Battery cell, battery, and electric apparatus

Abstract

A battery cell (500) comprises a casing (10), an electrode assembly (20), and a phase change structure (30). The casing (10) comprises a first accommodating cavity (11) and a second accommodating cavity (12) which are separated from each other. The electrode assembly (20) is provided in the first accommodating cavity (11), and the phase change structure (30) is provided in the second accommodating cavity (12). The separation of the phase change structure (30) and the electrode assembly (20) can reduce the impact of the phase change structure (30) on the working operation of the electrode assembly (20). Moreover, when the ambient temperature is relatively high, the phase change structure (30) can absorb part of heat from the external environment and the electrode assembly (20) to reduce the degree of expansion of the electrode assembly (20), thereby reducing the risk of thermal runaway of the battery cell (500); and when the ambient temperature is relatively low, at least part of heat emitted by the phase change structure (30) can be absorbed by the electrode assembly (20) to increase the temperature of the electrode assembly (20), thereby achieving the temperature maintaining function of the battery cell (500) in a low-temperature environment.

Description

Battery cells, batteries and electrical devices CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202420423636.6, filed on March 5, 2024, entitled “Battery Cell, Battery and Electrical Device,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a battery cell, a battery, and an electrical device. Background Art

[0003] Battery cells are widely used in electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops, electric bicycles, electric cars, electric airplanes, electric boats, electric toy cars, electric toy boats, electric toy airplanes, and power tools. Battery cells can include nickel-cadmium battery cells, nickel-metal hydride battery cells, lithium-ion battery cells, and secondary alkaline zinc-manganese battery cells.

[0004] However, during the battery processing process, battery cells are easily affected by environmental factors, which may lead to the risk of abnormal use of battery cells. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above problems, the present application provides a battery cell, a battery and an electrical device, which can improve the reliability of the battery cell.

[0006] In one aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery cell comprising a housing, an electrode assembly, and a phase change structure, wherein the housing comprises a first accommodating cavity and a second accommodating cavity, wherein the electrode assembly is disposed in the first accommodating cavity and the phase change structure is disposed in the second accommodating cavity.

[0007] In the above scheme, the electrode assembly and the phase change structure are respectively arranged in the first accommodating cavity and the second accommodating cavity, that is, the phase change structure and the electrode assembly are separated by the outer shell, so that the influence of the phase change structure on the operation of the electrode assembly can be reduced. And when the ambient temperature is high, the phase change structure can absorb part of the heat from the external environment and the electrode assembly, thereby reducing the corresponding expansion degree of the electrode assembly and reducing the risk of thermal runaway of the battery cell. When the ambient temperature is low, at least part of the heat emitted by the phase change structure can be absorbed by the electrode assembly, thereby increasing the temperature of the electrode assembly to a certain extent and realizing the heat preservation function of the battery cell in a low temperature environment. In this way, the operating reliability of the battery cell under different temperature conditions is improved, so that the temperature of the battery cell can be maintained within a certain range, which helps to improve the application range and service life of the battery cell.

[0008] In some embodiments, the battery cell further includes a heat conducting member disposed in the second accommodation cavity, the heat conducting member is in contact with the phase change structure, and the heat conducting member is connected to the housing.

[0009] In the above solution, the heat conductor and the phase-change structure are both disposed within the second accommodating cavity, and the two are arranged in contact with each other. With this design, when the ambient temperature is high, the heat conductor can transfer some heat from the external environment and from the electrode assembly to different locations in the phase-change structure, thereby allowing more structures within the phase-change structure to undergo phase change, thereby improving the phase-change structure's ability to absorb external heat and further enhancing the reliability of the battery cells.

[0010] In some embodiments, the thermal conductivity of the thermal conductor is greater than the thermal conductivity of the phase change structure.

[0011] In the above scheme, since the heat conductive member has a stronger heat conductivity than the phase change structure, the heat transfer effect inside the battery cell can be improved by setting the heat conductive member, so that the heat can be transferred to different positions in the battery cell, thereby meeting the heat dissipation or heat preservation needs of the battery cell and improving reliability.

[0012] In some embodiments, the housing includes two first walls arranged opposite to each other along a first direction. In the first direction, the first accommodating cavity and the second accommodating cavity are both located between the two first walls, and the heat conducting member is connected to at least one of the first walls.

[0013] In the above solution, the first and second accommodating cavities are located between the two first walls, and the spacing between the two first walls in the first direction determines the size of the first and second accommodating cavities in the first direction. Furthermore, in an embodiment of the present application, a heat conductor is connected to at least one of the first walls. In this way, when the temperature of the battery cell itself is high, the heat conductor can transfer some of the heat to the first wall, and achieve heat exchange with the external environment through the first wall, thereby reducing overall battery cell problems, reducing the risk of thermal runaway in the battery cell, and improving the reliability of the battery cell.

[0014] In some embodiments, there are multiple heat-conducting members, and the multiple heat-conducting members are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the first accommodating cavity.

[0015] In the above solution, by providing multiple thermally conductive members, the heat transfer capability within the battery cell can be improved. Furthermore, by arranging multiple thermally conductive members at intervals along the circumference of the first accommodating cavity, when the battery cell itself is at a high temperature, different thermally conductive members can receive portions of the heat from different sides of the electrode assembly, thereby improving the heat transfer capability at different sides of the electrode assembly and further enhancing the reliability of the battery cell.

[0016] In some embodiments, the second accommodating cavity is disposed around the first accommodating cavity.

[0017] In the above scheme, because the phase change structure is located in the second accommodating cavity, the electrode assembly is located in the first accommodating cavity, and the second accommodating cavity is arranged to surround the first accommodating cavity, the phase change structure is arranged to surround the electrode assembly. In this way, parts of the phase change structure are arranged at different locations around the electrode assembly. This can improve the heat preservation effect of the phase change structure at different locations around the electrode assembly in low-temperature environments, and the heat dissipation and cooling effect of the phase change structure on the electrode assembly in high-temperature environments, thereby improving the reliability of the battery cell.

[0018] In some embodiments, the housing includes a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall. The two first walls are arranged opposite each other along a first direction. The second wall is connected to the two first walls and, together with the first walls, encloses a first accommodating cavity. The third wall is arranged around the outer periphery of the second wall. The first wall, the second wall, and the third wall together enclose a second accommodating cavity.

[0019] In the above scheme, the shell is provided with a first wall, a second wall and a third wall to form a first accommodating cavity and a second accommodating cavity that are separated from each other independently. The overall structure is simple and reliable, and the second wall can separate the first accommodating cavity from the second accommodating cavity, which can reduce the impact of the phase change structure on the electrode assembly and improve the reliability of the battery cell.

[0020] In some embodiments, the projected outer contour of the second wall in the first direction is a circular structure, and the projected outer contour of the third wall in the first direction is a rectangular structure.

[0021] In the above scheme, the third wall not only determines the size and shape of the second accommodating cavity, but also determines the overall outer contour of the battery cell. On this basis, by setting the third wall so that the projected outer contour in the first direction is a rectangular structure, the shape of the battery cell is made into a rectangular structure, so as to facilitate the side-by-side arrangement of multiple battery cells.

