Cells, battery modules and battery packs

Abstract

To provide a cell and a battery module, in which the generation of gas or the expansion of an electrode sheet is suppressed during a process of charging and discharging the cell.SOLUTION: A cell 10 includes an exterior housing 11, a lid plate 12, and a reinforcement member. The lid plate is welded to an upper part of the exterior housing. The reinforcement member includes at least a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is fixedly connected to one of the lid plate and the exterior housing. The second surface faces the other of the lid plate and the exterior housing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of batteries, and more particularly to cells, battery modules, and battery packs. [Background technology]

[0002] In conventional prismatic-cased cells, the top cover and aluminum case are assembled by filling the side steps of the aluminum case and the peripheral steps below the top cover, followed by laser welding to complete the assembly of the case and cover. Prismatic-cased cells use the aluminum case as a current collector. When the cell is charged or discharged, gas is generated, causing the electrode sheet to expand, pushing the aluminum case outward. The gas generated by the cell, the expansion of the electrode sheet, and the resulting outward expansion of the aluminum case can cause the welds on the case cover to crack at corresponding locations. Long-term exposure to fatigue expansion forces can weaken the welds on the case cover or even cause them to tear and break, affecting the safety of the cell. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] In consideration of the above-mentioned shortcomings of the related art, the present invention aims to provide a cell and a battery module to solve the problem that during the charging and discharging process of a cell, gas generation and expansion of the electrode sheet cause the aluminum housing to expand outward, causing the welds of the housing cover at the corresponding positions to crack, and if exposed to fatigue expansion forces for a long period of time, the strength of the welds of the housing cover may decrease or the welds may tear and break, affecting the safety of the cell. During the charging and discharging process of existing battery cells, gas is generated, causing the pole pieces to expand and the aluminum shell to expand outward, resulting in the shell cover welds at the corresponding locations being torn and subjected to fatigue expansion forces. After prolonged use, the shell cover weld strength may be weakened or even torn and broken, affecting the safety of the battery core. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] To achieve the above and other related objects, the present invention provides a cell including an exterior housing, a cover plate, and a reinforcing member.

[0005] The cover plate is welded to the top of the exterior housing.

[0006] The reinforcing member includes at least a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being fixedly connected to one of the cover plate and the exterior housing, and the second surface facing the other of the cover plate and the exterior housing.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, the cell further includes an electrode assembly stacked within the exterior housing in the thickness, length, or height direction of the cell, where when the electrode assembly is stacked in the thickness direction, the first surface is fixedly connected to the cover plate and the second surface faces the larger surface of the exterior housing.

[0008] When the electrode assemblies are stacked lengthwise, the first surface is fixedly connected to the cover plate and the second surface faces the narrow surface of the outer housing.

[0009] When the electrode assemblies are stacked in the height direction, the first surface is fixedly connected to the exterior housing, and the second surface faces the cover plate.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the reinforcing member is an L-shaped reinforcing member, a C-shaped reinforcing member, a T-shaped reinforcing member, or a ring-shaped reinforcing member.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the ratio of the length of each of the L-shaped reinforcing member, the C-shaped reinforcing member, and the T-shaped reinforcing member to the length of the cover plate is 1 or less.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the width of the L-shaped reinforcing member on the cover plate close to the explosion-proof valve is less than or equal to (ab) / 2, where a is the width of the cover plate and b is the width of the explosion-proof valve.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, each of the L-shaped, C-shaped, and T-shaped reinforcing members includes a plurality of segmented reinforcing members, and the plurality of segmented reinforcing members are spaced apart.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the C-shaped reinforcing member further includes a third surface, the third surface and the second surface facing the two opposite wide surfaces of the outer housing, respectively, and an escape groove provided on the first surface, the escape groove facing the explosion-proof valve of the cover plate.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the cell further includes an upper patch, and a groove is provided on the side of the upper patch closer to the reinforcing member to form an avoidance area, and a portion of the reinforcing member provided on the cover plate is located in the avoidance area.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, a heat-shrinkable sleeve film, an insulating tape, P The heat-shrinkable sleeve film surrounds the top of the cell and covers the surface of the reinforcing member. The surface of the reinforcing member is covered with insulating tape. Pu Can be pasted.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, an insulating tape P's The ends protrude from both ends of the reinforcing member, and the portions protruding from the reinforcing member are bent to cover the side surfaces of the reinforcing member.

