Battery and electric device

Abstract

Disclosed in the present invention are a battery and an electric device. The battery comprises: a case; battery cell rows each comprising a plurality of battery cells arranged in a first direction, wherein the plurality of battery cell rows are stacked in a second direction to form a battery cell array and placed in the case; and an elongated component, wherein at least one elongated component is provided on the surface of the side of the battery cell rows facing away from a bottom plate of the case in a third direction, the elongated component extends in the first direction and is connected to at least one battery cell in the battery cell rows, and the first direction is perpendicular to both the second direction and the third direction.

Description

Batteries and electrical devices

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This disclosure is based on and claims the priority of Chinese patent application with application number 202420283612.5, application date February 5, 2024, and invention name “Battery and Electrical Device”. The entire content of this Chinese patent application is hereby incorporated into this disclosure as a reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of batteries, and in particular to a battery and an electrical device using the battery to provide electrical energy. Background Art

[0004] New energy batteries are being used more and more widely in life and industry. For example, new energy vehicles equipped with batteries have been widely used. In addition, batteries are also being increasingly used in energy storage fields.

[0005] In application scenarios such as installing batteries in new energy vehicles, how to improve the volume utilization rate of battery cells in the battery is a technical direction that the industry continues to research and develop. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, the present disclosure provides a battery capable of improving the overall volume utilization of the battery while taking into account the overall structural strength of the battery, and an electrical device using the battery to provide electrical energy.

[0007] The present disclosure is achieved through the following technical solutions.

[0008] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a battery, comprising: a case; a battery cell row, comprising a plurality of battery cells arranged along a first direction, wherein the plurality of battery cell rows are stacked along a second direction to form a battery cell array and placed within the case; and a strip member, wherein at least one of the strip members is provided on a surface of the battery cell row on a side facing away from a bottom plate of the case along a third direction, the strip member extending along the first direction and connected to at least one battery cell in the battery cell row, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction and the third direction.

[0009] Since a strip-shaped component extending along the arrangement direction of the battery cells is provided on the top surface of the battery cell row, the strip-shaped component can improve the battery's ability to withstand vibration and impact, thereby reducing the number of beams in the battery box while taking into account the overall structural strength of the battery, further helping to improve the volume utilization of the battery cells in the battery, and also helping to reduce the overall weight and cost of the battery.

[0010] In some embodiments, the battery cell includes a first shoulder and a second shoulder, wherein the first shoulder and the second shoulder are respectively located on the surface of the battery cell having the electrode terminal side and on both sides of the electrode terminal, and the strip-shaped member is connected to the battery cell at the first shoulder and / or the second shoulder of the battery cell.

[0011] Since the strip-shaped member is located on the surface of the battery cell with the electrode terminal side and on both sides of the electrode terminal, the space around the electrode terminals in the battery cell row can be effectively utilized, which helps to improve the mechanical strength of the battery in withstanding vibration, impact, expansion, etc. without occupying the height space of the battery cell.

[0012] In some embodiments, in each of the battery cell rows, each of the first shoulders is connected in sequence, and each of the second shoulders is connected in sequence, and the battery includes: the strip-shaped member connected to the first shoulder of each of the battery cells in the battery cell row, and / or, the strip-shaped member connected to the second shoulder of each of the battery cells in the battery cell row.

[0013] The strip member can be provided on either the first shoulder side or the second shoulder side of the battery cell row, or on both the first and second shoulder sides of the battery cell. This allows for flexible arrangement of the strip members based on requirements for battery weight, mechanical strength, etc. Furthermore, because the strip member is connected to the shoulder (first shoulder and / or second shoulder) of each battery cell in the battery cell row, the ability of each battery cell in the battery cell row, and thus the entire battery cell row, to withstand vibration, shock, expansion, and the like can be improved.

[0014] In some embodiments, the plurality of battery cell rows include a first battery cell row and a second battery cell row adjacent to each other along the second direction, the first battery cell row and the second battery cell row are close to or in contact with each other along the second direction, the first battery cell row and the second battery cell row together form a third shoulder, the third shoulder includes the first shoulders of the first battery cell row connected in sequence and the second shoulders of the second battery cell row adjacent to the first battery cell row connected in sequence, and the strip member is connected to both the first shoulder and the second shoulder in the third shoulder.

[0015] Since multiple rows of battery cells are arranged close to or in contact with each other, it helps to improve the volume utilization of the battery cells in the battery; since the strip-shaped member is connected to the third shoulder formed by two adjacent rows of battery cells along the second direction (that is, the first shoulders and the second shoulders connected in sequence included in the third shoulder), it can further improve the ability of the battery cell row and then the entire battery to withstand vibration, shock, expansion, etc.

[0016] In some embodiments, the connecting comprises bonding.

[0017] By bonding, the strip-shaped component can be easily connected to the battery cell row. The operation is simple and time-saving, and it is not easy to cause damage to the surface of the battery cell. It can reduce the risks of leakage, electric leakage, etc. caused by damage to the battery cell, and can also reduce the space occupied by the mechanical connection component.

[0018] In each of the battery cells, a side wall standing upright along the third direction is formed at the end edges of the first shoulder portion and the second shoulder portion on the sides close to each other, and the side wall is used to define a boundary of each of the first shoulder portion and the second shoulder portion.

[0019] Since the end edges of the first shoulder and the second shoulder on the sides close to each other are formed with side walls erected along the third direction, even without additional positioning measures, the strip component can be easily aligned with the first shoulder and the second shoulder and installed in the appropriate position, which can reduce the adverse conditions caused by misalignment of the strip component.

[0020] In some embodiments, along the third direction, heights of the first shoulder and the second shoulder of the battery cell are smaller than a height of the electrode terminal of the battery cell.

[0021] Since the height of the battery cell at the first shoulder and the second shoulder is smaller than the height at the electrode terminal, the height space between the first shoulder, the second shoulder and the top surface of the electrode terminal can be effectively utilized, which can suppress the additional increase in the height of the battery box caused by the strip-shaped components or the additional increase in the amount, which is conducive to miniaturization of the battery volume.

[0022] In some embodiments, the box includes a frame, and beams extending in the same direction are provided in the space surrounded by the frame, and each of the battery cell rows is accommodated in the battery cell accommodating space surrounded by the frame and the beams.

[0023] Since the surface of the battery cell row is connected with a strip-shaped component that can increase the mechanical strength, it is possible to retain only a small number of cross beams and appropriately reduce the longitudinal beams while taking into account the overall mechanical strength of the battery, which helps to improve the volume utilization of the battery cell and also helps to reduce the overall weight and cost of the battery.

[0024] In some embodiments, the beam includes a first beam and a second beam, the first beam and the second beam are arranged in parallel, and the strip member includes a first strip member, both ends of which are respectively connected to the first beam and the second beam.

[0025] Since the two ends of the first strip member are respectively connected to two parallel beams in the frame, the battery's ability to withstand vibration, impact, expansion, etc. can be improved, especially the ability to withstand the expansion force of the battery cell in the extending direction of the first strip member.

[0026] In some embodiments, the first strip-shaped member includes a beading main body and a beading connection portion provided at at least one end of the beading main body, the beading connection portion includes a lap portion and a connection head, the beading connection portion is connected to one end of the beading main body at the lap portion and is connected to the first beam and / or the second beam at the connection head.

[0027] Since the first strip-shaped member is connected to the first beam and the second beam via the connecting head, the connection strength can be improved, and the risk of the first strip-shaped member being torn due to stress concentration or the like can be reduced.

[0028] In some embodiments, the strip-shaped member further includes a second strip-shaped member different from the first strip-shaped member, and the first strip-shaped member and the second strip-shaped member extend along the same direction.

[0029] The second strip-shaped member is also connected to the surface of the battery cell row, thereby also enhancing the rigidity of the battery cell row and improving the battery's resistance to vibration and impact. Furthermore, because the strip-shaped member can include a first strip-shaped member and a second strip-shaped member, these two strip-shaped members can be configured in different configurations and flexibly combined to meet mechanical strength requirements, overall battery weight requirements, and cost requirements, thereby facilitating a simple solution that addresses some or all of these three requirements.