[0022] In addition, since the projected outer contour of the second wall in the first direction is a circular structure, and the projected outer contour of the third wall in the first direction is a rectangular structure, due to the difference in shape, there is a gap between the second wall and the third wall. A second accommodating cavity for accommodating the phase change structure can be formed through the gap, which has strong practicality and flexibility.

[0023] In some embodiments, at least one first wall includes an electrode lead-out hole extending through the first direction, and the battery cell further includes an electrode terminal electrically connected to the electrode assembly and extending out of the housing through the electrode lead-out hole.

[0024] In the above solution, the battery cell includes an electrode terminal, which is used to transmit electrical energy from the electrode assembly to the outside. To meet the installation requirements of the electrode terminal, the embodiment of the present application provides an electrode lead-out hole on at least one first wall. The electrode lead-out hole is arranged to penetrate the first wall along a first direction. Furthermore, the electrode lead-out hole can be arranged in communication with the first accommodating cavity, and the electrode terminal is at least partially disposed within the electrode lead-out hole to achieve electrical connection between the electrode terminal and the electrode assembly.

[0025] In some embodiments, a first positioning portion is provided on a side of the first wall facing the second wall, and the first positioning portion is plug-fitted with the second wall.

[0026] In the above solution, by providing a first positioning portion on the first wall, the first wall and the second wall can be connected and fixed by the first positioning portion, thereby improving the accuracy of the relative position between the first wall and the second wall and improving the reliability of the overall structure of the shell.

[0027] In some embodiments, the first wall includes a wall body, the first positioning portion is protrudingly provided on a side of the wall body facing the second wall, and the side of the first positioning portion facing away from the wall body is recessed inwardly to form a first recess, which is plug-fitted with the second wall.

[0028] In the above scheme, by providing a first recess on the first positioning portion, the first positioning portion and the second wall can be plugged in with the help of the first recess. The structure is simple and reliable, and helps to improve the relative position accuracy between the first wall and the second wall, and has strong practicality.

[0029] In some embodiments, the side of the wall body facing away from the first positioning portion is recessed inward to form a second recess, and the first wall and the second wall are welded to form a weld mark (not shown in the figure), and the weld mark is partially accommodated in the second recess.

[0030] In the above embodiment, the first and second walls are connected and fixed by welding, and the welding process forms a weld mark on the first wall, the position of which generally corresponds to the weld location between the first and second walls. Furthermore, the weld mark is at least partially contained within the second recess, that is, the first and second walls are welded and fixed at the second recess. The presence of the second recess serves to position the first and second walls during the welding process. Since the weld mark is at least partially located within the recess, its protrusion relative to the wall body can be reduced, thereby improving the flatness of the battery cell's appearance.

[0031] In some embodiments, projections of the first concave portion and the second concave portion in the first direction overlap.

[0032] In the above solution, the presence of the first recess enables plug-in fit between the first wall and the second wall, and the battery cell is welded to the first wall and the second wall at the corresponding position of the second recess. Furthermore, by arranging the projections of the first and second recesses in the first direction to overlap, the weld mark can penetrate deep into the first recess, achieving weld fixation between the first and second walls. This allows both plug-in fit and weld fixation between the first and second walls to be achieved at the first recess, thereby improving the reliability of the relative position between the first and second walls.

[0033] In some embodiments, the battery cell further includes a heat conducting member disposed in the second accommodating cavity, the heat conducting member being in contact with the phase change structure. A second positioning portion is provided on a side of the first wall facing the second wall, the second positioning portion being plugged into and mated with the heat conducting member.

[0034] In the above solution, by adding a second positioning portion on the second wall, the first wall and the heat conductive member can be connected and fixed by the second positioning portion, thereby improving the accuracy of the relative position between the first wall and the heat conductive member and improving the thermal conductivity inside the battery cell.

[0035] In some embodiments, the phase change structure includes at least one of paraffin and graphite.

[0036] In the above solution, by configuring the phase change structure to include at least one of paraffin wax and graphite, it is endowed with the ability to change its physical state within a certain temperature range. Thus, when the ambient temperature is high, the phase change structure can absorb some heat from the external environment and from the electrode assembly, thereby reducing the corresponding expansion of the electrode assembly and the risk of thermal runaway in the battery cell. When the ambient temperature is low, at least some of the heat emitted by the phase change structure can be absorbed by the electrode assembly, thereby increasing the temperature of the electrode assembly to a certain extent and achieving the thermal insulation function of the battery cell in low-temperature environments. This improves the operational reliability of the battery cell under different temperature conditions, allowing the temperature of the battery cell to be maintained within a certain range, which helps to increase the applicability and service life of the battery cell.

[0037] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery, which includes a battery cell in any of the aforementioned embodiments.

[0038] In some embodiments, the battery further includes a heat exchange plate, and the plurality of battery cells are arrayed in the second and third directions. The heat exchange plate is located on the same side of the plurality of battery cells along the first direction, and the first, second and third directions intersect each other.

[0039] In the above solution, by arranging the heat exchange plate on the same side of multiple battery cells, the thermal control function of the battery cells is achieved with the help of the heat exchange plate and the phase change structure inside the battery cells, thereby improving the applicable scenario range of the battery and having strong practicality.

[0040] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an electric device, which includes a battery cell in any of the aforementioned embodiments, and the battery cell is used to provide electric energy.

[0041] 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

[0042] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0043] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of an exploded structure of a battery provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery cell provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0046] FIG4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] FIG5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of region Q in FIG4 ;

[0048] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of another battery provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0049]

[0050] In the attached figure:

[0051] 1000. Vehicle;

[0052] 100, battery; 200, controller; 300, motor; 400, housing; 500, battery cell;

[0053] 10. Housing; 11. First accommodating cavity; 12. Second accommodating cavity; 13. First wall; 131. Electrode lead-out hole; 132. First positioning portion; 133. Wall body; 134. First recess; 135. Second recess; 136. Second positioning portion; 14. Second wall; 15. Third wall;

[0054] 20. Electrode assembly;

[0055] 30. Phase change structure;

[0056] 40. Heat conducting parts;

[0057] 50. Electrode terminal;

[0058] 60. Heat exchange plate;

[0059] X, first direction; Y, second direction; Z, third direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] 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.

[0061] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which 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.

[0062] 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.

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

[0064] 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.

[0065] 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).

[0066] 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.

[0067] 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.

[0068] In the embodiment of the present application, 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.

[0069] The battery cells can be lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, sodium-lithium-ion batteries, lithium metal batteries, sodium metal batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, magnesium-ion batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, lead-acid batteries, etc., which are not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0070] A battery cell typically includes an electrode assembly. This assembly includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator. During the charge and discharge process of a battery cell, active ions (such as lithium ions) are inserted and removed between the positive and negative electrodes. The separator, placed between the positive and negative electrodes, prevents short circuits between the positive and negative electrodes while allowing the active ions to pass through.

