Battery cells, batteries and power consuming devices

Abstract

The battery cell 102 includes a battery 10 and a power consuming device. The battery cell 102 includes a case 1022 and a cover 1021. The case 1022 includes an opening 10221 and a chamber 10222. The case 1022 includes an opening 10223 surrounding the opening 10221 and a main body 10224 surrounding the chamber 10222. The cover 1021 is connected to the opening 10223 and closes the opening 10221. At least a part of the main body 10224 is recessed with respect to the opening 10223 to form a recessed region 10225, and the thickness of the recessed region 10225 is smaller than the thickness of the opening 10223. By making the thickness of the opening 10223 relatively thick, it is possible to ensure the strength after the opening 10223 and the lid body 1021 are engaged, reduce or mitigate the risk of cracking and failure of the welded position between the lid body 1021 and the case 1022, improve the reliability of the battery cell 102, and extend the service life of the battery cell 102.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority from a Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China on February 7, 2023, bearing application number 202320187667.1 and entitled "Battery Cell, Battery, and Power Consumption Device," the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [Technical Field]

[0002] This application relates to the field of battery technology, and more particularly to battery cells, batteries, and power consuming devices. [Background technology]

[0003] With the development of new energy technologies, the applications of batteries are becoming more and more widespread, such as in mobile phones, laptops, battery-powered vehicles, electric cars, electric airplanes, electric boats, electric toy cars, electric toy boats, electric toy airplanes and power tools.

[0004] In the development of battery technology, in addition to improving battery performance, battery reliability is also an issue that cannot be ignored. If battery reliability cannot be guaranteed, it will directly affect the reliability, usage cost, and user experience of terminal products. Therefore, how to improve battery reliability is one of the technical issues in battery technology that needs to be solved as soon as possible. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In view of the above problems, the embodiments of the present application provide a battery cell, a battery, and a power consuming device, which can improve the technical problem that the gas on the side of the electrode assembly is difficult to release in a timely manner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The technical solutions adopted in the embodiments of this application are as follows:

[0007] According to a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery cell, the battery cell including a case and a lid, an opening and a chamber formed in the case, the case including the opening and a main body, the opening surrounding the opening, the main body surrounding the chamber, the lid connected to the opening and closing the opening, wherein at least a portion of the main body is recessed relative to the opening to form a recessed region, and the thickness of the recessed region is smaller than the thickness of the opening.

[0008] In the above technical solution, by providing a recessed area recessed relative to the opening in at least a portion of the body of the case, the thickness of the opening can be increased relatively, ensuring the strength after the opening and the cover are mated, reducing or mitigating the risk of cracking or failure at the weld between the cover and the case, improving the reliability of the battery cell, and extending the service life of the battery cell. At the same time, the provision of the recessed area can reduce the space occupied by the recessed area on the case, thereby improving the space utilization rate and energy density of the battery cell.

[0009] In some embodiments, the opening is thicker than at least a portion of the body to form a recessed region, or at least a portion of the body is thinner than the opening to form a recessed region. The recessed region may be formed by thickening the opening or by thinning the body. Whether the thickening or thinning approach is adopted, it can effectively ensure that the opening meets the requirements for welding with the lid, reduce or mitigate the risk of cracking or failure at the weld between the lid and the case, and improve the reliability of the battery cell. At the same time, thinning a portion of the body can further reduce the space occupied by the body, thereby improving the space utilization rate and energy density of the battery cell.

[0010] In some embodiments, the recessed area is located inside the body adjacent to the chamber and recessed away from the chamber, or the recessed area is located outside the body away from the chamber and recessed toward the chamber. When the recessed area is located inside the body, it can be used to accommodate the electrolyte and electrode assembly located inside the case. When the recessed area is located outside the body, it can be used to accommodate battery structural components such as thermal management components and bottom plates. That is, whether the recessed area is located inside or outside the case, it can improve the space utilization of the battery cell and ensure the energy density of the battery cell.

[0011] In some embodiments, the recessed area is located on an inner side of the main body adjacent to the chamber and recessed away from the chamber, and the battery cell further includes an electrode assembly disposed in the chamber, with a portion of the electrode assembly accommodated in the recessed area, which can increase the flow space for the electrolyte, making the electrolyte flow more smoothly and reliably within the case, thereby ensuring the charge / discharge efficiency and electrochemical performance of the battery cell.

[0012] In some embodiments, the case has a cylindrical structure with an opening at one end. Alternatively, the case has a cylindrical structure with openings at both ends, and the battery cell includes two lids, each connected to two openings and closing the corresponding openings. Alternatively, the case has a prismatic structure with an opening at one end. Alternatively, the case has a prismatic structure with openings at both ends, and the battery cell includes two lids, each connected to two openings and closing the corresponding openings. The placement of the recessed area is not affected by the shape of the case, and the case may have either a cylindrical or prismatic structure. If the case has a cylindrical structure, the battery cell may be a cylindrical battery, and if the case has a prismatic structure, the battery cell may be a rectangular battery. At the same time, the placement of the recessed area is not affected by the number of openings in the battery cell, and the number of openings may be one or two. If the number of openings is one, the number of lids is set to one, and if the number of openings is two, the number of lids is set to two. The thickness of the opening at the fitting position between the lid and the opening is relatively large, so cracks and failures are less likely to occur during the charging and discharging process of the battery cell, improving the reliability of the battery cell.

[0013] In some embodiments, the case includes a first side panel, a second side panel, a third side panel, and a fourth side panel connected in sequence, the first side panel and the third side panel being parallel and spaced apart, the second side panel and the fourth side panel being parallel and spaced apart, the central regions of the first side panel, the second side panel, the third side panel, and the fourth side panel together forming a main body, and the end regions of the first side panel, the second side panel, the third side panel, and the fourth side panel together forming two openings. The battery cell includes two lids, each connected to the two openings and closing the corresponding openings. The areas of the first side panel and the third side panel are larger than the areas of the second side panel and the fourth side panel, and the entire area where the first side panel and the third side panel form the main body is recessed from the openings, forming one recessed area. When the case is configured into a square, the battery cell is a square battery. In this case, the recessed area may be installed on a large surface (the first side and the third side) with a relatively large area size, or on a side (the second side and the fourth side) with a relatively small area size. When the recessed area is installed on a large surface, a relatively large recessed area can be formed, which can fully ensure the space utilization rate of the battery cell.

[0014] In some embodiments, the entire area where the second side panel and the fourth side panel form the main body is recessed from the opening to form a recessed area. When the case is configured as a rectangle, the battery cell is a rectangular battery. The recessed areas on all four sides of the case can effectively reduce the weight of the case, improve the energy density of the battery cell, and improve the space utilization rate of the battery cell.

[0015] In some embodiments, the four recessed areas of the first side panel, the second side panel, the third side panel, and the fourth side panel are connected to each other, which can effectively reduce the weight of the case and improve the energy density of the battery cells, and on the other hand, can reduce the space occupied by the case and effectively improve the space utilization rate of the battery cells.

[0016] In some embodiments, the four recessed areas of the first side panel, the second side panel, the third side panel, and the fourth side panel are all located on the exterior of the body away from the chamber. When the four recessed areas are all located on the exterior of the body, the space outside the case can be fully utilized, thereby accommodating structures such as thermal management components, insulating pads, or insulating materials, thereby fully improving the space utilization rate of the battery cells.

[0017] In some embodiments, the ratio of the thickness of the opening to the thickness of the recessed region is 65 to 100: 1. By limiting the ratio of the thickness of the opening to the thickness of the recessed region, it is possible to ensure the welding strength between the opening and the lid body while also ensuring the space utilization rate of the battery cell.

[0018] In some embodiments, the ratio of the size of the opening in the longitudinal direction of the case to the total size of the case in the longitudinal direction is 1:50 to 100. By limiting the ratio of the size of the opening in the longitudinal direction of the case to the total length of the case, it is possible to ensure the strength of the weld between the opening and the lid, while also ensuring the space utilization rate of the battery cell.

