Battery assembly, battery, and electrical apparatus

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a battery assembly, a battery, and an electrical apparatus. The battery assembly comprises a battery cell, an insulating film, a connecting member, and a thermal management sleeve member. The insulating film wraps around an outer surface of the battery cell, and the insulating film is provided with a communication hole penetrating through along the thickness direction of the insulating film. At least a portion of the connecting member is disposed in the communication hole. The connecting member is connected to the thermal management sleeve member and the battery cell. The battery assembly in the embodiments of the present disclosure is directly connected to the thermal management sleeve member and the battery cell by means of a connection in the communication hole, reducing the probability that the insulating film is damaged due to relative movement between the thermal management sleeve member and the battery cell, helping to improve the connection strength between the battery cell and the thermal management sleeve member, and making the relative position between the battery cell and the thermal management sleeve member more stable. Additionally, heat exchange between the thermal management sleeve member and the battery cell only passing through the connecting member is facilitated, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency.

Description

Battery assembly, battery and power-consuming device

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This disclosure is based on Chinese patent application number 202410364489.4, application date March 27, 2024, and invention name “A battery assembly, battery and electrical device”, and claims the priority of the Chinese patent application. The entire content of the Chinese patent application is hereby introduced into the present disclosure as a reference. Technical Field

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

[0004] The outer surface of the battery cell is wrapped with a layer of insulating film, commonly known as blue film, which protects and insulates the battery cell.

[0005] During the charging and discharging process, battery cells release a large amount of heat. To prevent this heat from affecting the normal operation of the battery cells, a thermal management kit is generally used to absorb the heat released by the battery cells to achieve a cooling effect on the battery cells.

[0006] In the related art, the thermal management kit is attached to the insulating film, that is, there is no direct connection between the thermal management kit and the battery cell.

[0007] During battery use, the thermal management kit may be displaced relative to the battery cell due to external vibrations and other factors, causing the insulating film to be pulled by the two and creating the risk of debonding.

[0008] Summary of the Invention

[0009] In view of this, embodiments of the present disclosure aim to provide a battery assembly, a battery, and an electrical device capable of improving the connection strength between a thermal management kit and a battery cell.

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the embodiment of the present disclosure is implemented as follows:

[0011] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a battery assembly, the battery assembly comprising:

[0012] Battery cells;

[0013] an insulating film covering the outer surface of the battery cell, wherein the insulating film is provided with a communication hole penetrating along the thickness direction thereof;

[0014] a connecting member, at least partially disposed in the communicating hole;

[0015] The thermal management kit is connected to the battery cell by the connector.

[0016] The battery assembly in the embodiment of the present disclosure directly connects the thermal management kit and the battery cell through the connection in the connecting hole. On the one hand, it is beneficial to eliminate the need for additional connection of the insulating film to the thermal management kit, thereby reducing the probability of damage to the insulating film due to the relative movement tendency between the thermal management kit and the battery cell, and is beneficial to improving the connection strength between the battery cell and the thermal management kit, making the relative position between the battery cell and the thermal management kit more stable; on the other hand, it is beneficial to ensure that the heat exchange between the thermal management kit and the battery cell is only through the connecting parts, which is beneficial to improving the efficiency of heat exchange.

[0017] In some embodiments, the outer surface of the battery cell includes a first wall, and the insulating film covers a portion of the first wall. The insulating film covering the first wall forms the communication hole. This eliminates the need for additional holes in the insulating film. This improves the integrity and structural strength of the insulating film, reducing the likelihood of the insulating film being torn during battery use. Furthermore, the communication hole is formed by simply wrapping the battery cell with the insulating film, improving production efficiency.

[0018] In some embodiments, the outer surface of the battery cell includes a second wall surface, the second wall surface being connected to the first wall surface, and the insulating film covering the second wall surface and extending to the first wall surface, such that the insulating film covers the connection between the first and second walls. This allows the joint between the inner wall of the communication hole and the surface of the battery cell to be located away from the connection between two adjacent walls of the battery cell, thereby reducing the probability of the insulating film being easily separated from the outer surface of the battery cell due to changes in curvature at the connection between the two adjacent walls. Furthermore, the edges of the insulating film do not need to be aligned with the edges of the individual walls, which helps to reduce the dimensional accuracy requirements for the insulating film and improve production efficiency.

[0019] In some embodiments, the connector is adhesive, and the projection of the connector, measured perpendicular to the thickness of the insulating film, is within the projection of the communication hole. This reduces the chance of the thermal management kit pulling on the insulating film through the connector and damaging it when the thermal management kit and the battery cells are in relative motion.