[0018] The present invention further provides a battery module including a housing body, a cell stack, and a reinforcing member.

[0019] The cell stack includes a plurality of cells, each of which includes an exterior housing and a cover plate welded to the top of the exterior housing.

[0020] The reinforcing member is the outermost part of the cell stack. Located in Each reinforcing member is disposed at least outside the two cells and includes at least a first surface and a second surface, where the first surface is fixedly connected to one of the cover plate and the exterior housing, and the second surface faces the other of the cover plate and the exterior housing.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, each cell is provided with a reinforcing member.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present invention, the cell stack includes an even number of single cell groups, each of which includes at least one cell, and the single cell groups are connected in series.

[0023] In one embodiment of the present invention, the cell stack includes a plurality of single cell groups, and the reinforcing members are installed on two cells located on either side of the single cell group.

[0024] In one embodiment of the present invention, a T-shaped reinforcing member is installed on the adjacent sides of two adjacent single-cell groups. The T-shaped reinforcing member includes a wing plate, a sub-plate, two first surfaces, and two second surfaces. The two second surfaces are installed on both sides of the sub-plate, respectively, and the two first surfaces are installed on the bottom of the wing plate on both sides of the sub-plate, respectively.

[0025] The present invention further provides a battery pack including the above-described cell or the above-described battery module. [Effects of the Invention]

[0026] The present invention provides a cell, a battery module, and a battery pack. The installation of a reinforcing member in the cell solves the problem of cycle cracking due to insufficient strength of the weld. Furthermore, the relative displacement between the cell's housing body and top cover is limited, preventing damage to the weld during cycling, effectively protecting the housing cover weld and protecting the expanded cell. Furthermore, the reinforcing member is connected to the cover plate and housing body by laser welding or adhesive, eliminating the need for additional equipment and making the process easy and efficient.

[0027] The present invention provides a cell, a battery module, and a battery pack, in which the upper cover patch is provided with a preventive design, and the reinforcing member is coated and covered to solve the problem of aluminum exposure at one end of the upper cover due to welding of the reinforcing member, thereby achieving a good external insulation effect and ensuring the external insulation performance of the cell.

[0028] The present invention provides a cell, a battery module, and a battery pack. Located in By installing reinforcing members on at least the outside of the two cells, the relative displacement between the housing body of the outermost cell and the top cover prevents the welds from rupturing during the expansion cycle of the cells, thereby improving the safety of the battery module.

[0029] The present invention provides a cell, a battery module, and a battery pack. When a cell stack includes an even number of cells and the positive and negative electrodes of each cell are alternately arranged, the L-shaped reinforcing member is located at the outermost position of the cell stack. Located in Only the outer two cells are installed. This prevents the welds from breaking during the cell expansion cycle. Furthermore, if there is an even number of cells, the outermost Located in Since the two cells are completely identical, only one production line is needed to manufacture the cell with the reinforcing member, which can effectively reduce production costs. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] In order to more clearly show the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention, some accompanying drawings necessary for the embodiments are briefly introduced below for explanation. 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 efforts. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a cell equipped with an L-shaped reinforcing member according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of an L-shaped reinforcing member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 3 is a schematic cross-sectional structural view showing welding of an L-shaped reinforcing member according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional structural view showing the bonding of an L-shaped reinforcing member according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a cell equipped with a C-shaped reinforcing member according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a C-shaped reinforcing member according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional structural view of a cell equipped with a C-shaped reinforcing member according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a cell equipped with a T-shaped reinforcing member according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a T-shaped reinforcing member according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional structural view of a cell equipped with a T-shaped reinforcing member according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a cell with two reinforcing members according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 1 is a schematic diagram of a segmented C-shaped stiffener according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 13] 1 is a schematic diagram of a segmented T-shaped reinforcing member according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 14] 1 is a schematic diagram of a cell provided with an annular reinforcing member according to one embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 15] 1 is a schematic diagram of an annular reinforcing member according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 16] 1 is a schematic exploded view of a top patch fitted with a reinforcement member according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] 1 is a schematic top view of a top patch fitted with a reinforcing member according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] 10 is a schematic exploded view of an upper patch fitted with a reinforcing member according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19]10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a top patch fitted with a reinforcing member according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] 1 is a schematic exploded view of a reinforcement member compatible with insulating tape according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 21] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a reinforcement member compatible with an insulating tape according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] 1 is a schematic top view of a reinforcement member compatible with an insulating tape according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 23] 23 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a reinforcing member compatible with the insulating tape of FIG. 22. [Figure 24] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module equipped with an L-shaped reinforcing member according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 25] FIG. 10 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module equipped with an L-shaped reinforcing member according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 26] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module equipped with a C-shaped reinforcing member according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 27] FIG. 10 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module equipped with a C-shaped reinforcing member according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 28] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module equipped with a T-shaped reinforcing member according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 29] FIG. 10 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module equipped with a T-shaped reinforcing member according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 30] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery module equipped with an annular reinforcing member according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 31] 10 is a schematic structural view of a battery module including an annular reinforcing member according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] The implementation of the present invention will be described below through specific embodiments. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the disclosure of this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific implementation methods. The details of this specification can be modified or changed based on different perspectives and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0032] It should be noted that the drawings provided in the embodiments only show the basic idea of ​​the present invention in a schematic manner. Therefore, the drawings show only components related to the present invention and are not drawn according to the number, shape, and dimensions of the components in an actual implementation. In an actual implementation, the type, number, and ratio of components can be arbitrarily changed, and the type of component installation can also be more complicated.