[0019] In some embodiments, the recessed region is connected to an adjacent region by a circular arc transition. The circular arc transition can ensure that the thickness of the recessed region and its adjacent region changes gradually, reducing the problem of a sudden decrease in strength due to a sudden change in thickness, ensuring the overall strength of the case, and reducing the risk of damage to the case. On the other hand, the circular arc transition can reduce the risk of damage to the structure accommodated in the recessed region, ensuring the reliability of the structure accommodated in the recessed region, and extending the service life of the battery.

[0020] In some embodiments, the ratio of the longitudinal size of the arc-shaped transition connection portion to the longitudinal size of the case of the recessed region is 0.5 to 5: 100. By limiting the longitudinal size ratio of the arc-shaped transition connection portion to the recessed region of the case, it is possible to ensure the size of the recessed region and at the same time ensure the size and strength of the connection portion, thereby ensuring the overall strength of the case and extending the service life of the case.

[0021] In some embodiments, two openings are formed on both ends of the case, and the battery cell includes two lids, each connected to the two openings and closing the corresponding opening. The two lids are both welded to the case, with a positive terminal installed on one of the two lids and a negative terminal installed on the other of the two lids, or one of the two lids is welded to the case and has a positive terminal and a negative terminal installed on the other of the two lids, while the other of the two lids is integrally molded with the case. The battery cell further includes an electrode assembly installed in the chamber, with the positive tab of the electrode assembly electrically connected to the positive terminal and the negative tab of the electrode assembly electrically connected to the negative terminal. By providing two openings, the positive and negative terminals may be installed on the two lids, respectively, or by providing one opening, the positive and negative terminals may be installed on one lid at the same time, thereby fully utilizing the case space and ensuring the space utilization rate of the case.

[0022] According to a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery, the battery including a housing and a battery cell according to any one of the embodiments of the first aspect, the battery cell being installed in the housing. Because the battery includes the battery cell, the battery has advantages of high space utilization, high energy density, and long service life.

[0023] In some embodiments, the battery further includes a partition member, which is used to separate the battery cell from other components adjacent to the battery cell. At least a portion of the partition member is accommodated in the recessed area. By placing the partition member of the battery in the recessed area, the space of the recessed area can be fully utilized, thereby improving the space utilization rate of the battery and making the battery structure more compact and reliable. On the other hand, the recessed area limits the displacement of the partition member, ensuring the stability of the partition member and improving the reliability of the battery cell.

[0024] In some embodiments, the battery includes a plurality of battery cells arranged in sequence within the housing. The recessed areas of the battery cells are located on the outer side away from the chamber of the main body and recessed toward the chamber, and the recessed areas of one of two adjacent battery cells face toward the other battery cell. The partition member is located between the two battery cells. By placing a middle cell between the two battery cells, the reliability and stability of the partition member can be further improved, thereby further improving the reliability and stability of the battery cells.

[0025] In some embodiments, the recessed areas of any two adjacent battery cells communicate with each other to form a single receiving cavity, and the partition member is received in the receiving cavity. The two recessed areas together form a single receiving cavity, which can provide sufficient mounting space for the partition member and ensure sufficient space utilization of the battery cells. On the other hand, the partition member is restricted by the two recessed areas, which increases its stability and reliability, thereby increasing the stability and reliability of the battery cells.

[0026] In some embodiments, the partition member includes at least one of a cushion pad, a reinforcing member, and a thermal management member.

[0027] In some embodiments, when the partition member is a cushion pad, at least a portion of the cushion pad is made of an elastic material, such as rubber or other materials, which can provide a cushioning function for two adjacent battery cells and improve the reliability and stability of the battery cells.

[0028] In some embodiments, when the partition member is a reinforcing member, it can reinforce the overall strength of the battery structure and improve the reliability and stability of the battery cells. The reinforcing member may be a reinforcing plate, and in some embodiments, the reinforcing plate may be connected to one or more battery cells. For example, connecting the reinforcing plate to the battery cells by adhesive provides structural reinforcement to the battery cell or group of battery cells. In other embodiments, the reinforcing member may not be connected to the battery cells.

[0029] In some embodiments, when the partition member is a thermal management member, it can regulate the temperature of the battery cells, thereby reducing the probability of thermal runaway and significantly improving the reliability of the battery cells, and the thermal management member may be a water-cooled plate, a heat-conducting plate, or other structure that can regulate the temperature of the battery cells.

[0030] At the same time, the partition member may be at least one of the cushion pad, the reinforcing member, and the heat management member, all of which can improve the space utilization rate of the battery.

[0031] According to a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a power consuming device, the power consuming device including a battery according to any one of the embodiments of the second aspect. Because the power consuming device includes the battery, the power consuming device also has the advantage of having a long service life.

[0032] The above description is merely a summary of the technical solution of the present application, which can be implemented according to the content of the specification in order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present application, and to make the above and other objectives, features and advantages of the present application more apparent, the following particularly cites specific embodiments of the present application for description. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0033] In order to more clearly explain the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings that need to be used in the embodiments or exemplary technical description. It is obvious that the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can also obtain other drawings based on these drawings without exerting any creative efforts. [Figure 1] 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a battery according to some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram of a local structure of a battery according to some embodiments of the present application; [Figure 4] 2 is a second schematic diagram of the local structure of a battery according to some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 5] 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is an exploded schematic view of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 7] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery cell case according to some embodiments of the present application; [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion A of the case shown in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] 2 is a second schematic structural diagram of a battery cell case according to some embodiments of the present application; [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion a of the case shown in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II' of the case shown in FIG. [Figure 12] 12 is a locally enlarged view of a portion b in the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 11. [Figure 13] 3 is a third schematic structural diagram of a battery cell case according to some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 14] 4 is a fourth structural schematic diagram of a battery cell case according to some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of a portion B of the case shown in FIG. [Figure 16] 5 is a fifth schematic structural diagram of a battery cell case according to some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is an enlarged view of a portion C of the case shown in FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a battery cell manufacturing apparatus according to some embodiments of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] In order to clarify the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application, the following will clearly describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present application, and not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present application without any creative efforts fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art of this application, and the terms used in the specification of this application are only for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application, and the terms "comprises," "has," and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned drawings are intended to cover a non-exclusive "comprise." The terms "first," "second," etc. in the specification and claims of this application or the above-mentioned drawings are not intended to describe a specific order or a hierarchical relationship, but are intended to distinguish different objects.

[0036] An "embodiment" referred to in this application means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the application. The appearances of this phrase in various places in the specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment, nor are they mutually exclusive, separate, or alternative embodiments of other embodiments.

[0037] In the description of this application, it should be explained that unless otherwise clearly defined or limited, the terms "attached," "connected," "joined," and "attached" should be understood in a broad sense, and may refer to, for example, a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection, a direct connection, an indirect connection via an intermediate medium, or internal communication between two elements. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application according to specific circumstances.

[0038] The term "and / or" in this application merely describes the relationship between related objects and indicates that three relationships may exist, for example, A and / or B may represent three cases: A alone, a combination of A and B, and B alone. Also, the character " / " in this application generally indicates that the related objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0039] In the embodiments of the present application, the same reference numerals represent the same components, and for the sake of brevity, detailed descriptions of the same components in different embodiments will be omitted. It should be understood that the dimensions such as thickness, aspect, etc. of various components in the embodiments of the present application shown in the drawings, and the dimensions such as thickness, aspect, etc. of the entire integrated device are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute any limitations on the present application.

[0040] The term "plurality" as used herein refers to two or more (including two).

[0041] In this application, the battery cell may include a lithium ion secondary battery, a lithium ion primary battery, a lithium-sulfur battery, a sodium-lithium ion battery, a sodium ion battery, or a magnesium ion battery, etc., but the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto. The battery cell may have a cylindrical, flat, rectangular, or other shape, etc., but the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto. Battery cells are generally divided into three types based on packaging method: cylindrical battery cells, rectangular battery cells, and pouch battery cells, but the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto.

[0042] The battery referred to in the embodiments of this application is a single physical module that includes one or more battery cells and provides higher voltage and capacity. For example, the battery referred to in this application may include a battery module or a battery pack. The battery generally includes a housing for packaging one or more battery cells. The housing can prevent liquids or other foreign objects from affecting the charging or discharging of the battery cells.

