Battery, its manufacturing method, and power consumption device

Abstract

The present embodiment provides a battery, a manufacturing method thereof, and a power consumption device. The battery includes a plurality of battery cells arranged along a first direction, each having two first side surfaces facing each other in the first direction, two second side surfaces facing each other in a second direction, a top surface and a bottom surface facing each other in a third direction, and two electrode terminals, the first, second, and third directions being orthogonal to each other, and the area of ​​the first side surface being larger than the area of ​​the second side surface, and a cooling member that contains a cooling medium for cooling the battery cells, the cooling member including a cooling unit and an integrated unit, the cooling unit being formed in a plate shape by a first cooling wall and a second cooling wall facing each other in the first direction, the cooling member being provided between two adjacent battery cells, and a passage through which the cooling medium flows is formed between the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall, the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall each being provided with a weak part, and the weak part can burst to release the cooling medium when an abnormality occurs in the battery.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application relates to the field of batteries, and more particularly to batteries, methods of manufacturing batteries, and power consuming devices. [Background technology]

[0002] With the progress of science and technology and the development of the new energy industry, the design related to thermal safety has attracted more and more attention from people. In particular, for batteries, as their energy density increases in line with people's needs, the design of battery safety has also become a major challenge.

[0003] In the prior art, batteries typically include a battery unit in which multiple battery cells are stacked. A major design priority is how to prevent large-area heat transfer within the battery after one or more battery cells experience thermal runaway. In conventional designs, the battery cells are closely spaced from each other, resulting in the largest heat transfer surface after one or more battery cells experience thermal runaway. To ensure no heat transfer occurs between the battery cells, batteries are typically designed to block heat transfer by adding an insulating pad between the closely spaced battery cells. However, as the energy density of battery cells increases, the temperature of the battery cells increases after runaway occurs, which increases the requirements for the insulating space between the battery cells and the insulating capacity. This undoubtedly poses a major challenge to the design requirements for battery energy density, making it urgent to find new insulating methods. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above problems, the present application aims to provide a battery, a manufacturing method thereof, and a power consumption device that can not only effectively dissipate heat inside the battery during normal use, but also quickly prevent heat propagation and achieve rapid cooling of the battery if thermal runaway occurs in the battery.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application relates to a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells arranged along a first direction, each having two first side surfaces facing each other in the first direction, two second side surfaces facing each other in a second direction, a top surface and a bottom surface facing each other in a third direction, and two electrode terminals, wherein the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are each orthogonal to each other, and the area of ​​the first side surfaces is larger than the area of ​​the second side surfaces; and a cooling medium accommodated in the battery pack to cool the battery cells. and a cooling member including a cooling unit and an integrated unit, wherein the cooling unit is formed in a plate shape from a first cooling wall and a second cooling wall that face each other in the first direction, and is provided between two adjacent battery cells, and a passage through which the cooling medium flows is formed between the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall, and wherein the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall each have a weak part, and when an abnormality occurs in the battery, the weak part can rupture to release the cooling medium.

[0006] According to the technical solution of the embodiments of the present application, during normal use of the battery, the cooling unit located between the battery cells can not only quickly dissipate heat generated during use of the battery, but also quickly reduce the battery temperature, improve the product's heat dissipation capability, and enhance fast charging performance. Furthermore, if an abnormality such as thermal runaway occurs in the battery, the cooling unit located between the battery cells and in sufficient contact with the battery cells can significantly reduce heat transfer at the contact surfaces of the battery cells, thereby significantly reducing the risk of heat diffusion / heat propagation between the battery cells. Furthermore, by utilizing weak parts on the two cooling walls of the cooling unit, if an abnormality such as thermal runaway occurs in the battery, the weak parts can be ruptured to quickly release the cooling medium flowing through the cooling unit and quickly diffuse it to various parts on the surface of the battery cells, thereby achieving rapid temperature reduction. This allows for a rapid response and ensures safety even in an emergency situation where the battery experiences thermal runaway, resulting in combustion or explosion, thereby achieving a battery with excellent heat dissipation, stability, and safety.

[0007] In some embodiments, the fragile portion includes a thin-walled portion, and the thickness of the thin-walled portion is smaller than the thickness of other portions of the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall. This makes it possible to realize that the thin-walled portion can be more easily punched out or melted when an abnormality occurs in the battery. Furthermore, since the thin-walled portion can be formed simply by performing a thinning process on the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall, the fragile portion can be realized with just a simple operation without requiring a complicated manufacturing process.

[0008] In some embodiments, the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall each have an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, and the thin-walled portion is formed by thinning the inner wall surface of each of the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall. By thinning the inner wall surface, the outer wall surface can be tightly attached to the adjacent battery unit without destroying the flatness of the outer wall surface. Therefore, if an abnormality occurs in the battery unit, the entire surface of the outer wall surface is tightly attached to the battery cell, and heat generated in the battery is quickly transferred to the thin-walled portion, causing it to burst.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first and second cooling walls have the same thickness, 0.2 to 1.5 mm, and the thinned portion has a thickness of 0.2 mm or less. On the premise that the cooling medium can operate normally and the reliability of the battery can be ensured, the thinned portion can be made as thin as possible, for example, by making the thinned portion 0.2 mm or less compared to the thicknesses of the first and second cooling walls (0.2 to 1.5 mm), it can be ensured that the battery will not melt or be punched out more easily if an abnormality occurs.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall each have a through-hole, the cooling unit further includes a thin film covering at least the through-hole, and the fragile portion is formed by the through-hole and the thin film. By drilling holes and covering the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall with a thin film, the fragile portion can be realized using only a simple manufacturing process, without requiring a complex manufacturing process. In addition, the fragile portion is formed by covering the through-hole with a thin film, and the covered thin film can rupture more easily than the thin-walled portion formed by thinning, allowing for a faster response to temperature changes in the battery.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first and second cooling walls have the same thickness, 0.2 to 1.5 mm, and the thin film has a thickness of 0.1 to 0.3 mm. While ensuring the reliability of the cooling medium and battery normal operation, the thickness of the thin-walled portion can be made as thin as possible. For example, the thickness of the thin film m can be made 0.1 to 0.3 mm compared to the thickness of the first and second cooling walls (0.2 to 1.5 mm). This ensures that the thin film m is less likely to melt or be punched out if an abnormality occurs in the battery. Furthermore, compared to the thinning process of the first and second cooling walls, perforating and coating the first and second cooling walls with a thin film allows for the selection of different thicknesses of the thin film m for different types of batteries and different usage environments, providing greater flexibility in applicability.

[0012] In some embodiments, the outer wall surfaces of the first and second cooling walls each have a linear wall flow channel recessed inward from the outer wall surface, and the wall flow channel partially overlaps the weak portion in a plan view seen from the first direction. By providing the linear wall flow channel, if an abnormality occurs in the battery, the flow of cooling medium ejected from the ruptured weak portion can be further promoted, and the released cooling medium can be more quickly diffused over the surface of the battery cell.

