Battery and electrical apparatus

Abstract

The present application provides a battery and an electrical apparatus. The battery comprises multiple battery cells, end plates and side plates, the multiple battery cells being arranged along a first direction, and the end plates being disposed at the two ends of the multiple battery cells along the first direction; each side plate comprises a side plate body and a bending part, the side plate bodies being disposed at two sides of the multiple battery cells along a second direction, the first direction intersecting with the second direction, each bending part being disposed at an end of the side plate body along the first direction, and at least part of each bending part overlapping with and being detachably connected to an end plate along the first direction, so as to limit relative displacement of the bending part and the end plate along the first direction and the second direction. The battery provided in the embodiments of the present application can improve the convenience of battery cell maintenance, and improve the reliability of the battery.

Description

Batteries and electrical devices

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202323167141.6, filed on November 22, 2023, entitled “Battery and Electrical Device,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a battery and an electrical device. Background Art

[0004] Batteries are widely used in electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops, electric vehicles, electric airplanes, electric boats, electric toy cars, electric toy boats, electric toy airplanes and power tools, etc.

[0005] In the development of battery technology, in addition to improving battery performance, battery reliability is also an issue that needs to be considered. Therefore, how to improve battery reliability is an issue of continuous improvement in battery technology.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The embodiments of the present application provide a battery and an electrical device, which can improve the reliability of the battery.

[0008] In the first aspect, the present application provides a battery comprising a plurality of battery cells, an end plate and a side plate; the plurality of battery cells are arranged along a first direction; the end plates are arranged at both ends of the plurality of battery cells along the first direction; the side plates comprise a side plate body and a bending portion, the side plate body being arranged on both sides of the plurality of battery cells along a second direction, the first direction intersecting with the second direction, the bending portion being arranged at the end of the side plate body along the first direction, and being bent relative to the side plate body toward the battery cell, the bending portion overlapping with at least a portion of the end plate along the first direction and being detachably connected to limit the relative displacement of the bending portion and the end plate along the first direction and the second direction.

[0009] The battery provided in the embodiments of the present application facilitates battery maintenance by providing a side panel with a bent portion that is detachably connected to the end panel. Because the bent portion is bent in a second direction relative to the side panel body and at least partially overlaps the end panel, this increases the mating area between the end panel and the side panel, thereby increasing the connection strength between the end panel and the side panel. This also reduces the risk of cracking of the end panel and the side panel during battery cell expansion. This improves the convenience of battery cell maintenance while also enhancing the reliability of the battery.

[0010] In some embodiments, the end plate has a mating groove extending through at least one end of the end plate along a third direction. The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction intersect in pairs, and the bent portion engages with the mating groove. Providing the mating groove on the end plate and providing the bent portion for engaging with the mating groove improves the connection strength between the end plate and the side plate while also simplifying the connection structure between the end plate and the side plate, thereby simplifying the overall structure of the battery.

[0011] In some embodiments, the mating groove has an opening along the second reverse direction toward one side of the bent portion with which it mates. The bent portion extends through the opening, and at least a portion of the bent portion is engaged within the mating groove. The dimension of at least the portion of the bent portion within the mating groove along the first direction is greater than the dimension of the opening along the first direction. This arrangement further improves the connection strength between the end plate and the side plate, facilitates the connection and mating between the end plate and the side plate, and further simplifies the assembly process of the battery.

[0012] In some embodiments, the inner wall of the matching groove is arc-shaped, and at least the portion of the bent portion located within the matching groove is arc-shaped to match the matching groove, which is beneficial for further increasing the matching area between the bent portion and the matching groove, thereby further improving the connection strength between the end plate and the side plate.

[0013] In some embodiments, the battery further includes a connector. The end plate has a first through-hole extending along a third direction, and the bent portion has a second through-hole extending along the third direction. The first, second, and third directions intersect in pairs. The connector is disposed through the first and second through-holes. During expansion of the battery cell, the connector can absorb some of the expansion force of the battery cell, thereby further improving the connection strength between the end plate and the side plate.

[0014] In some embodiments, the battery further comprises a housing, wherein the plurality of battery cells are housed within the housing. The connector comprises a connecting portion and a fastening portion, wherein the fastening portion is disposed through the first through-hole and the second through-hole, and the connecting portion is bent relative to the fastening portion and connected to the housing. This facilitates connection to the housing via the connecting portion, thereby further improving the connection reliability between the end plate and the side plate.

[0015] In some embodiments, the connecting portion has a mounting hole, and the connecting portion is connected to the box body through the mounting hole, which is conducive to simplifying the connection structure between the connecting portion and the box body.

[0016] In some embodiments, the end plate has a groove at one end facing the bent portion, and the bent portion is accommodated in the groove, which is beneficial to increasing the matching area between the bent portion and the end plate, thereby increasing the connection strength between the bent portion and the end plate.

[0017] In some embodiments, a groove is formed within the end plate, a first through hole penetrates the groove wall at both ends of the groove along the third direction, and the bent portion is inserted into the groove. This helps further increase the mating area between the end plate and the bent portion, thereby providing a higher load-bearing capacity at the connection between the end plate and the side plate, and further improving the reliability of the battery.

