Batteries and power consuming devices

Abstract

The present application provides a battery and a power consumption device, belonging to the field of power battery safety. The battery includes a plurality of battery cells arranged side by side along a first direction, each of which has a first wall and a second wall arranged crosswise. The first wall is provided with a pressure relief mechanism, and a protective element is provided between the second wall and the inner wall of the housing. That is, in the present application, the pressure relief mechanism and the protective element are respectively provided on two different walls of the battery cell. In this way, when waste generated by thermal runaway of the battery is discharged through the pressure relief mechanism provided on the first wall, if any waste falls between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing, the protective effect of the protective element can effectively prevent electrical connection between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing, thereby reducing the risk of short circuit and improving the safety of the battery.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to a Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on April 30, 2021, bearing application number 202120925863.5 and titled "Battery and Power Consumption Device," the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of power battery safety technology, and in particular to batteries and power consuming devices. [Background technology]

[0003] Energy conservation and reducing pollutant emissions are the keys to the sustainable development of the automotive industry. In this context, electric vehicles have become an important part of the sustainable development of the automotive industry due to their advantages in energy conservation and environmental protection. Battery technology is also a key factor in the development of electric vehicles. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the development of battery technology, in addition to improving the performance of the battery, safety issues are also an issue that cannot be ignored. If the safety of the battery cannot be ensured, the battery cannot be used. Therefore, how to improve the safety of the battery is one of the technical problems that need to be solved as soon as possible in battery technology. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In view of the above problems, the embodiments of the present application provide a battery and a power consuming device, which can effectively enhance the safety of the battery.

[0006] According to one aspect of the embodiment of the present application, a battery including a plurality of battery cells, a housing, and a protective part is provided. The plurality of battery cells are arranged side by side along a first direction, and the battery cells include a first wall and a second wall that are arranged crosswise, and a pressure relief mechanism is installed on the first wall to release the internal pressure of the battery cells when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cells reaches a threshold value by operating. The housing is used to accommodate the plurality of battery cells. The protective part is installed between the second wall of the battery cells and an inner wall of the housing, and the protective part is used to prevent electrical connection between the second wall of the battery cells and the inner wall of the housing due to discharge from the battery cells when the pressure relief mechanism is activated.

[0007] In the embodiment of the present application, the pressure relief mechanism and the protective component are respectively installed on two different walls of the battery cell. When the waste material caused by the thermal runaway of the battery is discharged from the pressure relief mechanism installed on the first wall, if the waste material falls between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing, the protective function of the protective component can effectively prevent the electrical connection between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing, thereby reducing the risk of short circuit and improving the safety of the battery.

[0008] Optionally, the protective component is secured to the second wall of the battery cell and / or to an inner wall of the housing.

[0009] In the embodiments of the present application, the protective parts may be installed only on the second wall of the battery cell, or only on the inner wall of the housing, or the protective parts may be installed on the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing. The installation manner of the protective parts is diverse, and when the protective parts are installed on both the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing, the protective effect is better.

[0010] Optionally, the protective component is adhesively secured to the second wall of the battery cell and / or to the inner wall of the housing.

[0011] Optionally, the battery further includes a fixing band, which is disposed around an outer periphery of the plurality of battery cells, and the fixing band is used to fix the protective component to the second wall of the battery cell.

[0012] In the embodiment of the present application, the protective parts may be fixed to the inner wall of the housing by adhesive. However, when the protective parts are fixed to the second wall of the battery cells, in addition to the adhesive, a fixing band can be used to surround the outer periphery of the battery cells, and the protective parts can be fixed to the second wall of the battery cells by the fixing band, which is a simple fixing method and easy to operate.

[0013] Optionally, the protective part includes a first protective part and a second protective part that are separately installed, the first protective part being used to be fixedly connected to the second wall of the battery cell, and the second protective part being used to be fixedly connected to the inner wall of the housing.