[0071] In some embodiments, the positive electrode may be a positive electrode sheet, which may include a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode active material disposed on at least one surface of the positive electrode current collector.

[0072] As an example, the positive electrode current collector has two surfaces facing each other in its thickness direction, and the positive electrode active material is provided on either or both of the two facing surfaces of the positive electrode current collector.

[0073] As an example, the positive electrode current collector may be a metal foil or a composite current collector. For example, as the metal foil, aluminum or stainless steel with a silver surface treatment, stainless steel, copper, aluminum, nickel, carbon electrode, carbon, nickel or titanium, etc. may be used. The composite current collector may include a polymer material base layer and a metal layer. The composite current collector may be formed by forming a metal material (aluminum, aluminum alloy, nickel, nickel alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, silver and silver alloy, etc.) on a polymer material substrate (such as a substrate of polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polyethylene, etc.).

[0074] As an example, the positive electrode active material may include at least one of the following materials: lithium-containing phosphates, lithium transition metal oxides, and their respective modified compounds. However, the present application is not limited to these materials, and other traditional materials that can be used as positive electrode active materials for batteries may also be used. These positive electrode active materials may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Examples of lithium-containing phosphates may include, but are not limited to, at least one of lithium iron phosphate (such as LiFePO4 (also referred to as LFP)), a composite material of lithium iron phosphate and carbon, lithium manganese phosphate (such as LiMnPO4), a composite material of lithium manganese phosphate and carbon, lithium iron manganese phosphate, and a composite material of lithium iron manganese phosphate and carbon.

[0075] In some embodiments, the negative electrode may be a negative electrode sheet, and the negative electrode sheet may include a negative electrode current collector.

[0076] As an example, the negative electrode current collector can be a metal foil, a metal foam, or a composite current collector. For example, as the metal foil, aluminum or stainless steel with a silver surface treatment, stainless steel, copper, aluminum, nickel, carbon electrode, carbon, nickel, or titanium can be used. The metal foam can be nickel foam, copper foam, aluminum foam, alloy foam, or carbon foam. The composite current collector can include a polymer material base layer and a metal layer. The composite current collector can be formed by forming a metal material (copper, copper alloy, nickel, nickel alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, silver, and silver alloy, etc.) on a polymer material substrate (such as a substrate of polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polyethylene, etc.).

[0077] As an example, the negative electrode sheet may include a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material disposed on at least one surface of the negative electrode current collector.

[0078] As an example, the negative electrode current collector has two surfaces facing each other in its thickness direction, and the negative electrode active material is provided on either or both of the two facing surfaces of the negative electrode current collector.

[0079] As an example, the negative electrode active material may be a negative electrode active material known in the art for use in battery cells. As an example, the negative electrode active material may include at least one of the following materials: artificial graphite, natural graphite, soft carbon, hard carbon, silicon-based materials, tin-based materials, and lithium titanate.

[0080] In some embodiments, the material of the positive electrode current collector may be aluminum, and the material of the negative electrode current collector may be copper.

[0081] In some embodiments, the electrode assembly further includes a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode.

[0082] In some embodiments, the separator is a separator. The present application has no particular limitation on the type of separator, and any known separator with a porous structure having good chemical and mechanical stability can be selected.

[0083] As an example, the main material of the isolation membrane can be selected from at least one of glass fiber, non-woven fabric, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, and ceramics.

[0084] In some embodiments, the separator is a solid electrolyte, which is disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode and serves to transport ions and isolate the positive and negative electrodes.

[0085] In some embodiments, the battery cell also includes an electrolyte, which acts as a conductor of ions between the positive and negative electrodes. This application does not specifically limit the type of electrolyte, and the electrolyte can be selected based on needs. The electrolyte can be liquid, gel, or solid.

[0086] In some embodiments, the electrode assembly is a wound structure, wherein the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet are wound into the wound structure.

[0087] In some embodiments, the electrode assembly is a laminate structure.

[0088] In some embodiments, the shape of the electrode assembly can be cylindrical, flat, or polygonal.

[0089] In some embodiments, the electrode assembly is provided with tabs that can conduct current from the electrode assembly. The tabs include a positive tab and a negative tab.

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

[0091] In some embodiments, the housing may be provided with functional components such as electrode terminals, etc. The electrode terminals may be used to electrically connect to the electrode assembly to output or input electrical energy of the battery cell.

[0092] In some embodiments, a current collecting member may be disposed in the housing, and the electrode assembly may be electrically connected to the housing or electrode terminals disposed on the housing through the current collecting member.

[0093] As an example, the battery cell can be a cylindrical battery cell, a prismatic battery cell, a soft-pack battery cell or a battery cell of other shapes. The prismatic battery cell includes a square-shell battery cell, a blade-shaped battery cell, and a polygonal battery. The polygonal battery is, for example, a hexagonal battery, etc. There is no special limitation in this application.

[0094] The battery mentioned in the embodiments of the present application refers to a single physical module including one or more battery cells to provide higher voltage and capacity.

[0095] In some embodiments, the battery may be a battery module. When there are multiple battery cells, the multiple battery cells are arranged and fixed to form a battery module.

[0096] In some embodiments, the battery may be a battery pack, which includes a case and battery cells, wherein the battery cells or battery modules are housed in the case.

[0097] In some embodiments, the box body can be used as a part of the chassis structure of the vehicle. For example, part of the box body can become at least a part of the floor of the vehicle, or part of the box body can become at least a part of the cross beam and longitudinal beam of the vehicle.

[0098] In some embodiments, the battery may be an energy storage device, including an energy storage container, an energy storage cabinet, and the like.

[0099] During battery cell use, different external environments can have varying effects on the cells. For example, in extremely cold weather, the internal conductivity and material activity of the battery cells decrease, and the hot start speed of the battery cells slows down. In hot weather, if the internal heat of the battery cells cannot be dissipated in a timely manner, thermal runaway may occur, hindering the normal use of the battery cells.

[0100] Based on the above technical problems, the present application provides a battery cell, a battery and an electrical device. By adding a phase change structure in the battery cell, the phase change structure is used to achieve thermal insulation function in a low-temperature environment; in a high-temperature environment, the phase change structure is used to achieve timely heat dissipation, thereby improving the reliability of the battery cell.

[0101] The technical solutions described in the embodiments of the present application are applicable to batteries and electrical devices using batteries, such as mobile phones, portable devices, laptops, electric vehicles, electric cars, ships, spacecraft, electric toys and electric tools, etc., among which spacecraft include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles and spacecraft, etc., electric toys include fixed or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys and electric airplane toys, etc., and electric tools include metal cutting power tools, grinding power tools, assembly power tools and railway power tools, such as electric drills, electric grinders, electric wrenches, electric screwdrivers, electric hammers, impact drills, concrete vibrators and electric planers.

[0102] The battery cells described in the embodiments of the present application are not limited to being applicable to the electrical devices described above, but for the sake of simplicity, the following embodiments are described using electric vehicles as an example.