[0033] 1 to 23 , the present invention provides a cell, battery module, and battery pack for solving the problem of cell safety being affected by the outward expansion of the aluminum housing due to gas generation and electrode sheet expansion during the charge / discharge process, which can cause the housing cover weld to crack at a corresponding position. Long-term exposure to fatigue expansion forces can reduce the strength of the housing cover weld or cause the weld to tear and break, affecting the safety of the cell. Specifically, a cell 10 includes an exterior housing 11, a cover plate 12, and a reinforcing member 13, and an opening is formed in the top of the exterior housing 11. The cover plate 12 is disposed on the top of the exterior housing 11, specifically, in the opening in the top of the exterior housing 11, and is welded to the exterior housing 11. The reinforcing member 13 is disposed between the cover plate 12 and the exterior housing 11 and is configured to improve the strength of the weld between the cover plate 12 and the exterior housing 11.

[0034] 1 to 23 , in this embodiment, the reinforcing member 13 includes at least a first surface 131 and a second surface 132. The first surface 131 is fixedly connected to one of the cover plate 12 and the exterior housing 11, and the second surface 132 faces the other of the cover plate 12 and the exterior housing 11. Preferably, the second surface 132 faces the cover plate 12 or the exterior housing 11 from the front. For example, the first surface 131 is fixedly connected to the cover plate 12, and the second surface 132 faces the surface of the exterior housing 11 from the front. Alternatively, the first surface 131 is fixedly connected to the exterior housing 11, and the second surface 132 faces the cover plate 12 from the front. Note that in this embodiment, the first surface 131 and the cover plate 12 or the exterior housing 11 may be connected by laser welding or an adhesive. The second surface 132 and the exterior housing 11 or the cover plate 12 may be connected by laser welding or adhesive, or they may be directly opposite each other and not fixedly connected to each other. In this way, when the cell 10 expands, the expansion of the cell 10 is limited, thereby limiting the relative displacement between the exterior housing 11 and the cover plate 12 within the cell 10. This prevents the weld from breaking during cycling and effectively protects the weld of the housing cover. Note that in this embodiment, the aspect ratio of the cell 10 is greater than 12. Cells with aspect ratios less than this ratio are prone to swelling, which may cause damage to the weld of the housing cover. Therefore, by installing a reinforcing member 13 on the cell 10, the expansion of the cell 10 can be limited.

[0035] 1 to 23 , in this embodiment, the cell 10 further includes electrode assemblies stacked in the exterior housing 11. For example, the electrode assemblies may be stacked in the thickness direction X, length direction Y, or height direction Z of the cell. When the electrode assemblies are stacked in the thickness direction, the first surface 131 is fixedly connected to the cover plate 12, and the second surface 132 faces the wide surface 111 of the exterior housing 11. When the electrode assemblies are stacked in the length direction, the first surface 131 is fixedly connected to the cover plate 12, and the second surface 132 faces the narrow surface 112 of the exterior housing 11. When the electrode assemblies are stacked in the height direction, the first surface 131 is fixedly connected to the exterior housing 11, and the second surface 132 faces the cover plate 12. That is, the first surface 131 is configured to fixedly install the reinforcing member 13, and the second surface 132 is configured to limit the relative displacement between the outer casing 11 and the cover plate 12 within the cell 10, so that the welds are not damaged during cycling and the welds of the casing cover are effectively protected.

