Tube connectors, thermal management systems, battery cases and batteries

Abstract

The present application discloses a tube connector (30), a thermal management system, a battery case, and a battery. The tube connector (30) includes a body (300), a fluid passage (330) is formed inside the body (300), a first connection part (310) for connecting a round tube (20) and a second connection part (320) for connecting a flat tube (10) are formed on the body (300), the first connection part (310) is a hollow columnar structure (311), the second connection part (320) has an oval interface (321), and a welding surface (3211) is formed on the inner wall of the interface (321) to match the outer shape of the flat tube (10).

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 December 2, 2021, bearing application number 202123003639.X and entitled "Tube Connector, Thermal Management System, Battery Case and Battery," the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. (Technical field) This application relates to the field of battery manufacturing, and more particularly to tube connectors, thermal management systems, battery cases, and batteries. [Background technology]

[0002] Battery thermal management systems include flat tubes and round tubes, and existing connections between the flat tubes and round tubes are prone to sealing defects, which can lead to coolant leakage and pose safety risks. Therefore, a reliable and stable sealing connection method is urgently needed. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] The embodiments of the present application aim to provide, but are not limited to, a tube connector, a thermal management system, a battery case, and a battery that solve the problem of poor sealing occurring at the connection point between a flat tube and a circular tube in a battery thermal management system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] The technical solutions adopted in the embodiments of the present application are as follows.

[0005] According to a first aspect, there is provided a tube connector for connecting a flattened tube and a round tube in a thermal management system, the tube connector including a body having a fluid passage formed therein, a first connecting portion for connecting the round tube to the body formed with a second connecting portion for connecting the flattened tube, the first connecting portion being a hollow columnar structure arranged to be fitted onto the round tube, and the second connecting portion having an oval interface, the inner wall of which is formed with a welding surface that matches the outer shape of the flattened tube.

[0006] According to the tube connector of this embodiment, the first connecting portion on the body has a columnar structure that closely matches the round tube, thereby achieving a reliable sealed connection between the tube connector and the round tube. According to another embodiment, the second connecting portion on the body has an oval interface, the inner wall of which has a welding surface that matches the outer shape of the flat tube. The flat tube is inserted into the oval interface of the tube connector and connected to the tube connector by laser welding, thereby improving the connection strength between the flat tube and the tube connector and achieving a reliable and stable sealed connection. As described above, the tube connector can achieve a reliable sealed connection with both the round tube and the flat tube, and therefore the tube connector of this embodiment can achieve a stable and reliable sealed connection between the flat tube and the round tube in a thermal management system.

[0007] In one embodiment, the body further includes an oval backing plate disposed within the interface, the oval backing plate defining an oval locating groove together with the interface, the locating groove being adapted to receive the end of the flattened tube.

[0008] By providing an oval backing plate within the interface, the flat tube can be inserted into the positioning groove of the tube connector, and the flat tube can be more stably fixed to the tube connector. In this way, misalignment between the flat tube and the tube connector can be effectively prevented when welding the flat tube and the tube connector, improving the welding quality.

[0009] In one embodiment, the inner wall of the oval backing plate is provided with a first reinforcing rib that is provided along the fluid passage.

[0010] By providing the first reinforcing rib on the inner wall of the oval backing plate, the strength of the oval backing plate can be improved, preventing the oval backing plate from collapsing and affecting the cross-sectional area of the fluid passage. The first reinforcing rib also serves to support the backing plate, thereby making the bonding between the flat tube and the tube connector more stable and preventing slits from occurring on the bonding surface between the flat tube and the tube connector and problems such as welding errors on the welding surface.

[0011] In one embodiment, the materials of the first reinforcing rib, the oblong backing plate and the body are similar.

[0012] By providing the first reinforcing rib, the oval backing plate and the body with similar materials, the tube connector can be manufactured by a one-piece manufacturing process, thereby improving the strength of the tube connector.

[0013] In one embodiment, the number of first reinforcing ribs is one or more.

