Thermal management assembly, battery box, battery and electric device

Abstract

Provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure are a thermal management assembly, a battery box, a battery and an electric device. The thermal management assembly comprises a flow channel plate, an energy absorption member and a plurality of current collectors, wherein the flow channel plate is configured to convey fluid to perform heat exchange with battery cells; the current collectors are connected to the flow channel plate; and the energy absorption member is arranged on the sides of the current collectors away from the flow channel plate, and the energy absorption member comprises a force bearing portion and a deformation portion, the force bearing portion being located at the end of the deformation portion away from the current collectors, and the rigidity of the deformation portion being smaller than that of the force bearing portion.

Description

Thermal management component, battery box, battery and power-consuming device

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This disclosure is based on Chinese patent application number 202410009949.1, application date January 3, 2024, and invention name “A thermal management component, battery box, battery and electrical device”, and claims the priority of the Chinese patent application. The entire content of the Chinese patent application is hereby introduced into the present disclosure as a reference. Technical Field

[0003] The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the field of battery technology, and particularly to a thermal management component, a battery box, a battery, and an electrical device. Background Art

[0004] In the current situation of energy shortage and increasingly severe environmental protection situation, new energy vehicles have become a hot topic of social concern.

[0005] Batteries are core components of new energy vehicles. During operation, the heat generated by the battery cells and changes in the external temperature can cause temperature fluctuations in the battery cells, significantly impacting their charge and discharge performance and service life. Therefore, batteries are equipped with thermal management components to regulate the temperature of the battery cells and achieve thermal management.

[0006] During the driving process of new energy vehicles, collisions with obstacles may occur, causing damage to thermal management components, thereby posing a risk of thermal runaway for the battery.

[0007] Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of this, the embodiments of the present disclosure aim to provide a thermal management component, a battery box, a battery, and an electrical device that can improve the probability of normal operation of the thermal management function after a collision.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the embodiment of the present disclosure is implemented as follows:

[0010] The present disclosure provides a thermal management component for thermally managing a battery cell. The thermal management component includes:

[0011] A flow channel plate, used for conveying fluid to exchange heat with the battery cells;

[0012] A plurality of current collectors, wherein the current collectors are connected to the flow channel plate;

[0013] The energy absorbing member is arranged on the side of the current collector away from the flow channel plate. The energy absorbing member includes a force-bearing part and a deformation part. The force-bearing part is located at the end of the deformation part away from the current collector. The rigidity of the deformation part is smaller than that of the force-bearing part.

[0014] The thermal management component in the disclosed embodiment, by arranging an energy-absorbing part on the current collector, makes it possible for the thermal management component to absorb the collision energy through its own deformation during a collision with other devices from the side of the current collector facing away from the flow channel plate, because the energy-absorbing part comes into contact with the colliding object more easily, thereby effectively reducing the collision energy transmitted to the current collector and the flow channel plate, and reducing the probability of failure of the thermal management function of the thermal management component due to damage to the flow channel plate, the current collector and the connection between the two during the collision, thereby indirectly reducing the probability of thermal runaway of the battery cell, which is beneficial to improving the safety of the battery.

[0015] In some embodiments, the deformable portion and the force-bearing portion are made of the same material, and among the cross-sections of the energy-absorbing member perpendicular to its own extension direction, the cross-section with the smallest area is located in the deformable portion. This simplifies the manufacturing process of the deformable portion and the force-bearing portion.

[0016] In some embodiments, the energy absorbing member and the current collector are integrated into one structure. This, on the one hand, simplifies the manufacturing process of the thermal management component, reduces assembly steps, and lowers production costs; on the other hand, it helps reduce the chance of fracture between the energy absorbing member and the current collector after an impact, thereby reducing the energy absorbing member's ability to absorb impact energy.

[0017] In some embodiments, the current collector is located at one end of the flow channel plate along its length direction, and the force-bearing portion is located at the end away from the current collector and protrudes from the end away from the flow channel plate in a direction away from the flow channel plate.

[0018] In this way, when the impact direction is along the length direction of the flow channel plate, it is more conducive for the force-bearing part to be impacted before the current collector to cause the energy-absorbing part to deform, thereby better reducing the collision energy transmitted to the current collector and the flow channel plate, and protecting the current collector and the flow channel plate.

[0019] In some embodiments, an end of the force-bearing portion away from the deformation portion is arc-shaped.

[0020] In this way, when the force-bearing part is hit, on the one hand, the probability of stress concentration occurring at the end of the force-bearing part is reduced, and the probability of the force-bearing part being damaged due to stress concentration and being unable to move, thereby failing to deform the deformation part and absorb more collision energy is reduced; on the other hand, the arc shape can cause the force of the impact to produce a component force, thereby guiding the force-bearing part to deflect in a preset direction relative to the deformation part, so that the energy-absorbing part can better absorb the collision energy.

[0021] In some embodiments, the energy absorbing member includes a connecting portion, which is located at one end of the deformation portion close to the current collector and connected to the current collector. The stiffness of the deformation portion is smaller than the stiffness of the connecting portion, and the extension direction of the connecting portion intersects with the extension direction of the force-bearing portion.

[0022] In this way, when the force-bearing part is hit, it is beneficial for the force-bearing part to be deflected relative to the connecting part, rather than for the force to be directly translated toward the connecting part, thereby helping the energy-absorbing part to bend and deform, and further helping to better absorb more impact energy.

[0023] In some embodiments, the connecting portion extends in a direction away from the flow channel plate, and its extension direction is inclined to the length direction of the flow channel plate, so that a first angle is formed between one side of the connecting portion and the current collector, and a second angle is formed between the other side and the current collector. The angle of the first angle is greater than the angle of the second angle, and the force-bearing portion is located on the side of the connecting portion close to the first angle.

[0024] In this way, by making the first angle greater than the second angle, the force-bearing portion can be deflected at a larger angle, so that the deflection of the force-bearing portion can absorb more collision energy.

[0025] In some embodiments, the first angle is not less than 90°, so that the force-bearing portion has a larger deflection angle, thereby enabling the deflection of the force-bearing portion to absorb more collision energy;

[0026] And / or, the second angle is not less than 30° to improve the structural rigidity of the connection position between the connecting portion and the current collector, so as to reduce the probability of deformation of the connection position between the connecting portion and the current collector and resulting in damage to the current collector due to squeezing after the energy absorbing member is impacted.

[0027] In some embodiments, a side surface of one end of the force-bearing portion close to the deformation portion facing the second angle, a side surface of the deformation portion facing the second angle, and a surface of the connecting portion facing the second angle are located in the same plane.

[0028] In this way, when the force-bearing part is hit, the tendency of the force-bearing part to deflect and deform toward the second angle is suppressed, and the force-bearing part is more likely to deflect and deform toward the first angle, thereby guiding the deflection direction of the force-bearing part.

[0029] In some embodiments, the third angle formed between the force-bearing portion and the connecting portion is an obtuse angle, which is beneficial for providing the force-bearing portion with a larger deflection and deformation range, thereby absorbing more collision energy.