[0014] In the embodiment of the present application, a protective component may be installed on the second wall of the battery cell, and a protective component may be installed on the inner wall of the housing. Based on this, a first protective component may be installed on the second wall of the battery cell, and a second protective component may be installed on the inner wall of the housing. The protective action of the first protective component and the second protective component can effectively avoid the electrical connection between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing, reduce the risk of short circuit, and improve the safety of the battery. At the same time, the first protective component and the second protective component installed separately make the arrangement of both more flexible and diverse.

[0015] Optionally, the protective component is an insulating coating applied to the second wall of the battery cell and / or the inner wall of the housing.

[0016] In the embodiment of the present application, the protective component of the present application is installed between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing, not the first wall where the pressure relief mechanism is located, and the protective component is not directly impacted by the discharged material, so the protective component can be installed relatively thinly and can be an insulating coating applied to the second wall of the battery cell or an insulating coating applied to the inner wall of the housing. Due to the simple coating method, the present application can improve the operability of installing the protective component.

[0017] Optionally, a structural beam is installed within the housing to divide the interior space of the housing into a plurality of accommodating cavities, each of the accommodating cavities being used to accommodate at least one battery cell, and the protective component is installed between the second wall of the battery cell and the cavity wall of the accommodating cavity.

[0018] In the embodiments of the present application, the protective part may be installed between the second wall of the battery cell and the cavity wall of the accommodating cavity, which can effectively avoid the electrical connection between the second wall of the battery cell and the cavity wall of the accommodating cavity, reduce the risk of short circuit, and improve the safety of the battery when used.

[0019] Optionally, the thickness of the protective component is greater than or equal to 0.1 millimeter and less than or equal to 1 millimeter.

[0020] Optionally, the melting point of the protective component is greater than 100 degrees Celsius.

[0021] In the embodiment of the present application, when the melting point of the protective part is greater than 100 degrees Celsius, the electrical connection between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing can be effectively avoided, the risk of short circuit can be reduced, and the safety of the battery can be improved.

[0022] Optionally, the dimension of the protective component along a second direction is greater than or equal to 2 millimeters and less than or equal to a dimension of the battery in the second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction.

[0023] In the embodiments of the present application, the dimension of the protective component along the second direction may be set as required and the dimensional design may vary.

[0024] Optionally, the distance between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing is greater than 3 millimeters.

[0025] In the embodiment of the present application, the distance between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing is greater than 3 millimeters, which can facilitate fixing the battery cell in the housing while providing a relatively large storage space for emissions due to thermal runaway, making the emissions less likely to come into contact with the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing, reducing the possibility of electrical connection between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing due to the emissions, and reducing the risk of short circuit.

[0026] Optionally, the battery further includes an adhesive for securing the plurality of battery cells to the housing, at least a portion of the adhesive being located between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing so as to prevent electrical connection between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing due to exhaust from the battery cell.

[0027] Optionally, a thickness of at least a portion of the adhesive located between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing is greater than 2 millimeters.

[0028] In the embodiments of the present application, the adhesive can not only fix the battery cell within the housing, but also, if the thickness of the adhesive protruding between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing is appropriate, this portion of the adhesive can play a role in preventing electrical connection between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing.

[0029] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present application, there is provided a power consuming device including a battery of the first aspect, the battery being adapted to provide electrical energy.

[0030] In the embodiment of the present application, a pressure relief mechanism is installed on the first wall of the plurality of battery cells, and a protective component is installed between the second wall of the plurality of battery cells and the inner wall of the housing, and the first wall of the plurality of battery cells is installed crossing the second wall, that is, the pressure relief mechanism and the protective component in the embodiment of the present application are respectively installed on two different walls of the battery cells. In this way, when the discharged matter caused by the thermal runaway of the battery is discharged from the pressure relief mechanism installed on the first wall, if there is any discharged matter that falls between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing, the protective action of the protective component can effectively avoid the electrical connection between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing, thereby reducing the risk of short circuit and improving the safety of the battery.