[0018] In some embodiments, the groove extends through a surface of the end plate facing away from the battery cell along a first direction and extends through an end surface of the end plate along a second direction. The first through hole extends through the wall of at least one end of the groove along a third direction, and the bent portion covers the groove. This improves the connection strength between the end plate and the bent portion and simplifies the process for connecting the bent portion to the end plate.

[0019] In some embodiments, the end plate includes a main body and a protruding portion. The protruding portion protrudes relative to the main body along the second direction and has a first through-hole. The bent portion has a recessed portion at one end facing the end plate. Second through-holes are formed at the ends of the bent portion along the third direction, with the protruding portion mating with the recessed portion. The protruding portion and the bent portion overlap along the first direction, and together they withstand the expansion force of the battery cell along the first direction, thereby further improving the connection reliability between the end plate and the side plate.

[0020] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an electrical device, comprising the battery provided in the above embodiment, and the battery is used to provide electrical energy.

[0021] The electrical device provided in the embodiment of the present application has the same technical effects as the battery provided in the above embodiment, and thus will not be described in detail here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the drawings without creative work.

[0023] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the explosion structure of a battery cell in a battery provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of another battery provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the explosion structure of FIG4;

[0028] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of another battery provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] FIG7 is an exploded schematic diagram of FIG6 ;

[0030] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of another battery provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of the explosion structure of FIG8;

[0032] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of an explosion structure of another battery provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0033] In the accompanying drawings, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0034] Marking Description:

[0035] 1. Vehicle; 1a. Motor; 1b. Controller;

[0036] 10. Battery; 11. Box; 111. First box portion; 112. Second box portion;

[0037] 21, end plate; 21a, matching groove; 211a, opening; 21b, first through hole; 21c, groove; 211, main body; 212, protrusion;

[0038] 22, side panel; 221, side panel body; 222, bent portion; 222a, second through hole; 222b, recess;

[0039] 30. Battery cell; 31. Housing; 31a. Accommodation cavity; 311. Housing; 312. End cap; 32. Electrode assembly; 33. Electrode terminal;

[0040] 40. Connecting member; 41. Connecting portion; 41a. Mounting hole; 42. Fastening portion;

[0041] X, first direction; Y, second direction; Z, third direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The following detailed description of the embodiments of the present application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and examples. The following detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawings are used to illustrate the principles of the present application, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present application, that is, the present application is not limited to the described embodiments.

[0043] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means more than two; the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating directions or positional relationships, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application. In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. "Vertical" is not strictly perpendicular, but is within the allowable error range. "Parallel" is not strictly parallel, but is within the allowable error range.

[0044] References to "embodiments" in this application mean 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 appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in this application may be combined with other embodiments.

[0045] It should also be noted that, in the description of this application, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "installed," "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 or indirect connections through an intermediary. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0046] The term "plurality" used in this application refers to two or more (including two).

[0047] In this application, battery cells may include lithium-ion secondary battery cells, lithium-ion primary battery cells, lithium-sulfur battery cells, sodium-lithium-ion battery cells, sodium-ion battery cells, or magnesium-ion battery cells, and the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto. Battery cells may be cylindrical, flat, rectangular, or in other shapes, and the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto.

[0048] The battery mentioned in the embodiments of the present application may include one or more battery cells to provide a single physical module with higher voltage and capacity. When there are multiple battery cells, the multiple battery cells are connected in series, in parallel or in hybrid through a busbar.

[0049] In some embodiments, the battery may be a battery module; when there are multiple battery cells, the multiple battery cells are arranged and fixed to form a battery module.

[0050] In some embodiments, the battery may be a battery pack, which includes a case and battery cells, wherein the battery cells or battery modules are housed in the case.

[0051] In some embodiments, the box body can be used as a part of the chassis structure of the vehicle. For example, part of the box body can become at least a part of the floor of the vehicle, or part of the box body can become at least a part of the cross beam and longitudinal beam of the vehicle.

[0052] In some embodiments, the battery may be an energy storage device, including an energy storage container, an energy storage cabinet, and the like.

[0053] A battery cell typically includes an electrode assembly. This assembly includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator. During the charge and discharge process of a battery cell, active ions (such as lithium ions) are inserted and removed between the positive and negative electrodes. The separator, located between the positive and negative electrodes, prevents short circuits while allowing the active ions to pass through.

[0054] In some embodiments, the positive electrode may be a positive electrode sheet, which may include a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode active material disposed on at least one surface of the positive electrode current collector.

[0055] As an example, the positive electrode current collector has two surfaces facing each other in its thickness direction, and the positive electrode active material is provided on either or both of the two facing surfaces of the positive electrode current collector.

[0056] As an example, the positive electrode current collector may be a metal foil or a composite current collector. For example, as the metal foil, stainless steel, copper, aluminum, nickel, carbon electrode, carbon, nickel or titanium with a silver surface treatment may be used. The composite current collector may include a polymer material base layer and a metal layer. The composite current collector may be formed by forming a metal material (aluminum, aluminum alloy, nickel, nickel alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, silver and silver alloy, etc.) on a polymer material substrate (such as polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polyethylene, etc.).