[0103] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a simple schematic diagram of a vehicle 1000 provided in an embodiment of the present application. The vehicle 1000 can be a fuel vehicle, a gas vehicle or a new energy vehicle. The new energy vehicle can be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle or an extended-range vehicle, etc. A battery 100 can be provided inside the vehicle 1000. For example, the battery 100 can be provided at the bottom, front or rear of the vehicle 1000. The battery 100 can be used to power the vehicle 1000. For example, the battery 100 can be used as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000. The vehicle 1000 can also include a controller 200 and a motor 300. The controller 200 is used to control the battery to power the motor 300, for example. The battery can be used for starting and navigating the vehicle 1000. Of course, the battery 100 can also be used to drive the vehicle 1000, replacing or partially replacing fuel or natural gas to provide drive for the vehicle 1000.

[0104] FIG2 is an exploded view of a battery according to some embodiments of the present application. As shown in FIG2 , a battery 100 includes a housing 400 and a battery cell 500 , wherein the battery cell is housed in the housing 400 .

[0105] The box body 400 is used to accommodate battery cells, and the box body 400 can be of various structures. In some embodiments, the box body 400 can include a first box body portion and a second box body portion, the first box body portion and the second box body portion cover each other, and the first box body portion and the second box body portion together define a receiving portion for accommodating battery cells. The second box body portion can be a hollow structure with one end open, the first box body portion is a plate-like structure, and the first box body portion covers the open side of the second box body portion to form a box body with a receiving portion; the first box body portion and the second box body portion can also be hollow structures with one side open, and the open side of the first box body portion covers the open side of the second box body portion to form a box body 400 with a receiving portion. Of course, the first box body portion and the second box body portion can be of various shapes, such as a cylinder, a cuboid, etc.

[0106] In battery 100, there can be one or more battery cells. If there are multiple battery cells, they can be connected in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid connection. A hybrid connection refers to a combination of series and parallel connections. Multiple battery cells can be directly connected in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid connection, and then the entire battery cell system is housed within the housing 400. Alternatively, multiple battery cells can be first connected in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid connection to form a battery module, and then the multiple battery modules can be connected in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid connection to form a single unit, which is then housed within the housing 400.

[0107] Next, the structure of the battery cell will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0108] 3 and 4 , a battery cell 500 includes a housing 10, an electrode assembly 20, and a phase change structure 30. The housing 10 includes a first accommodating chamber 11 and a second accommodating chamber 12. The electrode assembly 20 is disposed in the first accommodating chamber 11, and the phase change structure 30 is disposed in the second accommodating chamber 12.

[0109] The battery cell 500 is a component structure used to provide electrical energy. It has a hollow housing 10 that protects the other components located within it. Components such as the electrode assembly 20 can be located within the housing 10. The electrode assembly 20 is the primary component within the battery cell that provides electrical energy.

[0110] The shape of the housing 10 can be determined based on the specific shape of the electrode assembly 20. That is, the shape of the housing 10 can be adapted to the shape of the electrode assembly 20. For example, when the electrode assembly 20 has a cylindrical structure, a cylindrical housing 10 can be selected; when the electrode assembly 20 has a rectangular parallelepiped structure, a rectangular parallelepiped housing 10 can be selected. Alternatively, depending on actual needs, the shape of the housing 10 can also be different from the shape of the electrode assembly 20. For example, when the electrode assembly 20 has a cylindrical structure, the housing 10 can have a rectangular parallelepiped structure or other polygonal structure; when the electrode assembly 20 has a rectangular parallelepiped structure, the housing 10 can have a cylindrical structure.

[0111] The housing 10 includes a first accommodating chamber 11 and a second accommodating chamber 12, which are separated and formed by the housing 10. The first accommodating chamber 11 and the second accommodating chamber 12 are two independent chambers enclosed by the housing 10. That is, the first accommodating chamber 11 and the second accommodating chamber 12 are not connected. The first accommodating chamber 11 and the second accommodating chamber 12 can have various positional relationships. For example, the first accommodating chamber 11 and the second accommodating chamber 12 can be arranged side by side and spaced apart in a single direction, or one of the first accommodating chamber 11 and the second accommodating chamber 12 can be arranged on the outer side surrounding the other.

[0112] The electrode assembly 20 is arranged in the first accommodating cavity 11. The shape of the first accommodating cavity 11 can be determined according to the specific shape of the electrode assembly 20, that is, the shape of the first accommodating cavity 11 can be adapted to the shape of the electrode assembly 20. For example, when the electrode assembly 20 is a cylindrical structure, the first accommodating cavity 11 can be a cylindrical cavity structure; when the electrode assembly 20 is a rectangular structure, the first accommodating cavity 11 can be a rectangular cavity structure.

[0113] Battery cell 500 also includes a phase change structure 30, which includes a phase change material and has the ability to change its physical state within a certain temperature range. For example, when the ambient temperature rises to a certain level, phase change structure 30 undergoes a phase change from solid to liquid. During the melting process, phase change structure 30 absorbs and stores a large amount of latent heat. When the ambient temperature drops to a certain level, the stored heat within phase change structure 30 is dissipated to the outside of phase change structure 30 within a certain temperature range, and phase change structure 30 undergoes a reverse phase change from liquid to solid.

[0114] The phase change structure 30 is disposed within the second accommodating cavity 12. The shape of the second accommodating cavity 12 can be adapted to the shape of the phase change structure 30. The second accommodating cavity 12 can include only a continuous cavity structure, which is completely filled with the phase change structure 30. Alternatively, the second accommodating cavity 12 can include multiple separate sub-cavities, with the phase change structure 30 disposed in each of the multiple sub-cavities.

[0115] In the embodiment of the present application, the electrode assembly 20 and the phase change structure 30 are separately disposed in the first accommodating cavity 11 and the second accommodating cavity 12, that is, the phase change structure 30 and the electrode assembly 20 are separated by the housing 10. This reduces the impact of the phase change structure 30 on the operation of the electrode assembly 20. When the ambient temperature is high, the phase change structure 30 can absorb some heat from the external environment and from the electrode assembly 20, thereby reducing the corresponding expansion of the electrode assembly 20 and reducing the risk of thermal runaway of the battery cell 500. When the ambient temperature is low, at least part of the heat emitted by the phase change structure 30 can be absorbed by the electrode assembly 20, thereby increasing the temperature of the electrode assembly 20 to a certain extent and achieving the thermal insulation function of the battery cell 500 in low-temperature environments. This improves the operational reliability of the battery cell 500 under different temperature conditions, allowing the temperature of the battery cell 500 to be maintained within a certain range, which helps to increase the applicability and service life of the battery cell 500.

[0116] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 , the battery cell 500 further includes a heat conducting member 40 disposed in the second accommodation cavity 12 . The heat conducting member 40 contacts the phase change structure 30 and is connected to the housing 10 .

[0117] The heat conductor 40 is a component structure for transferring heat. Unlike the phase change structure 30, the physical state of the heat conductor 40 itself usually does not change. The heat conductor 40 can have a variety of material forms, for example, the heat conductor 40 can include metal copper and metal aluminum.