[0014] The number of first reinforcing ribs can be designed according to the size of the tube connector and production demands, making the bonding between the tube connector and the flat tube more stable.

[0015] In one embodiment, the end faces of the oval backing plate are provided with chamfers.

[0016] By providing a chamfer on the end surface of the oval backing plate, burrs on the end surface of the oval backing plate can be removed, improving the quality of the product.

[0017] In one embodiment, the end face of the body is provided with a chamfer.

[0018] By providing a chamfer on the end face of the body, burrs on the end face of the body can be removed, improving product quality.

[0019] In one embodiment, the tube connector further includes a sealant, and a groove capable of accommodating the sealant is provided on the outer wall of the first connecting portion, and the sealant is fitted into the groove.

[0020] By fitting a sealing material onto the outer wall of the columnar structure and then fitting the circular tube onto the columnar structure, the sealing performance between the circular tube and the tube connector can be improved.

[0021] In one embodiment, the seal is a packing ring or seal ring.

[0022] By using a packing ring or a seal ring, the sealing performance between the circular tube and the tube connector can be improved, and the packing ring or seal ring has a simple structure, is easy to install and replace, and is inexpensive.

[0023] According to a second aspect, there is provided a thermal management system, comprising a flattened tube, a rounded tube, and a tube connector according to any one of the embodiments of the first aspect, wherein a first connection portion is connected to the rounded tube and a second connection portion is connected to the flattened tube.

[0024] In this embodiment of the thermal management system, a flat tube and a round tube are connected by a tube connector. The first connecting portion on the main body has a columnar structure that closely matches the round tube, ensuring a reliable sealed connection between the tube connector and the round tube. In another embodiment, the second connecting portion on the main body has an oval interface, the inner wall of which is formed with a welding surface that matches the outer shape of the flat tube. The flat tube is inserted into the oval interface of the tube connector, and the flat tube and the tube connector are connected by laser welding, thereby improving the strength of the connection between the flat tube and the tube connector and achieving a reliable and stable sealed connection. Therefore, the tube connector can achieve a reliable sealed connection with both the round tube and the flat tube, and the thermal management system of this embodiment of the present application therefore achieves a stable and reliable sealed connection between the flat tube and the round tube in the thermal management system.

[0025] In one embodiment, a second reinforcing rib is provided on the inner wall of the flat tube along the axial direction.

[0026] By providing the second reinforcing rib on the inner wall of the flat tube, it is possible to prevent deformation of the flat tube and an influence on the flow rate of the fluid in the flat tube and the area through which the fluid passes.

[0027] In one embodiment, a locking hoop is fitted over the outer wall of the circular tube.

[0028] By fitting a locking hoop onto the outer wall of the circular tube, the reliability of the connection between the circular tube and the tube connector can be improved.

[0029] In one embodiment, the flattened tube is connected to the tube connector by laser welding.

[0030] By using laser welding to weld the flat tube and the tube connector, the welding strength between the flat tube and the tube connector can be improved, resulting in a reliable and stable sealed connection.

[0031] According to a third aspect, there is provided a battery case, the battery case including the thermal management system of any one of the embodiments of the second aspect.

[0032] The battery case of this embodiment has the thermal management system of any one of the embodiments of the second aspect, and therefore has the beneficial effects of any one of the embodiments of the second aspect, and will not be described further here.

[0033] An embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present application provides a battery, the battery comprising the thermal management system of any one of the embodiments of the second aspect.

[0034] The battery of this embodiment has the thermal management system of any one of the embodiments of the second aspect, and therefore has the beneficial effects of any one of the embodiments of the second aspect, and will not be described further here. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0035] In order to more clearly explain the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings that need to be used in the description of the embodiments or exemplary technologies. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can also obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any creative efforts. [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a main body in an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the main body in the embodiment of the present application. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a side view of the main body in the embodiment of the present application. [Figure 4]1 is a schematic diagram of the structure after a flat tube, a round tube, and a tube connector are attached in an embodiment of the present application. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure after the flat tube and tube connector in the embodiment of the present application are attached. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention after the flat tube and the tube connector have been attached. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0036] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the present application will be described in more detail below in conjunction with the drawings and examples. It should be understood that the specific examples described herein are only for the purpose of interpreting the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present application.