[0057] As an example, the positive electrode active material may include at least one of the following materials: lithium-containing phosphates, lithium transition metal oxides, and modified compounds thereof. However, this application is not limited to these materials; other conventional materials that can be used as positive electrode active materials for batteries may also be used. These positive electrode active materials may be used singly or in combination of two or more.

[0058] In some embodiments, the positive electrode may be a carbon foam or a metal foam. The metal foam may be nickel foam, copper foam, aluminum foam, or an alloy foam, among others. When the metal foam is used as the positive electrode, the surface of the metal foam may or may not be provided with a positive electrode active material. For example, a lithium source material, potassium metal, or sodium metal may be filled and / or deposited within the metal foam, where the lithium source material is lithium metal and / or a lithium-rich material.

[0059] In some embodiments, the negative electrode may be a negative electrode sheet, and the negative electrode sheet may include a negative electrode current collector.

[0060] As an example, the negative electrode current collector may be a metal foil or a composite current collector. For example, as the metal foil, silver-surface-treated stainless steel, copper, aluminum, nickel, carbon electrode, carbon, nickel, or titanium may be used. The composite current collector may include a polymer material base layer and a metal layer. The composite current collector may be formed by forming a metal material (copper, copper alloy, nickel, nickel alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, silver, and silver alloy, etc.) on a polymer material substrate (such as polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polyethylene, etc.).

[0061] As an example, the negative electrode sheet may include a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material disposed on at least one surface of the negative electrode current collector.

[0062] As an example, the negative electrode current collector has two surfaces facing each other in its thickness direction, and the negative electrode active material is provided on either or both of the two facing surfaces of the negative electrode current collector.

[0063] As an example, the negative electrode active material may be a negative electrode active material known in the art for use in battery cells. As an example, the negative electrode active material may include at least one of the following materials: artificial graphite, natural graphite, soft carbon, hard carbon, silicon-based materials, tin-based materials, and lithium titanate.

[0064] In some embodiments, the negative electrode may be made of carbon foam or metal foam. The metal foam may be nickel foam, copper foam, aluminum foam, or alloy foam. When the metal foam is used as the negative electrode sheet, the surface of the metal foam may or may not be provided with a negative electrode active material.

[0065] As an example, the negative electrode current collector may be filled with or / and deposited with a lithium source material, potassium metal, or sodium metal, where the lithium source material is lithium metal and / or a lithium-rich material.

[0066] In some embodiments, the material of the positive electrode current collector may be aluminum, and the material of the negative electrode current collector may be copper.

[0067] In some embodiments, the electrode assembly further includes a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The present application does not particularly limit the type of separator, and any known porous separator with good chemical and mechanical stability can be selected.

[0068] As an example, the main material of the isolation membrane can be selected from at least one of glass fiber, non-woven fabric, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, and ceramics.

[0069] In some embodiments, the battery cell also includes an electrolyte, which acts as a conductor of ions between the positive and negative electrodes. This application does not specifically limit the type of electrolyte, and the electrolyte can be selected based on needs. The electrolyte can be liquid, gel, or solid.

[0070] In some embodiments, the electrode assembly is a wound structure, wherein the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet are wound into the wound structure.

[0071] In some embodiments, the electrode assembly is a laminate structure.

[0072] Multiple positive electrode sheets and multiple negative electrode sheets can be provided respectively, and multiple positive electrode sheets and multiple negative electrode sheets can be alternately stacked.

[0073] As an example, a plurality of positive electrode sheets may be provided, and the negative electrode sheet may be folded to form a plurality of stacked folded segments, with a positive electrode sheet being sandwiched between adjacent folded segments.

[0074] As an example, both the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet are folded to form a plurality of stacked folded segments.

[0075] As an example, a plurality of separators may be provided, each of which is provided between any adjacent positive electrode sheets or negative electrode sheets.

[0076] As an example, the separator may be provided continuously, and may be provided between any adjacent positive electrode sheets or negative electrode sheets by folding or winding.

[0077] In some embodiments, the shape of the electrode assembly can be cylindrical, flat, or polygonal.

[0078] In some embodiments, the electrode assembly is provided with tabs that can conduct current from the electrode assembly. The tabs include a positive tab and a negative tab.

[0079] The battery cell also includes a housing, which has a housing formed inside for accommodating the electrode assembly. The housing can protect the electrode assembly from the outside to prevent external foreign matter from affecting the charging or discharging of the electrode assembly.

[0080] In batteries, multiple battery cells are usually fixed and limited by setting ends at their ends. However, during the cycle operation of the battery cells, the battery cells will produce a certain amount of expansion. As the expansion of the battery cells accumulates at the end plates, the end plates in the battery will be subjected to a large expansion force, which may easily cause cracks at the connection of the end plates, thus seriously affecting the reliability of the battery.

