stepped hole, an optical hole, or the like.

[0083] The number of communication ports 13161 may be multiple.

[0084] The presence of the check valve member 135 in the communication port 13161 means that, when in the first position, the check valve member 135 seals the communication port 13161, restricting the outflow of gas from the second chamber 138.

[0085] In some embodiments, the check valve member 135 is a unidirectional membrane, which can be bonded to the valve body 131 and then used to cover the communication opening 13161.

[0086] This design allows the communication opening 13161 to be used as a reference during the assembly process of the check valve member 135, thereby reducing the difficulty of assembling the check valve member 135.

[0087] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to Figures 4, 5, and 6, the check valve member 135 is a unidirectional membrane that covers the communication opening 13161.

[0088] The unidirectional film may include, but is not limited to, polyvinyl alcohol films with relatively low water solubility.

[0089] In some embodiments, the valve body 131 includes a top wall 1314 and side walls 1315 surrounding the top wall 1314, and a liquid inlet 1311 is provided in the side wall 1315 and / or the top wall 1314, with one end away from the side wall 1315 enclosing and forming a liquid outlet 1312. The valve body 131 further includes a partition wall 1316 and a connecting portion 13110, the partition wall 1316 being located in a space enclosed by the top wall 1314 and the side wall 1315, the partition wall 1316 being spaced apart from the top wall 1314, the connecting portion 13110 connecting the top wall 1314 and the partition wall 1316, a first chamber 137 being formed between the partition wall 1316 and the top wall 1314, a second chamber 138 being enclosed by the valve core 132 and the partition wall 1316, and a communication port 13161 being provided in the partition wall 1316. The valve core 132 includes a sleeve portion 1323 and a piston portion 1321, the sleeve portion 1323 being fitted onto and slidably fitted with the partition wall 1316, the piston portion 1321 being connected to one end of the sleeve portion 1323 away from the top wall 1314, the piston portion 1321 being used to seal or open the liquid outlet 1312, and the sleeve portion 1323, partition wall 1316 and piston portion 1321 surrounding the second chamber 138. A unidirectional membrane may be installed on the side of the partition wall 1316 facing or away from the top wall 1314, and the unidirectional membrane covers the communication opening 13161. In some other embodiments, a first protrusion 13162 is provided on the side of the partition wall 1316 away from the top wall 1314, and a mounting hole 1351 is provided in the center of the unidirectional membrane that fits into the first protrusion 13162, and the unidirectional membrane can be assembled to the first protrusion 13162 after being positioned by the mounting hole 1351.

[0090] With this design, if the unidirectional membrane can be bonded near the communication port 13161 and cover the communication port 13161, it can serve to allow liquid water to enter the second chamber 138 from the first chamber 137 and to restrict gas from flowing out of the second chamber 138. There is no need to machine extra assembly grooves on the wall of the valve body 131 or valve core 132, resulting in a relatively low difficulty of assembly.

[0091] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to Figures 4-6, the valve body 131 includes a top wall 1314 and a side wall 1315 surrounding the top wall 1314, and a liquid inlet 1311 is provided in the side wall 1315 and / or the top wall 1314, with one end away from the side wall 1315 enclosing and forming a liquid outlet 1312.

[0092] The liquid inlet 1311 may be provided at any part of the side wall 1315, and considering that placing the liquid inlet 1311 at a lower position on the housing 11 is advantageous for draining leaked liquid water, the liquid inlet 1311 may be provided at one end away from the side wall 1315.

[0093] The liquid inlet 1311 may be a through hole, a stepped hole, or an opening that penetrates the side wall 1315.

[0094] The number of liquid inlets 1311 may be multiple, and the opening areas of the multiple liquid inlets 1311 may be the same or different.

[0095] The liquid inlet 1311 may be installed in any part of the top wall 1314, or the liquid inlet 1311 may be provided in both the top wall 1314 and the side wall 1315.

[0096] This design allows the liquid inlet 1311 to be positioned at any circumferential position on the side wall 1315 and / or on the top wall 1314, and the opening direction of the liquid inlet 1311 can be flexibly positioned according to different products.

