Battery module and electric device including same

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a battery module and an electric device including the battery module.SOLUTION: A battery module includes a battery cell array, a side plate, and an insulating barrier. The side plate is disposed corresponding to at least one outer surface of the battery cell array in the circumferential direction. The insulating barrier is disposed between the side plate and a side wall of the battery cell array and protrudes above the battery cell array. The battery module can overcome the problem of existing battery modules, that is, a short electrical safety distance between a housing of a battery cell and the side plate of the battery module.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of batteries, and in particular to battery modules and electrical devices including battery modules. [Background technology]

[0002] A battery module, also known as a battery device, is an energy storage unit for a power battery pack. Battery modules modularize multiple batteries to facilitate subsequent configuration and use. Battery modules have the advantages of high power output and stable voltage output, making them popular in various industries. To reduce the size of the battery module and achieve higher energy density, existing battery modules also shrink the size of their side plates, resulting in a smaller electrical safety distance between the battery cell array and the side plates. As a result, the charge on the battery cell housing can leak along the inner wall of the side plate of the battery module, creating a safety hazard. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] In consideration of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the related art, the present invention provides a battery module and an electric device including the battery module that can overcome the problem of existing battery modules, namely, the problem of a short electrical safety distance between the housing of the battery cell and the side plate of the battery module. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] To achieve the above and other related objects, a first aspect of the present invention provides a battery module including a battery cell array, a side plate, and an insulating barrier. The side plate is disposed around the outside of the battery cell array in a closed circumferential direction. The insulating barrier is disposed between the side plate and a side wall of the battery cell array and protrudes above the battery cell array.

[0005] In one example of a battery module of the present invention, the insulating barrier includes an insulating layer disposed on the side plate and an insulating sheet disposed on the insulating layer, the insulating sheet protruding toward the battery cell array to a position above the battery cell array.

[0006] In one example of the battery module of the present invention, the insulating sheet is integrally formed with the insulating layer or is joined to the insulating layer via an adhesive.

[0007] In one example of the battery module of the present invention, the adhesive is integrally connected to the insulating sheet, and the adhesive is bonded to the insulating layer and extends upward and / or downward from the root of the insulating sheet.

[0008] In one example of the battery module of the present invention, the thickness of the insulating sheet is 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm.

[0009] In one example of the battery module of the present invention, the included angle between the insulating sheet and the inner wall of the side plate is 82° to 98°.

[0010] In one example of the battery module of the present invention, the cantilever length of the insulating sheet is 5 mm or more.

[0011] In one example of the battery module of the present invention, the housings of the battery cells of the battery cell array are covered with an insulating film, a window is opened in the insulating film of the battery cells on the outside of the battery cell array, and the surfaces of the housings of the battery cells within the window are bonded to the insulating layer, and the insulating sheet protrudes above the window correspondingly.

[0012] In one example of the battery module of the present invention, the battery cell array includes a plurality of battery cells, and windows are opened in the plurality of battery cells on the same side of the battery cell array, and an insulating sheet blocks the position above each window.

[0013] In one example of the battery module of the present invention, the side plates are arranged circumferentially around the outside of the battery cell array, with insulation along the circumferential direction.

[0014] The present invention further provides an electric device including a working unit and a battery module as described in any of the above examples, wherein the working unit is electrically connected to the battery module to obtain electric energy support. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The battery module of the present invention has an insulating barrier between the side plate of the battery module and the side wall of the battery cell array, and the insulating barrier protrudes toward the battery cell array to a position above the battery cell array. When charges rise along the inner surface of the side plate, they must overcome the portion of the insulating barrier that protrudes above the battery cell array before they can reach the conductive portion outside the side plate. Compared to a structure without an insulating barrier, the creepage distance between the battery cell housing and the conductive portion outside the side plate is increased, thereby improving the electrical safety performance of the battery module. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] In order to more clearly describe the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following description will briefly introduce the accompanying drawings that need to be used in the description of the embodiments or prior art. 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 creative work.

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic three-dimensional view of one embodiment of a battery module of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a three-dimensional enlarged view of one embodiment of a battery module of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic three-dimensional view of one embodiment of a battery module of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged view of area A in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged view of area B in FIG. 3. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of a battery module of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a partial enlarged view of area C in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a partial configuration diagram of an insulating sheet in one embodiment of the battery module of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a partial configuration diagram of an insulating sheet in another embodiment of the battery module of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a partial configuration diagram of an insulating sheet in another embodiment of the battery module of the present invention. [Figure 11] 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a battery module of the present invention with a side plate partially removed. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an assembled circuit board in one embodiment of a battery module of the present invention. [Figure 13] 1 is a three-dimensional enlarged view of one embodiment of a battery module of the present invention. [Figure 14]1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a battery module of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a partial enlarged view of area A in FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a battery module of the present invention after removing a portion of the side plate and top plate. [Figure 17] 1 is a structural schematic diagram of an insulating folded edge disposed on a battery module cell contact system (CCS) in one embodiment of the battery module of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the relative positions of a battery module CCS and a battery cell array after construction in one embodiment of the battery module of the present invention. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a partial enlarged view of area B in FIG. [Figure 20] 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a battery module of the present invention. [Figure 21] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a battery module of the present invention after the cover plate is set. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described through specific examples. Those skilled in the art will easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the contents disclosed herein. Furthermore, the present invention may be implemented or applied through different specific implementations, and the details herein may be modified or changed in various ways based on different perspectives and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It should be noted that, unless contradictory, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments may be combined with each other. It should also be understood that the terms used in the embodiments of the present invention are intended to describe specific implementations and do not limit the scope of protection of the present invention. In the following examples, for test methods for which specific conditions are not specified, conventional conditions or conditions suggested by various manufacturers should generally be followed.