[0030] In some embodiments, the flow channel plate extends in a straight line, and at least one current collector is provided at each end of the flow channel plate along its length. At least one of the at least two current collectors corresponding to the flow channel plate is provided with an energy absorbing member. In this way, when the thermal management assembly is impacted in both directions of its extension direction, the energy absorbing member can absorb at least a portion of the impact, thereby protecting the current collector and the energy absorbing plate.

[0031] Alternatively, the flow channel plate is curved and extended, and at least one current collector is provided at both ends of the flow channel plate along its extension direction, and at least one of the at least two current collectors corresponding to the flow channel plate is provided with an energy absorbing member, so that the extension direction of the flow channel plate is better adapted to the arrangement of other components in the battery.

[0032] An embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a battery box for accommodating battery cells. The battery box includes a box body and a thermal management component of any one of the aforementioned embodiments. A accommodating space is provided in the box body, and the accommodating space is used to accommodate the battery cells and the thermal management component. The current collectors are located at both ends of the flow channel plate along the first direction, and the inner wall of the accommodating space along the first direction is spaced apart from the force-bearing part.

[0033] In this way, on the one hand, a buffer space is formed between the inner wall of the accommodating space along the first direction and the energy absorbing member, so that in the event of a collision, the box body needs to be deformed to a certain extent before it collides with the energy absorbing member, and the deformation of the box body needs to absorb the collision energy, thereby reducing the collision energy transmitted to the energy absorbing member, which is beneficial to reducing the collision energy transmitted to the current collector and reducing the probability of damage to the current collector due to collision; on the other hand, it avoids the vibration of the box body under normal operation being directly transmitted to the energy absorbing member through contact, reducing the probability of noise generated by the vibration collision between the two, and avoiding the situation where the energy absorbing member is deformed due to the vibration energy being transmitted to the deformation part, thereby reducing the collision energy that the energy absorbing member can absorb.

[0034] In some embodiments, a portion of the inner wall of the accommodating space along the first direction protrudes to form a reinforcement protrusion, the energy absorbing member is located on a side of the current collector close to the reinforcement protrusion, and the force-bearing portion is located at an end of the deformation portion close to the reinforcement protrusion.

[0035] In this way, in the event of a collision, the energy absorbing member can come into contact with the reinforcing protrusion before the current collector and absorb the collision energy, thereby reducing the probability of the reinforcing protrusion contacting the current collector and causing damage to the current collector.

[0036] In some embodiments, in a projection plane perpendicular to the first direction, at least a portion of the projection of the force-bearing portion is located within the projection range of the reinforcing protrusion.

[0037] In this way, when the box body is hit and the reinforcing protrusion intrudes into the accommodation space along the first direction, the force-bearing portion can contact the reinforcing protrusion, thereby absorbing the collision energy through the deformation of the deforming portion.

[0038] In some embodiments, the battery box further includes an elastic conductive member, which is sandwiched between the inner wall of the accommodating space and the energy absorbing member, and the elastic conductive member can be elastically deformed along a first direction.

[0039] The elastic conductive part has elasticity and conductivity. On the one hand, its conductivity allows the thermal management component and the box to maintain the same potential, which is beneficial for the insulation test of the battery; on the other hand, its elasticity helps to keep the box, the elastic conductive part and the thermal management component in contact, so that the thermal management component and the box can maintain the same potential even in environments such as vibration.

[0040] In some embodiments, there are multiple thermal management components, and all the flow channels of each thermal management component are arranged side by side. The flow channel plate has a first end, and the first end is located at the same end of all the flow channel plates. The first end of each flow channel plate has at least one current collector, and at least one of the at least one current collector corresponding to the first end of the flow channel plate is provided with an energy absorbing part.

[0041] In this way, it is beneficial to arrange the energy absorbing parts in each thermal management component in the direction where they are most likely to be impacted or the direction where the box structure is relatively weak according to the arrangement of other components in the battery box.

[0042] In some embodiments, the flow channel plate has a second end, and the second section is located at the other end of all flow channel plates of each thermal management component. The second end of each flow channel plate has at least one current collector, and at least one of the at least one current collector corresponding to the second end of the flow channel plate is provided with an energy absorbing part.

[0043] In this way, it is beneficial for the energy absorbing members in each thermal management component to face multiple directions where they are easily impacted or multiple directions where the box structure is relatively weak.

[0044] An embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a battery, which includes a battery box and a battery cell according to any one of the aforementioned embodiments. The battery cell is arranged in a accommodating space and is attached to the flow channel plate so that the fluid flowing in the flow channel plate can produce heat exchange with the battery cell, thereby maintaining the temperature of the battery cell within a suitable temperature range.

[0045] An embodiment of the present disclosure further provides an electrical device, which includes the battery in the aforementioned embodiment, and the battery is used as a power source for the electrical device.

[0046] In this way, the energy absorbing member can reduce the probability of damage to the current collector and the flow channel plate in the event of a collision of the electrical device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present disclosure in which the electric device is a vehicle;

[0048] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a thermal management assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0049] FIG3 is a partial enlarged schematic diagram of position A in FIG2 ;

[0050] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a thermal management assembly in another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0051] FIG5 is a partial enlarged schematic diagram of position B in FIG3 ;

[0052] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a thermal management assembly in another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0053] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a battery in one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0054] FIG8 is a partial enlarged schematic diagram of position C in FIG7 ;

[0055] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of the embodiment in FIG7 from another perspective;

[0056] FIG10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the DD position in FIG9 ;

[0057] FIG11 is a partial enlarged schematic diagram of position E in FIG10 ;

[0058] FIG12 is a partial enlarged schematic diagram of position F in FIG10 .

[0059] Explanation of the reference numerals: 1000, vehicle; 100, battery; 200, controller; 300, motor; 10, thermal management component; 11, flow channel plate; 12, current collector; 13, energy absorbing part; 13a, first angle; 13b, second angle; 13c, third angle; 131, force-bearing part; 132, deformation part; 133, connecting part; 20, box body; 20a, accommodating space; 21, side beam; 211, reinforcement protrusion; 22, end beam; 30, battery cell; 40, elastic conductive part. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] It should be noted that, unless there is a conflict, the embodiments and technical features in the embodiments of the present disclosure can be combined with each other, and the detailed description in the specific implementation methods should be understood as an explanation of the purpose of the present disclosure and should not be regarded as an improper limitation on the present disclosure.

[0061] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure; the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the specification of the present disclosure and the above-mentioned drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0062] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, technical terms such as "first," "second," and "third" are used solely to distinguish different objects and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or to implicitly specify the quantity, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the technical features indicated. In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, "plurality" means more than two, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0063] References herein to "embodiments" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. 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 herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0064] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "and / or" is simply a description of the association relationship between associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0065] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, for the convenience of explanation, as shown in Figures 2, 6, 8 and 9, the direction of the arrow X is referred to as the "first direction", the "length direction of the flow channel plate" and the "width direction of the box body"; as shown in Figures 6 and 8, the direction of the arrow Y is referred to as the "second direction" and the "length direction of the box body"; as shown in Figure 6, the direction of the arrow Z is referred to as the "vertical direction", and the direction indicated by the arrow Z along the vertical direction is referred to as "up" and "top", and the opposite direction is referred to as "down" and "bottom".