[0097] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to Figures 4-6, the valve body 131 further includes a partition wall 1316 and a connecting portion 13110, wherein the partition wall 1316 is located in a space enclosed by a top wall 1314 and a side wall 1315, the partition wall 1316 is spaced apart from the top wall 1314, the connecting portion 13110 connects the top wall 1314 and the partition wall 1316, a first chamber 137 is formed between the partition wall 1316 and the top wall 1314, a second chamber 138 is enclosed by the valve core 132 and the partition wall 1316, and a communication port 13161 is provided in the partition wall 1316.

[0098] The partition wall 1316 is located within the space enclosed by the top wall 1314 and the side wall 1315, and is installed at a distance from the top wall 1314. The connecting part 13110 connects the top wall 1314 and the partition wall 1316, forming a first chamber 137 between the partition wall 1316 and the top wall 1314. The second chamber 138 is enclosed by the valve core 132 and the partition wall 1316, and the communication opening 13161 is provided in the partition wall 1316. In other words, the volume of the second chamber 138 is smaller than the volume of the space enclosed by the top wall 1314 and the side wall 1315.

[0099] This design, with the liquid inlet 1311 located in the side wall 1315 and / or top wall 1314 and the communication port 13161 located in the partition wall 1316, requires the liquid to pass through the liquid inlet 1311 and the communication port 13161 in sequence before entering the second chamber 138. Furthermore, it lengthens the flow path required for the liquid to come into contact with the gas-generating substance 133 within the valve body 131, allowing the drain valve 13 to open when a small amount of liquid is present in the housing 11, thus reducing the risk of the drain valve 13 having an excessively short service life.

[0100] Referring to some embodiments of this application, specifically Figures 4-6, the valve core 132 includes a sleeve portion 1323 and a piston portion 1321, the sleeve portion 1323 being fitted onto and slidably fitted with the partition wall 1316, the piston portion 1321 being connected to one end of the sleeve portion 1323 away from the top wall 1314, the piston portion 1321 being used to seal or open the liquid outlet 1312, and the sleeve portion 1323, the partition wall 1316 and the piston portion 1321 surrounding a second chamber 138.

[0101] The sleeve portion 1323 is fitted onto the partition wall 1316 and is slidably fitted with the partition wall 1316, and the sleeve portion 1323, partition wall 1316, and piston portion 1321 surround the chamber. In some embodiments, referring to Figure 6, as the valve core 132 moves toward the first position, the chamber surrounded by the sleeve portion 1323, partition wall 1316, and piston portion 1321 is always sealed. In the second position, the valve core 132 stops moving toward the first position, maintaining a balance between the pressure in the second chamber 138 and the restoring force of the elastic member 134.

[0102] The sleeve portion 1323 is fitted onto the partition wall 1316 and is slidably fitted with the partition wall 1316, and the sleeve portion 1323, the partition wall 1316, and the piston portion 1321 surround the second chamber 138. In some embodiments, in the second position, the sleeve portion 1323 abuts against the top wall 1314, or the outwardly protruding portion of the outer circumferential surface of the piston portion 1321 abuts against the side wall 1315 to restrict the position of the valve core 132.

[0103] The sleeve portion 1323, the partition wall 1316, and the piston portion 1321 surround the second chamber 138. In other words, the volume of the second chamber 138 is smaller than the volume of the space enclosed by the top wall 1314 and the side walls 1315.

[0104] This design makes the space of the second chamber 138 smaller than the space of the first chamber 137, reducing the time required for gas to fill the second chamber 138 and push and move the valve core 132, thereby moving the valve core 132 faster and opening the liquid outlet 1312. Taking the use of the drain valve 13 in a battery 100 as an example, reducing the opening time of the drain valve 13 reduces the risk of a large amount of liquid accumulating inside the housing 11 of the battery 100 due to the drain valve 13 being open for too long during the opening process, thereby reducing the risk of short-circuiting the battery cells 12.