[0013] In some embodiments, the linear wall surface channels form a grid pattern or a radial pattern centered on the weak portion when viewed from the first direction. By designing the linear wall surface channels to have a grid pattern or a radial pattern centered on the weak portion, the flow of the cooling medium ejected from the ruptured weak portion can be further promoted, allowing the released cooling medium to be more quickly diffused over the surface of the battery cell.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall each have a wall recess on the first wall surface that is recessed inward from the outer wall surface, and the wall recess can provide an expansion space for the battery cell, and in the second direction, the distance from the edge of the wall recess to the nearest edge of the outer wall surface is 3 to 20% (and greater than 2 mm) of the length of the outer wall surface in the second direction, and in the third direction, the distance from the edge of the wall recess to the nearest edge of the outer wall surface is 3 to 20% (and greater than 2 mm) of the length of the outer wall surface in the third direction, or the area of ​​the wall recess occupies (60 to 90%) of the outer wall surface, and the depth of the wall recess is 10 to 90% of the wall thickness, and the fragile portion is provided in the wall recess. By providing the wall recesses on the outer wall surfaces of the first and second cooling walls, the flow of the cooling medium can be further promoted, allowing the released cooling medium to diffuse more quickly over the surface of the battery cells. The wall recesses can also be used to provide expansion space for the battery cells to expand. Furthermore, in the event of a battery malfunction, the cooling medium will not be blocked by the fragile parts caused by the rupture of the battery cells, which further aids in the release of the cooling medium and allows the cooling medium to diffuse more smoothly over the surface of the battery cells.

[0015] In some embodiments, the weak portion is one and is close to the top surface of the battery cell in the third direction, which further promotes the flow of the cooling medium, and when an abnormality occurs in the battery and the weak portion ruptures, the cooling medium released from the ruptured weak portion can be quickly dispersed over the surface of the battery cell by gravity.

[0016] In some embodiments, the number of the weakened portions is multiple, and the number of the weakened portions closer to the top surface of the battery cell in the third direction is greater than the number of weakened portions at other positions, thereby ensuring that the ejected cooling medium can cover a large surface area of ​​the battery cell more quickly, cool the battery more quickly, and further promote the flow of the cooling medium, allowing the ejected cooling medium to quickly diffuse over the surface of the battery cell.

[0017] In some embodiments, the shape of the weakened portion is circular, triangular, or rectangular, which can further promote the flow of the cooling medium, and when an abnormality occurs in the battery and the weakened portion ruptures, the cooling medium released from the ruptured weakened portion can be quickly dispersed over the surface of the battery cell.

[0018] In some embodiments, the cooling units are multiple, and each is disposed between any two adjacent battery cells. By disposing multiple cooling units according to the number of battery cells, a cooling unit is provided between any two adjacent battery cells, thereby improving heat dissipation in the battery. In this case, if an abnormality occurs in the battery, regardless of which battery cell or which side of the battery the abnormality occurs in, a response can be obtained from the cooling unit, improving heat dissipation in the battery.

[0019] In some embodiments, the battery cells are divided into a plurality of battery units each including the same number of battery cells, and a plurality of cooling units are provided, each disposed between any two adjacent battery units, so that the cooling units can be disposed between the battery units having a plurality of battery cells according to actual circumstances, taking into consideration cost factors, assembly efficiency, and requirements for fast charging and thermal insulation, thereby improving assembly efficiency and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0020] In some embodiments, the two electrode terminals are provided on the top surface of the battery cell or on the two second side surfaces of the battery cell, respectively, and the integrated unit is one, is provided on the bottom surface of the battery cells across the battery cells in the first direction, and is connected to the cooling unit. This allows the integrated unit to be provided on the bottom of the battery according to the installation position of the electrode terminals, taking into account the overall size of the battery and the grouping method, thereby improving heat dissipation and cooling of the battery 10.

[0021] In some embodiments, the two electrode terminals are provided on the two second side surfaces of the battery cell, respectively, and there are two integrated units, which are provided on the top and bottom surfaces of the battery cells along the first direction across the battery cells, and which are each connected to the cooling unit. This allows for a cooling unit to be provided between the battery cells, one integrated unit to be provided on the bottom of the battery, and another integrated unit to be provided on the top of the battery, compared to when electrode terminals are provided on both sides of the battery cells, and the two integrated units can better dissipate heat and cool the battery from the top and bottom.

[0022] In some embodiments, a thermally conductive layer is further provided between the cooling unit and the battery cells, which can better dissipate heat from the battery.

[0023] In a second aspect, embodiments of the present application further provide a power consuming device including a battery provided by the first aspect of embodiments of the present application.

[0024] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a battery manufacturing method including the steps of: providing a plurality of battery cells arranged along a first direction, each having two first side surfaces opposite each other in the first direction, two second side surfaces opposite each other in a second direction, a top surface and a bottom surface opposite each other in a third direction, and two electrode terminals, wherein the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are each perpendicular to each other, and the area of ​​the first side surfaces is larger than the area of ​​the second side surfaces; providing a cooling member that contains a cooling medium to cool the battery cells and includes a cooling unit and an integration unit, wherein the cooling unit is formed in a plate shape by first and second cooling walls that oppose each other in the first direction, and a passage through which the cooling medium flows is formed between the first and second cooling walls; a fragile portion fabricating step of fabricating fragile portions in the first and second cooling walls, respectively; and a step of disposing the cooling unit between two adjacent battery cells. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] The drawings described herein are intended to provide a further understanding of the present application and constitute a part of the present application, and the illustrative embodiments and descriptions thereof are to be used in interpreting the present application, but are not to be construed as unduly limiting the present application. [Figure 1] 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view showing the basic structure of a battery according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a front view of a battery according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from a first direction (X direction). [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the battery according to one embodiment of the present invention taken along line AA in FIG. 3. [Figure 5]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 6] 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a cooling unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7] 1 is a front view of a cooling unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from a first direction (X direction). [Figure 8] 8 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling unit according to the embodiment of the present invention taken along line AA in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a locally enlarged view of a circled portion B in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the structure of a cooling unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is an exploded view showing the structure of a cooling unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 10 is a front view of a cooling unit according to another embodiment of the present invention, viewed from a first direction (X direction). FIG. [Figure 13] 13 is a cross-sectional view of a cooling unit according to another embodiment of the present invention taken along line AA in FIG. 12. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a locally enlarged view of a circled portion B in FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the structure of a cooling unit according to a further embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a front view of a cooling unit according to a further embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from a first direction (X direction). [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a side view of a cooling unit according to a further embodiment of the present invention, viewed from a second direction (Y direction). [Figure 18] 18 is a cross-sectional view of a cooling unit according to a further embodiment of the present invention taken along line CC in FIG. 17. [Figure 19] 17 is a cross-sectional view of a cooling unit according to a further embodiment of the present invention taken along line AA in FIG. 16. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a locally enlarged view of a circled portion B in FIG. 19. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the structure of a cooling unit according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22]FIG. 10 is a front view of a cooling unit according to yet another embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from a first direction (X direction). [Figure 23] FIG. 10 is a side view of a cooling unit according to yet another embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from a second direction (Y direction). [Figure 24] 24 is a cross-sectional view of a cooling unit according to still another embodiment of the present invention taken along line CC in FIG. 23. FIG. [Figure 25] 23 is a cross-sectional view of a cooling unit according to yet another embodiment of the present invention taken along line AA in FIG. 22. [Figure 26] FIG. 26 is a locally enlarged view of a circled portion B in FIG. 25. [Figure 27] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the structure of a cooling unit according to another modified example of the present application. [Figure 28] FIG. 10 is a front view of a cooling unit according to another modified example of the present invention, as viewed from a first direction (X direction). [Figure 29] FIG. 10 is a side view of a cooling unit according to another modified example of the present invention, as viewed from a second direction (Y direction). [Figure 30] 30 is a cross-sectional view of a cooling unit according to another modified example of the present invention taken along line CC in FIG. 29. [Figure 31] 29 is a cross-sectional view of a cooling unit according to another modified example of the present invention taken along line AA in FIG. 28. FIG. [Figure 32] FIG. 32 is a locally enlarged view of a circled portion B in FIG. 31. [Figure 33] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the structure of a cooling unit according to still another modified example of the present application. [Figure 34] FIG. 10 is a front view of a cooling unit according to still another modified example of the present invention, as viewed from a first direction (X direction). [Figure 35] FIG. 10 is a side view of a cooling unit according to still another modified example of the present invention, as viewed from the second direction (Y direction). [Figure 36] 36 is a cross-sectional view of a cooling unit according to still another modified example of the present invention taken along line CC in FIG. 35. FIG. [Figure 37] 35 is a cross-sectional view of a cooling unit according to still another modified example of the present invention taken along line AA in FIG. 34. [Figure 38] FIG. 38 is a locally enlarged view of the circled portion B in FIG. 37. [Figure 39] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the structure of a cooling unit according to a further modified example of the present application. [Figure 40] FIG. 10 is a front view of a cooling unit according to a further modified example of the present invention, as viewed from a first direction (X direction). [Figure 41] FIG. 10 is a side view of a cooling unit according to a further modified example of the present invention, as viewed from a second direction (Y direction). [Figure 42] 42 is a cross-sectional view of a cooling unit according to a further modified example of the present invention taken along line CC in FIG. 41. FIG. [Figure 43] 41 is a cross-sectional view of a cooling unit according to a further modified example of the present invention taken along line AA in FIG. 40. FIG. [Figure 44] FIG. 44 is a locally enlarged view of the circled portion B in FIG. 43. [Figure 45] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the basic structure of a battery according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 46] 10 is a front view of a battery according to another embodiment of the present invention, viewed from a first direction (X direction). FIG. [Figure 47] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the basic structure of a battery according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 48] 10 is a front view of a battery according to another embodiment of the present invention, viewed from a first direction (X direction). FIG. [Figure 49] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a method for manufacturing a battery according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the technical solution of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are merely examples, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application, as they are merely intended to more clearly explain the technical solution of the present application.

