Battery cell, battery, electrical device, and method for manufacturing battery cell

Abstract

The present application provides a battery cell, a battery, an electric device, and a method for manufacturing a battery cell. The battery cell includes a housing, an electrode assembly, an end cap, a first pole, and a second pole, the housing includes two side walls that are perpendicular to a first direction and spaced apart from each other, and a bottom wall that is perpendicular to a second direction and connects the two side walls, the housing includes a first side opening and a second side opening that are oppositely arranged in a third direction, and a top opening that is oppositely arranged in the bottom wall, the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other, the electrode assembly is disposed in the receiving cavity, and includes a main body portion and a first tab and a second tab having opposite polarities protruding from the main body portion, and the end cap is connected to the housing to cover the first side opening, the second side opening, and the top opening to seal the housing. The first pole and the second pole are disposed in the end cap, and the first pole is electrically connected to the first tab, and the second pole is electrically connected to the second tab. The battery cell according to the present application is easy to assemble.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION This application relates to the field of battery technology, and more particularly to battery cells, batteries, electrical devices, and methods of manufacturing battery cells. [Background technology]

[0002] Batteries such as lithium ion batteries have advantages such as high energy density, high power density, many cycles, and long storage time, and are therefore widely used in a variety of equipment.

[0003] In the development of battery technology, in addition to improvements in battery performance, assembly issues have become a problem that cannot be ignored. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above problems, the present application provides a battery cell, a battery, an electric device, and a method for manufacturing the battery cell to reduce the difficulty of assembling the battery cell.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides a battery cell including a housing, an electrode assembly, an end cap, and first and second electrode posts, wherein the housing includes two side walls that are perpendicular to a first direction and spaced apart, and a bottom wall that is perpendicular to a second direction and connects the two side walls, the two side walls and the bottom wall being enclosed to form a storage cavity, and the housing has first and second side openings that are oppositely arranged in a third direction, and a top opening that is oppositely arranged in the bottom wall, the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction being perpendicular to each other, the electrode assembly is disposed within the storage cavity, and includes a main body portion, and first and second tabs that have opposite polarities protruding from the main body portion, and the end cap is connected to the housing to cover the first and second side openings and the top opening to seal the housing. A first pole and a second pole are disposed on the end cap, and a battery cell is provided in which the first pole is electrically connected to the first tab and the second pole is electrically connected to the second tab.

[0006] In the technical solution of the present embodiment, the housing has a total of three walls: a bottom wall and two side walls arranged opposite each other. During assembly, the two side walls of the housing can be tilted outward relative to the bottom wall to form an even wider opening, which eliminates the need to maintain the movement direction of the electrode assembly when inserting it into the housing strictly perpendicular to the opening, thereby reducing the difficulty of assembly. In addition, the housing has three openings, which allow the electrode assembly to be inserted into the housing from three directions, increasing the flexibility of assembly and further reducing the difficulty of assembly.

[0007] In some embodiments, the housing is integrally formed by bending the connection points between the side wall and the bottom wall. The housing includes a bottom wall and two opposing side walls, and can be formed by a simple bending process, eliminating processes such as drawing and aluminum extrusion that are typically used in conventional housing manufacturing processes, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0008] In some embodiments, the first tab and the second tab protrude from both ends of the main body in the third direction, and the end caps include a first end cap for arranging the first pole and a second end cap for arranging the second pole, and the first end cap and the second end cap are arranged separately. The first tab and the second tab protrude from both ends of the main body, and the first end cap and the second end cap are arranged separately, thereby facilitating welding the poles on the end caps to the tabs and rotating them to achieve assembly with the housing.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first end cap covers at least a portion of the first side opening and the top opening, the second end cap covers at least a portion of the second side opening and the top opening, and the first end cap and the second end cap are connected together. The first end cap covers at least a portion of the first side opening and the top opening, and the second end cap covers at least a portion of the second side opening and the top opening, thereby allowing the end caps to be constructed from only two parts to cover all openings of the housing, further simplifying the welding step during assembly.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first end cap and the second end cap are symmetrically arranged. The symmetrical arrangement of the first end cap and the second end cap means that the second segment of the first end cap and the fourth segment of the second end cap have the same length. This allows the first end cap and the second end cap to have the same structural dimensions, which can be used for standardized manufacturing and reduce manufacturing costs.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first end cap includes a first segment covering the first side opening and a second segment covering at least a portion of the top opening, and the second end cap includes a third segment covering the second side opening and a fourth segment covering at least a portion of the top opening, with a first pole disposed in the first segment and a second pole disposed in the third segment, and the second segment and the fourth segment connected together. The assembly of the end caps and the electrode assembly is simple, as the first pole on the first end cap is connected to the first tab, and the second pole on the second end cap is connected to the second tab, and then the second segment is connected to the fourth segment.

[0012] In some embodiments, the connecting end of the second segment and the connecting end of the fourth segment are fitted together, which allows for accurate alignment and matching of the second segment and the fourth segment and prevents leakage of electrolyte.

[0013] In some embodiments, the connection between the first segment and the second segment is a rounded corner, and / or the connection between the third segment and the fourth segment is a rounded corner, which can prevent damage to the electrode assembly and assembly personnel when connecting and assembling the first end cap and the electrode assembly.