[0037] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art. The terms used herein are only for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present application. The terms "comprises," "having," and any variations thereof in the specification, claims, and description of the drawings of this application are intended to cover the non-exclusive "comprises."

[0038] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, technical terms such as "first," "second," etc. are used to distinguish between different objects, and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance, or suggesting the quantity, specific order, or hierarchical relationship of the technical features shown. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly and specifically limited, "plurality" means two or more.

[0039] In this specification, when an "embodiment" is mentioned, it 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 term in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a mutually exclusive, independent, or alternative embodiment with other embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand, explicitly or implicitly, that the embodiment described in this specification can be combined with other embodiments.

[0040] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the term "and / or" merely describes the relation between related objects and indicates that three relations are possible, for example, A and / or B can indicate three cases: only A exists, A and B exist simultaneously, and only B exists. In addition, in this specification, the character " / " generally indicates that the related objects before and after it are in an "or" relation.

[0041] In describing the examples of the present application, the term "plurality" refers to two or more (including two); similarly, "multiple groups" refers to two or more (including two groups); and "multiple sheets" refers to two or more (including two).

[0042] In describing the embodiments of the present application, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by technical terms such as "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial direction," "radial direction," and "circumferential direction" are based on the drawings and are used merely for the convenience and simplification of the description of the embodiments of the present application. They do not indicate or imply that the devices or components shown must have a specific orientation, be configured, or operate in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the embodiments of the present application.

[0043] In describing the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified or limited, the terms "attached," "coupled," "connected," "fixed," etc. should be understood in a broad sense, and may refer to, for example, a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integration, a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, a direct connection, an indirect connection via an intermediary, an internal communication between two components, or an interactive relationship between two components. Those skilled in the art will be able to understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application according to specific circumstances.

[0044] To explain the technical solution of the present application, the following detailed description will be given in conjunction with specific drawings and embodiments.

[0045] With the rapid development of electronic technology, the use of pure electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles is becoming more and more popular, and the requirements for the battery systems of pure electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles are also becoming higher and higher, and the energy of the battery system comes from battery cells, so the battery needs to include multiple battery cells, and each battery cell generates a large amount of heat during the charging and discharging process, and the sealed battery operates in a relatively high temperature environment, which affects the service life of the battery.

[0046] In related art, batteries are generally provided with a thermal management system for dissipating heat from battery cells to reduce the temperature of the battery's operating environment. Such thermal management systems generally directly employ liquid-cooled flat tubes to dissipate heat from battery cells. However, poor sealing is likely to occur at the connection points between the flat tubes and round tubes in such thermal management systems, resulting in cooling liquid leakage and safety risks. Therefore, a reliable and stable sealed connection method is urgently needed.

[0047] Based on this, the applicant has conducted research and designed a tube connector, a thermal management system and a battery, in which the tube connector is used to connect the flat tube and the round tube in the thermal management system, and the flat tube and the tube connector are connected by welding, thereby improving the strength of the connection between the flat tube and the tube connector and realizing a reliable and stable sealed connection.

[0048] The battery may be used in, but is not limited to, mobile phones, touch panels, laptops, electric toys, electric tools, electric bicycles, electric cars, ships, spacecraft, etc. Here, the electric toys may include stationary or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric steamship toys, and electric airplane toys, and the spacecraft may include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spaceships.