[0066] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, technical terms such as "installed," "connected," "connect," and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integration; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and can refer to internal connectivity between two components or interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present disclosure based on specific circumstances.

[0067] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the technical term "contact" should be understood in a broad sense, and can be direct contact, contact through an intermediate medium layer, contact with essentially no interaction force between the two contacting parties, or contact with interaction force between the two contacting parties.

[0068] The battery cells involved in the embodiments of the present disclosure include an electrode assembly and an electrolyte. The electrode assembly is composed of a positive electrode sheet, a negative electrode sheet, and a separator. The battery cells primarily operate by the movement of metal ions between the positive and negative electrode sheets. The positive electrode sheet includes a positive current collector and a positive active material layer. The positive active material layer is coated on the surface of the positive current collector. The current collector not coated with the positive active material layer protrudes from the current collector coated with the positive active material layer. The current collectors not coated with the positive active material layer, after being stacked, serve as the positive electrode tabs. Taking lithium-ion batteries as an example, the positive current collector material can be aluminum, and the positive active material can be lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, ternary lithium, or lithium manganese oxide. The negative electrode sheet includes a negative current collector and a negative active material layer. The negative active material layer is coated on the surface of the negative current collector. The current collector not coated with the negative active material layer protrudes from the current collector coated with the negative active material layer. The current collectors not coated with the negative active material layer, after being stacked, serve as the negative electrode tabs. The negative electrode current collector can be made of copper, and the negative electrode active material can be carbon or silicon. The separator can be made of materials such as PP (polypropylene) or PE (polyethylene). Furthermore, the electrode assembly can be a wound or laminated structure.

[0069] The battery cell may be a secondary battery. A secondary battery refers to a battery cell that can be continuously used by activating active materials by charging after the battery cell is discharged.

[0070] The battery cells may be lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, sodium-lithium-ion batteries, lithium metal batteries, sodium metal batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, magnesium-ion batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, lead-acid batteries, etc., which are not limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0071] The battery cells may be cylindrical, prismatic, soft-pack or other shaped battery cells. Prismatic battery cells include square-shell, blade-shaped, and polygonal batteries. Polygonal batteries may be, for example, hexagonal batteries, etc. There are no particular limitations on the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0072] The battery referred to in the embodiments of the present disclosure refers to a single physical module including one or more battery cells to provide higher voltage and capacity.

[0073] The electrical devices involved in the embodiments of the present disclosure are powered by the above-mentioned batteries, and the electrical devices may be, but are not limited to, mobile phones, tablets, laptop computers, electric toys, electric tools, battery-powered vehicles, electric cars, ships, spacecraft, etc. Among them, electric toys may include fixed or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys, etc., and spacecraft may include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft, etc.

[0074] In the following embodiments, for the convenience of description, the electric device of one embodiment of the present disclosure is taken as an example of a vehicle 1000. The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0075] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle 1000 provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. The vehicle 1000 may be a fuel vehicle, a gas vehicle or a new energy vehicle. The new energy vehicle may be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle or an extended-range vehicle, etc. As shown in FIG1 , a battery 100 is provided inside the vehicle 1000. The battery 100 may be provided at the bottom, head or tail of the vehicle 1000. The battery 100 may be used to power the vehicle 1000. For example, the battery 100 may serve as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000. The vehicle 1000 may further include a controller 200 and a motor 300. The controller 200 is used to control the battery 100 to power the motor 300, for example, for starting, navigating and operating power requirements of the vehicle 1000 during driving.

[0076] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the battery 100 can serve not only as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000 , but also as a driving power source for the vehicle 1000 , replacing or partially replacing fuel or natural gas to provide driving power for the vehicle 1000 .

[0077] The following describes the embodiments of the present disclosure in detail.

[0078] Batteries are increasingly used in everyday life and industry. They are not only used in energy storage systems like hydropower, thermal power, wind power, and solar power plants, but are also widely used in electric vehicles like electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric cars, as well as in aerospace and other fields. As battery applications continue to expand, market demand is also growing.

[0079] The battery consists of multiple cells, which are charged and discharged through electrochemical reactions within them. To ensure more stable and controlled charging and discharging of the cells and improve battery safety, the battery also includes auxiliary components such as a thermal management system, a BMS (Battery Management System), a housing, and reinforcement beams.

[0080] It is understandable that, under the condition that the volume of the battery remains unchanged, the more battery cells are provided in the battery, the greater the battery capacity. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize the volume and mass of the auxiliary components in the battery to arrange as many battery cells as possible.

[0081] The box body is provided with a storage space for accommodating battery cells. The reinforcing beam is located in the storage space, and the two ends of the reinforcing beam along its extension direction are connected to the inner walls on opposite sides of the storage space. The overall structural strength of the battery is improved by the reinforcing beam, thereby reducing the risk of accidents such as fire and explosion caused by damage to the battery due to deformation in the event of a collision, etc., thereby improving safety.

[0082] In addition, the thermal management system in the battery is equipped with a thermal management component, which achieves the purpose of heat energy exchange with the battery cell by conveying fluid, thereby dissipating heat or heating the battery cell, so that the temperature of the battery cell can be maintained within an appropriate temperature range, reducing the probability of thermal runaway of the battery cell due to overcharging, over-discharging, puncture, falling, impact, etc. At the same time, it is beneficial for the battery cell to operate normally under low temperature conditions.

[0083] If the battery is dropped or collided, the inner wall of the storage space will be deformed by the force, causing it to intrude into the storage space and collide with or squeeze other components in the storage space. In this case, it is easy to damage the thermal management component, which in turn prevents the thermal management component from properly exchanging heat with the battery cells, making the battery cells prone to loss of control and posing a risk of combustion or explosion.

[0084] Therefore, in order to reduce the probability that the thermal management component fails to perform thermal management on the battery cell due to being squeezed by other components in the battery when the battery is deformed by an impact, the embodiment of the present disclosure provides an energy-absorbing component on the thermal management component. After the battery is deformed by an impact, the energy-absorbing component can preferentially come into contact with and be squeezed by other components in the deformed or displaced battery. The energy-absorbing component deforms under the action of the squeezing force, and the deformation of the energy-absorbing component can absorb a portion of the energy of the collision, thereby reducing the probability that other components in the deformed or displaced battery come into contact with other parts of the thermal management component, which is beneficial for the thermal management function of the thermal management component to continue to operate after the battery is impacted.

[0085] Specifically, referring to Figures 2 to 6 , the present disclosure provides a thermal management assembly 10, which is disposed within a battery and is used to thermally manage battery cells 30, thereby maintaining the temperature of the battery cells 30 within a reasonable range and facilitating the battery's function as a power source for electrical devices. The thermal management assembly 10 includes a flow channel plate 11, multiple current collectors 12, and an energy absorber 13.