[0020] In some embodiments, the outer surface of the battery cell includes a first wall, the first wall being provided with at least two protrusions, the protrusions protruding in a direction away from the first wall, the two protrusions being spaced apart along a first direction of the first wall, and at least a portion of the thermal management kit being located between the two protrusions. This, on the one hand, utilizes the space between two adjacent protrusions, improving space utilization and facilitating a reduction in the overall size of the battery assembly; on the other hand, the protrusions can provide a certain degree of shielding for the connectors and communication holes, reducing the chance of foreign matter entering the battery during long-term use, which could damage the connectors and reduce the chance of the insulating film detaching from the surface of the battery cell, thereby improving safety.

[0021] In some embodiments, the two protrusions are located at one of the two ends of the first wall along the first direction. This helps to increase the space between the two protrusions, thereby facilitating the arrangement of a larger thermal management kit, thereby improving the thermal management effect of the battery cell.

[0022] In some embodiments, the insulating film covering the first wall between the two protrusions is provided with the communication hole. This, on the one hand, helps increase the size of the communication hole and the connector, thereby improving the connection strength between the battery cell and the thermal management kit; on the other hand, the penetration direction of the communication hole is aligned with the direction in which the thermal management kit is installed in the space between the two protrusions, thereby improving installation convenience.

[0023] In some embodiments, the side of the protrusion facing the other protrusion is an inclined surface, the inclined surface gradually moving away from the first wall surface in a direction away from the other protrusion, and the insulating film covering the inclined surface is provided with the communication hole. This facilitates extending the thermal management kit along the first direction to the inclined surface, enabling the connector to connect the inclined surface and the thermal management kit, increasing the connection area between the connector and the battery cell, and further improving the connection strength between the battery cell and the thermal management kit.

[0024] In some embodiments, the insulating film covering the end surface of the protrusion away from the first wall surface is provided with the communication hole. This facilitates extending the thermal management kit along the first direction to the inclined surface, enabling the connector to connect the inclined surface and the thermal management kit, increasing the connection area between the connector and the battery cell, and further improving the connection strength between the battery cell and the thermal management kit.

[0025] In some embodiments, the communication hole extends along the first direction to the insulating film covering the end surface of the protrusion away from the first wall surface. Thus, during the insulating film coating process, the portion of the communication hole corresponding to the first wall surface, the portion of the communication hole corresponding to the inclined surface, and the portion of the communication hole corresponding to the end surface of the protrusion away from the first wall surface can be formed simultaneously, simplifying the production process and improving production efficiency.

[0026] In some embodiments, the outer surface of the battery cell is provided with an explosion-proof valve, and the insulating film includes a fractured region with a lower impact strength than other portions of the insulating film. The fractured region overlies the outer surface of the explosion-proof valve. The provision of the fractured region allows high-temperature, high-pressure gas discharged from the explosion-proof valve to more quickly break through the insulating film, reducing the risk of battery cell explosion and improving safety.

[0027] In some embodiments, the insulating film is provided with a plurality of pre-fracture holes, which are spaced apart and arranged in a ring-like pattern to collectively enclose the fracture region. This makes it easier for the insulating film between two adjacent pre-fracture holes to tear under the impact of gas discharged from the explosion-proof valve, thereby reducing the risk of battery cell explosion and improving safety.

[0028] In some embodiments, an explosion-proof valve is provided on the outer surface of the battery cell, and the insulating film is provided with a pressure relief hole extending through its thickness, with the explosion-proof valve inserted into the pressure relief hole. This allows gas discharged from the explosion-proof valve to be discharged directly through the insulating film, reducing the risk of battery cell explosion and improving safety.

[0029] The disclosed embodiments further provide a battery comprising a housing and the battery assembly of any of the aforementioned embodiments, wherein the housing comprises an installation space, and the battery assembly is located within the installation space. Thus, by directly connecting the battery cells and the thermal management kit through the connecting member through the communication hole, the connection strength between the battery cells and the thermal management kit is improved, thereby enhancing the safety of the battery.