[0105] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to Figures 4-6, a gap 139 is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the sleeve portion 1323 and the inner circumferential surface of the side wall 1315, a flow guide port 13231 is provided in the sleeve portion 1323, a liquid inlet 1311 is provided in the side wall 1315, and the liquid inlet 1311 communicates with the first chamber 137 via the gap 139 and the flow guide port 13231.

[0106] After the liquid water enters the inside of the valve body 131 from the liquid inlet 1311, it flows a certain distance along the gap 139 and passes through the guide port 13231 before finally entering the second chamber 138 from the communication port 13161.

[0107] This design requires liquid water to flow through at least the liquid inlet 1311, gap 139, guide port 13231, and communication port 13161 before entering the second chamber 138. Furthermore, it lengthens the flow path necessary for the liquid water to react with the gas-generating substance 133 within the valve body 131, allowing the drain valve 13 to open when a small amount of liquid water is present in the housing 11, thus reducing the risk of the drain valve 13 having an excessively short service life.

[0108] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to Figures 4-6, the piston portion 1321 protrudes from the outer circumferential surface of the sleeve portion 1323 along the radial direction of the sleeve portion 1323.

[0109] The fact that the piston portion 1321 protrudes from the outer circumferential surface of the sleeve portion 1323 means that, in embodiments where some valve cores 132 are located within the valve body 131, liquid can enter the drain valve 13 from the liquid inlet 1311 and be discharged from the liquid outlet 1312. In other words, if the piston portion 1321 does not protrude from the outer circumferential surface of the sleeve portion 1323, for example, if the outer circumferential surface of the piston portion 1321 is coplanar with the outer circumferential surface of the sleeve portion 1323, then even if the piston portion 1321 moves away from the top wall 1314 after the piston portion 1321 has sealed the liquid outlet 1312, the liquid outlet 1312 will still be sealed by the sleeve portion 1323, and the liquid inlet 1311 can only communicate with the liquid outlet 1312 when the valve core 132 has moved completely outside the valve body 131.

[0110] In embodiments where some valve cores 132 are located within the valve body 131, the liquid can enter the drain valve 13 from the liquid inlet 1311 and be discharged from the liquid outlet 1312, thereby reducing the opening time of the drain valve 13.

[0111] With this design, in embodiments where some of the valve cores 132 are located within the valve body 131, the liquid can enter the drain valve 13 from the liquid inlet 1311 and be discharged from the liquid outlet 1312. During the process of the drain valve 13 draining properly, the opening time of the drain valve 13 is shortened, improving drainage efficiency.

[0112] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to Figures 4-6, a sealing material 1319 is installed between the outer circumferential surface of the piston portion 1321 and the inner circumferential surface of the side wall 1315.

[0113] The material of the sealing material 1319 may include, but is not limited to, rubber.

[0114] The sealing method of the sealing material 1319 is a radial seal.

[0115] In some embodiments, the valve body 131 includes a top wall 1314 and side walls 1315 surrounding the top wall 1314, with a liquid inlet 1311 provided in the side wall 1315, and one end away from the side wall 1315 enclosing and forming a liquid outlet 1312. The valve body 131 includes a partition wall 1316 and a connector 13110, the partition wall 1316 located in the space enclosed by the top wall 1314 and the side walls 1315, the partition wall 1316 installed opposite the top wall 1314, the connector 13110 connecting the top wall 1314 and the partition wall 1316, and a communication port 13161 provided in the partition wall 1316. The valve core 132 includes a piston portion 1321 and a sleeve portion 1323, the sleeve portion 1323 being fitted onto and slidably fitted with the partition wall 1316, the piston portion 1321 being connected to one end of the sleeve portion 1323 away from the top wall 1314, the piston portion 1321 being used to seal or open the liquid outlet 1312, and the sleeve portion 1323, the partition wall 1316 and the piston portion 1321 enclose the chamber. An annular wall is installed inside the liquid outlet 1312, and in order to achieve sealing of the drain valve 13, the entire surface of the annular wall facing the piston portion 1321 needs to have relatively high flatness, and when in the second position, the entire surface of the piston portion 1321 in contact with the annular wall also needs to have relatively high flatness. In some other embodiments, as shown in the figure, the sealing material 1319 may be installed on the inner surface of the side wall 1315 and used to seal the gap between the inner surface of the side wall 1315 and the outer surface of the piston portion 1321. This is the radial sealing method described above, which requires only machining a portion of the inner surface of the side wall 1315 and a portion of the outer surface of the piston portion 1321, meaning that it is necessary to control the cylindricity of the inner surface of the side wall 1315 and the cylindricity of the outer surface of the piston portion 1321, and the machining area is small, making high-precision machining relatively easy to achieve.