[0043] A battery cell includes an electrode assembly and an electrolyte, and the electrode assembly consists of a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator. The battery cell operates mainly by the movement (e.g., desorption) of metal ions between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate. The positive electrode plate includes a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode active material layer. The positive electrode active material layer is coated on the surface of the positive electrode current collector. The positive electrode current collector without the positive electrode active material layer protrudes from the positive electrode current collector coated with the positive electrode active material layer, and the positive electrode current collector without the positive electrode active material layer is called a positive electrode tab. For example, in a lithium-ion battery, the positive electrode current collector may be made of aluminum, and the positive electrode active material may be lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, ternary lithium, lithium manganese oxide, or the like. The negative electrode plate includes a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material layer. The negative electrode active material layer is coated on the surface of the negative electrode current collector. The negative electrode current collector not coated with the negative electrode active material layer protrudes from the negative electrode current collector coated with the negative electrode active material layer, and the negative electrode current collector not coated with the negative electrode active material layer is referred to as a negative electrode tab. The material of the negative electrode current collector may be copper, and the negative electrode active material may be carbon or silicon, etc. To prevent melting even when a large current is passed through, multiple positive electrode tabs are stacked, and multiple negative electrode tabs are stacked. The material of the separator may be PP (polypropylene) or PE (polyethylene), etc. The electrode assembly may have a wound structure or a stacked structure, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0044] The development of battery technology requires simultaneous consideration of a wide range of design factors, including performance parameters such as energy density, cycle life, discharge capacity, and charge / discharge ratio, as well as battery reliability. Regarding battery cells, a battery cell typically includes a case, a cover welded to an opening in the case, an electrode assembly, and an electrolyte, with electrode terminals installed on the cover. The electrode assembly is installed within the case, and the tabs of the electrode assembly are electrically connected to the electrode terminals. The electrolyte is contained within the case and can undergo a chemical reaction with the electrode assembly, thereby ensuring normal charging and discharging of the battery cell. At the same time, a thin case size is typically chosen to ensure the battery cell's energy density and creepage distance.

[0045] However, the inventors noticed that batteries are prone to shaking or repeated rocking (e.g., left-right or front-back rocking) during the charge and discharge process, and that the locations of the shaking and repeated rocking are relatively close to the welding position between the lid and the case, which makes it easy for a heat-affected zone that reduces the strength of the case to form below the weld pool after the lid and the case are welded, and that the maximum area of ​​the shaking and repeated rocking of the battery cell is located within the heat-affected zone, which makes the strength of this maximum area relatively low.Furthermore, due to the continuous and repeated rocking and force, there is a risk of cracking and failure at this location, and the crack initiation point is mainly located at the weld seam between the case and the lid.

[0046]

[0003] Therefore, the inventor analyzed the problem and discovered that by designing the thickness of the case differently, by making the thickness of the body region in the center of the case relatively thin and the thickness of the region where the lid is welded relatively thick, it is possible to meet the requirements for space utilization and energy density as well as reduce the risk of cracking and failure. In light of this, the present application designs a battery case including a case and a lid, where the case has an opening and a chamber, the case includes an opening and a body, the opening surrounds the opening, the body surrounds the chamber, and the lid is connected to the opening and closes the opening. Here, at least a portion of the body is recessed relative to the opening to form a recessed region, and the thickness of the recessed region is smaller than the thickness of the opening.

[0004] The present application provides a recessed region recessed relative to the opening in at least a portion of the body of the case, thereby making the thickness of the opening relatively thick and ensuring strength after the opening and the lid are mated, reducing or mitigating the risk of cracking and failure at the welded region where the lid is welded to the case, improving the reliability of the battery cell and extending the service life of the battery cell. At the same time, the provision of the recessed area can reduce the space occupied by the recessed area of ​​the case, thereby improving the space utilization rate and energy density of the battery cell.

[0047] The technical solutions described in the embodiments of the present application are applicable to batteries and power-consuming devices that use batteries.

[0048] The power consuming devices may be vehicles, mobile phones, portable devices, laptops, ships, spacecraft, electric toys, and power tools. The vehicles may be fuel oil vehicles, gas vehicles, or new energy vehicles. The new energy vehicles may be pure electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, or range-extender vehicles. The spacecraft may include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spaceships. The electric toys may include stationary or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys. The power tools may 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, electric impact drills, concrete vibrators, and electric planers. The embodiments of the present application do not particularly limit the above power consuming devices.

[0049] In the following embodiments, for convenience of explanation, the power consuming device is a vehicle.

[0050] 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a vehicle 01 according to some embodiments of the present application. Referring to FIG. 1, a battery 10 is installed inside the vehicle 01, and the battery 10 may be installed at the bottom, head, or tail of the vehicle 01, or may even be mounted on the top or side of the vehicle 01. The battery 10 may be used to supply power to the vehicle 01, for example, the battery 10 may be used as an operating power source for the vehicle 01.

[0051] The vehicle 01 may further include a controller and a motor, and the controller is used to control the battery 10 to power the motor, for example, for starting, navigating, and running the vehicle 01. Of course, in some embodiments of the present application, the battery 10 can be used not only as an operating power source for the vehicle 01, but also as a power source for the vehicle 01, providing driving power to the vehicle 01 in place of, or in place of, gasoline or natural gas.

[0052] Fig. 2 is an exploded view of a battery 10 according to some embodiments of the present application, Fig. 3 is a first schematic view of a local structure of the battery 10 according to some embodiments of the present application, and Fig. 4 is a second schematic view of a local structure of the battery 10 according to some embodiments of the present application. Referring to Figs. 2 to 4, the battery 10 includes a housing 101 and a battery cell 102, and the housing 101 is used to house the battery cell 102.

[0053] Here, the housing 101 is a member that houses the battery cells 102, and the housing 101 provides a housing space for the battery cells 102 to ensure the stability and reliability of the battery cells 102. The housing 101 may adopt various structures. In some embodiments, the housing 101 may include a first part 1011 and a second part 1012, which are placed over, engaged with, or otherwise stably fitted to each other to define a housing space for accommodating the battery cells 102. At the same time, the first part 1011 and the second part 1012 may have various shapes, such as a rectangular parallelepiped or a cylindrical body. The first part 1011 may have a hollow structure that is open on one side, and the second part 1012 may also have a hollow structure that is open on one side. When the open side of the second part 1012 is placed over the open side of the first part 1011, the housing 101 having a housing space is formed. The first part 1011 may have a hollow structure with one side open, and the second part 1012 may have a plate-like structure, and when the second part 1012 is placed over the open side of the first part 1011, it forms a housing 101 having an accommodating space. The first part 1011 and the second part 1012 may be sealed via a sealing element, which may be a sealing ring, a sealant, or the like.

[0054] Referring again to FIG. 2 , the battery 10 may include one or more battery cells 102. When there are multiple battery cells 102, the multiple battery cells 102 may be connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel, and a series-parallel connection refers to the multiple battery cells 102 being connected in both series and parallel. A battery module may first be formed by connecting the multiple battery cells 102 in series, parallel, or series-parallel, and then the multiple battery modules may be connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel to form a single whole, which may then be housed within the housing 101. Alternatively, all of the battery cells 102 may be directly connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel, and then the whole made up of all the battery cells 102 may be housed within the housing 101.

[0055] In some embodiments, the battery 10 may further include busbar members, and the plurality of battery cells 102 may be electrically connected to one another via the busbar members, thereby realizing a series connection, a parallel connection, or a series-parallel connection of the plurality of battery cells 102. The busbar members may be made of a metal conductor, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, or an aluminum alloy.

[0056] Fig. 5 is a structural schematic diagram of a battery cell 102 according to some embodiments of the present application, Fig. 6 is an exploded schematic view of the battery cell 102 according to some embodiments of the present application, Fig. 7 is a first structural schematic diagram of a case 1022 of the battery cell 102 according to some embodiments of the present application, Fig. 8 is a local enlarged view of a portion A of the case 1022 shown in Fig. 7, Fig. 9 is a second structural schematic diagram of the case 1022 of the battery cell 102 according to some embodiments of the present application, Fig. 10 is a local enlarged view of a portion a of the case 1022 shown in Fig. 9, Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the case 1022 taken along line I-I' in Fig. 9, and Fig. 12 is a local enlarged view of a portion b of the cross-sectional view shown in Fig. 11. Referring to Figs. 5 to 12, in some embodiments, the battery cell 102 includes a case 1022, an electrode assembly 1026, a cover 1021, electrode terminals, and an electrolyte.