[0036] 1 to 23, in this embodiment, the reinforcing member 13 may be any one of an L-shaped reinforcing member 133, a C-shaped reinforcing member 134, a T-shaped reinforcing member 135, and a ring-shaped reinforcing member 136. The reinforcing member 13 can be connected to the cover plate 12 and the exterior housing 11 by laser welding or adhesive 1301, so no additional device is required and operation is easy and efficient.

[0037] 1 to 4 and 8 to 10, in this embodiment, an example in which the first surface 131 is fixedly connected to the cover plate 12 and the second surface 132 faces the wide surface 111 of the exterior housing 11 is used for explanation. The L-shaped reinforcing member 133 includes one first surface 131 and one second surface 132. The first surface 131 and the second surface 132 are located on one side of the first surface 131 and are bent to the opposite side from the first surface 131. The first surface 131 is welded and fixed to the cover plate 12 by laser welding, and the second surface 132 faces the wide surface 111 of the exterior housing 11. The T-shaped reinforcing member 135 includes a wing plate 1351, a sub-plate 1352, two first surfaces 131, and two second surfaces 132. The two second surfaces 132 are respectively installed on both sides of the subplate 1352, and the two second surfaces 132 are respectively installed on the bottom of the wing plates 1351 on both sides of the subplate 1352. Preferably, the subplate 1352 and the wing plates 1352 are installed perpendicular to each other. For example, a T-shaped reinforcing member 135 may be installed between two cells 10. The two first surfaces 131 are respectively welded and fixed to the cover plates 12 of the two cells 10 by laser welding, and the two second surfaces 132 face the wide surfaces 111 of the exterior housings 11 of the two cells 10, respectively. This allows one T-shaped reinforcing member 135 to restrict outward expansion of the wide surfaces 111 of the exterior housings 11 of the two cells 10. In some other embodiments, the first surface 131 and the second surface 132 may be fixedly connected to the cover plate 12 and the broad surface 111 of the outer housing 11 via adhesive 1301, respectively.

[0038] 1 to 10 , in this embodiment, the ratio of the length of each of the L-shaped reinforcing member 133, the C-shaped reinforcing member 134, and the T-shaped reinforcing member 135 to the length of the cover plate 12 is set to 1 or less. That is, the lengths of the L-shaped reinforcing member 133, the C-shaped reinforcing member 134, and the T-shaped reinforcing member 135 are shorter than the length of the cover plate 12. Furthermore, the width of the contact area between the reinforcing member 13 and the exterior housing 11 is set to 1 mm to 10 mm so that the reinforcing member 13 limits the expansion of the cell 10. Furthermore, the width of the L-shaped reinforcing member 133 on the cover plate 12 near the explosion-proof valve 121 is set to (ab) / 2 or less, where a is the width of the cover plate 12 and b is the width of the explosion-proof valve 121, thereby preventing the L-shaped reinforcing member 133 from interfering with the explosion-proof valve 121. In some embodiments, the ratio of the height of the second surface 132 of the reinforcing member 13 to the height of the exterior housing 11 of the cell is greater than 3%, and the width of the first surface 131 of the reinforcing member 13 is greater than one-tenth the width of the cover plate. In this way, the reinforcing member 13 can be securely fixed to the cell 10, ensuring reliable limitation of expansion of the cell 10.

[0039] Referring to Figures 1 to 11, in this embodiment, an L-shaped reinforcing member 133 or a T-shaped reinforcing member 135 may be installed on one wide surface 111 of the exterior housing 11, or an L-shaped reinforcing member 133 or a T-shaped reinforcing member 135 may be installed on both of the two wide surfaces 111 of the exterior housing 11.