[0081] In view of this, an embodiment of the present application provides a technical solution, which provides end plates and side plates of the battery, wherein the end plates are arranged at both ends of multiple battery cells along a first direction, and the side plates are arranged on both sides of multiple battery cells along a second direction, and the first direction and the second direction intersect. The side plates have a bending portion, and the bending portion cooperates with the end plate to limit the relative displacement of the bending portion and the end plate along the first direction and the second direction, so as to improve the connection strength between the end plate and the side plate, reduce the risk of cracking at the connection between the end plate and the side plate when the battery cell expands, and help improve the reliability performance of the battery.

[0082] The technical solutions described in the embodiments of the present application are applicable to batteries and electrical devices using batteries.

[0083] Electrical devices may include vehicles, mobile phones, portable devices, laptop computers, ships, spacecraft, electric toys, and electric tools, etc. Vehicles may include fuel vehicles, gas vehicles, or new energy vehicles. New energy vehicles may include pure electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, or extended-range vehicles, etc. Spacecraft include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft, etc. Electric toys include fixed or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys, etc. Electric tools include metal cutting electric tools, grinding electric tools, assembly electric tools, and railway electric tools, such as electric drills, electric grinders, electric wrenches, electric screwdrivers, electric hammers, impact drills, concrete vibrators, and electric planers, etc. The embodiments of the present application do not impose any special restrictions on the above-mentioned electrical devices.

[0084] For the convenience of description, the following embodiments are described by taking a vehicle as an example of an electrical device.

[0085] As shown in FIG1 , a battery 10 is provided inside a vehicle 1. The battery 10 may be provided at the bottom, head, or tail of the vehicle 1. The battery 10 may be used to power the vehicle 1, for example, the battery 10 may serve as an operating power source for the vehicle 1.

[0086] The vehicle 1 may further include a controller 1b and a motor 1a. The controller 1b is used to control the battery 10 to supply power to the motor 1a, for example, to meet the power requirements of the vehicle 1 during starting, navigation, and driving.

[0087] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery 10 can not only serve as the operating power source of the vehicle 1, but also serve as the driving power source of the vehicle 1, replacing or partially replacing fuel or natural gas to provide driving power for the vehicle 1.

[0088] 2 , the battery 10 includes a battery cell 30 . The battery 10 may further include a housing 11 for accommodating the battery cell 30 .

[0089] The housing 11 is used to accommodate battery cells, and the housing 11 can have various structural forms. In some embodiments, the housing 11 can include a first housing portion 111 and a second housing portion 112. The first housing portion 111 and the second housing portion 112 cover each other. The first housing portion 111 and the second housing portion 112 together define a storage space for accommodating battery cells. The second housing portion 112 can be a hollow structure with one end open. The first housing portion 111 is a plate-like structure, and the first housing portion 111 covers the open side of the second housing portion 112 to form the housing 11 with a storage space. The first housing portion 111 and the second housing portion 112 can also both be hollow structures with one side open. The open side of the first housing portion 111 covers the open side of the second housing portion 112 to form the housing 11 with a storage space. Of course, the first housing portion 111 and the second housing portion 112 can have various shapes, such as a cylinder, a rectangular parallelepiped, etc.

[0090] In order to improve the sealing performance after the first box body 111 and the second box body 112 are connected, a sealing member, such as a sealant, a sealing ring, etc., may be further provided between the first box body 111 and the second box body 112 .

[0091] Assuming that the first box portion 111 covers the second box portion 112 , the first box portion 111 can also be referred to as an upper box cover, and the second box portion 112 can also be referred to as a lower box 11 .

[0092] In battery 10, there can be one or more battery cells. If there are multiple battery cells, they can be connected in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid connection. A hybrid connection refers to a combination of series and parallel connections. Multiple battery cells can be directly connected in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid connection, and then the entire battery system can be housed within the housing 11. Alternatively, multiple battery cells can be first connected in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid connection to form a battery string. Multiple battery strings can then be connected in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid connection to form a single unit, which is then housed within the housing 11.

[0093] The battery 10 may also not have a box body, but include multiple battery cells connected in series or in parallel. After the multiple battery cells are connected in series or in parallel, they are fixed by structures such as steel belts or binding straps. Then, multiple batteries 10 are connected in series or in parallel to form a new energy storage unit.

[0094] In some embodiments, the multiple battery cells in the battery 10 may be electrically connected via a busbar component to achieve parallel connection, series connection, or hybrid connection of the multiple battery cells in the battery 10 .

[0095] 3 , a battery cell 30 provided in an embodiment of the present application includes an electrode assembly 32 and a housing 31 . The housing 31 has a receiving cavity 31 a , and the electrode assembly 32 is received in the receiving cavity 31 a .

[0096] The outer shell 31 may include a housing 311 and an end cap 312. When assembling the battery cell 30, the electrode assembly 32 may be placed into the accommodating cavity 31a, and then the end cap 312 may be attached to the housing 311. The electrolyte may then be injected into the accommodating cavity 31a through the electrolyte injection port on the end cap 312. The battery cell 30 may also include an electrode terminal 33, which is disposed on the end cap 312 and electrically connected to the electrode assembly 32.