[0014] In some embodiments, the connection points between the first and / or third segments and the bottom wall are right angles. By forming right angles between the first and / or third segments and the bottom wall, rounded corners formed at intersections of the housing formed in a traditional drawing process can be avoided, interference between the rounded corners and the electrode assemblies can be reduced, the space utilization rate of the housing can be improved, and the energy density of the battery cell can be increased.

[0015] In some embodiments, the first and second tabs both protrude from the body toward the top opening, the end cap has a grooved structure and includes two side cover portions covering the two side openings and a top cover portion covering the top opening, and the first and second electrode posts are both located on the top cover portion. Because the first and second tabs protrude from one side of the body, there is no need to split the end cap into two parts, and the grooved end cap can be directly assembled with the electrode assembly, eliminating the step of connecting the two split structures of the end cap and simplifying the assembly process.

[0016] In some embodiments, the connection points between the side walls and the bottom wall of the housing are rounded corners. The bending points of the housing are located at rounded corners, which makes processing easier and avoids damage to the electrode assembly.

[0017] In a second aspect, the present application provides a battery including the battery cell.

[0018] In a third aspect, the present application provides an electrical device comprising the battery, wherein the battery is used to supply electrical energy to the electrical device.

[0019] In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a method for producing a composition comprising: providing a housing including two side walls spaced apart and perpendicular to a first direction and a bottom wall perpendicular to a second direction connecting the two side walls, the first direction and the second direction being perpendicular to each other, a storage cavity being formed by the two side walls and the bottom wall, and a first side opening and a second side opening oppositely disposed in a third direction and a top opening opposite the bottom wall, the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction being perpendicular to each other; providing an electrode assembly, an end cap, and first and second poles, the electrode assembly including a body portion and first and second tabs having opposite polarities protruding from the body portion, the first and second poles being disposed on the end cap; and electrically connecting the first electrode post to the first tab and the second electrode post to the second tab, placing the electrode assembly in a receiving cavity of a housing, and connecting an end cap to the housing such that the end cap seals the housing; The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a battery cell, including:

[0020] The above description is an outline of the technical solution of the present application. In order to enable a better understanding of the technical means of the present application and to enable implementation in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objectives, features and advantages of the present application clearer and easier to understand, the following specific embodiments of the present application are given below. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] In order to more clearly explain the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly describes the drawings to be used in the embodiments of the present application, obviously, the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can further derive other drawings based on these drawings without any creative efforts, and in the drawings, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to actual scale.

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present application; [Figure 2] 1 is an exploded structural schematic diagram of a battery according to some embodiments of the present application. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 4] 1 is a front structural schematic diagram of a housing according to some embodiments of the present application. FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic side view of a housing according to some embodiments of the present application; [Figure 6] 2 is a schematic side view of a first end cap according to some embodiments of the present application; FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a second end cap according to some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 8] 1 is a front structural schematic diagram of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application; FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the direction AA in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] 1 is a schematic diagram of the top structure of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application; FIG. [Figure 11] 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the direction BB in FIG. 10. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a locally enlarged schematic structural diagram of part M in FIG. 11. [Figure 13] FIG. 12 is a locally enlarged structural schematic diagram of part N in FIG. 11. [Figure 14] 1 is a schematic diagram of a side structure of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application; [Figure 15] 15 is a locally enlarged schematic structural view of a portion P in FIG. 14. [Figure 16]1A to 1C are schematic diagrams illustrating the three-dimensional structure of battery cells according to some other embodiments of the present application. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the battery cell shown in FIG. 16. [Figure 18] 1 is a diagram illustrating steps in a method for manufacturing a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing specific examples only and are not intended to limit the present application. The terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the specification, claims, and brief description of the drawings of this application are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion.

[0024] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, technical terms such as "first," "second," etc. are used to distinguish between different objects, and should not be understood as implicitly indicating the number, specific order, or hierarchical relationship of the technical features shown, or indicating or implying relative importance. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, "plurality" means two or more, unless explicitly and specifically limited.

[0025] As used herein, the term "embodiment" means that any combination of specific features, structures, or characteristics described in the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. Appearances of this term in various places in the present specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor do they imply mutually exclusive, independent, or alternative embodiments with other embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand, both explicitly and implicitly, that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0026] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the term "and / or" merely describes the relationship between related objects, and means that there are three possible relationships. For example, "A and / or B" can mean just A, both A and B, or just B. In addition, " / " in the text generally indicates that the related objects before and after it have an "or" relationship.

[0027] In describing the examples of the present application, the term "plurality" means two or more (including two); similarly, "multiple groups" means two or more (including two groups), and "multiple sheets" means two or more (including two).

[0028] In describing the embodiments of the present application, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the drawings and are intended only to facilitate and simplify the description of the embodiments of the present application. They do not represent or imply that the devices or elements shown must have a particular orientation, be configured, or operate in a particular orientation, and should not be understood as limiting the embodiments of the present application.

[0029] In describing the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified or limited, technical terms such as "attached," "connected," "connected," and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense, and may refer to, for example, a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integration, a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, a direct connection, an indirect connection via an intermediate medium, internal communication between two elements, or an interaction between two elements. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in the present application according to specific circumstances.