[0030] The present disclosure also provides an electrical device including the battery of the aforementioned embodiment, wherein the battery serves as a power source for the electrical device. Thus, by using the battery of the battery assembly of the aforementioned embodiment, the safety of the electrical device is improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present disclosure in which the electric device is a vehicle;

[0032] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a battery in one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a battery assembly in a first embodiment of the present disclosure at a first viewing angle;

[0034] FIG4 is an exploded schematic diagram of the embodiment in FIG3 ;

[0035] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a battery assembly in a second embodiment of the present disclosure at a second viewing angle;

[0036] FIG6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the AA position in FIG5 ;

[0037] FIG7 is a partial enlarged schematic diagram of position B in FIG6;

[0038] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of an insulating film and a battery cell in a third embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0039] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of a battery cell in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0040] FIG10 is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of an insulating film and a battery cell in a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0041] FIG11 is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of an insulating film and a battery cell in a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0042] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of the embodiment in FIG5 at a third viewing angle;

[0043] FIG13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the CC position in FIG12;

[0044] FIG14 is an enlarged schematic diagram of position D in FIG13 ;

[0045] FIG15 is a cross-sectional view of a battery assembly in a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure, and the cross-sectional position thereof is consistent with that of the embodiment in FIG13 ;

[0046] FIG16 is an enlarged schematic diagram of position E in FIG15 ;

[0047] FIG17 is a partial enlarged schematic diagram of a battery assembly in a seventh embodiment of the present disclosure, and the enlarged position thereof is consistent with that of the embodiment in FIG16 ;

[0048] FIG18 is a cross-sectional view of a battery assembly in an eighth embodiment of the present disclosure, and the cross-sectional position thereof is consistent with that of the embodiment in FIG13 ;

[0049] FIG19 is an enlarged schematic diagram of position F in FIG18 ;

[0050] FIG20 is a partial enlarged schematic diagram of a battery assembly in a ninth embodiment of the present disclosure, and the enlarged position thereof is consistent with that of the embodiment in FIG19 ;

[0051] FIG21 is a schematic diagram of a battery assembly and an insulating film in a tenth embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0052] FIG22 is a partial enlarged schematic diagram of position G in FIG21;

[0053] FIG23 is a schematic diagram of a battery assembly and an insulating film in the eleventh embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0054] Explanation of the reference numerals: 1000, vehicle; 100, battery; 200, controller; 300, motor; 50, housing; 50a, installation space; 51, top cover; 52, bottom cover; 10, battery cell; 10a, first wall; 10b, second wall; 10c, protrusion; 10d, inclined surface; 11, housing; 12, electrode assembly; 13, explosion-proof valve; 14, pole; 20, insulating film; 20a, connecting hole; 20b, fracture area; 20c, pre-fracture hole; 20d, pressure relief hole; 20e, avoidance hole; 30, connector; 40, thermal management kit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] It should be noted that, unless there is a conflict, the embodiments and technical features in the embodiments of the present disclosure can be combined with each other, and the detailed description in the specific implementation methods should be understood as an explanation of the purpose of the present disclosure and should not be regarded as an improper limitation on the present disclosure.

[0056] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure; the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the specification of the present disclosure and the above-mentioned drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0057] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, technical terms such as "first," "second," and "third" are used solely to distinguish different objects and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or to implicitly specify the quantity, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the technical features indicated. In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, "plurality" means more than two, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0058] References herein to "embodiments" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0059] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "and / or" is simply a description of the association relationship between associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0060] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, for the convenience of explanation, as shown in FIG. 5 , FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 , the direction indicated by the arrow X is referred to as the “first direction”.

[0061] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, technical terms such as "installed," "connected," "connect," and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integration; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and can refer to internal connectivity between two components or interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present disclosure based on specific circumstances.

[0062] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the technical term "contact" should be understood in a broad sense, and can be direct contact, contact through an intermediate medium layer, contact with essentially no interaction force between the two contacting parties, or contact with interaction force between the two contacting parties.

[0063] Batteries are increasingly used in everyday life and industry. They are not only used in energy storage systems like hydropower, thermal power, wind power, and solar power plants, but are also widely used in electric vehicles like electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric cars, as well as in aerospace and other fields. As battery applications continue to expand, market demand is also growing.

[0064] FIG2 is a perspective exploded view of a battery 100 provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG2 , the battery 100 includes a housing 50 and at least one battery cell 10.

[0065] The box body 50 includes a top cover 51 and a bottom cover 52 . The top cover 51 covers the bottom cover 52 , so that an installation space for placing the battery cells 10 is formed between the bottom cover 52 and the top cover 51 .

[0066] In the battery 100, there may be multiple battery cells 10, and the multiple battery cells 10 may be connected in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid connection. A hybrid connection refers to a combination of series and parallel connections among the multiple battery cells 10. The multiple battery cells 10 may be directly connected in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid connection, and then the entire battery cell 10 may be placed in the storage space formed by the bottom cover 52 and the top cover 51. Of course, the battery 100 may also be a battery module formed by first connecting multiple battery cells 10 in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid connection, and then the multiple battery modules may be connected in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid connection to form an entire battery cell, and then housed in the storage space formed by the bottom cover 52 and the top cover 51. The battery 100 may also include other structures. For example, the battery 100 may also include a busbar component for achieving electrical connection between the multiple battery cells 10.