[0040] 5 to 7 , in this embodiment, the C-shaped reinforcing member 134 further includes a third surface 137. The second surface 132 and the third surface 137 are located on either side of the first surface 131 and are bent relative to the first surface 131. Preferably, the second surface 132 and the third surface 137 are both perpendicular to the first surface 137, and the third surface 137 and the second surface 132 face the two opposing wide portions 111 of the exterior housing 1, respectively. Furthermore, the first surface 134 includes an avoidance groove 1311, which faces the explosion-proof valve 121 on the cover plate 12 to avoid the explosion-proof valve 121. Of course, in some other embodiments, the C-shaped reinforcing member 134 may be configured as a segmented structure. That is, the C-shaped reinforcing member 134 includes multiple segmented reinforcing members, which are spaced apart to avoid the explosion-proof valve 121. Furthermore, the segmented reinforcing members can be installed to target critical areas of the weld between the cover plate 12 and the outer housing 11, thereby effectively protecting the weld of the housing cover.

[0041] 12 and 13, in this embodiment, the L-shaped reinforcing member 133 and the T-shaped reinforcing member 135 may each be configured as a segmented structure. That is, the L-shaped reinforcing member 133 and the T-shaped reinforcing member 135 each include a plurality of segmented reinforcing members. The segmented reinforcing members can be installed to target critical areas of the weld between the cover plate 12 and the exterior housing 11, effectively protecting the weld of the housing cover.

[0042] 14 and 15 , in this embodiment, the annular reinforcing member 136 surrounds the welded portion between the outer housing 11 and the cover plate 12, thereby enveloping the welded portion between the outer housing 11 and the cover plate 12. This limits the relative displacement between the outer housing 11 and the cover plate 12, prevents the welded portion from breaking during cycling, and effectively protects the welded portion of the housing cover. For example, the annular reinforcing member 136 includes a first surface 131, a second surface 132, a third surface 137, and two opposing fourth surfaces 138. Here, the second surface 132 and the third surface 137 are located on either side of the first surface 131, respectively, and the fourth surface 138 is located on the other two sides of the first surface 131. The second surface 132, the third surface 137, and the fourth surface 138 are bent relative to the first surface 131. Preferably, the second surface 132, the third surface 137, and the fourth surface 138 are each perpendicular to the first surface 131, and the first surface 131 is fixedly connected to the cover plate 12. The third surface 137 and the second surface 132 face two opposing wide surfaces 111 of the exterior housing 11, respectively. The two opposing fourth surfaces 138 face two opposing narrow surfaces 112 of the exterior housing 11, respectively, so that the relative displacement between the exterior housing 11 and the cover plate 12 is limited and the welded joints of the housing cover are effectively protected.

[0043] After the reinforcing member 13 is welded, the reinforcing member 13 occupies the surrounding space on the side and top of the original cell, i.e., the reinforcing member 13 occupies the space on the side and top of the original cell. Since the raised portion forms multiple outer surfaces, it becomes more difficult to apply insulation material, and the conventional top patch, insulationThe film structure and bonding method are no longer applicable. The main body or a portion of the reinforcing member is exposed, forming external insulation exposure points, significantly increasing the risk of external short circuits and affecting the insulating performance of the cell. In particular, the difficulty of applying an insulating film to the side of the reinforcing member 13 is significantly increased. Therefore, an avoidance area 141 is provided in the top patch 14. Specifically, a groove is provided on the side of the top patch 14 closest to the reinforcing member 13 to form the avoidance area 141. For example, the groove is formed by partially removing one side of the top patch 14 closest to the reinforcing member 13. The shape of this groove corresponds to the shape of the portion of the reinforcing member 13 that will be installed on the cover plate 12, and an insulating layer is added to the reinforcing member 13 to ensure its insulating performance. In some other embodiments, the avoidance area 141 can also be formed by performing heat pressing on a localized area of ​​the top patch 14 close to one side of the reinforcing member 13 to form a protrusion.

[0044] 16 to 19, in this embodiment, the portion of the reinforcing member 13 that is installed on the cover plate 12 is located in the avoidance region 141. For example, the reinforcing member 13 is an L-shaped reinforcing member 133, and the portion of the L-shaped reinforcing member 133 that is installed on the cover plate 12 is located in the avoidance region 141. Furthermore, to solve the problem of aluminum being exposed at one side edge of the upper cover due to welding of the reinforcing member 13, an insulating layer is installed on the surface of the reinforcing member 13, thereby providing good external insulation and ensuring the external insulation performance of the battery. Specifically, the insulating layer may be provided as a heat-shrinkable sleeve film 151. The heat-shrinkable sleeve film 151 surrounds the upper portion of the cell 10 and covers the surface of the reinforcing member 13. The heat-shrinkable sleeve film 151 is attached to the periphery of the upper portion of the cell 10 by heat shrinking, covering the upper patch 14 and achieving insulation protection.