[0030] In some embodiments, the first strip-shaped member and the second strip-shaped member are made of different materials and / or have different sizes.

[0031] By making the first strip member and the second strip member have different materials and / or different sizes, the overall weight of the strip member can be reduced while taking into account the mechanical strength, thereby reducing the overall weight of the battery and helping to reduce the cost of the strip member.

[0032] In some embodiments, the first strip-shaped members and the second strip-shaped members are alternately arranged in the second direction, or the first strip-shaped members and the second strip-shaped members are symmetrically arranged about a symmetry axis along the first direction.

[0033] By alternating the first and second strip members along the second direction (the direction in which the battery cells are stacked in rows), the overall mechanical strength of the battery is enhanced. By arranging the first and second strip members symmetrically along the first direction (the direction in which the battery cells are arranged in rows), the overall mechanical strength of the battery is evenly enhanced.

[0034] In some embodiments, the first strip-shaped member comprises a strip-shaped member made of a steel strip.

[0035] Since the strip components made of steel strips have high impact strength, tensile strength and other strengths, they help improve the mechanical strength of batteries to withstand vibration, impact, expansion, etc.

[0036] In some embodiments, a surface of the first strip-shaped member has an insulating film or an insulating coating.

[0037] Since the surface of the first strip-shaped member has the insulating film or the insulating coating, it can be insulated from the first shoulder portion, the second shoulder portion, etc. of the battery cell.

[0038] In some embodiments, the second strip-shaped member comprises a strip-shaped member made of a fiber-reinforced resin composite material.

[0039] Because fiber-reinforced resin composite strips are lightweight, they help reduce the overall weight of the battery while maintaining overall mechanical strength. Furthermore, because fiber-reinforced resin composite strips offer excellent tensile strength, they help improve the battery's mechanical strength against expansion forces.

[0040] In some embodiments, the battery further includes a heat management component, wherein the heat management component is located on at least one side of the battery cell and is configured to perform heat exchange with the battery cell.

[0041] This allows the battery cells to be cooled, allowing them to operate at a suitable temperature.

[0042] In some embodiments, the thermal management component is located on a side of the battery cell close to the bottom plate along the third direction for heat exchange with the battery cell.

[0043] Since the thermal management component is arranged on the bottom plate side, it can exchange heat with the battery cells to make the battery cells operate at a suitable temperature. Moreover, the thermal management component occupies less space between the battery cells in the battery box, thus helping to improve the space utilization of the battery.

[0044] A second aspect of the present disclosure provides an electrical device, characterized in that the electrical device includes the battery provided by the first aspect of the present disclosure for providing electrical energy.

[0045] Since the overall volume utilization of the battery can be improved while taking into account the overall structural strength of the battery, for the electrical device, it helps to reduce the space used for arranging the battery, reduce the overall weight of the electrical device, or increase the total energy of the battery used in the electrical device to extend the charging interval of the electrical device.

[0046] Utility model effect

[0047] The present disclosure can provide a battery that improves the overall volume utilization of the battery while taking into account the overall structural strength of the battery, and an electrical device that uses the battery to provide electric energy. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiment below. The accompanying drawings are for illustration purposes only and are not to be considered as limiting the present disclosure. The same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to denote the same components. In the drawings:

[0049] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery-powered vehicle provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0050] FIG2 is a perspective exploded schematic diagram of the structure of a battery provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0051] FIG3 is a perspective schematic diagram of a battery cell provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0052] FIG4 is a schematic plan view of a battery with its cover removed according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0053] FIG5 is a perspective schematic diagram of a battery frame provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0054] FIG6 is a perspective schematic diagram of a battery frame provided by other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0055] FIG7 is a perspective schematic diagram of a layering strip provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0056] FIG8 is a partial perspective schematic diagram of a layering strip provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0057] FIG9 is a partial perspective schematic diagram of a brace provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0058] FIG10 is a partial perspective schematic diagram of a pull rod provided in some other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0059] DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS: 1000 - vehicle; 100 - battery; 100A - battery pack; 200 - controller; 300 - motor; 101 - bottom plate; 102 - heat exchange plate; 103 - frame; 1031 - first beam; 1032 - second beam; 1033 - frame; 1034 - edge; 1035 - mounting hole; 1036 - third beam; 1037 - longitudinal beam; 1038 - mounting flange; 104 - battery cell; 1041 - large surface of battery cell; 1042 - side surface of battery cell; 1043 - bottom surface of battery cell; 1044 - top cover; 1045 - electrode terminal; 1046 - exhaust valve; 1047 - first shoulder; 1048 - second shoulder; 105 - connecting pipe; 1051 - connecting pipe opening; 106 - manifold; 107-pressing strip; 1071-pressing strip body; 1072-pressing strip connection part; 1072a-lap joint; 1072b-connecting head; 1072c-long hole part; 1072d-welding part; 108-pull strip; 1081-pull strip end face; 109-BMS assembly; 110-high-voltage box assembly; 111-electrical plug part; 112-cover; 1121-mounting bolt; h1-shoulder height; h2-electrode terminal height; S-battery cell accommodating space. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] The following embodiments of the technical solution of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present disclosure and are therefore only examples and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0061] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning 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 and claims of the present disclosure and the above-mentioned figure descriptions 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, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by technical terms such as "length", "width", "height", "up", "down", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside" and "outside" are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, operated or used in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be understood as limiting the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[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] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail.

[0069] Currently, new energy batteries are increasingly being used in daily life and industry. They are not only used in energy storage systems such as hydropower, thermal power, wind power, and solar power plants, but are also widely used in electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric cars, as well as in aerospace and other fields.

[0070] In many applications, including those involving batteries in new energy vehicles, the volumetric utilization of battery cells remains a key concern. The industry generally believes that a higher volumetric utilization means more cells can be accommodated per unit volume. Therefore, improving battery volumetric utilization is a key area of ​​ongoing research and development in the industry.

[0071] In existing batteries, heat exchange plates are placed at the bottom of the battery cells to exchange heat with them. In this structure, to meet the battery's strength requirements for vibration and impact, cross-beams and longitudinal beams are interlaced in the battery case, and the battery cells are arranged in the spaces separated by these cross-beams and longitudinal beams. However, this structure consumes a large amount of space in the battery case, which in turn reduces the space available for arranging the battery cells.

[0072] In existing batteries, some structures reduce the longitudinal beams in the battery case and employ heat exchange plates that contact the large surfaces of the battery cells. Because the large heat exchange plates enhance the overall strength of the case, even with the reduced longitudinal beams, the battery's strength requirements for withstanding vibration and shock can still be met. However, this structure suffers from the fact that the large heat exchange plates occupy a significant amount of space in the battery case, compromising the space available for arranging the battery cells.

[0073] In response to this situation, one of the technical challenges addressed by this disclosure is how to further improve the volume utilization of battery cells while maintaining overall battery strength. Specifically, one of the technical challenges addressed by this disclosure is how to remove or reduce the longitudinal beams within the battery box to further improve the volume utilization of the battery while also maintaining the required mechanical strength to withstand vibration and impact.

[0074] In response to the problems existing in the above-mentioned prior art, the present disclosure proposes the following design concept: reducing the longitudinal beams in the battery to provide as much space as possible for arranging battery cells, and further fixing one or more strip-shaped components on the surface of the battery cells to enhance the mechanical strength of the battery cell row to withstand vibration, impact, expansion and deformation.

[0075] Based on this design concept, the present disclosure provides a battery comprising a housing, a battery cell row, and a strip-shaped member. The battery cell row comprises a plurality of battery cells arranged along a first direction. The plurality of battery cell rows are stacked along a second direction to form a battery cell array and placed within the housing. At least one strip-shaped member is provided on a surface of the battery cell row facing away from the bottom plate of the housing along a third direction. The strip-shaped member extends along the first direction and is connected to at least one battery cell in the battery cell row. The first direction is perpendicular to both the second and third directions.