[0031] The above description is merely an outline of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application. In order to make the technical means of the embodiments of the present application more clearly understandable, the present application can be implemented in accordance with the content of the specification, and the above and other objectives, features and advantages of the embodiments of the present application more clearly understandable, the following particularly cites specific embodiments of the present application for description. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0032] In order to more clearly explain the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces drawings that need to be used in the description of the embodiments. It is obvious that the drawings in the following description are some embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can also obtain other drawings based on these drawings without exerting creative efforts.

[0033] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a battery according to an embodiment of the present application. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a structural schematic diagram of another battery according to an embodiment of the present application. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a structural schematic diagram of yet another battery according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the following clearly and completely describes the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application, and obviously, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present application, and not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art on the basis of the embodiments of the present application without any creative efforts are all within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains, and the terms used in the specification of the application herein are for the purpose of describing specific examples only and are not intended to limit the present application.

[0036] The terms "comprise" and "have" and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of this application and in the description of the drawings are intended to cover, without excluding, other contents. The word "a" or "one" does not exclude a plurality.

[0037] An "embodiment" referred to in this specification means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of the phrase "embodiment" in various locations in the specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment, nor are they mutually exclusive independent or alternative embodiments from other embodiments. Those skilled in the art can explicitly and implicitly understand that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0038] The term "and / or" in this specification merely describes the relationship between related objects and indicates that three relationships may exist, for example, A and / or B may represent three cases: A alone, a combination of A and B, and B alone. In addition, the character " / " in this specification generally indicates that the related objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0039] The directional terms appearing in the following description are all directions shown in the drawings, and do not limit the specific structure of the battery and power consumption device of the present application. For example, in the description of the present application, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial direction", "radial direction", "circumferential direction", etc. are orientations or positional relationships shown based on the drawings, and are merely for the convenience and simplification of the description of the present application, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation and be configured and operated in a specific orientation, and should not be understood as limitations on the present application.

[0040] In addition, expressions for describing the directions of operation and structure of each part of the battery and power consumption device of this embodiment, such as the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction, are not absolute but relative, and these indications are appropriate when each part of the battery is in the position shown in the figure, but when these positions change, these directions should be interpreted differently to accommodate the change.

[0041] In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of this application or the above drawings are not intended to describe a particular order but to distinguish different objects, and may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features.

[0042] In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" refers to two or more (including two), and similarly, "set" refers to two or more (including two).

[0043] In the description of the present application, it should be explained that unless otherwise clearly specified or limited, the terms "attachment", "connection" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, the "connection" or "connection" of a mechanical structure may be a physical connection, for example, a fixed connection, for example, a fixed connection by a fastener, for example, a fixed connection by a screw, a bolt or other fastener, a detachable connection, for example, an interlocking or engagement connection, a physical connection may be an integral connection, for example, a connection formed by welding, adhesion or integral molding. The "connection" or "connection" of a circuit structure may refer to an electrical connection or a signal connection in addition to a physical connection, for example, a direct connection, i.e., a physical connection, or an indirect connection through at least one element, as long as the circuit is conductive, and the inside of two elements may be conductive, and the signal connection may be a signal connection by a medium such as an electric wave in addition to a signal connection by a circuit. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application according to the specific situation.

[0044] To reduce the overall weight of the battery and to bundle the battery cells 1 together in groups, a structural design without side plates is often adopted, in which an insulating film is wrapped around the outer walls of the battery cells 1, and multiple battery cells 1 and end plate assemblies are bundled together with fixing bands 4 to form a battery module. Finally, multiple battery modules are fixedly connected within a housing 2 to form a battery that provides power for electric vehicles and the like.

