Battery module, battery, and electric device

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of batteries, and provides a battery module, a battery, and an electric device. The battery module comprises battery cells, end plates, and side plates. Each end plate comprises an end plate body and an insertion structure, the end plate body defines a first surface, and the first surface extends in the length direction and the width direction of the end plate; the insertion structure is formed on the first surface, insertion grooves are respectively formed in the two ends of the insertion structure in the length direction, and the insertion grooves extend in the width direction; and each side plate comprises a bent part, and the bent part is inserted into the corresponding insertion groove.

Description

Battery modules, batteries and electrical devices

[0001] Cross-references

[0002] This application refers to Chinese patent application No. 202420412297.1 filed on March 4, 2024, entitled “Battery module, battery and electrical device”, which is incorporated into this application in its entirety by reference. Technical Field

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

[0004] Energy conservation and emission reduction are key to the sustainable development of the automotive industry. Electric vehicles, due to their energy-saving and environmentally friendly advantages, have become an important component of the sustainable development of the automotive industry. For electric vehicles, battery technology is a key factor in their development.

[0005] In some battery production processes, multiple battery cells are assembled into battery modules, and then multiple battery modules are assembled into batteries. Optimizing battery modules is an important research topic in the battery production process.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present application aims to solve at least one of the technical problems in the background art. To this end, one object of the present application is to provide an end plate for a battery housing, a battery housing, a battery, and an electrical device to enhance the connection strength between the end plate and the side plate of the battery housing.

[0008] The first embodiment of the present application provides a battery module, comprising a battery cell, an end plate, and a side plate. The end plate comprises an end plate body and a plug-in structure. The end plate body defines a first surface extending along the length and width of the end plate. The plug-in structure is formed on the first surface, and the plug-in structure is provided with plug-in slots at both ends in the length direction, the plug-in slots extending along the width direction. The side plate comprises a bent portion, which is plugged into the plug-in slots.

[0009] In the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, by limiting the first surface on the end plate body and providing a plug-in groove on the plug-in structure formed on the first surface, so that the bent portion of the side panel of the battery shell can be plugged into the plug-in groove, the connection strength between the end plate and the side panel of the battery shell can be enhanced, and the plug-in groove can limit the bent portion of the side panel to prevent the bent portion of the side panel from warping, thereby ensuring the assembly gap between the battery modules.

[0010] In some embodiments, along the thickness direction of the end plate, the width of the insertion slot is greater than the sum of the thickness of the bent portion of the side plate and a first predetermined value, and less than the sum of the thickness of the bent portion of the side plate and a second predetermined value, wherein the first predetermined value is less than the second predetermined value. By making the width of the insertion slot greater than the sum of the thickness of the bent portion of the side plate and the first predetermined value, and less than the sum of the thickness of the bent portion of the side plate and the second predetermined value, along the thickness direction of the end plate, the bent portion of the side plate will not interfere with the insertion slot after the insertion and assembly is completed, and the bent portion of the side plate will not easily detach from the insertion slot.

[0011] In some embodiments, the depth of the insertion groove along the length of the end panel is less than the length of the bent portion of the side panel. By making the insertion groove depth less than the length of the bent portion of the side panel, the bent portion of the side panel can be more easily inserted into the insertion groove, thereby simplifying the assembly process between the side panel and the end panel.

[0012] In some embodiments, the plug-in structure includes a second surface facing away from the end plate body, the plug-in slot includes a sidewall surface facing the first surface, and the maximum distance between the second surface and the sidewall surface is greater than or equal to a predetermined multiple of the thickness of the bent portion of the side plate. By setting the maximum distance between the second surface and the sidewall surface of the plug-in slot facing the first surface to be greater than or equal to a predetermined multiple of the thickness of the bent portion of the side plate, the structural strength of the plug-in slot can be improved, making the plug-in slot less susceptible to deformation.

[0013] In some embodiments, a first chamfer is provided at the end of the side wall along the length direction of the end plate. The first chamfer can make it easier to insert the side plate into the insertion slot, thereby reducing the probability of insertion anomalies.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first surface is provided with a second chamfer at each end in the longitudinal direction, and the radius of the second chamfer is larger than the bending radius of the bent portion of the side panel. By providing the second chamfer at each end in the longitudinal direction of the first surface, and the radius of the second chamfer is larger than the bending radius of the bent portion of the side panel, a close fit between the bent portion of the side panel and the end panel body is facilitated, making the connection between the side panel and the end panel easier.