[0030] A conventional battery cell typically includes a housing, end caps, and an electrode assembly housed within the housing, with the housing filled with an electrolyte. The electrode assembly is the component where the electrochemical reaction occurs within the battery cell, the housing is an assembly that forms the internal environment of the battery cell, and the end caps are components that cover the opening of the housing to isolate the internal environment of the battery cell from the external environment. In some conventional battery cells, the sides and bottom of the housing are all sealed and have an opening at the top, so that assembling the battery cell requires inserting the electrode assembly into the housing through the opening at the top. In other battery cells, the sides of the housing are sealed and have openings at the top and bottom. In this case, assembling the battery cell requires inserting the electrode assembly into the housing through the opening at the top or bottom. The inventors of the present application have found through research that, during the assembly process of such battery cells, because the four sides of the housing are sealed, the electrode assembly must be moved strictly perpendicular to the opening of the housing to avoid scratches caused by contact with the housing when inserted into the housing, making assembly relatively difficult. Furthermore, because all four sides of the housing are sealed, some assembly space must be reserved in advance when manufacturing the housing, resulting in a loss of energy density. Furthermore, because the housing is typically stretch-molded, rounded corners are unavoidable at the intersections of the four edges of the housing. In the case of electrode assemblies using a laminated structure, internal rounded corners interfere with the edges of the sheets. Therefore, when designing a laminated electrode assembly, the width and length of the sheets must be reduced to avoid internal rounded corners, resulting in a loss of energy density.

[0031] To address the aforementioned issue of high assembly difficulty of battery cells, the inventors conducted research and found that two side walls of the battery cell housing were eliminated, leaving only three walls: a bottom wall and two opposing side walls. During assembly, the two side walls of the housing can be tilted outward relative to the bottom wall to form a wider opening. This eliminates the need to maintain the movement direction of the electrode assembly when inserting it into the housing strictly perpendicular to the opening, increasing assembly flexibility and further reducing assembly difficulty. Furthermore, because the housing only includes a bottom wall and two opposing side walls, it can be formed using a simple bending process, eliminating processes such as drawing and aluminum extrusion that are typically used in housing manufacturing, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0032] The battery cells disclosed in the embodiments of the present application may be used in, but are not limited to, electric devices such as vehicles, ships, and aircraft. The battery cells, batteries, etc. disclosed in the present application may be used to configure the power supply system of the electric devices.

[0033] The present embodiment provides an electric device that uses a battery as a power source, and the electric device may be, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop, an electric toy, an electric tool, a battery car, an electric vehicle, a boat, a spacecraft, etc. Among them, the electric toys may include stationary or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric vehicle toys, electric steamship toys, and electric airplane toys, and the spacecraft may include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, spaceships, etc.

[0034] For convenience of explanation of the embodiment, the electric device of the embodiment of the present invention will be explained below using a vehicle 1000 as an example.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a vehicle 1000 provided in some embodiments of the present application. The vehicle 1000 may be a gasoline-powered vehicle, a natural gas-powered vehicle, or a new energy vehicle. The new energy vehicle may be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a range-extender electric vehicle, etc. A battery 100 is disposed inside the vehicle 1000, and the battery 100 may be disposed at the bottom, head, or rear of the vehicle 1000. The battery 100 is used to supply power to the vehicle 1000. For example, the battery 100 may be the operating power source for the vehicle 1000. The vehicle 1000 may include a controller 200 and a motor 300. The controller 200 controls the power supply from the battery 100 to the motor 300, and the power is used, for example, for starting, navigating, and operating the vehicle 1000.

[0036] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery 100 is capable of providing not only the operating power source for the vehicle 1000 but also the driving power source for the vehicle 1000, either in place of or partially in place of gasoline or natural gas.

[0037] Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 is an explosion diagram of a battery 100 provided in some embodiments of the present application. The battery 100 includes a housing 10 and a battery cell 20. The battery cell 20 is housed within the housing 10. The housing 10 provides a housing space for the battery cell 20, and the housing 10 may adopt various structures. In some embodiments, the housing 10 may include a first portion 11 and a second portion 12, which are covered with each other so that the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 jointly define a housing space for housing the battery cell 20. The second portion 12 may have a hollow structure with one end open, or the first portion 11 may have a plate-like structure, with the first portion 11 covering the open side of the second portion 12 so that the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 jointly define the housing space. The first part 11 and the second part 12 may both have a hollow structure with one side open, with the open side of the first part 11 covered by the open side of the second part 12. Of course, the housing 10 formed from the first part 11 and the second part 12 may have various shapes, such as a cylinder or a rectangular parallelepiped.

[0038] The battery 100 may include a plurality of battery cells 20, and the plurality of battery cells 20 may be connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel, where series-parallel connection means that the plurality of battery cells 20 are connected in both series and parallel. The plurality of battery cells 20 may be directly connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel, and the entire battery cell set 20 may be housed within the housing 10. Of course, the battery 100 may also include a plurality of battery cells 20 that are previously connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel to form a battery module, and the plurality of battery modules may be connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel to form an integrated battery module, which is then housed within the housing 10. The battery 100 may further include other structures, for example, the battery 100 may further include bus components for realizing electrical connection between the plurality of battery cells 20.