[0027] 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 of this application, and the terms used herein are merely for the purpose of describing specific examples and are not intended to be limiting of this application. The terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of this application and in the brief description of the drawings above are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion.

[0028] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, technical terms such as "first," "second," etc. are used merely to distinguish different objects, and should not be understood as indicating or suggesting relative importance, or implying the number, specific order, or hierarchical relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly and specifically limited, "plurality" means two or more.

[0029] Reference to an "embodiment" herein means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described with reference to the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearances of this phrase in various places in the present specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment, nor are they mutually exclusive, independent, or alternative embodiments. As will be understood, explicitly or implicitly, by one skilled in the art, the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0030] In the description of the examples in this specification, the term "and / or" is simply a relation that describes related objects, and indicates that three relations may exist. For example, A and / or B can indicate three cases: "only A exists," "A and B exist simultaneously," and "only B exists." Note that in this specification, the symbol " / " generally indicates that the related objects before and after it are in an "or" relationship.

[0031] In describing the embodiments of the present application, the term "plurality" refers to two or more (including two); similarly, "multiple groups" refers to two or more groups (including two groups); and "plurality" refers to two or more (including two).

[0032] In describing the embodiments of the present application, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by technical terms such as "center," "longitudinal direction," "lateral direction," "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 orientations or positional relationships shown in the drawings and are intended merely to facilitate or simplify the description of the embodiments of the present application. They do not indicate or suggest that the indicated devices or elements necessarily have a specific orientation or are configured or operated in a specific orientation, and should not be understood as limiting the embodiments of the present application.

[0033] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified or limited, technical terms such as "attach," "couple," "connect," and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense, and may refer to, for example, a fixed connection, a detachable connection, an integral connection, a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, a direct connection, an indirect connection via an intermediate medium, an internal communication between two elements, or an interactive relationship between two elements. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application according to the specific circumstances.

[0034] The battery referred to in the examples of this application refers to a single physical module containing multiple battery cells to provide higher voltage and capacity. The battery may include multiple battery modules electrically connected to each other and a housing, and the multiple battery modules are arranged within the space of the housing. The housing is generally a sealed housing.

[0035] A battery module may include a plurality of battery cells and a frame, and the frame surrounds and integrally fixes the plurality of battery cells. Generally, the frame does not perform a sealing function but serves to fix the plurality of battery cells.

[0036] The battery cell includes an electrode assembly and an electrolyte, and the electrode assembly includes a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator. The battery cell operates mainly by the movement of metal ions between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate. The positive electrode plate includes a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode active material layer. The positive electrode active material layer is coated on the surface of the positive electrode current collector, and the current collector without the positive electrode active material layer protrudes from the current collector with the positive electrode active material layer coated thereon, and the current collector without the positive electrode active material layer is called a positive electrode tab. Taking a lithium-ion battery as an example, the material of the positive electrode current collector may be aluminum, and the positive electrode active material may be lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, ternary lithium, lithium manganese oxide, etc. The negative electrode plate includes a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material layer. The negative electrode active material layer is coated on the surface of the negative electrode current collector, and the current collector without the negative electrode active material layer protrudes from the current collector with the negative electrode active material layer coated thereon. The current collector without the negative electrode active material layer is called a negative electrode tab. The material of the negative electrode current collector may be copper, and the negative electrode active material may be carbon or silicon, etc. To ensure a large current flow without melting, the positive electrode tabs are multiple and stacked, and the negative electrode tabs are multiple and stacked. The separator may be made of PP or PE, etc. The electrode assembly may have a wound structure or a stacked structure, but the present application is not limited thereto.

[0037] Furthermore, the battery cells may be cylindrical, flat, rectangular, or have other shapes, etc. Battery cells are generally divided into three types according to packaging methods: cylindrical battery cells, prismatic battery cells, and soft-pack battery cells.

[0038] When developing battery technology, various design factors such as performance parameters such as energy density, cycle life, discharge capacity, charge / discharge ratio, etc. must be considered simultaneously, and furthermore, the heat dissipation, stability, and safety of the battery must also be considered.

[0039] Batteries used in power-consuming devices such as electric vehicles typically consist of tens or even thousands of battery cells, which are stacked to form a battery unit. The inventors discovered that batteries generate a large amount of heat during use, which must be dissipated in a timely manner. Failure to dissipate heat in a timely manner can significantly shorten the battery's service life, significantly affect its charging performance, and reduce its stability. Furthermore, one or more battery cells in a battery may experience thermal runaway due to improper use. If thermal runaway occurs, failure to control it in a timely manner can lead to heat transfer between battery units, causing the battery temperature to far exceed the actual operating temperature, potentially damaging the battery and even resulting in battery combustion or explosion. To address this issue, heat transfer is typically blocked by adding an insulating pad between the contact surfaces of battery cells.

[0040] However, as the energy density of batteries and battery cells increases with increasing human needs, the temperature of battery cells increases after thermal runaway occurs, and the requirements for the insulating space between battery cells and the insulating capacity also increase accordingly. However, in the prior art, the design idea of ​​simply adding an insulating pad between the contact surfaces of battery cells is completely inadequate to deal with the thermal runaway situations that occur in current high-energy density battery cells.