[0076] The provision of the strip-shaped members maximizes the space available for arranging the battery cells in the direction in which they are arranged, maximizing the use of space within the battery case and helping to improve the space utilization of the battery case. Furthermore, since the strip-shaped members extending along the direction in which the battery cells are arranged are provided on the surface of the battery cell row, the strip-shaped members enhance the row's ability to withstand vibration, impact, and expansion deformation, reducing the number of beams within the battery case and further helping to improve the volume utilization of the battery cells within the battery.

[0077] The battery provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure can be used, but is not limited to, in electrical devices such as energy storage power systems, vehicles, ships, or aircraft. Because the battery can improve the overall volume utilization of the battery while maintaining the overall structural strength of the battery, it can help reduce the space required for battery placement in the electrical device, reduce the overall weight of the electrical device, or increase the total energy of the battery used in the electrical device to extend the charging interval of the electrical device.

[0078] The present disclosure also provides an electrical device comprising the aforementioned battery for providing electrical energy. The electrical device may be, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop computer, an electric toy, an electric tool, a battery-powered vehicle, an electric car, a ship, a spacecraft, etc. The electric toy may include a fixed or mobile electric toy, such as a game console, an electric car toy, an electric ship toy, and an electric airplane toy, etc. The spacecraft may include an airplane, a rocket, a space shuttle, and a spacecraft, etc.

[0079] 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.

[0080] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle 1000 provided in some embodiments 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.

[0081] 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 .

[0082] The battery mentioned in the embodiments of the present disclosure is a single physical module that can include multiple battery cells to provide higher voltage and capacity. Multiple battery cells can be connected in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid connection. A hybrid connection refers to multiple battery cells being connected in both series and parallel.

[0083] In some embodiments, the battery may be a battery module, wherein a plurality of battery cells are arranged and fixed to form a battery module.

[0084] In some embodiments, the battery can be a battery pack. Multiple battery cells can be directly connected in series, parallel, or hybrid, and then the entire battery pack can be housed in a storage space for use as a battery pack. Alternatively, the battery pack can be constructed by first connecting multiple battery cells in series, parallel, or hybrid to form a battery module, and then connecting multiple battery modules in series, parallel, or hybrid to form a single battery pack. Of course, a battery pack also includes a single battery module. In the following embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 , the battery 100 is described as a battery pack 100A.

[0085] The battery pack 100A may further include other structures, for example, a busbar 106 for achieving electrical connection between the plurality of battery cells 104 . In addition, the battery pack 100A may further include a heat exchange plate 102 for performing heat exchange with each battery cell 104 .

[0086] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, 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.

[0087] 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.

[0088] Although not shown, battery cells 104 typically include an electrode assembly. The electrode assembly includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator. During the charge and discharge process of the battery cell, active ions (e.g., lithium ions) are intercalated and released between the positive and negative electrodes. The separator, positioned between the positive and negative electrodes, prevents short circuits between the positive and negative electrodes while allowing the active ions to pass through.

[0089] In some embodiments, the electrode assembly is provided with tabs (not shown) that can conduct current from the electrode assembly. The tabs include a positive tab and a negative tab.

[0090] In some embodiments, a battery cell may include a housing. The housing is used to encapsulate components such as the electrode assembly and the electrolyte. The housing may be a steel housing, an aluminum housing, a plastic housing (e.g., polypropylene), a composite metal housing (e.g., a copper-aluminum composite housing), or an aluminum-plastic film.

[0091] In some embodiments, the housing is provided with at least one electrode terminal, which is electrically connected to the tab. The electrode terminal may be directly connected to the tab or indirectly connected to the tab via an adapter component. The electrode terminal may be provided on the end cap or on the housing.

[0092] As an example, the battery cell can be a cylindrical battery cell, a prismatic battery cell, a soft-pack battery cell or a battery cell of other shapes. The prismatic battery cell includes a square-shell battery cell, a blade-shaped battery cell, a polygonal battery, such as a hexagonal battery, etc. There is no special limitation in the present disclosure.

[0093] In some embodiments, the battery pack housing can serve as part of the vehicle's chassis structure. For example, a portion of the housing can form at least a portion of the vehicle's floor, or a portion of the housing can form at least a portion of the vehicle's crossbeams and longitudinal beams.

[0094] Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2 to FIG. 10 .

[0095] FIG2 is a perspective exploded schematic diagram of the structure of a battery provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG3 is a perspective schematic diagram of a battery cell provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG4 is a plan schematic diagram of a battery provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure with the cover removed;

[0096] Figure 5 is a stereoscopic schematic diagram of the frame of the battery provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 6 is a stereoscopic schematic diagram of the frame of the battery provided in other embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 7 is a stereoscopic schematic diagram of the pressure strip provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 8 is a stereoscopic partial schematic diagram of the pressure strip provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 9 is a stereoscopic partial schematic diagram of the pull strip provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 10 is a stereoscopic partial schematic diagram of the pull strip provided in other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0097] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a battery pack 100A includes a housing, a battery cell row, and a strip-shaped member. The battery cell row includes a plurality of battery cells 104 arranged along a first direction. Multiple battery cell rows are stacked along a second direction to form a battery cell array and placed within the housing. At least one strip-shaped member is provided on the side of the battery cell row facing away from the bottom plate of the housing along a third direction Z. The strip-shaped member extends along the first direction X and connects to at least one battery cell 104 in the battery cell row. Here, the first direction X is perpendicular to both the second direction Y and the third direction Z.

[0098] The housing is used to accommodate at least a plurality of battery cells arranged along a first direction and a second direction to form a battery cell array. The housing generally includes a storage space, which can be enclosed by a bottom plate, a cover, etc. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2 , the housing includes a frame 103 , and the space enclosed by the frame 103 serves as the battery cell storage space S.

[0099] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, for ease of description, a first direction, a second direction, and a third direction are set, and the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are directions that intersect with each other. In the embodiments shown in Figures 2 to 6, the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are directions that are perpendicular to each other for illustration, but those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the case where the three directions are perpendicular to each other. For ease of description, as shown by the arrows in Figures 2 and 3, the direction of arrow X is the first direction X, the direction of arrow Y is the second direction Y, and the direction of arrow Z is the third direction Z.

[0100] In addition, in the embodiments shown in Figures 2 to 6, as a specific example, the direction indicated by the arrow Z is the top direction (also the direction away from the base plate 101), sometimes also referred to as "above", and the direction opposite to the top direction along the second direction Z is the bottom direction, sometimes also referred to as "below".

[0101] As shown in FIG2 and FIG3 , at least one strip member is provided on a surface of the battery cell row facing away from the thermal management component along the third direction Z. The strip member extends along the first direction X and is connected to at least one battery cell 104 in the battery cell row.

[0102] Specifically, at least one strip member is provided on the surface of the battery cell row facing away from the bottom plate of the box along the third direction Z. The strip member extends along the first direction X and is connected to at least one battery cell 104 in the battery cell row.

[0103] As shown in Figure 2, the base plate 101 is located at the bottom of the battery pack 100A, and plays the role of enclosing or supporting the frame 103 (described later) of the battery pack 100A from the bottom; it can also play the role of protecting the heat exchange plate 102. Although not explicitly shown in the figure, the base plate 101 is mounted on the edge portion 1034 of the frame 103 by, for example, screw fastening. When using the screw fastening method, the edge portion 1034 is provided with a plurality of mounting holes 1035 to facilitate fastening with the base plate 101. The material of the base plate 101 can be, for example, metal, resin, or other suitable materials.

[0104] In conjunction with Figure 3, the battery cell 104 is described in detail using a square box battery as an example. As shown in Figure 3, each battery cell 104 includes a large battery cell surface 1041, a side surface 1042, a bottom surface 1043, and a top cover 1044. On the top cover 1044, two electrode terminals 1045 are exposed to the outside. On the top cover 1044, an exhaust valve 1046 is provided between the two electrode terminals 1045. On the top surface side of the battery cell 104, a first shoulder 1047 and a second shoulder 1048 are provided in a position avoiding the electrode terminals 1045 (the two shoulders will be described later). In addition, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, a busbar component 106 is also provided on the top surface of the battery cell 104 to electrically connect the electrode terminals 1045 of adjacent battery cells 104. Here, the short strip-shaped busbar component 106 is only an example, and the busbar component can also take other forms.