[0019] When a numerical range is given in an embodiment, it should be understood that any numerical value between the two endpoints of each numerical range can be selected unless otherwise specified in the present invention. Unless otherwise defined, a person skilled in the art can realize the present invention by using any prior art method similar to or equivalent to the method, device, and material described in the embodiment of the present invention based on an understanding of all technical and scientific terms used in the present invention and their prior art, and the description of the present invention.

[0020] It should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "middle", "first", etc., used in this specification are for the convenience of explanation and are not used to limit the scope of this specification. Any changes or adjustments to the feasible scope of the present invention and its relative relationships shall be considered as the feasible scope of the present invention if there are no substantial changes in the technical content.

[0021] An embodiment provides a battery module including a battery cell array, an outer plate, and an insulator, wherein the outer plate is disposed outside the battery cell array, and the insulator is disposed on the outer plate and the battery cell array.

[0022] In a specific embodiment, the outer plate includes a side plate, and the insulator includes an insulating barrier. The side plate is disposed in a circumferential direction corresponding to at least one outer surface of the battery cell array. The insulating barrier protrudes above the battery cell array.

[0023] 1 to 12, the present invention provides a battery module and an electric device including the battery module. In the battery module, when electric charges rise along the inner surface of the side plate 200, the electric charges must overcome the portion of the insulating barrier 201 that protrudes above the battery cell array 100 before they can reach the conductive portion outside the side plate 200. Compared to a structure without the insulating barrier 201, the creepage distance can be increased without changing the size of the side plate 200. Therefore, the problem of existing battery modules, namely, the short electrical safety distance between the housing of the battery cells 110 and the side plate 200 of the battery module, can be overcome.

[0024] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the battery module includes a battery cell array 100, a side plate 200, and an insulating barrier 201.

[0025] The battery cell array 100 can have one, two, or more battery cells 110, and the number of battery cells 110 can be selected according to the needs of the electrical device. The shape of the battery cells 110 can have various shapes, including square-housing battery cells, cylindrical battery cells, pouch-shaped battery cells, etc., but the present invention is not limited thereto. The approximate shape of the entire stack of the battery cell array 100 is not limited thereto, and includes, but is not limited to, a cylindrical shape, a rectangular parallelepiped shape, a hexagonal shape, multiple prisms, etc., but the present invention is not limited thereto. In this embodiment, the battery cell array 100 includes multiple square-housing battery cells, and the multiple square-housing battery cells are arranged in a line to form the battery cell array 100 into an approximate rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0026] 2 and 3 , in the present invention, the side plate 200 is arranged to correspond to at least one outer surface of the battery cell array 100 in the circumferential direction. The type of surface is not limited and includes a flat surface or a cylindrical surface, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In one embodiment of the present invention, the side plate 200 is arranged in a closed circumferential manner around the outside of the battery cell array 100 along the circumferential direction to provide effective protection and strength support for the battery cell array 100. The specific shape corresponds to the entire outer contour of the battery cell array 100. For example, when the overall appearance of the battery cell array 100 is approximately cylindrical, the side plate 200 can be arranged circumferentially to form a circle that matches the cylindrical shape. In this embodiment, a plurality of rectangular battery cells 110 are arranged linearly to form the battery cell array 100 in an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape. The side plate 200 is arranged circumferentially around the outside of the battery cell array 100 to form a rectangular internal space, the top of which has an opening. The specific method of circumferential arrangement is not limited, and for example, the side plates 200 may be integrally formed and circumferentially arranged on the outside of the battery cell array 100, or may be detachably assembled and circumferentially arranged on the outside of the battery cell array 100. Specifically, in this embodiment, the side plates 200 employ a first plate 210, a second plate 220, a third plate 230, and a fourth plate 240. The first plate 210, the second plate 220, the third plate 230, and the fourth plate 240 are sequentially and detachably connected (e.g., with bolts) and circumferentially arranged on the outside of the battery cell array 100 to protect the battery cell array 100.

[0027] The insulating barrier 201 is disposed between the side plate 200 and the side wall of the battery cell array 100 and protrudes toward the battery cell array 100 to a position above the battery cell array 100. The arrangement of the insulating barrier 201 between the battery cell array 100 and the side plate 200 is not limited, and for example, the insulating barrier 201 may be hot-pressed onto the inner wall of the side plate 200, cold-pasted onto the inner wall of the side plate 200, coated onto the outer wall of the battery cell array 100, or bonded to the outer wall of the battery cell array 100, but the present invention is not limited to the above methods. The insulating barrier 201 is configured to protrude above the battery cell array 100. Referring to FIG. 7 , when charges rise along the inner surface of the side plate 200, the charges must overcome the insulating barrier 201 before they can reach the conductive portions outside the side plate 200. Compared to a structure without the insulating barrier 201, the creepage distance between the housing of the battery cell 110 and the outer conductive part of the side plate 200 is increased, thereby improving the electrical safety performance of the battery module.