[0049] A battery includes a case and battery cells, and the battery cells are housed within the case. The case is used to provide a housing space for the battery cells, and the case may have various structures. In some embodiments, the case may include a first part and a second part, the first part and the second part being engaged with each other, and the first part, together with the second part, defining a housing space for housing the battery cells. The second part may be a hollow structure with an open end, or the first part may be a plate-like structure, and the first part is engaged with the open side of the second part, and the first part, together with the second part, defines the housing space. Both the first part and the second part may be hollow structures with an open end, and the open side of the first part is engaged with the open side of the second part. Of course, the case formed by the first part and the second part may have various shapes, such as a cylindrical body or a rectangular parallelepiped.

[0050] A battery may have multiple battery cells, and the multiple battery cells may be connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel. A series-parallel connection means that some of the multiple battery cells are connected in series and others are connected in parallel. The multiple battery cells may be directly connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel, and then the entire system consisting of the multiple battery cells may be housed in a case. Of course, a battery may first have multiple battery cells connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel to form a battery module, and the multiple battery modules may then be connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel to form a whole and housed in a case. The battery may further include other structures, for example, the battery may further include bus bars to realize electrical connection between the multiple battery cells.

[0051] Here, each battery cell may be a secondary battery or a primary battery, and may be, but is not limited to, a lithium-sulfur battery, a sodium-ion battery, or a magnesium-ion battery. The battery cells may be cylindrical, flat, rectangular, or have other shapes.

[0052] 1, 2, and 3, an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application provides a tube connector 30 for connecting a flat tube 10 and a circular tube 20 in a thermal management system of a battery. The tube connector 30 includes a main body 300, a fluid passage 330 formed inside the main body 300, a first connecting portion 310 for connecting the circular tube 20 and a second connecting portion 320 for connecting the flat tube 10 formed on the main body 300, the first connecting portion 310 being a hollow columnar structure 311 arranged to be fitted onto the circular tube 20, and the second connecting portion 320 having an oval interface 321, the inner wall of which is formed with a welding surface 3211 that matches the outer shape of the flat tube 10.

[0053] Referring to FIG. 1 , main body 300 is the main body structure of tube connector 30 and may be a plastic member. First connecting portion 310 is used to connect circular tube 20, and its main body shape is a columnar structure 311. Columnar structure 311 is approximately cylindrical in geometry, but it is understood that the surface of columnar structure 311 in this embodiment is not necessarily an absolute cylindrical surface; that is, the surface of columnar structure 311 may have irregularities, such as ribs or steps. The material of columnar structure 311 may be the same as that of main body 300, and thus, it can be manufactured in a one-piece molding manner.

[0054] The second connecting portion 320 has an oval interface 321, which means that the cross section of the interface 321 is oval, and is surrounded by two parallel sides and two semicircles at both ends of the two sides.

[0055] The welding surface 3211 is the working surface used when welding two components. For example, when laser welding two components, the surface of the workpiece is heated by laser irradiation, and the heat from the surface diffuses inward through thermal conduction. By controlling laser parameters such as the laser pulse width, energy, peak power, and repetition frequency, the workpiece is melted and a specific molten pool is formed to weld the two components together. The welding surface 3211 refers to the working surface used when welding the two components. In this embodiment, the welding surface 3211 is the working surface used when welding the flattened tube 10 and the interface 321, i.e., the contact surface between the outer wall of the flattened tube 10 and the inner wall of the interface 321. This embodiment does not particularly limit the specific type or method of welding.

[0056] According to the tube connector 30 of the embodiment of the present application, the first connection part 310 on the main body 300 adopts a columnar structure 311, which can closely match the circular tube 20, thereby ensuring a reliable sealed connection between the tube connector 30 and the circular tube 20. Meanwhile, the second connection part 320 on the main body 300 is provided with an oval interface 321, which has an oval cross section surrounded by two parallel sides and two semicircles at both ends of the two sides, and a welding surface 3211 is formed on the inner wall of the interface 321, which matches the outer shape of the flat tube 10. By connecting the flat tube 10 and the tube connector by welding, the strength of the connection between the flat tube 10 and the tube connector 30 can be improved, and a reliable and stable sealed connection can be achieved. From the above, it can be seen that the tube connector 30 can achieve a reliable sealed connection with the circular tube 20, and can also achieve a reliable sealed connection with the flat tube 10. Therefore, the tube connector 30 of the embodiment of the present application can achieve a stable and reliable sealed connection between the flat tube 10 and the circular tube 20 in the thermal management system.