[0045] 20 to 23, in another embodiment, the insulating layer is formed of an insulating tape 15 2 The insulating tape 15 may be made of any insulating material and is attached to the surface of the reinforcing member 13. 2Both ends protrude from both ends of the reinforcing member 13, and the parts protruding from the reinforcing member 13 are bent to cover the side surfaces of the reinforcing member 13. Note that the side surfaces of the reinforcing member 13 will have a special shape when the insulating film is attached. It is difficult to form the insulating film all at once, and exposed areas are likely to occur, increasing the risk of insulation. Therefore, in this embodiment, insulating tape 15 2 When the portion protruding from the reinforcing member 13 is folded to cover the side surface of the reinforcing member 13, the curved portion 153 of the side surface of the reinforcing member 13 is covered with two layers of insulating tape 15 so that the insulating layer more reliably and completely covers the exposed surface of the reinforcing member 13. 2nd prize This results in an insulating material having a good external heat insulation effect.

[0046] In some other embodiments, after the reinforcing member 13 is formed, the surface of the reinforcing member 13 is provided with an insulating function by adding a heat-shrinkable sleeve, immersion, spraying on an insulating material, etc. As mentioned above, after welding the reinforcing member 13, applying an insulating layer to its exposed surface can further improve the external insulating effect.

[0047] 24 to 31, the present invention further provides a battery module. The battery module 100 includes a housing body 110, a cell stack 120, and a reinforcing member 13. The cell stack 120 is installed in the housing body 110 and is formed by stacking a plurality of cells 10. In the battery module 10, the outermost part of the cell stack 120 is Located in The expansion of the outer surfaces of the two cells 10 is most significant. Located in The relative displacement between the cover plates 12 located on the outer sides of the two cells 10 is relatively large, so the welds at this location are most likely to break during the cyclic expansion process. Located inThe reinforcing member 13 is installed at least outside two of the cells 10. The two outermost cells 10 refer to the two cells 10 located on both sides of the cell stack 120, and the outside of the cells 10 refers to the wide surface 111 of the cell that is closest to the housing body 110. In other embodiments, a reinforcing member 13 may be installed in each cell 10. Referring to FIGS. 1 to 23, in this embodiment, each reinforcing member 13 may be any of an L-shaped reinforcing member 133, a C-shaped reinforcing member 134, a T-shaped reinforcing member 135, and an annular reinforcing member 136.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 24, in this embodiment, the cell stack 120 includes a plurality of single cell groups. Each single cell group includes at least one cell 10, and the single cell groups are connected in series or in parallel. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the number of single cell groups is an even number, and it is preferable that the plurality of single cell groups are connected in series. In other words, the cell stack is formed by connecting an even number of cells 10 in series, and the positive electrodes and negative electrodes of the even number of series-connected cells 10 are installed alternately. Here, it is preferable that the reinforcing member 13 is an L-shaped reinforcing member 133 or a T-shaped reinforcing member 135. Here, the outermost part of the cell stack 120 Located in The two cells 10 are completely identical and can be produced on a single production line. Furthermore, the reinforcing member 13 requires minimal material consumption, and therefore effectively protects the welded joints of the housing cover and protects the expanded cell, while also reducing manufacturing costs.

[0049] Referring to FIG. 25 , in this embodiment, the reinforcing members 13 may be installed on two cells 10 located on both sides of each single-cell group. The cells 10 in each single-cell group are connected in series or parallel. For example, in a single-cell group including two stacked cells 10, the reinforcing members 13 are installed on the distant sides of the two cells 10 in the single-cell group, and the reinforcing members 13 are preferably L-shaped reinforcing members 133. In some other embodiments, one T-shaped reinforcing member 135 is installed on the close sides of two adjacent single-cell groups. In other words, the T-shaped reinforcing member 135 is located between the two adjacent cells 10 in the two adjacent single-cell groups, so that the one T-shaped reinforcing member 135 can simultaneously restrict the outward expansion of both cells 10.