[0028] The structure of the insulating barrier 201 can be set according to requirements. Referring to Figures 4 to 7, in one example of a battery module of the present invention, the insulating barrier 201 includes an insulating layer 202 set on the side plate 200 and an insulating sheet 203 set on the insulating layer 202. The insulating layer 202 covers the entire inner wall of the side plate 200 and extends outward from the top end surface of the side plate 200, thereby forming an end surface covering region 2021. The insulating sheet 203 is disposed on the insulating layer 202 on the inner side of the side plate 200 and protrudes toward the battery cell array 100 to a position above the battery cell array 100.

[0029] In the present invention, the insulating layer 202 and insulating sheet 203 may be integrally arranged or may be formed by being bonded separately. Referring to FIG. 9 , in one example of a battery module of the present invention, the insulating sheet 203 and insulating layer 202 are integrally formed. The insulating layer 202 is formed by cold-bonding an insulating film to the inner surface of the side plate 200 and then folded at a cold-bonding position corresponding to the top of the battery cell array 100 to form the insulating sheet 203 that protrudes above the battery cell array 100. When the insulating film is cold-bonded, when the insulating film is attached to a position corresponding to the base of the insulating sheet 203, the insulating film is folded in half based on the predetermined protruding height of the insulating sheet 203 to form the insulating sheet 203. Then, the insulating film on the other side of the insulating sheet 203 is attached to the inner surface of the side plate 200 on the other side of the insulating sheet 203. This configuration allows the side plate 200 and the insulating layer 202 to be simultaneously and integrally formed without the need for additional processes.

[0030] 8 and 10 , in some other embodiments, the insulating barrier 201 may be formed using other methods, such as arranging the insulating layer 202 and the insulating sheet 203 in separate structures and bonding the insulating sheet 203 to the insulating layer 202 via the adhesive portion 2031. As long as the insulating sheet 203 can be insulated and fixed on the insulating layer 202 at a certain angle, the adhesive portion 2031 may be arranged in various ways, for example, the adhesive portion 2031 may be integrally formed with the insulating sheet 203, or may be another connecting piece or the like independent from the insulating layer 202 and the insulating sheet 203.

[0031] 8 , in one example of a battery module of the present invention, adhesive portion 2031 is integrally connected to insulating sheet 203, adhesive portion 2031 is bonded to insulating layer 202 and extends upward from the base of insulating sheet 203, and adhesive portion 2031 is bonded to the surface of insulating layer 202 via an adhesive layer. During production, the substrate forming insulating sheet 203 may be folded to form insulating sheet 203 and adhesive portion 2031. Adhesive portion 2031 extends upward from the base of insulating sheet 203 and is integrally connected to insulating sheet 203 in a roughly "L" shape. Adhesive portion 2031 is bonded to insulating layer 202 above insulating sheet 203, forming a double-layer insulating structure.

[0032] Referring to Figure 10, in one example of a battery module of the present invention, unlike the insulating barrier 201 of Figure 8, the adhesive portion 2031 extends downward from the base of the insulating sheet 203 and is integrally connected to the insulating sheet 203 in an approximately "┌" shaped connection, thereby forming a double-layer insulating structure on the insulating layer 202 between the battery cell array 100 and the side plate 200.

[0033] In one example of the battery module of the present invention, the insulating sheet 203 is formed into an approximately "├" shaped structure by folding the base material of the insulating sheet 203, and this structure has adhesive parts on both sides of the insulating sheet 203, and the adhesive parts on both sides are bonded to the surface of the insulating layer 202. On the one hand, this method can improve the adhesive strength of the base of the insulating sheet 203, and on the other hand, it can increase the rigidity of the base of the insulating sheet 203.

[0034] As long as insulation can be achieved, the requirements for the thickness of the insulating sheet 203 are not so strict. Referring to Fig. 8, in one example of a battery module of the present invention, the thickness t of the insulating sheet 203 may be any value between 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm, for example, 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, and 0.5 mm. Within the range of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, the insulating sheet 203 can maintain good insulation, and the thickness of the insulating sheet 203 can be made thinner.

[0035] 7 and 8, the creepage distance may be increased as long as it protrudes above the battery cell array 100, and preferably, the length L of the cantilever of the insulating sheet 203 referred to in the present invention (i.e., the portion above the battery cell array that hangs down from the inside of the side plate) is greater than or equal to 5 mm, and more preferably, greater than 5 mm. Within this length range, a sufficient creepage distance can be ensured even if the side plate 200 above the battery cell array 100 is relatively low.

[0036] In the present invention, as long as the insulating sheet 203 protrudes into the inner wall of the side plate 200, there is no requirement for the angle between the insulating sheet 203 and the inner wall of the side plate 200. Referring to FIG. 7 , in one example of a battery module of the present invention, the included angle α between the insulating sheet 203 and the inner wall of the side plate 200 is 82° to 98°. Specifically, the included angle α may be any value within the range of 82° to 98°, such as 82°, 85°, 87°, 90°, 95°, 98°, etc. Within this range, on the one hand, the insulating sheet 203 can occupy a lower height, and on the other hand, the cantilever end of the insulating sheet 203 can be sufficiently far from the inner wall of the side plate 200.