[0116] This design allows for control only of the cylindricity of the piston portion 1321, eliminating the need to control the flatness of the piston portion 1321, resulting in a relatively small machining area and a relatively low difficulty of machining.

[0117] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to Figures 4-6, the drain valve 13 includes a protective member 136 installed on the side away from the top wall 1314 of the piston portion 1321.

[0118] In some embodiments, the protective member 136 may be bonded to the side of the piston portion 1321 that is away from the top wall 1314.

[0119] The material of the protective member 136 may be metal, and may include, but is not limited to, stainless steel, aluminum, or iron.

[0120] In embodiments where the valve core 132 is made of plastic and the protective member 136 is made of metal, the protective member 136 is less susceptible to damage from impact or abrasion by foreign objects compared to the valve core 132. For example, if the drain valve 13 is used in a battery 100, one end of the battery 100 where the drain valve 13 is installed is generally located outside the vehicle 1000. During the vehicle 1000's operation, foreign objects scattered from the road surface, such as metal sheets, are likely to impact the exposed drain valve 13. Consequently, there is a risk that the metal sheet may penetrate the plastic drain valve 13 and, in some cases, become embedded in the valve core 132 of the drain valve 13, hindering the movement of the valve core 132.

[0121] Multiple through holes may be provided at intervals along the edge of the protective member 136. The through holes penetrate the protective member 136, and when in the first position, the liquid can be discharged to the outside through the through holes after flowing out from the liquid outlet 1312. At the same time, the through holes serve as the finger gripping positions when attaching the protective member 136 with bare hands.

[0122] This reduces the risk of the piston portion 1321 being damaged by friction with foreign matter, thereby hindering the movement of the valve core 132.

[0123] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to Figures 4-6, 12 and 13, the valve core 132 includes a first guide portion 1322, the valve body 131 includes a second guide portion 1317, the second guide portion 1317 is located on the inner surface of the side wall 1315, and the first guide portion 1322 is slidably fitted into the second guide portion 1317.

[0124] The extending directions of the first guide portion 1322 and the second guide portion 1317 may coincide with the direction of motion when the valve core 132 switches between the first and second positions.

[0125] In some embodiments, the first guide portion 1322 may be a groove provided on the outer surface of the valve core 132, and the second guide portion 1317 is a guide block provided on the inner surface of the side wall 1315, the guide block being slidably fitted with the guide groove 13232.

[0126] The number of first guide portions 1322 may be multiple, and the number of second guide portions 1317 may also be multiple, with each second guide portion 1317 corresponding to and slidably fitted to each first guide portion 1322 in a one-to-one manner.

[0127] In some embodiments, the second guide portion 1317 may be welded to the inner surface of the side wall 1315 or locked to the inner surface of the side wall 1315 by fasteners, and the first guide portion 1322 may be welded to the piston portion 1321 or locked to the valve core 132 body by fasteners.

[0128] In some embodiments, the first guide portion 1322 may be integrally molded with the valve core 132, and the second guide portion 1317 may be integrally molded with the valve body 131.

[0129] The installation of the first guide section 1322 and the second guide section 1317 allows for the guidance of the movement of the valve core 132, reducing the risk of misalignment occurring when the valve core 132 switches between the first and second positions, which would hinder the movement of the valve core 132 and prevent communication between the liquid inlet 1311 and the liquid outlet 1312.