[0045] However, if a battery core inside the housing 2 experiences thermal runaway, high-temperature particles are ejected. When the ejected high-temperature particles fall between the side wall of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2, the insulating film covering the battery cell 1 melts, electrically connecting the side wall of the battery cell 1 to the inner wall of the housing 2, causing a short circuit and, further, high-voltage ignition and explosion.

[0046] In view of this, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery. The battery includes a plurality of battery cells 1 arranged side by side along a first direction X, the battery cells 1 including a first wall 11 and a second wall 12 disposed to cross each other, the first wall 11 being provided with a pressure relief mechanism 111 for releasing the internal pressure of the battery cells 1 by being activated when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cells 1 reaches a threshold value, a housing 2 for accommodating the plurality of battery cells 1, and a protective component 3 disposed between the second wall 12 of the battery cells 1 and an inner wall of the housing 2, the protective component 3 preventing electrical connection between the second wall 12 of the battery cells 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2 due to discharge from the battery cells 1 when the pressure relief mechanism 111 is activated.

[0047] In the embodiment of the present application, the pressure relief mechanism 111 and the protective component 3 are respectively installed on two different walls of the battery cell 1. When waste materials caused by thermal runaway of the battery are discharged from the pressure relief mechanism 111 installed on the first wall 11, if any of the waste materials falls between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2, the protective action of the protective component 3 can effectively prevent electrical connection between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2, thereby reducing the risk of short circuit and improving the safety of the battery.

[0048] The pressure relief mechanism 111 is an element or member that operates to release the internal pressure or temperature when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell 1 reaches a predetermined threshold. The design of this threshold varies according to different design needs. The threshold may depend on one or more of the materials of the positive electrode plate, the negative electrode plate, the electrolyte, and the separator in the battery cell 1. The pressure relief mechanism 111 may adopt a form such as an explosion-proof valve, an air valve, a pressure relief valve, or a safety valve, and may specifically adopt a pressure-sensitive or temperature-sensitive element or structure, that is, when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell 1 reaches a predetermined threshold, the pressure relief mechanism 111 performs an operation, or a fragile structure provided in the pressure relief mechanism 111 is broken, thereby forming an opening or passage that can release the internal pressure or temperature.

[0049] The term "operation" referred to in this application means that the pressure relief mechanism 111 is operated or activated to a certain state, thereby releasing the internal pressure and temperature of the battery cell 1. The operation of the pressure relief mechanism 111 may include, but is not limited to, at least a part of the pressure relief mechanism 111 being ruptured, crushed, torn, opened, etc. When the pressure relief mechanism 111 is operated, the high temperature and high pressure material inside the battery cell 1 is discharged as a discharge from the operated part. In this manner, the occurrence of a potential more serious accident can be avoided by generating pressure and temperature relief in the battery cell 1 when the pressure or temperature can be controlled.

[0050] The emissions from the battery cell 1 referred to in this application include, but are not limited to, electrolyte, dissolved or split positive and negative electrodes, separator fragments, high temperature and pressure gas generated by the reaction, flames, etc.

[0051] An embodiment of the present application further provides a power consuming device, which includes a body and a battery, the battery being disposed within the body and serving as a power source to provide electrical energy for the power consuming device.

[0052] The power consumption device may be a vehicle, such as a new energy vehicle, which may be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a range extender vehicle, etc. A driving motor is installed in the body of the vehicle, the driving motor is electrically connected to a battery, the battery provides electric energy, and the driving motor is connected to the wheels on the body of the vehicle through a transmission mechanism to drive the vehicle. Or the power consumption device may be a drone or a steamship, etc.

[0053] 1 to 3 are structural schematic diagrams of a battery according to an embodiment of the present application, and FIG. 4 is a structural schematic diagram of a battery cell 1 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 , the battery includes a plurality of battery cells 1 arranged side by side along a first direction X, and includes a first wall 11 and a second wall 12 that are arranged crosswise. The first wall 11 is provided with a pressure relief mechanism 111 that is activated to release the internal pressure of the battery cell 1 when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell 1 reaches a threshold value, a housing 2 for accommodating the plurality of battery cells 1, and a protective component 3 that is installed between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and an inner wall of the housing 2, and that prevents electrical connection between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2 due to discharge from the battery cell 1 when the pressure relief mechanism 111 is activated.

