Housing, casing of battery, battery, electrical apparatus, and method for processing housing

Abstract

A housing (21), a casing (2) of a battery (100), a battery (100), an electrical apparatus, and a method for processing a housing (21), relating to the technical field of batteries. The housing (21) is formed with an accommodating cavity (21a) and a mounting port (21b) in communication with the accommodating cavity (21a), the accommodating cavity (21a) is used for accommodating a bare cell (1), a housing wall of the housing (21) comprises a side wall and an end wall, a first end of the side wall encloses to form the mounting port (21b), the end wall is arranged at a second end of the side wall, the end wall and the side wall jointly define the semi-closed accommodating cavity (21a), the side wall is formed with a first region (21c) and a second region (21d), and the hardness of the first region (21c) is lower than the hardness of the second region (21d).

Description

Casing, battery shell, battery, electrical device and method for processing casing

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] The present disclosure is based on the Chinese patent application with application number 202410217408.8, application date February 27, 2024, and invention name “Shell, battery casing, battery, electrical device and method for processing shell”, and claims the priority of the Chinese patent application. The entire content of the Chinese patent application is hereby incorporated into the present disclosure as a reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of batteries, and in particular to a housing, a battery shell, a battery, an electrical device, and a method for processing the housing. Background Art

[0004] New energy batteries are increasingly being used in everyday life and industry. They are not only used in energy storage systems like hydropower, thermal power, wind power, and solar power stations, but are also widely used in electric vehicles like electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric cars.

[0005] In the related art, a bare cell is disposed in a battery shell. During the charge and discharge process of the battery, the bare cell will expand, which may easily cause the shell to deform and crack.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of this, the embodiments of the present disclosure are intended to provide a housing, a battery shell, a battery, an electrical device, and a method for processing the housing, which can reduce the probability of the housing cracking.

[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the technical solution of the embodiment of the present disclosure is implemented as follows:

[0009] On the one hand, an embodiment of the present disclosure discloses a shell, which is formed with a accommodating cavity and a mounting opening connected to the accommodating cavity, the accommodating cavity is used to accommodate a bare battery cell, the shell wall includes a side wall and an end wall, the first end of the side wall is surrounded to form the mounting opening, the end wall is arranged at the second end of the side wall, and together with the side wall, forms a semi-enclosed accommodating cavity; the side wall is formed with a first area and a second area, and the hardness of the first area is lower than that of the second area.

[0010] In the above technical solution, by providing a housing cavity and an installation opening connected to the housing cavity within the housing, a bare cell can be placed into the housing cavity through the installation opening, thereby protecting the bare cell to a certain extent and improving the service life of the bare cell. By forming a first zone and a second zone in the housing wall, with the hardness of the first zone being set lower than the hardness of the second zone, after the bare cell expands, the first zone with a lower hardness can absorb and disperse the force exerted by the bare cell on the preset housing wall, thereby reducing the risk of cracking of the housing and improving safety.

[0011] In one embodiment, the shell wall with the largest area on the side wall is a predetermined shell wall, and the first area is formed at least on the predetermined shell wall.

[0012] In the above technical solution, after the bare battery cell expands, since the preset shell wall is the shell wall with the largest shell area, the preset shell wall is the largest force-exerting object after the bare battery cell expands. By setting the first zone at least on the preset shell wall with the largest area, the force exerted by the bare battery cell on the shell can be better absorbed and dispersed to reduce the risk of shell cracking.

[0013] In one embodiment, the ratio of the hardness of the first region to the hardness of the second region is between 0.3 and 0.8; or, the ratio of the hardness of the first region to the hardness of the second region is between 0.5 and 0.8.

[0014] In the above technical solution, by setting a suitable hardness ratio, on the one hand, it can provide sufficient structural strength for the shell to protect the bare battery cell and increase the service life of the bare battery cell; on the other hand, after the bare battery cell expands, the first zone with lower hardness can reduce the force exerted by the bare battery cell on the shell, reduce the risk of cracking of the shell, and have high safety.

[0015] In one embodiment, the hardness of the first region and the hardness of the second region are both Brinell hardness.

[0016] In one embodiment, the shell is made of aluminum, the hardness of the second zone is between 35HB and 65HB, and the hardness of the first zone is between 25HB and 40HB.

[0017] In the above technical solution, by setting the second area with appropriate hardness and the first area with appropriate hardness, not only can sufficient structural strength be provided for the shell, but also the risk of cracking of the shell can be reduced.

[0018] In one embodiment, the grain type of the second region is lamellar crystals and / or ribbon crystals, and the grain type of the first region is columnar crystals and / or equiaxed crystals.

[0019] In the above technical solution, by setting the grain type of the second zone to strip crystals and / or ribbon crystals, and setting the grain type of the first zone to columnar crystals and / or equiaxed crystals, it is shown that the hardness of the first zone is lower than that of the second zone. This is because during the crystallization process of the metal, the formation of columnar crystals and equiaxed crystals will be hindered, resulting in blurred boundaries between grains and a relatively disordered lattice structure, while ribbon crystals and strip crystals are relatively easy to form, and their lattice structures are relatively ordered. The crystal structure will affect the mechanical properties of the metal. For example, a disordered crystal structure will lead to reduced hardness and strength, while increased toughness. An ordered lattice structure will increase the hardness and strength of the device, but reduce toughness. In other words, when the shell is subjected to the force exerted on it by the expansion of the bare battery cell, the disordered crystal structure can better absorb and disperse the force due to its higher toughness, so as to reduce the expansion of cracks and the occurrence of fractures.

[0020] In one embodiment, the first area is arranged to extend along the circumference of the installation opening.

[0021] In the above technical solution, the first zone is extended circumferentially along the installation port to increase the area of ​​the first zone. When the bare battery cell expands, the first zone arranged circumferentially around the installation port can better absorb and disperse the force of the bare battery cell on the shell, reduce cracking at the installation port, and have good working stability.

[0022] In one embodiment, the distance between the first area on the preset shell wall and the mounting opening along the circumference is not less than 50 mm; and / or, the distance between the first area on the preset shell wall and the mounting opening along the circumference is a first distance, the distance between the preset shell wall and the mounting opening along the circumference is a second distance, and the ratio of the first distance to the second distance is not less than 25%.

[0023] In the above technical solution, by setting an appropriate circumferential distance, the circumferential length of the first zone can be extended to better absorb and disperse the force exerted on the shell by the expansion of the bare cells along the circumference, further reducing the risk of cracking. By setting an appropriate ratio, while ensuring sufficient structural strength of the pre-set shell wall, the overall toughness of the pre-set shell wall can also be improved to absorb and disperse the force exerted on it by the expansion of the bare cells, reducing the risk of cracking.

[0024] In one embodiment, a direction perpendicular to the preset shell wall is a target direction, and when projected along the target direction, an area of ​​a projection region of the first zone is smaller than an area of ​​a projection region of the second zone.