[0067] The battery cell 10 involved in the embodiments of the present disclosure includes an electrode assembly and an electrolyte. The electrode assembly consists of a positive electrode sheet, a negative electrode sheet, and a separator. The battery cell 10 primarily operates by the movement of metal ions between the positive and negative electrode sheets. The positive electrode sheet includes a positive current collector and a positive active material layer. The positive active material layer is coated on the surface of the positive electrode current collector. The current collector uncoated with the positive active material layer protrudes from the current collector coated with the positive active material layer. The current collector uncoated with the positive active material layer, after being stacked, serves as the positive electrode tab. Taking a lithium-ion battery as an example, the positive electrode current collector can be made of aluminum, and the positive electrode active material can be lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, ternary lithium, or lithium manganese oxide. The negative electrode sheet includes a negative current collector and a negative active material layer. The negative active material layer is coated on the surface of the negative electrode current collector. The current collector uncoated with the negative active material layer protrudes from the current collector coated with the negative active material layer. The current collector uncoated with the negative active material layer, after being stacked, serves as the negative electrode tab. The negative electrode current collector can be made of copper, and the negative electrode active material can be carbon or silicon. The separator can be made of materials such as PP (polypropylene) or PE (polyethylene). Furthermore, the electrode assembly can be a wound or laminated structure.

[0068] The battery cell 10 may be a secondary battery. A secondary battery refers to a battery cell 10 that can be continuously used by activating active materials by charging after the battery cell 10 is discharged.

[0069] The battery cell 10 can be a lithium ion battery, a sodium ion battery, a sodium lithium ion battery, a lithium metal battery, a sodium metal battery, a lithium sulfur battery, a magnesium ion battery, a nickel metal hydride battery, a nickel cadmium battery, a lead storage battery, etc., which is not limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0070] The battery cell 10 may be a cylindrical battery cell, a prismatic battery cell, a soft-pack battery cell or other shapes. Prismatic battery cells include square-shell battery cells, blade-shaped battery cells, and polygonal prismatic batteries. Polygonal prismatic batteries are, for example, hexagonal prismatic batteries, etc. There is no particular limitation in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0071] The battery 100 referred to in the embodiments of the present disclosure refers to a single physical module including one or more battery cells 10 to provide higher voltage and capacity.

[0072] The electrical devices involved in the embodiments of the present disclosure are powered by the above-mentioned batteries, and the electrical devices may be, but are not limited to, mobile phones, tablets, laptop computers, electric toys, electric tools, battery-powered vehicles, electric cars, ships, spacecraft, etc. Among them, electric toys may include fixed or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys, etc., and spacecraft may include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft, etc.

[0073] In the following embodiments, for the convenience of description, the electric device of one embodiment of the present disclosure is taken as an example of a vehicle 1000. The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0074] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle 1000 provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. The vehicle 1000 may be a fuel vehicle, a gas vehicle or a new energy vehicle. The new energy vehicle may be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle or an extended-range vehicle, etc. As shown in FIG1 , a battery 100 is provided inside the vehicle 1000. The battery 100 may be provided at the bottom, head or tail of the vehicle 1000. The battery 100 may be used to power the vehicle 1000. For example, the battery 100 may serve as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000. The vehicle 1000 may further include a controller 200 and a motor 300. The controller 200 is used to control the battery 100 to power the motor 300, for example, for starting, navigating and operating power requirements of the vehicle 1000 during driving.

[0075] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the battery 100 can serve not only as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000 , but also as a driving power source for the vehicle 1000 , replacing or partially replacing fuel or natural gas to provide driving power for the vehicle 1000 .

[0076] The following describes the embodiments of the present disclosure in detail.

[0077] In related technologies, a battery contains multiple battery cells, each coated with an insulating film. The insulating films covering two adjacent battery cells adhere to each other. The insulating film prevents direct contact between adjacent battery cells. Its insulating properties reduce the likelihood of problems such as breakage between adjacent battery cells due to factors such as static electricity. Furthermore, the insulating film provides a protective layer, reducing the risk of damage to the battery cell surfaces from friction with each other or other components within the battery.