[0130] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to Figures 4-6, 12 and 13, the first guide portion 1322 is a bump 13221 projecting from one side of the piston portion 1321 facing the top wall 1314, the second guide portion 1317 is a slide groove 13152 provided on the inner surface of the side wall 1315, and the bump 13221 is located between the side wall 1315 and the sleeve portion 1323.

[0131] In some embodiments, the liquid outlet 1312 is a hole with a circular cross-section, and the piston portion 1321 is a disc-shaped occluding member, in the second position the occluding member is at least partially located inside the hole and the outer surface of the disc-shaped occluding member is bonded to the hole wall.

[0132] In some embodiments, when the valve core 132 switches between the second and first positions, at least a portion of the liquid inlet 1311 is not covered by the bump 13221, so that when the valve core 132 switches between the second and first positions, the leaked liquid water can still be discharged to the outside.

[0133] The bump 13221, which protrudes from the side of the piston portion 1321 facing the top wall 1314, may be machined and formed together with the piston portion 1321, and the slide groove 13152, which is provided on the inner surface of the side wall 1315, may be machined and formed together with the valve body 131, and the difficulty of machining is relatively low.

[0134] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to Figures 14-16, the drain valve 13 further includes a nut 1318 fitted onto the valve body 131, the nut 1318 being screw-connected to a side wall 1315, and a flange 13151 formed at one end away from the side wall 1315.

[0135] The distance between the nut 1318 and the flange 13151 can be adjusted by rotating the nut 1318, and the drain valve 13 can be clamped to one of the walls of the housing 11, which is located between the nut 1318 and the flange 13151.

[0136] At least a portion of the outer surface of the side wall 1315 is provided with threads that engage with the nut 1318.

[0137] Generally, a through hole is provided in the wall of the housing 11, the liquid inlet 1311 is located inside the housing 11, and the flange 13151 is located outside the housing 11. When installing the drain valve 13, first a portion of the side wall 1315 is passed through the through hole and placed inside the housing 11, the flange 13151 is brought into contact with the wall, then the nut 1318 is grasped with a tool or manually from the opening on the side of the housing 11 away from the wall and extended into the housing 11, and the nut 1318 is screwed into the side wall 1315, and finally the nut 1318 is tightened, after which the drain valve 13 can be installed on the wall of the housing 11.

[0138] Referring to Figure 15, a recess may be provided on the side of the flange 13151 facing the top wall 1314, and a seal ring 1320 is housed in the recess. The seal ring 1320 is used to seal the flange 13151 and the wall of the housing 11, thereby reducing the risk of water or foreign matter from outside the housing 11 entering the housing 11 and causing a short circuit of the battery cell 12.

[0139] By rotating the nut 1318, the gap between the nut 1318 and the flange 13151 can be adjusted, thereby allowing the drain valve 13 to be fitted to mounting interfaces of different thicknesses. Furthermore, the installation of the drain valve 13 can be achieved by rotating the nut 1318, making the installation process simple and convenient.

[0140] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to Figures 14-16, the nut 1318 is provided with a plurality of notches 13181, and the notches 13181 communicate with the liquid inlet 1311.

[0141] In some embodiments, one end of the notch 13181 extends to the end of the nut 1318 that is closer to the flange 13151.

[0142] In some embodiments, the notch 13181 may be provided in the peripheral wall 1121 of the nut 1318 and may penetrate the nut 1318.

[0143] The fact that the notch 13181 communicates with the liquid inlet 1311 means that after the assembly of the drain valve 13 is complete, liquid water can pass through the notch 13181 and the liquid inlet 1311 into the inside of the valve body 131, thereby allowing the liquid water to come into contact with the water-soluble component.

[0144] This design reduces the risk that leaked liquid water will pass through the notch 13181 and enter the inside of the valve body 131 from the liquid inlet 1311, come into contact with the water-soluble component, and then, after tightening the nut 1318, the liquid inlet 1311 will be blocked by the nut 1318, sealing the liquid inlet 1311 and rendering the drain valve 13 ineffective.

[0145] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to Figures 4, 15, and 16, a plurality of liquid inlets 1311 are provided, and the plurality of liquid inlets 1311 are spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the side wall 1315.