[0105] The shape of the battery cell 104 is not limited to the aforementioned square box shape. Batteries of other shapes, such as cylindrical batteries and prismatic batteries, are also applicable to the present disclosure.

[0106] In addition, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, in the box formed by the frame 103, in addition to the above-mentioned multiple battery cells 104, there is also a BMS (Battery Management System) component 109 for monitoring the battery status and exchanging information with the electrical device, a high-voltage box component 110 for connecting the voltage provided by the multiple battery cells 104 to the electrical device and / or charging the multiple battery cells 104 from the charging device, and an electrical plug part 111 including a high-voltage connection port and a low-voltage connection port.

[0107] In addition, as shown in Figure 2, the battery also has a cover 112, which is used to close the box formed by the frame 103 from above. The cover 112 can be fixedly connected to the frame 103 by installing bolts 1121, so that the cover 112, the frame 103 and the bottom plate 101 can form the outer shell of the battery pack 100A.

[0108] As shown in Figures 2 and 4 , the battery pack 100A further includes a strip-shaped member extending along a first direction X (also the direction in which the battery cells 104 are arranged in a row). The strip-shaped member can be configured as an elongated strip having a predetermined cross-section. The cross-section can be triangular, rectangular, square, or other quadrilateral, or polygonal (e.g., a shape with a central protrusion as shown in Figure 9 , or an overall concave shape as shown in Figure 10 ). The design can be tailored to the specific situation.

[0109] Here, the strip-shaped member can be one strip-shaped member or multiple strip-shaped members. In the case where multiple strip-shaped members exist, the strip-shaped members can be of the same type or of two or more slightly different types. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the strip-shaped member can be divided into two types of strip-shaped members with different shapes, which will be described in detail later.

[0110] As shown in Figures 2 and 4 , the strip-shaped member overlaps with at least one battery cell in the battery cell row in the third direction Z. In this overlapping area, the strip-shaped member is connected to at least one battery cell. Here, the area of ​​the battery cell that overlaps with the strip-shaped member can be located on the same side as the electrode terminal 1045, as shown in Figures 2 and 4 , or it can be located on the side without the electrode terminal 1045. For example, when the battery cells 104 are arranged with their large surfaces facing the third direction Z, the strip-shaped member can overlap with the side surface 1042 of the battery cell. In addition, as shown in Figures 2 to 4 , the area where the strip-shaped member overlaps with each battery cell 104 is located at a position that avoids the electrode terminal 1045 and the exhaust valve 1046.

[0111] In addition, although the strip-shaped member has an overlapping area with each battery cell 104 in the battery cell row, it can be connected to only some of the battery cells 104 in the battery cell row. For example, it can be connected to several battery cells 104 with several battery cells 104 in between. However, from the perspective of improving the mechanical strength of the battery cell row to withstand vibration and impact, it is better to connect the strip-shaped member to each battery cell 104 it overlaps with.

[0112] Since a strip-shaped member extending along the arrangement direction of the battery cells is provided on the top surface of the battery cell row, the strip-shaped member can improve the battery's ability to withstand vibration and impact, thereby reducing the number of beams in the battery box while taking into account the overall structural strength of the battery, further helping to improve the volume utilization of the battery cells in the battery, and also helping to reduce the overall weight and cost of the battery.

[0113] In some embodiments, the battery further includes a thermal management component, which is located on at least one side of the battery cell 104 for performing heat exchange with the battery cell 104 .

[0114] In some embodiments, the thermal management component is located on a side of the battery cell 104 close to the bottom plate 101 along the third direction Z for heat exchange with the battery cell 104 .

[0115] Thermal management components are typically used to cool or heat battery cells. The specific structure of a thermal management component varies, and can, for example, be plate-shaped, have internal heat exchange medium channels, or be integrated or split. In one specific embodiment, the thermal management component includes a heat exchange plate 102 as shown in Figure 2. While the following description uses the heat exchange plate 102 as an example, the thermal management component should be understood to include, but not be limited to, the heat exchange plate 102.

[0116] Optionally, the battery pack 100A includes a frame 103 serving as a housing, a plurality of rows of battery cells within the space enclosed by the frame 103, and a heat exchange plate 102 located between the battery cells and the base plate 101. The heat exchange plate 102 is located at the bottom of the frame 103 serving as the housing (on one side of the frame 103 in the third direction Z) and is fixed to the frame 103.

[0117] As shown in Figure 2, a heat exchange plate 102 is provided above the base plate (in the direction indicated by arrow Z). Heat exchange plate 102 is used to exchange heat with the battery cells above it (in the direction indicated by arrow Z). Of course, heat exchange plate 102 can also be provided below base plate 101. Furthermore, heat exchange plate 102 can also be provided between adjacent battery cells, for example, in contact with the large surface (the surface with the largest area) of a battery cell. Heat exchange plates can also be provided on both the bottom and large surfaces of the battery.

[0118] In some embodiments, a heat exchange medium flow path for heat exchange medium to flow is formed inside the heat exchange plate 102. The heat exchange medium flow path can be connected to a heat exchange medium supply source or other heat exchange medium flow paths through a connecting pipe port 1051 of a connecting pipe 105 such as that shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0119] The heat exchange medium mentioned in the embodiments of the present disclosure is a fluid used to perform heat exchange with battery cells in a pipeline. The so-called heat exchange refers to the use of the temperature difference between the heat exchange medium and the surroundings of each battery cell to achieve heat transfer so as to reduce the temperature difference between the heat exchange medium and the battery cell. It can be used to heat up the battery cell or to cool down the battery cell. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the case of regulating the temperature of the battery cell by using the temperature difference between the liquid heat exchange medium and the surroundings of each battery cell is used as an example. In some embodiments, the heat exchange medium is called a coolant or refrigerant, which is mainly used to cool the battery cell. As a coolant, a suitable coolant can be selected according to the specific situation. As specific examples, ethylene glycol solutions, water, etc. can be cited.

[0120] In addition, in the embodiments shown in Figures 2 and 4, multiple battery cells 104 are arranged with the large surface of the battery cell 104 facing the first direction X and the side surface facing the second direction Y, but the battery cells 104 can also be arranged in other directions. For example, the large surface of the battery cell 104 can face the second direction Y and the side surface can face the first direction X, and the large surface of the battery cell 104 (such as the large surface of a cylindrical battery) can also be arranged toward the second direction Z.

[0121] All battery cells 104 are bonded to the heat exchange plate 102 by, for example, a heat-conducting structural adhesive, thereby enabling each battery cell to be fixed.

[0122] The heat exchange plate 102 is bonded to the base plate 101 using a thermally conductive adhesive. This secures the relative position of the heat exchange plate 102 to the base plate 101 and facilitates heat transfer between the heat exchange plate 102 and the base plate 101. The thermally conductive adhesive may be, for example, commercially available polyurethane-based thermally conductive adhesive or thermally conductive silicone.

[0123] The heat exchange plate 102 can be fastened or welded to the frame 103 (described later) from below, for example, by being fastened to the mounting flange 1038 of the frame 103 using bolts or the like. In addition, although not explicitly shown in the figures, the heat exchange plate 102 can also be fastened or welded to beams within the frame (for example, the first beam 1031 and the second beam 1032 described later).

[0124] A plurality of battery cells 104 are arranged above the heat exchange plate 102. These battery cells 104 are arranged into one or more battery cell rows. Figures 2 and 4 illustrate an example of six battery cell rows. However, the number of battery cell rows is not limited to six and can be fewer than six, such as two, three, or four, or more than six.

[0125] Since the heat exchange plate 102 is disposed on the bottom plate 101 , the situation in which the heat exchange plate 102 occupies the arrangement space of the battery cells 104 can be alleviated, and as much space as possible for arranging the battery cells 104 can be provided in the arrangement direction of the battery cells 104 .

