Soft-pack battery protection structure

Abstract

A protective structure for a soft-pack battery capable of improving heat dissipation efficiency is provided. [Solution] The battery cell module includes a base 30, a top cover 40, and two end covers 50, the base is used to mount a battery cell module 10, the top cover is connected to the base, and each end cover is connected to both ends of the base and the top cover, the battery cell module and two bus structures 20 are located between the end covers, and each end cover is mainly configured to fit an outer case 52 into an isolation member 54, and each outer case has a through hole 53 formed therethrough. Each isolation member is a shell-like structure made of an insulating and thermally conductive plastic material and is adjacent to each bus structure, and each isolation member has a heat conductive portion 55 formed therein so as to approach each adjacent bus structure in the direction of the adjacent bus structure, and each heat conductive portion is disposed so as to face each through hole.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a soft-pack battery, and more particularly to a protective structure for a soft-pack battery. [Background technology]

[0002] Soft-pack batteries are a type of ion battery that can store and release large amounts of electrical energy and are widely used as automotive batteries and electrical energy storage devices, including but not limited to lithium-ion batteries.

[0003] A type of soft-pack battery is known that includes a battery cell module, two bus structures, a protective case, and two electrodes. The battery cell module is mainly configured with several battery cells arranged in parallel, and each of the battery cells is used to store electrical energy. Each of the battery cells has two electrode tabs, and each of the electrode tabs functions as a positive electrode or a negative electrode of the battery cell. The bus structures are provided on both ends of the battery cell module, and each of the bus structures has one to a plurality of bus bars. Each of the electrode tabs is electrically connected to an adjacent bus bar. The battery cells are connected in series or parallel through the electrode tabs and the bus bars, the protective case is used to encase and position the battery cell module, the protective case is mainly made of a metal material and provides protection for the battery cell module, the electrodes are electrically connected to one of the bus bars, and the electrodes are electrically connected to an external power transmission line or an electrical equipment, so that the battery cell module can supply power to the outside, and an external power source can charge each of the battery cells through the power transmission line.

[0004] The protective case comprises a base, a top cover, and two end covers, of which the base is used for mounting the battery cell module, the top cover is connected to the base, and the top cover is located on both sides of the battery cell module and on the opposite side of the base, and each end cover is connected to both ends of the base and the top cover, respectively, and each end cover is positioned to face each of the bus constituent members. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Each of the end covers is adjacent to a respective one of the bus structures, and a space is formed between each of the end covers and the respective bus structures adjacent thereto, so that the end covers are not in contact with the respective bus structures, thereby preventing electrical connection from being formed between the respective end covers and the respective bus structures, and reducing the efficiency of transmitting thermal energy that may be generated by charging or discharging the battery cell module toward the respective end covers.

[0006] The main object of the present invention is to provide a protective structure for a soft-pack battery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions: The present invention is a protection structure for a soft-pack battery, which is used to protect the battery cell module and two bus structures of a soft-pack battery.

[0008] The battery cell modules are located between the bus structures, and each of the bus structures includes a support seat and several bus bars, wherein each of the support seats is made of an insulating and thermally conductive plastic material, and each of the bus bars is a plate made of a conductive material, and each of the support seats has several of the bus bars connected to its side farther away from the battery cell module, and each of the bus bars is electrically connected to the battery cell module.

[0009] The protective structure for the soft-pack battery comprises a base used for mounting the battery cell module, a top cover connected to the base, and two end covers, the top covers being located on both sides of the battery cell module and on the opposite side of the base, each of the end covers being connected to both ends of the base and the top cover, the battery cell module and each of the bus structures being located between the end covers, each of the end covers being configured primarily to insert an outer case into an isolation member, the base, the top cover, and the outer case being made of a metal material having flame retardant and thermally conductive properties, and the base, the top cover, and the outer case being impact resistant.

[0010] Each of the outer cases has a through hole formed through its central portion, and each of the isolation members is a shell-shaped structure made of an insulating and thermally conductive plastic material, and each of the isolation members is adjacent to the side of each of the support seats that is connected to each of the bus bars, isolating each of the outer cases from each of the adjacent bus bars via each of the isolation members, and each of the isolation members has a heat conductive portion formed therein that approaches each other as it moves from the central portion toward each of the adjacent bus structures, and each of the heat conductive portions is positioned opposite each of the through holes.