[0146] The provision of multiple liquid inlets 1311, spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the side wall 1315, means that any leaked liquid water located in each direction of the side wall 1315 within the housing 11 will flow a relatively short distance and enter the chamber through the liquid inlets 1311, allowing for smoother drainage from the drain valve 13.

[0147] This design allows leaked liquid water to enter the valve body 131 from multiple different directions and come into contact with the gas generating substance 133, thereby enabling the drain valve 13 to adapt to different liquid leakage operating conditions.

[0148] According to some embodiments of this application, the material of the gas-generating substance 133 is one of calcium peroxide, a mixture of organic acids and carbonates, and sodium azide.

[0149] According to some embodiments of this application, the application further provides a battery 100 comprising a housing 11 and a drain valve 13 as described in any one of the above embodiments, wherein the drain valve 13 is attached to the wall of the housing 11 and is used to drain liquid from inside the housing 11.

[0150] According to some embodiments of this application, the application further provides a power-consuming device comprising a battery 100 for supplying electrical energy to the power-consuming device, as described in any one of the above embodiments.

[0151] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to Figures 2, 4 and 12-16, this application provides a drain valve 13, the drain valve 13 comprising a valve body 131, a valve core 132 and a gas generating substance 133, the valve body 131 having a liquid inlet 1311 and a liquid outlet 1312. The valve core 132 is used to seal the liquid outlet 1312.

[0152] The valve body 131 includes a top wall 1314 and side walls 1315 surrounding the top wall 1314. Liquid inlets 1311 are provided on the side walls 1315 and / or the top wall 1314. Multiple liquid inlets 1311 are provided, and the multiple liquid inlets 1311 are spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the side wall 1315. One end away from the side wall 1315 encloses and forms a liquid outlet 1312. The valve body 131 further includes a partition wall 1316 and a connecting portion 13110, wherein the partition wall 1316 is located in the space enclosed by the top wall 1314 and the side walls 1315, the partition wall 1316 is spaced apart from the top wall 1314, and the connecting portion 13110 connects the top wall 1314 and the partition wall 1316, forming a first chamber 137 between the partition wall 1316 and the top wall 1314. The valve core 132 includes a sleeve portion 1323 and a piston portion 1321, the sleeve portion 1323 being fitted onto and slidably fitted with the partition wall 1316, the piston portion 1321 being connected to one end of the sleeve portion 1323 away from the top wall 1314, the piston portion 1321 being used to seal or open the liquid outlet 1312, and the sleeve portion 1323, partition wall 1316 and piston portion 1321 surrounding the second chamber 138. A communication port 13161 is provided in the partition wall 1316. A gap 139 is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the sleeve portion 1323 and the inner circumferential surface of the side wall 1315. A flow guide port 13231 is provided in the sleeve portion 1323, and a liquid inlet 1311 is provided in the side wall 1315. The liquid inlet 1311 communicates with the first chamber 137 via the gap 139 and the flow guide port 13231. Along the radial direction of the sleeve portion 1323, the piston portion 1321 protrudes from the outer circumferential surface of the sleeve portion 1323.

[0153] The gas-generating substance 133 is placed in the second chamber 138 and is configured to react with liquid water to generate gas, which pushes the valve core 132 and opens the liquid outlet 1312.

[0154] The drain valve 13 further includes an elastic member 134, with a first protrusion 13162 provided on the side of the partition wall 1316 facing the piston portion 1321, and a second protrusion 13211 provided on the side of the piston portion 1321 facing the partition wall 1316, one end of the elastic member 134 being locked to the first protrusion 13162, and the other end of the elastic member 134 being locked to the second protrusion 13211.

[0155] The elastic member 134 is used to apply an elastic force to the valve core 132, thereby holding the valve core 132 in a position that seals the liquid outlet 1312.

[0156] The drain valve 13 further includes a check member 135, which is installed in the partition wall 1316 and located within the second chamber 138. The check member 135 is configured to allow liquid water to enter the second chamber 138 from the first chamber 137 and to restrict gas from flowing out of the second chamber 138. The check member 135 is a unidirectional membrane covering the communication port 13161.