[0041] In view of this, the present application provides a battery comprising: a plurality of battery cells arranged along a first direction, each having two first side surfaces facing each other in the first direction, two second side surfaces facing each other in a second direction, a top surface and a bottom surface facing each other in a third direction, and two electrode terminals, wherein the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are each orthogonal to two of the battery cells, and the area of ​​the first side surfaces is larger than the area of ​​the second side surfaces; and a cooling member containing a cooling medium to cool the battery cells, the cooling member including a cooling unit and an integration unit, the cooling unit being formed in a plate shape by first and second cooling walls facing each other in the first direction, and being provided between two adjacent battery cells, the cooling member having a passage through which the cooling medium flows between the first and second cooling walls, wherein the first and second cooling walls each have a weak portion, and the weak portion is capable of rupturing to release the cooling medium when an abnormality occurs in the battery.

[0042] Here, the abnormality occurring in the battery may be, for example, a situation in which the temperature of the battery far exceeds the critical temperature that the battery can withstand due to excessive use of the battery, improper use of the battery, use of the battery in an extreme environment, or a malfunction, and thus a situation in which thermal runaway such as battery explosion or battery combustion occurs.

[0043] According to this technical solution, a battery is provided with a cooling member including an integrated unit and a plate-shaped cooling unit, a cooling medium for cooling the battery cells is accommodated in the cooling member, and the plate-shaped cooling unit is provided between two adjacent battery cells. Under normal use conditions, the cooling unit located between the battery cells can be used to more quickly dissipate heat generated during use of the battery, quickly reducing the battery temperature, improving the heat dissipation capacity of the product, and improving fast charging performance. In addition, the cooling unit is formed into a plate shape by two cooling walls and is provided between two adjacent battery cells, attached to the battery cells, and can be in sufficient contact with the battery cells. In the event of an abnormality such as thermal runaway in the battery, the cooling unit located between the battery cells and in sufficient contact with the battery cells can significantly reduce heat transfer from the contact surfaces of the battery cells, thereby significantly reducing the risk of heat diffusion / heat propagation between the battery cells. In addition, the two cooling walls of the cooling unit are further provided with weak parts, and if an abnormality such as thermal runaway occurs in the battery, these weak parts are more likely to rupture than other parts of the cooling walls.By rupturing these weak parts, the cooling medium flowing through the cooling unit can be quickly released and quickly diffused to various parts of the surface of the battery cell, thereby achieving rapid temperature reduction.Even if thermal runaway occurs in the battery, and ultimately combustion and explosion occur, a quick response can be made to ensure safety, and the battery can combine heat dissipation, stability, and safety.

[0044] Some embodiments of the present application provide a device including a battery for providing electrical energy. Optionally, the device may be a vehicle, a watercraft, a spacecraft, or the like.

[0045] The technical solutions described in the embodiments of the present application are applicable to various devices such as mobile phones, portable devices, laptops, electric bicycles, electric toys, power tools, electric vehicles, ships and spacecraft, for example, spacecraft includes airplanes, rockets, space shuttles and spaceships.

[0046] It should be understood that the technical solutions described in the embodiments of the present application are not only applicable to the devices described above, but also to all devices that use batteries. However, for the sake of simplicity, the following embodiments will be described using electric vehicles as examples.

[0047] For example, FIG. 1 shows a structural schematic diagram of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present application. The vehicle 1 may be a gasoline-powered vehicle, a gas-powered vehicle, or a new energy vehicle. The new energy vehicle may be a rechargeable battery-powered electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, or a range-extending electric vehicle. A motor 20, a controller 30, and a battery 10 may be provided inside the vehicle 1. The controller 30 is used to control the battery 10 to supply power to the motor 20. For example, the battery 10 may be provided at the bottom, front, or tail of the vehicle 1. The battery 10 may be used to power the vehicle 1. For example, the battery 10 may be used as an operating power source for the vehicle 1, for the circuit system of the vehicle 1, and for power needs during startup, navigation, and driving of the vehicle 1. In another embodiment of the present application, the battery 10 may not only be used as an operating power source for the vehicle 1, but also as a driving power source for the vehicle 1, providing driving power to the vehicle 1 instead of, or in place of, fuel oil or natural gas.

[0048] To meet different power usage needs, a battery can include multiple battery cells, which can be connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel, with the series-parallel connection referring to a combination of series and parallel connections. A battery may also be called a battery pack. Alternatively, multiple battery cells can be first connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel to form a battery module, and then multiple battery modules can be connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel to form a battery. That is, multiple battery cells can directly form a battery, or a battery module can be first formed, and then the battery module can be used to form a battery.

[0049] The battery may further include a housing and end plates, and the battery unit (battery module) and the end plates may both be provided within the housing, with the end plates being provided between the battery unit (battery module) and the inner wall of the housing. In the following description, for ease of understanding, other components such as the housing that are less relevant to the gist of the present application are omitted.

[0050] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 2, the present application provides a battery 10 including a plurality of battery cells 100 and a cooling member 200. The plurality of battery cells 100 are arranged along a first direction X (thickness direction of the battery 10), and each battery cell 100 has two first side surfaces 101 arranged opposite to each other in the first direction X, two second side surfaces 102 arranged opposite to each other in a second direction Y (length direction of the battery 10), a top surface 103 and a bottom surface 104 arranged opposite to each other in a third direction Z (height direction of the battery 10), and two electrode terminals E. Two of the first direction X, two of the second direction Y, and two of the third direction Z are perpendicular to each other, and the area of ​​the first side surfaces 101 is larger than the area of ​​the second side surfaces 102. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, the cooling member 200 includes a cooling unit 201 and an integration unit 202, and a cooling medium for cooling the battery cells 100 (battery 10) is stored in the cooling member 200. The cooling unit 201 is formed in a plate shape by a first cooling wall 2011 and a second cooling wall 2012 that face each other in a first direction X, and is provided between two adjacent battery cells 100. A passage through which the cooling medium flows is formed between the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 8, the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012 each have a fragile portion 2013 that can burst to release the cooling medium if an abnormality occurs in the battery 10. In Figure 2, for ease of understanding, one cooling unit 201 is shown alone on the far right side, but in an actual assembled battery 10, the cooling unit 201 is located between two adjacent battery cells 100 (e.g., Figure 4), and Figure 2 is a schematic diagram that shows one cooling unit 201 alone on the far right side simply for ease of explanation.

[0051] In some embodiments of the present application, for example, as shown in Fig. 5, which is a perspective view of a specific embodiment of a battery cell 100 of the present application, the battery cell 100 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, the first side surface 101 is the surface of the battery cell 100 with the largest area, and the two electrode terminals E are both provided on the top surface 103 of the battery cell 100. Here, providing both of the two electrode terminals E on the top surface 103 of the battery cell 100 is merely an example, and the two electrode terminals E may also be provided on the second side surface 102 of the battery cell 100, as shown in Figs. 45 to 48, which will be described later. For ease of explanation, the length of the battery cell 100 is defined as L, the thickness as W, and the height as H. In other words, the first direction X is also the thickness direction (W direction) of the battery cell 100, the second direction Y is also the length direction (L direction) of the battery cell 100, and the third direction Z is also the height direction (H direction) of the battery cell 100, and two of the first direction X, second direction Y, and third direction Z are perpendicular to each other.

[0052] 4 is a cross-sectional view of a specific example of the assembly structure of the battery 10 of the present application, specifically a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3, in which a cooling unit 201 formed in a plate shape from a first cooling wall 2011 and a second cooling wall 2012 facing each other in a first direction X is positioned between two adjacent battery cells 100. The first cooling wall 2011 of the cooling unit 201 is attached to the first side surface 101 of one of the two adjacent battery cells 100, and the second cooling wall 2012 of the cooling unit 201 is attached to the first side surface 101 of the other of the two adjacent battery cells 100.