[0097] In some embodiments, the housing 31 may also be used to contain electrolyte, such as electrolyte solution. The housing 31 may have various structural forms.

[0098] The housing 31 can have a variety of shapes, such as a cylinder, a rectangular parallelepiped, etc. The shape of the housing 31 can be determined based on the specific shape of the electrode assembly 32. For example, if the electrode assembly 32 has a cylindrical structure, the housing 31 can also be a cylindrical structure. If the electrode assembly 32 has a rectangular parallelepiped structure, the housing 31 can also be a rectangular parallelepiped structure. In FIG3 , for example, both the housing and the electrode assembly 32 have rectangular parallelepiped structures.

[0099] The shell 31 can be made of various materials, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, etc., and the embodiment of the present application does not impose any special limitation on this.

[0100] There may be one or more electrode assemblies 32 housed in the housing 31. In FIG4 , there are two electrode assemblies 32 housed in the housing 31.

[0101] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the battery 10 provided according to an embodiment of the present application includes a plurality of battery cells 30, an end plate 21, and a side plate 22. The plurality of battery cells 30 are arranged along a first direction X. The end plate 21 is disposed at both ends of the plurality of battery cells 30 along the first direction X. The side plate 22 includes a side plate body 221 and a bent portion 222. The side plate body 221 is disposed on both sides of the plurality of battery cells 30 along a second direction Y. The first direction X intersects with the second direction Y. Optionally, the first direction X may be perpendicular to the second direction Y. The bent portion 222 is disposed at an end of the side plate body 221 along the first direction X and is bent relative to the side plate body 221 toward the battery cells 30. The bent portion 222 overlaps with at least a portion of the end plate 21 along the first direction X and is detachably connected to limit relative displacement of the bent portion 222 and the end plate 21 along the first direction X and the second direction Y.

[0102] The multiple battery cells 30 are arranged along the first direction X. Optionally, the multiple battery cells 30 may be arranged only along the first direction X, or the multiple battery cells 30 may also be arranged along the second direction Y. The end plates 21 are provided at both ends of the multiple battery cells 30 along the first direction X, and the side plates 22 are provided on both sides of the multiple battery cells 30 along the second direction Y. The two end plates 21 connect the two side plates 22.

[0103] The bent portion 222 of the side plate 22 is bent toward the battery cell 30 and overlaps with the end plate 21 at least partially along the first direction X. At least a portion of the bent portion 222 is located at the end of the multiple battery cells 30 along the first direction X, and is detachably connected to the end plate 21 at the end of the multiple battery cells 30 along the first direction X.

[0104] The bent portion 222 is bent toward the battery cell 30 and overlaps at least partially with the end plate 21 along a first direction X. Optionally, the bent portion 222 and the end plate 21 may at least partially overlap along the first direction X, or the bent portion 222 and the end plate 21 may also at least partially overlap along a third direction Z. The first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z intersect with each other, and optionally, the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z are perpendicular to each other. The bent portion 222 relative to the side plate body 221 facilitates increasing the mating area between the end plate 21 and the side plate 22, thereby improving the connection strength between the end plate 21 and the side plate 22. During the cycling of the battery cell 30, the battery cell 30 expands, generating an expansion force on the end plate 21 or the side plate 22. The portion where the bent portion 222 and the end plate 21 overlap along the first direction X is subjected to the expansion force of the battery cell 30 along the first direction X, thereby improving the ability of the connection between the end plate 21 and the side plate 22 to withstand the expansion force of the battery cell 30. Furthermore, the increased connection strength between the end plate 21 and the side plate 22 is beneficial for improving the structural stability of the connection between the end plate 21 and the side plate 22 under the action of the expansion force of the battery cell 30 .

[0105] The bending portion 222 and the end plate 21 are detachably connected. Optionally, the bending portion 222 and the end plate 21 can be snap-fitted, or connected via a connector 40 such as a pin, a bolt, or a rivet.

[0106] The bending portion 222 may be provided at one end of the side plate 22 along the first direction X, or the bending portion 222 may be provided at both ends of the side plate 22 along the first direction X.

[0107] The bent portion 222 is detachably connected to the end plate 21 . When the battery 10 needs to be maintained, the bent portion 222 and the end plate 21 can be disassembled to facilitate smooth maintenance.

[0108] The battery 10 provided in the embodiment of the present application features a side panel 22 with a bent portion 222, which is detachably connected to the end panel 21, thereby facilitating maintenance of the battery 10. Because the bent portion 222 is bent relative to the side panel body 221 toward the battery cell 30, and because the bent portion 222 overlaps at least partially with the end panel 21 along the first direction X, this helps increase the mating area between the end panel 21 and the side panel 22, thereby increasing the connection strength between the end panel 21 and the side panel 22. This also helps reduce the risk of cracking between the end panel 21 and the side panel 22 during expansion of the battery cell 30. This improves the ease of maintenance of the battery cell 30 while also enhancing the reliability of the battery 10.