[0015] In some embodiments, the end plate is provided with a plurality of cavities, which can reduce the weight of the end plate and facilitate connection with the base of the battery housing.

[0016] In some embodiments, the bent portion includes a first region and a second region connected to the first region. The second region is inserted into a slot provided on the end plate, and the first region is welded to the first surface of the end plate body. By welding the first region of the bent portion to the first surface of the end plate body, the first region is weldable, which increases the area of ​​the weldable area. The weld formed during the welding process is highly compatible with offset or tilt, facilitating the weld connection and improving the reliability of the connection between the side plate and the end plate.

[0017] In some embodiments, the first region is welded to the first surface to form a weld extending along the width direction of the end plate, wherein the size of the weld along the length direction of the end plate is smaller than the width of the first region, and the size of the weld along the width direction of the end plate is smaller than the size of the first region. By having the size of the weld along the length direction of the end plate smaller than the width of the first region, and having the size of the weld along the width direction of the end plate smaller than the size of the first region, a certain amount of space can be reserved for the weld in the length and width directions of the end plate, so that the weld does not protrude higher or wider than the end plate, thereby reducing the possibility of the battery housing increasing in size in the length and width directions.

[0018] An embodiment of the second aspect of the present application provides a battery, which includes the battery module of any one of the aforementioned embodiments and a shell for accommodating the battery module.

[0019] An embodiment of the third aspect of the present application provides an electrical device, which includes the battery in the above embodiment, and the battery is used to provide electrical energy.

[0020] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present application. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present application, it can be implemented in accordance with the contents of the specification. In order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are listed below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals throughout the multiple drawings represent the same or similar parts or elements. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that these drawings only depict some embodiments disclosed in the present application and should not be regarded as limiting the scope of the present application. In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the drawings without paying creative work.

[0022] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of an end plate of a battery module according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0023] FIG2 is a top view of an end plate of a battery module according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0024] FIG3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection between the end plate and the side plate of a battery module according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0025] FIG4 is a partial enlarged view of FIG3 .

[0026] Description of reference numerals:

[0027] 100, end plate; 110, end plate body; 120, first surface; 130, plug-in structure; 140, plug-in slot; 150, second surface; 160, first chamfer; 170, second chamfer; 180, cavity; 190, sidewall surface;

[0028] 200, side panel; 210, bent portion; 211, first region; 212, second region; 220, weld;

[0029] X, the length direction of the end plate; Y, the width direction of the end plate; Z, the thickness direction of the end plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The following embodiments of the technical solution of the present application will be 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 application and are therefore only examples and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application.

[0031] 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 this application belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application; the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned figure descriptions are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0032] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the quantity, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is more than two, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0033] 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 application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0034] In the description of the embodiments of this application, 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 the following 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.

[0035] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the term "multiple" refers to more than two (including two). Similarly, "multiple groups" refers to more than two groups (including two groups), and "multiple pieces" refers to more than two pieces (including two pieces).

[0036] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the technical terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the embodiments of the present application.

[0037] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, technical terms such as "installed," "connected," "connected," 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; internal connections between two components or interactions between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application based on specific circumstances.

[0038] Currently, market developments indicate that power batteries are becoming increasingly widely used. They are not only used in energy storage systems such as hydropower, thermal, wind, and solar power plants, but are also widely used in electric vehicles like electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric vehicles, as well as in military equipment and aerospace. As power battery applications continue to expand, market demand is also growing.

[0039] During the battery assembly process, two battery cells, each coated with adhesive on their front sides, are stacked in sequence. End plates are placed at either end of the stacked cells, and side plates are placed on either side. The end plates and side plates enclose the battery cells to form a battery module. To improve the module's seismic stability, a sufficient amount of adhesive is applied to both front sides of the battery cells. The cells are then adjusted to the desired size using a pressurized fixture, and the end and side plates are then secured.

