Battery module structure

Abstract

SOLUTION: To provide a battery module structure which includes a square frame and a plurality of battery packs arranged in the square frame in parallel and in which each battery pack comprises a plurality of cells connected in series, a flexible pad 3 is arranged between every two adjacent cells, the square frame comprises end plates 4 and side plates 5 which define a frame-shaped structure of the square frame, the end plates are arranged in an arrangement direction of the battery packs, and the side plates are connected to the end parts of the end plates, a pull rod 6 is arranged between every two adjacent battery packs, and end parts of the pull rods are fixedly connected with the end plates.EFFECT: A plurality of battery packs is integrated in a square frame, so that a space utilization rate can be effectively increased, energy density is improved, and a cost is reduced. When the battery module structure is used, pull rods can tension front and rear end plates, so that strength of the square frame is improved, excessive deformation of the square frame under the action of external force is avoided, and stability of the structure is ensured.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of large battery-integrated modules, and more particularly to a battery module structure. [Background technology]

[0002] With the rapid development of the new energy electric vehicle industry, the technical level of power battery packs is constantly improving, and requirements such as safety, reliability, long driving range, and high energy density are becoming increasingly prominent. The energy density performance requirement of power battery packs has always been an important indicator in the battery pack field and directly affects the driving range of the finished vehicle. However, because modules account for a large proportion of power battery packs, it is also particularly important to improve the module integration design and reduce module weight and cost.

[0003] Lead-acid batteries are widely used in forklift trucks due to their low cost and simple structure. However, they still have many drawbacks, such as heavy weight, low energy density, high self-discharge rate, and short service life. In comparison, lithium batteries, which have high energy and a long service life, are a more preferable option. However, a problem with the prior art is that lithium batteries are often integrated into modules and then connected in series and parallel to a pack, resulting in low space utilization and complicated assembly.

[0004] The invention patent, filed under application number "202211692876.8" and entitled "Large Integrated Lithium-ion Battery Module," includes a plurality of cell module end plates and module side plates. The cells are arranged horizontally and vertically to form a plurality of rows and columns of cells. The module end plates are fixed to both left and right ends of the rows of cells and are located outside the first insulating member. The module side plates are fixed to both front and rear ends of the columns of cells and are located outside the second insulating member. The module end plates are fixedly connected to the module side plates on both sides. The large integrated lithium-ion battery module can realize an assembly design for multiple rows and columns of batteries, improving battery energy density and simplifying assembly. However, during use, it has been discovered that the module structure has low strength and the cell arrangement is loose. In particular, if the cells expand during long-term use, the shape of the end plates can be significantly damaged, potentially leading to an accident. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 115764114 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The objective of the present invention is to provide a battery module structure that solves the problems existing in the prior art, effectively increasing space utilization, improving energy density, and reducing costs. When the battery module structure is in use, the pull rod can pull the two front and rear end plates, improving the strength of the square frame, preventing excessive deformation due to external forces, and ensuring structural stability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following solution: The present invention provides a battery module structure, comprising: a rectangular frame; and a plurality of battery packs arranged parallel to the rectangular frame, the battery packs each including a plurality of cells connected in series with a flexible pad between adjacent cells, the rectangular frame including end plates and side plates surrounding the frame structure, the end plates arranged in the direction of arrangement of the battery packs, the side plates connected to ends of the end plates, a pull rod between two adjacent battery packs, the ends of the pull rod fixedly connected to the end plates.

[0008] Preferably, threaded portions are provided on both ends of the pull rod, the diameter of the threaded portions being smaller than the dimensions of the end face of the pull rod, a first through hole is provided in the end plate, the diameter of the first through hole is larger than the diameter of the threaded portions and smaller than the dimensions of the end face of the pull rod, and the threaded portions pass through the first through hole and are connected to a lock nut.

[0009] Preferably, two pull rods are installed between two adjacent battery packs, and the two pull rods are installed close to both ends of the cells, respectively.

[0010] Preferably, the cross section of the pull rod is rectangular, and the length of a side of the rectangular shape is greater than the diameter of the threaded portion.

[0011] Preferably, the first through hole has a stepped structure, the stepped structure includes a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion, the cross-sectional shape of the large diameter portion is square to fit the pull rod, the end face of the pull rod abuts against the step surface of the stepped structure, and the threaded portion extends from the small diameter portion.

