Power battery system and vehicle

Abstract

The present application discloses a power battery system and a vehicle. The power battery system comprises a plurality of battery unit assemblies and a control circuit unit; each battery unit assembly comprises a plurality of battery units; a slave controller and a plurality of battery cells are arranged inside each battery unit, and the plurality of battery cells are electrically connected to each other by means of first electrical connection members and then are in coupling connection with the slave controller; and different battery units are electrically connected to each other by means of second electrical connection members. The control circuit unit is electrically connected to the battery unit assemblies, and a charging control loop and a discharging control loop are arranged inside the control circuit unit; and the charging control loop is used for connecting the battery unit assemblies and a charging port, and the discharging control loop is used for connecting the battery unit assemblies and a vehicle-mounted electric port. According to the solution of the present application, compared with a standard case in the prior art, the sizes of the battery units are smaller, so that arrangement is more flexible, and the installation space can be utilized more reasonably.

Description

Power battery system and vehicle

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on October 31, 2023, with application number 202311428331.0 and invention name “A Power Battery System and Vehicle”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of power battery design and installation, and in particular to a power battery system and a vehicle. Background Art

[0003] Currently, power battery systems used in vehicles like medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks are mostly mounted in a rear-mounted configuration, which occupies a significant amount of space behind the driver's cabin. In a few vehicles, the power battery system is placed on the chassis to free up space behind the driver's cabin.

[0004] This installation method currently has the following problems: since the power battery system uses a standard box, multiple batteries are set in the box, as well as wires or connectors for connecting the batteries into one, and connectors for connecting to other electrical components of the vehicle, etc., and the size and structure of the standard box are fixed, but the space division of the chassis is difficult to completely match the standard box. Therefore, when assembling the power battery system on the chassis, the utilization rate of the chassis space is low.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by the present application is that the existing power batteries adopt standard boxes, which result in large space occupation during installation and inability to effectively utilize the vehicle chassis space. To this end, the present application proposes a power battery system and a vehicle.

[0007] In response to the above technical problems, this application provides the following technical solutions:

[0008] In a first aspect, the technical solution of the present application provides a power battery system, comprising a plurality of battery cell assemblies and a control circuit unit; wherein:

[0009] The battery cell assembly includes a plurality of battery cells; a slave controller and a plurality of battery cells are disposed inside each of the battery cells, the plurality of battery cells being electrically connected to the slave controller via a first electrical connector; and different battery cells are electrically connected via a second electrical connector;

[0010] A control circuit unit is electrically connected to the battery cell assembly; a charging control circuit and a discharging control circuit are provided inside the control circuit unit; the charging control circuit is used to connect the battery cell assembly with the charging port, and the discharging control circuit is used to connect the battery cell assembly with the vehicle power port.

[0011] In some embodiments of the power battery system, the first surface and the second surface of the battery cell are formed with open grooves;

[0012] The multiple battery cells in the battery cell assembly are stacked, one end of the second electrical connector passes through the open groove on the first surface of the upper battery cell and is electrically connected to the upper battery cell, and the other end of the second connector passes through the open groove on the second surface of the lower battery cell and is electrically connected to the lower battery cell.

[0013] In the power battery system described in some embodiments, the opening groove is provided with an insulating sealing layer, and the insulating sealing layer seals the gap between the second connecting member and the edge of the opening groove after the second connecting member passes through the opening groove.

[0014] In some embodiments of the power battery system, the charging control circuit is configured with two input interface terminals, each of which is suitable for connection to one of the charging ports;

[0015] The discharge control circuit is configured with two output interface terminals, each of which is suitable for connecting to one of the vehicle-mounted power ports.

[0016] In some embodiments of the power battery system, the charging control circuit and the discharging control circuit are equipped with electrical signal sensors;

[0017] The electrical signal sensor detects a charging electrical signal or a discharging electrical signal and sends the charging electrical signal or the discharging electrical signal to a main controller for the main controller to control the charging or discharging process of the power battery system.