[0037] Considering that the housings of existing rectangular-type battery cells 110 are mainly made of metal, in one example of a battery module of the present invention, the housings of the battery cells 110 of the battery cell array 100 are covered with an insulating film to further enhance the insulating effect. The insulating film may be coated on the outside of the entire battery cell array 100, or may be coated on each battery cell 110 in the battery cell array 100. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 7 , in this embodiment, the insulating film is coated on the housing of each battery cell 110, and a through window 111 is opened in the insulating film of the battery cell 110 on the outside of the battery cell array 100. In this embodiment, the through window 111 specifically penetrates toward the top cover of the battery cell, and the housing surface of the battery cell 110 inside the window 111 is bonded to the insulating layer 202. By directly bonding the housing surface of the battery cell 110 within the window 111 to the insulating layer 202 on the inner wall of the side plate 200, the adhesive strength between the side plate 200 and the battery cell array 100 can be increased. The insulating sheet 203 correspondingly protrudes above the window 111. This configuration, on the one hand, ensures sufficient connection strength between the battery cell array 100 and the side plate 200, and, on the other hand, increases the creepage distance between the housing of the battery cells 110 in the window 111 and the side plate 200 via the insulating sheet 203, thereby improving the electrical safety of the battery module.

[0038] 2 and 7 , in one example of a battery module of the present invention, a battery cell array 100 includes a plurality of battery cells 110, and windows 111 are opened in the plurality of battery cells 110 on the same side of the battery cell array 100. An insulating sheet 203 extends along the arrangement direction of the battery cells 110 and blocks the upper position of each window 111. This configuration method not only increases the creepage distance between the housing (e.g., an aluminum housing) of the battery cells 110 and the exposed metal on the outside of the side plate 200, but also effectively ensures the safety performance of the product. Meanwhile, the insulating sheet 203 can be integrally formed on the side plate 200 by hot pressing, or can be attached to the side plate 200 by cold bonding an insulating film (folding it in half to form a rib), which increases manufacturability. At the same time, after the battery cell array 100 is arranged, instead of applying adhesive to each battery cell 110 to increase the creepage distance of the window 111, the entire insulating sheet 203 can be set above the battery cell array 100 on the same side plate 200 to divide the windows 111 of all the battery cells 110 on the same side, which makes assembly relatively simple and low-cost.

[0039] In one example of the battery module of the present invention, the insulating sheet 203 is arranged along the circumferential direction of the battery cell array 100, forming a closed loop outline in a projection plane perpendicular to the opening. This arrangement allows a full-perimeter isolation barrier to be formed around the entire side plate 200 around the battery cell array 100.

[0040] 1 and 2 , in one example of a battery module of the present invention, the battery module further includes a top plate 300 and a cover plate 400. The top plate may specifically include a circuit board, and the circuit board may be, for example, a cell contact system (CCS) assembly (battery module CCS). The CCS assembly is disposed above the battery cell array 100 and above the insulating sheet 203. The CCS assembly is used to collect and control data for the multiple battery cells 110, and the cover plate 400 insulates and seals the openings, providing insulation and protection for the circuit board and the battery cell array 100. It should be noted that other parts of the battery module of the present invention that are not described in detail can be derived from the structure of existing battery modules, and therefore will not be described here.

[0041] A second aspect of the present invention provides an electric device including a working unit and the battery module described in any one of the examples. The working unit is electrically connected to the battery module and receives power energy support. The working unit may be a unit component that receives power energy from the battery module and performs corresponding work, such as a fan blade rotation unit of a fan, a dust collection unit of a vacuum cleaner, or a wheel drive unit of an electric vehicle. The electric device may be a vehicle, a mobile phone, a portable device, a laptop, a boat, a spacecraft, an electronic toy, or a power tool. The vehicle may be a fuel-powered vehicle, a gas-powered vehicle, or a new energy vehicle, and the new energy vehicle may be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a long-distance vehicle. The spacecraft may include an airplane, a rocket, a space shuttle, a spaceship, or the like. The electronic toys may be stationary or mobile electronic toys, such as a game console, a toy electric car, a toy electric boat, and a toy electric airplane. The power tools include metal cutting power tools, grinding power tools, assembly power tools, and railroad power tools, such as electric drills, electric grinders, electric wrenches, electric screwdrivers, electric hammers, impact drills, concrete vibrators, electric planers, etc. The embodiments of the present invention are not particularly limited to the above electric devices.