[0011] A thermally conductive adhesive is provided between each of the end caps and each of the adjacent bus structures. Effect of the Invention

[0012] Each of the thermal conductive portions can more easily absorb thermal energy generated in the battery cell module, and can dissipate heat outward through each of the through holes, thereby improving heat dissipation efficiency. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a soft-pack battery having a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a soft-pack battery according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention without the thermal conductive adhesive installed; [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an end cap according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an isolating member according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the side facing the bus component of another isolating member; [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of a soft-pack battery according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the state without the thermal conductive adhesive installed; [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of a soft-pack battery according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the installation of a thermally conductive adhesive; [Figure 8] 4 is a table showing temperature changes during discharging obtained by simulation analysis of a preferred embodiment of the present invention and a known soft-pack battery. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] As shown in Figs. 1 to 7, a preferred embodiment of the protective structure for a soft-pack battery of the present invention is used to protect a battery cell module 10 and two bus structures 20 of a soft-pack battery 01 of this type, in which the battery cell module 10 is located between the bus structures 20, and each bus structure 20 includes a support seat 21 and several bus bars 22, in which each support seat 21 is made of an insulating and thermally conductive plastic material; Each of the bus bars 22 is a plate made of a conductive material, and each of the support seats 21 has several bus bars 22 connected to the side farther away from the battery cell module 10, and each of the bus bars 22 is electrically connected to the battery cell module 10.

[0015] A preferred embodiment of the protective structure for the soft-pack battery of the present invention comprises a base 30, a top cover 40 and two end covers 50, of which the base 30 is used to mount the battery cell module 10, the top cover 40 is connected to the base 30, and the top cover 40 is located on both sides of the battery cell module 10 and on the opposite side of the base 30, each end cover 50 is connected to both ends of the base 30 and the top cover 40, respectively, and the battery cell module 10 and each of the bus structures 20 are located between the end covers 50.

[0016] Specifically, the top cover 40 is integrally constructed mainly from two side plates 42 and a cover plate 44, the side plates 42 are arranged facing each other, the battery cell module 10 is positioned between the side plates 42, the cover plate 44 is arranged facing the base 30, and the battery cell module 10 is positioned between the base 30 and the cover plate 44.

[0017] Each end cover 50 is mainly configured to fit the outer case 52 into the isolation member 54, and the base 30, the top cover 40 and the outer case 52 are each made of a metal material having flame retardant and heat conductive properties, and the base 30, the top cover 40 and the outer case 52 are each impact resistant.

[0018] Each of the outer cases 52 has a through hole 53 formed in the center thereof, and each of the isolating members 54 has a shell-like structure made of an insulating and thermally conductive plastic material. In a preferred embodiment, a thermally conductive engineering plastic is selected and used as the insulating and thermally conductive plastic material, and has a thermal conductivity of 1.5 to 2.0 W / mK and excellent thermal conductivity effect. In addition, the weight can be reduced by 30% compared with a general aluminum heat dissipation mechanism so that the material can be closely matched to a general engineering plastic material. Such a thermally conductive engineering plastic has a thickness of 1 mm and a dielectric breakdown voltage of more than 10,000 volts. Each of the isolating members 54 is a shell-like structure made of an insulating and thermally conductive plastic material. By being adjacent to the side connected to the bus bar 22, each of the outer cases 52 is isolated from each of the adjacent bus bars 22 via each of the isolation members 54, and each of the outer cases 52 is prevented from forming an electrical connection with each of the bus bars 22. Each of the isolation members 54 has a heat conductive portion 55 formed therein so as to approach closer from its central portion toward each of the adjacent bus structures 20, and each of the heat conductive portions 55 is arranged opposite each of the through holes 53, so that the heat energy generated in the battery cell module 10 can be transmitted outward through each of the heat conductive portions 55 and each of the through holes 53, thereby increasing the heat dissipation efficiency passing through each of the end covers 50.

[0019] According to the requirements of other components used to construct the soft-pack battery 01, the two isolating members 54 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively have different specific shapes, and one heat conductive portion 55 is formed on each of the isolating members 54, and the two isolating members 54 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively are different specific examples of the isolating member 54 used to construct a preferred embodiment.