[0054] It should be noted that Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 show a Cartesian coordinate system to distinguish each direction. Here, coordinate axis X is used to represent a first direction X, which indicates the arrangement direction of the multiple battery cells 1. Coordinate axis Z is used to represent a second direction Z. Coordinate axis Y is used to represent a third direction Y, which is perpendicular to the first direction X and the second direction Z. In the arrangement manner of this embodiment, the first direction X is a first horizontal direction and a width direction of the battery. The second direction Z is along a vertical direction and a height direction of the battery or a height direction of the power consumption device according to the present application. The third direction Y is a second horizontal direction and a longitudinal direction of the battery.

[0055] A plurality of battery cells 1 in the battery are arranged side by side along a first direction X and are housed in a battery housing 2 along the up-down direction (i.e., along a second direction Z). These battery cells 1 may be secondary batteries that can be repeatedly charged and discharged, and preferably, the battery cells 1 are lithium ion batteries. As shown in Fig. 4, the battery cell 1 includes an electrode assembly, a housing, and a top cover assembly 13.

[0056] The electrode assembly is a core component that enables the battery cell 1 to realize the charging and discharging functions. The electrode assembly includes a positive plate, a negative plate, and a separator disposed between the positive plate and the negative plate. The electrode assembly includes a positive tab and a negative tab, where the positive tab extends from the coated area of ​​the positive plate, while the negative tab extends from the coated area of ​​the negative plate. The electrode assembly is located within the housing.

[0057] The housing may be made of a metal material or a composite material. As shown in FIG. 4, any one of the outer walls of the housing corresponds to the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1. In some embodiments, the housing may be made of a metal material such as aluminum, an aluminum alloy, or nickel-plated steel as a whole. In some other embodiments, the housing may include a substrate and an insulating layer, where the substrate is made of a metal material such as aluminum, an aluminum alloy, or nickel-plated steel, and the insulating layer may be provided on the outer surface of the substrate by coating, bonding, or the like. In this case, the substrate made of a metal material can ensure the strength of the housing, and the insulating layer can improve the insulating performance of the housing. The housing may also be hexahedral, rectangular, cylindrical, or other shapes. The housing has an opening, and a receiving cavity is formed inside the housing, the electrode assembly is placed in the receiving cavity through the opening, and the electrolyte is also injected into the receiving cavity through the opening.

[0058] As shown in Fig. 4, the top cover assembly 13 corresponds to the first wall 11 of the battery cell 1, and the first wall 11 and the second wall 12 are installed crossing each other. The top cover assembly 13 includes a top cover plate and two electrode terminals installed on the top cover plate. The top cover plate may be made of a metal material such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and the dimensions of the top cover plate match the dimensions of the opening of the housing. The top cover plate is welded to the housing and covers the opening of the housing, thereby sealing the electrode assembly in the housing.

[0059] When the battery cell 1 unexpectedly experiences thermal runaway, the electrode assembly will release a large amount of gas, and if the gas is not discharged to the outside of the battery cell 1 in a timely manner, it is likely to explode. Therefore, in order to improve the safety performance of the battery cell 1, in some embodiments, the top cover assembly 13 may be provided with a pressure relief mechanism 111, that is, the first wall 11 of the battery cell 1 is provided with a pressure relief mechanism 111, which may include an explosion-proof valve. The explosion-proof valve is hermetically connected to the top cover plate and covers the exhaust hole provided on the top cover plate. The explosion-proof valve forms a weak area by providing a notch. When the battery cell 1 is in a normal working state, the explosion-proof valve seals the exhaust hole to prevent the electrolyte from leaking. When the battery cell 1 suddenly generates gas due to a short circuit or other reason, and the internal air pressure of the battery cell 1 rises to a certain level, the emitted gas breaks the explosion-proof valve at the weak area and is discharged to the outside of the battery cell 1 through the exhaust hole in the top cover plate, thereby achieving the purpose of releasing the internal pressure of the battery cell 1 and reducing the risk of explosion.