[0042] In the battery module of the present invention, an insulating barrier 201 is provided between the side plate 200 of the battery module and the side wall of the battery cell array 100, and the insulating barrier 201 protrudes toward the battery cell array 100 to a position above the battery cell array 100. When charges rise along the inner surface of the side plate 200, the charges must overcome the portion of the insulating barrier 201 that protrudes above the battery cell array 100 before they can reach the conductive parts outside the side plate 200. Compared to a structure without the insulating barrier 201, the creepage distance between the housing of the battery cell 110 and the conductive parts outside the side plate 200 is increased, thereby improving the electrical safety performance of the battery module. Furthermore, a through window 111 is provided in the insulating film of the battery cell 110 outside the battery cell array 100, and the housing surface of the battery cell 110 within the window 111 is bonded to the insulating layer 202. This configuration ensures sufficient connection strength between the battery cell array 100 and the side plate 200, while simultaneously increasing the creepage distance between the housing of the battery cell 110 and the side plate 200 through the insulating sheet 203. Furthermore, windows 111 are provided for multiple battery cells 110 on the same side of the battery cell array 100, and the insulating sheet 203 extends along the arrangement direction of the battery cells 110 to block the upper position of each window 111. This configuration increases the creepage distance between the housing (e.g., an aluminum housing) of the battery cell 110 and the exposed metal on the outside of the side plate 200, thereby effectively ensuring product safety performance and achieving high manufacturability. The strip-shaped insulating sheet 203 can also be used to separate the windows 111 of all battery cells 110 on the same side, thereby increasing the creepage distance of the window 111 without applying adhesive to each battery cell 110. Assembly is relatively simple and inexpensive. Therefore, the present invention effectively overcomes some practical problems in the prior art, and therefore has great utility value and significance for use.The above-described embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0043] In another specific embodiment, the battery module further includes a top plate, the side plate is disposed corresponding to at least one outer surface of the battery cell array in the circumferential direction, the top plate is disposed insulated from the top of the battery cell array, and the insulator includes an insulating folded edge, the insulating folded edge extending along the top plate to a position between the side plate and the battery cell array.

[0044] 13 to 21, the present invention provides a battery module and an electric device including the battery module. The battery module includes an insulating fold 311 that extends along a top plate 300 to a side wall between a side plate 200 and a side wall of a battery cell array 100. Charges in the upper conductive portion of the battery cell array 100 must flow downward and over the insulating fold 311 before they can reach the conductive portion on the outside of the side plate 200. This overcomes a problem of existing battery modules in the prior art, namely, a short electrical safety distance between the housing of the battery cells 110 and the side plate 200 of the battery module.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 13, the battery module includes a battery cell array 100, a side plate 200, a top plate 300, and an insulating folded edge 311.

[0046] 16 , the battery cell array 100 can have one, two, or more battery cells 110, and the number of battery cells 110 can be selected according to the needs of the electrical device. The shape of the battery cells 110 can have various shapes, including prismatic housing battery cells 110, cylindrical battery cells 110, pouch-shaped battery cells 110, etc., but the present invention is not limited thereto. The approximate shape of the entire stack of the battery cell array 100 is not limited thereto, and includes, but is not limited to, a cylindrical prism, a rectangular parallelepiped, a hexagonal shape, multiple prisms, etc. In this embodiment, the battery cell array 100 includes a plurality of prismatic housing battery cells 110, and the plurality of prismatic housing battery cells 110 are arranged in a line to form the battery cell array 100 into an approximate rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0047] 14 and 15 , in the present invention, the side plate 200 is arranged to correspond to at least one outer surface of the battery cell array 100 in the circumferential direction. The type of surface is not limited and includes a flat surface or a cylindrical surface, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In one embodiment of the present invention, the side plate 200 is arranged circumferentially and closed around the outside of the battery cell array 100 along the circumferential direction to provide effective protection and strength support for the battery cell array 100. The specific shape surrounded by the side plate 200 corresponds to the entire outer contour of the battery cell array 100. For example, when the overall appearance of the battery cell array 100 is approximately cylindrical, the side plate 200 can be arranged circumferentially to form a circular contour that matches the cylindrical shape. In this embodiment, multiple rectangular-housing battery cells 110 are arranged linearly to form a substantially rectangular parallelepiped battery cell array 100. The side plate 200 is arranged circumferentially around the outside of the battery cell array 100 to form a rectangular internal space, the top of which has an opening 201. The specific method for circumferentially arranging the side plates 200 is not limited, and for example, the side plates 200 may be integrally formed and circumferentially arranged on the outside of the battery cell array 100, or may be detachably assembled and circumferentially arranged on the outside of the battery cell array 100. Specifically, in this embodiment, the side plate 200 employs a first plate 210, a second plate 220, a third plate 230, and a fourth plate 240. The first plate 210, the second plate 220, the third plate 230, and the fourth plate 240 are sequentially and detachably connected (e.g., with bolts) to be circumferentially arranged on the outside of the battery cell array 100 to protect the battery cell array 100. In one embodiment of the present invention, an insulating layer 202 is provided on the inner wall of the side plate 200, and the insulating layer 202 covers the entire inner wall of the side plate 200 and extends upward to the outside of the upper end surface of the side plate 200, thereby forming an end surface covering region 2021.

[0048] 13 , 15 , and 17 , the top plate 300 may be any suitable plate structure disposed on top of the battery cell array 100 and maintained in an insulated state from the battery cell array 100, including, but not limited to, a circuit board, a cover plate 400, or other additional plate structures. The method of configuring the top plate 300 on top of the battery cell array 100 is also not limited. For example, the top plate 300 may be disposed directly on top of the battery cell array 100, or may be suspended above the battery cell array 100 via other structural forms. The shape of the top plate 300 is not limited. For example, the top plate 300 may be rectangular, circular, or the like. Preferably, in one embodiment of the present invention, the shape of the top plate 300 matches the shape of the opening 201 formed by the circumferentially arranged side plates 200.