[0057] In some embodiments of the present application, the main body 300 further includes an oval backing plate 3212 disposed within the interface 321, the oval backing plate 3212 defining an oval positioning groove 3213 together with the interface 321, the positioning groove 3213 being used to receive the end of the flattened tube 10.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 1, the oval backing plate 3212 is provided in the interface 321 and can be specifically designed according to the shape of the flattened tube 10. The material of the oval backing plate 3212 can be the same as the material of the main body 300. In this way, the tube connector 30 can be manufactured through an integral molding process, which improves the strength of the tube connector 30.

[0059] The locating groove 3213 is a groove structure defined by the oval backing plate 3212 together with the interface 321, capable of accommodating the end of the flattened tube 10. The locating groove 3213 is used to accommodate the end of the flattened tube 10, i.e., the outer wall of the flattened tube 10 contacts the inner wall of the interface 321, and the inner wall of the flattened tube 10 contacts the outer wall of the oval backing plate 3212. When the flattened tube 10 is inserted into the locating groove 3213, the locating groove 3213 also serves a positioning function, i.e., the end face of the flattened tube 10 abuts the bottom of the locating groove 3213, thereby preventing the flattened tube 10 from being displaced during welding.

[0060] In this embodiment, by inserting the flat tube 10 into the positioning groove 3213 of the tube connector 30, the flat tube 10 can be more stably fixed to the tube connector 30. In this way, when welding the flat tube 10 and the tube connector 30, misalignment between the flat tube 10 and the tube connector 30 can be effectively prevented, improving the quality of the welding.

[0061] In some embodiments of the present application, the inner wall of the oval backing plate 3212 is provided with a first reinforcing rib 3214 , which is provided along the fluid passageway 330 . The first reinforcing rib 3214 is provided on the inner wall of the oval backing plate 3212, and the material of the first reinforcing rib 3214 may be the same as the material of the oval backing plate 3212 and the main body 300. In this way, the tube connector 30 can be manufactured by an integral molding manufacturing process, thereby improving the strength of the tube connector 30.

[0062] The first reinforcing ribs 3214 are arranged along the fluid passage 330 so that when the fluid flows from one end of the tube connector 30 to the other, the fluid can flow in a predetermined direction during the flow process, that is, the first reinforcing ribs 3214 are arranged along the direction of the fluid flow, thus preventing the first reinforcing ribs 3214 from affecting the flow of the fluid. The number of first reinforcing ribs 3214 is not specifically limited and may be one, two, three, etc., and can be designed according to the size and production needs of the tube connector 30.

[0063] In this embodiment, the first reinforcing ribs 3214 are provided on the inner wall of the oval backing plate 3212, which can improve the strength of the oval backing plate 3212 and prevent the oval backing plate 3212 from collapsing and affecting the cross-sectional area of the fluid passage 330. The first reinforcing ribs 3214 also serve to support the backing plate 3212, thereby making the bonding between the flat tube 10 and the tube connector 30 more stable and preventing slits from occurring on the bonding surface between the flat tube 10 and the tube connector 30 and problems such as welding errors on the welding surface 3211.

[0064] In some embodiments of the present application, the edge of the oval backing plate 3212 is provided with a chamfer.

[0065] In this embodiment, by providing a chamfer, burrs on the end surface of the oval backing plate 3212 can be removed, improving product quality. Furthermore, since the flat tube 10 needs to be inserted into the positioning groove 3213 of the tube connector 30, by providing a chamfer on the end surface of the oval backing plate 3212, the flat tube 10 can be more easily inserted into the positioning groove 3213.

[0066] In some embodiments of the present application, the end face of the body 300 is provided with a chamfer.