[0050] 26, in some other embodiments, when the total number of cells in the plurality of single-cell groups is odd, that is, when the number of cells 10 in the cell stack 120 is odd, or when the number of cells 10 is set to an even number and the positive and negative electrodes of the plurality of cells 10 are installed on the same side, the reinforcing member 13 is preferably a C-shaped reinforcing member 134 or an annular reinforcing member 136. Here, the outermost Located in The two cells 10 are completely identical and can be produced on a single production line. Therefore, the reinforcing member 13 effectively protects the welded joints of the housing cover, protecting the expanded cells while also reducing manufacturing costs. In this embodiment, when multiple cells 10 are connected in series, it is preferable that the positive and negative electrodes of the multiple cells 10 be alternately arranged. When multiple cells 10 are connected in parallel, it is preferable that the positive and negative electrodes of the multiple cells 10 be arranged on the same side.

[0051] The present invention further provides a battery pack including the above-described cell or the above-described battery module.

[0052] The present invention provides a cell, a battery module, and a battery pack. The installation of a reinforcing member in the cell solves the problem of cycle cracking due to insufficient strength of the weld. Furthermore, the relative displacement between the cell's housing body and top cover is limited, preventing damage to the weld during cycling, effectively protecting the housing cover weld and protecting the expanded cell. Furthermore, the reinforcing member is connected to the cover plate and housing body by laser welding or adhesive bonding, eliminating the need for additional equipment and making the process easy and efficient.

[0053] The present invention provides a cell, a battery module, and a battery pack, in which the upper cover patch is provided with a preventive design, and the reinforcing member is coated and covered to solve the problem of aluminum exposure at one end of the upper cover due to welding of the reinforcing member, thereby achieving a good external insulation effect and ensuring the external insulation performance of the cell.

[0054] The present invention provides a cell, a battery module, and a battery pack. Located in By installing reinforcing members on at least the outside of the two cells, the relative displacement between the housing body of the outermost cell and the top cover prevents the welds from rupturing during the expansion cycle of the cells, thereby improving the safety of the battery module.

[0055] The present invention provides a cell, a battery module, and a battery pack. When a cell stack includes an even number of cells and the positive and negative electrodes of each cell are alternately arranged, the L-shaped reinforcing member is located at the outermost position of the cell stack. Located in Only the outer two cells are installed. This prevents the welds from breaking during the cell expansion cycle. Furthermore, if there is an even number of cells, the outermost Located in Since the two cells are completely identical, only one production line is needed to manufacture the cell with the reinforcing member, which can effectively reduce production costs.

[0056] In the above embodiments, "multiple" includes two or more. Furthermore, in the embodiments, a specific surface of the reinforcing member "facing" the cover plate or the exterior housing means that the specific surface of the reinforcing member is located on the cover plate along a protrusion perpendicular to the cover plate, or that the specific surface of the reinforcing member is located on the wide or narrow surface of the exterior housing along a projection perpendicular to the wide or narrow surface. For example, "a second surface facing the wide surface of the exterior housing" means that the second surface of the reinforcing member is located on the wide surface along a projection perpendicular to the wide surface.

[0057] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and illustrates the applied technical principles. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the technical solution formed by a specific combination of the above technical features, but also includes other technical solutions formed by any combination of the above technical features. For example, but not limited to, technical solutions formed by replacing the above features with technical features disclosed in the present invention having similar functions are also within the scope of the present invention.

[0058] Except for the technical features in this specification, the remaining technical features are well known to those skilled in the art. In order to highlight the innovative features of the present invention, the remaining technical features will not be repeated here. [Industrial Applicability]

[0059] The cell, battery module and battery pack of the present invention can be applied to the field of new energy vehicles. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 10: Cell 11: Exterior housing 12: Lid plate 13: Reinforcement member 131: First Surface 132: Second Surface 111: Large surface 112: Narrow Surface 133: L-shaped reinforcement member 134: C-shaped reinforcement member 135: T-shaped reinforcement member 136: Annular reinforcement member 1351: Wing Plate 1352: Subplate 121: Explosion-proof valve 137: The Third Surface 1311: Avoidance groove 138: The Fourth Surface 14: Top patch 141: Avoidance area 151: Heat-shrinkable sleeve film 152: Electrical tape 100: Battery module 110: Housing body 120: Cell Stack

Claims

1. An exterior housing; a cover plate welded to an upper portion of the exterior housing; a reinforcing member including at least a first surface and a second surface; an upper patch; the first surface is fixedly connected to one of the cover plate and the exterior housing; the second surface faces the other of the cover plate and the exterior housing, A cell in which a groove is provided on the side of the upper patch closer to the reinforcing member to form an avoidance area, and a part of the reinforcing member provided on the cover plate is located in the avoidance area.