[0157] A sealing material 1319 is installed between the outer circumferential surface of the piston portion 1321 and the inner circumferential surface of the side wall 1315.

[0158] The drain valve 13 includes a protective member 136 installed on the side of the piston portion 1321 that is away from the top wall 1314.

[0159] The valve core 132 includes a first guide portion 1322, and the valve body 131 includes a second guide portion 1317, the second guide portion 1317 being located on the inner surface of the side wall 1315, and the first guide portion 1322 being slidably fitted into the second guide portion 1317. The first guide portion 1322 is a bump 13221 projecting from one side of the piston portion 1321 facing the top wall 1314, and the second guide portion 1317 is a slide groove 13152 provided on the inner surface of the side wall 1315, the bump 13221 being located between the side wall 1315 and the sleeve portion 1323.

[0160] The drain valve 13 further includes a nut 1318 fitted onto the valve body 131, the nut 1318 being screw-connected to the side wall 1315, and a flange 13151 formed at one end away from the side wall 1315. The nut 1318 is provided with a plurality of notches 13181, which communicate with the liquid inlet 1311.

[0161] Referring to Figure 15, in the second position, if a certain amount of liquid water leaks into the housing 11 of the battery 100, the liquid water enters the chamber along path a, sequentially passing through the liquid inlet 1311, gap 139, guide port 13231, communication port 13161, and check member 135. At this time, the gas generating substance 133 comes into contact with the liquid and generates gas, increasing the air pressure inside the chamber, which pushes the valve core 132 to move to the first position, that is, drives the piston portion 1321 to move in the direction away from the top wall 1314, i.e., to the left in the figure. Referring to Figure 16, when the pressure inside the chamber and the elastic force of the elastic member 134 are in equilibrium, the valve core 132 is in the first position, and at this time, the liquid water is discharged from the housing 11 of the battery 100 along path b, sequentially through the liquid inlet 1311, gap 139, and liquid outlet 1312, thereby achieving the discharge of liquid water to the outside.

[0162] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are merely for illustrative purposes and not limiting purposes. While the application has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the embodiments described above, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features thereof. Such modifications or substitutions should not cause the essence of the corresponding invention to deviate from the scope of the invention in each embodiment of this application, and should all be included within the scope of the claims and specification of this application. In particular, unless there is a structural conflict, the technical features referred to in each embodiment may be combined in any manner. This application is not limited to any specific embodiment disclosed in the specification, but includes all inventions that fall within the scope of the claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0163] 1000-Vehicle, 300-Motor, 200-Controller, 100-Battery, 11-Housing, 111-First Part, 112-Second Part, 1121-Surface Wall, 1122-Bottom Wall, 12-Battery Cell, 13-Drain Valve, 131-Valve Body, 1311-Liquid Inlet, 1312-Liquid Outlet, 1314-Top Wall, 1315-Side Wall, 13151-Flange, 13152-Slide Groove, 1316-Partition Wall, 13161-Communication Port, 13162-First Protrusion, 1317-Second Guide Part, 1318-Nut, 13181-Notch, 1319-Seal Material, 13110 - connecting part, 1320 - seal ring, 132 - valve core, 1321 - piston part, 13211 - second protrusion, 1322 - first guide part, 1323 - sleeve part, 13221 - bump, 13231 - flow guide port, 13232 - guide groove, 133 - gas generating substance, 134 - elastic member, 135 - check member, 1351 - mounting hole, 13511 - relief part, 13512 - rotary fitting part, 1352 - rotating part, 1353 - main body part, 136 - protective member, 137 - first chamber, 138 - second chamber, 139 - gap.

Claims

1. It is a drain valve, A valve body having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, A valve core that is movably fitted to the valve body and seals the liquid outlet, A gas-generating substance, at least partially installed inside the valve body, wherein the gas-generating substance reacts with liquid water to generate gas, thereby pushing the valve core and opening the liquid outlet; A drain valve comprising a check member configured to allow liquid water to enter the valve body from the liquid inlet and to restrict the outflow of gas from the valve body from the liquid inlet.