[0126] Since a strip-shaped component extending along the arrangement direction of the battery cells is provided on the surface of the battery cell row, the strip-shaped component can improve the ability of the battery cell row to withstand vibration impact, expansion and deformation, thereby reducing the number of beams in the battery box while taking into account the overall structural strength of the battery, which helps to improve the volume utilization of the battery cells in the battery and also helps to suppress the overall weight and cost of the battery.

[0127] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, the battery cell 104 includes a first shoulder 1047 and a second shoulder 1048, and the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048 are respectively located on the surface of the battery cell 104 having the electrode terminal 1045 side and on both sides of the electrode terminal 1045. At the first shoulder 1047 and / or the second shoulder 1048 of the battery cell 104, the strip-shaped member is connected to the battery cell 104.

[0128] Here, the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048 are two areas on the top surface of the battery cell 104. The two areas can be axially symmetrical about the central axis of the battery cell 104 along the third direction Z, or can be offset relative to the central axis. In addition, the two areas can also have different shapes and / or sizes.

[0129] As shown in FIG3 , the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048 can be formed by providing a top cover 1044. Specifically, the top cover 1044 is configured such that its length along the second direction Y is shorter than the distance between the two battery cell side surfaces 1042 of the battery cell 104 along the second direction Y. When such a top cover 1044 is assembled to the top surface of the battery cell 104, the top surface of the battery cell 104 is exposed on both sides of the top cover 1044. These two exposed top surfaces of the battery cell 104 can serve as the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048.

[0130] The lengths of the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048 along the second direction Y are configured to match those of the disposed strip member, so that the strip member can reliably contact the surfaces of the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048. For example, the lengths of the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048 along the second direction Y can each be greater than or substantially equal to the width of the strip member along the second direction Y; or the lengths of the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048 along the second direction Y can each be greater than or substantially equal to approximately half the width of the strip member along the second direction Y. Alternatively, the lengths of the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048 along the second direction Y can each be less than approximately half the width of the strip member along the second direction Y. In this case, the strip member can be disposed with a slight gap between the battery cell rows, which can still ensure that the strip member contacts the surfaces of the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048.

[0131] In addition, since the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048 are located on both sides of the electrode terminal 1045, the strip-shaped component can be placed in the space formed by the height difference between the first shoulder 1047, the second shoulder 1048 and the top surface of the electrode terminal 1045 (the surface facing away from the bottom plate 101 along the third direction Z). This can reduce the possibility of an increase in the height dimension of the battery pack 100A due to the strip-shaped component, or the height dimension of the battery pack 100A can be basically not increased.

[0132] Since the strip-shaped member is located on the surface of the battery cell 104 with the electrode terminal side and on both sides of the electrode terminal 1045, the space around the electrode terminal 1045 in the battery cell row can be effectively utilized, which helps to improve the mechanical strength of the battery in withstanding vibration, impact, expansion, etc. without occupying the height space of the battery cell.

[0133] In addition, it should be noted that the "first" and "second" in the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048 are only used to distinguish the shoulders on both sides. For example, for each battery cell 104 in Figure 4, the shoulder located on the upper side along the second direction Y is called the first shoulder, and the shoulder on the other side is called the second shoulder; of course, the opposite is also possible.

[0134] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, in each battery cell row, each first shoulder 1047 is connected in sequence, and each second shoulder 1048 is connected in sequence, and the battery 100 (battery pack 100A) includes: a strip member connected to the first shoulder 1047 of each battery cell 104 in the battery cell row, and / or, a strip member connected to the second shoulder 1048 of each battery cell 104 in the battery cell row.

[0135] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, for a column of battery cells, a first shoulder area formed by a plurality of first shoulders 1047 connected in sequence is formed on one side, and a second shoulder area formed by a plurality of second shoulders 1048 connected in sequence is formed on the other side. Figures 2 and 4 show multiple columns of battery cells, so there are multiple first shoulder areas and multiple second shoulder areas. Strip members can be set for part or all of the multiple first shoulder areas, or for part or all of the multiple second shoulder areas, or for both the first shoulder area and the second shoulder area. The area where the strip members are set, the number of strip members to be set, etc. are appropriately determined according to the specific circumstances (such as the desired weight of the battery pack 100A, the required strength requirements, the use environment of the battery pack 100A, etc.).

[0136] In addition, for the first shoulder region and / or the second shoulder region where the strip-shaped member is provided, the strip-shaped member is in surface contact with and connected to all the shoulders in the shoulder region.

[0137] Since the strip-shaped member can be provided on either the side of the first shoulder 1047 or the side of the second shoulder 1048 in the battery cell row, or on both the side of the first shoulder 1047 and the side of the second shoulder 1048 in the battery cell row, the strip-shaped member can be flexibly arranged according to requirements for battery weight, mechanical strength, etc. Furthermore, since the strip-shaped member is connected to the shoulder (first shoulder 1047 and / or second shoulder 1048) of each battery cell 104 in the battery cell row, the ability of each battery cell 104 in the battery cell row, and thus the entire battery cell row, to withstand vibration, shock, expansion, etc. can be improved.

[0138] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, battery 100 (battery pack 100A) includes multiple battery cell rows stacked along a second direction Y. The multiple battery cell rows include a first battery cell row and a second battery cell row adjacent to each other along the second direction Y. The first battery cell row and the second battery cell row are close to or in contact with each other along the second direction Y. The first battery cell row and the second battery cell row together form a third shoulder portion, which includes first shoulders 1047 of the first battery cell row connected in sequence and second shoulders 1048 of the second battery cell row adjacent to the first battery cell row connected in sequence. A strip member is connected to both the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048 of the third shoulder portion.

[0139] Specifically, in the battery pack 100A shown in Figures 2 and 4 , multiple battery cells 104 are arranged in rows along a first direction X, and multiple columns of battery cell rows are stacked along a second direction Y. To improve the volumetric utilization of the battery cells, adjacent battery cells 104 in each row are in close contact with each other. In the specific examples shown in Figures 2 and 4 , this means that the large surfaces 1041 of adjacent battery cells are in surface contact with each other. Furthermore, adjacent rows of battery cells are also in close contact with each other. In the specific examples shown in Figures 2 and 4 , this means that the side surfaces 1042 of adjacent battery cells are in surface contact with each other. This fully utilizes the space available for battery arrangement in the battery pack 100A, improving its volumetric utilization. It should be noted that the contact between adjacent battery cells 104 and between adjacent rows of battery cells can be direct contact or through spacers. Additionally, adjacent battery cells 104 can be bonded together using adhesives, double-sided tape, or the like. For example, in the examples shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 , the large surfaces 1041 of the battery cells in each battery cell row may be bonded to each other, and every two adjacent battery cell rows along the second direction Y may be bonded to each other (the side surfaces 1042 of the battery cells may be bonded to each other).

[0140] A third shoulder is formed between adjacent rows of battery cells arranged in close contact, formed by the contact between the first shoulder 1047 (or first shoulder region) and the second shoulder 1048 (or second shoulder region). This third shoulder forms a recessed space relative to the top cover 1044 adjacent to it on both sides. The strip-shaped member can be disposed in this recessed space and contact and connect with the bottom plane of the recessed space.

[0141] Alternatively, adjacent rows of battery cells may not be in close contact, but rather have a slight gap between them. In this case, a third shoulder portion having a wider dimension along the second direction Y may be provided to accommodate a wider strip-shaped member. The strip-shaped member is in surface contact with and connected to the first shoulder portion 1047 (or first shoulder region) and the second shoulder portion 1048 (or second shoulder region) of the third shoulder portion, which are located opposite each other with a gap therebetween.

[0142] Since multiple battery cell rows are arranged close to or in contact with each other, it helps to improve the volume utilization of the battery cells in the battery; since the strip-shaped member is connected to the first shoulders 1047 and the second shoulders 1048 connected in sequence between two adjacent battery cell rows, it can further improve the ability of the battery cell rows and then the entire battery to withstand vibration, shock, expansion, etc.

[0143] In some embodiments, the connection between the strip-shaped member and the battery cell comprises bonding.

[0144] The strip-shaped member can be bonded to the first shoulder 1047 and / or the second shoulder 1048 using, for example, an adhesive. For example, commercially available structural adhesives, such as polyurethane structural adhesives, acrylic structural adhesives, and epoxy structural adhesives, can be used. Of course, other suitable adhesives can also be used. Alternatively, the strip-shaped member can be bonded using double-sided tape.