[0020] The heat conductive portions 55 approaching each bus structure 20 are able to more easily absorb the thermal energy generated in the battery cell module 10, and in addition to dissipating heat outward through each of the through holes 53, each of the heat conductive portions 55 can also immediately transmit a portion of the thermal energy that cannot be transmitted outward through each of the through holes 53 toward other portions of each of the isolating members 54.As a result, the heat dissipation efficiency can be improved as the thermal energy transmitted through each of the isolating members 54 toward each of the outer cases 52 is dissipated outward using each of the outer cases 52.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 7 , a thermally conductive adhesive 60 is further provided between each of the end covers 50 and each of the adjacent bus structures 20, and each of the thermally conductive adhesives 60 is made of a material having good thermal conductivity properties, thereby improving the efficiency of transferring the heat generated in the battery cell module 10 toward each of the end covers 50.

[0022] The thermal conductive adhesive 60 is an existing material that is well known to those skilled in the art in the technical field to which the present invention pertains, and further description of the components of the thermal conductive adhesive 60 or specific examples of the thermal conductive adhesive 60 is omitted.

[0023] Under high charge / discharge rate conditions, the electrode tabs of the battery cells are prone to the problem of relatively high temperatures. At a discharge rate of 4C and an environmental temperature of 25°C, a simulation analysis was performed on the well-known soft-pack battery described in the preferred embodiment and the prior art. The results are shown in FIG. 8, in which the known soft-pack battery does not have the isolating members 54 made of an insulating, thermally conductive plastic material as exemplified in the preferred embodiment, and the known soft-pack battery also does not have the thermally conductive adhesives 60 as exemplified in the preferred embodiment.

[0024] From FIG. 8 , it can be seen that the maximum temperature of the preferred embodiment is 43.37°C, while the maximum temperature of the known soft pack battery is 51.27°C, making the maximum temperature of the preferred embodiment 7.90°C lower than the maximum temperature of the known soft pack battery, the preferred embodiment can indeed improve heat dissipation efficiency by using each of the isolating members 54 and each of the thermally conductive adhesives 60, and the preferred embodiment has a temperature difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures of 10.12°C, which is better than 15.12°C of the known soft pack battery, and the preferred embodiment can improve the temperature difference of the battery cell module 10, reduce the battery aging situation, and improve safety and reliability. [Explanation of symbols]

[0025] 6: A symbol of a cutting line showing the cutting position of the partial cross-sectional view of FIG. 5 for drawing the partially enlarged view of FIG. 6 01: Soft pack battery 10: Battery cell module 20: Bus structure 21: Support seat 22: Busbar 30: Pedestal 40:Top lid 42: Side panel 44: Lid plate 50: End lid 52: Outer case 53:Through hole 54: Isolation member 55: Heat conducting part 60: Thermally conductive adhesive

Claims

[Claim 1] A protection structure for a soft-pack battery used to protect a battery cell module and two bus structures of a soft-pack battery, comprising: the battery cell modules are located between the bus structures, each of the bus structures includes a support seat and several bus bars, each of the support seats is made of an insulating and thermally conductive plastic material, each of the bus bars is a plate made of a conductive material, each of the support seats is connected to several of the bus bars on a side farther away from the battery cell modules, and each of the bus bars is electrically connected to the battery cell modules; the protective structure for the soft-pack battery comprises a base used for mounting the battery cell module, a top cover connected to the base, and two end covers, the top covers being located on both sides of the battery cell module and on the opposite side of the base, each end cover being connected to both ends of the base and the top cover, the battery cell module and each of the bus structures being located between the end covers, each end cover being configured mainly to fit an outer case into an isolation member, the base, the top cover, and the outer case being made of a metal material having flame retardant and heat conductive properties, and the base, the top cover, and the outer case being impact resistant, each of the outer cases has a through hole formed in a central portion thereof, each of the isolation members has a shell-like structure made of an insulating and thermally conductive plastic material, each of the isolation members is adjacent to a side of each of the support seats in a direction connected to each of the bus bars, and each of the outer cases is isolated from each of the adjacent bus bars via each of the isolation members, each of the isolation members has a heat conductive portion formed therein such that it approaches each other from the central portion toward each of the adjacent bus structures, and each of the heat conductive portions is disposed so as to face each of the through holes, A protective structure for a soft-pack battery, characterized in that a thermally conductive adhesive is provided between each of said end covers and each of said adjacent bus structures.

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