[0025] In the above technical solution, by setting the area of ​​the first zone to be smaller than the area of ​​the second zone, while ensuring that the shell has sufficient structural strength, the shell can also have higher toughness to absorb and disperse the force exerted on it by the expansion of the bare battery cell, reduce stress concentration, and reduce the risk of cracking.

[0026] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a battery housing, which includes a top cover and the shell of any one of the above embodiments, wherein the top cover is disposed on the mounting opening.

[0027] In the above technical solution, by setting the first zone on the preset shell wall of the shell, the hardness of the first zone is smaller than the hardness of the second zone. In this way, the first zone can absorb and disperse the force exerted on the shell by the expansion of the bare battery cell, reduce the stress concentration at the installation port, reduce the risk of cracking at the installation port, and have high safety.

[0028] In one embodiment, the top cover and the shell are connected by welding, the hardness of the molten pool area formed by the shell welding is not less than the hardness of the first area, the opening direction of the installation port is the first direction, and the size of the first area along the first direction is not less than 0.2 mm.

[0029] In the above technical solution, by welding the top cover to the shell, the hardness of the molten pool area is greater than that of the second area, thereby improving the connection strength between the top cover and the shell. By providing a first area of ​​appropriate size, the shell not only has sufficient structural strength, but also has strong toughness to absorb and disperse the force exerted on the shell by the expansion of the bare battery cells, reducing stress concentration and cracking at the mounting opening, and improving the cyclic expansion life of the shell under charge and discharge cycles.

[0030] In one embodiment, a dimension of the first region along the first direction is not less than 1 mm.

[0031] In the above technical solution, by providing the first area with a suitable size, cracking at the installation opening can be reduced.

[0032] In one embodiment, a dimension of the first region along the first direction is no greater than half a dimension of the housing along the first direction.

[0033] In the above technical solution, while ensuring that the shell has sufficient structural strength to protect the bare battery cells inside, the toughness of the shell can also be improved to absorb and disperse the force exerted on the shell by the expansion of the bare battery cells, reduce cracking, and improve the cyclic expansion life of the shell under charging and discharging.

[0034] In one embodiment, the opening direction of the installation opening is a first direction, and the molten pool area is located on a side of the first area facing the corresponding installation opening along the corresponding first direction.

[0035] In the above technical solution, the molten pool area is arranged between the mounting port and the first area along the first direction, which facilitates stable welding of the top cover and the shell and improves the connection strength. The first area is close to the molten pool area, which can reduce stress concentration in the molten pool area and reduce cracking in the molten pool area.

[0036] In one embodiment, the first zone is located between the molten pool zone and the second zone along the first direction, and the first zone continuously extends from the molten pool zone to the second zone.

[0037] In the above technical solution, the first zone is in contact with the second zone and the molten pool zone respectively. The first zone can be further heated and softened by the residual temperature of the molten pool zone, so that the hardness of the first zone is lower and the toughness is better.

[0038] In one embodiment, the first zone includes a first sub-zone and a second sub-zone, the first sub-zone is adjacent to the molten pool zone, and the first sub-zone and the second sub-zone are spaced apart along the first direction.

[0039] In the above technical solution, the force exerted by the expansion of the bare cell is absorbed and dispersed not only by the first sub-region but also by the second sub-region, achieving a better crack prevention effect. The first and second sub-regions are spaced apart along the first direction, which means that the second sub-region can be positioned as needed to meet the needs of complex stress environments.

[0040] In one embodiment, the distance between the first sub-region and the second sub-region along the first direction is between 0.05 mm and 10 mm.

[0041] In the above technical solution, by setting a suitable interval distance, it is convenient to set the second sub-area according to needs.

[0042] Another aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure discloses a battery, which includes a bare cell and the housing of any one of the above embodiments, wherein the bare cell is disposed in a receiving cavity.

[0043] In the above technical solution, the risk of cracking of the shell due to expansion of the bare battery cell can be reduced, thereby increasing the service life of the battery.

[0044] In one embodiment, the distance between the first area and the bare cell along the opening direction of the mounting opening is between 0.3 mm and 7 mm.

[0045] In the above technical solution, by setting a suitable spacing, the toughness of the shell can be improved while reducing damage to the bare battery cell and increasing the service life of the bare battery cell.

[0046] In one embodiment, the distance between the first area and the bare battery cell along the opening direction of the mounting opening is 1 mm to 3 mm.

[0047] In the above technical solution, by setting a suitable spacing, damage to the bare battery cells can be reduced.

[0048] In one embodiment, the battery includes a lower plastic, which is disposed on a side of the top cover facing the bare cell, and a distance between the lower plastic and the first area along an inner-outer direction is greater than 1 mm.

[0049] In this technical solution, by placing the lower plastic on the side of the top cover facing the bare cells, it can insulate and separate the top cover and the bare cells, preventing direct contact between the top cover and the bare cells, thereby reducing the risk of short circuits and battery damage. By setting an appropriate spacing, damage to the lower plastic can be reduced, extending its service life and improving operational stability.

[0050] In one embodiment, the distance between the lower plastic and the first area along the inner and outer directions is between 1.2 mm and 5 mm.

[0051] In the above technical solution, by setting a suitable spacing, damage to the lower plastic can be reduced.

[0052] Another aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure discloses an electrical device, which includes the battery in any one of the above embodiments and is used to provide electrical energy.

[0053] In the above technical solution, since the safety of the battery is improved, the safety of the corresponding electrical device is also improved.

[0054] Another aspect of the present disclosure discloses a method for processing a housing, which includes:

[0055] Softening: heating and softening at least the preset shell wall of the shell to soften at least a portion of the second region of the preset shell wall into the first region;

[0056] The installation opening of the shell is communicated with the accommodating cavity of the shell, the preset shell wall is arranged adjacent to the installation opening, and the preset shell wall is the shell wall with the largest area of ​​the shell.

[0057] In the above technical solution, the shell's pre-set shell wall is heated and softened to soften at least the second region of the pre-set shell wall into the first region. The hardness of the first region is lower than that of the second region. After the bare cell expands, the first region with lower hardness can absorb and disperse the force exerted by the bare cell on the pre-set shell wall, thereby reducing the risk of cracking of the shell, thereby reducing the probability of electrolyte leakage within the shell, and improving the cyclic expansion life of the shell under charge and discharge. The first region is formed by softening the second region, which can reduce the addition of new materials and improve the integrity of the shell.

[0058] In one embodiment, the method further comprises:

[0059] Place the bare battery cell into the softened shell;

[0060] The top cover is connected to the shell containing the bare battery cell at the installation opening so that the top cover blocks the bare battery cell in the accommodating cavity.

[0061] In the above technical solution, the shell is softened first and then connected to the top cover, which can reduce damage to the bare battery cell during the softening operation.

[0062] In one embodiment, before performing the softening step, the method further comprises:

[0063] The top cover is connected to the shell containing the bare battery cell at the installation opening so that the top cover blocks the bare battery cell in the accommodating cavity.

[0064] In the above technical solution, before the softening step is performed, the top cover can be placed on the installation opening, and then the housing and the top cover can be connected by welding to seal the top cover and block the bare battery cell in the accommodating cavity. In this way, the position can be selected according to the softening requirements.