[0078] The battery also includes a thermal management kit, which is bonded to the insulating film to enable heat exchange between the thermal management kit and the battery cell through the insulating film, thereby keeping the operating temperature of the battery cell within an appropriate temperature range, so that the charging and discharging performance of the battery cell can be more fully utilized.

[0079] In the related art, the thermal management kit and the insulating film, as well as the insulating film and the battery cell, are fixed.

[0080] It is understandable that in some battery usage scenarios, such as vehicle-mounted use of the battery, under the influence of external vibrations and impacts, relative movement trends may occur between the thermal management kit and the insulating film, and between the insulating film and the battery cell. This will generate a pulling force on the insulating film, which may cause the insulating film to be pulled and damaged. Further, the relative position between the thermal management kit and the battery cell will change, which is not conducive to the thermal management kit's temperature regulation of the battery cell.

[0081] Based on the above problems, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a battery assembly, in which a connecting hole is provided on the insulating film, and the battery cell and the thermal management kit are directly connected by a connector passing through the connecting hole to improve the connection strength between the battery cell and the thermal management kit.

[0082] Specifically, referring to FIG. 3 to FIG. 7 , the battery assembly provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a battery cell 10 , an insulating film 20 , a connector 30 and a thermal management kit 40 .

[0083] The battery cell 10 is a unit in the battery that can realize the charge and discharge functions.

[0084] The insulating film 20 covers the outer surface of the battery cell 10. On the one hand, it can insulate the battery cell 10, reduce the adverse effects of factors such as the battery cell 10's own leakage and static electricity generated by other components in the battery on the safe operation of the battery cell 10; on the other hand, the insulating film 20 can play a certain protective role on the outer surface of the battery cell 10, and at the same time, increase the friction, which can reduce the probability of relative movement between the battery cell 10 and other battery cells 10 and other components in the battery.

[0085] The specific material type of the insulating film 20 is not limited, for example, PET (polyethylene glycol terephthalate) material.

[0086] The insulating film 20 may be wrapped around the outer surface of the battery cell 10 in such a way that the insulating film 20 is completely in contact with the outer surface of the battery cell 10; or the insulating film 20 may be partially in contact with the battery cell 10 and the other partially spaced apart from the outer surface of the battery cell 10 so that the insulating film 20 bends or avoids the structure of the surface of the battery cell 10.

[0087] The insulating film 20 is provided with a communication hole 20 a penetrating in the thickness direction thereof.

[0088] The thickness direction of the insulating film 20 refers to a direction perpendicular to the extended laying surface of the insulating film 20 .

[0089] The connecting member 30 is at least partially disposed in the communicating hole 20a. In other words, the connecting member 30 may be partially or entirely disposed in the communicating hole 20a.

[0090] The thermal management kit 40 achieves the purpose of heat energy exchange with the battery cell 10 by conveying fluid, thereby dissipating heat or heating the battery cell 10, so that the temperature of the battery cell 10 can be maintained within a suitable temperature range, reducing the probability of thermal runaway of the battery cell 10 due to overcharging, over-discharging, puncture, falling, impact, etc., and at the same time, it is beneficial for the battery cell 10 to work normally under low temperature conditions.

[0091] The connector 30 connects the thermal management kit 40 and the battery cell 10. Specifically, the connector 30 itself forms a heat conduction path, enabling heat exchange between the thermal management kit 40 and the battery cell 10 through the connector 30. Furthermore, the connection of the connector 30 secures the relative position of the thermal management kit 40 and the battery cell 10.

[0092] The battery assembly in the embodiment of the present disclosure directly connects the thermal management kit 40 and the battery cell 10 through the connection in the connecting hole 20a. On the one hand, this is beneficial for eliminating the need for additional connection of the insulating film 20 to the thermal management kit 40, thereby reducing the probability of damage to the insulating film 20 due to the relative movement tendency between the thermal management kit 40 and the battery cell 10, and is beneficial for improving the connection strength between the battery cell 10 and the thermal management kit 40, making the relative position between the battery cell 10 and the thermal management kit 40 more stable; on the other hand, it is beneficial for heat exchange between the thermal management kit 40 and the battery cell 10 to be only through the connector 30, which is beneficial for improving the efficiency of heat exchange.

[0093] The specific type of the thermal management kit 40 is not limited. For example, the thermal management kit 40 is a water-cooled plate, and a water-cooled channel is provided in the water-cooled plate. Water circulates in the water-cooled channel, and water is used as a heat storage medium to absorb or release heat at different positions in the water-cooled channel, thereby achieving the purpose of temperature control of the battery cell 10 by the water-cooled plate.