[0040] During battery use, the battery module must ensure that the end panels are fixed and meet certain strength requirements (such as the battery's instantaneous strength under impact, the battery's fatigue resistance during long-term vibration, and the battery's ability to withstand the expansion force of battery charging and discharging). The strength of the battery is related to the safety performance of the battery product. If the fixing strength is insufficient, it can cause the battery module structure to disintegrate, function failure, and even short circuit and fire, endangering personal safety.

[0041] The main methods used to secure battery modules include: bolting, which secures the end panels by tightening them; and welding, which welds the end panels together at their overlapping surfaces. However, because bolts are prone to loosening, battery modules secured by bolts have poor connection reliability under sustained vibration. Batteries secured by welded end panels have high requirements for end panel assembly, and gaps in the length and width directions can easily lead to poor welding. Gaps and warping between the end panels are unavoidable, and misaligned welding can easily result in insufficient connection strength and poor appearance.

[0042] Based on the above considerations, an embodiment of the present application proposes a battery module, which defines a first surface on the end plate body and provides a plug-in groove on the plug-in structure formed on the first surface so that the bent portion of the side panel of the battery shell can be plugged into the plug-in groove, thereby enhancing the connection strength between the end plate and the side panel of the battery shell, and the plug-in groove can limit the bent portion of the side panel to prevent the bent portion of the side panel from warping, thereby ensuring the assembly gap between the battery modules.

[0043] The end plate disclosed in the embodiments of the present application is applicable to a battery module, a battery using the battery module, and an electrical device using the battery.

[0044] Electrical devices may include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, tablets, laptops, electric toys, electric tools, battery-powered vehicles, electric cars, ships, spacecraft, etc. Electric toys may include fixed or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys, etc. Spacecraft may include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft, etc.

[0045] Embodiments of the present application provide a battery module comprising a battery cell, an end plate, and a side plate. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an end plate of a battery module according to some embodiments of the present application, Figure 2 is a top view of an end plate of a battery module according to some embodiments of the present application, Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the connection between the end plate and the side plate of a battery module according to some embodiments of the present application, and Figure 4 is a partial enlarged view of Figure 3.

[0046] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the end plate 100 includes an end plate body 110 and an insert structure 130. The end plate body 110 defines a first surface 120, which extends along the length direction X and the width direction Y of the end plate 100. The insert structure 130 is formed on the first surface 120. The insert structure 130 is provided with insert slots 140 at both ends of the insert structure 130 in the length direction X. The insert slots 140 extend along the width direction Y. The side panel 200 includes a bent portion 210, which is inserted into the insert slots 140.

[0047] In related technologies, battery modules typically use end plates 100 and side plates 200 connected by welding to form a housing, within which multiple battery cells are fastened and grouped. Because battery cells expand and deform during use, the joints between the end plates 100 and side plates 200, particularly the welds, are subjected to excessive stress, leading to weld fracture and failure. Alternatively, under complex operating conditions, particularly combined impact and vibration loads, cyclical stress can cause fatigue cracking in the welds.

[0048] In this example, the battery module housing may include end plates 100 and side plates 200. There may be two side plates 200 and two end plates 100. When assembling the battery module housing, the two side plates 200 are positioned opposite each other, and the two end plates 100 are positioned opposite each other. The ends of the end plates 100 are connected to the side plates 200 in a one-to-one correspondence, thereby forming a housing cavity for holding the battery cells.

[0049] In the example, the end of the side panel 200 may have a bending portion 210, and the bending portion 210 may be fastened to the surface of the end panel 100. The end of the side panel 200 refers to the end of the side panel 200 along its length direction X. The bending portion 210 may be an L-shaped bending portion 210, and its bending direction is bent toward the end panel 100. When the two ends of the side panel 200 are respectively connected to the end panel 100, the two ends of the side panel 200 may be respectively provided with bending portions 210, so that the side panel 200 as a whole forms a U-shaped structure. When the side panel 200 is fastened to the end panel 100, the bending portion 210 of the side panel 200 overlaps the end panel 100. The bending portion 210 and the side panel 200 are an integral structure. In one example, during preparation, the side panel 200 may be bent by a bending machine to form the bending portion 210, or the bending portion 210 may be punched by a punching machine.