[0018] In a second aspect, the technical solution of the present application provides a vehicle; the vehicle is equipped with the power battery system according to any one of the first aspects; wherein:

[0019] The power battery system is arranged on the chassis frame of the vehicle;

[0020] A group of battery cell assemblies in the power battery system is arranged in the middle hollow area of ​​the chassis frame;

[0021] The two groups of battery cell assemblies in the power battery system are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the central hollow area;

[0022] At least a portion of the battery cell assembly is located below the chassis frame rail;

[0023] The control circuit unit in the power battery system is arranged below the chassis frame longitudinal beam and between two adjacent groups of battery cell assemblies.

[0024] In the vehicles described in some embodiments, the control circuit unit is divided into a positive electrode unit and a negative electrode unit, and the positive electrode unit and the negative electrode unit are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the central hollow area.

[0025] In some embodiments of the vehicle, each group of the battery cell assembly includes two battery cells stacked one above the other.

[0026] In some embodiments of the vehicle, a height difference between the battery cell assembly and the control circuit unit and the lowest surface of the chassis frame longitudinal beam is less than a set height value.

[0027] In some embodiments of the vehicle, the battery cells in the three groups of battery cell assemblies are divided into at least two branches connected in parallel.

[0028] The technical solution of this application has the following technical effects compared with the existing technology:

[0029] The power battery system and vehicle provided by the present application include a plurality of battery cell assemblies and a control circuit unit. Each battery cell assembly includes a plurality of battery cells. Each battery cell is internally provided with a slave controller and a plurality of battery cells. The plurality of battery cells are electrically connected to the slave controller via a first electrical connector, and different battery cells are electrically connected via a second electrical connector. The control circuit unit is electrically connected to the battery cell assembly. A charging control circuit and a discharging control circuit are internally provided in the control circuit unit. The charging control circuit is used to connect the battery cell assembly to the charging port, and the discharging control circuit is used to connect the battery cell assembly to the vehicle power port. The above-mentioned solution of the present application improves the standard box in the existing power battery system into a combination of a battery cell assembly and a control circuit unit. The battery cell included in the battery cell assembly is the smallest module. The battery cell only includes a battery cell, a first connector and a slave controller. The charging control circuit and the discharging control circuit can be separately provided as a control circuit unit. Each battery cell assembly is electrically connected to the control circuit unit. Compared with the standard box of the prior art, the battery cell is smaller in size, more flexible in layout, and can more reasonably utilize the installation space. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The preferred embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which will help to understand the objects and advantages of the present application.

[0031] The preferred embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which will help to understand the objects and advantages of the present application.

[0032] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] FIG2 is a structural block diagram of a power battery system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of an arrangement of an opening slot in a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the circuit connection relationship of a power battery system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of a power battery system on a chassis frame according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of the external housing of a power battery system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of a conventional power battery system on a chassis.

[0039] The reference numerals in the above drawings are respectively represented as: 100-battery unit, 101-battery cell, 102-first electrical connector, 103-slave controller, 104-battery unit housing, 105-opening slot, 111-control circuit unit, 201-first current sensor, 202-second current sensor, 301-main positive relay, 302-main negative relay, 303-pre-charging relay, 304-pre-charging resistor, 305-charging relay, 306-fuse; 300-chassis frame, 100A-first group of battery cell assemblies, 100B-second group of battery cell assemblies, 100C-third group of battery cell assemblies, 40-positive unit, 50-positive unit housing; 60-standard battery box; 70-connecting cable. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solution of this application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making any creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0041] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are intended solely to facilitate the description of this application and simplify the description. They do not indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0042] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to direct connections, indirect connections through an intermediate medium, or internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0043] In addition, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of the present application described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0044] The embodiment of the present application provides a power battery system, including multiple battery cell assemblies and a control circuit unit. The battery cell assembly includes multiple battery cells 100 as shown in Figures 1 and 2; each of the battery cells 100 is provided with multiple battery cells 101 and a slave controller 103, and the multiple battery cells 101 are electrically connected to the slave controller 103 through a first electrical connector 102, and the first electrical connector 102 can be a copper busbar. The battery cell shell 104 encapsulates the battery cells 101, the first electrical connector 102 and the slave controller 103; different battery cells 100 are electrically connected through a second electrical connector, and the second connector can include a high-voltage copper busbar and a low-voltage wire, etc.; a control circuit unit 111 is electrically connected to the battery cell assembly; a charging control circuit and a discharging control circuit are provided inside the control circuit unit 111; the charging control circuit is used to connect the battery cell assembly to the charging port, and the discharging control circuit is used to connect the battery cell assembly to the vehicle power port.