[0145] By bonding, the strip-shaped component can be easily connected to the battery cell row. The operation is simple and time-saving, and it is not easy to cause damage to the surface of the battery cell. It can reduce the risks of leakage, electric leakage, etc. caused by damage to the battery cell, and can also reduce the space occupied by the mechanical connection component.

[0146] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, in each battery cell 104, a side wall erected along a third direction is formed at the end edges of the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048 close to each other, and the side wall is used to define a boundary of each of the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048.

[0147] As shown in FIG3 , since the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048 are located on both sides of the top cover 1044, a side wall formed by the end edge of the top cover 1044 and standing along the third direction Z is formed at the boundary between the first shoulder 1047, the second shoulder 1048 and the top cover 1044. This side wall makes it easy to determine the boundary between the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048, thereby making it easy to align and install the strip-shaped member with the first shoulder 1047, the second shoulder 1048, and the third shoulder formed by combining the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048. Of course, it is also possible not to set such a top cover 1044 on the top surface of the battery cell 104 to form a clear boundary structure (such as a side wall standing upright along the third direction) with the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048, but to use the electrode terminals 1045 on the surface of the battery cell 104, and other marks provided on the surface of the battery cell 104, etc. to determine the positions of the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048.

[0148] Since the end edges of the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048 on the sides close to each other are formed with side walls erected along the third direction, even without additional positioning measures, the strip component can be easily aligned with the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048 and installed in a suitable position, which can reduce the adverse conditions caused by misalignment of the strip component.

[0149] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3 , along the third direction Z, a height h1 of the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048 of the battery cell 104 is smaller than a height h2 of the electrode terminal 1045 of the battery cell 104 .

[0150] FIG3 shows a height h1 at the second shoulder 1048 and a height h2 at the electrode terminal 1045. Here, since the battery cell 104 has the same height along the third direction Z at the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048, illustration of the height at the first shoulder 1047 is omitted. The heights h1 and h2 shown in FIG3 can be measured using a vernier caliper at a temperature of 25° C.

[0151] The thickness of the strip-shaped member (the dimension along the third direction Z) can be designed based on the difference between heights h1 and h2. For example, the thickness of the strip-shaped member can be less than or equal to the difference between heights h1 and h2, or slightly greater than the difference between heights h1 and h2. The thickness of the strip-shaped member can be determined based on specific circumstances, as long as it can achieve the function of enhancing mechanical strength and does not significantly increase the height of the battery pack 100A.

[0152] Since the height h1 of the battery cell 104 at the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048 is smaller than the height h2 at the electrode terminal 1045, the height space between the first shoulder 1047, the second shoulder 1048 and the top surface of the electrode terminal 1045 can be effectively utilized, and the additional increase in the height of the battery box caused by the strip-shaped components or the additional increase in the amount can be suppressed, which is conducive to miniaturization of the battery volume.

[0153] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5, the box of the battery 100 (battery pack 100A) includes a frame 103, and beams extending in the same direction are provided in the space enclosed by the frame 103. Each battery cell row is accommodated in the battery cell accommodating space S enclosed by the frame 103 and the beam.

[0154] In Figures 2, 4, and 5, beams extending entirely along the second direction Y are provided within the space enclosed by the frame 103. These beams (specifically, the first beam 1031 and the second beam 1032, sometimes also referred to as "crossbeams"), together with the frame 1033 of the frame 103, define a battery cell storage space S. In the embodiments shown in Figures 2, 4, and 5, two beams define a single battery cell storage space S. All battery cells 104 are positioned within this battery cell storage space S and bonded to the heat exchange plate 102 or the base plate 101. However, the number of beams is not limited to two and can be one, three, or more. The beams and the frame 103 can define two or more battery cell storage spaces S, rather than just one. All battery cells 104 are arranged in separate battery cell storage spaces S. The battery cells 104 within a single battery cell storage space S can be connected to form a battery module, and the battery modules within different battery cell storage spaces S form the battery pack 100A.

[0155] In addition, depending on the volume and weight of the battery pack 100A, as shown in FIG6 , it is also possible to consider adding beams (e.g., third beams 1036 and longitudinal beams 1037) to the frame 103 that are parallel to and / or intersecting with the beams extending in the same direction (e.g., first beam 1031 and second beam 1032 as transverse beams). As shown in FIG6 , with the first beam 1031, second beam 1032, third beam 1036, and longitudinal beam 1037, four battery cell accommodating spaces S are defined, and battery cell rows formed by the battery cells 104 can be arranged in these spaces.

[0156] In addition, for example, when a mounting point is provided between two beams (for example, a position for mounting the battery pack 100A on an electrical device), additional beams (for example, longitudinal beams) may be provided as needed to intersect the beams (for example, horizontal beams) extending in the same direction.

[0157] Since the surface of the battery cell row is connected with a strip-shaped component that can increase the mechanical strength, the beams (such as longitudinal beams) can be appropriately reduced while taking into account the overall mechanical strength of the battery, which helps to improve the volume utilization of the battery cell and reduce the overall weight and cost of the battery.

[0158] In some embodiments, the beam includes a first beam 1031 and a second beam 1032 , the first beam 1031 and the second beam 1032 are arranged in parallel, and the strip member includes a first strip member, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the first beam 1031 and the second beam 1032 .

[0159] In addition to the first beam 1031 and the second beam 1032, a third beam 1036 may be added between the first beam 1031 and the second beam 1032 and parallel to the first beam 1031 and the second beam 1032. In this case, both ends of the first strip-shaped member can be connected to any two of the first beam 1031, the second beam 1032, and the third beam 1036 as needed.

[0160] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 2 and 4 , the battery pack 100A includes multiple strip-shaped members. These strip-shaped members can be of the same type. In the examples shown in Figures 2 and 4 , the pressure strip 107 is used as the first strip-shaped member. The following description uses pressure strip 107 as an example. The two ends of pressure strip 107 are respectively connected to the first beam 1031 and the second beam 1032. The connection to the beams can be achieved by bolts or rivet nuts.

[0161] The battery pack 100A may include one or more beading bars 107. To improve the overall mechanical strength of the battery against vibration, shock, and expansion, beading bars 107 may be provided on all third shoulders between adjacent rows of battery cells. To appropriately reduce the overall weight of the battery, beading bars 107 may be provided on only a portion of the third shoulders, rather than all of them.

[0162] Since the two ends of the pressure strip 107 are respectively connected to the two parallel first beams 1031 and second beams 1032 in the frame 103, the battery's ability to withstand vibration, impact, expansion, etc. can be improved, especially the expansion force of the battery cell 104 in the extension direction of the pressure strip 107.

[0163] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 2, 4, 7, and 8, the beading 107 includes a beading body 1071 and a beading connection portion 1072 provided at at least one end of the beading body 1071. The beading connection portion 1072 includes a lap portion 1072a and a connection head 1072b. The beading connection portion 1072 is connected to one end of the beading body 1071 at the lap portion 1072a and is connected to the first beam 1031 and / or the second beam 1032 at the connection head 1072b.

[0164] The detailed structure of the layering strip 107 is further described with reference to FIG7 and FIG8 .

[0165] As a specific example, the beading body 1071 is configured to be elongated along the first direction X, with a substantially uniform width (dimension along the second direction Y) along its entire length. The cross-sectional shape of the beading body 1071 can be triangular, rectangular, square, or other quadrilateral, or polygonal, and can be designed based on specific circumstances. However, to increase the contact area with the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048, facilitate stress transfer, and reduce stress concentration, a flat rectangular cross-sectional shape can be employed.

[0166] A beading connection portion 1072 is provided at at least one end of the beading main body 1071. If the beading connection portion 1072 is provided at only one end, the end of the beading main body 1071 not provided with the beading connection portion 1072 can be directly connected to the first beam 1031 or the second beam 1032. If the beading connection portion 1072 is provided at both ends, the two beading connection portions 1072 are connected to the first beam 1031 and the second beam 1032, respectively. When the beading 107 is connected to the first beam 1031 and the second beam 1032, the beading main body 1071 of the beading 107 is in surface contact with the surface of the third shoulder (i.e., the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048) and is adhesively fixed to the surface of the third shoulder.