[0109] Please continue to refer to Figures 4 and 5. In some embodiments, the end plate 21 has a mating groove 21a set along the third direction Z and passing through at least one end of the end plate 21. The first direction X, the second direction Y and the third direction Z intersect with each other, and the bending portion 222 is snap-fitted with the mating groove 21a.

[0110] The first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z intersect each other, and thus the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z may be perpendicular to each other.

[0111] The mating groove 21a penetrates at least one end of the end plate 21 along the third direction Z. Alternatively, the mating groove 21a can penetrate one end of the end plate 21 along the third direction Z, or the mating groove 21a can penetrate both ends of the end plate 21 along the third direction Z. The bent portion 222 can then be inserted into the mating groove 21a from the end portion of the mating groove 21a along the third direction Z and snap-connected with the mating groove 21a. For example, the mating groove 21a penetrates one end of the end plate 21 along the third direction Z. In this way, the portion of the end plate 21 not penetrated by the mating groove 21a can provide a certain stop for the side plate 22.

[0112] The matching groove 21a can be set through one surface of the end plate 21, or the matching groove 21a can be set through two intersecting surfaces of the end plate 21, and the bending portion 222 is set to have a corresponding structure that is snap-fitted with the matching groove 21a to achieve a snap-fit ​​connection between the end plate 21 and the bending portion 222.

[0113] The part where the bending portion 222 cooperates with the end plate 21 can be "T"-shaped, columnar or other shapes. By setting a matching groove 21a on the end plate 21 and setting the bending portion 222 to be snap-connected with the matching groove 21a, while improving the connection strength between the end plate 21 and the side plate 22, it is also beneficial to simplify the connection structure between the end plate 21 and the side plate 22, thereby simplifying the overall structure of the battery 10.

[0114] Please continue to refer to Figures 4 and 5. In some embodiments, the mating groove 21a has an opening 211a along the second direction Y toward one side of the bent portion 222 that cooperates with it. The bent portion 222 is passed through the opening 211a, and at least a portion of the bent portion 222 is engaged in the mating groove 21a. The dimension of at least the portion of the bent portion 222 located in the mating groove 21a along the first direction X is larger than the dimension of the opening 211a along the first direction X.

[0115] In this way, during the assembly process of the end plate 21 and the side plate 22, the bent portion 222 of the side plate 22 can be inserted into the mating groove 21a at one end along the third direction Z. After at least part of the bent portion 222 is inserted into the mating groove 21a, since the size of at least part of the bent portion 222 located in the mating groove 21a along the first direction X is larger than the size of the opening 211a of the mating groove 21a along the first direction X, the bent portion 222 is stuck in the mating groove 21a and will not fall out from the opening 211a.

[0116] Therefore, such a configuration is beneficial to further improve the connection strength between the end plate 21 and the side plate 22 , and is also convenient for the connection and matching between the end plate 21 and the side plate 22 , thereby helping to simplify the assembly process of the battery 10 .

[0117] 4 and 5 , in some embodiments, the inner wall of the matching groove 21 a is arc-shaped, and at least a portion of the bent portion 222 located in the matching groove 21 a is arc-shaped to match the matching groove 21 a.

[0118] The inner wall of the matching groove 21a and at least the part of the bending portion 222 located in the matching groove 21a are arranged to be in an arc shape that is adapted to the matching groove 21a, which is beneficial to further increase the matching area between the bending portion 222 and the matching groove 21a, and further helps to further improve the connection strength between the end plate 21 and the side plate 22.

[0119] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, in some embodiments, the battery 10 further includes a connector 40. The end plate 21 has a first through hole 21b extending along the third direction Z, and the bent portion 222 has a second through hole 222a extending along the third direction. The first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z intersect in pairs. The connector 40 is disposed through the first through hole 21b and the second through hole 222a.

[0120] The first through hole 21b extends along the third direction Z, and the first through hole 21b can be provided through a portion of the end plate 21 along the third direction Z, or the first through hole 21b can be provided through the entire end plate 21 along the third direction Z. The second through hole 222a extends along the third direction Z, and the second through hole 222a can be provided through the bent portion 222 along the third direction Z. The first through hole 21b and the second through hole 222a can be coaxially arranged, so that the connector 40 can be provided through both the first through hole 21b and the second through hole 222a.

[0121] The connecting member 40 may be cylindrical, and its cross section perpendicular to its axis may be polygonal, circular, or elliptical, etc. The fitting between the connecting member 40 and the first through hole 21b and the second through hole 222a may be threaded, interference, or clearance fitting.

[0122] The connector 40 can be a pin, bolt, rivet, or other structure. The connector 40 is inserted through the first through-hole 21b of the end plate 21 and the second through-hole 222a of the bent portion 222 to connect the end plate 21 and the bent portion 222. Furthermore, during the expansion of the battery cell 30, the connector 40 can withstand part of the expansion force of the battery cell 30, thereby further improving the connection strength between the end plate 21 and the side plate 22.