[0045] As shown in the structural block diagram of Figure 2, a battery cell assembly may include multiple battery cells 100, and multiple battery cell assemblies may be included, while only one control circuit unit 111 is required. The number of battery cells 100 and battery cell assemblies shown in the figure is schematic and can be selected in actual application based on the vehicle in which the power battery system is installed.

[0046] The above solution improves the standard box in the existing power battery system into a combination of a battery cell assembly and a control circuit unit. The battery cell assembly includes a battery cell 100 as the smallest module. The battery cell 100 only includes a battery cell 101, a first electrical connector 102 and a slave controller 103, and the charging control circuit and the discharge control circuit can be separately set as a control circuit unit 111. Each battery cell assembly is electrically connected to the control circuit unit 111. Compared with the standard box in the prior art, the battery cell 100 is smaller in size and more flexible in layout, and the installation space can be used more reasonably.

[0047] In some embodiments of the power battery system, the first and second surfaces of the battery cell 100 are formed with open slots 105. Multiple battery cells 100 are stacked in the battery cell assembly. One end of the second electrical connector passes through the open slot on the first surface of the upper battery cell to electrically connect to the upper battery cell, and the other end of the second connector passes through the open slot on the second surface of the lower battery cell to electrically connect to the lower battery cell. As shown in FIG3 , the battery cell housing 104 includes two open slots 105. In a specific implementation, the second connector includes a second high-voltage connector and a second low-voltage connector, each of which passes through the open slots 105. The second high-voltage connector and the second low-voltage connector extend through the open slots 105. The second high-voltage connector is used to connect the positive and negative electrodes of different battery cells 100 in series or in parallel to form different types of power supply branches. The second low-voltage connector can be used to connect the slave controller 103 in the battery cell 100 to the master controller, enabling information transmission between the slave controller 103 and the master controller for each battery cell. When different battery cells 100 are stacked, the second connector is connected through the opening groove 105 to avoid being exposed to the outside, thereby simplifying the circuit setting and effectively avoiding the influence of electromagnetic interference on the connection reliability of the battery cell 100.

[0048] In a specific implementation, the opening groove 105 is provided with an insulating sealing layer, which seals the gap between the second connecting member and the opening groove 105 after the second connecting member passes through the opening groove 105. The insulating sealing layer can be formed after the insulating glue is cured.

[0049] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the circuit connection relationship of the power battery system, in which the battery unit 100 can form a parallel power supply group D1 and a power supply group D2 by adjusting the connection method. In the control circuit unit 111, the charging control circuit is configured with two input interface terminals, which include two positive input terminals V11+ and V21+ and two negative input terminals V11- and V21- as shown in the figure, and each of the input interface terminals is suitable for connection with one of the charging ports; the discharge control circuit is configured with two output interface terminals, which include two positive output terminals U11+ and U21+ and two negative output terminals U11- and U21- as shown in the figure, and each of the output interface terminals is suitable for connection with one of the vehicle power ports.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in the figure, the charging control circuit and the discharging control circuit are configured with electrical signal sensors. As shown in the figure, because there are two power packs, two electrical signal sensors are used, also shown as the first current sensor 201 and the second current sensor 202 in the figure. The electrical signal sensors detect the charging electrical signal or the discharging electrical signal and send the charging electrical signal or the discharging electrical signal to the main controller for the main controller to control the charging or discharging process of the power battery system. The main controller can be a battery management system. The battery management system can control the charging or discharging process based on the magnitude of the charging electrical signal or the discharging electrical signal, for example, it can control the current to be reduced when the current is too high.