[0039] Each battery cell 20 may be a secondary battery or a primary battery, such as, but not limited to, a lithium-sulfur battery, a sodium-ion battery, or a magnesium-ion battery, and may have a cylindrical, flat, rectangular, or other shape.

[0040] 3, which is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a battery cell 20 provided in some embodiments of the present application. As shown in FIG. 3 and with reference to FIG. 9, the battery cell 20 includes a housing 21, an electrode assembly 22, an end cap 23, a first pole 24, a second pole 25, and other functional components.

[0041] The housing 21 is an assembly that forms an internal environment for the battery cell 20, and the formed internal environment is used to accommodate the electrode assembly 22, the electrolyte, and other components. The material of the housing 22 may be various types, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc., and is not particularly limited in the present embodiment.

[0042] The electrode assembly 22 is the component where the electrochemical reaction occurs within the battery cell 20. One or more electrode assemblies 22 may be contained within the housing 21. The electrode assembly 22 is primarily formed by winding or stacking a positive electrode sheet and a negative electrode sheet, and a separator is usually provided between the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet. The portions of the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet that have active material constitute the main body of the electrode assembly, and the portions of the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet that do not have active material constitute the tabs, respectively. During the battery charge and discharge process, the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material react with the electrolyte, and the tabs are connected to the electrode posts to form a current circuit.

[0043] The end cap 23 refers to a component that covers the opening of the housing 21 to isolate the internal environment of the battery cell 20 from the external environment. The shape of the end cap 23 can be adapted to match the shape of the housing 21 without limitation. Optionally, the end cap 23 can be made of a material with a certain degree of hardness and strength (e.g., aluminum alloy), which makes the end cap 23 less likely to deform when compressed or impacted, thereby providing the battery cell 20 with greater structural strength and improved safety. The end cap 23 can also be provided with functional components, such as electrode posts. The electrode posts are electrically connected to the electrode assembly 22 to output or input electrical energy to the battery cell 20. In some embodiments, the end cap 23 can be provided with a pressure release mechanism for releasing internal pressure when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell 20 reaches a threshold. The material of the end cap 23 can be various, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, or plastic, but is not particularly limited in this embodiment. In some embodiments, an insulating member may be further disposed inside the end cap 23, and the insulating member is used to isolate the electrical connection components in the housing 21 from the end cap 23 to reduce the risk of short circuits. Illustratively, the insulating member may be plastic, rubber, or the like.

[0044] Referring to Figures 3 to 11, Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a battery cell 10 provided in some embodiments of the present application. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the front structure of a housing in some embodiments of the present application. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the side structure of a housing in some embodiments of the present application. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the side structure of a first end cap in some embodiments of the present application. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the side structure of a second end cap in some embodiments of the present application. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the front structure of a battery cell in some embodiments of the present application. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure taken along the AA direction in Figure 8. Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the top structure of a battery cell in some embodiments of the present application. Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure taken along the BB direction in Figure 10.

[0045] The battery cell 20 provided in this embodiment includes a housing 21, an electrode assembly 22, an end cap 23, and first and second electrode posts 24 and 25. The housing 21 includes two spaced-apart side walls 211 perpendicular to a first direction X and a bottom wall 212 perpendicular to a second direction Z and connecting the two side walls 211. A receiving cavity is formed between the two side walls 211 and the bottom wall 212. The housing 21 also includes a first side opening and a second side opening opposed to each other in a third direction Y, and a top opening opposed to the bottom wall 212. The first direction X, the second direction Z, and the third direction Y are perpendicular to each other. The electrode assembly 22 is disposed within the receiving cavity and includes a main body 221 and a first tab 222 and a second tab 223 having opposite polarities protruding from the main body 221. The end cap 23 is connected to the housing 21 so as to cover the first side opening, the second side opening, and the top opening to seal the housing 21. The first pole 24 and the second pole 25 are disposed on the end cap 23, and the first pole 24 is electrically connected to the first tab 222, and the second pole 25 is electrically connected to the second tab 223.

[0046] 3 to 11, FIG. 3 shows a battery cell provided in some embodiments of the present application. 20 FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the front structure of a housing according to some embodiments of the present application. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the side structure of a housing according to some embodiments of the present application. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the side structure of a first end cap according to some embodiments of the present application. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the side structure of a second end cap according to some embodiments of the present application. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the front structure of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure taken along the direction AA in FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the top structure of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure taken along the direction BB in FIG. 10.

[0047] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the housing 21 includes two opposing side walls 211 and a bottom wall 212 connecting the two side walls 211. That is, the housing 21 includes three walls. The three walls are surrounded to form a receiving cavity, which is used to accommodate the electrode assembly 22. As shown in FIG. 5 , after the battery cell is assembled, the side walls 211 are perpendicular to the bottom wall 212. However, during the battery cell assembly process, the side walls 211 can be tilted slightly outward relative to the bottom wall 212 to increase the degree of freedom when inserting the electrode assembly into the housing. Because the housing 21 includes only three walls, the housing 21 has three openings: a first side opening and a second side opening that are oppositely arranged in the third direction Y, and a top opening that is opposite the bottom wall 212. The covering areas of the first side opening and the second side opening are smaller than the area of ​​the side walls 211.