[0049] The insulating fold 311 extends along the top plate 300 toward the electrical gap between the side plate 200 and the battery cell array 100. The arrangement of the insulating fold 311 on the top plate 300 is not limited, and for example, the insulating fold 311 may be hot-pressed onto the side plate 200 or cold-bonded onto the top plate 300, but the present invention is not limited thereto. By extending to a position between the battery cell array 100 and the side plate 200, the insulating fold 311 can block the electrical gap between the battery cell array 100 and the side plate 200. When charges on the top of the battery cell array 100 cannot reach the conductive parts on the outside of the side plate 200 without flowing downward and crossing the insulating fold 311, the creepage distance between the housing of the battery cell 110 and the conductive parts on the outside of the side plate 200 is increased compared to a structure without the insulating fold 311, thereby improving the electrical safety performance of the battery module.

[0050] 13 and 17 , in one example of a battery module of the present invention, the top plate 300 includes a circuit board, which may be, for example, a flexible circuit board 310 of the battery module CCS. The battery module CCS mainly includes the flexible circuit board 310, aluminum bars, and nickel sheets. The poles of the multiple battery cells 110 arranged in the battery module are connected in series / parallel via the multiple aluminum bars, and the flexible circuit board 310 is arranged above the battery cell array 100 and is electrically connected to the multiple aluminum bars via the multiple nickel sheets to collect the temperature and / or voltage of the corresponding battery cells 110, thereby monitoring the status of the battery cells 110.

[0051] 13 and 17, in one example of the battery module of the present invention, the insulating fold edge 311 is integrated with the flexible circuit board 310, and the insulating fold edge 311 is integrally formed during the manufacturing process of the flexible circuit board 310. Since there is no need to adopt an additional construction process for the insulating fold edge 311, construction efficiency can be improved. In addition, compared with a detachable construction type insulating fold edge 311, the integrally formed insulating fold edge 311 has better insulation stability.

[0052] In another example of the battery module of the present invention, the insulating fold 311 is removably fixed to the top plate 300, for example, removably fixed to the edge of the top plate 300. The detachable configuration of the top plate 300 can be achieved by bonding, hot pressing, or the like, but the present invention is not limited thereto. During production, the substrate forming the insulating fold 311 can be bent to form an approximately "┌" shaped structure. In the "┌" shaped structure, the horizontal portion is bonded to the edge of the top plate 300, and the vertical segment is inserted between the battery cell array 100 and the side plate 200. Bending the insulating fold 311 into an approximately "┌" shaped structure not only ensures better adhesion between the bonding position and the top plate 300, but also ensures stable gaps between the vertical segment and the side plate 200 and the battery cell array 100.

[0053] 14 and 15 , in one example of a battery module of the present invention, the insulating folded edge 311 includes an inclined segment 3111 and a vertical segment 3112. The vertical segment 3112 is suspended between the side plate 200 and the battery cell array 100, with one end of the inclined segment 3111 connected to the top of the vertical segment 3112 and the other end of the inclined segment 3111 slanting from the bottom to the top away from the side plate 200 (first plate 210) and connected to the top plate 300. The inclined segment 3111, on the one hand, allows for a larger electrical gap between the upper position of the insulating folded edge 311 and the side plate 200, and, on the other hand, increases the overall rigidity of the insulating folded edge 311, helping to form a stable support for the insulating folded edge 311.

[0054] 15 , in one example of a battery module of the present invention, the angle α between the inclined segment 3111 and the top plate 300 is 60° to 80°. Specifically, the angle α may be any value within the range of 60° to 80°, such as 60°, 65°, 70°, 75°, 80°, 85°, etc. On the one hand, within this range, a sufficient electrical gap can be maintained between the insulating folded edge 311 and the upper position of the side plate 200, and on the other hand, the insulating folded edge 311 becomes longer in height, thereby ensuring better isolation between the battery cell array 100 and the side plate 200.

[0055] The creepage distance can be increased by simply inserting an electrical gap between the battery cell array 100 and the side plate 200, but preferably, referring to FIG. 3, the overlap length L between the insulating folded edge 311 and the battery cell array 100 (i.e., the overlap length between the insulating folded edge 311 and the side wall of the battery cell) is greater than or equal to 5 mm, preferably greater than 5 mm, and when the length is within this range, a sufficient creepage distance can be ensured.

[0056] 15 , as long as insulation can be achieved, the thickness of the insulating fold 311 does not need to be high. Preferably, in one example of a battery module of the present invention, the insulating fold 311 is removably joined to the edge of the top plate 300 by bonding. The thickness t of the insulating fold 311 may be any value between 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm, for example, 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, and 0.5 mm. Within the value range of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, the insulating fold 311 can maintain excellent insulation and have a relatively thin thickness.