[0094] The specific shape of the communication hole 20a is not limited, for example, circular, rectangular, etc.

[0095] The specific number of the communicating holes 20a is not limited and can be one or more.

[0096] In some embodiments, a portion of the insulating film 20 is removed to form the communication hole 20 a . In this way, the communication hole 20 a of any shape can be formed by removing the insulating film 20 .

[0097] The excavation method is not limited. For example, the connecting hole 20 a is punched on the complete insulating film 20 , and then the insulating film 20 is covered on the outer surface of the battery cell 10 .

[0098] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 6 to FIG. 9 , the outer surface of the battery cell 10 includes a first wall surface 10 a , and the insulating film 20 covering a portion of the first wall surface 10 a forms a communication hole 20 a .

[0099] The wall surface refers to any of the surfaces forming the outer surface of the battery cell 10, and can be a flat surface or a curved surface. The shapes of the wall surfaces can be the same, different, or partially the same and partially different.

[0100] The first wall surface 10 a is one or some of the wall surfaces of the battery cell 10 .

[0101] A portion of the first wall surface 10 a is covered by the insulating film 20 , and the other portion directly faces the outside.

[0102] The insulating film 20 covering the first wall surface 10 a forms the communication hole 20 a . That is, the edge sidewall of the insulating film 20 covering the first wall surface 10 a is the inner wall of the communication hole 20 a .

[0103] In this way, there is no need to open additional holes on the insulating film 20. On the one hand, it is beneficial to improve the integrity of the insulating film 20, enhance the structural strength of the insulating film 20, and reduce the probability of the insulating film 20 being pulled and torn during the use of the battery; on the other hand, the connecting hole 20a can be formed by the process of the insulating film 20 covering the battery cell 10, which is beneficial to improve production efficiency.

[0104] It can be understood that the area of ​​the insulating film 20 is smaller than the area of ​​the outer surface of the battery cell 10 .

[0105] The insulating film 20 can be a whole film body that wraps each wall surface of the battery cell 10; or it can be formed by splicing together multiple separate film sheets.

[0106] In some embodiments, the area of ​​the insulating film 20 is larger than the area of ​​at least one wall of the battery cell 10 , so that the insulating film 20 wraps around one wall and then bends from the edge of the wall to wrap around another wall.

[0107] The insulating film 20 is fixed to the battery cell 10 by bonding.

[0108] It is understandable that the joint between the inner wall of the communication hole 20 a and the surface of the battery cell 10 is a region of weak structural strength of the bonding, and is susceptible to bonding detachment under external influences.

[0109] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 7, 8 and 9, the outer surface of the battery cell 10 includes a second wall 10b, which is connected to the first wall 10a, and the insulating film 20 covers the second wall 10b and extends to the first wall 10a, so that the insulating film 20 covers the connection position between the first wall 10a and the second wall 10b.

[0110] The second wall surface 10b is located on at least one side of the first wall surface 10a and the two are connected. In other words, the second wall surface 10b is adjacent to the first wall surface 10a.

[0111] After the insulating film 20 covers the second wall surface 10b, the junction between the second wall surface 10b and the first wall surface 10a, that is, the edge of the second wall surface 10b close to the first wall surface 10a, is bent toward the first wall surface 10a and covers a portion of the first wall surface 10a, so that the insulating film 20 completely covers the junction between the first wall surface 10a and the second wall surface 10b. In other words, the second wall surface 10b is edge-wrapped.

[0112] In this way, the joint position between the inner wall of the connecting hole 20a and the surface of the battery cell 10 is far away from the connection position of the two adjacent walls of the battery cell 10, thereby reducing the probability that the insulating film 20 will be easily separated from the outer surface of the battery cell 10 due to the change in curvature of the connection position of the two adjacent walls. At the same time, the edge of the insulating film 20 does not need to be aligned with the edge of each wall, which is beneficial to reducing the dimensional accuracy requirements of the insulating film 20 and improving production efficiency.

[0113] In some embodiments, the second wall surface 10b is the wall surface with the largest area on the outer surface of the battery cell 10. In other words, the second wall surface 10b is commonly known as the large surface of the battery cell 10.

[0114] It is understandable that since the second wall surface 10b has the largest area, the probability of contact with other external objects is higher, and the probability and magnitude of the force of the insulation film 20 covering the second wall surface 10b being pulled and rubbed are greater.

[0115] In this way, the contact force between the first wall surface 10 a and the insulating film 20 reduces the probability of the insulating film 20 covering the second wall surface 10 b being separated, thereby better protecting the second wall surface 10 b.