[0118] The heat conducting member 40 is accommodated in the second accommodating cavity 12. The number of heat conducting members 40 can be one or more, and the second accommodating cavity 12 can include only one complete cavity structure, or the second accommodating cavity 12 can also include multiple independent sub-cavities. On this basis, when there are multiple heat conducting members 40, the multiple heat conducting members 40 can be located in the same cavity structure, or the multiple heat conducting members 40 can be separately arranged in different sub-cavities.

[0119] In the embodiment of the present application, the heat conductor 40 and the phase change structure 30 are both disposed within the second accommodating cavity 12, and the two are disposed in contact with each other. With this design, when the ambient temperature is high, the heat conductor 40 can transfer some of the heat from the external environment and from the electrode assembly 20 to different locations of the phase change structure 30, thereby enabling more structures within the phase change structure 30 to undergo phase change, thereby improving the phase change structure 30's ability to absorb external heat and further enhancing the reliability of the battery cell 500.

[0120] In addition, the heat conductor 40 is also connected to the outer shell 10, so the heat generated inside the outer shell 10 can be transferred to the outer shell 10 through the heat conductor 40, and then transferred to the external environment through the outer shell 10, thereby further improving the heat dissipation capacity of the battery cell 500 in a high temperature environment, which has strong practicality.

[0121] It should be noted that inside the battery, a heat exchange plate 60 is usually required to be fitted with the battery cell 500 to achieve the heat dissipation function of the battery cell 500. However, in the embodiment of the present application, due to the presence of the phase change structure 30 and the heat conductor 40, the setting of the heat exchange plate 60 outside the battery cell 500 can be cancelled when the ambient temperature is not too high, thereby reducing the cost and overall size of the battery.

[0122] In some embodiments, the thermal conductivity of the thermal conductor 40 is greater than the thermal conductivity of the phase change structure 30 .

[0123] Thermal conductivity refers to the amount of heat transferred through a one-square-meter area in one second under stable heat transfer conditions, assuming a one-meter-thick material with a one-degree temperature difference between its two surfaces. Generally, a higher thermal conductivity indicates a stronger heat transfer capability. Therefore, the thermal conductivity of the thermal conductor 40 is greater than that of the phase change structure 30, indicating that the thermal conductor 40 has a stronger thermal conductivity than the phase change structure 30.

[0124] In the embodiment of the present application, since the heat conductive member 40 can have a stronger heat conductivity than the phase change structure 30, the heat transfer effect inside the battery cell 500 can be improved by setting the heat conductive member 40, so that the heat can be transferred to different positions in the battery cell 500, thereby meeting the heat dissipation or heat preservation needs of the battery cell 500 and improving reliability.

[0125] In some embodiments, the housing 10 includes two first walls 13 oppositely arranged along a first direction X. In the first direction X, the first accommodating cavity 11 and the second accommodating cavity 12 are both located between the two first walls 13 , and the heat conducting member 40 is connected to at least one first wall 13 .

[0126] The housing 10 includes at least two first walls 13, which are arranged opposite to each other in the first direction X. The projected outer contours of the two first walls 13 in the first direction X may be the same, or the projected outer contours of the two first walls 13 in the first direction X may be different.

[0127] In the embodiment of the present application, the first accommodating cavity 11 and the second accommodating cavity 12 are located between the two first walls 13. The spacing between the two first walls 13 in the first direction X determines the size of the first accommodating cavity 11 and the second accommodating cavity 12 in the first direction X. Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present application, the heat conductor 40 is connected to at least one of the first walls 13. In this way, when the temperature of the battery cell 500 itself is high, the heat conductor 40 can transfer some heat to the first wall 13 and achieve heat exchange with the external environment through the first wall 13. This reduces the overall problems of the battery cell 500, reduces the risk of thermal runaway of the battery cell 500, and improves the reliability of the battery cell 500.

[0128] In some embodiments, there are multiple heat conducting members 40 , and the multiple heat conducting members 40 are spaced apart along the circumference of the first accommodating cavity 11 .

[0129] There are multiple heat conducting members 40 , and all of the heat conducting members 40 can play a role in heat transfer. The sizes and shapes of different heat conducting members 40 can be the same, or the sizes and shapes of at least some of the different heat conducting members 40 can also be different.

[0130] The plurality of heat conducting members 40 are spaced apart along the circumference of the first accommodating cavity 11 , i.e., the plurality of heat conducting members 40 are disposed at different locations around the first accommodating cavity 11 , with a certain distance between adjacent heat conducting members 40 . The number of heat conducting members 40 can be various, for example, two, three, four, or even more. Furthermore, the number of heat conducting members 40 can be four, with the four heat conducting members 40 disposed at the four corners of the battery cell 500 .

[0131] In the embodiment of the present application, by providing a plurality of heat conducting members 40, the heat transfer capability within the battery cell 500 can be improved. Furthermore, by arranging the plurality of heat conducting members 40 at intervals along the circumference of the first accommodating cavity 11, when the temperature of the battery cell 500 itself is relatively high, different heat conducting members 40 can receive portions of the heat from different sides of the electrode assembly 20, thereby improving the heat transfer capability at different sides of the electrode assembly 20 and further enhancing the reliability of the battery cell 500.

[0132] In some embodiments, the second accommodating cavity 12 is disposed around the first accommodating cavity 11 .

[0133] The second accommodating chamber 12 can be a continuous annular structure and completely surround the first accommodating chamber 11, or the first accommodating chamber 11 can also include multiple independent sub-cavities, which are respectively arranged at different positions around the first accommodating chamber 11 to surround the first accommodating chamber 11.

[0134] In the embodiment of the present application, since the phase change structure 30 is located in the second accommodating cavity 12, the electrode assembly 20 is located in the first accommodating cavity 11, and the second accommodating cavity 12 is arranged to surround the first accommodating cavity 11, the phase change structure 30 is arranged to surround the electrode assembly 20. In this way, parts of the phase change structure 30 are arranged at different locations around the electrode assembly 20, thereby improving the heat preservation effect of the phase change structure 30 on different locations around the electrode assembly 20 in low-temperature environments, and the heat dissipation and cooling effect of the phase change structure 30 on the electrode assembly 20 in high-temperature environments, thereby improving the reliability of the battery cell 500.

[0135] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the housing 10 includes a first wall 13, a second wall 14, and a third wall 15. The two first walls 13 are arranged opposite each other along a first direction X. The second wall 14 is connected to the two first walls 13 and, together with the first walls 13, encloses a first accommodating cavity 11. The third wall 15 is arranged around the outer periphery of the second wall 14. The first wall 13, the second wall 14, and the third wall 15 together enclose a second accommodating cavity 12.

[0136] The housing 10 includes at least a first wall 13, a second wall 14, and a third wall 15. There are two first walls 13, which are spaced apart in the first direction X. The second wall 14 and the third wall 15 are both located between the two first walls 13, and are both connected to the first wall 13. The first wall 13 and the second wall 14 can be connected in a variety of ways. For example, the first wall 13 and the second wall 14 can be an integral structure, or the first wall 13 and the second wall 14 can be separate structures and are connected and fixed by welding. The same applies to the first wall 13 and the third wall 15.