[0060] In some embodiments, a certain distance is provided between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2, and the distance may be greater than 3 mm (millimeters). Most of the discharged matter from the battery cell 1 is discharged along the discharge passage, but some of the discharged matter falls between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2. When the distance between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2 is appropriately set, a relatively large storage space can be provided for the discharged matter caused by thermal runaway, and the discharged matter is less likely to contact the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2, reducing the possibility of electrical connection between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2 due to the discharged matter, thereby reducing the risk of short circuit.

[0061] It should be explained that in this application, the protective part 3 is used to prevent the discharge from the battery cell 1 from electrically connecting the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 with the inner wall of the housing 2 when the pressure relief mechanism 111 is operating, so the protective part 3 may be made of a high-temperature resistant and insulating material, so that the protective part 3 can ensure insulation between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2 and avoid the risk of short circuit, and the protective part 3 has high-temperature fire resistance, so that it can perform the fire prevention function without melting in the process of protecting against thermal runaway discharge.

[0062] In order to ensure the protective effect of the protective part 3, the protective part 3 may have a certain thickness and high temperature resistance, and the protective part 3 of the present application is not installed on the first wall 11 where the pressure relief mechanism 111 is located, but is installed between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2, so that the discharged material does not directly impact the protective part 3, and therefore, in some embodiments, the thickness of the protective part 3 may be more than 0.1 mm and less than 1 mm. In some embodiments, the protective part 3 may be an insulating coating applied to the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 or an insulating coating applied to the inner wall of the housing 2, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0063] In some embodiments, the melting point of the protective part 3 may be greater than 100° C. In the embodiments of the present application, the protective part 3 may be a mica plate member (e.g., mica paper), etc., that is, the protective part 3 may be made of a mica plate material to meet high temperature resistance and insulation requirements, a ceramic composite band, etc., and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0064] In some embodiments, the dimension of the protective component 3 along the second direction Z may be greater than or equal to 2 mm and less than or equal to the dimension of the battery in the second direction Z. In this way, the protective effect can be ensured while saving materials and reducing costs.

[0065] In a specific implementation, when there is not much waste material falling between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2, the dimension of the protective part 3 along the second direction Z may be set to be relatively small. For example, the dimension of the protective part 3 along the second direction Z is equal to 3 mm. However, in order to ensure the protective effect of the protective part 3 and effectively reduce the risk of short circuit, the dimension of the protective part 3 along the second direction Z may be set to be relatively large. For example, the dimension of the protective part 3 along the second direction Z may be equal to the dimension of the battery in the second direction Z. In this way, regardless of the pile height of the waste material between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2, the protective part 3 can play a role in avoiding electrical connection between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2.

[0066] Regarding the installation position of the protective part 3, in some embodiments, the protective part 3 may be installed only on the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 as shown in FIG.

[0067] In some embodiments, the protective components 3 may be provided only on the inner walls of the housing 2, as shown in FIG.

[0068] In some embodiments, the protective component 3 may be provided on the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and on the inner wall of the housing 2 .

[0069] In some embodiments, the protective component 3 may include a first protective component and a second protective component that are installed separately, where the first protective component is fixed to the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1, and the second protective component is fixed to the inner wall of the housing 2. Here, the first protective component and the second protective component may be the same or different, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0070] In some embodiments, the protective component 3 may be fixed to the inner wall of the housing 2 by an adhesive method, for example, by using a structural adhesive or an insulating adhesive. However, when fixing the protective component 3 to the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1, in addition to the adhesive method, as shown in FIG. 2 , a fixing band 4 may be arranged to surround the outer periphery of the multiple battery cells 1, and the protective component 3 may be fixed to the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 by the fixing band 4.