[0067] In this embodiment, by providing a chamfer, burrs on the end surface of the main body 300 can be removed, improving product quality. Furthermore, since the flat tube 10 needs to be inserted into the positioning groove 3213 of the tube connector 30, by providing a chamfer on the end surface of the main body 300, the flat tube 10 can be more easily inserted into the positioning groove 3213.

[0068] In some embodiments of the present application, the tube connector 30 further includes a sealant 313, and the outer wall of the first connection portion 310 is provided with a groove 312 that can accommodate the sealant 313, and the sealant 313 is externally fitted within the groove 312.

[0069] Referring to FIG. 2, the seal member 313 may be a member having a sealing function, such as a packing ring or a seal ring.

[0070] The groove 312 is located on the outer wall of the columnar structure 311 and is used to accommodate the sealant 313, so it can be designed accordingly according to the shape of the sealant 313.

[0071] In this embodiment, the sealing material 313 is fitted onto the outer wall of the columnar structure 311, and the circular tube 20 is fitted onto the columnar structure 311, thereby improving the sealing performance between the circular tube 20 and the tube connector 30. Furthermore, by fitting a lock hoop onto the outer wall of the circular tube 20, the reliability of the connection between the circular tube 20 and the tube connector 30 can be improved.

[0072] In some embodiments of the present application, the tube connector 30 includes a main body 300, a fluid passage 330 formed inside the main body 300, a first connecting portion 310 for connecting a round tube 20 to the main body 300, and a second connecting portion 320 for connecting a flat tube 10 to the main body 300, the first connecting portion 310 being a hollow columnar structure 311, the columnar structure 311 being arranged to be fitted onto the round tube 20, the second connecting portion 320 having an oval interface 321, an inner wall of the interface 321 being formed with a welding surface 3211 that matches the outer shape of the flat tube 10, and the main body 300 being provided with an oval backing plate provided within the interface 321. The oval backing plate 3212, together with the interface 321, defines an oval positioning groove 3213 for receiving the end of the flat tube 10; a first reinforcing rib 3214 is provided on the inner wall of the oval backing plate 3212, the first reinforcing rib 3214 is provided along the fluid passage 330; the end surface of the oval backing plate 3212 is chamfered, and / or the end surface of the main body 300 is chamfered; a second reinforcing rib 110 is provided on the inner wall of the flat tube 10 along the axial direction; and the flat tube 10 is connected to the tube connector by laser welding.

[0073] According to the tube connector 30 of this embodiment, the first connection part 310 on the main body 300 employs a columnar structure 311, which can closely match the circular tube 20, thereby ensuring a reliable sealed connection between the tube connector 30 and the circular tube 20. Meanwhile, the second connection part 320 on the main body 300 is provided with an oval interface 321, the inner wall of which is formed with a welding surface 3211 that matches the outer shape of the flat tube 10. The flat tube 10 is inserted into the positioning groove 3213 of the tube connector 30, and the flat tube 10 and the tube connector 30 are connected by laser welding, thereby improving the strength of the connection between the flat tube 10 and the tube connector 30 and realizing a reliable and stable sealed connection. From the above, it can be seen that the tube connector 30 can achieve a reliable sealed connection with the circular tube 20, and can also achieve a reliable sealed connection with the flat tube 10. Therefore, the tube connector 30 of the embodiment of the present application can achieve a stable and reliable sealed connection between the flat tube 10 and the circular tube 20 in the thermal management system.

[0074] In addition, the main body 300 further includes an oval backing plate 3212 arranged within the interface 321, and the oval backing plate 3212, together with the interface 321, defines an oval positioning groove 3213. By providing the positioning groove 3213, the flat tube 10 can be more stably fixed to the tube connector 30, preventing misalignment between the flat tube 10 and the tube connector 30 and improving the welding quality.