[0065] In one embodiment, heating and softening at least a predetermined shell wall of the shell to soften at least a portion of the second region of the predetermined shell wall into the first region comprises:

[0066] At least a target area of ​​a preset shell wall of the shell is heated and softened to soften at least a portion of the second area of ​​the preset shell wall into a first area, the target area is located between the bare battery cell and the mounting port along the opening direction of the mounting port, and the target area and the bare battery cell are spaced apart from each other along the opening direction of the mounting port.

[0067] In the above technical solution, the target area between the bare battery cell and the mounting port is heated and softened into a first zone, and the hardness of the first zone is lower than that of the second zone. When the bare battery cell expands, the first zone can absorb and disperse the force exerted on it by the bare battery cell, thereby reducing stress concentration at the mounting port, and then reducing the risk of cracking at the mounting port, thereby improving the cyclic expansion life of the shell under charge and discharge. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0068] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0069] FIG2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of FIG1 ;

[0070] FIG3 is an enlarged schematic diagram of point A in FIG2 ;

[0071] FIG4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the housing in FIG1 ;

[0072] FIG5 is an enlarged schematic diagram of point C in FIG4 ;

[0073] Figure 6 is a metallographic image of the second zone;

[0074] Figure 7 is a metallographic image of the first zone;

[0075] Figure 8 shows the Vickers hardness spectrum of part of the shell;

[0076] Figure 9 shows the Brinell hardness spectrum of part of the shell;

[0077] FIG10 is a schematic flow chart of a method for processing a shell provided in another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0078] Explanation of the accompanying symbols: battery 100; bare cell 1; outer shell 2; shell 21; accommodating cavity 21a; mounting port 21b; first area 21c; first sub-area 21c1; second sub-area 21c2; second area 21d; molten pool area 21e; ​​first shell wall 211; second shell wall 212; third shell wall 213; top cover 22; pressure relief port 22a; liquid injection port 22b; electrode port 22c; lower plastic 3; first distance H1; second distance H2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0079] 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.

[0080] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure; the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the specification of the present disclosure and the above-mentioned drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0081] 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.

[0082] 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.

[0083] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," and "fixation" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection or electrical connection; direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; internal communication between two components or interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present disclosure based on specific circumstances.

[0084] 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.

[0085] Currently, new energy batteries are increasingly being used in everyday 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 the application of power batteries continues to expand, market demand is also growing.

[0086] As part of the creative concept of the present disclosure, before describing the embodiments of the present disclosure, it is necessary to analyze the reasons why the battery shell is prone to cracking in the related art, and obtain the technical solution of the embodiments of the present disclosure through reasonable analysis.

[0087] In the related art, the bare battery cell is located in the accommodating cavity of the shell. During the charging and discharging process of the battery, taking the charging of lithium-ion batteries as an example, during the charging process of the lithium-ion battery, lithium ions will be released from the positive electrode and embedded in the negative electrode. This will cause the distance between the negative electrode layers to increase, thereby causing the bare battery cell to expand. The expanded bare battery cell will squeeze the shell, causing it to deform and crack.

[0088] If a first zone is set on the shell wall of the shell, the hardness of the first zone is less than that of the second zone. After the bare battery cell expands, the first zone with lower hardness can absorb and disperse the force exerted by the bare battery cell on the preset shell wall, thereby reducing the risk of cracking of the shell, and then reducing the chance of leakage of electrolyte in the shell, which is safer.

[0089] The solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure may be, but are not limited to, hard-pack battery cells, battery modules including multiple hard-pack battery cells, or battery packs including hard-pack battery cells or battery modules, and may also be applied to soft-pack battery cells, battery modules including multiple soft-pack battery cells, or battery packs including soft-pack battery cells or battery modules.

[0090] A battery cell refers to the basic unit that can realize the mutual conversion of chemical energy and electrical energy.

[0091] 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.

[0092] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, 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., but the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to this.

[0093] Bare cells refer to the electrochemical core of a battery, i.e., the cell. Bare cells contain positive and negative electrodes and are capable of storing and releasing electrical energy.

[0094] Bare cells can be made by winding or stacking electrodes.

[0095] On the one hand, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a shell, please refer to Figures 1 to 9, the shell 21 is formed with a accommodating cavity 21a and an installation opening 21b connected to the accommodating cavity 21a, the accommodating cavity 21a is used to accommodate the bare battery cell 1, the shell wall of the shell 21 includes a side wall and an end wall, the first end of the side wall is surrounded to form the installation opening 21b, the end wall is arranged at the second end of the side wall, and together with the side wall, it forms a semi-enclosed accommodating cavity 21a; the side wall is formed with a first area 21c and a second area 21d, and the hardness of the first area 21c is lower than the hardness of the second area 21d.

[0096] The shell 21 refers to a structure with a certain wall thickness. The shell 21 is mainly used to accommodate the bare battery cell 1, provide a certain degree of protection for the bare battery cell 1, and reduce the risk of the bare battery cell 1 being exposed to the outside and damaged.

[0097] For example, the shape of the housing 21 can be a cuboid or a cylinder. When the shape of the housing 21 is a cuboid, the corresponding battery 100 is a square battery. When the shape of the housing 21 is a cylinder, the corresponding battery 100 is a cylindrical battery.

[0098] The accommodating cavity 21 a refers to the accommodating space inside the shell 21 , which is used to accommodate the bare battery cell 1 .

[0099] The installation opening 21 b is in communication with the accommodating cavity 21 a , and the bare cell 1 can be placed into the accommodating cavity 21 a of the housing 21 through the installation opening 21 b .

[0100] The first area 21c and the second area 21d both refer to the shell wall of the shell 21, which can be the inner wall of the shell 21 or the outer wall of the shell 21. The difference is that the hardness of the first area 21c is less than the hardness of the second area 21d.

[0101] The semi-enclosed accommodating cavity 21a means that the second end of the accommodating cavity 21a is provided with an end wall for blocking, and the first end has an installation opening 21b.

[0102] The housing 21 provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure has a housing cavity 21a and an installation port 21b connected to the housing cavity 21a. In this way, the bare cell 1 can be placed into the housing cavity 21a through the installation port 21b, thereby protecting the bare cell 1 to a certain extent and improving the service life of the bare cell 1. By forming a first region 21c and a second region 21d on the shell wall of the housing 21, the hardness of the first region 21c is set to be lower than the hardness of the second region 21d. In this way, after the bare cell 1 expands, the first region 21c with a lower hardness can absorb and disperse the force exerted by the bare cell 1 on the preset shell wall, thereby reducing the risk of cracking of the housing 21 and improving safety.

[0103] In one embodiment, the shell wall with the largest area on the side wall is the preset shell wall, and the first area 21c is formed at least on the preset shell wall.