[0057] The case 1022 is a member for containing the electrode assembly 1026 and the electrolyte (not shown). The case 1022 may be a hollow structure open at one end or at both opposing ends. The case 1022 may have various shapes. For example, FIG. 13 is a third schematic structural diagram of the case 1022 of the battery cell 102 according to some embodiments of the present application. Referring to FIG. 13, the case 1022 may be a cylindrical body as shown in FIG. 13. Of course, the embodiments of the present application are mainly described using the rectangular prism shape shown in FIGS. 5 to 12 as an example. In other embodiments, the case 1022 may have a rectangular prism shape such as a hexagonal prism, which will not be further described here. The case 1022 may be made of various materials, such as copper, iron, aluminum, steel, and aluminum alloys.

[0058] The electrode assembly 1026 is a component that generates an electrochemical reaction within the battery cell 102. The electrode assembly 1026 may include a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator. The electrode assembly 1026 may have a wound structure formed by winding a positive electrode plate, a separator, and a negative electrode plate, or a stacked structure formed by stacking a positive electrode plate, a separator, and a negative electrode plate. The electrode assembly 1026 has tabs, which are divided into a positive electrode tab 10261 and a negative electrode tab (not shown). The positive electrode tab 10261 may be a portion of the positive electrode plate where the positive electrode active material layer is not coated, and the negative electrode tab may be a portion of the negative electrode plate where the negative electrode active material layer is not coated.

[0059] The covers 1021 are members that close the open positions of the cases 1022 to isolate the internal environment of the battery cells 102 from the external environment. The number of covers 1021 corresponds to the number of open positions of the cases 1022. When the number of open positions is one, the number of covers 1021 may be set to one. When the number of open positions is two or more, the number of covers 1021 may be set to two or more. This fully ensures that the internal environment of the battery cells 102 is isolated from the external environment, and the covers 1021 and the cases 1022 together define a sealed space for accommodating the electrode assemblies 1026, electrolyte, and other components.

[0060] At the same time, the shape of the lid 1021 can be adapted to the shape of the case 1022. For example, if the case 1022 has a rectangular parallelepiped structure as shown in Figures 5 to 12, the lid 1021 has a rectangular plate-like structure that can be adapted to the open position of the case 1022. Also, for example, if the case 1022 has a cylindrical structure as shown in Figure 13, the lid 1021 has a circular plate-like structure that can be adapted to the open position of the case 1022. Furthermore, the material of the lid 1021 may be various, such as copper, iron, aluminum, steel, aluminum alloy, etc., and the material of the lid 1021 may be the same as or different from the material of the case 1022.

[0061] The cover 1021 may further have a liquid injection hole 1025 for injecting electrolyte to ensure the normal charging and discharging of the battery cell 102. The cover 1021 may also have a pressure relief mechanism (not shown). The pressure relief mechanism is an element or component that operates to release the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell 102 when the internal pressure or temperature reaches a predetermined threshold. The design of this threshold varies depending on the design requirements and may depend on one or more of the materials of the positive electrode plate, negative electrode plate, electrolyte, and separator of the battery cell 102. The pressure relief mechanism may take the form of an explosion-proof valve, air valve, pressure relief valve, safety valve, etc., and may specifically be a pressure- or temperature-sensitive element or structure. That is, when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell 102 reaches a predetermined threshold, the pressure relief mechanism operates, or a fragile structure provided in the pressure relief mechanism breaks, thereby forming an opening or passage for releasing the internal pressure or temperature.

[0062] The electrode terminals are installed on the cover 1021 and are electrically connected to the tabs of the electrode assembly 1026 to output electrical energy from the battery cell 102. The battery cell 102 may have two electrode terminals. The two electrode terminals are a positive terminal 1023 and a negative terminal 1024, respectively. The positive terminal 1023 is used to electrically connect with the positive electrode tab 10261, and the negative terminal 1024 is used to electrically connect with the negative electrode tab. In an embodiment in which the battery cell 102 has only one cover 1021, the positive terminal 1023 and the negative terminal 1024 may be installed on the same cover 1021. In this case, the cover 1021 on which the positive terminal 1023 or the negative terminal 1024 is installed is welded to the case 1022. In an embodiment in which the battery cell 102 has two lids 1021, the positive terminal 1023 and the negative terminal 1024 may be installed on the same lid 1021, or the positive terminal 1023 and the negative terminal 1024 may be installed on two lids 1021, respectively. When the positive terminal 1023 and the negative terminal 1024 are simultaneously installed on one lid 1021, this lid 1021 is welded and fitted to the case 1022, and the other lid 1021, on which the positive terminal 1023 and the negative terminal 1024 are not installed, can be integrally formed with the case 1022. When the positive terminal 1023 and the negative terminal 1024 are respectively installed on two lids 1021, each of the two lids 1021 can be welded and fitted to the case 1022, respectively.

[0063] It should be noted that the battery cell 102 may further be provided with current collecting components (not shown) according to requirements. The current collecting components are components that connect tabs and electrode terminals to realize electrical connection between the tabs and electrode terminals. For example, if the battery cell 102 has two covers 1021 and the positive terminal 1023 and the negative terminal 1024 are respectively provided on the two covers 1021, the positive terminal 1023 may be connected to the positive tab 10261 via one current collecting component, and the negative terminal 1024 may be connected to the negative tab 10261 via another current collecting component, thereby fully ensuring the normal performance of charging and discharging operations.

[0064] The specific structure of the case 1022 of the battery cell 102 will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0065] Referring again to FIGS. 2 to 6 , the case 1022 of the battery cell 102 according to the embodiment of the present application has an annular structure. The annular shape may be a cylinder as shown in FIG. 13 or a prismatic prism as shown in FIG. 5 . The embodiment of the present application uses a prismatic prism, specifically a rectangular prism, as an example. Other embodiments may use a hexagonal prism, an octagonal prism, or the like. The case 1022 has an opening 10221 and a chamber 10222. The chamber 10222 is a region formed around the inner surface of the case 1022, and the opening 10221 is a hollow region at the end communicating with the chamber 10222. The case 1022 also includes an opening 10223 and a main body 10224. The opening 10223 surrounds the opening 10221, and the main body 10224 surrounds the chamber 10222. That is, the opening 10223 is a wall of the opening 10221 in the circumferential direction, and the main body 10224 is a wall of the chamber 10222 in the circumferential direction excluding the position of the opening 10221. Specifically, the case 1022 has openings 10221 on both sides. There are two openings 10221, and they are located at both ends of the case 1022 in the direction ab (which is also the longitudinal direction of the case 1022) shown in FIG. 6. There are also two openings 10223, and they are located at both ends of the main body 10224 in the longitudinal direction of the case 1022. In this case, the number of covers 1021 is set to two, and the two covers 1021 are connected to the corresponding openings 10223 and close the corresponding openings 10221. The positive electrode terminal 1023 and the negative electrode terminal 1024 are respectively installed on the two covers 1021, and are thereby electrically connected to the positive electrode tab 10261 and the negative electrode tab 10262 of the electrode assembly 1026, respectively, to ensure that the battery 10 can be charged and discharged normally.

[0066] Of course, in other embodiments, the case 1022 may be configured with a structure having one opening 10221. When the number of openings 10221 is one, the case 1022 is semi-closed. In this case, the number of openings 10223 is correspondingly one and is located at one of the two ends of the body 10224. Accordingly, the number of lids 1021 is one. The positive electrode terminal 1023 and the negative electrode terminal 1024 may both be installed on the lid 1021, or one may be installed on the lid 1021 and the other on a wall of the case 1022 facing the lid 1021, or both may be installed on the wall of the case 1022 facing the lid 1021, or on another wall of the case 1022. In this way, the positive electrode terminal 1023 and the negative electrode terminal 1024 can be electrically connected to the positive electrode tab 10261 and the negative electrode tab 10262 of the electrode assembly 1026, respectively.