[0086] The flow channel plate 11 is used to transport fluid for heat exchange with the battery cells 30. In other words, the fluid flows in the flow channel plate 11 to remove the heat transferred from the battery cells 30 to the flow channel plate 11. Alternatively, the fluid transfers its own heat to the flow channel plate 11, and the flow channel plate 11 transfers the heat to the battery cells 30, thereby achieving heat exchange between the fluid and the battery cells 30, so that the temperature of the battery cells 30 can be maintained within a reasonable range.

[0087] The specific type of fluid is not limited, such as water, air, ethylene glycol, etc.

[0088] The specific method of the flow channel plate 11 to transport the fluid is not limited. For example, a through fluid channel is provided in the flow channel plate 11, and the fluid flows in from one end of the fluid channel and flows out from the other end, so that the fluid can continuously flow in the flow channel plate 11 to continuously release or absorb heat.

[0089] It is understood that the fluid channel in the flow channel plate 11 can be one or more. The fluid channel can extend in a straight line or in a reciprocating manner. By properly arranging the number and extension of the fluid channels, the heat exchange efficiency between the fluid and the battery cells 30 can be improved.

[0090] The current collector 12 is used to input the fluid into the flow channel plate 11 , or the fluid after heat exchange on the flow channel plate 11 is output to the current collector 12 .

[0091] The current collector 12 is connected to the flow channel plate 11 .

[0092] Among the multiple current collectors 12 , one part is used to input fluid into the flow channel plate 11 , and the other part is used to receive fluid output from the flow channel plate 11 .

[0093] There are multiple current collectors 12 , that is, the number of current collectors 12 is not less than two.

[0094] An energy absorbing member 13 is provided on the side of at least one current collector 12 facing away from the flow channel plate 11. The energy absorbing member 13 includes a force-bearing portion 131 and a deformation portion 132. The force-bearing portion 131 is located at the end of the deformation portion 132 away from the current collector 12. The stiffness of the deformation portion 132 is less than the stiffness of the force-bearing portion 131.

[0095] Stiffness refers to the amount of external force required to deform an object. Stiffness is related to the object's material properties, geometry, boundary support, and the type of external force acting on it.

[0096] Among all the current collectors 12 , only a portion of the current collectors 12 may be provided with the energy absorbing member 13 , or all of the current collectors 12 may be provided with the energy absorbing member 13 .

[0097] The energy absorbing member 13 is located on the side of the current collector 12 away from the flow channel plate 11 , that is, the energy absorbing member 13 protrudes from the outer contour surface of the current collector 12 , so that the energy absorbing member 13 can more easily contact the deformed components in the battery than the current collector 12 .

[0098] It can be understood that the energy absorbing member 13 is impacted from the side of the current collector 12 away from the flow channel plate 11 toward the flow channel plate 11 before the current collector 12 is impacted.

[0099] At the same time, the force-bearing portion 131 is located at an end of the deformation portion 132 away from the current collector 12 , so that the force-bearing portion 131 can more easily come into contact with the deformed device in the battery than the deformation portion 132 .

[0100] Because the rigidity of the deformable portion 132 is less than that of the force-bearing portion 131, when the force-bearing portion 131 contacts a deforming component in the battery and is subjected to a force, the deformable portion 132 deforms before the force is applied, allowing the deformable portion 132 to move as the deformable portion 132 deforms. Thus, through the deformation of the deformable portion 132 and the movement of the force-bearing portion 131, the energy-absorbing member 13 absorbs the energy of the force applied to the force-bearing portion 131 during its deformation.

[0101] The thermal management assembly 10 in the embodiment of the present disclosure, by providing an energy-absorbing member 13 on the current collector 12, enables the thermal management assembly 10 to collide with other devices from the side of the current collector 12 away from the flow channel plate 11. Since the energy-absorbing member 13 more easily comes into contact with the colliding object, the energy-absorbing member 13 can first absorb the collision energy through its own deformation, thereby effectively reducing the collision energy transmitted to the current collector 12 and the flow channel plate 11, and reducing the probability of failure of the thermal management function of the thermal management assembly 10 due to damage to the flow channel plate 11 and the current collector 12 and the connection between the two during the collision, thereby indirectly reducing the probability of thermal runaway of the battery cell 30, which is beneficial to improving the safety of the battery.

[0102] It is understandable that the number of energy absorbing members 13 provided on a current collector 12 may be one or more.

[0103] In some embodiments, the elastic modulus of the material of the energy absorbing member 13 is lower than the elastic modulus of the material of the current collector 12, so that when the energy absorbing member 13 collides and is squeezed with the current collector 12, the energy absorbing member 13 can further deform to absorb the collision energy, thereby reducing the probability of damage to the current collector 12 caused by the squeezing of the current collector 12 by the energy absorbing member 13.

[0104] There is no limitation on the specific method for achieving the rigidity of the deformation portion 132 being smaller than the rigidity of the force-bearing portion 131 .

[0105] For example, the deformable portion 132 and the force-bearing portion 131 are made of the same material, and the smallest cross-section of the energy-absorbing member 13 perpendicular to its own extension direction is located in the deformable portion 132. This simplifies the manufacturing process of the deformable portion 132 and the force-bearing portion 131.

[0106] For another example, the cross-sectional area of ​​the deformable portion 132 and the force-bearing portion 131 at each position along the cross section perpendicular to the extension direction of the energy-absorbing member 13 is the same. The deformable portion 132 and the force-bearing portion 131 are made of different materials, and the elastic modulus of the material of the force-bearing portion 131 is greater than the elastic modulus of the material of the deformable portion 132.

[0107] In some embodiments, the energy absorbing member 13 and the current collector 12 are an integrated structure. In other words, the energy absorbing member 13 and the current collector 12 are manufactured simultaneously.

[0108] In this way, on the one hand, it is helpful to simplify the processing and manufacturing process of the thermal management component 10, reduce the assembly links, and reduce production costs; on the other hand, it is helpful to reduce the probability of fracture between the energy absorbing member 13 and the current collector 12 after an impact, resulting in a decrease in the effectiveness of the energy absorbing member 13 in absorbing the impact energy.

[0109] In other embodiments, the energy absorbing member 13 and the current collector 12 are detachably connected, so that the deformed energy absorbing member 13 can be easily removed after a collision, and the intact portion of the thermal management assembly 10 can be easily recycled.

[0110] It is understandable that due to factors such as the placement of the battery itself, the placement of the thermal management component 10 in the battery, the shape and distance of other devices in the battery, the probability of the current collector 12 being impacted in different directions is different, and the force-bearing portion 131 is facing the direction in which the current collector 12 is more likely to be impacted.

[0111] It can be understood that the arrangement of the force-bearing portion 131 is conducive to the force-bearing portion 131 colliding before the current collector 12 .

[0112] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 2 and 4 , the current collector 12 is located at one end of the flow channel plate 11 along its length, and the dimension of the current collector 12 along the length of the flow channel plate 11 is smaller than the dimension of the current collector in a direction perpendicular to the length of the flow channel plate 11. In other words, the probability of the current collector 12 being impacted along the length of the flow channel plate 11 is greater than the probability of being impacted in other directions.