[0104] In this way, after the bare battery cell 1 expands, since the preset shell wall is the shell wall with the largest area of ​​the shell 21, the preset shell wall is the object of the largest force after the bare battery cell 1 expands. By setting the first area 21c at least on the preset shell wall with the largest area, the force exerted by the bare battery cell 1 on the shell 21 can be better absorbed and dispersed to reduce the risk of cracking of the shell 21.

[0105] Exemplarily, in one embodiment, please refer to Figure 1, the shell 21 has five shell walls, two of the five shell walls are first shell walls 211, and the areas of the two first shell walls 211 are equal. Two of the five shell walls are second shell walls 212, and the areas of the two second shell walls 212 are equal. The last of the five shell walls is a third shell wall 213, and the areas of the second shell wall 212 and the third shell wall 213 are both smaller than the area of ​​the first shell wall 211. The two first shell walls 211 are arranged at intervals along the second direction, and the two second shell walls 212 are arranged at intervals along the third direction. The third shell wall 213 is connected to the two first shell walls 211 and the two second shell walls 212 along the first direction to jointly define the accommodating cavity 21a and the installation port 21b. The two first shell walls 211 and the two second shell walls 212 form side walls, the third shell wall 213 is an end wall, and the first shell wall 211 can be a preset shell wall, wherein the first direction, the second direction and the third direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0106] It should be noted that R1 in FIG. 1 may be the first direction, R2 may be the second direction, and R3 may be the third direction.

[0107] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 , the ratio of the hardness of the first region 21 c to the hardness of the second region 21 d is between 0.3 and 0.8.

[0108] For example, the ratio of the hardness of the first region 21 c to the hardness of the second region 21 d may be 0.3, 0.35, 0.4, 0.45, 0.5, 0.55, 0.6, 0.65, 0.7, 0.75 or 0.8, etc.

[0109] In this way, by setting a suitable hardness ratio, on the one hand, sufficient structural strength can be provided for the shell 21 to protect the bare battery cell 1 and improve the service life of the bare battery cell 1; on the other hand, after the bare battery cell 1 expands, the first area 21c with lower hardness can reduce the force exerted by the bare battery cell 1 on the shell 21, reduce the risk of cracking of the shell 21, and have high safety.

[0110] In one embodiment, the ratio of the hardness of the first region 21 c to the hardness of the second region 21 d is between 0.5 and 0.8.

[0111] For example, the ratio of the hardness of the first region 21 c to the hardness of the second region 21 d may be 0.5, 0.55, 0.6, 0.65, 0.7, 0.75, or 0.8, etc.

[0112] In one embodiment, the hardness of the first region 21 c and the hardness of the second region 21 d are Brinell hardness.

[0113] It should be noted that HB is the unit of Brinell hardness.

[0114] In one embodiment, please refer to Figures 8 and 9. Figure 8 is a Vickers hardness spectrum of a portion of the shell, and Figure 9 is a Brinell hardness spectrum of a portion of the shell. The shell 21 is made of aluminum, the hardness of the second area 21d is between 35HB and 65HB, and the hardness of the first area 21c is between 25HB and 40HB.

[0115] For example, the hardness of the second region 21 d may be 35HB, 40HB, 45HB, 50HB, 55HB, 60HB or 65HB, etc., and the hardness of the first region 21 c may be 25HB, 30HB, 35HB or 40HB, etc.

[0116] Here, by setting the second area 21 d with appropriate hardness and the first area 21 c with appropriate hardness, not only can sufficient structural strength be provided for the shell 21 , but also the risk of cracking of the shell 21 can be reduced.

[0117] It should be noted that HV is a unit of Vickers hardness.

[0118] For example, in one embodiment, the hardness of the first region 21 c may be 30 HB, and the hardness of the second region 21 d may be 60 HB.

[0119] For example, in one embodiment, please refer to Table 1, which shows the mechanical properties of 3003 alloy. O, H12, H14, H16, or H18 are material designations. The hardness column in the table indicates the hardness before processing. For example, H14, before being processed into the shell 21, has a hardness of 40 HB. After being processed into the shell 21, its hardness will be greater than 40 HB; after softening to the first zone 21c, its hardness will be less than 40 HB. For another example, H18, before being processed into the shell 21, has a hardness of 55 HB. After being processed into the shell 21, its hardness will be greater than 55 HB; after softening to the first zone 21c, its hardness will be less than 55 HB.

[0120] Table 1 Mechanical properties of 3003 alloy

[0121] It should be noted that 3003 is an aluminum-manganese alloy.

[0122] It should be noted that the “O” state in the above table refers to the data of the annealed state of the corresponding aluminum alloy.

[0123] In one embodiment, please refer to Figures 6 and 7, Figure 6 is a metallographic diagram of the second zone, and Figure 7 is a metallographic diagram of the first zone. The grain type of the second zone 21d is strip crystals and / or ribbon crystals, and the grain type of the first zone 21c is columnar crystals and / or equiaxed crystals.

[0124] For example, the grain type of the second region 21d may be a striped crystal, or the grain type of the second region 21d may be a ribbon crystal, or the grain type of the second region 21d may be a striped crystal and a ribbon crystal. The grain type of the first region 21c may be a columnar crystal, or the grain type of the first region 21c may be an equiaxed crystal, or the grain type of the first region 21c may be a columnar crystal and an equiaxed crystal.

[0125] Banded crystals refer to a type of grain in which the grains are arranged in a band-like pattern along a certain direction.

[0126] Lath crystals refer to grains that grow along a specific direction to form a strip-like or fibrous grain type.

[0127] Columnar crystal is a crystal form characterized by a longitudinally extending, columnar shape.

[0128] Equiaxed crystals are crystals with small differences in size in all directions and a high degree of symmetry. In an equiaxed crystal system, the three crystal axes are of equal length and are at 90° angles to each other.

[0129] In this way, by setting the grain type of the second zone 21d to strip crystals and / or ribbon crystals, and setting the grain type of the first zone 21c to columnar crystals and / or equiaxed crystals, it is shown that the hardness of the first zone 21c is lower than that of the second zone 21d. This is because during the crystallization process of the metal, the formation of columnar crystals and equiaxed crystals will be hindered, resulting in blurred boundaries between the grains and a relatively disordered lattice structure, while ribbon crystals and strip crystals are relatively easy to form, and their lattice structures are relatively ordered. The crystal structure will affect the mechanical properties of the metal. For example, a disordered crystal structure will lead to reduced hardness and strength, while increased toughness. An ordered lattice structure will increase the hardness and strength of the device, but reduce toughness. That is to say, when the shell 21 is subjected to the force exerted on it by the expansion of the bare battery cell 1, the disordered crystal structure can better absorb and disperse the force due to its higher toughness, so as to reduce the expansion of cracks and the occurrence of fractures.

[0130] For example, in one embodiment, the reason why the hardness of point E in FIG. 8 is relatively low is due to the pores in the shell wall of the shell 21 , but the grain type at this point is still strip crystals and / or ribbon crystals.

[0131] In one embodiment, the first area 21c is arranged to extend along the circumference of the installation opening 21b.