[0167] The bead connection portion 1072 includes a lap portion 1072a and a connecting head 1072b. The lap portion 1072a is connected to the bead main body 1071 as a whole in a state where the lap portion 1072a overlaps and contacts the end of the bead main body 1071 within a certain length range. As an example of a connection method, as shown in the welding portion 1072d in Figure 8, the connection is achieved by welding at multiple positions (for example, multiple positions that are substantially evenly distributed) within the overlapping area. This connection method helps to firmly connect the bead connection portion 1072 to the bead main body 1071, and helps to evenly transfer the stress generated when the bead is subjected to expansion force to the first beam 1031 and the second beam 1032 along the length direction of the bead 107.

[0168] Furthermore, the connecting head 1072b is integrally formed with the overlapping portion 1072a, but the width of the connecting head 1072b (the dimension along the second direction Y) is greater than the width of the overlapping portion 1072a (the dimension along the second direction Y). This ensures a secure connection to the first and second beams 1031, 1032, and reduces the risk of breakage, tearing, and other defects. Furthermore, the connecting head 1072b is provided with, for example, two elongated holes 1072c. These elongated holes 1072c are secured to the first and second beams 1031, 1032 using bolts or rivet nuts. The provision of the elongated holes 1072c allows for dimensional variations between the spacing between the first and second beams 1031, 1032 (e.g., the distance along the first direction X) and the length of the bead 107. This also allows for slight deformation along the length of the bead 107 (the distance along the first direction X), thereby reducing the risk of breakage, tearing, and other defects caused by excessive stretching of the bead 107.

[0169] Since the first strip-shaped member such as the pressure strip 107 is connected to the first beam 1031 and the second beam 1032 via the connecting head 1072b, the connection strength can be improved and the risk of the first strip-shaped member being torn due to stress concentration can be reduced.

[0170] In addition, in some embodiments, the first strip-shaped member includes a strip-shaped member made of steel strip. Of course, the first strip-shaped member can also be formed of other suitable materials.

[0171] Since the strip components made of steel strips have high impact strength, tensile strength and other strengths, they help improve the mechanical strength of batteries to withstand vibration, impact, expansion, etc.

[0172] In some embodiments, the surface of the first strip-shaped member has an insulating film or an insulating coating.

[0173] Since the surface of the first strip-shaped member has the insulating film or the insulating coating, it can be insulated from the first shoulder portion, the second shoulder portion, etc. of the battery cell.

[0174] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 , the strip-shaped member further includes a second strip-shaped member different from the first strip-shaped member, and the first strip-shaped member and the second strip-shaped member extend in the same direction.

[0175] In the examples shown in Figures 2 and 4 , the brace 108 is used as the second strip-shaped member. The detailed structure of the brace 108 will be further described below with reference to Figures 9 and 10 .

[0176] As a specific example, the brace 108 is configured as a long strip, and its cross-sectional shape can be triangular, rectangular, square, or other quadrilateral, or polygonal or other shapes, and can be designed according to specific circumstances. In the example shown in FIG9 , the brace 108 is configured such that the brace end surface 1081 is shaped with a raised portion in the middle. This shape is beneficial for improving the ability to withstand tensile forces along the length direction or improving tensile strength. Of course, the brace end surface 1081 can also adopt the overall "concave" shape shown in FIG10 .

[0177] The battery pack 100A may include one or more tie bars 108. The tie bars 108 may be bonded to the surfaces of the first shoulder 1047, the second shoulder 1048, or both of the first and second shoulders 1047, 1048 of the third shoulder. The pressing bars 107 and tie bars 108 may be alternately arranged in the plurality of third shoulders. The alternating arrangement herein includes a repeated arrangement of one pressing bar 107 and one tie bar 108, or a repeated arrangement of multiple pressing bars 107 and multiple tie bars 108.

[0178] In addition, of course, a third strip-shaped member different from the first strip-shaped member and the second strip-shaped member may also be included.

[0179] Because the second strip-shaped member is also connected to the surface of the battery cell row, it also serves to increase the rigidity of the battery cell row and improve the battery's resistance to vibration and impact. Furthermore, because the strip-shaped member can include a first strip-shaped member and a second strip-shaped member, these two strip-shaped members can be configured in different configurations and flexibly combined to meet mechanical strength requirements, overall battery weight requirements, and cost requirements, thus facilitating a simple solution to all three of these requirements.

[0180] In some embodiments, the first strip-shaped member and the second strip-shaped member are made of different materials and / or have different sizes.

[0181] By making the first strip member (e.g., the bead 107) and the second strip member (e.g., the brace 108) from different materials, the advantages of both materials can be utilized. For example, the first strip member (e.g., the bead 107) can be made of a material that has a high tolerance for both tensile and shear forces, while the second strip member can be made of a material that has a high tolerance for tensile forces but has other advantages such as light weight and / or low cost.

[0182] In some embodiments, the second strip-shaped member includes a strip-shaped member made of a fiber-reinforced resin composite material.

[0183] As the fiber-reinforced resin composite material, a commercially available product can be used. For example, a fiber-reinforced resin composite material in which the fibers are carbon fibers, glass fibers, or the like can be used.

[0184] Because the second strip-shaped member (strut 108) made of fiber-reinforced resin composite material has excellent tensile strength, it helps improve the battery case and the entire battery's ability to withstand battery expansion forces. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the two ends of the strut 108 approach the first beam 1031 and the second beam 1032 respectively, leaving a gap, which helps the strut 108 exert its tensile strength.

[0185] Because fiber-reinforced resin composite strips are lightweight, they help reduce the overall weight of the battery while maintaining overall mechanical strength. Furthermore, because fiber-reinforced resin composite strips offer excellent tensile strength, they help improve the battery's mechanical strength against expansion forces.

[0186] As a specific example, if the first strip member (pressing strip 107) is made of steel strip and the second strip member (pull strip 108) is made of fiber-reinforced resin composite material, the ability of the two strip members to withstand vibration, impact, and expansion forces can be comprehensively utilized, and the lightweight characteristics of the composite material can also be utilized, thereby helping to reduce the overall weight of the battery. Of course, the materials of the first and second strip members can also be other combinations.

[0187] Alternatively, the first strip member (e.g., the bead 107) and the second strip member (e.g., the brace 108) may be made of the same material but have different sizes. The size here includes at least one of a length (e.g., a dimension along the first direction X), a width (e.g., a dimension along the second direction Y), and a thickness (e.g., a dimension along the third direction Z). In the specific examples shown in Figures 2 and 4 , the bead 107 and the brace 108 have different lengths and widths.

[0188] Of course, this is just a specific example, and the settings of the size, material, etc. of the first strip member and the second strip member are not limited to this specific example and can be set according to specific circumstances.

[0189] Therefore, by setting the first strip member and the second strip member to different materials and / or different lengths, the overall weight of the strip member can be reduced while taking into account the mechanical strength, thereby reducing the overall weight of the battery and helping to reduce the cost of the strip member.

[0190] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 , the first strip-shaped members and the second strip-shaped members are alternately arranged in the third direction Z, or the first strip-shaped members and the second strip-shaped members are symmetrically arranged about a symmetry axis along the first direction X.

[0191] In the examples shown in Figures 2 and 4 , three groups are provided along the second direction Y, with each group consisting of two rows of battery cells. A pressure strip 107 serving as a first strip-shaped member is provided at the third shoulder (first shoulder 1047 and second shoulder 1048) between adjacent groups. A pull strip 108 serving as a second strip-shaped member is provided at the third shoulder (first shoulder 1047 and second shoulder 1048) between two rows of battery cells in each group. This arrangement helps improve the overall mechanical strength of the battery and reduces weight.

[0192] Of course, the configuration shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 is only a specific example, and the first strip-shaped member and the second strip-shaped member may also be arranged in other configurations.