[0051] In this solution, the charging control circuit included in the control circuit unit 111 is equipped with a charging relay 305. The main circuits of the charging and discharging control circuits are equipped with a main positive relay 301, a main negative relay 302, a pre-charge relay 303, and a pre-charge resistor 304. A fuse 306 may also be provided in the charging control circuit. The connection relationship of the above circuits can refer to existing solutions. In this application, all of the above circuits are integrated into the control circuit unit and separated from the battery unit, thereby facilitating the flexible layout of the power battery system in the vehicle.

[0052] In actual application, the number of power supply groups can be selected. When the power supply groups are connected in parallel or in series, the current value or voltage value on the main circuit can be changed. By selecting the number and connection method of the power supply groups, the current and voltage can meet the vehicle's power needs.

[0053] A vehicle is also provided in an embodiment of the present application, and the vehicle is equipped with a power battery system according to any one of the above-mentioned embodiments. The vehicle can be a medium- or heavy-duty electric truck, or a commercial vehicle. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the power battery system is arranged on the chassis frame 300 of the vehicle; a group of battery cell assemblies in the power battery system is arranged in the middle hollow area of ​​the chassis frame 300; two groups of battery cell assemblies in the power battery system are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the middle hollow area; at least a portion of the battery cell assembly is located below the chassis frame longitudinal beam; the control circuit unit in the power battery system is arranged below the chassis frame longitudinal beam and between two adjacent groups of battery cell assemblies.

[0054] The above-mentioned solution of the present application not only locates a part of the battery cell assembly below the chassis frame, but also enables the control circuit unit to be arranged below the vehicle chassis frame, as shown in the figure, without occupying the space above the frame, effectively utilizing the space below the frame, integrating the entire power battery system into a regular area, and effectively improving space utilization. It has been verified that the solution of the present application can improve space utilization by more than 25% compared with the layout solution of the standard box in the prior art.

[0055] As shown in FIG5 , for the convenience of description, the three groups of battery cell assemblies in the power battery system are defined as the first group of battery cell assemblies 100A, the second group of battery cell assemblies 100B and the third group of battery cell assemblies 100C, each group of battery cell assemblies includes two battery cells. As shown in FIG3 and FIG5 , both sides of the upper and lower surfaces of the battery cell 100 are formed with open grooves 105, which can be used to pass through second connectors such as high-voltage copper busbars and low-voltage wiring harnesses, thereby realizing electrical connection between different battery cells, thereby eliminating the high and low voltage connectors required on the standard box in the prior art, so that the battery power system of this solution can further save connector space, as well as the layout space of the high-voltage wiring harness turning radius (usually 5 times the harness diameter) brought about by this.

[0056] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the control circuit unit can be divided into a positive electrode unit and a negative electrode unit, that is, the circuit portion on the positive electrode side in Figure 4 is set in the positive electrode unit, and the circuit portion on the negative electrode side in Figure 4 is set in the negative electrode unit. The positive electrode unit and the negative electrode unit in the control circuit unit are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the central hollow area. Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, the positive electrode unit 40 is arranged between the first group of battery cell assemblies 100A and the second group of battery cell assemblies 100B, and the negative electrode unit is arranged between the second group of battery cell assemblies 100B and the third group of battery cell assemblies 100C, wherein the positive electrode unit housing 50 and the bottom surface of the adjacent battery cell assembly are located on the same plane.

[0057] In the above scheme, the height difference between the battery cell assembly and the control circuit unit and the lowest surface of the chassis frame longitudinal beam is less than a set height value. The height between the chassis frame and the ground is usually fixed, and may be different for different vehicle models. The battery cell assembly and a portion of the control circuit unit are located below the lowest surface of the chassis frame longitudinal beam. Their main function is to save space above the chassis. In order to prevent the battery cell assembly and the control circuit unit from scratching the ground during driving, the height difference between the battery cell assembly and the control circuit unit and the lowest surface of the chassis frame longitudinal beam is less than a set height value, thereby ensuring that the height between the lower surface of the battery cell assembly and the control circuit unit and the ground reaches a certain value. Even if the vehicle encounters bumps or uneven road conditions during driving, the safety of the battery cell assembly and the control circuit unit can be guaranteed.