[0132] For example, the first regions 21 c may be arranged on the two first casing walls 211 and the two second casing walls 212 around the circumference of the installation opening 21 b .

[0133] In this way, the area of ​​the first zone 21c can be increased. When the bare battery cell 1 expands, the first zone 21c arranged circumferentially around the installation opening 21b can better absorb and disperse the force exerted by the bare battery cell 1 on the shell 21, reduce cracking at the installation opening 21b, and improve working stability.

[0134] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 1 , the distance between the first area 21 c on the shell wall and the mounting opening 21 b along the circumference is not less than 50 mm.

[0135] Exemplarily, the circumferential distance of the first area 21c on the preset shell wall along the mounting opening 21b can be 50mm, 55mm, 60mm, 65mm, 70mm, 75mm, 80mm, 85mm, 90mm, 95mm or 100mm, etc.

[0136] In this way, by setting a suitable circumferential distance, the circumferential length of the first zone 21c can be extended, so as to better absorb and disperse the force exerted by the expansion of the bare battery cell 1 on the shell 21 along the circumferential direction, further reducing the risk of cracking.

[0137] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 1 , a distance between the first area 21 c on the shell wall and the mounting opening 21 b along the circumference thereof is preset as a first distance H1, and a distance between the shell wall and the mounting opening 21 b along the circumference thereof is preset as a second distance H2. The ratio of the first distance H1 to the second distance H2 is not less than 25%.

[0138] Referring to FIG. 1 , the first distance H1 refers to the length of the first area 21 c on the predetermined shell wall along the circumference of the mounting opening 21 b . For example, the first distance H1 may be the length of the first area 21 c along the third direction.

[0139] Please refer to FIG. 1 . The second distance H2 refers to the length of the preset shell wall along the circumference of the installation opening 21 b . For example, the second distance H2 may be the length of the preset shell wall along the third direction.

[0140] Exemplarily, the ratio of the first distance H1 to the second distance H2 can be 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95% or 100%, etc.

[0141] In this way, by setting a suitable ratio, while ensuring that the preset shell wall has sufficient structural strength, the overall toughness of the preset shell wall can also be improved to absorb and disperse the force exerted on it by the expansion of the bare battery cell 1, thereby reducing the occurrence of cracking.

[0142] In one embodiment, the distance between the first area 21c on the shell wall and the mounting opening 21b in the circumferential direction is not less than 50 mm, the distance between the first area 21c on the shell wall and the mounting opening 21b in the circumferential direction is a first distance H1, the distance between the shell wall and the circumferential direction is a second distance H2, and the ratio of the first distance H1 to the second distance H2 is not less than 25%.

[0143] That is to say, the circumferential distance of the first area 21c on the preset shell wall along the mounting opening 21b is not less than 50 mm, and the circumferential distance of the preset shell wall along the mounting opening 21b is not less than 200 mm. In this way, the ratio of the first distance H1 to the second distance H2 can be not less than 25%. In this way, the preset shell wall has sufficient structural strength to protect the bare battery cell 1 inside, and has strong toughness to absorb and disperse the force of the expansion of the bare battery cell 1 on the shell 21, thereby reducing the risk of cracking.

[0144] In one embodiment, the direction perpendicular to the preset shell wall is the target direction. When projected along the target direction, the area of ​​the projection region of the first area 21 c is smaller than the area of ​​the projection region of the second area 21 d.

[0145] Exemplarily, the target direction may be the second direction, and the area of ​​the projection region of the first area 21 c along the second direction is smaller than the area of ​​the projection region of the second area 21 d .

[0146] In this way, by setting the area of ​​the first zone 21c to be smaller than the area of ​​the second zone 21d, while ensuring that the shell 21 has sufficient structural strength, the shell 21 can also have higher toughness to absorb and disperse the force exerted on it by the expansion of the bare battery cell 1, reduce stress concentration, and reduce the risk of cracking.

[0147] Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a housing 2 of a battery 100 . Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 6 , the housing 2 includes a top cover 22 and a shell 21 in any of the above embodiments. The top cover 22 covers the mounting opening 21 b .

[0148] Here, during the charging and discharging process of the battery 100, the bare cell 1 will expand cyclically, which may easily lead to a relatively concentrated stress at the mounting port 21b where the top cover 22 and the shell 21 are connected, and may easily lead to cracking. Therefore, the present disclosure sets a first area 21c on the preset shell wall of the shell 21, and the hardness of the first area 21c is lower than the hardness of the second area 21d. In this way, the first area 21c can absorb and disperse the force exerted on the shell 21 by the expansion of the bare cell 1, reduce the stress concentration at the mounting port 21b, reduce the risk of cracking at the mounting port 21b, and have high safety.

[0149] Exemplarily, in one embodiment, please refer to Figure 1, a pressure relief port 22a, a liquid injection port 22b and an electrode port 22c are formed on the top cover 22. The pressure relief port 22a, the liquid injection port 22b and the electrode port 22c all penetrate the top cover 22 along the first direction. The top cover 22 is provided at the mounting port 21b. The pressure relief port 22a, the liquid injection port 22b and the electrode port 22c are all connected to the accommodating cavity 21a. The pressure relief port 22a is used to relieve pressure in the accommodating cavity 21a after the bare cell 1 has thermal runaway to avoid explosion. The liquid injection port 22b is used to inject electrolyte into the accommodating cavity 21a. The electrode port 22c facilitates electrical connection to the tabs of the bare cell 1.

[0150] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 1 and 3, the top cover 22 is connected to the shell 21 by welding, the hardness of the molten pool area 21e formed by welding the shell 21 is not less than the hardness of the first area 21c, the opening direction of the mounting port 21b is the first direction, and the size of the first area 21c along the first direction is not less than 0.2 mm.

[0151] The molten pool area 21e refers to the portion of the base material that is melted into a pool shape by the heat of the welding arc, and is the liquid metal portion with a certain geometric shape formed on the weldment during fusion welding.

[0152] For example, the top cover 22 and the housing 21 are welded at the mounting opening 21b. The hardness of the molten pool region 21e formed by the welding of the housing 21 is not less than that of the first region 21c. The dimension of the first region 21c along the first direction can be represented by H3, and H3 can be 0.2mm, 0.3mm, 0.4mm, 0.5mm, 0.6mm, 0.7mm, 0.8mm, 0.9mm, 1mm, 3mm, 5mm, 8mm, 10mm, or 12mm, etc.

[0153] Thus, by welding the top cover 22 to the housing 21, the hardness of the molten pool region 21e is greater than the hardness of the second region 21d, thereby improving the connection strength between the top cover 22 and the housing 21. By providing a first region 21c of appropriate size, the housing 21 can be given sufficient structural strength while also having greater toughness to absorb and disperse the force exerted on the housing 21 by the expansion of the bare battery cell 1, thereby reducing stress concentration at the mounting opening 21b, reducing cracking at the mounting opening 21b, and improving the cyclic expansion life of the housing 21 under charge and discharge.