[0071] In some embodiments, the battery may include an adhesive, such as a structural adhesive or an insulating adhesive. The adhesive is used to fix the battery cells 1 in the housing 2. For example, the adhesive may be applied to the bottoms of the battery cells 1 and / or the lower housing 2, and the battery cells 1 are placed in an appropriate position in the lower housing 2, thereby achieving the fixation of the battery cells 1 in the housing 2.

[0072] When multiple battery cells 1 are placed in the lower housing 2, the battery cells 1 press down on the lower housing 2. In the process of pressing, excess adhesive between the bottom of the battery cell 1 and the lower housing 2 is pressed and squeezed out between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2. Because the adhesive is insulated, the adhesive that squeezes out between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2 can also play a role in preventing electrical connection between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2.

[0073] Furthermore, the height of the adhesive overflowing from this portion may be equal to or greater than a preset value so that the overflowing adhesive can effectively prevent electrical connection between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2. In other words, the thickness of the adhesive overflowing between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2 must not be too small. Exemplarily, the preset value may be any value greater than 2 mm. In some embodiments, the height of the adhesive overflowing from this portion may be set according to the distance between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2. When the distance between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2 is relatively large, the height of the adhesive overflowing from this portion may be set relatively small. When the distance between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2 is relatively small, the height of the adhesive overflowing from this portion may be set relatively large. It is only necessary to ensure that the protruding adhesive can prevent electrical connection between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0074] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3 , a structural beam 21 may be installed within the battery housing 2 to divide the internal space of the housing 2 into multiple accommodating cavities, each of which is used to accommodate at least one battery cell 1, and a protective component 3 is installed between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the cavity wall of the accommodating cavity.

[0075] It should be noted that the battery housing 2 includes an upper housing cover and a lower housing 2, and the upper housing cover and the lower housing 2 may be made of aluminum, aluminum alloy or other metal materials. A structural beam 21 may be installed in the lower housing 2, and the structural beam 21 may be formed by a method such as casting, extrusion or profile welding.

[0076] The number of structural beams 21 may be one or more. As shown in Fig. 3, three structural beams 21 are installed in the housing 2 along the third direction Y, and one structural beam 21 is installed along the first direction X, and these four structural beams 21 divide the internal space of the housing 2 into eight accommodating cavities, and each of these eight accommodating cavities can accommodate at least one battery cell 1.

[0077] Since the inner walls of the housing 2 include the side walls of the housing 2 and the side walls of the structural beams 21 within the housing 2 (i.e., the cavity walls of the accommodating cavity), when the battery cell 1 is accommodated in the accommodating cavity, the protective part 3 may be installed between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the side walls of the housing 2, or may be installed between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the cavity walls of the accommodating cavity.

[0078] The embodiments in which the protective part 3 is installed on the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and on the cavity wall of the receiving cavity are both applicable to the relevant descriptions above and will not be further described here.

[0079] It should be noted that when a accommodating cavity accommodates one battery cell 1 , the protective component 3 may be installed between the second wall 12 of this battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2 .

[0080] When a certain accommodating cavity accommodates multiple battery cells 1, the multiple battery cells 1 are regarded as a single unit, and the outer wall of this unit is the common second wall 12 of the multiple battery cells 1, and the protective component 3 may be installed between the common second wall 12 of the multiple battery cells 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2. In such a case, the distance between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2 is the distance between the common second wall 12 of the multiple battery cells 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2.