[0123] As shown in Figures 2, 6, and 7, in some embodiments, the battery 10 further includes a housing 11, and a plurality of battery cells 30 are housed within the housing 11. The connector 40 includes a connecting portion 41 and a fastening portion 42. The fastening portion 42 is disposed through the first through hole 21b and the second through hole 222a. The connecting portion 41 is bent relative to the fastening portion 42 and is connected to the housing 11.

[0124] The connection portion 41 includes a connection portion 41 and a fastening portion 42. The fastening portion 42 is disposed through the first through hole 21b and the second through hole 222a to connect the end plate 21 and the side plate 22. The fastening portion 42 may be a pin, bolt, or screw. The connection portion 41 is bent relative to the fastening portion 42, so that the connection portion 41 and the fastening portion 42 intersect and can be located above or above the end plate 21 along the third direction Z. This facilitates connection of the connection portion 41 to the housing 11 via an intermediate connecting member, further improving the connection reliability between the end plate 21 and the side plate 22.

[0125] As shown in FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, the connecting portion 41 has a mounting hole 41 a , and the connecting portion 41 is connected to the box body 11 through the mounting hole 41 a .

[0126] By providing the connecting portion 41 with a mounting hole 41a, the connecting portion 41 is connected to the box body 11 through the mounting hole 41a. Corresponding connecting holes can be provided at positions corresponding to the box body 11 and the mounting hole 41a, so that fasteners such as bolts can be passed through the mounting hole 41a to achieve the connection between the connecting portion 41 and the box body 11. This helps to simplify the connection structure between the connecting portion 41 and the box body 11.

[0127] As shown in FIG. 6 to FIG. 9 , in some embodiments, the end of the end plate 21 facing the bent portion 222 has a groove 21 c , and the bent portion 222 is accommodated in the groove 21 c .

[0128] The groove 21c can be provided along the first direction X through the side of the end plate 21 facing away from the battery cell 30, or the groove 21c can be provided inside the end plate 21 along the first direction X. The connector 40 can be provided along the third direction Z through the portion of the end plate 21 that mates with the bent portion 222. Providing the end plate 21 with the groove 21c and accommodating the bent portion 222 within the groove 21c increases the mating area between the bent portion 222 and the end plate 21, thereby increasing the connection strength between the bent portion 222 and the end plate 21.

[0129] As shown in FIG6 and FIG7, in some embodiments, the groove 21c is formed inside the end plate 21, the first through hole 21b passes through the groove wall at both ends of the groove 21c along the third direction Z, and the bending portion 222 is inserted into the groove 21c.

[0130] In this way, the bending portion 222 can be inserted into the groove 21c by the end of the end plate 21 along the second direction Y. When the bending portion 222 is in the groove 21c, the second through hole 222a can be aligned with the first through hole 21b, so that the connecting member 40 can be inserted into the first through hole 21b and the second through hole 222a, thereby realizing the connection between the end plate 21 and the bending portion 222.

[0131] A groove 21c is formed inside the end plate 21, and a bent portion 222 is inserted into the groove 21c. The connecting member 40 passes through the end plate 21 and the bent portion 222 along the third direction Z, which is beneficial to further increase the matching area between the end plate 21 and the bent portion 222, so that the connection between the end plate 21 and the side plate 22 has a higher bearing capacity, which is beneficial to further improve the reliability performance of the battery 10.

[0132] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, in some embodiments, the groove 21c passes through the side surface of the end plate 21 facing away from the battery cell 30 along the first direction X, and passes through the end surface of the end plate 21 along the second direction Y, the first through hole 21b passes through the groove wall of at least one end of the groove 21c along the third direction Z, and the bent portion 222 is covered on the groove 21c.

[0133] In this way, the groove 21c is stepped, and the bent portion 222 can be directly covered in the groove 21c, which is beneficial to improving the connection strength between the end plate 21 and the bent portion 222 and simplifying the connection process between the bent portion 222 and the end plate 21.

[0134] As shown in FIG10 , in some embodiments, the end plate 21 includes a main body 211 and a protruding portion 212. The protruding portion 212 protrudes relative to the main body 211 along the second direction Y and defines a first through-hole 21 b. The bent portion 222 has a recessed portion 222 b at one end facing the end plate 21. Second through-holes 222 a are formed in the bent portion 222 at both ends of the recessed portion 222 b along the third direction Z. The protruding portion 212 mates with the recessed portion 222 b.

[0135] In this way, the protrusion 212 of the end plate 21 can be inserted into the recess 222b of the bent portion 222 along the second direction Y, and the protrusion 212 and the bent portion 222 are connected within the recess 222b via the connector 40. In this way, the protrusion 212 and the bent portion 222 overlap along the first direction X. The protrusion 212 and the bent portion 222 jointly withstand the expansion force of the battery cell 30 along the first direction X, which helps to further improve the connection reliability between the end plate 21 and the side plate 22.

[0136] The electrical device provided according to an embodiment of the present application includes the battery 10 provided in any of the above embodiments, and the battery 10 is used to provide electrical energy.

[0137] The electrical device provided in the embodiment of the present application has the same technical effects as the battery 10 provided in any of the above embodiments, and thus will not be described in detail here.