[0137] The second wall 14 is connected to the two first walls 13. The two first walls 13 and the second wall 14 together enclose the first accommodating cavity 11. That is, the size and shape of the first accommodating cavity 11 are determined by the first walls 13 and the second walls 14. The number of second walls 14 can be one or more. For example, the number of first walls 13 can be one and the first wall 13 can be a hollow cylinder, or the number of first walls 13 can be multiple, and the multiple first walls 13 enclose a hollow structure.

[0138] The third wall 15 is connected to the two first walls 13 and surrounds the outer periphery of the second wall 14. The first wall 13, the second wall 14, and the third wall 15 together enclose the second accommodating cavity 12. That is, the size and shape of the second accommodating cavity 12 are determined by the first wall 13, the second wall 14, and the third wall 15. The number of third walls 15 can be one or more.

[0139] In the embodiment of the present application, the shell 10 is provided with a first wall 13, a second wall 14 and a third wall 15, thereby forming a first accommodating cavity 11 and a second accommodating cavity 12 that are separated from each other independently. The overall structure is simple and reliable, and the second wall 14 can separate the first accommodating cavity 11 from the second accommodating cavity 12, which can reduce the impact of the phase change structure 30 on the electrode assembly 20 and improve the reliability of the battery cell 500.

[0140] In some embodiments, the projected outer contour of the second wall 14 in the first direction X is a circular structure, and the projected outer contour of the third wall 15 in the first direction X is a rectangular structure.

[0141] The second wall 14 is used to enclose and form the first accommodating cavity 11. The size and shape of the second wall 14 generally determine the size and shape of the first accommodating cavity 11, and the electrode assembly 20 is located within the first accommodating cavity 11. On this basis, for solutions in which the electrode assembly 20 has a cylindrical structure, the size and shape of the second wall 14 can be adjusted so that the outer contour of the second wall 14 projected in the first direction X is circular. This allows the second wall 14 to adapt to the electrode assembly 20 and reduces the waste of internal space within the battery cell 500.

[0142] Furthermore, in addition to determining the size and shape of the second accommodating cavity 12, the third wall 15 also determines the overall outer contour of the battery cell 500. On this basis, by setting the third wall 15 so that the projected outer contour in the first direction X is a rectangular structure, the shape of the battery cell 500 is a rectangular parallelepiped structure, so as to facilitate the side-by-side arrangement of multiple battery cells 500.

[0143] In addition, since the projected outer contour of the second wall 14 in the first direction X is a circular structure, and the projected outer contour of the third wall 15 in the first direction X is a rectangular structure, due to the difference in shape, there is a gap between the second wall 14 and the third wall 15. A second accommodating cavity 12 for accommodating the phase change structure 30 can be formed through this gap, which has strong practicality and flexibility.

[0144] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, at least one first wall 13 includes an electrode lead-out hole 131 arranged along the first direction X, and the battery cell 500 also includes an electrode terminal 50, which is electrically connected to the electrode assembly 20 and extends out of the outer shell 10 through the electrode lead-out hole 131.

[0145] In the embodiment of the present application, the battery cell 500 includes an electrode terminal 50, which is used to transmit electrical energy from the electrode assembly 20 to the outside. To meet the installation requirements of the electrode terminal 50, the embodiment of the present application provides an electrode lead-out hole 131 on at least one first wall 13. The electrode lead-out hole 131 is provided through the first wall 13 along the first direction X. Furthermore, the electrode lead-out hole 131 can be provided in communication with the first accommodating cavity 11, and the electrode terminal 50 is at least partially provided within the electrode lead-out hole 131 to achieve electrical connection between the electrode terminal 50 and the electrode assembly 20.

[0146] It should be noted that the electrode lead-out hole 131 and the first accommodating cavity 11 can have various size relationships. Optionally, the projection of the electrode lead-out hole 131 in the first direction X can be located within the projection of the first accommodating cavity 11 in the first direction X, that is, the radial dimension of the electrode lead-out hole 131 is less than or equal to the radial dimension of the first accommodating cavity 11. This allows the first wall 13 to completely cover the second accommodating cavity 12, that is, the second accommodating cavity 12 is not connected to the external environment in the first direction X, thereby improving the shielding and protection of the phase change structure 30 inside the second accommodating cavity 12.

[0147] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 5 , a first positioning portion 132 is provided on a side of the first wall 13 facing the second wall 14 , and the first positioning portion 132 is plug-fitted with the second wall 14 .

[0148] A first positioning portion 132 is provided on the first wall 13. The first positioning portion 132 is used to position the second wall 14 relative to the first wall 13, thereby improving the reliability of the relative position between the first wall 13 and the second wall 14. To achieve this function, the first positioning portion 132 is located on the side of the first wall 13 facing the second wall 14. The first wall 13 may include a planar structure facing the second wall 14, and the first positioning portion 132 may protrude relative to the planar structure, or the first positioning portion 132 may be recessed relative to the planar structure.

[0149] Furthermore, the first positioning portion 132 is plugged into and fits with the second wall 14, and there can be multiple plug-in forms between the two. For example, a protruding structure is provided on the first positioning portion 132, and a recessed structure is provided on the side of the second wall 14 facing the first wall 13, and the two are plugged into and fit together; or a recessed structure is provided on the first positioning portion 132, and the recessed structure is plugged into and fits together with the second wall 14.

[0150] In addition, the first wall 13 and the second wall 14 can be welded and fixed, and the corresponding welding positions between the two can be located at the first positioning portion 132, or may not be located at the first positioning portion 132, that is, in addition to playing a positioning role, the first positioning portion 132 can also be welded and fixed to the second wall 14.

[0151] In the embodiment of the present application, a first positioning portion 132 is provided on the first wall 13, and the first positioning portion 132 can realize the connection and fixation between the first wall 13 and the second wall 14, thereby improving the accuracy of the relative position between the first wall 13 and the second wall 14 and improving the reliability of the overall structure of the shell 10.

[0152] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the first wall 13 includes a wall body 133, and a first positioning portion 132 is protrudingly provided on a side of the wall body 133 facing the second wall 14. The side of the first positioning portion 132 facing away from the wall body 133 is recessed inward to form a first recess 134, which is pluggably engaged with the second wall 14.

[0153] The wall body 133 is the main component of the first wall 13. The wall body 133 can be a plate-shaped structure, and the electrode lead-out hole 131 can be provided through the wall body 133. The first positioning portion 132 is connected to the wall body 133 and protrudes relative to the wall body 133. The two can be an integral structure, or they can be separate structures and connected and fixed by means such as welding.