[0067] In the embodiment of the present application, in order to mitigate the problems of cracking and failure at the connection between the cover 1021 and the case 1022, when the case 1022 of the battery cell 102 has the above structure, at least a portion of the main body 10224 is recessed relative to the opening 10223 to form a recessed region 10225, and the thickness of the recessed region 10225 is smaller than the thickness of the opening 10223. That is, as shown in Fig. 12, the thickness of the recessed region 10225 formed by the main body 10224 is D1, and the thickness of the opening 10223 is D2, and D2 is larger than the size of D1. By providing a recessed region 10225 recessed relative to the opening 10223 in at least a portion of the body 10224 of the case 1022, the thickness of the opening 10223 is increased, ensuring the strength of the opening 10223 after mating with the cover 1021, reducing or mitigating the risk of cracking or failure at the connection between the cover 1021 and the case 1022, improving the reliability of the battery cell 102, and extending the service life of the battery cell 102. At the same time, providing the recessed region 10225 reduces the space occupied by the wall forming the recessed region 10225 of the case 1022, thereby improving the space utilization rate and energy density of the battery cell 102.

[0068] It should be noted that the placement of the recessed area 10225 is not affected by the shape of the case 1022, which may be a cylindrical structure as shown in FIG. 13 or a prismatic structure as shown in FIGS. 5 to 12. When the case 1022 has the cylindrical structure as shown in FIG. 13, openings 10223 are formed at both ends of the cylindrical case 1022, and the recessed area 10225 is at least partially formed in a central region between the ends of the cylindrical case 1022, with the thickness of the recessed area 10225 being smaller than the thickness of the openings 10223. At the same time, the placement of the recessed area 10225 is not affected by the number of openings 10223 of the battery cell 102, which may be one or two. When the number of openings 10223 is one, the number of lids 1021 is correspondingly one, and when the number of openings 10223 is two, the number of lids 1021 is correspondingly two.

[0069] 5 to 12 , in the embodiment of the present application, the opening 10223 is thicker than at least a portion of the thickness of the main body 10224 to form the recessed region 10225, or at least a portion of the thickness of the main body 10224 is thinner than the thickness of the opening 10223 to form the recessed region 10225. That is, the difference in thickness between the opening 10223 and the main body 10224 may be formed by thickening a portion of the wall or by thinning a portion of the wall. Specifically, the thickness of the opening 10223 may be thickened or the thickness of the main body 10224 may be thinned.

[0070] Here, the thickening method may be to add a flange to at least a portion of the circumferential region inside or outside the opening 10223. For example, a rectangular flange may be provided around the outside of the opening 10223, facing away from the electrode assembly 1026. The material of the flange may be a metal material, a plastic material, or a metal-plastic composite material. In particular, the same material as the case 1022 may be selected, thereby reducing processing difficulty and production costs. Accordingly, the thinning method may be to thin or press at least a portion of the main body 10224, thereby reducing the thickness of at least a portion of the main body 10224 and forming a recessed region 10225 relative to the opening 10223. Specifically, the present application employs a thinning or pressing method to reduce the thickness of at least a portion of the body 10224, thereby ensuring the thickness of the opening 10223 and ensuring the strength of the connection between the cover 1021 and the case 1022. This not only saves costs and reduces the space occupied by the case 1022, but also improves the space utilization rate and energy density of the battery cell 102. In other embodiments, the molding method of the case 1022 may be 3D printing or additive manufacturing, etc., as long as it can form a difference in thickness between the body 10224 and the opening 10223, and is not limited to this embodiment.

[0071] Whether the thickening method or the thinning method is adopted, it is possible to effectively ensure that the thickness of the opening 10223 is greater than the thickness of the portion of the body 10224 that forms the recessed region 10225. This satisfies the strength requirements after welding the opening 10223 to the cover 1021, reduces or mitigates the risk of cracking or failure at the welded position between the cover 1021 and the case 1022, and improves the reliability of the battery cell 102. At the same time, if a method of thinning a portion of the body 10224 is adopted, the space occupied by the body 10224 can be further reduced, thereby improving the space utilization rate and energy density of the battery cell 102.

[0072] It should be noted that in the embodiment of the present application, the recessed region 10225 is located on the outer side of the main body portion 10224, away from the chamber 10222, and is recessed in a direction closer to the chamber 10222. When the recessed region 10225 is located on the outer side of the main body portion 10224, the recessed region 10225 can be used for other structural members within the battery 10, thereby making the structure of the battery 10 more compact and reliable, while simultaneously reducing the space occupied by the battery cells 102 and improving the energy density of the battery 10. Of course, in other embodiments, the recessed region 10225 may be located on the inner side of the main body portion 10224, adjacent to the chamber 10222, and be recessed in a direction away from the chamber 10222. When the recessed area 10225 is located inside the main body 10224, the recessed area 10225 can be used to accommodate the electrolyte and electrode assembly 1026 located inside the case 1022, increasing the flow space for the electrolyte and making the flow of the electrolyte inside the case 1022 smoother and more reliable, thereby ensuring the charge / discharge efficiency of the battery cell 102 and the electrochemical performance of the battery cell 102.

[0073] It should be further explained that in the embodiments of the present application, whether the recessed area 10225 is located on the outside of the main body 10224 away from the chamber 10222 or on the inside close to the chamber 10222, the shape of the recessed area 10225 may be optionally a regular rectangle, circle, triangle, polygon, or may be optionally an irregular structure. The embodiments of the present application mainly use a rectangular recessed area 10225 as an example, because the rectangular recessed area 10225 is easy to process and manufacture and can easily accommodate other rectangular structural members of the battery 10, thereby saving manufacturing costs and fully improving the space utilization rate of the battery 10.

[0074] 5 to 12 , in the embodiment of the present application, the case 1022 includes a first side panel 10226, a second side panel 10227, a third side panel 10228, and a fourth side panel 10229 connected in sequence. The first side panel 10226, the second side panel 10227, the third side panel 10228, and the fourth side panel 10229 are all rectangular thin plates. The first side panel 10226 and the third side panel 10228 are arranged parallel to and spaced apart in the width direction of the case 1022 (i.e., the cd direction shown in FIG. 6 is perpendicular to the ab direction), and the second side panel 10227 and the fourth side panel 10229 are arranged parallel to and spaced apart in the height direction of the case 1022 (i.e., the ef direction, ab direction, cd direction, and ef direction shown in FIG. 6 are perpendicular to each other). The central regions of the first side plate 10226, the second side plate 10227, the third side plate 10228, and the fourth side plate 10229 together form a main body 10224, and the end regions of the first side plate 10226, the second side plate 10227, the third side plate 10228, and the fourth side plate 10229 together form two openings 10223. The two lids 1021 of the battery cell 102 are respectively connected to the two openings 10223 and close the corresponding openings 10221. At the same time, the areas of the first side plate 10226 and the third side plate 10228 are larger than the areas of the second side plate 10227 and the fourth side plate 10229. That is, the first side plate 10226 and the third side plate 10228 are large sides on which the area of ​​the battery cells 102 is relatively large, and the second side plate 10227 and the fourth side plate 10229 are side surfaces on which the area of ​​the battery cells 102 is relatively small. In addition, the entire area where the first side plate 10226 and the third side plate 10228 form the main body 10224 is recessed from the opening 10223, forming one recessed area 10225.

[0075] The recessed area 10225 is formed on a large surface, and the entire body 10224 is recessed relative to the opening 10223, thereby forming a relatively large recessed area 10225. This allows the first side panel 10226 and the third side panel 10228 to be sufficiently thin, thereby ensuring sufficient space utilization of the battery cells 102, and also allows the thickness of the case 1022 to be sufficiently thin, thereby reducing the weight of the battery 10 and improving the energy density of the battery 10.

[0076] 5 to 12 , in an embodiment of the present application, the first side panel 10226 and the third side panel 10228 each form a recessed region 10225, and the region where the second side panel 10227 and the fourth side panel 10229 form the main body 10224 is also recessed relative to the opening 10223 to form a recessed region 10225. Providing recessed regions 10225 on all four sides of the case 1022 effectively reduces the weight of the case 1022, improves the energy density of the battery cells 102, and enhances the space utilization rate of the battery cells 102. On the other hand, because the first side panel 10226, the second side panel 10227, the third side panel 10228, and the fourth side panel 10229 are all generally thinner than the opening 10223, the process is simpler, and production and manufacturing costs can be controlled.