2. The cell further includes an electrode assembly stacked within the exterior housing in a thickness direction, a length direction, or a height direction of the cell; When the electrode assembly is stacked in the thickness direction, the first surface is fixedly connected to the cover plate, and the second surface faces a large surface of the exterior housing; When the electrode assemblies are stacked in the longitudinal direction, the first surface is fixedly connected to the cover plate, and the second surface faces a narrow surface of the exterior housing; When the electrode assemblies are stacked in a height direction, the first surface is fixedly connected to the exterior housing, and the second surface faces the cover plate. The cell of claim 1 .

3. The reinforcing member is an L-shaped reinforcing member, a C-shaped reinforcing member, a T-shaped reinforcing member, or an annular reinforcing member. The cell of claim 2 .

4. The ratio of the length of the L-shaped reinforcing member, the C-shaped reinforcing member, and the T-shaped reinforcing member to the length of the cover plate is 1 or less. The cell of claim 3 .

5. The width of the L-shaped reinforcing member on the cover plate near the explosion-proof valve is (a-b) / 2 or less, where a is the width of the cover plate and b is the width of the explosion-proof valve; The cell of claim 3 .

6. each of the L-shaped reinforcement member, the C-shaped reinforcement member, and the T-shaped reinforcement member includes a plurality of segmented reinforcement members, the plurality of segmented reinforcement members being spaced apart; The cell of claim 3 .

7. The C-shaped reinforcing member further includes a third surface, the third surface and the second surface facing two opposite wide surfaces of the exterior housing, respectively, and an escape groove is provided on the first surface, the escape groove facing the explosion-proof valve of the cover plate. The cell of claim 3 .

8. further comprising an insulating layer comprising a heat-shrinkable sleeve film or insulating tape; the heat-shrinkable sleeve film surrounds the top of the cell and covers the surface of the reinforcing member; The insulating tape is attached to the surface of the reinforcing member. The cell of claim 7.

9. Both ends of the insulating tape protrude from both ends of the reinforcing member, and the protruding portions of the insulating tape are bent to cover the side surfaces of the reinforcing member. The cell of claim 8.

10. A housing body, a cell stack including a plurality of cells; a reinforcing member provided on at least the outside of each of the two cells located at the outermost positions of the cell stack; Each of the cells includes an exterior housing and a cover plate welded to an upper portion of the exterior housing; Each of the reinforcing members includes at least a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being fixedly connected to one of the cover plate and the exterior housing, and the second surface facing the other of the cover plate and the exterior housing; The cell further includes an upper patch, a groove is formed on a side of the upper patch closer to the reinforcing member to form an avoidance area, and a portion of the reinforcing member installed on the cover plate is located in the avoidance area.

11. The reinforcing member is installed in each of the cells. The battery module according to claim 10.

12. The cell stack includes an even number of single cell groups, each of the single cell groups including at least one of the cells, and the single cell groups are connected in series. The battery module according to claim 10.

13. the cell stack includes a plurality of single cell groups, and the reinforcing member is installed on two of the cells located on both sides of each of the single cell groups. The battery module according to claim 10.

14. a T-shaped reinforcing member is installed on each of two adjacent groups of single cells, the T-shaped reinforcing member including a wing plate, a sub-plate, two first surfaces, and two second surfaces, the two second surfaces being respectively installed on both sides of the sub-plate, and the two first surfaces being respectively installed on the bottoms of the wing plates on both sides of the sub-plate; The battery module according to claim 12.

15. a T-shaped reinforcing member is installed on each of two adjacent groups of single cells, the T-shaped reinforcing member including a wing plate, a sub-plate, two first surfaces, and two second surfaces, the two second surfaces being respectively installed on both sides of the sub-plate, and the two first surfaces being respectively installed on the bottoms of the wing plates on both sides of the sub-plate; The battery module according to claim 13.

16. A battery pack comprising the cell according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

17. A battery pack comprising the battery module according to any one of claims 11 to 15.

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