2. The drain valve according to claim 1, characterized in that the check member is installed in the path between the liquid inlet and the gas generating substance.

3. The aforementioned drain valve is The drain valve according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an elastic member for connecting the valve core and the valve body and for holding the valve core in a position that seals the liquid outlet by applying an elastic force to the valve core.

4. The drain valve according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the valve body defines a first chamber communicating with the liquid inlet, the valve core and the valve body together define a second chamber, the valve body is provided with a communication port for connecting the first chamber and the second chamber, and the gas generating substance is installed in the second chamber.

5. The drain valve according to claim 4, wherein the check member is installed in the path between the first chamber and the second chamber, and the check member is configured to allow liquid water to enter the second chamber from the first chamber and to restrict gas from flowing out of the second chamber.

6. The drain valve according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the check member is provided in the communication port.

7. The drain valve according to claim 4, 5, or 6, characterized in that the check valve member is a unidirectional membrane covering the communication opening.

8. The drain valve according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the valve body includes a top wall and a side wall surrounding the top wall, the liquid inlet is provided on the side wall and / or the top wall, and one end of the side wall away from the top wall surrounds and forms the liquid outlet.

9. The drain valve according to claim 8, wherein the valve body further includes a partition wall and a connecting portion, the partition wall is located in a space enclosed by the top wall and the side wall, the partition wall is installed at a distance from the top wall, the connecting portion connects the top wall and the partition wall, the first chamber is formed between the partition wall and the top wall, the second chamber is formed to be enclosed by the valve core and the partition wall, and the communication port is provided in the partition wall.

10. The drain valve according to claim 9, wherein the valve core includes a sleeve portion and a piston portion, the sleeve portion is fitted externally to the partition wall and slidably fitted with the partition wall, the piston portion is connected to one end of the sleeve portion away from the top wall, the piston portion is used to seal or open the liquid outlet, and the sleeve portion, the partition wall and the piston portion surround the second chamber.

11. The drain valve according to claim 10, characterized in that a gap is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the sleeve portion and the inner circumferential surface of the side wall, a guide port is provided in the sleeve portion, the liquid inlet is provided in the side wall, and the liquid inlet communicates with the first chamber via the gap and the guide port.

12. The drain valve according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the piston portion protrudes from the outer circumferential surface of the sleeve portion along the radial direction of the sleeve portion.

13. The drain valve according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that a sealing material is installed between the outer circumferential surface of the piston portion and the inner circumferential surface of the side wall.

14. The drain valve according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the drain valve includes a protective member installed on the side away from the top wall of the piston portion.

15. The drain valve according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the valve core includes a first guide portion, the valve body includes a second guide portion, the second guide portion is located on the inner surface of the side wall, and the first guide portion is slidably fitted to the second guide portion.

16. The drain valve according to claim 15, characterized in that the first guide portion is a bump protruding from one side of the piston portion facing the top wall, the second guide portion is a slide groove provided on the inner surface of the side wall, and the bump is located between the side wall and the sleeve portion.

17. The drain valve according to any one of claims 8 to 16, further comprising a nut fitted onto the valve body, wherein the nut is screw-connected to the side wall and a flange is formed at one end of the side wall away from the top wall.

18. The drain valve according to claim 17, characterized in that the nut is provided with a plurality of notches, and the notches communicate with the liquid inlet.

19. The drain valve according to any one of claims 8 to 16, characterized in that a plurality of liquid inlets are provided, and the plurality of liquid inlets are provided at intervals along the circumferential direction of the side wall.

20. The drain valve according to any one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the gas generating substance includes at least one of calcium peroxide, a mixture of organic acids and carbonates, and sodium azide.

21. It is a battery, The casing and A battery characterized by comprising a drain valve according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the drain valve is attached to the wall of the housing and is used to discharge liquid from inside the housing.

22. A power-consuming device, wherein the power-consuming device includes a battery as described in claim 21, and the battery is used to provide electrical energy.

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