[0081] In summary, in the embodiment of the present application, a pressure relief mechanism 111 is installed on the first wall 11 of the plurality of battery cells 1, a protective component 3 is installed between the second wall 12 of the plurality of battery cells 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2, and the first wall 11 and the second wall 12 of the plurality of battery cells 1 are installed crosswise, that is, the pressure relief mechanism 111 and the protective component 3 in the embodiment of the present application are respectively installed on two different walls of the battery cell 1. In this way, when the discharged material due to the thermal runaway of the battery is discharged from the pressure relief mechanism 111 installed on the first wall 11, the discharged material falls between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2, and the protective action of the protective component 3 effectively avoids the electrical connection between the second wall 12 of the battery cell 1 and the inner wall of the housing 2, reducing the risk of short circuit and improving the safety of the battery in use.

[0082] As will be understood by those skilled in the art, although some embodiments herein include some features included in other embodiments and do not include other features, it is meant that a combination of features of different embodiments is within the scope of the present application and constitutes a different embodiment. For example, in the claims, any one of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination form.

[0083] As mentioned above, the above embodiments are merely for illustrating the technical solutions of the present application, and are not intended to limit the same. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that the technical solutions described in the above embodiments may still be modified or some of the technical features may be replaced with equivalents. These modifications or replacements do not deviate from the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 1: Battery cell 2: Housing 3: Protective parts 4:Fixed band 11: The First Wall 12: The Second Wall 13: Top cover assembly 21: Structural beam 111: Pressure relief mechanism X: First direction Y: The third direction Z: Second direction

Claims

1. A battery, a plurality of battery cells arranged side by side along a first direction, the plurality of battery cells including a first wall and a second wall disposed crosswise, the first wall being an upper wall of the battery cell, and the first wall being provided with a pressure relief mechanism that is activated when an internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaches a threshold value to release the internal pressure of the battery cell; a housing for housing the plurality of battery cells; a protective part installed between the second wall of the battery cell and an inner wall of the housing and fixed to the inner wall of the housing, the second wall facing the inner wall of the housing, and for preventing electrical connection between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing due to discharge from the battery cell when the pressure release mechanism is activated.

2. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the protective component is secured to the second wall of the battery cell.

3. The battery of claim 2 , wherein the protective component is adhesively fixed to the second wall of the battery cell and / or to an inner wall of the housing.

4. 4. The battery of claim 2 or 3, further comprising a fixing band, the fixing band being installed around an outer periphery of the plurality of battery cells, and the fixing band being used to fix the protective component to the second wall of the battery cell.

5. 5. The battery of claim 2, wherein the protective parts include a first protective part and a second protective part that are installed separately, the first protective part being used to be fixedly connected to the second wall of the battery cell, and the second protective part being used to be fixedly connected to an inner wall of the housing.

6. The battery according to claim 1 , wherein the protective part is an insulating coating applied to the second wall of the battery cell and / or the inner wall of the housing.

7. 7. The battery of claim 1, wherein a structural beam is provided within the housing to divide the internal space of the housing into a plurality of accommodating cavities, each of the accommodating cavities is used to accommodate at least one of the battery cells, and the protective component is provided between the second wall of the battery cell and a cavity wall of the accommodating cavity.

8. The battery according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the protective part is equal to or greater than 0.1 millimeter and equal to or less than 1 millimeter.

9. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the protective component has a melting point greater than 100 degrees Celsius.

10. 10. The battery of claim 1, wherein the dimension of the protective component along a second direction is greater than or equal to 2 millimeters and less than or equal to a dimension of the battery in the second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction.

11. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the distance between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing is greater than 3 millimeters.

12. The battery comprises:

12. The battery of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive for fixing the plurality of battery cells to the housing, at least a portion of the adhesive being positioned between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing so as to prevent electrical connection between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing due to exhaust from the battery cell.

13. 13. The battery of claim 12, wherein a thickness of the at least a portion of the adhesive located between the second wall of the battery cell and the inner wall of the housing is greater than 2 millimeters.

14. 14. A power consuming device comprising a battery according to any one of claims 1 to 13, the battery being adapted to provide electrical energy.

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