[0057] Considering that the housings of existing prismatic housing battery cells 110 are mainly made of metal materials, in order to further enhance the insulating effect, referring to FIGS. 16 to 18 , in one example of a battery module of the present invention, the housings of the battery cells 110 of the battery cell array 100 are covered with an insulating film. The insulating film may be covered on the outside of the entire battery cell array 100, or may be covered on each battery cell 110 in the battery cell array 100. In this embodiment, the insulating film is covered on the outer housing of each battery cell 110, and a through window 111 is opened in the insulating film of the battery cell 110 outside the battery cell array 100. In this embodiment, the through window 111 specifically penetrates toward the top cover 112 of the battery cell 110, and the housing surface of the battery cell 110 within the window 111 is bonded to the insulating layer 202. By directly bonding the housing surfaces of the battery cells 110 within the window 111 to the insulating layer 202 on the inner wall of the side plate 200, the adhesive strength between the side plate 200 and the battery cell array 100 can be increased. The insulating folded edge 311 protrudes corresponding to a position above the window 111 and at least partially covers the position between the window 111 and the side plate 200. This configuration, on the one hand, ensures sufficient connection strength between the battery cell array 100 and the side plate 200, and, on the other hand, increases the creepage distance between the housings of the battery cells 110 within the window 111 and the side plate 200 via the insulating folded edge 311, thereby improving the electrical safety of the battery module.

[0058] 16 to 18 , in one example of a battery module of the present invention, a battery cell array 100 includes a plurality of battery cells 110, and windows 111 are formed in the plurality of battery cells 110 on the same side of the battery cell array 100. An insulating fold 311 extends along the arrangement direction of the battery cells 110 and at least partially blocks an electrical gap between a position above the window 111 on the same side and the side plate 200. This arrangement not only increases the creepage distance between the housing (e.g., an aluminum housing) of the battery cells 110 and the exposed metal on the outside of the side plate 200, but also effectively ensures product safety. Meanwhile, the insulating fold 311 may be integrated into the top plate 300 via hot pressing or attached to the top plate 300 via a cold-bonded insulating film, thereby improving manufacturability. At the same time, after the construction of the battery cell array 100 is completed, the entire strip of insulating folded edge 311 can be set above the battery cell array 100 on the same side of the top plate 300 to separate the windows 111 of all the battery cells 110 on the same side. The creepage distance of the windows 111 can be increased without applying adhesive to each battery cell 110, which makes the assembly relatively simple and low cost.

[0059] In one example of a battery module of the present invention, the insulating fold 311 is arranged along the periphery of the battery cell array 100 and is arranged around the periphery of the battery cell array 100 to form a closed loop outline. This arrangement can be applied to the side plates 200 around the entire periphery of the battery cell array 100 to form an omnidirectional isolation barrier.

[0060] 13, 15 and 21, in one example of the battery module of the present invention, the battery module also includes a cover plate 400, and the battery module CCS is disposed on top of the battery cell array 100, and the cover plate 400 insulates and seals the opening 201, and forms insulating protection for the circuit board and the battery cell array 100. It should be mentioned that other parts of the battery module of the present invention that are not described in detail can be derived from the structure of an existing battery module, and will not be described here.

[0061] A second aspect of the present invention provides an electric device including a working unit and a battery module described in any one of the examples. The working unit is electrically connected to the battery module and receives electric energy support. The working unit may be a unit component that can obtain electric energy from the battery module and perform corresponding work, such as a fan blade rotation unit of a fan, a dust collection unit of a vacuum cleaner, or a wheel drive unit in an electric vehicle. The electric device may be a vehicle, a mobile phone, a portable device, a laptop, a ship, a spacecraft, an electronic toy, a power tool, or the like. The vehicle may be a fuel-powered vehicle, a gas-powered vehicle, or a new energy vehicle, and the new energy vehicle may be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a long-distance vehicle. The spacecraft may include an airplane, a rocket, a space shuttle, a spaceship, or the like. The electronic toys may be stationary or mobile electronic toys, such as a game console, an electric car toy, an electric boat toy, and an electric plane toy, or the like. The power tools include metal cutting power tools, grinding power tools, assembly power tools, and railroad power tools, such as electric drills, electric grinders, electric wrenches, electric screwdrivers, electric hammers, impact drills, concrete vibrators, electric planers, etc. The embodiments of the present invention are not particularly limited to the above electric devices.

[0062] In the battery module of the present invention, an insulating fold 311 is disposed on the top plate 300, and the insulating fold 311 extends between the side plate 200 and the side wall of the battery cell array 100. Charges at the top of the battery cell array 100 must flow downward and cross the insulating fold 311 before they can reach the conductive parts on the outside of the side plate 200. Compared to a structure without the insulating fold 311, the creepage distance between the housing of the battery cell 110 and the conductive parts on the outside of the side plate 200 is increased, thereby improving the electrical safety performance of the battery module. Furthermore, a through window 111 is opened in the insulating film of the battery cell 110 on the outside of the battery cell array 100, and the housing surface of the battery cell 110 inside the window 111 is bonded to the insulating layer 202. This configuration ensures sufficient connection strength between the battery cell array 100 and the side plate 200, while increasing the creepage distance between the housings of the battery cells 110 on the upper window 111 and the side plate 200 via the insulating fold 311. Furthermore, multiple battery cells 110 on the same side of the battery cell array 100 are provided with windows 111, and the insulating fold 311 extends along the arrangement direction of the battery cells 110 to block the upper window 111 and the side plate 200 on the same side. This increases the creepage distance between the housings (e.g., aluminum housings) of the battery cells 110 and the exposed metal on the outside of the side plate 200, effectively ensuring product safety and enabling high manufacturability. The strip-shaped insulating fold 311 separates the windows 111 of all battery cells 110 on the same side, allowing adhesive to be applied to each battery cell 110 without increasing the creepage distance of the windows 111, resulting in relatively simple and low-cost assembly. Therefore, the present invention effectively overcomes some practical problems in the prior art, and therefore has great utility value and significance for use.