[0154] The first positioning portion 132 is disposed on a side of the wall body 133 facing the second wall 14, and the first positioning portion 132 is provided with a first recess 134. Part of the structure of the second wall 14 can be inserted into the first recess 134 to achieve plug-in fit between the second wall 14 and the first positioning portion 132. In the first direction X, the first recess 134 can be completely disposed through the first positioning portion 132, or the first recess 134 can also partially penetrate the first positioning portion 132. Furthermore, when the first recess 134 completely penetrates the first potential portion, the first recess 134 can also pass through at least a portion of the structure of the wall body 133.

[0155] Both the first positioning portion 132 and the first recess 134 can have a variety of shapes. Optionally, the projection of the first positioning portion 132 in the first direction X can be a continuous annular structure. The number of first recesses 134 located on the first positioning portion 132 can be one, or the number of first recesses 134 can also be multiple. Specifically, when there is one first recess 134, the projection of one first recess 134 in the first direction X can also be an annular structure. When there are multiple first recesses 134, the multiple first recesses 134 can be spaced apart in the extension direction of the first positioning portion 132 to achieve plug-in fit between the first positioning portion 132 and the second wall 14 at different positions.

[0156] In the embodiment of the present application, a first recess 134 is provided on the first positioning portion 132, so that the first positioning portion 132 and the second wall 14 can be plugged into each other with the help of the first recess 134. The structure is simple and reliable, and helps to improve the relative position accuracy between the first wall 13 and the second wall 14, and has strong practicality.

[0157] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the side of the wall body 133 facing away from the first positioning portion 132 is recessed inward to form a second recess 135, and the first wall 13 and the second wall 14 are welded to form a weld mark (not shown in the figures), and the weld mark portion is accommodated in the second recess 135.

[0158] The second recess 135 is a recessed structure formed by the wall body 133. The wall body 133 has two opposing surfaces in the first direction X. The first positioning portion 132 is provided on one of the surfaces, and the second recess 135 is formed by an inward recess of the other surface. The number of second recesses 135 can be one or more. When there are multiple second recesses 135, the multiple second recesses 135 can be arranged side by side in a single direction or in multiple different directions, or can collectively define a regular or irregular shape.

[0159] It should be noted that the second recess 135 and the first positioning portion 132 may have various positional relationships. For example, the projections of the second recess 135 and the first positioning portion 132 in the first direction X may be staggered or overlapped with each other.

[0160] In the embodiment of the present application, the first wall 13 and the second wall 14 are connected and fixed by welding, and the welding process forms a weld mark on the first wall 13. The position of the weld mark generally corresponds to the welding position of the first wall 13 and the second wall 14. Furthermore, the weld mark is at least partially accommodated within the second recess 135. That is, the first wall 13 and the second wall 14 are welded and fixed at the second recess 135. The presence of the second recess 135 can play a positioning role during the welding process of the first wall 13 and the second wall 14. Moreover, because the weld mark is at least partially located within the recess, the protrusion of the weld mark relative to the wall body 133 can be reduced, thereby improving the flatness of the battery cell 500.

[0161] In some embodiments, projections of the first concave portion 134 and the second concave portion 135 in the first direction X overlap.

[0162] In the embodiment of the present application, the presence of the first recess 134 enables plug-in fit between the first wall 13 and the second wall 14, and the battery cell 500 is welded to the first wall 13 and the second wall 14 at the corresponding position of the second recess 135. Furthermore, by arranging the projections of the first recess 134 and the second recess 135 in the first direction X to overlap, the weld mark can penetrate deep into the position of the first recess 134, achieving weld fixation between the first wall 13 and the second wall 14. This allows the plug-in fit and weld fixation of the first wall 13 and the second wall 14 to be simultaneously achieved at the first recess 134, thereby improving the reliability of the relative position between the first wall 13 and the second wall 14.

[0163] In some embodiments, the battery cell 500 further includes a heat conducting member 40 disposed in the second accommodating cavity 12, the heat conducting member 40 being in contact with the phase change structure 30. A second positioning portion 136 is provided on the side of the first wall 13 facing the second wall 14, and the second positioning portion 136 is plugged into and engaged with the heat conducting member 40.

[0164] In combination with the above content, it can be seen that the heat conductor 40 is a component structure for transferring heat. The heat conductor 40 is connected to the outer shell 10. Therefore, the heat generated inside the outer shell 10 can be transferred to the outer shell 10 through the heat conductor 40, and then transferred to the external environment through the outer shell 10, thereby further improving the heat dissipation capacity of the battery cell 500 in a high temperature environment.

[0165] To achieve relative fixation between the heat conducting member 40 and the first wall 13, the embodiment of the present application further includes a second positioning portion 136 on the first wall 13. The second positioning portion 136 is located on the side of the first wall 13 facing the second wall 14. The first wall 13 may include a planar structure facing the second wall 14, and the second positioning portion 136 may protrude relative to the planar structure, or the second positioning portion 136 may be recessed relative to the planar structure.

[0166] Furthermore, the second positioning portion 136 is plugged into and fitted with the heat conducting member 40, and the two can have various plug-in forms. For example, a protruding structure is provided on the second positioning portion 136, and a recessed structure is provided on the side of the heat conducting member 40 facing the first wall 13, and the two are plugged into and fitted with each other; or a recessed structure is provided on the second positioning portion 136, and the recessed structure is plugged into and fitted with the heat conducting member 40.

[0167] In the embodiment of the present application, a second positioning portion 136 is added to the second wall 14, and the second positioning portion 136 can be used to connect and fix the first wall 13 and the heat conducting member 40, thereby improving the accuracy of the relative position between the first wall 13 and the heat conducting member 40 and improving the thermal conductivity inside the battery cell 500.

[0168] It should be noted that, depending on actual needs, the first wall 13 may be provided with only the first positioning portion 132 , or only the second positioning portion 136 , or both the first wall 13 and the second wall 14 may be provided on the first wall 13 .

[0169] In some embodiments, the phase change structure 30 includes at least one of paraffin wax and graphite.

[0170] In the embodiment of the present application, by configuring the phase change structure 30 to include at least one of paraffin wax and graphite, it is endowed with the ability to change its physical state within a certain temperature range. Thus, when the ambient temperature is high, the phase change structure 30 can absorb some of the heat from the external environment and from the electrode assembly 20, thereby reducing the corresponding expansion of the electrode assembly 20 and reducing the risk of thermal runaway of the battery cell 500. When the ambient temperature is low, at least some of the heat emitted by the phase change structure 30 can be absorbed by the electrode assembly 20, thereby increasing the temperature of the electrode assembly 20 to a certain extent and achieving the thermal insulation function of the battery cell 500 in a low-temperature environment. This improves the operational reliability of the battery cell 500 under different temperature conditions, allowing the temperature of the battery cell 500 to be maintained within a certain range, which helps to increase the scope of application and service life of the battery cell 500.

[0171] In the second aspect, referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 6 , an embodiment of the present application provides a battery, which includes a battery cell 500 in any of the aforementioned embodiments.

[0172] It should be noted that the battery provided in the embodiment of the present application has the beneficial effects of the battery cell 500 in any of the aforementioned embodiments. Please refer to the aforementioned description of the beneficial effects of the battery cell 500 for details, and the embodiment of the present application will not be repeated.