[0154] For example, in one embodiment, the first region 21c is formed at least on a predetermined wall of the housing 21, which is the wall with the largest area of ​​the housing 21. Here, after the bare cell 1 expands, since the predetermined wall is the wall with the largest area of ​​the housing 21, the predetermined wall may pull on the weld between the housing 21 and the top cover 22, causing the weld to fail and thus leaking. However, the present disclosure forms the first region 21c at least on the predetermined wall, which can reduce the chance of leakage to a certain extent.

[0155] In one embodiment, the dimension of the first region 21c along the first direction is not less than 1 mm.

[0156] Exemplarily, the dimension H3 of the first region 21c along the first direction may be 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, 11 mm or 12 mm, etc.

[0157] In this way, by providing the first area 21c with a suitable size, cracking at the installation opening 21b can be reduced.

[0158] In one embodiment, the size of the first area 21c along the first direction is not greater than half the size of the housing 21 along the first direction.

[0159] In this way, on the one hand, the structural strength of the shell 21 can be improved to protect the bare battery cell 1 inside and facilitate subsequent grabbing and transportation; on the other hand, the toughness of the shell 21 can be improved to absorb and disperse the force exerted on the shell 21 by the expansion of the bare battery cell 1, reduce cracking, and improve the cyclic expansion life of the shell 21 under charging and discharging.

[0160] In one embodiment, the opening direction of the installation opening 21b is the first direction, and the molten pool area 21e is located on a side of the first area 21c facing the corresponding installation opening 21b along the corresponding first direction.

[0161] That is to say, the molten pool area 21e is arranged between the mounting port 21b and the first area 21c along the first direction, which facilitates stable welding of the top cover 22 and the shell 21 and improves the connection strength. The first area 21c is close to the molten pool area 21e, which can reduce the stress concentration of the molten pool area 21e and reduce the occurrence of cracks in the molten pool area 21e.

[0162] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 3 , FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 , the first region 21 c is located between the molten pool region 21 e and the second region 21 d along the first direction, and the first region 21 c continuously extends from the molten pool region 21 e to the second region 21 d .

[0163] That is, the first region 21c is in contact with and connected to the second region 21d and the molten pool region 21e respectively. The first region 21c can be further heated and softened by the residual temperature of the molten pool region 21e, so that the hardness of the first region 21c is lower and the toughness is better.

[0164] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 5 , the first region 21c includes a first sub-region 21c1 and a second sub-region 21c2 . The first sub-region 21c1 is adjacent to the molten pool region 21e . The first sub-region 21c1 and the second sub-region 21c2 are spaced apart along the first direction.

[0165] Exemplarily, the first sub-region 21c1 can be formed by softening by heating with residual heat of the molten pool region 21e, and the second sub-region 21c2 can be formed by softening by laser. The first sub-region 21c1 and the second sub-region 21c2 are spaced apart along the first direction.

[0166] In this way, the force exerted by the expansion of the bare cell 1 can be absorbed and dispersed not only by the first sub-region 21c1, but also by the second sub-region 21c2, thereby achieving a better crack prevention effect. The first sub-region 21c1 and the second sub-region 21c2 are arranged spaced apart along the first direction, which means that the second sub-region 21c2 can be positioned as needed to meet the needs of complex stress environments.

[0167] For example, in one embodiment, the first region 21 c may be formed by heating and annealing the second region 21 d.

[0168] For example, in one embodiment, the second region 21 d does not need to be completely annealed, as long as its hardness meets the hardness requirement of the first region 21 c .

[0169] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 5 , the distance between the first sub-region 21c1 and the second sub-region 21c2 along the first direction is between 0.05 mm and 10 mm.

[0170] Illustratively, the distance between the first sub-area 21c1 and the second sub-area 21c2 along the first direction can be represented by H4, and H4 can be 0.05mm, 0.1mm, 0.5mm, 1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 3.5mm, 4mm, 4.5mm, 5mm, 5.5mm, 6mm, 6.5mm, 7mm, 7.5mm, 8mm, 8.5mm, 9mm, 9.5mm or 10mm, etc.

[0171] In this way, by setting a suitable interval, the second sub-area 21c2 can be arranged according to needs.

[0172] Another aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure provides a battery 100. Referring to Figures 1 to 5, the battery 100 includes a bare cell 1 and a housing 2 in any one of the above embodiments. The bare cell 1 is disposed in a receiving cavity 21a.

[0173] In this way, the risk of the shell 21 being cracked due to the expansion of the bare battery cell 1 can be reduced, thereby increasing the service life of the battery 100.

[0174] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 3 , the distance between the first region 21 c and the bare cell 1 along the opening direction of the mounting opening 21 b is between 0.3 mm and 7 mm.

[0175] For example, the opening direction of the mounting opening 21b is the first direction. The distance between the first area 21c and the bare cell 1 along the first direction can be represented by H5, which can be 0.3mm, 1mm, 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm or 7mm, etc.

[0176] In this way, by setting a suitable spacing, the toughness of the shell 21 can be improved while reducing damage to the bare battery cell 1 and increasing the service life of the bare battery cell 1.

[0177] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 3 , the distance between the first region 21 c and the bare cell 1 along the opening direction of the mounting opening 21 b is 1 mm to 3 mm.

[0178] For example, the distance H5 between the first area 21c and the bare cell 1 along the opening direction of the mounting opening 21b can be 1mm, 1.2mm, 1.5mm, 1.8mm, 2mm, 2.2mm, 2.5mm, 2.8mm or 3mm, etc.

[0179] In this way, by setting a suitable spacing, damage to the bare battery cell 1 can be reduced.

[0180] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 3 , the battery 100 includes a lower plastic 3 , which is disposed on the side of the top cover 22 facing the bare cell 1 , and a distance between the lower plastic 3 and the first area 21 c along the inner and outer directions is greater than 1 mm.

[0181] For example, the distance between the lower plastic 3 and the first area 21c along the inner and outer directions may be represented by H6, and H6 may be 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm or 10 mm, etc.

[0182] Thus, by placing the lower plastic 3 on the side of the top cover 22 facing the bare cell 1, it can insulate and separate the top cover 22 and the bare cell 1, preventing direct contact between the top cover 22 and the bare cell 1, thereby reducing the risk of short circuits and damage to the battery 100. By setting an appropriate spacing distance, damage to the lower plastic 3 can be reduced, the service life of the lower plastic 3 can be increased, and operational stability can be improved.

[0183] Exemplarily, the inward-outward direction is perpendicular to the opening direction of the mounting opening 21 b , for example, may be the second direction.

[0184] In one embodiment, the distance between the lower plastic 3 and the first area 21 c along the inner-outer direction is between 1.2 mm and 5 mm.

[0185] For example, the distance H6 between the lower plastic 3 and the first area 21 c along the inner-outer direction may be 1.2 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm, 4.5 mm or 5 mm, etc.

[0186] In this way, by setting a suitable spacing, damage to the lower plastic 3 can be reduced.

[0187] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides an electrical device, which includes the battery 100 according to any of the above embodiments, and is used to provide electrical energy. As the safety of the battery 100 is improved, the safety of the corresponding electrical device is also improved.