[0063] The above-described embodiments are merely examples for illustrating the principles and effects of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art can modify or change the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, any equivalent modifications or changes made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0064] The present invention provides safer battery modules and electrical devices including battery modules. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 100 Battery Cell Array 110 battery cells 111 Through Window 200 Side Plate 210 First Plate 220 Second Plate 230 Third Plate 240 4th Plate 201 Insulation Barrier 202 Insulating layer 2021 Edge coverage area 203 Insulation Sheet 2031 Adhesive part 300 top plate 310 Flexible Circuit Board 311 Insulated folded edge 3111 Inclined Segment 3112 Vertical Segments 400 cover plate

Claims

1. a battery cell array; an outer plate disposed outside the battery cell array; an insulator disposed between the outer plate and the battery cell array; Including, the outer plate comprises a side plate, and the insulator comprises an insulating barrier; the side plate is disposed corresponding to at least one outer surface of the battery cell array in a circumferential direction; the insulating barrier protrudes above the battery cell array; the insulating barrier includes an insulating layer disposed on the side plate and an insulating sheet disposed on the insulating layer, the insulating sheet protruding toward the battery cell array to a position above the battery cell array; A battery module in which housings of battery cells of the battery cell array are covered with an insulating film, windows are opened in the insulating film of the battery cells on the outer side of the battery cell array, surfaces of the housings of the battery cells within the windows are bonded to the insulating layer, and the insulating sheet correspondingly protrudes above the windows.

2. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the insulator is provided on the outer plate.

3. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the insulating sheet is integrally formed with the insulating layer or is joined to the insulating layer via an adhesive.

4. 4. The battery module according to claim 3, wherein the adhesive portion is integrally connected to the insulating sheet, the adhesive portion is bonded to the insulating layer, and extends upward and / or downward from the base of the insulating sheet.

5. 2. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the insulating sheet has a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm.

6. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein an included angle between the insulating sheet and the inner wall of the side plate is 82° to 98°.

7. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the cantilever length of the insulating sheet is 5 mm or more.

8. 8. The battery module according to claim 7, wherein the battery cell array includes a plurality of the battery cells, the windows are opened in the plurality of battery cells on the same side of the battery cell array, and the insulating sheet blocks a position above each of the windows.

9. A battery cell array; an outer plate disposed outside the battery cell array; an insulator disposed between the outer plate and the battery cell array; Including, the outer plate comprises a side plate, and the insulator comprises an insulating barrier; the side plate is disposed corresponding to at least one outer surface of the battery cell array in a circumferential direction; the insulating barrier protrudes above the battery cell array; the battery module further includes a top plate, the side plate being arranged corresponding to at least one outer surface of the battery cell array in a circumferential direction, and the top plate being arranged insulated from the top of the battery cell array; the insulator includes an insulating folded edge, the insulating folded edge extending along the top plate to a position between the side plate and the battery cell array; The side plates are arranged circumferentially around the outside of the battery cell array in a circumferential direction.

10. The battery module according to claim 9 , wherein the insulating folded edge is integrally formed with the top plate or removably fixed to the top plate.

11. The battery module according to claim 9 , wherein the side plates are arranged circumferentially around the outside of the battery cell array, with insulation along the circumferential direction.

12. 10. The battery module of claim 9, wherein the insulating folded edge includes a slanted segment and a vertical segment, the vertical segment is suspended between the side plate and the battery cell array, one end of the slanted segment is connected to an upper portion of the vertical segment, and the other end of the slanted segment is slanted from the bottom to the top toward a side away from the side plate and connected to the top plate.

13. The battery module according to claim 12, wherein an angle between the inclined segment and the top plate is between 60° and 80°.

14. 10. The battery module according to claim 9, wherein an overlap length between the insulating fold and the battery cell array is greater than or equal to 5 mm, and a thickness of the insulating fold is 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm.

15. 10. The battery module according to claim 9, wherein housings of the battery cells of the battery cell array are covered with an insulating film, a window is opened in the insulating film of the battery cells on the outer side of the battery cell array, a surface of the housing of the battery cell within the window is joined to an inner wall of the side plate, and the insulating folded edge at least partially covers the window.

16. 16. The battery module according to claim 15, wherein the battery cell array includes a plurality of the battery cells, the window is opened in the plurality of battery cells on the same side of the battery cell array, and the insulating folded edge extends along an arrangement direction of the battery cell array and at least partially covers a position between the window and the side plate on the same side.

17. An electric device including a working unit and further including the battery module according to claim 1 or 9, wherein the working unit is electrically connected to the battery module to obtain support of electric energy.

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