[0048] The electrode assembly 22 is disposed within the receiving cavity and includes a main body 221 and a first tab 222 and a second tab 223 having opposite polarities protruding from the main body 221. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 to 11, the first tab 222 and the second tab 223 each protrude from both ends of the main body 221 in the third direction Y. In other embodiments, see FIGS. 16 and 17, the first tab 222 and the second tab 223 may both protrude from the main body 221 in the second direction Z.

[0049] Since the housing 21 has a first side opening and a second side opening arranged opposite each other in the third direction Y and an upper opening arranged opposite the bottom wall 212, the end cap 23 of the present embodiment is connected to the housing 21 so as to cover the two side openings and the upper opening in order to seal the housing 21. The end cap 23 may include a first end cap 231 and a second end cap 232 for jointly covering the two side openings and the upper opening.

[0050] The battery cell housing 21 of this embodiment includes three walls: a bottom wall and two opposing side walls. During assembly, the two side walls of the housing are tilted outward relative to the bottom wall to form a wide opening. This eliminates the need to maintain the movement direction of the electrode assembly 22 strictly perpendicular to the opening when inserting it into the housing, further reducing assembly difficulties. Furthermore, because the housing 21 includes three openings, the electrode assembly 22 can be inserted into the housing from three directions, providing greater flexibility in assembly and further reducing assembly difficulties.

[0051] According to some embodiments of the present application, the housing 21 is integrally formed by folding at the connection points between the side wall 211 and the bottom wall 212 .

[0052] Specifically, it can be formed by bending the entire flat plate at the connection points between the side walls 211 and the bottom wall 212 according to the dimensions of the side walls 211 and the bottom wall 212 .

[0053] The housing 21 includes a bottom wall 212 and two opposing side walls 211, and can be formed by a simple bending process, eliminating processes such as drawing and aluminum extrusion that are typically used in conventional housing manufacturing processes, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0054] 14 and 15, according to some embodiments of the present application, the connection points between the side wall 211 and the bottom wall 212 of the housing 21 are rounded corners. That is, the bending points of the housing 21 are arranged at rounded corners, which makes processing easier and prevents damage to the electrode assembly 22.

[0055] According to some embodiments of the present application, the first tab 222 and the second tab 223 protrude from both ends of the main body 221 in the third direction Y, respectively. The end caps 23 include a first end cap 231 on which the first pole 24 is disposed and a second end cap 232 on which the second pole 25 is disposed. The first end cap 231 and the second end cap 232 are disposed separately.

[0056] The first tab 222 and the second tab 223 protrude from both ends of the main body 221 in the third direction Y. The first end cap 231 on which the first pole 24 is disposed and the second end cap 232 on which the second pole 25 is disposed are separated from each other. 13 , the first end cap 231 has an L-shaped structure and includes a first segment 2311 extending along the second direction Z and a second segment 2312 extending along the third direction Y, and the first electrode post 24 is disposed in the first segment 2311. The second end cap 232 also has an L-shaped structure and includes a third segment 2321 extending along the second direction Z and a fourth segment 2322 extending along the third direction Y, and the second electrode post 25 is disposed in the third segment 2321. Before assembly, the first tab 222 and the second tab 223 of the electrode assembly 22 both extend along the third direction Y. When assembling the battery cell 20, first, the first segment 2311 is arranged parallel to the first tab 222, and the first pole 24 on the first segment 2311 is connected (e.g., welded) to the first tab 222. Similarly, the third segment 2321 is arranged parallel to the second tab 223, and the second pole 25 on the third segment 2321 is connected (e.g., welded) to the second tab 223. Then, the first end cap 231 is rotated to bend the first tab 222, and the second segment 2312 of the first end cap 231 is attached to the upper The first end cap 231 is rotated to a position covering the top opening, and similarly, the second end cap 232 is rotated to bend the second tab 232, and the fourth divided body 2322 of the second end cap 232 is rotated to a position covering the top opening, further completing the assembly of the end cap 23 and the electrode assembly 22. The assembled end cap 23 and electrode assembly 22 are then placed into the housing 21, and the second divided body 2312 and the fourth divided body 2322 are connected, and the end cap 23 is connected to the housing 21, further completing the final assembly. Thus, in the above embodiment, the first end cap 231 covers the first side opening and a portion of the top opening, and the second end cap 231 covers the second side opening and a portion of the top opening.In some other embodiments, the first end cap 231 may cover only the first side opening, and the second end cap 232 may cover the second side opening and the top opening, or the first end cap 231 may cover the first side opening and the top opening, and the second end cap 232 may cover the second side opening.

[0057] The first tab 222 and the second tab 223 protrude from both ends of the main body 221, respectively, which makes it easy to separate the first end cap 231 and the second end cap 232, position them separately, weld the poles on the end caps 23 to the tabs, and then rotate them to assemble them with the housing 21.