[0050] In an example, the end plate 100 may include an end plate body 110. The end plate body 110 defines a first surface 120, which extends along the length direction X and the width direction Y of the end plate 100. When the end plate 100 is connected to the side plate 200, the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 may be engaged with the first surface 120 of the end plate 100.

[0051] In this example, the end plate 100 further includes a plug-in structure 130. The plug-in structure 130 is formed on the first surface 120 and is provided with assembly plug-in slots 140 at both ends of the plug-in structure 130 in the longitudinal direction X. The plug-in slots 140 extend along the width direction Y of the end plate 100. Along the thickness direction Z of the end plate 100, the width of the plug-in slots 140 can be greater than or equal to the thickness of the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200. Along the longitudinal direction X of the end plate 100, the depth of the plug-in slots 140 can be less than the longitudinal dimension of the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200. The plug-in slots 140 can be in any shape, such as a rectangle, a triangle, or a polygon.

[0052] In an example, the end plate 100 and the side plate 200 may be assembled by welding after being plugged in. After the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 is inserted into the plug-in slot 140 of the end plate 100 , the side plate 200 and the end plate 100 may be welded.

[0053] In an embodiment of the present application, by limiting the first surface 120 on the end plate 100 body and providing a plug-in groove 140 on the plug-in structure 130 formed on the first surface 120, so that the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 of the battery shell can be plugged into the plug-in groove 140, the connection strength between the end plate 100 and the side plate 200 of the battery shell can be enhanced, and the plug-in groove 140 can form a limit on the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 to prevent the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 from warping, thereby ensuring the assembly gap between the battery modules.

[0054] For battery modules of the same model, the side panels 200 and the end panels 100 are both standard parts, i.e., they have the same dimensions. During the process of assembling battery cells into battery modules, if the side panels 200 cannot be inserted into the insertion slots 140 of the end panels 100, it can be determined that the battery module is poorly assembled. Modules with unqualified dimensions can be detected in advance during the battery module assembly stage, thereby avoiding the problem of assembly dimension mismatch during the subsequent battery module assembly process.

[0055] According to some embodiments of the present application, along the thickness direction Z of the end plate 100, the width of the plug-in slot 140 is greater than the sum of the thickness of the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 and a first predetermined value, and is less than the sum of the thickness of the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 and a second predetermined value, and the first predetermined value is less than the second predetermined value.

[0056] In this example, if the width of the insertion slot 140 along the thickness direction Z of the end plate 100 is smaller than the thickness of the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200, the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 cannot be inserted into the insertion slot 140 provided on the end plate 100. In other words, the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 cannot be plugged into the insertion slot 140 provided on the end plate 100. In order for the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 to be plugged into the insertion slot 140, the width of the insertion slot 140 along the thickness direction Z of the end plate 100 must be at least greater than the thickness of the bent portion 210.

[0057] In this example, the sum of the thickness of the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 and the first predetermined value can represent a smaller installation space for the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200. If it is too small, the installation space for the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 is too small, and there is a risk that the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 will interfere with the insertion slot 140. The sum of the thickness of the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 and the second predetermined value can represent a larger installation space for the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200. If it is too large, the installation space for the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 is too large, and the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 can be easily separated from the insertion slot 140. Therefore, in actual processing, the first and second predetermined values ​​can be reasonably set by comprehensively considering both the installation space for the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 and whether it is easy to fall off.

[0058] In the embodiment of the present application, along the thickness direction Z of the end plate 100, by making the width of the plug-in slot 140 greater than the sum of the thickness of the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 and a first predetermined value, and less than the sum of the thickness of the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 and a second predetermined value, it is possible to ensure that after the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 is plugged and assembled with the plug-in slot 140, the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 will not interfere with the plug-in slot 140, and the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 will not easily detach from the plug-in slot 140.

[0059] In some embodiments, the first predetermined value is 0.3 mm and the second predetermined value is 0.5 mm.

[0060] In this example, both the first and second predetermined values ​​are related to the thickness of the battery module's side panel 200. In related art, the thickness of the side panel 200 is between 1.0 mm and 2.0 mm. In other words, the thickness of the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 is generally between 1.0 mm and 2.0 mm. When the first predetermined value is 0.3 mm and the second predetermined value is 0.5 mm, the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 does not interfere with the insertion slot 140 and is not easily disengaged from the insertion slot 140.