[0113] The length direction of the flow channel plate 11 refers to the direction of the largest dimension among the three-dimensional dimensions of the flow channel plate 11 .

[0114] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 , the force-bearing portion 131 protrudes from the end of the current collector 12 away from the flow channel plate 11 in a direction away from the flow channel plate 11 .

[0115] That is, the force-bearing portion 131 is away from one end of the flow channel plate 11 along the length direction of the flow channel plate 11 , forming one end of the thermal management component 10 along the length direction of the flow channel plate 11 .

[0116] In this way, when the impact direction is along the length direction of the flow channel plate 11, it is more conducive for the force-bearing part 131 to be impacted before the current collector 12 to cause the energy-absorbing part 13 to deform, thereby better reducing the collision energy transmitted to the current collector 12 and the flow channel plate 11, and protecting the current collector 12 and the flow channel plate 11.

[0117] It is understandable that after the force-bearing portion 131 is impacted, it is necessary to reduce the probability of the force-bearing portion 131 directly inserting into the deformation portion 132 and guide the force-bearing portion 131 to deflect relative to the deformation portion 132 .

[0118] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 , an end of the force-bearing portion 131 away from the deformation portion 132 is arc-shaped.

[0119] It can be understood that the end of the force-bearing portion 131 away from the current collector 12 is more likely to be impacted first.

[0120] In this way, when the force-bearing portion 131 is impacted, on the one hand, the probability of stress concentration occurring at the end of the force-bearing portion 131 is reduced, and the probability of the force-bearing portion 131 being damaged due to stress concentration, resulting in the inability to move and the inability to deform the deformation portion 132 to absorb more collision energy is reduced; on the other hand, the arc shape can cause the force of the impact to produce a component force, thereby guiding the force-bearing portion 131 to deflect in a preset direction relative to the deformation portion 132, so that the energy-absorbing member 13 can better absorb the collision energy.

[0121] It is understandable that the greater the deflection angle of the force-bearing portion 131 relative to the deformation portion 132, the more work is required to push the force-bearing portion 131 to deflect, the more impact energy is consumed, and the less impact energy is transmitted to the current collecting member.

[0122] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 2 to FIG. 5 , the energy absorbing member 13 includes a connecting portion 133 . The connecting portion 133 is located at one end of the deformed portion 132 close to the current collector 12 and connected to the current collector 12 . The rigidity of the deformed portion 132 is smaller than that of the connecting portion 133 .

[0123] That is, along the direction away from the current collector 12 , the energy absorbing member 13 includes the connecting portion 133 , the deforming portion 132 and the force-bearing portion 131 in sequence.

[0124] In this way, by providing the connecting portion 133, it is beneficial to increase the contact area between the energy-absorbing member 13 and the current collector 12, and reduce the probability of damage caused by excessive pressure acting on the current collector 12 in the event of an impact; at the same time, by providing the connecting portion 133, it is beneficial to make the force-bearing portion 131 further away from the current collector 12, so that the force-bearing portion 131 can be deflected relative to the deformation portion 132 within a larger range, thereby absorbing more impact energy and further reducing the impact energy transmitted to the current collector 12.

[0125] It is understandable that the rigidity of the connecting portion 133 may be the same as or different from the rigidity of the force-bearing portion 131 .

[0126] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 , the extending direction of the connecting portion 133 intersects with the extending direction of the force-bearing portion 131 .

[0127] That is, the extending direction of the connecting portion 133 and the extending direction of the force-bearing portion 131 are not on the same straight line, thereby weakening the supporting effect of the connecting portion 133 on the force-bearing portion 131 .

[0128] In this way, when the force-bearing portion 131 is impacted, it is beneficial for the force-bearing portion 131 to be deflected relative to the connecting portion 133 rather than for the force-bearing portion 131 to directly translate toward the connecting portion 133, thereby facilitating the bending and deformation of the energy-absorbing member 13, and further facilitating better absorption of more impact energy.

[0129] The relative relationship between the extending direction of the connecting portion 133 and the current collecting member is not limited.

[0130] In some embodiments, the connecting portion 133 extends in a direction away from the flow channel plate 11. On the one hand, this allows the force-bearing portion 131 to be as far away from the current collector 12 as possible, thereby facilitating the force-bearing portion 131 to collide with the current collector 12 before the force-bearing portion 131; on the other hand, it is beneficial for the force-bearing portion 131 to have a larger deflection angle range, thereby absorbing more collision energy.

[0131] For example, referring to Figures 3 and 5, the extension direction of the connecting portion 133 is inclined to the length direction of the flow channel plate 11, so that a first angle 13a is formed between one side of the connecting portion 133 and the current collector 12, and a second angle 13b is formed between the other side and the current collector 12. The angle of the first angle 13a is greater than the angle of the second angle 13b, and the force-bearing portion 131 is located on the side of the connecting portion 133 close to the first angle 13a.

[0132] Because the force-bearing portion 131 is closer to the first angle 13a, when the force-bearing portion 131 is impacted, the force-bearing portion 131 will deflect toward the side where the first angle 13a is located. Therefore, by making the first angle 13a greater than the second angle 13b, the force-bearing portion 131 can have a larger deflection angle, thereby allowing the deflection of the force-bearing portion 131 to absorb more collision energy.

[0133] The specific angle value of the first angle 13 a is not limited according to the specific shapes of the current collector 12 and the specific shapes of the connecting portion 133 .

[0134] For example, the first angle 13 a is not less than 90°, so that the force-bearing portion 131 has a larger deflection angle, so that the deflection of the force-bearing portion 131 can absorb more collision energy.

[0135] The specific value of the first angle 13a is not limited, for example, 90°, 120°, 135°, 150°, 180°, etc.

[0136] 3 , the first angle 13 a is 180°.

[0137] The specific angle value of the second angle 13 b is not limited according to the specific shapes of the current collector 12 and the specific shapes of the connecting portion 133 .

[0138] For example, the second angle 13b is not less than 30° to improve the structural rigidity of the connection position between the connecting portion 133 and the current collector 12, so as to reduce the probability of deformation of the connection position between the connecting portion 133 and the current collector 12 after the energy absorbing member 13 is impacted, resulting in damage to the current collector 12 due to squeezing.

[0139] The specific value of the second angle 13b is not limited, for example, 30°, 35°, 40°, 45°, etc.

[0140] In some embodiments, referring to FIG3 , the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting portion 133 along its extension direction near the deformable portion 132 is smaller than the cross-sectional area near the current collector 12. This facilitates deformation of the deformable portion 132 and reduces the pressure caused by the force transmitted to the current collector 12.

[0141] The cross section of the connecting portion 133 refers to a cross section of the connecting portion 133 perpendicular to the extending direction thereof.

[0142] In other embodiments, referring to FIG. 5 , the connecting portion 133 , the deforming portion 132 and the force-bearing portion 131 have the same cross-sectional area along their extension direction, thereby reducing the manufacturing difficulty of the energy absorbing member 13 .