[0058] The first tab 222 and the second tab 223 protrude from both ends of the main body 221 in the third direction Y. The first end cap 231 on which the first pole 24 is disposed and the second end cap 232 on which the second pole 25 is disposed are separated from each other. 13 , the first end cap 231 has an L-shaped structure and includes a first segment 2311 extending along the second direction Z and a second segment 2312 extending along the third direction Y, and the first electrode post 24 is disposed in the first segment 2311. The second end cap 232 also has an L-shaped structure and includes a third segment 2321 extending along the second direction Z and a fourth segment 2322 extending along the third direction Y, and the second electrode post 25 is disposed in the third segment 2321. Before assembly, the first tab 222 and the second tab 223 of the electrode assembly 22 both extend along the third direction Y. When assembling the battery cell 20, first, the first segment 2311 is arranged parallel to the first tab 222, and the first pole 24 on the first segment 2311 is connected (e.g., welded) to the first tab 222. Similarly, the third segment 2321 is arranged parallel to the second tab 223, and the second pole 25 on the third segment 2321 is connected (e.g., welded) to the second tab 223. Then, the first end cap 231 is rotated to bend the first tab 222, and the second segment 2312 of the first end cap 231 is attached to the upper The first end cap 231 is rotated to a position covering the first side opening and a portion of the top opening, and similarly, the second end cap 232 is rotated to bend the second tab 232, and the fourth divided body 2322 of the second end cap 232 is rotated to a position covering the top opening, further completing the assembly of the end cap 23 and the electrode assembly 22. The assembled end cap 23 and electrode assembly 22 are then placed into the housing 21, and the second divided body 2312 and the fourth divided body 2322 are connected, and the end cap 23 is connected to the housing 21, further completing the final assembly. Thus, in the above embodiment, the first end cap 231 covers a portion of the first side opening and the top opening, and the second end cap 232In some other embodiments, the first end cap 231 covers only the first side opening and the second end cap 232 covers the second side opening and the top opening, or the first end cap 231 covers the first side opening and the top opening and the second end cap 232 covers the second side opening.

[0059] 6, 7, and 11, the first divided body 2311 of the first end cap 231 covers the first side opening, and the second divided body 2312 of the first end cap 231 covers at least a portion of the top opening. The third divided body 2321 of the second end cap 232 covers the second side opening, and the fourth divided body 2322 of the second end cap 232 covers at least a portion of the top opening, and the second divided body 2312 and the fourth divided body 2322 are connected to cover the entire top opening.

[0060] The first end cap 231 covers at least a portion of the first side opening and the top opening, and the second end cap 232 covers at least a portion of the second side opening and the top opening; in this way, by constructing the end cap 23 in two parts, it is possible to cover all openings of the housing 21, which further simplifies the welding step during assembly.

[0061] According to some embodiments of the present application, the first end cap 231 and the second end cap 232 are symmetrically arranged.

[0062] The first end cap 231 and the second end cap 232 are arranged symmetrically, i.e., the second divided body 2312 of the first end cap 231 and the fourth divided body 2322 of the second end cap 232 have the same length. As a result, the first end cap 232 and the second end cap 232 have the same structural dimensions and can be manufactured in a unified manner, further reducing manufacturing costs.

[0063] Of course, in other embodiments, the length of the second segment 2312 of the first end cap 231 and the length of the fourth segment 2322 of the second end cap 232 may be unequal, if desired.

[0064] The first end cap 231 and the second end cap 232 are arranged symmetrically, that is, the second divided body 2312 of the first end cap 231 and the fourth divided body 2322 of the second end cap 232 have the same length. 231 and the second end cap 232 have the same structural dimensions, so they can be manufactured in a unified manner, further reducing manufacturing costs.

[0065] The end caps 23 include a first end cap 231 and a second end cap 232. The first pole 24 on the first end cap 231 is connected to the first tab 222, and the second pole 24 on the second end cap 232 is connected to the second tab 223. The second divided body 2312 is connected to the fourth divided body 2322. The assembly process between the end caps 23 and the electrode assembly 22 is simple.

[0066] According to some embodiments of the present application, the connecting end of the second segment 2312 and the connecting end of the fourth segment 2322 are tongue-and-groove fitted together.

[0067] Specifically, as shown in Figures 6, 7 and 12, a first step surface is arranged at the connection end of the second divider 2312, and a second step surface is arranged at the connection end of the fourth divider 2322. When the third divider 2312 and the fourth divider 2322 are assembled and connected, the two vertical surfaces of the first step surface are respectively in close contact with the two vertical surfaces of the second step surface, thereby forming positioning in the third direction Y when the third divider 2312 and the fourth divider 2322 are connected. In this way, a sealing effect is formed by the connection of the third divider 2312 and the fourth divider 2322, and electrolyte leakage can be prevented.

[0068] The connecting end of the second divided body 2312 and the connecting end of the fourth divided body 2322 are fitted together with a protrusion and recess, which ensures accurate positioning and matching of the second divided body 2312 and the fourth divided body 2322 and also prevents leakage of electrolyte.

[0069] 6, according to some embodiments of the present application, the connection point between the first divided body 2311 and the second divided body 2312 is a rounded corner. The connection point between the first divided body 2311 and the second divided body 2312 is arranged at a rounded corner, thus preventing damage to the electrode assembly and assembly workers when connecting and assembling the first end cap 231 and the electrode assembly 22.

[0070] 7 and 13, according to some embodiments of the present application, the connection between the third segment 2321 and the fourth segment 2322 has rounded corners, which can also prevent damage to the electrode assembly and assembly workers.