[0061] In an embodiment of the present application, by setting the first predetermined value to 0.3 mm and the second predetermined value to 0.5 mm, the degree of adaptability between the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 and the plug-in slot 140 can be further improved, thereby further improving the connection strength between the side panel 200 and the end panel 100.

[0062] According to some embodiments of the present application, along the length direction X of the end plate 100 , the depth of the insertion groove 140 is smaller than the length dimension of the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 .

[0063] In the example, along the length direction X of the end plate 100, when the depth of the insertion groove 140 is less than or equal to the dimension of the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 in the length direction X, the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 is not easily plugged into the insertion groove 140. Therefore, in order to make it easier for the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 to plug into the insertion groove 140, the depth of the insertion groove 140 is less than the dimension of the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 in the length direction X.

[0064] In the embodiment of the present application, along the length direction X of the end plate 100, by making the depth of the plug-in groove 140 smaller than the dimension of the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 in the length direction X, the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 can be more easily plugged into the plug-in groove 140, thereby simplifying the assembly process between the side plate 200 and the end plate 100.

[0065] In some embodiments, the depth of the inserting groove 140 is equal to 1 / 5 of the dimension of the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 in the length direction X.

[0066] In this example, when the depth of the insertion groove 140 is too large, the bending portion 210 of the side panel 200 becomes more difficult to plug into the insertion groove 140; when the depth of the insertion groove 140 is too small, the bending portion 210 of the side panel 200 is easily separated from the insertion groove 140 after being plugged into the insertion groove 140. Therefore, in order to reduce the difficulty of plugging the bending portion 210 of the side panel 200 into the insertion groove 140 and improve the reliability of the plugging between the bending portion 210 of the side panel 200 and the insertion groove 140, the depth of the insertion groove 140 is equal to 1 / 5 of the dimension of the bending portion 210 of the side panel 200 in the length direction X.

[0067] In the embodiment of the present application, by making the depth of the plug-in groove 140 equal to 1 / 5 of the size of the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 in the length direction X, the assembly difficulty between the side panel 200 and the end panel 100 can be reduced, and the connection strength between the side panel 200 and the end panel 100 can be improved.

[0068] According to some embodiments of the present application, the plug-in structure 130 includes a second surface 150 facing away from the end plate 100 body, the plug-in slot 140 includes a side wall surface 190 facing the first surface 120, and the maximum distance between the second surface 150 and the side wall surface 190 is greater than or equal to a predetermined multiple of the thickness of the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200.

[0069] In this example, the distance between the second surface 150 and the sidewall 190 is the thickness of the sidewall of the insertion slot 140, and the maximum distance between the second surface 150 and the sidewall 190 is the maximum thickness of the sidewall of the insertion slot 140. The sidewall of the insertion slot 140 needs to have a certain thickness. If the thickness is too small, the strength and rigidity of the insertion slot 140 will be reduced. Under the action of external forces, the insertion slot 140 is at risk of deformation or damage, and it will not be able to effectively connect the end plate 100 and the side plate 200. If the sidewall of the insertion slot 140 is too thick, the thickness of the end plate 100 will be increased, and there is a risk that the end plate 100 will be too large and heavy.

[0070] In this example, during use of the battery case, along the thickness direction Z of the end plate 100, the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 exerts a strong force on the side wall 190 of the insertion slot 140. To improve the structural strength of the insertion slot 140, the distance between the second surface 150 and the side wall 190 is associated with the thickness of the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200. The maximum distance between the second surface 150 and the side wall 190 is greater than or equal to a predetermined multiple of the thickness of the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200. For example, the maximum distance between the second surface 150 and the side wall 190 is greater than or equal to twice the thickness of the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200.

[0071] In an embodiment of the present application, by setting the maximum distance between the second surface 150 and the side wall surface 190 of the plug-in slot 140 facing the first surface 120 to be greater than or equal to a predetermined multiple of the thickness of the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200, the structural strength of the plug-in slot 140 can be improved, making the plug-in slot 140 less likely to deform.

[0072] In some embodiments, the predetermined multiple is 2 times.