[0053] By providing a plate-shaped cooling unit 201 between two adjacent battery cells 100, the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012 of the cooling unit 201 are attached to the first side surface 101 of the adjacent battery cells 100, respectively. Under normal use conditions, the cooling unit 201 between the battery cells 100 can be used to more quickly dissipate heat generated during use of the battery 10, quickly reducing the temperature of the battery 10 and improving the heat dissipation capability of the product, thereby improving rapid charging performance.

[0054] Furthermore, the cooling unit 201 is formed in a plate shape from two cooling walls (a first cooling wall 2011 and a second cooling wall 2012) and is provided between two adjacent battery cells 100, so that the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012 are attached to the first side surfaces 101 of the adjacent battery cells 100, respectively, and the cooling unit 201 can be in sufficient contact with the battery cells 100. In the event of an abnormality such as thermal runaway in the battery 10, the cooling unit 201 located between the battery cells 100 and in sufficient contact with the battery cells 100 can significantly reduce heat transfer from the contact surfaces of the battery cells 100, thereby significantly reducing the risk of heat diffusion / heat propagation between the battery cells 100.

[0055] In some embodiments of the present application, the cooling member 200 is connected to an external water cooler (not shown) as a cooling system, and the water cooler pressurizes the cooling member 200, allowing the cooling medium to flow from one end of the cooling member 200 to the cooling unit 201 and the integrated unit 202, and then pass between the battery cells 100 and out the other end of the cooling member 200, thereby realizing circulation of the cooling medium. Using the cooling medium to accelerate cooling of the battery cells 100 can ensure temperature uniformity among the battery cells 100, enhance overcurrent heat dissipation of the battery cells 100, and improve fast charging performance. Furthermore, when an abnormality occurs in a battery cell 100, the heat transfer between the battery cells 100 along the contact direction of the battery cells 100 can be delayed, accelerating heat dissipation from the abnormal battery cell 100 and reducing the risk of heat propagation to adjacent battery cells 100.

[0056] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 to 9, the fragile portions 2013 are provided in the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012, and if an abnormality occurs in the battery 10, the fragile portions 2013 can burst to release the cooling medium.

[0057] As described above, an abnormality occurring in the battery 10 may be, for example, a situation in which the temperature of the battery far exceeds the critical temperature that the battery can withstand due to excessive use of the battery, inappropriate use of the battery, use of the battery in an extreme environment, or a malfunction, and ultimately a situation in which thermal runaway such as battery explosion or combustion occurs. In this case, by providing the weak portions 2013 in each of the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012, the physical strength of the portions of the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012 where the weak portions 2013 are provided is made smaller than the physical strength of other portions of the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012, and the weak portions 2013 become local weak points of the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012. In this case, when the battery 10 is used normally, the heat generated in the battery 10 does not destroy the weak portion 2013 (local weak point), but if the above-mentioned abnormal situation such as thermal runaway occurs in the battery 10, the large amount of heat generated by the battery 10 destroys (e.g., thermally melts or dissolves) the weak portion 2013 (local weak point), causing the weak portion 2013 to rupture, and the cooling medium flowing in the cooling unit 201 is constantly sprayed out from the ruptured weak portion 2013 or is sprayed out from the ruptured weak portion 2013 by the pressurized operation of the water cooler, and is sprayed onto the adjacent surface of the battery cell 100 where thermal runaway has occurred and other parts of the battery 10 where an abnormality has occurred. In this case, the cooling medium quickly changes phase after encountering the high-temperature interface, and the cooling medium sprayed out from the ruptured weak portion 2013 carries away a large amount of heat, thereby achieving a rapid temperature drop of the battery 10.

[0058] In some embodiments, the cooling member 200 also functions as a cooling system and is linked to a battery alarm system (not shown). Specifically, when the alarm system detects that a dangerous situation such as thermal runaway has occurred inside the battery 10, the output power of the water cooler is controlled to increase the output power and improve the circulation efficiency of the cooling medium within the cooling member 200. This improves the heat dissipation rate of the product, and at the same time, the weakened portion 2013 is punched out by the increase in back pressure between the cooling walls due to the increase in the flow rate of the cooling medium, causing the weakened portion 2013 to burst, and the cooling medium within the cooling member 200 to spray out from the weakened portion 2013, thereby enabling the product to cool rapidly.

[0059] As can be seen from the above, in the above technical solution of the present application, during normal use of the battery, the cooling unit located between the battery cells can not only quickly dissipate heat generated during use of the battery, but also quickly reduce the battery temperature, improve the product's heat dissipation capability, and enhance fast charging performance. Furthermore, if an abnormality such as thermal runaway occurs in the battery, the cooling unit located between the battery cells and in sufficient contact with the battery cells can significantly reduce heat transfer at the contact surfaces of the battery cells, thereby significantly reducing the risk of heat diffusion / heat propagation between the battery cells. Furthermore, by utilizing the weak parts on the two cooling walls of the cooling unit, if an abnormality such as thermal runaway occurs in the battery, the weak parts can be ruptured to quickly release the cooling medium flowing through the cooling unit and quickly diffuse it to various parts on the surface of the battery cells, thereby achieving rapid temperature reduction. This allows for a rapid response and ensures safety even in an emergency situation where the battery experiences thermal runaway, resulting in combustion and explosion, thereby achieving a battery with excellent heat dissipation, stability, and safety.

[0060] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG. 9, the weak portion 2013 may include a thin portion p, the thickness of which is smaller than the thickness of other portions of the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012.

[0061] As a method of forming the thinned portion p, for example, on the premise that the reliability that the cooling medium can operate normally and the battery can be used normally is ensured, by locally thinning the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012 (for example, thinning the fragile portion 2013), it is possible to realize that the thinned portion p can be more easily punched out or melted in the event of an abnormality in the battery. Moreover, since the thinned portion p can be formed simply by thinning the thickness of the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012, no complicated manufacturing process is required and the fragile portion 2013 can be realized with just a simple operation.

[0062] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG. 9 , the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012 each have an inner wall surface a and an outer wall surface b, and the thickness of each of the inner wall surfaces a of the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012 is reduced to form a thin-walled portion p.

[0063] By thinning the wall thickness from the inner wall surface a, the outer wall surface b can be brought into tight contact with the adjacent battery unit 100 without destroying the flatness of the outer wall surface b. Therefore, if an abnormality occurs in the battery unit 100, the entire surface of the outer wall surface b will be in tight contact with the battery cell 100, and heat generated in the battery will be quickly transferred to the thin-walled portion p, causing it to explode.

[0064] In some embodiments of the present application, the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012 have the same thickness, 0.2 to 1.5 mm, and the thickness of the thin-walled portion p is 0.2 mm or less. On the premise that the cooling medium can operate normally and the reliability of the battery can be ensured, the thickness of the thin-walled portion p is made as thin as possible, for example, by making the thickness of the thin-walled portion p 0.2 mm or less compared to the thickness of the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012 (0.2 to 1.5 mm), it is possible to ensure that the thin-walled portion p will not melt or be punched out more easily if an abnormality occurs in the battery.