[0193] By alternating the first and second strip members along the second direction Y (the direction in which the battery cells are stacked in rows), the overall mechanical strength of the battery is enhanced. By arranging the first and second strip members symmetrically along the first direction X (the direction in which the battery cells are arranged in rows), the overall mechanical strength of the battery is evenly enhanced.

[0194] Some specific examples of the present disclosure are described below.

[0195] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the overall structure of the battery pack 100A mainly includes a base plate 101, a water-cooled plate serving as a heat exchange plate 102, a housing (frame 103), a battery pack, a water-cooling connection pipe 105, an electrical connection copper-aluminum bar serving as a confluence component 106, a first strip-shaped pressure bar 107, a second strip-shaped pull bar 108, a BMS assembly 109, a high-voltage box assembly 110, an electrical connector 111, and a cover 112 serving as an upper cover assembly. A battery pack is composed of several battery cells 104 connected in series.

[0196] As shown in Figures 2, 4, and 5, the box (frame 103) primarily consists of a frame 1033 (outer frame), a first beam 1031, and a second beam 1032 (inner beams). There are no longitudinal beams connecting the two inner beams, and the entire internal space (battery cell storage space S) is used to house the batteries, maximizing space utilization. The water-cooling plate is placed at the bottom of the box and secured to the frame and inner beams by welding or bolts.

[0197] As shown in FIG. 3 , the battery cell 104 has a battery cell large surface 1041 , a battery cell side surface 1042 , a battery cell bottom surface 1043 , and battery cell shoulders (a first shoulder 1047 and a second shoulder 1048 ).

[0198] 1 to 4 , the battery pack 100A is tightly connected into a battery pack through the large surface 1041 of the battery cell and the side surface 1042 of the battery cell, and then placed in the box (frame 103). The bottom surface 1043 of the battery cell is bonded and fixed to the water-cooling plate through a thermally conductive structural adhesive, and heat is transferred to achieve cooling of the bottom surface of the battery cell.

[0199] As shown in Figure 4, a pressure strip 107 and a pull bar 108 are placed above the battery pack. The bottom of the pressure strip 107 and the pull bar 108 are bonded to the shoulders of the battery cells (the first shoulder 1047 and the second shoulder 1048) with structural adhesive, thereby playing the role of fixing the battery cells 104, which can improve the rigidity of the battery pack and increase the vibration and impact resistance of the battery pack. The ends of the pressure strip 107 are connected to the first beam 1031 and the second beam 1032, which serve as cross beams in the box, by bolts or rivet nuts, etc., to withstand the expansion force of the battery cells. The pressure strip 107 is made of high-strength steel strip material, and the surface is insulated from the shoulders of the battery cells using a hot-pressed insulating film or an insulating spray coating. The pull bar 108 is made of a high-strength composite material. Considering the force, overall cost and weight of the box, the pressure strip 107 is preferably placed at 1 / 3 and 2 / 3 of the length of the first beam 1031 and the second beam 1032, which serve as cross beams in the box, and the pull bar 108 is placed at other positions. According to the different strength requirements of each battery pack, the position and number of the pressure strips 107 and the pull strips 108 can be adjusted to minimize the weight and cost of the battery pack while meeting the strength requirements.

[0200] In addition, as shown in Figure 6, when the battery pack is large in size or heavy and there is a concern that the pressure strips 107 and the pull strips 108 are insufficient to meet the strength requirements of the battery pack, or when there is a requirement for a mounting point between the two inner beams, further cross beams or longitudinal beams can be added between the cross beams in the box (the first beam 1031 and the second beam 1032).

[0201] A second aspect of the present disclosure provides an electrical device, which includes the battery provided by the first aspect of the present disclosure for providing electrical energy.

[0202] Since the overall volume utilization of the battery can be improved while taking into account the overall structural strength of the battery, for the electrical device, it helps to reduce the space used for arranging the battery, reduce the overall weight of the electrical device, or increase the total energy of the battery used in the electrical device to extend the charging interval of the electrical device.

[0203] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present disclosure, rather than to limit them. Although the present disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, and they should all be included in the scope of the claims and description of the present disclosure. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any way. The present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions that fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A battery comprising: Box; A battery cell row, comprising a plurality of battery cells arranged along a first direction, wherein the plurality of battery cell rows are stacked along a second direction to form a battery cell array and placed in the box; and A strip-shaped member is provided on the surface of the battery cell row on the side away from the bottom plate of the box along the third direction. The strip-shaped member extends along a first direction and is connected to at least one battery cell in the battery cell row, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction and the third direction.

2. The battery according to claim 1, wherein The battery cell includes a first shoulder and a second shoulder, wherein the first shoulder and the second shoulder are respectively located on the surface of the battery cell having the electrode terminal side and on both sides of the electrode terminal. The strip-shaped member is connected to the battery cell at the first shoulder and / or the second shoulder of the battery cell.

3. The battery according to claim 2, wherein In each of the battery cell rows, the first shoulders are connected in sequence, and the second shoulders are connected in sequence. The battery includes: the strip-shaped member connected to the first shoulder of each of the battery cells in the battery cell row; and / or the strip-shaped member connected to the second shoulder of each of the battery cells in the battery cell row.

4. The battery according to claim 3, wherein The plurality of battery cell rows include a first battery cell row and a second battery cell row adjacent to each other along the second direction, the first battery cell row and the second battery cell row being close to or in contact with each other along the second direction, The first battery cell row and the second battery cell row jointly form a third shoulder, the third shoulder including the first shoulders of the first battery cell row that are sequentially connected and the second shoulders of the second battery cell row that are adjacent to the first battery cell row that are sequentially connected. The strip-shaped member is connected to both the first shoulder and the second shoulder of the third shoulder.

5. The battery according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein The connecting comprises bonding.

6. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein In each of the battery cells, a side wall standing upright along the third direction is formed at the end edges of the first shoulder portion and the second shoulder portion on the sides close to each other, and the side wall is used to define a boundary of each of the first shoulder portion and the second shoulder portion.

7. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein Along the third direction, heights of the first shoulder and the second shoulder of the battery cell are smaller than a height of the electrode terminal of the battery cell.

8. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein The box body includes a frame, Beams extending in the same direction are provided in the space surrounded by the frame, and each of the battery cell rows is accommodated in the battery cell accommodating space surrounded by the frame and the beams.

9. The battery according to claim 8, wherein The beam includes a first beam and a second beam, wherein the first beam is arranged parallel to the second beam. The strip-shaped member includes a first strip-shaped member, Two ends of the first strip-shaped member are respectively connected to the first beam and the second beam.

10. The battery according to claim 9, wherein The first strip-shaped member includes a beading main body and a beading connection portion provided at at least one end of the beading main body, the beading connection portion includes a lap portion and a connection head, the beading connection portion is connected to one end of the beading main body at the lap portion and is connected to the first beam and / or the second beam at the connection head.

11. The battery according to claim 9 or 10, wherein The strip-shaped member further includes a second strip-shaped member different from the first strip-shaped member, The first strip-shaped member and the second strip-shaped member extend in the same direction.

12. The battery according to claim 11, wherein The first strip-shaped component and the second strip-shaped component are made of different materials and / or have different sizes.

13. The battery according to claim 11 or 12, wherein The first strip-shaped members and the second strip-shaped members are alternately arranged in the second direction, or the first strip-shaped members and the second strip-shaped members are symmetrically arranged about a symmetry axis along the first direction.

14. The battery according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein The first strip-shaped member includes a strip-shaped member made of a steel strip.

15. The battery according to any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein The surface of the first strip-shaped member has an insulating film or an insulating coating.

16. The battery according to any one of claims 11 to 15, wherein The second strip-shaped member includes a strip-shaped member made of a fiber-reinforced resin composite material.

17. The battery according to claim 1, wherein The battery further includes a heat management component located on at least one side of the battery cell for performing heat exchange with the battery cell.

18. The battery according to claim 17, wherein The heat management component is located on a side of the battery cell close to the bottom plate along the third direction for performing heat exchange with the battery cell.

19. An electrical device comprising the battery according to any one of claims 1 to 18 for storing or providing electrical energy.

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