[0073] For example, if the predetermined multiple of the thickness of the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 is too large, the sidewall of the plug slot 140 (the maximum distance between the second surface 150 and the sidewall surface 190) may be too thick, which may cause the thickness of the end panel 100 to be too thick, affecting the assembly of the end panel 100 and causing the end panel 100 to occupy too much space. If the predetermined multiple of the thickness of the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 is too small, the sidewall of the plug slot 140 (the maximum distance between the second surface 150 and the sidewall surface 190) may be too thin, thereby causing the plug slot 140 to be damaged.

[0074] In the embodiment of the present application, the predetermined multiple of the thickness of the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 is set to 2 times, which can improve the structural strength of the plug-in slot 140 and prevent the end panel 100 from occupying too much space.

[0075] According to some embodiments of the present application, along the length direction X of the end plate 100 , an end portion of the side wall surface 190 is provided with a first chamfer 160 .

[0076] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the end of the side wall surface 190 is provided with a first chamfer 160. Therefore, the end of the side wall surface 190 has a smooth contour, which is conducive to reducing the resistance when the bent portion of the side panel 200 is plugged into the plug-in slot 140, making it easier to insert the bent portion of the side panel 200 into the plug-in slot 140.

[0077] In an example, the first chamfer 160 may be an inclined slope chamfer or an arc chamfer.

[0078] In the embodiment of the present application, a first chamfer 160 is provided at the end of the side wall surface 190 , which can make it easier for the side panel 200 to be inserted into the plug-in slot 140 , thereby reducing the probability of plug-in abnormality.

[0079] According to some embodiments of the present application, the first surface 120 is provided with second chamfers 170 at both ends in the length direction X, and the radius of the second chamfer 170 is greater than the bending radius of the bent portion 210 of the side panel 200 .

[0080] In the example, the second chamfer 170 can be an inclined slope chamfer or an arc chamfer. The radius of the second chamfer 170 is larger than the bending radius of the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200, so that the bent portion 210 is tightly fitted with the end plate 100 body when connected.

[0081] In the embodiment of the present application, second chamfers 170 are respectively provided at both ends of the first surface 120 in the length direction X. The radius of the second chamfer 170 is greater than the bending radius of the bending portion 210 of the side panel 200, so as to facilitate the close fit between the bending portion 210 of the side panel 200 and the body of the end panel 100, making it easier to connect the side panel 200 and the end panel 100.

[0082] According to some embodiments of the present application, a plurality of cavities 180 are defined on the end plate 100 .

[0083] In an example, the cavity 180 may be divided into a connecting cavity and a weight-reducing cavity. Specifically, the connecting cavity may be located on both sides of the end plate 100 , and the weight-reducing cavity may be located in the middle of the end plate 100 .

[0084] The connecting cavity passes through the end plate 100 in the width direction Y and is connected to the connecting hole on the base of the battery shell. The connecting cavity is used by the operator to connect the end plate 100 and the base of the battery shell. When in use, the operator detachably connects the end plate 100 and the base of the battery shell through a connecting rod. The connecting rod is inserted into the connecting cavity, one end of the connecting rod is abutted against the top surface of the end plate 100, and the other end of the connecting rod is detachably connected to the connecting hole on the base of the battery shell.

[0085] The weight-reducing cavity is used to reduce the weight of the end plate 100. The number of weight-reducing cavities should be no less than the number of connecting cavities. Here, the weight-reducing cavity may pass through the end plate 100 or may not pass through the end plate 100, and the shape of the weight-reducing cavity may be triangular, rectangular, circular, elliptical or any other shape.

[0086] In the embodiment of the present application, by providing a plurality of cavities 180 on the end plate 100 , the weight of the end plate 100 can be reduced while facilitating connection with the base of the battery housing.

[0087] According to some embodiments of the present application, the bent portion 210 includes a first area 211 and a second area 212 connected to the first area 211. The second area 212 is inserted into the plug-in slot 140 set on the end plate 100, and the first area 211 is welded to the first surface 120 of the end plate 100 body.

[0088] In an example, along the length direction X of the end plate 100 , the length of the first region 211 may be greater than the length of the second region 212 . The length of the second region 212 may be the same as the depth of the insertion slot 140 provided on the end plate 100 .