[0188] An electrical device is a device that uses electricity as an energy source and consumes it to achieve its corresponding function. For example, an electrical device may include, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, electric toy, power tool, battery-powered vehicle, electric vehicle, ship, spacecraft, etc. Electric toys may include fixed or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric vehicle toys, electric ship toys, and electric aircraft toys. Spacecraft may include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft, etc.

[0189] The electric device of the embodiment of the present disclosure may include a device body and a power supply device, the power supply device is used to supply power to the device body, and the power supply device may include a battery 100.

[0190] The device body refers to the main structure that consumes electrical energy to perform its corresponding functions. For example, the power-consuming device may be a mobile phone, where the device body is the portion that performs functions such as communication, and battery 100 supplies power to this portion. For example, the power-consuming device may be a car, where the device body is the portion that provides passengers with a seat and is capable of traveling on the road, and battery 100 supplies power to this portion.

[0191] The power supply device refers to a device that can output electric energy. For example, the electric energy can be output through the battery 100.

[0192] The electric device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described as a vehicle as an example.

[0193] The vehicle provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure may be a fuel vehicle, a gas vehicle or a new energy vehicle, and the new energy vehicle may be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle or an extended-range vehicle, etc. A battery 100 is provided inside the vehicle, and the battery 100 may be provided at the bottom, head or tail of the vehicle. The battery 100 may be used to power the vehicle, for example, the battery 100 may serve as an operating power source for the vehicle. The vehicle may further include a controller and a motor, and the controller may be used to control the battery 100 package to power the motor. For example, the battery 100 unit may be used for the starting, navigation and working power requirements of the vehicle during driving.

[0194] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for processing a housing, as shown in FIG10 . The method includes:

[0195] S1. Softening: heating and softening at least a preset shell wall of the shell, so as to soften at least a portion of the second region of the preset shell wall into the first region;

[0196] S2. The installation opening of the shell is communicated with the accommodating cavity of the shell, the preset shell wall is arranged adjacent to the installation opening, and the preset shell wall is the shell wall with the largest area of ​​the shell.

[0197] Exemplarily, the second region 21 d of the preset shell wall can be heated and softened by laser to soften it into the first region 21 c , and the hardness of the softened first region 21 c is lower than the hardness of the second region 21 d .

[0198] In this way, the preset shell wall of the shell 21 is heated and softened to soften at least the second region 21d of the preset shell wall into the first region 21c. The hardness of the first region 21c is lower than the hardness of the second region 21d. After the bare cell 1 expands, the first region 21c with lower hardness can absorb and disperse the force exerted by the bare cell 1 on the preset shell wall, thereby reducing the risk of cracking of the shell 21, thereby reducing the probability of electrolyte leakage within the shell 21, and improving the cyclic expansion life of the shell 21 under charge and discharge. The first region 21c is formed by softening the second region 21d, which can reduce the addition of new materials and improve the integrity of the shell 21.

[0199] For example, in one embodiment, the second area 21d of the inner wall and / or outer wall of the predetermined shell wall can be softened by laser, thereby reducing the addition of new materials and improving the integrity of the shell 21.

[0200] In one embodiment, the method includes:

[0201] S3. Place the bare battery cell into the softened shell;

[0202] S4. Connect the top cover to the housing containing the bare battery cell at the installation opening, so that the top cover blocks the bare battery cell in the accommodating cavity.

[0203] For example, a laser can be used to heat and soften the preset shell wall to soften part of the second area 21d into the first area 21c, and then the bare battery cell 1 can be placed in the accommodating cavity 21a, and then the top cover 22 can be placed on the installation port 21b. Finally, the shell 21 and the top cover 22 can be connected by welding so that the top cover 22 blocks the installation port 21b and blocks the bare battery cell 1 in the accommodating cavity 21a.

[0204] In this way, by first softening the shell 21 and then connecting the shell 21 and the top cover 22, damage to the bare battery cell 1 can be reduced during the softening operation.

[0205] In one embodiment, before performing the softening step, the method further comprises:

[0206] S5. Connect the top cover to the housing containing the bare battery cell at the installation opening, so that the top cover blocks the bare battery cell in the accommodating cavity.

[0207] For example, before performing the softening step, the top cover 22 can be placed on the installation opening 21b, and then the housing 21 and the top cover 22 can be connected by welding to seal the top cover 22 and block the bare battery cell 1 in the accommodating cavity 21a. In this way, the position can be selected according to the softening requirements.

[0208] In one embodiment, S1, heating and softening at least a predetermined shell wall of the shell to soften at least a portion of the second region of the predetermined shell wall into the first region, comprises:

[0209] S11. Heat and soften at least a target area of ​​a preset shell wall of the shell to soften at least a portion of the second area of ​​the preset shell wall into a first area, wherein the target area is located between the bare battery cell and the mounting port along the opening direction of the mounting port, and the target area and the bare battery cell are spaced apart from each other along the opening direction of the mounting port.

[0210] Exemplarily, during softening, a target area of ​​a preset shell wall of the shell 21 can be selected for heating and softening to soften at least the second area 21d of the preset shell wall into the first area 21c, and the target area is located between the bare battery cell 1 and the mounting port 21b along the first direction, and the target area and the bare battery cell 1 are spaced apart along the first direction.

[0211] In this way, by heating and softening the target area between the bare battery cell 1 and the mounting port 21b into the first zone 21c, and the hardness of the first zone 21c is lower than the hardness of the second zone 21d, when the bare battery cell 1 expands, the first zone 21c can absorb and disperse the force exerted on it by the bare battery cell 1, thereby reducing the stress concentration at the mounting port 21b, and then reducing the risk of cracking at the mounting port 21b, thereby improving the cyclic expansion life of the shell 21 under charging and discharging.

[0212] It should be noted that the dimensions, distances, and spacings in the above embodiments can be measured using dimensional measurement tools in computer software or directly with a ruler. Hardness can be measured using a metal hardness tester, for example, by dot measurement or scanning. Grain type can be determined using metallographic diagrams.

[0213] It should be noted that the above-mentioned molten pool area 21e refers to the molten pool formed by welding the top cover 22 and the shell 21.

[0214] The shell 21 provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, please refer to Figures 1 to 9. The shell 21 is formed with a accommodating cavity 21a and a mounting port 21b connected to the accommodating cavity 21a. The accommodating cavity 21a is used to accommodate the bare battery cell 1. The shell wall of the shell 21 is formed with a first area 21c and a second area 21d. The first area 21c is formed at least on a preset shell wall of the shell 21. The preset shell wall is the shell wall with the largest area of ​​the shell 21. The preset shell wall is arranged adjacent to the mounting port 21b. The ratio of the hardness of the first area 21c to the hardness of the second area 21d is between 0.5 and 0.8. Specifically, the material of the shell 21 is aluminum, the hardness of the second area 21d is between 35HB and 55HB, the hardness of the first area 21c is between 25HB and 45HB, the grain type of the second area 21d is strip crystal and / or ribbon crystal, and the grain type of the first area 21c is columnar crystal and / or equiaxed crystal. The first area 21c can be arranged to extend along the circumference of the mounting opening 21b, with the distance of the first area 21c on the preset shell wall along the circumference of the mounting opening 21b being no less than 50 mm; and / or, the distance of the first area 21c on the preset shell wall along the circumference of the mounting opening 21b being a first distance H1, the distance of the preset shell wall along the circumference of the mounting opening 21b being a second distance H2, and the ratio of the first distance H1 to the second distance H2 being no less than 25%. A direction perpendicular to the preset shell wall is defined as a target direction, and when projected along the target direction, the projected area of ​​the first area 21c is smaller than the projected area of ​​the second area 21d.