[0012] Preferably, the side plates are provided with reinforcing beads, and the end plates are provided with reinforcing ribs on their outer end surfaces.

[0013] Preferably, the length of the threaded portion extending from the first through hole and the height of the lock nut are smaller than the height of the reinforcing rib.

[0014] Preferably, a second through-hole is provided on the end plate, heating films are provided on both sides of the battery pack for heating the battery pack, and terminals of the heating films extend from the second through-holes.

[0015] Preferably, end flanges are provided at both ends of the side plates, and the end flanges and the end plates are connected by connecting bolts.

[0016] Preferably, a first bottom flange is provided at the bottom of the side plate, and a third through hole is provided in the first bottom flange for connecting to the bottom plate of the electrical box; a top flange is provided at the top of the end plate, and a second bottom flange is provided at the bottom; a fourth through hole and a fifth through hole are provided correspondingly in the top flange and the second bottom flange; and bolts are passed through the fourth through hole and the fifth through hole to fasten to the bottom plate of the electrical box. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] The present invention achieves the following technical advantages over the prior art: 1. In this invention, by integrating multiple battery packs into one square frame, it is possible to effectively increase space utilization, improve energy density, and reduce costs. When the battery module structure is in use, the pull rod can pull the two front and rear end plates, improving the strength of the square frame, preventing excessive deformation due to external forces, and ensuring structural stability. The length of the pull rod is equal to the length of the battery packs, preventing the battery packs from shaking within the square frame and not generating significant pressing force on the battery packs, thereby ensuring the stability of the battery module structure. 2. In the present invention, the first through hole has a stepped structure, which includes a large diameter section and a small diameter section. The large diameter section has a square cross-sectional shape that fits the pull rod, and the end face of the pull rod abuts against the stepped surface of the stepped structure. A threaded section extends from the small diameter section. The square cross-sectional large diameter section can restrict the pull rod and prevent it from moving or rotating. This not only ensures the stability of the battery module structure, but also makes it easy to screw in the lock nut. 3. In the present invention, the end plates and side plates are provided with reinforcing beads and reinforcing ribs, respectively, which are beneficial to improving the strength of the battery module assembly. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] In order to more clearly describe the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings that need to be used in the embodiments are briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a battery module structure according to the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the explosion structure of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the fitting structure between the square frame and the pull rod. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a structural schematic diagram of an end plate. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a rear view of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Hereinafter, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be described clearly and completely with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative efforts belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

[0021] The objective of the present invention is to provide a battery module structure that solves the problems existing in the prior art, effectively increasing space utilization, improving energy density, and reducing costs. When the battery module structure is in use, the pull rod can pull the two front and rear end plates, improving the strength of the square frame, preventing excessive deformation due to external forces, and ensuring structural stability.

[0022] To make the above objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings and specific embodiments.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 , this embodiment provides a battery module structure, including a rectangular frame and a plurality of battery packs arranged parallel to the rectangular frame. Each battery pack includes a plurality of cells 1 connected in series via aluminum busbars 2. A flexible pad 3 is installed between adjacent cells 1 in the same battery pack. The rectangular frame includes two end plates 4 and two side plates 5 surrounding its frame-shaped structure. The two end plates 4 are installed along the direction in which the plurality of battery packs are arranged, and the two side plates 5 are connected to the ends of the end plates 4. A plurality of pull rods 6 are installed from top to bottom between two adjacent battery packs, restricting the battery packs in the direction in which they are arranged. The ends of the pull rods 6 are fixedly connected to the end plates 4. Preferably, the length of the pull rods 6 is equal to the length of the arrangement of the cells 1 in the battery packs. After the pull rods 6 are connected to the end plates 4, the end plates 4 abut against the ends of the battery module.

[0024] In this embodiment, by integrating multiple battery packs into a single rectangular frame, space utilization can be effectively increased, energy density can be improved, and costs can be reduced. When the battery module structure is in use, the pull rod 6 can pull the two front and rear end plates 4, improving the strength of the rectangular frame, preventing excessive deformation due to external forces, and ensuring structural stability. At the same time, the length of the pull rod 6 is equal to the length of the battery packs, preventing the battery packs from shaking within the rectangular frame and not generating significant pressure on the battery packs, thereby ensuring the stability of the battery module structure.