[0089] In an example, through-laser welding may be used between the first region 211 and the first surface 120 of the end plate 100 body.

[0090] In the embodiment of the present application, by welding the first area 211 of the bent portion 210 to the first surface 120 of the end plate 100 body, the first area 211 is a weldable area, which can increase the area of ​​the weldable area. The weld offset or tilt formed during the welding process has strong compatibility, facilitates welding connection, and improves the connection reliability between the side plate 200 and the end plate 100.

[0091] According to some embodiments of the present application, the first region 211 is welded to the first surface 120 to form a weld 220 extending along the width direction Y of the end plate 100, wherein along the length direction X of the end plate 100, the size of the weld 220 is smaller than the width of the first region 211, and along the width direction Y of the end plate 100, the size of the weld 220 is smaller than the size of the first region 211.

[0092] Exemplarily, the weld 220 can be centered along the length direction X of the end plate 100. The fact that the size of the weld 220 is smaller than the width of the first region 211 along the length direction X of the end plate 100 means that a certain size of process margin must be left for the weld 220 in the first region 211. For example, 10 mm is left at each end of the left and right sides of the first region 211 along the length direction X of the end plate 100. At the same time, the weld 220 can also be centered along the width direction Y of the end plate 100. The fact that the size of the weld 220 is smaller than the size of the first region 211 along the width direction Y of the end plate 100 means that a certain size of process margin must be left for the weld 220 in the first region 211, for example, 10 mm is left at each end of the first region 211 along the width direction Y of the end plate 100.

[0093] In the embodiment of the present application, by making the size of the weld 220 smaller than the width of the first region 211 along the length direction X of the end plate 100, and making the size of the weld 220 smaller than the size of the first region 211 along the width direction Y of the end plate 100, a certain space can be reserved for the weld 220 in the length direction X and the width direction Y of the end plate 100, so that the weld 220 will not be higher than the end plate 100 or wider than the end plate 100, thereby reducing the probability of the battery shell increasing in size in the length direction X and the width direction Y.

[0094] According to another aspect of the present application, a battery is provided, comprising the battery module of any one of the aforementioned embodiments and a housing for accommodating the battery module.

[0095] In the embodiments of the present application, the battery can be applied to, but not limited to, mobile phones, tablets, laptop computers, electric toys, electric tools, battery-powered vehicles, electric cars, ships, spacecraft, etc. Among them, electric toys can include fixed or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys, etc., and spacecraft can include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft, etc.

[0096] In the example, in a battery module, there can be multiple battery cells, and the multiple battery cells can be connected in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid connection. Hybrid connection means that the multiple battery cells are connected in both series and parallel. Multiple battery cells can be directly connected in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid connection, and then the battery module composed of multiple battery cells is accommodated in a battery housing. Of course, the battery module can also be a battery module formed by first connecting multiple battery cells in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid connection, and then the multiple battery modules are connected in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid connection to form a whole, which is arranged in a battery housing. Among them, each battery cell can be a secondary battery or a primary battery; it can also be a lithium-ion battery, a sodium-ion battery, or a magnesium-ion battery, but is not limited thereto. The battery cell can be a rectangular parallelepiped, a cube, or a cylinder, etc.

[0097] In an example, a battery may include a plurality of battery modules and a battery housing stacked on top of each other.

[0098] In the embodiment of the present application, by adopting the battery in the embodiment of the present application, the assembly gap between the battery modules is ensured, thereby improving the stability of the battery.

[0099] According to another aspect of the present application, there is also provided an electrical device comprising the battery in the aforementioned embodiment, wherein the battery is used to provide electrical energy.

[0100] In the embodiments of the present application, the electric 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. Among them, 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.

[0101] In the embodiment of the present application, by adopting the electrical device in the embodiment of the present application, the assembly gap between the battery modules is ensured, thereby improving the stability of the battery, thereby improving the reliability of the electrical device.

[0102] The technical solution of the present application is further described below through a specific embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 to 4.