[0143] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 3 , a side surface of the force-bearing portion 131 close to the deformation portion 132 facing the second angle 13b, a side surface of the deformation portion 132 facing the second angle 13b, and a surface of the connecting portion 133 facing the second angle 13b are located on the same plane.

[0144] In this way, when the force-bearing portion 131 is hit, the tendency of the force-bearing portion 131 to deflect and deform toward the side of the second angle 13b is suppressed, and the force-bearing portion 131 is more likely to deflect and deform toward the side of the first angle 13a, thereby guiding the deflection direction of the force-bearing portion 131.

[0145] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 , the third angle 13 c formed between the force-bearing portion 131 and the connecting portion 133 is an obtuse angle.

[0146] In this way, the force-bearing portion 131 can have a larger deflection and deformation range, thereby absorbing more collision energy.

[0147] There are no limitations on the method for determining the specific angle values ​​of the first angle 13a, the second angle 13b, and the third angle 13c. For example, during measurement of the first angle 13a, at room temperature of 25°C, the measuring surface of the base of a protractor is aligned with the surface of one side of the connecting portion 133, and the measuring surface of the straight edge of the protractor is aligned with the surface of one side of the current collector 12, so as to read the specific angle value of the first angle 13a from the protractor.

[0148] It can be understood that when the force-bearing portion 131 is deflected to the extreme position under the action of the collision force, the force-bearing portion 131 abuts against the connecting portion 133 , or the force-bearing portion 131 abuts against the current collector 12 .

[0149] The specific arrangement of the flow channel plate 11 and the current collector 12 is not limited.

[0150] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 2 and 4 , the flow channel plate 11 extends in a straight line, and at least one current collector 12 is provided at each end of the flow channel plate 11 along its length. At least one of the at least two current collectors 12 corresponding to the flow channel plate 11 is provided with an energy absorbing member 13. In other words, the flow channel plate 11 is provided with at least two current collectors 12 and at least one energy absorbing member 13.

[0151] The length direction of the flow channel plate 11 is its extension direction.

[0152] In this way, when the thermal management assembly 10 is impacted in two directions along its extension direction, the energy absorbing member 13 can absorb at least a portion of the impact, thereby protecting the current collector 12 and the energy absorbing member 13 .

[0153] In other embodiments, referring to FIG. 6 , the flow channel plate 11 extends in a curved manner, and at least one current collector 12 is provided at both ends of the flow channel plate 11 along its extension direction. At least one of the at least two current collectors 12 corresponding to the flow channel plate 11 is provided with an energy absorbing member 13 .

[0154] In this way, the extension direction of the flow channel plate 11 is better adapted to the arrangement of other components in the battery.

[0155] In some embodiments, the flow channel plate 11 is bent and extended back and forth multiple times; in other embodiments, referring to FIG6 , the flow channel plate 11 is bent once to form a U-shape. In this way, the current collector 12 and the energy absorbing member 13 are both located on the same side of the flow channel plate 11 , so that after the thermal management assembly 10 is installed in the battery, each energy absorbing member 13 can face the direction in which the thermal management assembly 10 is more susceptible to impact.

[0156] The thermal management assembly 10 in one embodiment of the present disclosure is described in detail as follows:

[0157] The flow channel plate 11 extends in a straight line direction. A current collector 12 is provided at both ends of the flow channel plate 11 along its length direction, and the current collector 12 at each end is provided with an energy absorbing member 13. The energy absorbing member 13 includes a force-bearing portion 131, a deformation portion 132 and a connecting portion 133. The force-bearing portion 131 is located at the end of the deformation portion 132 away from the current collector 12. The energy absorbing member 13 and the current collector 12 are an integrated structure. The deformation portion 132 and the force-bearing portion 131 are made of the same material. Among the cross sections of the energy absorbing member 13 perpendicular to its own extension direction, the cross section with the smallest area is located at the deformation portion 132. The end of the force-bearing portion 131 away from the deformation portion 132 is arc-shaped; the connecting portion 133 is located at the end of the deformation portion 132 close to the current collector 12 and is connected to the current collector 12. The stiffness of the deformation portion 132 is less than that of the connecting portion 133. The connecting portion 133 is away from the flow The connecting portion 133 extends in the direction of the channel plate 11, and its extension direction is inclined to the length direction of the channel plate 11, so that a first angle 13a is formed between one side of the connecting portion 133 and the current collector 12, and a second angle 13b is formed between the other side and the current collector 12, the angle of the first angle 13a is greater than the angle of the second angle 13b, and the force-bearing portion 131 is located on the side of the connecting portion 133 close to the first angle 13a; the angle of the first angle 13a is not less than 90°, and the angle of the second angle 13b is not less than 30°. A side surface of one end of the force-bearing portion 131 close to the deformation portion 132 facing the second angle 13b, a side surface of the deformation portion 132 facing the second angle 13b, and a surface of the connecting portion 133 facing the second angle 13b are located in the same plane, and a third angle 13c formed between the force-bearing portion 131 and the connecting portion 133 is an obtuse angle.

[0158] The embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a battery box for accommodating battery cells 30. Referring to Figures 7 to 10, the battery box includes a box body 20 and a thermal management component 10 of any one of the aforementioned embodiments. A accommodating space 20a is provided in the box body 20. The accommodating space 20a is used to accommodate the battery cells 30 and the thermal management component 10. The current collector 12 is located at both ends of the flow channel plate 11 along the first direction, and the inner wall of the accommodating space 20a along the first direction is spaced apart from the force-bearing portion 131.

[0159] The box body 20 provides a mounting location for other components in the battery and plays a role of protection and sealing, which is beneficial to extending the service life of the battery and improving the safety of battery use.

[0160] The current collectors 12 are located at two ends of the flow channel plate 11 along the first direction. That is, the energy absorbing members 13 are located at two ends of the thermal management assembly 10 along the first direction.

[0161] The inner wall of the accommodating space 20a along the first direction is spaced from the force-bearing portion 131, that is, there is no contact between the two. Thus, on the one hand, a buffer space is formed between the inner wall of the accommodating space 20a along the first direction and the energy-absorbing member 13, so that in the event of a collision, the box body 20 needs to deform to a certain extent before colliding with the energy-absorbing member 13. The deformation of the box body 20 absorbs the collision energy, thereby reducing the collision energy transmitted to the energy-absorbing member 13, which in turn helps reduce the collision energy transmitted to the current collector 12 and reduces the probability of damage to the current collector 12 due to collision. On the other hand, the vibration of the box body 20 during normal operation is prevented from being directly transmitted to the energy-absorbing member 13 through contact, reducing the probability of noise generated by the vibration collision between the two, and preventing the vibration energy from being transmitted to the deformation portion 132, causing the energy-absorbing member 13 to deform and reduce the collision energy that the energy-absorbing member 13 can absorb.

[0162] The specific arrangement of the thermal management component 10 in the accommodating space 20 a is not limited.

[0163] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 7 to 9, the battery box includes a plurality of thermal management components 10, and the plurality of thermal management components 10 are spaced apart along the second direction. A gap for placing the battery cell 30 is formed between two adjacent thermal management components 10, and the current collectors 12 at the same end of each thermal management component 10 along the first direction are connected to each other, and the first direction is orthogonal to the second direction.