[0071] 4, the corners 211a of the two side walls 211 are all rounded, the connection between the first divided body 2311 and the second divided body 2312 is also rounded, and the connection between the third divided body 2321 and the fourth divided body 2322 is also rounded. Thus, when assembling the first end cap 231 and the housing 21, the rounded corners of the corners of the side walls 211 match the rounded corners of the bending points of the first end cap 231. At the same time, when inserting the electrode assembly 22 into the housing, the corners 211a of the side walls 211 are rounded to further prevent damage to the electrode assembly and assembly workers.

[0072] According to some embodiments of the present application, the connection points between the first divider 2311 and / or the third divider 2321 and the sidewall 211 are at right angles.

[0073] 3, the bottom edge of the first divided body 2311 of the first end cap 231 is connected to the bottom wall 212 of the housing 21 by external welding (e.g., laser welding) so that the connection between the first divided body 2311 and the bottom wall 212 is at a right angle. Similarly, the bottom edge of the third divided body 2321 of the second end cap 232 is connected to the bottom wall 212 of the housing 21 by external welding (e.g., laser welding) so that the connection between the third divided body 2321 and the bottom wall 212 is at a right angle.

[0074] The connection points between the first partition 2311 and / or the third partition 2321 and the bottom wall 212 are arranged at right angles, which avoids the rounded corners formed at the intersection points of the housing formed by the traditional drawing process, reduces the situation where interference occurs between the rounded corners and the electrode assembly, improves the space utilization rate of the housing, and increases the energy density of the battery cell.

[0075] 3, the connection points between the first divided body 2311 of the first end cap 231 and the two side walls 211 of the housing 21 are arranged at right angles. The connection points between the third divided body 2321 of the second end cap 232 and the two side walls 211 of the housing 21 are also arranged at right angles. In this way, the space utilization rate of the housing is further improved, and the energy density of the battery cell is increased.

[0076] 16 and 17, according to some embodiments of the present application, the first tab 222 and the second tab 223 both protrude from the main body 221 along the top opening side. The end cap 23 has a groove-type structure and includes two side cover portions covering the two side openings and a top cover portion covering the top opening, and the first pole 24 and the second pole 25 are both disposed on the top cover portion.

[0077] The first tab 222 and the second tab 223 both protrude from the main body 221 toward the upper opening. Before assembly, the first tab 222 and the second tab 223 extend in the second direction Z. When assembling the battery cell, the upper cover portion of the end cap 23 is first positioned parallel to the first tab 222 and the second tab 223, and the first electrode post 24 on the end cap 23 is connected to the first tab 222, and the second electrode post 25 is connected to the second tab 223. The end cap 23 is then rotated to bend the tabs, completing the assembly of the end cap 23 and the electrode assembly 22. The end cap 23 and the electrode assembly 22 are then inserted into the housing 21, and the end cap 23 is connected to the housing 21, completing the assembly of the battery cell 20.

[0078] The first tab 222 and the second tab 223 protrude from one side of the main body 221. As such, there is no need to arrange the end cap 23 into two separate structures, and the grooved end cap 23 can be directly assembled with the electrode assembly, thereby eliminating the step of connecting the two separate structures of the end cap 23 and simplifying the assembly process.

[0079] According to some embodiments of the present application, the end cap 23 is integrally formed, for example, by bending it at the connection point between the top cover and the side cover.

[0080] According to some embodiments of the present application, the present application further provides a battery including any of the battery cells described above.

[0081] According to some embodiments of the present application, the present application further provides an electrical device including a battery according to any of the above-mentioned ideas, wherein the battery is used to supply electrical energy to the electrical device.

[0082] The electrical device may be any of the battery-based equipment or systems described above.

[0083] Referring to FIG. 18, according to some embodiments of the present application, the present application further provides a method for manufacturing a battery cell, including the following steps. Step S101: Provide a housing 21 including two side walls 211 spaced apart and perpendicular to a first direction X, and a bottom wall 212 perpendicular to a second direction Z and connecting the two side walls 211, wherein the two side walls 211 and the bottom wall 212 are surrounded to form an accommodating cavity, and the housing 21 has a first side opening and a second side opening arranged opposite each other in a third direction Y, and a top opening arranged opposite the bottom wall 212, wherein the first direction X, the second direction Z, and the third direction Y are perpendicular to each other.

[0084] Step S102: A step of providing an electrode assembly 22, an end cap 23, and a first pole 24 and a second pole 25, wherein the electrode assembly 22 has a main body 221 and a first tab 222 and a second tab 223 having opposite polarities protruding from the main body 221, and the first pole 24 and the second pole 25 are arranged on the end cap 23.

[0085] Step S103: Electrically connect the first pole 24 to the first tab 222 and the second pole 25 to the second tab 223, place the electrode assembly 22 into the receiving cavity of the housing 21, and connect the end cap 23 to the housing 21 so that the end cap 23 seals the housing 21.

[0086] The housing 21 of the battery cell in this embodiment includes a total of three walls: a bottom wall and two side walls arranged opposite each other. During assembly, the two side walls of the housing can be tilted outward relative to the bottom wall to form an even wider opening. This eliminates the need to keep the movement direction of the electrode assembly when inserting it into the housing strictly perpendicular to the opening, thereby easing the difficulty of assembly.