[0025] The flexible pad 3 between the adjacent cells 1 can act as a buffer when subjected to external force, and specifically, the flexible pad 3 can be made of urethane foam.

[0026] Furthermore, in this embodiment, threaded portions 7 are installed at both ends of the pull rod 6, and the diameter of the threaded portions 7 is smaller than the dimensions of the end face of the pull rod 6. A first through hole 8 is installed in the end plate 4, and the diameter of the first through hole 8 is larger than the diameter of the threaded portion 7 and smaller than the dimensions of the end face of the pull rod 6. When the threaded portion 7 passes through the first through hole 8, the end face of the pull rod 6 abuts exactly against the first through hole 8. Then, a lock nut 9 is tightened onto the threaded portion 7, and the lock nut 9 presses the end plate 4 against the end face of the pull rod 6, thereby using the pull rod 6 to pull the two front and rear end plates 4.

[0027] In this embodiment, the pull rod 6 has a rectangular cross section, and the length of each side of the rectangular shape is greater than the diameter of the threaded portion 7. The first through-hole 8 has a stepped structure, which includes a large-diameter portion and a small-diameter portion. The large-diameter portion has a rectangular cross section that matches the pull rod 6, with the end face of the pull rod 6 abutting against the stepped surface of the stepped structure, and the threaded portion 7 extending from the small-diameter portion. In use, the end of the pull rod 6 is inserted into the large-diameter portion of the first through-hole 8 and abuts against the stepped surface between the large-diameter portion and the small-diameter portion. The large-diameter portion with its square cross section can restrict the pull rod 6 and prevent it from moving or rotating. This not only ensures the stability of the battery module structure, but also makes it easier to screw in the lock nut 9.

[0028] To improve the strength of the side plate 5 and the end plate 4, in this embodiment, a reinforcing bead 10 is installed on the side plate 5. Specifically, the reinforcing bead 10 may be annular or have other shapes. In this embodiment, reinforcing ribs 11 are installed on the outer end surface of the end plate 4. The reinforcing ribs 11 are installed perpendicular to the outer end surface of the end plate 4 and are installed alternately in horizontal, vertical, and diagonal directions. The first through holes 8 are located in the gaps between the reinforcing ribs 11, and the length of the threaded portion 7 extending from the first through hole 8 and the height of the lock nut 9 are smaller than the height of the reinforcing ribs 11, preventing the threaded portion 7 or the lock nut 9 from being higher than the reinforcing ribs 11 by a certain distance, which would cause problems during assembly and transportation.

[0029] In this embodiment, the end plate 4 has a second through-hole 12, and heating films 13 are installed on both sides of the battery pack to heat it. The heating films 13 closest to the side plate 5 are attached to the side of the battery pack by the side plate 5, and the heating films 13 located between adjacent battery packs are located between the battery pack and the pull rod 6 and are attached to the side of the battery pack by the pull rod 6. The terminals of the heating films 13 extend from the second through-holes 12 and are used to connect to a heating power source. In a low-temperature environment, the power source can be turned on, and the heating films 13 convert electrical energy into thermal energy to heat the battery pack, improving the usage efficiency and operating time of the battery pack.

[0030] In this embodiment, end flanges 16 are installed vertically at both ends of the side plate 5 , and the end flanges 16 and the end plate 4 are connected by connecting bolts 20 .

[0031] In this embodiment, the battery module structure can be disposed within an electrical box, which includes an electrical box bottom plate 14 and an electrical box cover plate (not shown). In this embodiment, a first bottom flange 15 is provided at the bottom of the side plate 5, and the first bottom flange 15 is integrally connected to an end flange 16. A third through-hole is provided in the first bottom flange 15 for connection to the electrical box bottom plate 14, and bolts 20 pass through the third through-hole and are fastened to the electrical box bottom plate 14 to connect the side plate 5 to the electrical box bottom plate 14. A top flange 17 is provided at the top of the end plate 4, and a second bottom flange 21 is provided at the bottom. A fourth through-hole 18 and a fifth through-hole 19 are provided in the top flange 17 and the second bottom flange 21, respectively, and bolts 20 pass through the fourth through-hole 18 and the fifth through-hole 19 and are fastened to the electrical box bottom plate 14. The bolts 20 used to fasten the end plate 4 are long, which further improves the stability of the end plate 4.