[0164] This is beneficial to improving the thermal pipeline efficiency of the battery box for multiple battery cells 30. At the same time, the fluid can be synchronously passed into the collector 12 at the same end of each thermal management component 10 along the first direction, and the fluid for heat exchange is collected through the collector 12 at the other end.

[0165] In some embodiments, the first direction is the same as the length direction of the flow channel plate 11 .

[0166] In some embodiments where there are multiple thermal management components 10, all the flow channels 11 of each thermal management component 10 are arranged side by side, and the flow channels 11 have a first end, which is located at the same end of all the flow channels 11. The first end of each flow channel plate 11 has at least one current collector 12, and at least one of the at least one current collector 12 corresponding to the first end of the flow channel plate 11 is provided with an energy absorbing member 13.

[0167] That is, all the flow channel plates 11 are provided with current collectors 12 on the same side along a certain direction, and energy absorbing members 13 are provided on at least a portion of the current collectors 12 on the side.

[0168] In this way, it is beneficial to arrange the energy absorbing member 13 in each thermal management assembly 10 in a direction where it is easily impacted or in a direction where the box body 20 structure is relatively weak according to the arrangement of other components in the battery box.

[0169] For example, if an electrical box is provided at one end of the housing 20 along its length, the first end of each flow channel plate 11 is located on the side of the housing 20 that is away from the electrical box. This provides a buffering space, making impacts from this side less likely to damage the thermal management assembly 10 than from the other side. Therefore, the energy absorber 13 can be omitted from the current collector 12 at the end of the flow channel plate 11 near the electrical box, simplifying the structure. Furthermore, the first end is closer to the edge of the housing 20 than the other end of the flow channel plate 11. Therefore, providing the energy absorber 13 at the first end can further reduce the chance of damage to the thermal management assembly 10 after an impact.

[0170] It can be understood that, in the embodiment where the flow channel plate 11 is U-shaped, both ends of the flow channel plate 11 along its extension direction are first ends.

[0171] In some embodiments where there are multiple thermal management components 10, referring to Figures 7 and 8, the flow channel plate 11 has a second end, which is located at the other end of all the flow channel plates 11 of each thermal management component 10. The second end of each flow channel plate 11 has at least one current collector 12, and at least one of the at least one current collector 12 corresponding to the second end of the flow channel plate 11 is provided with an energy absorbing member 13.

[0172] That is, all the flow channel plates 11 are provided with current collectors 12 on both sides along a certain direction, and energy absorbing members 13 are provided on at least part of the current collectors 12 on each side.

[0173] In this way, the energy absorbing members 13 in each thermal management assembly 10 are advantageously oriented in multiple directions where they are easily impacted or multiple directions where the structure of the box body 20 is relatively weak.

[0174] For example, the flow channel plate 11 extends straight along the width direction of the box body 20, and the first end is one end of the flow channel plate 11 along the width direction of the box body 20, and the second end is the other end. In this way, when the box body 20 is impacted along its width direction, the probability of damage to the thermal management component 10 after the impact is reduced.

[0175] The first end may be one end of the flow channel plate 11 along the first direction, and the second end may be the other end of the flow channel plate 11 along the first direction.

[0176] The specific structure of the box body 20 is not limited.

[0177] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 7 to 9, the box body 20 includes two side beams 21 and two end beams 22, the two side beams 21 are spaced apart along a first direction, the side beams 21 extend along a second direction, the end beams 22 are connected between the two side beams 21 along the second direction, and the two end beams 22 are spaced apart along the second direction, and the side beams 21 and the end beams 22 are jointly enclosed to form a accommodating space 20a.

[0178] That is to say, referring to FIG. 10 , the force-bearing portion 131 and the side beam 21 are spaced apart from each other.

[0179] In some embodiments, the battery box further includes a reinforcing beam disposed within the storage space 20a and connected between the two side beams 21 along the first direction. In other embodiments, the battery box does not include a reinforcing beam. In other words, when the side beams 21 deform during a collision and come into contact with the energy absorber 13, the collision energy transferred to the thermal management assembly 10 is absorbed only by the deformation of the energy absorber 13. This facilitates the arrangement of more battery cells 30 within the storage space 20a, thereby increasing the battery capacity.

[0180] In some embodiments, the top side of the battery box is open in the vertical direction for placing the battery cells 30 into the battery box.

[0181] The vertical direction is the extension direction of the straight line where the direction of gravity is located.

[0182] The first direction, the second direction and the vertical direction are orthogonal to each other.

[0183] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 11 and 12 , a portion of the inner wall of the accommodating space 20a along the first direction is protruded to form a reinforcement protrusion 211, which extends along the second direction. The provision of the reinforcement protrusion 211 can further improve the structural rigidity of the box body 20, thereby reducing the deformation of the box body 20 in the event of a collision.

[0184] It is understandable that when the box body 20 collides and deforms along the first direction, the reinforcing protrusion 211 is more likely to contact the thermal management component 10 along the first direction than other parts of the inner wall of the accommodating space 20a along the first direction.

[0185] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 11 , the energy absorbing member 13 is located on the side of the current collector 12 near the reinforcing protrusion 211, and the force-bearing portion 131 is located on the end of the deformed portion 132 near the reinforcing protrusion 211. This allows the energy absorbing member 13 to contact the reinforcing protrusion 211 before the current collector 12 in the event of a collision, absorbing the collision energy. This reduces the chance of damage to the current collector 12 caused by contact between the reinforcing protrusion 211 and the current collector 12.

[0186] In the embodiment with the side beam 21 , referring to FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 , the reinforcement protrusion 211 is located on the side beam 21 .

[0187] It can be understood that the specific extension direction of the energy absorbing member 13 is adapted to the position of the reinforcing protrusion 211 .

[0188] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 2, 3, 10 and 11, the reinforcing protrusion 211 is located at the bottom of the inner wall of the accommodating space 20a along the first direction, and the energy absorbing member 13 extends downward at an angle to increase the probability of contact between the reinforcing protrusion 211 and the energy absorbing member 13 in the event of a collision.

[0189] In other embodiments, referring to Figures 4 and 5, the reinforcing protrusion 211 is located at the top of the inner wall of the accommodating space 20a along the first direction, and the energy absorbing member 13 extends upward at an angle to increase the probability of contact between the reinforcing protrusion 211 and the energy absorbing member 13 in the event of a collision.

[0190] In some embodiments, in a projection plane perpendicular to the first direction, at least a portion of the projection of the force-bearing portion 131 is located within the projection range of the reinforcing protrusion 211 .

[0191] In this way, when the box body 20 is hit and the reinforcing protrusion 211 intrudes into the accommodating space 20 a along the first direction, the force-bearing portion 131 can contact the reinforcing protrusion 211 , thereby absorbing the collision energy through the deformation of the deforming portion 132 .

[0192] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 12 , the battery box further includes an elastic conductive member 40 . The elastic conductive member 40 is sandwiched between the inner wall of the accommodating space 20 a and the energy absorbing member 13 . The elastic conductive member 40 can be elastically deformed along a first direction.