[0103] The battery module includes a battery cell, an end plate 100, and a side plate 200. The end plate 100 includes an end plate body 110 and a plug-in structure 130. The end plate body 110 defines a first surface 120 extending along the length direction X and the width direction Y of the end plate 100. The plug-in structure 130 is formed on the first surface 120 and is provided with plug-in slots 140 at both ends of the plug-in structure 130 in the length direction X. The plug-in slots 140 extend along the width direction Y. The side plate 200 includes a bent portion 210 that plugs into the plug-in slots 140.

[0104] Along the thickness direction Z of the end plate 100, the width D1 of the plug-in slot 140 is greater than the sum of the thickness D2 of the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 and a first predetermined value, and is less than the sum of the thickness of the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 and a second predetermined value, the first predetermined value is less than the second predetermined value, wherein the first predetermined value is 0.3 mm and the second predetermined value is 0.5 mm.

[0105] Along the length direction X of the end plate 100, the depth of the insertion groove 140 is less than 1 / 5 of the dimension of the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200 in the length direction X. Along the length direction X of the end plate 100, the end of the side wall surface 190 is provided with a first chamfer 160. Second chamfers 170 are provided at both ends of the first surface 120 in the length direction X. The radius of the second chamfer 170 is greater than the bending radius of the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200.

[0106] The plug-in structure 130 includes a second surface 150 facing away from the end plate 100 body, and the plug-in slot 140 includes a side wall surface 190 facing the first surface 120. The maximum distance between the second surface 150 and the side wall surface 190 is greater than or equal to twice the thickness of the bent portion 210 of the side plate 200.

[0107] A plurality of cavities 180 are defined on the end plate 100 .

[0108] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application 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 application, and they should all be included in the scope of the claims and specification of the present application. 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 application 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 module comprising a battery cell, an end plate (100) and a side plate (200), wherein the end plate (100) comprises: an end plate body (110), the end plate body (110) defining a first surface (120), the first surface (120) extending along a length direction (X) and a width direction (Y) of the end plate (100); A plug-in structure (130), the plug-in structure (130) being formed on the first surface (120), the plug-in structure (130) being provided with plug-in slots (140) at both ends in the length direction (X), the plug-in slots (140) extending along the width direction (Y); The side plate (200) comprises a bent portion (210), and the bent portion (210) is inserted into the insertion slot (140).

2. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: Along the thickness direction (Z) of the end plate (100), the width of the plug-in slot (140) is greater than the sum of the thickness of the bent portion (210) of the side plate (200) and a first predetermined value, and is less than the sum of the thickness of the bent portion (210) of the side plate (200) and a second predetermined value, and the first predetermined value is less than the second predetermined value.

3. The battery module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: Along the length direction (X) of the end plate (100), the depth of the insertion groove (140) is smaller than the dimension of the bent portion (210) of the side plate (200) in the length direction (X).

4. The battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The plug-in structure (130) includes a second surface (150) facing away from the end plate body (110), and the plug-in slot (140) includes a side wall surface (190) facing the first surface (120), and the maximum distance between the second surface (150) and the side wall surface (190) is greater than or equal to a predetermined multiple of the thickness of the bent portion (210) of the side plate (200).

5. The battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: Along the length direction (X) of the end plate (100), the end of the side wall surface (190) is provided with a first chamfer (160).

6. The battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The first surface (120) is provided with second chamfers (170) at both ends in the length direction (X), and the radius of the second chamfer (170) is greater than the bending radius of the bending portion (210) of the side plate (200).

7. The battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: A plurality of cavities (180) are formed on the end plate body (110).

8. The battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The bent portion (210) includes a first region (211) and a second region (212) connected to the first region (211), the second region (212) being plugged into a plug-in slot (140) provided on the end plate (100), and the first region (211) being welded to the first surface (120) of the end plate body (110).

9. The battery module according to claim 8, wherein: The first region is welded to the first surface (120) to form a weld (220) extending along the width direction (Y) of the end plate (100), wherein the size of the weld along the length direction (X) of the end plate (100) is smaller than the width of the first region, and the size of the weld (220) along the width direction (Y) of the end plate (100) is smaller than the size of the first region (211). 10 . A battery comprising the battery module according to claim 1 and a housing for accommodating the battery module.

11. An electrical device comprising the battery according to claim 10, wherein the battery is used to provide electrical energy.

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