[0065] As a specific example, in order to enhance the heat dissipation effect in consideration of the limited gap between the battery cells, the cooling unit may preferably be formed by welding two thin aluminum plates together, with a flow path through which a liquid cooling medium can flow between the two aluminum plates. The thickness of the flow path is preferably 0.5 to 5 mm, and more preferably 2 mm. The cooling medium used in the cooling unit is preferably a water-cooled liquid with good freeze resistance and high specific heat capacity, such as an ethylene glycol-water type, an ethanol-water type, or a glycerin-water type. However, the present application is not limited to these, and the above content is merely an example for ease of explanation, and various modifications can be made to the present application based on this.

[0066] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figures 10 to 14, a through hole C is provided in each of the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012, the cooling unit 201 further includes a thin film m covering at least the through hole C, and the fragile portion 2013 is formed by the through hole C and the thin film m.

[0067] By perforating and coating the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012 with a thin film, the fragile portion 2013 can be realized with only a simple manufacturing process, without requiring a complex manufacturing process. In addition, the fragile portion 2013 is formed by coating the through-hole C with a thin film m, and the coated thin film m can rupture more easily than the thin-walled portion p formed by thinning, so that the battery can respond more quickly to temperature changes.

[0068] In a preferred form of this embodiment, the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012 are each provided with through holes C of 1 to 5 mm, and the surfaces of the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012 are covered with a thin plastic film m made of a material such as PP (polypropylene plastics) / PFA (perfluoroalkoxy alkane) / PI (polyimide plastics), the thickness of this plastic film being 0.1 to 0.3 mm.More preferably, a rubber lining is attached to the contact surfaces between the plastic film and the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012.

[0069] In some embodiments of the present application, the thickness of the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012 is the same, 0.2 to 1.5 mm, and the thickness of the thin film m is 0.1 to 0.3 mm.

[0070] On the premise that the reliability of the cooling medium operating normally and the battery being usable normally is ensured, the thickness of the thin film m can be made as thin as possible, for example, 0.1 to 0.3 mm thinner than the thickness (0.2 to 1.5 mm) of the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012, thereby ensuring that the thin film m will be more easily melted or punched out if an abnormality occurs in the battery. Furthermore, compared to the process of thinning the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012, by perforating and coating the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012 with a thin film, it is possible to select thin film m of different thicknesses according to different types of batteries and different usage environments according to actual circumstances, thereby providing greater flexibility in applicability.

[0071] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figures 15 to 32, a linear wall surface flow path T recessed inward from the outer wall surface b is provided on each of the outer wall surfaces b of the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012, and in a plan view seen from the first direction X, the linear wall surface flow path T partially overlaps with the fragile portion 2013.

[0072] By providing the linear wall flow path T, in the event of an abnormality in the battery, the flow of the cooling medium ejected from the ruptured fragile part 2013 can be further promoted, and the released cooling medium can be diffused more quickly over the surface of the battery cell 100.

[0073] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figures 15, 21, and 27, the linear wall flow paths T form a grid pattern or a radial pattern centered on the fragile portion 2013 when viewed in a plan view from the first direction X.

[0074] By designing the linear wall flow path T to have a grid pattern or to present a radial pattern centered on the weak portion 2013, the flow of the cooling medium ejected from the ruptured weak portion 2013 can be further promoted, and the released cooling medium can be diffused more quickly over the surface of the battery cell 100.

[0075] It should be understood that Figures 15 to 20 show an example in which the linear wall surface flow path T has a lattice pattern and has one weak portion 2013, Figures 21 to 26 show an example in which the linear wall surface flow path T has a lattice pattern and has multiple weak portions 2013 (four are shown as an example), and Figures 27 to 32 show an example in which the linear wall surface flow path T has a radial pattern centered on the weak portion 2013 and has one weak portion 2013, but the examples shown are merely examples, and the present application is not limited to these, and the pattern of the linear wall surface flow path T and the number of weak portions 2013 can be designed and changed as necessary.

[0076] As a specific example, the width of the linear wall flow path is preferably 0.5 to 5 mm, and more preferably 2 mm, but this value is merely an example and the present application is not limited to this.

[0077] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figures 33 to 44, the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012 further have a wall recess D on their respective outer wall surfaces b that is recessed inward from the outer wall surface b, and the wall recess D can provide an expansion space for the battery cell 100. In the second direction Y, the distance from the edge of the wall recess D to the nearest edge of the outer wall surface b is 3 to 20% of the length of the first wall surface 2011 in the second direction Y and is greater than 2 mm, and in the third direction Z, the distance from the edge of the wall recess D to the nearest edge of the outer wall surface b is 3 to 20% of the length of the outer wall surface b in the third direction Z and is greater than 2 mm, or the area of ​​the wall recess D accounts for 60 to 90% of the total area of ​​the outer wall surface b, and the depth of the wall recess D (distance in the first direction X) is 10 to 90% of the thickness, and the fragile portion 2013 is provided in the wall recess D.

[0078] Here, by providing a wall surface recess D on each outer wall surface b of the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012, the flow of the cooling medium can be further promoted, and the released cooling medium can be diffused more quickly over the surface of the battery unit 100.

[0079] Furthermore, during use of the battery, the battery cells 100 inevitably expand and deform, increasing the overall volume of the battery cells 10, which may cause the battery cells 100 to be pressed against the housing that houses them, deforming them, and ultimately causing the battery cells 100 to break due to the pressure between the battery cells 100 and the housing, which may affect the assembly and service life of the battery cells 10. Here, by providing wall surface recesses D that are recessed inward on the outer wall surfaces b of each of the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012, the wall surface recesses D can be used to provide an expansion space for the battery cells 100 to expand.

[0080] Furthermore, as described in the above embodiment, simply providing the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012 with the fragile portion 2013 allows the fragile portion 2013 to rupture to release the cooling medium if an abnormality occurs in the battery. However, because the cooling unit 201 is disposed between two adjacent battery cells 100, the fragile portion 2013 may be blocked by the first side surface 101 of the battery cell 100 and the portion of the cooling unit 201 where the fragile portion 2013 is provided. In this case, if an abnormality occurs in the battery 10, even if the fragile portion 2013 ruptures, the ruptured fragile portion 2013 will be blocked by the first side surface 101 of the battery cell 100, preventing the cooling medium from being released smoothly. Here, the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012 each have a wall recess D recessed inward on their outer wall surfaces b, and the wall recess D has a fragile portion 2013. This means that when the cooling unit 201 is disposed between two adjacent battery cells 100, the first side surface 101 of the battery cells 100 is not directly bonded to the portion of the wall recess D where the fragile portion 2013 of the cooling unit 201 is provided. In other words, the first side surface 101 of the battery cells 100 and the fragile portion 2013 are spaced apart in the first direction X. This prevents the first side surface 101 of the battery cells 100 from blocking the ruptured fragile portion 2013 and preventing the smooth release of the cooling medium when an abnormality occurs in the battery 10. This design is therefore conducive to the release of the cooling medium and allows the cooling medium to be more efficiently diffused over the surface of the battery cells 100.

[0081] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figures 8, 11, 20, 32, 38, etc., the number of weak portions 2013 is one, and the weak portion 2013 is close to the top surface 103 of the battery cell 100 in the third direction Z.

[0082] By providing the weak portion 2013 on the top surface 103 closer to the battery cell 100 in the third direction Z, the weak portion 2013 can be positioned higher, which further promotes the flow of cooling medium. In the event that an abnormality occurs in the battery 10 and the weak portion 2013 ruptures, the cooling medium released from the ruptured weak portion 2013 due to gravity can be quickly diffused over the surface of the battery cell 100.