[0075] In addition, the first reinforcing ribs 3214 are provided on the inner wall of the oval backing plate 3212, thereby improving the strength of the oval backing plate 3212 and preventing the oval backing plate 3212 from collapsing and affecting the cross-sectional area of the fluid passage 330. The first reinforcing ribs 3214 also serve to support the backing plate 3212. This makes the bonding between the flat tube 10 and the tube connector 30 more stable and prevents problems such as slits on the bonding surface between the flat tube 10 and the tube connector 30 and welding errors on the welding surface 3211. This embodiment therefore achieves a reliable and stable sealed connection.

[0076] 4 and 5, an embodiment of the second aspect of the present application provides a thermal management system, which includes a flat tube 10, a round tube 20, and a tube connector 30 according to any one of the embodiments of the first aspect, wherein a first connection 310 is connected to the round tube 20 and a second connection 320 is connected to the flat tube 10.

[0077] In the thermal management system of this embodiment, the flat tube 10 and the circular tube 20 are connected by the tube connector 30. Here, the first connection part 310 on the main body 300 adopts a columnar structure 311, which can closely match the circular tube 20, thereby ensuring a reliable sealed connection between the tube connector 30 and the circular tube 20. Meanwhile, the second connection part 320 on the main body 300 is provided with an oval interface 321, the inner wall of which is formed with a welding surface 3211 that matches the outer shape of the flat tube 10. By connecting the flat tube 10 and the tube connector by welding, the strength of the connection between the flat tube 10 and the tube connector 30 can be improved, and a reliable and stable sealed connection can be achieved. From the above, it can be seen that the tube connector 30 can achieve a reliable sealed connection with the circular tube 20, and can also achieve a reliable sealed connection with the flat tube 10. Therefore, the tube connector 30 of the embodiment of the present application can achieve a stable and reliable sealed connection between the flat tube 10 and the circular tube 20 in the thermal management system.

[0078] In some embodiments of the present application, a second reinforcing rib 110 is provided on the inner wall of the flat tube 10 along the axial direction.

[0079] Referring to FIG. 5, in this embodiment, by providing a second reinforcing rib 110 on the inner wall of the flat tube 10, it is possible to prevent deformation of the flat tube 10 from affecting the flow rate of the fluid in the flat tube 10 and the area through which the fluid passes.

[0080] In some embodiments of the present application, the flat tube 10 is connected to the tube connector 30 by laser welding.

[0081] 6 and 7, laser welding is an efficient and precise welding method that uses a high-energy-density laser beam as a heat source. The laser irradiates the workpiece surface, which heats the surface and diffuses into the interior via thermal conduction. By controlling laser parameters such as the laser pulse width, energy, peak power, and repetition rate, the workpiece is melted, forming a specific molten pool and welding the two components together. Therefore, in this embodiment, the flat tube 10 and the tube connector 30 are welded together using laser welding. The welding surface 3211 is the contact surface between the flat tube 10 and the inner wall of the interface 321, which improves the strength of the weld between the flat tube 10 and the tube connector 30 and achieves a reliable and stable sealed connection.

[0082] An embodiment of the third aspect of the present application provides a battery case, the battery case including the thermal management system of any one of the embodiments of the second aspect.

[0083] The battery case of this embodiment includes the thermal management system of the second embodiment, and thus has all the beneficial effects of the thermal management system of the second embodiment. Specifically, the flat tube 10 and the round tube 20 in the thermal management system are connected by a tube connector 30. The first connection part 310 on the main body 300 has a columnar structure 311 that closely matches the round tube 20, ensuring a reliable sealed connection between the tube connector 30 and the round tube 20. Meanwhile, the second connection part 320 on the main body 300 has an oval interface 321, the inner wall of which is formed with a welding surface 3211 that matches the outer shape of the flat tube 10. The flat tube 10 and the tube connector are connected by welding, which improves the strength of the connection between the flat tube 10 and the tube connector 30 and achieves a reliable and stable sealed connection. From the above, it can be seen that the tube connector 30 can achieve a reliable sealed connection with the circular tube 20, and can also achieve a reliable sealed connection with the flat tube 10. Therefore, the tube connector 30 of the embodiment of the present application can achieve a stable and reliable sealed connection between the flat tube 10 and the circular tube 20 in the thermal management system.