[0077] Optionally, in the embodiment of the present application, the four recessed areas 10225 of the first side panel 10226, the second side panel 10227, the third side panel 10228, and the fourth side panel 10229 are connected to each other. When the four recessed areas 10225 are connected to each other, the weight of the case 1022 can be effectively reduced and the energy density of the battery cells 102 can be improved. On the other hand, because all four recessed areas 10225 are located outside the main body 10224, the space outside the case 1022 can be fully utilized. This allows other structures of the battery 10 to be accommodated, thereby fully improving the space utilization rate of the battery cells 102. At the same time, this arrangement facilitates the processing and manufacturing of the case 1022 and reduces processing and manufacturing costs.

[0078] It should be noted that Fig. 14 is a fourth structural schematic diagram of the case 1022 of the battery cell 102 according to some embodiments of the present application, and Fig. 15 is a local enlarged view of portion B of the case 1022 shown in Fig. 14. Referring to Figs. 14 and 15, in embodiments of the present application, at least one of the first side plate 10226 and the third side plate 10228 may be thinned, and the second side plate 10227 and the fourth side plate 10229 may not be thinned. For example, only the entire region where the first side plate 10226 and the third side plate 10228 form the main body portion 10224 may be recessed from the opening 10223 to form one recessed region 10225. In this case, the battery cell 102 has two recessed areas 10225 formed on the large surface, which can effectively improve the space utilization rate of the battery 10 and improve the energy density of the battery 10 compared to a design in which the recessed areas 10225 are not installed, while at the same time ensuring the reliability of the battery 10.

[0079] 16 is a fifth structural schematic diagram of the case 1022 of the battery cell 102 according to some embodiments of the present application, and FIG. 17 is a local enlarged view of portion C of the case 1022 shown in FIG. 16. Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, in embodiments of the present application, at least one of the second side plate 10227 and the fourth side plate 10229 may be thinned, and the first side plate 10226 and the third side plate 10228 may not be thinned. For example, only the entire region where the second side plate 10227 and the fourth side plate 10229 form the main body portion 10224 may be recessed from the opening 10223 to form one recessed region 10225. In this case, the battery cell 102 has two recessed areas 10225 formed on the second side plate 10227 and the fourth side plate 10229, which can effectively improve the space utilization rate of the battery 10 and improve the energy density of the battery 10 compared to a design in which the recessed areas 10225 are not installed, while at the same time ensuring the reliability of the battery 10.

[0080] It should also be noted that the recessed areas 10225 in the embodiments of the present application are formed after the entire corresponding side panel is thinned relative to the opening 10223. In other embodiments, the recessed areas 10225 may be located on the first side panel 10226, the second side panel 10227, the third side panel 10228, or the fourth side panel 10229, or any other localized thinning method may be adopted, thereby ensuring the overall strength of the case 1022. The position where the recessed area 10225 is formed by localized thinning may be located in the center of the side panel or near the opening 10223. The shape of the recessed area 10225 formed by localized thinning may be a regular shape such as a rectangle, or may be an irregular shape, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited to these.

[0081] 11 and 12 , in the embodiment of the present application, the ratio of the thickness of the opening 10223 to the thickness of the recessed region 10225 is 65 to 100:1, i.e., the ratio D2 / D1 is 65 to 100:1. For example, the ratio D2 / D1 may be 65:1, 100:1, 60:1, 50:1, 30:1, 20:1, etc. More specifically, the thickness of the opening 10223 is set to 0.4 to 2 mm, for example, 2 mm. The thickness of the recessed region 10225 is set to 0.004 to 0.03 mm, for example, 0.01 mm. By limiting the ratio of the thickness of the opening 10223 to the thickness of the recessed region 10225, it is possible to ensure the welding strength between the opening 10223 and the cover 1021 while also ensuring the space utilization rate of the battery cell 102. At the same time, if the ratio of D2 / D1 is greater than 100, the size of the opening 10223 is relatively thicker than the size of the recessed region 10225, resulting in a relatively high cost and a relatively long process time for welding the opening 10223 and the cover 1021. If the ratio of D2 / D1 is less than 100, the size of the recessed region 10225 formed is relatively small, resulting in a relatively low space utilization rate of the battery cell 102. Of course, in other embodiments, the thickness ratio of the opening 10223 and the recessed region 10225 may be adjusted accordingly based on changes in the structure and shape of the battery cell 102, and this embodiment is not limited to this.

[0082] 9 and 10, in an embodiment of the present application, the ratio of the size of the opening 10223 in the longitudinal direction of the case 1022 to the total size of the case 1022 in the longitudinal direction is 1:50 to 100. That is, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the size of the case 1022 in its longitudinal direction is L1, the size of the main body 10224 in the longitudinal direction of the case 1022 is L2, and the size of the opening 10223 in the longitudinal direction of the case 1022 is L3, where L2 + L3 = L1, and the size of L3 / L1 is 1:50 to 100. Exemplarily, the size of L3 / L1 may be 1:50, 1:100, 1:60, 1:70, 1:80, 1:90, etc. More specifically, the longitudinal size of the case 1022 is 15 to 1000 mm, and may be, for example, 800 mm. The longitudinal size of the opening 10223 is 0.3 to 10 mm, and may be, for example, 8 mm. By limiting the ratio of the longitudinal size of the opening 10223 to the length of the case 1022, it is possible to ensure the strength of the weld between the opening 10223 and the lid 1021 and also to ensure the space utilization rate of the battery cell 102. Furthermore, if the ratio of the longitudinal size of the opening 10223 to the total longitudinal size of the case 1022 is less than 1:100, the size of the opening 10223 will be relatively narrow, which is unfavorable for welding and increases the difficulty of welding. If the ratio of the longitudinal size of the opening 10223 to the total longitudinal size of the case 1022 is greater than 1:50, the size of the opening 10223 will be relatively large, the cost of welding the opening 10223 to the cover 1021 will be relatively high, and the process time will be relatively long. Of course, in other embodiments, the width of the opening 10223 may be adjusted accordingly based on changes in the structure and shape of the battery cell 102, and this embodiment is not limited to this.

[0083] As an alternative, the recessed region 10225 is connected to an area adjacent to the recessed region 10225 by an arc-shaped transition. The arc-shaped transition connection refers to the recessed region 10225 and the area adjacent to the recessed region 10225 being connected by an arc-shaped transition. Since the first side plate 10226, the second side plate 10227, the third side plate 10228, and the fourth side plate 10229 form the main body 10224, the entire body is thinner than the opening 10223, and therefore the area adjacent to the recessed region 10225 refers to the location where the recessed region 10225 and the opening 10223 are connected. The arc-shaped transition connection can ensure that the thickness of the recessed region 10225 and its adjacent regions changes gradually, reducing the problem of a sudden decrease in strength due to a sudden change in thickness, ensuring the overall strength of the case 1022, and reducing the risk of damage to the case 1022. On the other hand, the arc-shaped transition connection can reduce the risk of damage to the structure accommodated in the recessed region 10225, ensuring the reliability of the structure accommodated in the recessed region 10225, and extending the service life of the battery 10.

[0084] It should be noted that the ratio of the longitudinal size of the case 1022 at the arc-shaped transition connection portion to the longitudinal size of the recessed region 10225 is 0.5 to 5:100. That is, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the longitudinal size of the case 1022 at the arc-shaped transition connection portion is L5, the longitudinal size of the case 1022 at the main body portion 10224 is L2, and the longitudinal size of the case 10225 is L4, with the ratio of L5 / L4 being 0.5 to 5:100. Exemplarily, the ratio of L5 / L4 may be 0.5:100, 5:100, or even 1:100, 2:100, 3:100, 4:100, etc. More specifically, the width of the arc-shaped transition connection portion is 0.3 to 10 mm, and may be, for example, 10 mm, and the width of the recessed region 10225 may be set to 100 mm. By limiting the width ratio between the arc-shaped transition connection portion and the recessed region 10225, it is possible to ensure the size of the recessed region 10225 and simultaneously ensure the width and strength of the connection portion, thereby ensuring the overall strength of the case 1022 and extending the service life of the case 1022. At the same time, if the ratio of L5 / L4 is less than 0.5:100, the transition region is relatively narrow, which may reduce the overall strength of the case 1022 to some extent. If the ratio of L5 / L4 is greater than 5:100, the transition region is relatively wide, which may reduce the space utilization rate of the battery cell 102 to some extent.