[0083] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present application, when there is only one weak portion 2013, it is preferable that the weak portion 2013 be equally spaced from the nearest edge of the first wall surface 2011 in the second direction Y (i.e., located at a half position (middle) of the first wall surface 2011 in the second direction Y), and that the distance to the edge of the first wall surface 2011 closest to the top surface 103 in the third direction Z be at least a quarter of the length of the first wall surface 2011 in the third direction Z (e.g., Figures 8, 18, 30, 36, etc.), thereby more preferably ensuring that the cooling medium flowing out from the ruptured weak portion 2013 can quickly flow over most of the surface area (first side surface 101) of the battery cell (most of the large-area surface area of ​​the battery cell) due to the action of gravity.

[0084] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figures 24, 42, etc., there are multiple weak portions 2013, and the multiple weak portions 2013 are arranged so that the number of weak portions 2013 near the top surface 103 of the battery cell 100 in the third direction Z is greater than the number of weak portions 2013 at other positions.

[0085] 24, four weak portions 2013 are provided in each of the first cooling wall 2011 and the second cooling wall 2012 of the cooling unit 201, three of which are close to the top surface 103 of the battery cell 100 in the third direction Z and are equally spaced apart (for example, at 1 / 4, 2 / 4, and 3 / 4 positions in the length direction (second direction Y) of the battery cell 100), and one weak portion 2013 is located below the three weak portions 2013 in the height direction (third direction Z). Preferably, the one weak portion 2013 located below is disposed at the center of the first cooling wall 2011 (second cooling wall 2012) in a plan view seen from the first direction X.

[0086] By providing multiple fragile portions 2013, the ejected cooling medium can cover the large surface area of ​​the battery cell more quickly, ensuring faster cooling and temperature reduction of the battery. Furthermore, by providing multiple fragile portions 2013 and increasing the number of fragile portions 2013 near the top surface 103 of the battery cell 100 in the third direction Z compared to the number of fragile portions at other positions, the flow of the cooling medium can be further promoted, allowing the ejected cooling medium to be quickly diffused over the surface of the battery cell. Considering the difficulty of heat dissipation, it is preferable to provide the fragile portions at positions closer to the top surface 103 of the battery cell 100 in the third direction Z, secondly, it is preferable to provide the fragile portions at positions where it is most difficult to dissipate heat from the battery (e.g., the center of the large surface area of ​​the battery), and thirdly, it is preferable to provide the fragile portions at positions where the cooling medium cannot quickly flow (e.g., corners of the battery cell).

[0087] It should be understood that the specific structure shown in the figures is merely an example given for ease of explanation, and that the number of weak parts 2013 and the relative positions of each weak part 2013 are not limited to those shown in the above figures, and that various designs and modifications can be made to the number of weak parts 2013 and the relative positions of each weak part 2013 according to actual needs.

[0088] In some embodiments of the present application, the shape of the weakened portion 2013 is circular (as shown in FIG. 18, for example), triangular, or rectangular.

[0089] By providing the fragile portion 2013 with such a specific shape, the flow of the cooling medium can be further promoted, and if an abnormality occurs in the battery 10 and the fragile portion 2013 ruptures, the cooling medium released from the ruptured fragile portion 2013 can be quickly diffused over the surface of the battery cell 100.

[0090] The specific shape of the fragile portion 2013 shown in the figures is merely an example given for ease of explanation, and the shape of the fragile portion 2013 is not limited to the contents shown in the above figures, and various designs and modifications can be made to the shape of the fragile portion 2013 according to actual needs.

[0091] In some embodiments of the present application, there are a plurality of cooling units 201, each disposed between any two adjacent battery cells 100.

[0092] As described above, the battery 10 generally includes a plurality of battery cells 100, and the plurality of battery cells 100 are arranged along the first direction X (thickness direction of the battery 10). Here, by arranging a plurality of cooling units 201 according to the number of battery cells 100, a cooling unit 201 is provided between any two adjacent battery cells 100, and the battery can dissipate heat more efficiently. In this case, if an abnormality occurs in the battery 10, a response can be obtained from the cooling unit 201 regardless of which side of which battery cell 100 the abnormality occurs in, and the battery 10 can dissipate heat more efficiently.

[0093] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figures 2 and 45, a plurality of battery cells 100 are divided into a plurality of battery units U each including the same number of battery cells 100, and there are a plurality of cooling units 201, each of which is disposed between any two adjacent battery units U.

[0094] As a specific example, referring to Figures 2 and 45, six battery cells 100 are divided into three battery units U each including two battery cells 100 (each battery unit U includes two battery cells 100), and a cooling unit 201 is disposed between any two adjacent battery units U.

[0095] In actual use, due to differences in the operating environment and energy density, there is no need to install a cooling unit 201 between any two battery cells 100. Furthermore, taking into consideration cost factors, assembly efficiency, and the requirements for fast charging and insulation, a plurality of battery cells 100 can be divided into a plurality of battery units U each containing the same number of battery cells 100, and one cooling unit 201 can be placed between any two adjacent battery units U. This allows the cooling units 201 to be placed between battery units U each having a plurality of battery cells 100 according to the actual situation, thereby improving assembly efficiency and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0096] It should be understood that the number of battery units U and the number of battery cells 100 in each battery unit U shown in the figures are merely specific examples given for ease of explanation, and that the number of battery units U and the number of battery cells 100 in each battery unit U are not limited to the contents shown in the above figures, and that various designs and modifications can be made to the number of battery units U and the number of battery cells 100 in each battery unit U according to actual needs.

[0097] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in, for example, FIGS. 2 and 45 , the two electrode terminals E are provided on the top surface 103 of the battery cell 100, or on two second side surfaces 102 of the battery cell 100, respectively, and there is one integrated unit 202, which is provided on the bottom surfaces 104 of the plurality of battery cells 100 across the plurality of battery cells 100 along the first direction X, and which is in communication with the cooling unit 201.

[0098] Considering the overall size of the battery and the grouping method, it may be considered to design the integrated unit 202 of the cooling member 200 at the bottom of the battery 10. In a specific example, as shown in FIG. 2, two electrode terminals E are both provided on the top surface 103 of the battery cell 100, and by providing the cooling unit 201 between the battery cells 100 and providing the integrated unit 202 at the bottom of the battery 10, it is possible to better dissipate heat and cool the battery 10. In another specific example, as shown in FIG. 45, two electrode terminals E are respectively provided on two second side surfaces 102 of the battery cell 100, and by providing the cooling unit 201 between the battery cells 100 and providing the integrated unit 202 at the bottom of the battery 10, it is possible to better dissipate heat and cool the battery 10. It should be understood that the present application is not limited thereto, and it may also be considered to provide the integrated unit 202 on any one non-post surface of the battery 10.

[0099] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG. 47 , two electrode terminals E are provided on two second side surfaces 102 of the battery cell 100, respectively, and there are two integrated units 202, which are respectively provided on the top surface 103 and the bottom surface 104 of the plurality of battery cells 100 across the plurality of battery cells 100 along the first direction X, and each communicate with the cooling unit 201.

[0100] In actual use, the installation positions of the battery electrode terminals will differ depending on the battery usage environment and energy density. In cases where the electrode terminals E are provided on both sides (second side surfaces 102) of the battery cell 100, a cooling unit 201 can be provided between the battery cells 100, one integrated unit 202 can be provided at the bottom of the battery 10 (bottom surface 104 of the battery cell 100), and another integrated unit 202 can be provided at the top of the battery 10 (top surface 103 of the battery cell 100). The two integrated units 202 can better dissipate heat and cool the battery 10 from the top and bottom.