[0087] Although the present application has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications may be made and elements may be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope of the present application. In particular, the technical features recited in each embodiment may be combined in any manner as long as there is no structural contradiction. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions within the scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] Vehicle 1000 battery 100 Controller 200 Motor 300 Case 10 Part 1 11 Second part 12 Battery cells 20 Housing 21 side wall 211 Corner position 211a Bottom wall 212 Electrode Assembly 22 Main body 221 First tab 222 Second Tab 223 End Cap 23 First End Cap 231 First division 2311 Second division 2312 Second End Cap 232 Third division 2321 Fourth division 2322 First Pole 24 Second Pole 25 First Direction X Second Direction Z Third Direction Y

Claims

1. A housing (21) including two side walls (211) perpendicular to a first direction (X) and spaced apart from each other, and a bottom wall (212) perpendicular to a second direction (Z) and connecting the two side walls (211), wherein the two side walls (211) and the bottom wall (212) are enclosed to form a receiving cavity, and the housing (21) has first and second side openings arranged opposite to each other in a third direction (Y), and a top opening arranged opposite to the bottom wall (212), wherein the first direction (X), the second direction (Z), and the third direction (Y) are perpendicular to each other. an electrode assembly (22) disposed within the receiving cavity and including a body portion (221) and a first tab (222) and a second tab (223) having opposite polarities protruding from the body portion (221); an end cap (23) connected to the housing (21) so as to cover the first side opening, the second side opening, and the top opening to seal the housing (21); and a first pole (24) and a second pole (25) disposed on the end cap (23), the first pole (24) being electrically connected to the first tab (222) and the second pole (25) being electrically connected to the second tab (223); The first tab (222) and the second tab (223) protrude from both ends of the main body (221) in the third direction (Y), respectively, the end cap (23) includes a first end cap (231) for arranging the first pole (24) and a second end cap (232) for arranging the second pole (25), and the first end cap (231) and the second end cap (232) are arranged separately, The first end cap (231) covers at least a portion of the first side opening and the top opening, the second end cap (232) covers at least a portion of the second side opening and the top opening, and the first end cap (231) is connected to the second end cap (232). Battery cell.

2. The battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein the housing (21) is integrally formed by bending the connection points between the side wall (211) and the bottom wall (212).

3. The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the first end cap (231) and the second end cap (232) are symmetrically disposed.

4. 2. The battery cell of claim 1, wherein the first end cap (231) includes a first division (2311) that covers a first side opening and a second division (2312) that covers at least a portion of the top opening, the second end cap (232) includes a third division (2321) that covers a second side opening and a fourth division (2322) that covers at least a portion of the top opening, the first electrode post (24) is arranged in the first division (2311), the second electrode post (25) is arranged in the third division (2321), and the second division (2312) and the fourth division (2322) are connected.

5. The battery cell of claim 4 , wherein the connecting end of the second segment (2312) and the connecting end of the fourth segment (2322) are in a tongue-and-groove fit.

6. A battery cell as described in claim 4, wherein the connection point between the first partition (2311) and the second partition (2312) is a rounded corner, and / or the connection point between the third partition (2321) and the fourth partition (2322) is a rounded corner.

7. The battery cell according to claim 4 , wherein the connection points between the first divided body (2311) and / or the third divided body (2321) and the bottom wall (212) are at right angles.

8. The battery cell according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the housing (21) has rounded corners at connection points between the side walls (211) and the bottom wall (212).

9. A battery comprising a battery cell according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. An electrical device including a battery according to claim 9, wherein the battery is used to supply electrical energy.

11. providing a housing (21) including two side walls (211) perpendicular to a first direction (X) and spaced apart from each other, and a bottom wall (212) perpendicular to a second direction (Z) and connecting the two side walls (211), wherein a receiving cavity is formed by the two side walls (211) and the bottom wall (212), and the housing (21) has first and second side openings arranged opposite to each other in a third direction (Y), and a top opening arranged opposite to the bottom wall (212), wherein the first direction (X), the second direction (Z), and the third direction (Y) are perpendicular to each other; and providing an electrode assembly (22), an end cap (23), and a first pole (24) and a second pole (25), the electrode assembly (22) comprising a main body (221) and a first tab (222) and a second tab (223) having opposite polarities protruding from the main body (221), the first pole (24) and the second pole (25) being disposed in the end cap (23), electrically connecting the first pole (24) to the first tab (222) and the second pole (25) to the second tab (223); placing the electrode assembly (22) in a receiving cavity of the housing (21); and connecting the end cap (23) to the housing (21) so that the end cap (23) seals the housing (21); Including, The first tab (222) and the second tab (223) protrude from both ends of the main body (221) in the third direction (Y), respectively, the end cap (23) includes a first end cap (231) for arranging the first pole (24) and a second end cap (232) for arranging the second pole (25), and the first end cap (231) and the second end cap (232) are arranged separately, a first end cap (231) covering at least a portion of a first side opening and the top opening, a second end cap (232) covering at least a portion of a second side opening and the top opening, and the first end cap (231) connected to the second end cap (232).

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