[0085] 2 to 4, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery 10, which includes a housing 101 and a battery cell 102 according to any one of the above embodiments. The housing 101 is used to house the battery cell 102. Because the battery 10 includes the battery cell 102, it has the advantages of high space utilization, high energy density, and long service life.

[0086] Referring again to FIG. 3 , as an optional solution, the battery 10 further includes a partition member. The partition member is used to separate the battery cells 102 from other components adjacent to the battery cells 102, and at least a portion of the partition member is accommodated in the recessed region 10225. Here, the partition member is a component in the battery 10 that assists in electrical connection, buffering, reinforcement, and temperature regulation of the battery cells 102. For example, the partition member may be at least one of the cushion pad 104, the thermal management component 103, and the reinforcing component. By placing the partition member in the recessed region 10225, the space of the recessed region 10225 can be fully utilized, thereby improving the space utilization rate of the battery 10 and making the structure of the battery 10 more compact and reliable. On the other hand, the recessed region 10225 limits the displacement of the partition member, thereby ensuring the reliability and stability of the partition member, and thereby improving the reliability of the battery cells 102.

[0087] Illustratively, in the embodiment of the present application, the battery 10 includes a plurality of battery cells 102 sequentially installed in the housing 101. The recessed areas 10225 of the battery cells 102 are located on the outer side away from the chamber 10222 of the main body 10224 and recessed toward the chamber 10222, with the recessed areas 10225 of one of two adjacent battery cells 102 facing the other battery cell 102. The partition member includes a cushion pad 104, at least a portion of which is made of an elastic material, such as rubber or other material. The cushion pad 104 is accommodated in the recessed areas 10225. Illustratively, the cushion pad 104 is a compressible rubber structure, and when the cushion pad 104 is uncompressed, a portion of the cushion pad 104 is inserted into the recessed areas 10225 and another portion extends outside the recessed areas 10225. When compressed by the pressure of the battery cells 102, the cushion pad 104 may be completely contained within the recessed area 10225, or may be mostly located within the recessed area 10225, thereby reducing collisions and damage between the battery cells 102. By placing the cushion pad 104 within the recessed area 10225, the space of the recessed area 10225 can be fully utilized, thereby improving the space utilization rate of the battery 10 and making the structure of the battery 10 more compact and reliable. On the other hand, the recessed area 10225 can limit the displacement of the cushion pad 104, ensuring the cushioning effect of the cushion pad 104 on the battery cells 102, and improving the reliability of the battery cells 102.

[0088] Optionally, referring again to FIG. 4 , in the embodiment of the present application, the recessed areas 10225 of any two adjacent battery cells 102 are the same size, and the two are connected to form a single receiving cavity. The cushion pad 104 is received in the receiving cavity. By forming the two recessed areas 10225 into a single receiving cavity, the thickness of the cushion pad 104 can be set to be thick, and the cushioning effect can be ensured. On the other hand, the cushion pad 104 is restricted by the two recessed areas 10225, which increases its stability and therefore increases the reliability of the battery cells 102.

[0089] It should be noted that the cushion pad 104 according to the embodiment of the present application may be replaced by a heat insulating pad, a heat conducting pad or other pad-like or plate-like structure having a cooling or heating function, and is not limited in this embodiment.

[0090] Further, by way of example, in the embodiment of the present application, the partition member includes a thermal management member 103. The thermal management member 103 is installed in the housing 101 and inserted into the recessed region 10225. The thermal management member 103 has a hollow structure with a thermal management passage 1031 installed therein. The thermal management passage 1031 allows a fluid, such as a coolant, to pass through for heat exchange with the battery cells 102, thereby maintaining the temperature of the battery cells 102 within a normal range, reducing the probability of thermal runaway, and ensuring the reliability of the battery 10. Specifically, the thermal management member 103 is a cooling plate, but in other embodiments, it may be a heat conduction plate or other structure capable of regulating the temperature of the battery cells 102. The recessed region 10225 can accommodate the thermal management member 103 of the battery 10, which not only improves the space utilization rate of the battery 10 but also helps reduce and mitigate thermal runaway of the battery cells 102, thereby improving the reliability of the battery cells 102.

[0091] Further, by way of example, in the embodiments of the present application, the partition member includes a reinforcing member (not shown). The reinforcing member is a structure that reinforces the strength of the entire battery 10 structure and improves the reliability and stability of the battery cells 102. The reinforcing member may be a reinforcing plate. In some embodiments, the reinforcing plate may be connected to one or more battery cells 102, for example, by adhesive bonding, to provide structural reinforcement to the battery cells 102 or a module formed of the battery cells 102. In other embodiments, the reinforcing member may not be directly connected to the battery cells 102.

[0092] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the first side panel 10226, the second side panel 10227, the third side panel 10228, and the fourth side panel 10229 all have recessed areas 10225. However, because the temperature at the center of the large surface is relatively high and thermal runaway is likely to occur, the thermal management member 103 may be specifically selected to be inserted into the recessed area 10225 formed on the first side panel 10226, thereby cooling the large surface of the battery cell 102 and ensuring a good cooling effect, thereby improving the reliability of the battery 10. In other embodiments, the thermal management member 103 may be inserted into the recessed area 10225 of the third side panel 10228, the second side panel 10227, or the fourth side panel 10229, and this embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0093] It should be further explained that the insertion fitting means that at least a portion of the thermal management member 103 enters the recessed area 10225, and at least one plate wall of the thermal management member 103 is in close contact with the corresponding wall surface of the recessed area 10225, thereby ensuring sufficient cooling effect and ensuring the reliability of the battery 10.

[0094] It should also be noted that the recessed area 10225 according to the embodiment of the present application is primarily used to accommodate the cushion pad 104 or the thermal management member 103. In other embodiments, the recessed area 10225 may be used to accommodate other structural members within the battery 10, such as a partial reinforcement or buffer structure for the housing 101, and is not limited to this embodiment.

[0095] Referring again to FIGS. 1 to 17 , the present application preferably provides a battery 10 according to some embodiments. The battery 10 includes a housing 101 and a plurality of battery cells 102 set in the housing 101. The battery cells 102 include a case 1022, an electrode assembly 1026, a cover 1021, electrode terminals, and an electrolyte. The case 1022 has a rectangular prism shape and is an annular structure with openings 10221 at both ends. The opening 10221 and a chamber 10222 are formed in the case 1022. The case 1022 includes an opening 10223 and a main body 10224. The opening 10223 surrounds the opening 10221, and the main body 10224 surrounds the chamber 10222. At the same time, the entire body 10224 is thinned relative to the thickness of the opening 10223 to form a recessed region 10225, so that the thickness of the recessed region 10225 is smaller than the thickness of the opening 10223. The recessed region 10225 of each battery cell 102 is located on the outer side of the body 10224, away from the chamber 10222, and recesses toward the chamber 10222. The recessed region 10225 of one of two adjacent battery cells 102 faces toward the other battery cell 102. The recessed regions 10225 of any two adjacent battery cells 102 communicate to form a receiving cavity, within which the cushion pad 104 is received. There are two covers 1021, each covering the two openings 10221 and welded to the corresponding opening 10223. Each cover 1021 is provided with an electrode terminal, and the two electrode terminals have opposite polarities. The two lids 1021 and the case 1022 together enclose a space that contains the electrode assembly 1026 and the electrolyte. After the electrode assembly 1026 is housed in the space formed by the lids 1021 and the case 1022, the positive electrode tab 10261 and the negative electrode tab of the electrode assembly 1026 are electrically connected to electrode terminals at corresponding positions and with corresponding polarities, respectively.