[0215] The above embodiments are intended only to illustrate the technical solutions of the present disclosure, and are not intended 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 may modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. Such modifications or replacements do not deviate from the essence of the corresponding technical solutions within the scope of the various embodiments of the present disclosure, and are intended to be encompassed by the specification of the present disclosure. In particular, the various technical features described in the various embodiments may be combined in any manner, as long as there are no structural conflicts. Industrial Applicability

[0216] The present disclosure relates to the field of battery technology and provides a housing, a battery shell, a battery, an electrical device, and a method for processing the housing. The housing has a housing cavity and a mounting opening connected to the housing cavity. The housing cavity is used to accommodate bare battery cells. The housing wall includes side walls and end walls. The first end of the side wall encloses the mounting opening. The end wall is disposed at the second end of the side wall and, together with the side wall, encloses a semi-enclosed housing cavity. The side wall has a first region and a second region, and the hardness of the first region is lower than that of the second region. The housing, battery shell, battery, electrical device, and method for processing the housing provided by the present disclosure can reduce the probability of housing cracking.

Claims

1. A shell, the shell forming a accommodating cavity and a mounting opening connected to the accommodating cavity, the accommodating cavity being used to accommodate a bare battery cell, the shell wall of the shell comprising a side wall and an end wall, the first end of the side wall being arranged to enclose the mounting opening, the end wall being arranged at the second end of the side wall and together with the side wall enclosing the semi-enclosed accommodating cavity; the side wall being formed with a first area and a second area, and the hardness of the first area being lower than the hardness of the second area.

2. The housing according to claim 1, wherein The shell wall with the largest area on the side wall is a preset shell wall, and the first area is at least formed on the preset shell wall.

3. The housing according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The ratio of the hardness of the first region to the hardness of the second region is between 0.3 and 0.8; or the ratio of the hardness of the first region to the hardness of the second region is between 0.5 and 0.

8.

4. The housing according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The hardness of the first region and the hardness of the second region are both Brinell hardness.

5. The housing according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The shell is made of aluminum, the hardness of the second zone is between 35HB and 65HB, and the hardness of the first zone is between 25HB and 40HB.

6. The housing according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The grain type of the second region is strip-shaped crystals and / or ribbon-shaped crystals, and the grain type of the first region is columnar crystals and / or equiaxed crystals.

7. The housing according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The first area is arranged to extend along the circumference of the installation opening.

8. The housing according to claim 2, wherein The distance between the first area on the preset shell wall and the mounting opening in the circumferential direction is not less than 50 mm; and / or the distance between the first area on the preset shell wall and the mounting opening in the circumferential direction is a first distance, the distance between the preset shell wall and the mounting opening in the circumferential direction is a second distance, and the ratio of the first distance to the second distance is not less than 25%.

9. The housing according to claim 2, wherein: A direction perpendicular to the preset shell wall is a target direction. When projected along the target direction, an area of ​​a projection region of the first zone is smaller than an area of ​​a projection region of the second zone.

10. A battery housing, comprising: The housing according to any one of claims 1 to 9; A top cover is provided on the installation opening.

11. The housing according to claim 10, wherein The top cover is connected to the shell by welding, the hardness of the molten pool area formed by welding of the shell is not less than the hardness of the first area, the opening direction of the mounting port is the first direction, and the size of the first area along the first direction is not less than 0.2 mm.

12. The housing according to claim 11, wherein A dimension of the first region along the first direction is not less than 1 mm.

13. The housing according to any one of claims 11 or 12, wherein: A dimension of the first region along the first direction is no greater than half a dimension of the housing along the first direction.

14. The housing according to claim 11, wherein The opening direction of the installation opening is a first direction, and the molten pool area is located on a side of the first area corresponding to the first direction and facing the installation opening.

15. The housing according to claim 11 or 14, wherein The first zone is located between the molten pool zone and the second zone along the first direction, and the first zone extends continuously from the molten pool zone to the second zone; or, the first zone includes a first sub-zone and a second sub-zone, the first sub-zone is adjacent to the molten pool zone, and the first sub-zone and the second sub-zone are arranged at intervals along the first direction.

16. The housing according to claim 15, wherein The first sub-region and the second sub-region are spaced apart from each other by a distance in the first direction of 0.05 mm to 10 mm.

17. A battery comprising a bare cell and the housing according to any one of claims 10 to 16, wherein the bare cell is arranged in the accommodating cavity.

18. The battery according to claim 17, wherein The distance between the first area and the bare cell along the opening direction of the mounting opening is between 0.3 mm and 7 mm.

19. The battery according to claim 17 or 18, wherein The distance between the first area and the bare cell along the opening direction of the mounting opening is 1 mm to 3 mm.

20. The battery according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein The battery includes a lower plastic, which is arranged on a side of the top cover facing the bare cell, and a distance between the lower plastic and the first area along an inner-outer direction is greater than 1 mm.

21. The battery according to claim 20, wherein The distance between the lower plastic and the first area along the inner and outer directions is between 1.2 mm and 5 mm.

22. An electrical device comprising the battery according to any one of claims 17 to 21, for providing electrical energy.

23. A method for processing a housing, comprising: Softening: heating and softening at least a predetermined shell wall of the shell, so as to soften at least a portion of the second region of the predetermined shell wall into the first region; The installation opening of the shell is communicated with the accommodating cavity of the shell, the preset shell wall is arranged adjacent to the installation opening, and the preset shell wall is the shell wall with the largest area of ​​the shell.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein The method further comprises: Place the bare battery cell into the softened shell; The top cover is connected to the shell containing the bare battery cell at the installation opening, so that the top cover blocks the bare battery cell in the accommodating cavity.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein Before performing the softening step, the method further comprises: The top cover is connected to the shell containing the bare battery cell at the installation opening, so that the top cover blocks the bare battery cell in the accommodating cavity.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein Heating and softening at least a predetermined shell wall of the shell to soften at least a portion of the second region of the predetermined shell wall into the first region comprises: At least a target area of ​​a preset shell wall of the shell is heated and softened to soften at least a portion of the second area of ​​the preset shell wall into a first area, the target area is located between the bare battery cell and the mounting port along the opening direction of the mounting port, and the target area and the bare battery cell are spaced apart from each other along the opening direction of the mounting port.

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