[0058] 4 , the battery cells in the three battery cell assemblies assembled in the vehicle are divided into at least two branches connected in parallel. The specific number of branches can be selected based on the power supply voltage and current requirements of the vehicle model.

[0059] To more clearly illustrate the effects of the present invention, reference can be made to the prior art power battery layout shown in FIG7 . In FIG7 , the use of a standard battery box 60 makes it difficult to utilize the space below the chassis frame 300, and its connecting cables 70 and other components are exposed to the outside, posing a safety hazard to the power battery system. In contrast, the layout of the power battery system of the present invention, shown in FIG5 , not only rationally utilizes the space below the chassis frame but also greatly simplifies the circuitry, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the power battery system.

[0060] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely examples for clarity of explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation methods. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that other variations or modifications based on the above descriptions are possible. It is not necessary and impossible to enumerate all implementation methods here. Obvious variations or modifications arising therefrom remain within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A power battery system, characterized in that: It includes a plurality of battery cell assemblies and a control circuit unit; wherein: The battery cell assembly comprises a plurality of battery cells; a slave controller and a plurality of battery cells are arranged inside each of the battery cells, and the plurality of battery cells are coupled and connected to the slave controller after being electrically connected via a first electrical connector; different battery cells are electrically connected via a second electrical connector; A control circuit unit is electrically connected to the battery cell assembly; a charging control circuit and a discharging control circuit are arranged inside the control circuit unit; the charging control circuit is used to connect the battery cell assembly with a charging port, and the discharging control circuit is used to connect the battery cell assembly with a vehicle-mounted power port.

2. The power battery system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first surface and the second surface of the battery cell are formed with open grooves; The multiple battery cells in the battery cell assembly are stacked, one end of the second electrical connector passes through the open groove on the first surface of the upper battery cell to be electrically connected to the upper battery cell, and the other end of the second connector passes through the open groove on the second surface of the lower battery cell to be electrically connected to the lower battery cell.

3. The power battery system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The opening groove is provided with an insulating sealing layer, and the insulating sealing layer seals the gap between the second connecting member and the edge of the opening groove after the second connecting member passes through the opening groove.

4. The power battery system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The charging control circuit is configured with two input interface terminals, each of which is suitable for connecting to one of the charging ports; The discharge control circuit is configured with two output interface terminals, each of which is suitable for connecting to one of the vehicle-mounted power ports.

5. The power battery system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The charging control circuit and the discharging control circuit are provided with an electrical signal sensor; The electric signal sensor detects the charging electric signal or the discharging electric signal and The electrical signal or the discharge electrical signal is sent to a main controller for the main controller to control the charging or discharging process of the power battery system.

6. A vehicle, characterized in that: The vehicle is equipped with the power battery system according to any one of claims 1 to 5; wherein: The power battery system is arranged on the chassis frame of the vehicle; A group of battery cell assemblies in the power battery system is arranged in the middle hollow area of ​​the chassis frame; The two groups of battery cell assemblies in the power battery system are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the middle hollow area; At least a portion of the battery cell assembly is located below the chassis frame rail; The control circuit unit in the power battery system is arranged below the chassis frame longitudinal beam and between two adjacent groups of battery cell assemblies.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that: The control circuit unit is divided into a positive electrode unit and a negative electrode unit, and the positive electrode unit and the negative electrode unit are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the middle hollow area.

8. The vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that: Each group of the battery cell assemblies includes two battery cells stacked up and down.

9. The vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that: The height difference between the battery unit assembly and the control circuit unit and the lowest surface of the chassis frame longitudinal beam is less than a set height value.

10. The vehicle according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that: The battery cells in the three groups of battery cell assemblies are divided into at least two branches connected in parallel.

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