[0096] In this embodiment of the present application, recessed regions 10225 recessed relative to the opening 10223 are provided in at least a portion of the body 10224 of the case 1022. This allows the thickness of the opening 10223 to be relatively thick, ensuring the strength of the opening 10223 after mating with the cover 1021. This reduces or mitigates the risk of cracking or failure at the connection between the cover 1021 and the case 1022, improving the reliability of the battery cell 102 and extending its service life. At the same time, the provision of the recessed regions 10225 reduces the space occupied by the wall forming the recessed regions 10225 of the case 1022, thereby improving the space utilization rate and energy density of the battery cell 102. At the same time, the formation of openings 10221 at both ends of the case 1022 also facilitates the assembly and manufacturing of the battery cell 102. Furthermore, by placing the cushion pad 104 in the recessed region 10225, the space of the recessed region 10225 can be fully utilized, thereby improving the space utilization rate of the battery 10 and making the structure of the battery 10 more compact and reliable. Furthermore, the recessed region 10225 can limit the displacement of the cushion pad 104, ensuring the cushioning effect of the cushion pad 104 on the battery cell 102 and improving the reliability of the battery cell 102. An embodiment of the present application provides a power consuming device, which includes the battery 10 according to any one of the above embodiments. The power consuming device may be a device that uses any one of the above batteries 10. Because the power consuming device includes the battery 10, the power consuming device also has the advantage of having a long service life.

[0097] FIG. 18 is a schematic block diagram of a manufacturing apparatus 02 for battery cells 102 according to some embodiments of the present application. Referring to FIG. 18, an embodiment of the present application provides a manufacturing apparatus 02 for battery cells 102, which includes a first providing device 21, a second providing device 22, and an assembling device 24. The first providing device 21 is used to provide a case 1022. The case 1022 includes an opening 10223 and a main body 10224, where the opening 10223 surrounds the opening 10221 and the main body 10224 surrounds the chamber 10222. At least a portion of the main body 10224 is recessed relative to the opening 10223 to form a recessed region 10225, and the thickness of the recessed region 10225 is smaller than the thickness of the opening 10223. The second providing device 22 is used to provide a lid 1021. The number of lids 1021 is two, and a positive terminal 1023 is installed on one of the two lids 1021, and a negative terminal 1024 is installed on the other of the two lids 1021. A third providing device 23 is used to provide an electrode assembly 1026. An assembling device 24 is used to weld both of the lids 1021 to the case 1022, so that each lid 1021 is connected to an opening 10223 and closes the opening 10221 at a corresponding position. The assembling device 24 is also used to electrically connect a positive tab 10261 of the electrode assembly 1026 to the positive terminal 1023. A negative tab of the electrode assembly 1026 is electrically connected to the negative terminal 1024. The manufacturing equipment 02 can quickly manufacture and assemble the above-mentioned battery cell 102, which has high reliability, a long service life, and high space utilization.

[0098] It should be mentioned that, unless there is a conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments in the present application may be combined with each other.

[0099] The above are only selective examples of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present application can undergo various modifications and variations. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present application should be included within the scope of the claims of the present application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] 01-vehicle, 10-battery, 101-housing, 1011-first portion, 1012-second portion, 102-battery cell, 1021-lid, 1022-case, 10221-opening, 10222-chamber, 10223-opening, 10224-body, 10225-recessed area, 10226-first side panel, 10227-second side panel, 10228-third side panel, 10229-fourth side panel, 1023-positive terminal, 1024-negative terminal, 1025-fill hole, 1026-electrode assembly, 10261-positive tab, 103-thermal management member, 1031-thermal management passage, 104-cushion pad, 02-manufacturing equipment, 21-first providing device, 22-second providing device, 23-third providing device, 24-assembly device.

Claims

1. A battery cell (102), A case (1022) having an opening (10221) and a chamber (10222) formed therein, the case (1022) including an opening (10223) and a main body (10224), the opening (10223) surrounding the opening (10221), and the main body (10224) surrounding the chamber (10222); a cover (1021) connected to the opening (10223) and closing the opening (10221), wherein: At least a part of the main body portion (10224) is recessed relative to the opening (10223) to form a recessed region (10225), and the thickness of the recessed region (10225) is smaller than the thickness of the opening (10223); The recessed area (10225) is located on the inner side of the main body portion (10224) adjacent to the chamber (10222) and recessed in a direction away from the chamber (10222), The two openings (10221) are formed at both ends of the case (1022), the battery cell (102) includes two lid bodies (1021), and the two lid bodies (1021) are connected to the two openings (10223) and close the corresponding openings (10221), respectively; The battery cell (102) has a ratio of the thickness of the opening (10223) to the thickness of the recessed area (10225) of 65 to 100:

1.

2. The opening (10223) is thicker than the thickness of at least a portion of the main body (10224) to form the recessed region (10225); Alternatively, the battery cell (102) of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the main body portion (10224) is made thinner than the thickness of the opening (10223) to form the recessed region (10225).

3. The recessed area (10225) is located on the inner side of the main body portion (10224) adjacent to the chamber (10222) and recessed in a direction away from the chamber (10222), The battery cell (102) of claim 1, further comprising an electrode assembly (1026) installed within the chamber (10222), and a portion of the electrode assembly (1026) is housed in the recessed area (10225).

4. The case (1022) has a cylindrical structure with the openings (10221) at both ends, and the battery cell (102) includes two lid bodies (1021), each of which is connected to the two openings (10223) and closes the corresponding opening (10221); Or, the case (1022) is a prismatic structure having the openings (10221) at both ends, and the battery cell (102) includes two of the cover bodies (1021), each of which is connected to two of the openings (10223) and closes the corresponding opening (10221). A battery cell (102) as described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The case (1022) includes a first side plate (10226), a second side plate (10227), a third side plate (10228), and a fourth side plate (10229) connected in sequence, the first side plate (10226) and the third side plate (10228) being arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart, the second side plate (10227) and the fourth side plate (10229) being arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart, and the first side plate (10226), the second side plate (10227), and the third side plate (10228) being arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart. and the central region of the fourth side plate (10229) together form the main body portion (10224), and end regions of the first side plate (10226), the second side plate (10227), the third side plate (10228) and the fourth side plate (10229) together form the two openings (10223), the battery cell (102) includes two lid bodies (1021), each connected to the two openings (10223) and closing the corresponding openings (10221), A battery cell (102) as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the areas of the first side plate (10226) and the third side plate (10228) are larger than the areas of the second side plate (10227) and the fourth side plate (10229), and the entire area where the first side plate (10226) and the third side plate (10228) form the main body portion (10224) is recessed from the opening (10223), each forming one of the recessed areas (10225).

6. A battery cell (102) as described in claim 5, wherein the entire area where the second side plate (10227) and the fourth side plate (10229) form the main body portion (10224) is recessed more than the opening (10223), and each of the recessed areas (10225) is formed.

7. The battery cell (102) of claim 6, wherein the four recessed areas (10225) of the first side plate (10226), the second side plate (10227), the third side plate (10228), and the fourth side plate (10229) are in communication.

8. A battery cell (102) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the ratio of the longitudinal size of the opening (10223) to the total longitudinal size of the case (1022) is 1:50 to 100.

9. The battery cell (102) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the recessed region (10225) is connected to an area adjacent to the recessed region (10225) by an arc-shaped transition.

10. 10. The battery cell (102) according to claim 9, wherein a ratio of the size of the arc-shaped transition connection portion in the longitudinal direction of the case (1022) to the size of the recessed area (10225) in the longitudinal direction of the case (1022) is 0.5 to 5:

100.

11. The two lids (1021) are both welded to the case (1022), and a positive terminal (1023) is installed on one of the two lids (1021), and a negative terminal (1024) is installed on the other of the two lids (1021); The battery cell (102) of any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising an electrode assembly (1026) installed in the chamber (10222), wherein a positive electrode tab (10261) of the electrode assembly (1026) is electrically connected to the positive electrode terminal (1023) and a negative electrode tab of the electrode assembly (1026) is electrically connected to the negative electrode terminal (1024).

12. A battery (10), A housing (101), A battery (10) comprising: a battery cell (102) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the battery cell (102) is installed in the housing (101).

13. A power consuming device comprising a battery cell (102) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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