[0173] In some embodiments, the battery further includes a heat exchange plate 60, and a plurality of battery cells 500 are arranged in an array in the second direction Y and the third direction Z. The heat exchange plate 60 is located on the same side of the plurality of battery cells 500 along the first direction X, and the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z intersect with each other.

[0174] The battery may include multiple battery cells 500, which may be electrically connected in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel. Furthermore, the battery cells 500 are arranged in an array in two different directions: a second direction Y and a third direction Z. This allows for a more regular arrangement of the battery cells 500.

[0175] The heat exchange plate 60 is located outside the multiple battery cells 500. A heat exchange channel may be provided within the heat exchange plate 60. A heat exchange medium may flow through the channel and exchange heat with the battery cells 500, thereby regulating the temperature of the battery cells 500. The heat exchange plate 60 is located on the same side of the multiple battery cells 500 along a first direction X. Optionally, the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z may intersect in pairs.

[0176] In the embodiment of the present application, by arranging the heat exchange plate 60 on the same side of multiple battery cells 500, the thermal control function of the battery cell 500 is achieved with the help of the heat exchange plate 60 and the phase change structure 30 inside the battery cell 500, thereby improving the scope of applicable scenarios of the battery and having strong practicality.

[0177] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an electrical device, which includes a battery cell 500 in any of the aforementioned embodiments, and the battery cell 500 is used to provide electrical energy.

[0178] It should be noted that the electrical device provided in the embodiment of the present application has the beneficial effects of the battery cell 500 in any of the aforementioned embodiments. Please refer to the aforementioned description of the beneficial effects of the battery cell 500 for details, and the embodiment of the present application will not be repeated.

[0179] According to some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figures 3 to 5, the battery cell 500 includes a shell 10, a phase change structure 30, an electrode assembly 20, a heat conductor 40 and an electrode terminal 50, the shell 10 includes a first wall 13, a second wall 14 and a third wall 15, the two first walls 13 are arranged opposite to each other along the first direction X, the second wall 14 connects the two first walls 13, and together with the first wall 13, encloses a first accommodating cavity 11, the third wall 15 is arranged around the outer peripheral side of the second wall 14, the first wall 13, the second wall 14 and the third wall 15 together enclose a second accommodating cavity 12, and the second accommodating cavity 12 is arranged around the first accommodating cavity 11.

[0180] The electrode assembly 20 is disposed within the first accommodating cavity 11, and the phase change structure 30 and the thermal conductor 40 are disposed within the second accommodating cavity 12. The thermal conductivity of the thermal conductor 40 is greater than that of the phase change structure 30. There are multiple thermal conductors 40, which are spaced apart along the circumference of the first accommodating cavity 11. At least one first wall 13 includes an electrode lead-out hole 131 extending therethrough in the first direction X. The electrode terminal 50 is electrically connected to the electrode assembly 20 and extends out of the housing 10 through the electrode lead-out hole 131.

[0181] The first wall 13 includes a wall body 133, a first positioning portion 132 disposed on the side of the wall body 133 facing the second wall 14, a second positioning portion 136, and a second recessed portion 135 formed by an inward depression on the side of the wall body 133 facing away from the second wall 14. The first positioning portion 132 protrudes from the side of the wall body 133 facing the second wall 14, and the side of the first positioning portion 132 facing away from the wall body 133 is recessed inward to form a first recessed portion 134. The first recessed portion 134 engages with the second wall 14. The first wall 13 and the second wall 14 are welded to form a weld mark, which is partially accommodated in the second recessed portion 135. The projections of the first recessed portion 134 and the second recessed portion 135 in the first direction X overlap. The second positioning portion 136 engages with the heat conducting member 40.

[0182] 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 cell, comprising: A housing, the housing comprising a first accommodating cavity and a second accommodating cavity that are separated from each other; an electrode assembly, disposed in the first accommodating cavity; A phase change structure is provided in the second accommodation cavity. 2 . The battery cell according to claim 1 , further comprising a heat conducting member disposed in the second accommodation cavity, the heat conducting member being in contact with the phase change structure and connected to the outer shell.

3. The battery cell according to claim 2, wherein: The thermal conductivity of the heat conducting member is greater than the thermal conductivity of the phase change structure.

4. The battery cell according to claim 2, wherein: The housing includes two first walls arranged opposite to each other along a first direction, and in the first direction, the first accommodating cavity and the second accommodating cavity are both located between the two first walls; The heat conducting member is connected to at least one of the first walls.

5. The battery cell according to claim 2, wherein: There are multiple heat conducting members, and the multiple heat conducting members are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the first accommodating cavity. The battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein: The second accommodating cavity is arranged to surround the first accommodating cavity.

7. The battery cell according to claim 1, wherein: The housing includes a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall, wherein the two first walls are arranged opposite to each other along a first direction, and the second wall connects the two first walls and together with the first wall encloses the first accommodation cavity; The third wall is disposed around the outer periphery of the second wall, and the first wall, the second wall and the third wall together enclose and form the second accommodating cavity.

8. The battery cell according to claim 7, wherein: The projected outer contour of the second wall in the first direction is a circular structure, and the projected outer contour of the third wall in the first direction is a rectangular structure.

9. The battery cell according to claim 7, wherein: At least one of the first walls includes an electrode lead-out hole extending through the first direction. The battery cell further includes an electrode terminal electrically connected to the electrode assembly and extending out of the housing through the electrode lead-out hole.

10. The battery cell according to claim 7, wherein: A first positioning portion is provided on a side of the first wall facing the second wall, and the first positioning portion is plug-fitted with the second wall.

11. The battery cell according to claim 10, wherein: The first wall includes a wall body, and the first positioning portion is protrudingly provided on a side of the wall body facing the second wall; The first positioning portion is recessed inwardly at a side facing away from the wall body to form a first recess, and the first recess is plug-fitted with the second wall.

12. The battery cell according to claim 11, wherein: The side of the wall body facing away from the first positioning portion is recessed inward to form a second recess. The first wall and the second wall are welded to form a weld mark, and the weld mark is partially accommodated in the second recess.

13. The battery cell according to claim 12, wherein: The projections of the first concave portion and the second concave portion in the first direction are overlapped.

14. The battery cell according to claim 7, further comprising a heat conducting member disposed in the second accommodation cavity, the heat conducting member being in contact with the phase change structure; A second positioning portion is provided on a side of the first wall facing the second wall, and the second positioning portion is plug-fitted with the heat conducting member.

15. The battery cell according to claim 1, wherein The phase change structure includes at least one of paraffin wax and graphite. 16 . A battery comprising the battery cell according to claim 1 .

17. The battery according to claim 16, wherein The battery further includes a heat exchange plate. The battery cells are arranged in an array in the second direction and the third direction. The heat exchange plate is located on the same side of the battery cells along the first direction. The first direction, the second direction and the third direction intersect with each other.

18. An electrical device comprising the battery cell according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the battery cell is used to provide electrical energy.

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