[0116] It can be understood that, referring to FIG. 4 , FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 , the inner wall of the communication hole 20 a is spaced apart from the edge of the first wall surface 10 a .

[0117] The specific form of the connecting member 30 is not limited.

[0118] Exemplarily, the connector 30 is adhesive. The specific type of adhesive is not limited, such as silicone, polyurethane adhesive, acrylic adhesive, etc., which has good bonding strength and insulation performance.

[0119] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 7 and FIG. 12 to FIG. 14 , on a projection plane perpendicular to the thickness direction of the insulating film 20 , the projection of the connector 30 is located within the projection range of the communicating hole 20 a .

[0120] That is, the adhesive forming the connecting member 30 will not overflow the outer surface of the insulating film 20 .

[0121] In this way, the probability of damaging the insulating film 20 due to the thermal management kit 40 pulling the insulating film 20 through the connector 30 when the thermal management kit 40 and the battery cell 10 tend to move relative to each other is reduced.

[0122] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG7 , a battery cell 10 includes a housing 11 and an electrode assembly 12. Housing 11 defines a chamber within which electrode assembly 12 is located. The chamber stores electrolyte, and the electrochemical reaction between electrode assembly 12 and the electrolyte enables the charging and discharging of battery cell 10.

[0123] The electrode assembly 12 includes a pole ear and a pole piece. The pole ear protrudes from one side of the pole piece. The pole piece is used to produce an electrochemical reaction with the electrolyte, and the pole ear is used to guide the input or output of electric energy to or from the pole piece.

[0124] It is understandable that, since the electrode tab protrudes from one side of the electrode piece, the outer contour of the electrode assembly 12 is irregular.

[0125] In some embodiments having a first wall 10a, referring to FIG9 , the first wall 10a is provided with a protrusion 10c, which protrudes in a direction away from the first wall 10a, so that a portion of the electrode assembly 12 in the battery cell 10, such as the tab, is located in the internal space of the protrusion 10c, thereby facilitating improved space utilization in the battery cell 10, making the structure of the battery cell 10 more compact, and facilitating improved energy density of the battery cell 10.

[0126] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 3, 4, 5, 8, and 9, the first wall 10a is provided with at least two protrusions 10c, which are spaced apart along a first direction of the first wall 10a. At least a portion of the thermal management assembly 40 is located between the two protrusions 10c. In other words, at least a portion of the connector 30 and at least a portion of the communication hole 20a are located between the two protrusions 10c.

[0127] In this way, on the one hand, the space between two adjacent protrusions 10c is utilized, which improves space utilization and helps to reduce the overall size of the battery assembly; on the other hand, the protrusions 10c can play a certain shielding role on the connector 30 and the connecting hole 20a, reducing the chance of foreign matter entering the battery during long-term use, causing damage to the connector 30 and separation of the insulating film 20 from the surface of the battery cell 10, thereby improving safety in use.

[0128] The specific direction of the first direction is not limited. For example, if the battery cell 10 is square, the first direction is the length direction of the battery cell 10 ; or the first direction is the width direction of the battery cell 10 .

[0129] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 9 , two protrusions 10 c are respectively located at one end of the first wall surface 10 a along the first direction.

[0130] In this way, the space between the two protrusions 10 c is increased, thereby facilitating the arrangement of a larger thermal management kit 40 , thereby improving the thermal management effect of the battery cell 10 .

[0131] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 8 , the insulating film 20 covering the first wall surface 10 a between the two protrusions 10 c is provided with a communication hole 20 a.

[0132] That is, the penetrating direction of the communication hole 20a is the same as the protruding direction of the protrusion 10c.

[0133] In this way, on the one hand, it is beneficial to increase the size of the connecting hole 20a and the connecting member 30, thereby improving the connection strength between the battery cell 10 and the thermal management kit 40; on the other hand, the penetration direction of the connecting hole 20a is the same as the direction of the thermal management kit 40 being installed in the space between the two protrusions 10c, thereby facilitating the improvement of installation convenience.

[0134] In the embodiment with the housing 11 , the protrusion 10 c can be formed by stamping.

[0135] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 13 to FIG. 20 , a side surface of a protrusion 10 c facing another protrusion 10 c is an inclined surface 10 d , and the inclined surface 10 d gradually moves away from the first wall surface 10 a in a direction away from the other protrusion 10 c .

[0136] In this way, on the one hand, during the process of stamping to form the protrusion 10c, it is convenient to demold the inclined surface 10d from the stamping die; on the other hand, it is beneficial to reduce the probability of stress concentration between the structure forming the inclined surface 10d on the battery cell 10 and the structure forming the first wall 10a, thereby improving the structural strength of the battery cell 10.