[0084] An embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present application provides a battery, the battery including the thermal management system of any one of the embodiments of the second aspect.

[0085] The battery of this embodiment includes the thermal management system of the second embodiment, and thus has all the beneficial effects of the thermal management system of the second embodiment. Specifically, the flat tube 10 and the round tube 20 in the thermal management system are connected by a tube connector 30. The first connection portion 310 on the main body 300 has a columnar structure 311 that closely matches the round tube 20, ensuring a reliable sealed connection between the tube connector 30 and the round tube 20. Meanwhile, the second connection portion 320 on the main body 300 has an oval interface 321, the inner wall of which is formed with a welding surface 3211 that matches the outer shape of the flat tube 10. The flat tube 10 and the tube connector are connected by welding, which improves the strength of the connection between the flat tube 10 and the tube connector 30 and achieves a reliable and stable sealed connection. From the above, it can be seen that the tube connector 30 can achieve a reliable sealed connection with the circular tube 20, and can also achieve a reliable sealed connection with the flat tube 10. Therefore, the tube connector 30 of the embodiment of the present application can achieve a stable and reliable sealed connection between the flat tube 10 and the circular tube 20 in the thermal management system.

[0086] The above are merely selective examples of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. Those skilled in the art may have various modifications and variations to the present application. As long as they do not deviate from the spirit and principles of the present application, all modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc., made shall be included in the scope of the claims of the present application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 10 Flat tube 110 Second reinforcing rib 20 round tubes 30 Tube Connector 300 body 310 First connection part 311 Columnar structure 312 Groove 313 Sealing material 320 Second Connection 321 Interface 3211 Welding mask 3212 Backing Plate 3213 Positioning groove 3214 First reinforcing rib 330 Fluid passage

Claims

1. A tube connector for connecting a flat tube and a round tube in a thermal management system of a battery, the tube connector including a main body having a fluid passage formed therein, the main body being formed with a first connecting portion for connecting the round tube and a second connecting portion for connecting the flat tube, the first connecting portion being a hollow columnar structure arranged to be fitted onto the round tube, the second connecting portion having an oval interface, and a welding surface formed on an inner wall of the interface that matches the outer shape of the flat tube, The tube connector further includes an oval backing plate disposed within the interface, the oval backing plate defining an oval positioning groove together with the interface, the positioning groove being used to receive an end of the flattened tube.

2. 2. The tube connector according to claim 1, wherein the inner wall of the oval backing plate is provided with a first reinforcing rib extending along the fluid passage.

3. 3. The tube connector of claim 2, wherein the first reinforcing rib, the oblong backing plate, and the body are made of the same material.

4. 3. The tube connector according to claim 2, wherein the number of the first reinforcing ribs is one or more.

5. 2. The tube connector of claim 1, wherein the end surface of the oval backing plate is chamfered.

6. 2. The tube connector according to claim 1, wherein a chamfer is provided on an end surface of the second connecting portion of the body.

7. 2. The tube connector according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing material, wherein a groove capable of accommodating the sealing material is provided in the outer wall of the first connection portion, and the sealing material is fitted externally within the groove.

8. 8. The tube connector according to claim 7, wherein the sealing material is a packing ring or a sealing ring.

9. A thermal management system comprising a flattened tube, a circular tube, and the tube connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first connection portion is connected to the circular tube, and the second connection portion is connected to the flattened tube.

10. The thermal management system according to claim 9 , wherein a second reinforcing rib is provided on an inner wall of the flat tube along an extension direction of the axis.

11. The thermal management system of claim 9 , wherein a locking hoop is fitted onto the outer wall of the circular tube.

12. The thermal management system of claim 9, wherein the flat tube is connected to the tube connector by laser welding.

13. A battery case comprising the thermal management system of claim 9.

14. A battery comprising the thermal management system of claim 9.

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