[0032] Any adaptive changes made according to actual needs are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0033] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the illustrative embodiments described above, and that the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, in all respects, the embodiments are to be considered illustrative and not limiting, and the scope of the present invention is to be limited not by the above description but by the appended claims. It is therefore intended to cover all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalents of the claims. Any reference signs in the claims should not be considered as limiting the scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 1 cell 2 Aluminum bus bars 3 Flexible Pads 4 End plate 5 Side Panel 6 pull rod 7 Threaded part 8 First through hole 9 Lock nut 10 Reinforcing bead 11 Reinforcing rib 12 Second through hole 13 Heating film 14 Electrical box bottom plate 15 First bottom flange 16 End flange 17 Top flange 18 Fourth Through Hole 19 5th Through Hole 20 volts 21 Second bottom flange

Claims

1. A battery module structure comprising: a rectangular frame; and a plurality of battery packs arranged in parallel to the rectangular frame, each battery pack including a plurality of cells connected in series with each other, with a flexible pad installed between adjacent cells; the rectangular frame including end plates and side plates surrounding its frame-shaped structure, the end plates being installed along an arrangement direction of the plurality of battery packs, the side plates being connected to ends of the end plates; a pull rod being installed between two adjacent battery packs, with ends of the pull rod being fixedly connected to the end plates; A battery module structure, characterized in that a second through hole is formed in the end plate, heating films are installed on both sides of the battery pack to heat it, and terminals of the heating films extend from the second through holes.

2. 2. The battery module structure according to claim 1, wherein two pull rods are installed between two adjacent battery packs, and the two pull rods are installed adjacent to both ends of the cells, respectively.

3. 2. The battery module structure of claim 1, wherein threaded portions are provided at both ends of the pull rod, the diameter of the threaded portions being smaller than the dimension of the end surface of the pull rod, the end plate is provided with a first through hole, the diameter of the first through hole is larger than the diameter of the threaded portion and smaller than the dimension of the end surface of the pull rod, and the threaded portion passes through the first through hole and is connected to a lock nut.

4. 4. The battery module structure according to claim 3, wherein the cross section of the pull rod is rectangular, and the length of a side of the rectangular shape is greater than the diameter of the threaded portion.

5. 5. The battery module structure of claim 4, wherein the first through hole has a stepped structure, the stepped structure including a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion, the large diameter portion having a square cross-sectional shape that fits the pull rod, an end face of the pull rod abutting against a stepped surface of the stepped structure, and the threaded portion extending from the small diameter portion.

6. 6. The battery module structure according to claim 5, wherein the side plates are provided with reinforcing beads, and the end plates are provided with reinforcing ribs on outer end surfaces thereof.

7. The battery module structure according to claim 6 , wherein the length of the threaded portion extending from the first through-hole and the height of the lock nut are smaller than the height of the reinforcing rib.

8. 2. The battery module structure according to claim 1, wherein end flanges are provided on both ends of the side plates, and the end flanges and the end plates are connected by connecting bolts.

9. 2. The battery module structure of claim 1, wherein a first bottom flange is provided at the bottom of the side plate, a third through-hole is provided in the first bottom flange for connecting to the bottom plate of the electrical box, a top flange is provided at the top of the end plate, and a second bottom flange is provided at the bottom, a fourth through-hole and a fifth through-hole are provided in the top flange and the second bottom flange, respectively, and bolts are passed through the fourth through-hole and the fifth through-hole to fasten to the bottom plate of the electrical box.

10. A battery module structure comprising: a rectangular frame; and a plurality of battery packs arranged in parallel to the rectangular frame, each battery pack including a plurality of cells connected in series with each other, with a flexible pad installed between adjacent cells; the rectangular frame including end plates and side plates surrounding its frame-shaped structure, the end plates being installed along an arrangement direction of the plurality of battery packs, the side plates being connected to ends of the end plates; a pull rod being installed between two adjacent battery packs, with ends of the pull rod being fixedly connected to the end plates; a first bottom flange is provided at the bottom of the side plate, a third through hole is provided in the first bottom flange for connecting to the bottom plate of the electrical box; a top flange is provided at the top of the end plate, and a second bottom flange is provided at the bottom; a fourth through hole and a fifth through hole are provided in the top flange and the second bottom flange, respectively; and bolts are passed through the fourth through hole and the fifth through hole to fasten to the bottom plate of the electrical box.

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