[0101] In some embodiments of the present application, a thermally conductive layer may further be provided between the cooling unit 201 and the battery cell 100 .

[0102] To improve the heat dissipation effect of the cooling member, a thermally conductive layer is provided between the cooling unit 201 and the battery cell 100 in one step, thereby enabling better heat dissipation of the battery 10. In some embodiments, the thermally conductive layer may be made of a thermally conductive adhesive or a thermally conductive pad with excellent thermal conductivity, but the present application is not limited thereto, and the specific material of the thermally conductive layer may be designed and modified according to actual needs.

[0103] Furthermore, an embodiment of the present application further provides a device that can include the battery 10 of each of the above embodiments for providing electrical energy. Optionally, the device may be a vehicle, a ship, a spacecraft, or the like.

[0104] Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing a battery according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 49, and the above-described embodiments can be referred to for parts not described in detail.

[0105] 49 is a schematic block diagram showing a method for manufacturing the battery 10 according to the embodiment of the present application. The method for manufacturing the battery according to the embodiment of the present application includes the following steps S1 to S4.

[0106] In S1, a plurality of battery cells are provided, which are arranged along a first direction, and each have two first side surfaces opposite each other in the first direction, two second side surfaces opposite each other in a second direction, a top surface and a bottom surface opposite each other in a third direction, and two electrode terminals, wherein the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are each perpendicular to each other, and the area of ​​the first side surfaces is larger than the area of ​​the second side surfaces.

[0107] In S2, a cooling member is provided which contains a cooling medium to cool the battery cells and includes a cooling unit and an integrated unit, wherein the cooling unit is formed in a plate shape from a first cooling wall and a second cooling wall which face each other in the first direction, and a passage through which the cooling medium flows is formed between the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall.

[0108] In S3, a weak part is made, that is, a weak part is made in each of the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall, which can be ruptured to release the cooling medium when an abnormality occurs in the battery.

[0109] In S4, the cooling unit is disposed between two adjacent battery cells.

[0110] It will be understood that the battery manufacturing method provided by the present application is not limited to following the order of steps S1, S2, S3, and S4 described above, and may, for example, follow the order of steps S2, S1, S3, and S4, or the order of steps S2, S3, S1, and S4.

[0111] Finally, it should be noted that the present application is not limited to the above-described embodiments. The above-described embodiments are merely illustrative, and any embodiment that has substantially the same configuration as the technical idea and provides the same operational effect within the scope of the technical solution of the present application is included within the technical scope of the present application. Furthermore, various modifications that a person skilled in the art can make to the embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present application, and other forms constructed by combining some of the components of the embodiments, are also included within the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. a plurality of battery cells arranged along a first direction, each having two first side surfaces opposed to each other in the first direction, two second side surfaces opposed to each other in a second direction, a top surface and a bottom surface opposed to each other in a third direction, and two electrode terminals, wherein two of the battery cells are perpendicular to each other in the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction, and an area of ​​the first side surfaces is larger than an area of ​​the second side surfaces; a cooling member that contains a cooling medium for cooling the battery cells and includes a cooling unit and an integrated unit, the cooling unit being formed in a plate shape by a first cooling wall and a second cooling wall that face each other in the first direction and that is provided between two adjacent battery cells, and a passage through which the cooling medium flows is formed between the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall; Including, the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall are each provided with a weak part, and when an abnormality occurs in the battery, the weak part can burst to release the cooling medium; the fragile portion includes a thin-walled portion, and the thickness of the thin-walled portion is smaller than the thickness of other portions of the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall; The first cooling wall and the second cooling wall each have an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, and the thin-walled portion is formed by thinning the thickness of the inner wall surface of each of the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall.

2. The thickness of the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall is the same, and is 0.2 to 1.5 mm; 2. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the thin portion is 0.2 mm or less.

3. a linear wall flow path recessed inward from the outer wall surface is provided on the outer wall surface of each of the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall, The battery according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the linear wall surface flow path partially overlaps the fragile portion in a plan view seen from the first direction.

4. The battery according to claim 3 , wherein the linear wall surface flow paths form a lattice pattern or a radial pattern centered on the fragile portion in a plan view seen from the first direction.

5. the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall may further have wall surface recesses recessed inward from the outer wall surfaces on the respective outer wall surfaces, and the wall surface recesses may provide expansion spaces for the battery cells; In the second direction, the distance from the edge of the wall surface recess to the nearest edge of the outer wall surface is 3 to 20% (and > 2 mm) of the length of the outer wall surface in the second direction, and in the third direction, the distance from the edge of the wall surface recess to the nearest edge of the outer wall surface is 3 to 20% of the length of the outer wall surface in the third direction and > 2 mm, or the area of ​​the wall surface recess occupies 60 to 90% of the outer wall surface and the depth of the wall surface recess is 10 to 90% of the wall thickness, The battery according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fragile portion is provided in the wall recess.

6. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein there is one weak portion, and the weak portion is close to the top surface of the battery cell in the third direction.

7. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein there are multiple weak portions, and the number of weak portions near the top surface of the battery cell in the third direction is greater than the number of weak portions at other positions.

8. 8. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the shape of the fragile portion is circular, triangular, or rectangular.

9. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein there are a plurality of cooling units, each of which is disposed between any two adjacent battery cells.

10. The plurality of battery cells are divided into a plurality of battery units each including the same number of battery cells; 9. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the cooling units are plural, and each cooling unit is disposed between any two adjacent battery units.

11. the two electrode terminals are provided on the top surface of the battery cell or on the two second side surfaces of the battery cell, respectively; The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the integrated unit is one, is provided on the bottom surface of the plurality of battery cells across the plurality of battery cells along the first direction, and is in communication with the cooling unit.

12. the two electrode terminals are provided on the two second side surfaces of the battery cell, respectively; The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein there are two integrated units, each of which is provided on the top and bottom surfaces of the plurality of battery cells across the plurality of battery cells along the first direction, and each of which is in communication with the cooling unit.

13. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising a thermally conductive layer provided between the cooling unit and the battery cell.

14. A power consuming device comprising a battery according to any one of claims 1 to 13 for providing electrical energy.

15. providing a plurality of battery cells arranged along a first direction, each having two first side surfaces opposed to each other in the first direction, two second side surfaces opposed to each other in a second direction, a top surface and a bottom surface opposed to each other in a third direction, and two electrode terminals, wherein the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are each orthogonal to each other, and an area of ​​the first side surfaces is larger than an area of ​​the second side surfaces; providing a cooling member that contains a cooling medium for cooling the battery cells and includes a cooling unit and an integrated unit, the cooling unit being formed in a plate shape by a first cooling wall and a second cooling wall that face each other in the first direction, and a passage through which the cooling medium flows is formed between the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall; a fragile portion creating step of creating fragile portions in the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall, respectively, that can be ruptured to release the cooling medium when an abnormality occurs in the battery; disposing the cooling unit between two adjacent battery cells; Including, the fragile portion includes a thin-walled portion, and the thickness of the thin-walled portion is smaller than the thickness of other portions of the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall; A method for manufacturing a battery, wherein the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall each have an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, and the thin-walled portion is formed by thinning the thickness of the inner wall surface of each of the first cooling wall and the second cooling wall.

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