[0193] The elastic conductive member 40 has elasticity and conductivity. On the one hand, its conductivity enables the thermal management component 10 and the housing 20 to maintain the same potential, which is beneficial for the insulation test of the battery. On the other hand, its elasticity helps to keep the housing 20, the elastic conductive member 40 and the thermal management component 10 in contact, so that the thermal management component 10 and the housing 20 can maintain the same potential even in environments such as vibration.

[0194] The specific type of the elastic conductive member 40 is not limited, such as conductive foam.

[0195] The presently disclosed embodiment also provides a battery 100. Referring to Figures 7 to 10, the battery 100 includes a battery cell 30 and a battery box according to any of the aforementioned embodiments. The battery cell 30 is disposed in the accommodating space 20a and is attached to the flow channel plate 11 so that the fluid flowing in the flow channel plate 11 can generate heat exchange with the battery cell 30, thereby maintaining the temperature of the battery cell 30 within a suitable temperature range.

[0196] In the embodiment where the battery cell 30 is a square-shell battery cell, the surface with the largest area among the six surfaces of the battery cell 30 is in contact with the flow channel plate 11 , thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency between the battery cell 30 and the fluid.

[0197] An embodiment of the present disclosure further provides an electrical device, which includes the battery 100 in the aforementioned embodiment. The battery 100 is used as a power source for the electrical device.

[0198] In this way, the energy absorbing member 13 can reduce the probability of damage to the current collector 12 and the flow channel plate 11 in the event of a collision of the electrical device.

[0199] In some embodiments where the electrical device is a vehicle 1000 , the first direction is the width direction of the vehicle 1000 , the second direction is the length direction of the vehicle 1000 , and the vertical direction is the height direction of the vehicle 1000 .

[0200] In this way, the energy absorbing member 13 can effectively absorb the collision energy in the event of a side collision of the vehicle 1000 , thereby reducing the probability of damage to the current collector 12 in this event.

[0201] The side collision of the vehicle 1000 refers to the collision of the vehicle 1000 originating from the width direction of the vehicle 1000 .

[0202] The various embodiments / implementations provided in the present disclosure can be combined with each other without causing any contradiction.

[0203] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations of the embodiments of the present disclosure are possible. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the embodiments of the present disclosure shall be included within the scope of protection of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A thermal management component for thermally managing battery cells, the thermal management component comprising: A flow channel plate for conveying a fluid to exchange heat with the battery cells; A plurality of current collectors, the current collectors being connected to the flow channel plate; An energy absorption member, at least one of the current collectors having the energy absorption member provided on a side facing away from the flow channel plate, the energy absorption member including a force-receiving portion and a deformation portion, the force-receiving portion being located at an end of the deformation portion away from the current collector, and the stiffness of the deformation portion being less than the stiffness of the force-receiving portion.

2. The thermal management component according to claim 1, wherein, The deformation portion and the force-receiving portion are made of the same material, and in each cross-section of the energy absorption member perpendicular to its own extension direction, the cross-section with the smallest area is located in the deformation portion.

3. The thermal management component according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The energy absorption member and the current collector are of an integral structure.

4. The thermal management component according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The current collector is located at one end of the flow channel plate along its length direction, and an end of the force-receiving portion away from the current collector protrudes from an end of the current collector away from the flow channel plate in a direction away from the flow channel plate.

5. The thermal management component according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, An end of the force-receiving portion away from the deformation portion is arc-shaped.

6. The thermal management component according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The energy absorption member includes a connecting portion, the connecting portion being located at an end of the deformation portion close to the current collector and connected to the current collector, the stiffness of the deformation portion being less than the stiffness of the connecting portion, and the extension direction of the connecting portion intersecting the extension direction of the force-receiving portion.

7. The thermal management component according to claim 6, wherein, The connecting portion extends in a direction away from the flow channel plate, and its extension direction is inclined to the length direction of the flow channel plate, so that a first angle is formed between one side of the connecting portion and the current collector, and a second angle is formed between the other side of the connecting portion and the current collector, the angle of the first angle being greater than the angle of the second angle, and the force-receiving portion being located on a side of the connecting portion close to the first angle.

8. The thermal management component according to claim 7, wherein, The angle of the first angle is not less than 90°; And / or, the angle of the second angle is not less than 30°.

9. The thermal management component according to claim 7 or 8, wherein, A surface of an end of the force-receiving portion close to the deformation portion facing the second angle, a surface of the deformation portion facing the second angle, and a surface of the connecting portion facing the second angle are located in the same plane.

10. The thermal management component according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein, A third angle formed between the force-receiving portion and the connecting portion is an obtuse angle.

11. The thermal management component according to any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein, The flow channel plate extends in a straight line direction, and at least one of the current collectors is provided at both ends of the flow channel plate along its length direction, and at least one of the at least two current collectors corresponding to the flow channel plate is provided with the energy absorption member; Alternatively, the flow channel plate extends in a curved manner, and at least one of the current collectors is provided at both ends of the flow channel plate along its extension direction, and at least one of the at least two current collectors corresponding to the flow channel plate is provided with the energy absorption member.

12. A battery box for accommodating battery cells, the battery box comprising a box body and the thermal management component according to any one of claims 1 to 11, the box body having an accommodation space for accommodating the battery cells and the thermal management component, the current collectors being located at both ends of the flow channel plate along a first direction, and an inner wall of the accommodation space along the first direction being spaced apart from the force-receiving portion.

13. The battery box according to claim 12, wherein, A part of the inner wall of the accommodation space protrudes along the first direction to form a reinforcing protrusion. The energy absorption member is located on a side of the current collector close to the reinforcing protrusion, and the force-receiving part is located at an end of the deformation part close to the reinforcing protrusion.

14. The battery box according to claim 13, wherein, In a projection plane perpendicular to the first direction, at least a part of the projection of the force-receiving part is within the projection range of the reinforcing protrusion.

15. The battery box according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein, The battery box further includes an elastic conductive member, which is clamped between the inner wall of the accommodation space and the energy absorption member, and the elastic conductive member can elastically deform along the first direction.

16. The battery box according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein, The number of the heat management components is multiple, and all the flow channel plates of each heat management component are arranged side by side. The flow channel plate has a first end, and the first end is located at the same end of all the flow channel plates. At least one current collector is provided at the first end of each flow channel plate, and at least one of the at least one current collector corresponding to the first end of the flow channel plate is provided with an energy absorption member.

17. The battery box according to claim 16, wherein, The flow channel plate has a second end, and the second end is located at the other end of all the flow channel plates of each heat management component. At least one current collector is provided at the second end of each flow channel plate, and at least one of the at least one current collector corresponding to the second end of the flow channel plate is provided with an energy absorption member.

18. A battery, the battery includes the battery box according to any one of claims 12 to 17 and a battery cell, and the battery cell is arranged in the accommodation space and is attached to the flow channel plate.

19. An electrical device, the electrical device includes the battery according to claim 18, and the battery is used as a power source of the electrical device.

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