[0138] As shown in Figures 4 to 10, in some embodiments, the battery 10 provided according to the embodiments of the present application includes a plurality of battery cells 30, a connector 40, an end plate 21, and a side plate 22. The end plate 21 is disposed at both ends of the plurality of battery cells 30 along a first direction X. The side plate 22 includes a side plate body 221 and a bent portion 222. The side plate body 221 is disposed on both sides of the plurality of battery cells 30 along a second direction Y, where the first direction X intersects with the second direction Y. The bent portion 222 is disposed at an end of the side plate body 221 along the first direction X and is bent relative to the side plate body 221 toward the battery cell 30. The bent portion 222 overlaps with at least a portion of the end plate 21 along the first direction X and is detachably connected to limit relative displacement of the bent portion 222 and the end plate 21 along the first direction X and the second direction Y. The end plate 21 has a first through hole 21b extending along the third direction Z, and the bent portion 222 has a second through hole 222a extending along the third direction Z. The first direction X, the second direction Y and the third direction Z intersect each other; the connecting member 40 is provided through the first through hole 21b and the second through hole 222a.

[0139] The battery 10 provided in the embodiment of the present application has a side plate 22 with a bent portion 222. The bent portion 222 is detachably connected to the end plate 21 via a connector 40, facilitating maintenance of the battery 10. Since the bent portion 222 is bent relative to the side plate body 221 toward the battery cell 30, and the bent portion 222 at least partially overlaps with the end plate 21, this helps increase the mating area between the end plate 21 and the side plate 22. The connection between the bent portion 222 and the end plate 21 by the connector 40 helps increase the connection strength between the end plate 21 and the side plate 22, and reduces the risk of cracking of the end plate 21 and the side plate 22 during expansion of the battery cell 30. This improves the convenience of maintaining the battery cell 30 while also improving the reliability of the battery 10.

[0140] Although the present application has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications may be made thereto and components may be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope of the present application. In particular, the various technical features described in the various embodiments may be combined in any manner as long as there are no structural conflicts. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A battery, characterized in that: include: A plurality of battery cells, wherein the plurality of battery cells are arranged along a first direction; End plates, disposed at both ends of the plurality of battery cells along the first direction; A side plate, comprising a side plate body and a bending portion, wherein the side plate body is arranged on both sides of the plurality of battery cells along a second direction, the first direction intersects with the second direction, the bending portion is arranged at the end of the side plate body along the first direction, and is bent relative to the side plate body toward the battery cell, the bending portion overlaps with at least part of the end plate along the first direction and is detachably connected to limit the relative displacement of the bending portion and the end plate along the first direction and the second direction.

2. The battery according to claim 1, characterized in that The end plate has a matching groove that passes through at least one end of the end plate along a third direction, the first direction, the second direction and the third direction intersect each other, and the bending portion is snap-fitted with the matching groove.

3. The battery according to claim 2, characterized in that The matching groove has an opening along the second direction toward one side of the bending portion that matches therewith, the bending portion is passed through the opening, at least part of the bending portion is snapped into the matching groove, and the size of at least part of the bending portion located in the matching groove along the first direction is larger than the size of the opening along the first direction.

4. The battery according to claim 3, characterized in that The inner wall of the matching groove is arc-shaped, and at least the part of the bent portion located in the matching groove is arc-shaped to match the matching groove.

5. The battery according to claim 1, characterized in that The battery also includes a connector, the end plate has a first through hole extending along a third direction, the bent portion has a second through hole extending along the third direction, the first direction, the second direction and the third direction intersect each other; the connector is inserted into the first through hole and the second through hole.

6. The battery according to claim 5, characterized in that The battery further comprises a box body, a plurality of the battery cells are accommodated in the box body, the connector comprises a connecting portion and a fastening portion, the fastening portion is passed through the first through hole and the second through hole, the connecting portion is bent relative to the fastening portion and connected to the box body.

7. The battery according to claim 6, characterized in that The connecting portion has a mounting hole, and the connecting portion is connected to the box body through the mounting hole.

8. The battery according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that: One end of the end plate facing the bent portion has a groove, and the bent portion is accommodated in the groove.

9. The battery according to claim 8, characterized in that The groove is formed inside the end plate, the first through hole penetrates the groove walls at both ends of the groove along the third direction, and the bent portion is inserted into the groove.

10. The battery according to claim 8, characterized in that The groove passes through a surface of the end plate along the first direction facing away from the battery cell, and passes through an end surface of the end plate along the second direction. The first through hole passes through a groove wall at least at one end of the groove along the third direction. The bent portion covers the groove.

11. The battery according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that: The end plate includes a main body and a protruding portion, the protruding portion is protruding relative to the main body along the second direction, and the protruding portion has the first through hole; the bent portion has a recessed portion at one end facing the end plate, and the second through holes are formed in the parts of the bent portion located at both ends of the recessed portion along the third direction, and the protruding portion cooperates with the recessed portion.

12. An electrical device, characterized in that: The invention comprises a battery as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the battery is used to provide electrical energy.

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