[0137] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 8 , FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 , the insulating film 20 covers the entire inclined surface 10 d to increase the area of ​​the insulating film 20 covering the outer surface of the battery cell 10 and enhance the protective and insulating effects of the insulating film 20 on the battery cell 10 .

[0138] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 16 and 17 , in a projection plane perpendicular to the protrusion direction of protrusion 10c, at least a portion of the projection of thermal management kit 40 overlaps with the projection of inclined surface 10d. This helps further increase the volume of thermal management kit 40, thereby further improving the thermal management effect of thermal management kit 40 on battery cells 10.

[0139] It can be understood that, referring to Figures 16 and 17, a portion of the surface of the thermal management kit 40 facing the battery cell 10 is a slope to match the inclined surface 10d, so that the thermal management kit 40 can fit the inclined surface 10d to better manage the heat of the battery cell 10.

[0140] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 10 and 14 , the insulating film 20 covering the inclined surface 10d is provided with a communication hole 20a. That is, the insulating film 20 only covers a portion of the inclined surface 10d, so that at least a portion of the communication hole 20a is disposed corresponding to the inclined surface 10d.

[0141] In this way, the thermal management kit 40 is easily extended to the inclined surface 10d along the first direction, and the connector 30 can connect the inclined surface 10d and the thermal management kit 40, thereby increasing the connection area between the connector 30 and the battery cell 10 and further improving the connection strength between the battery cell 10 and the thermal management kit 40.

[0142] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 10, the connecting hole 20a extends along the first direction from the portion of the insulating film 20 covered on the first wall 10a to the portion of the insulating film 20 covered on the inclined surface 10d. In this way, in the process of covering the insulating film 20, the portion of the connecting hole 20a corresponding to the first wall 10a and the portion of the connecting hole 20a corresponding to the inclined surface 10d can be formed at one time, which simplifies the production steps and improves production efficiency.

[0143] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 8, 10, 18 and 19, the insulating film 20 is covered on the entire end surface of the protrusion 10c away from the first wall 10a, so as to increase the area of ​​the insulating film 20 covered on the outer surface of the battery cell 10, thereby improving the protective and insulating effects of the insulating film 20 on the battery cell 10.

[0144] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 19 and 20 , in a projection plane perpendicular to the protrusion direction of the protrusion 10c, at least a portion of the projection of the thermal management kit 40 overlaps with the projection of the end surface of the protrusion 10c facing away from the first wall 10a. This helps further increase the volume of the thermal management kit 40, thereby further improving the thermal management effect of the thermal management kit 40 on the battery cells 10.

[0145] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 11 and FIG. 20 , the insulating film 20 covering the end surface of the protrusion 10 c away from the first wall surface 10 a is provided with a communication hole 20 a .

[0146] That is, the insulating film 20 only covers a portion of the end surface of the protrusion 10c away from the first wall surface 10a, so that at least a portion of the communication hole 20a is arranged corresponding to the end surface of the protrusion 10c away from the first wall surface 10a.

[0147] In this way, the thermal management kit 40 is extended along the first direction to correspond to the end surface of the protrusion 10c away from the first wall surface 10a, and the connector 30 can connect the end surface of the protrusion 10c away from the first wall surface 10a and the thermal management kit 40, which is beneficial to further increase the connection area between the connector 30 and the battery cell 10, and further improve the connection strength between the battery cell 10 and the thermal management kit 40.

[0148] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 11 and FIG. 19 , the communication hole 20 a extends along the first direction to the insulating film 20 covering the end surface of the protrusion 10 c away from the first wall surface 10 a .

[0149] In this way, in the process of coating the insulating film 20, the part corresponding to the connecting hole 20a and the first wall 10a, the part corresponding to the connecting hole 20a and the inclined surface 10d, and the part corresponding to the end face of the protrusion 10c away from the first wall 10a can be formed at one time, which simplifies the production steps and improves production efficiency.

[0150] It is understandable that the outer surface of the battery cell 10 is provided with various components for cooperating or functioning with other components in the battery.

[0151] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 21 and 22, an explosion-proof valve 13 is provided on the outer surface of the battery cell 10, and the insulating film 20 includes a fracture area 20b, the impact strength of the fracture area 20b is lower than the impact strength of other parts of the insulating film 20, and the fracture area 20b covers the outside of the explosion-proof valve 13.

[0152] The explosion-proof valve 13 has an open state and a closed state. When the battery cell 10 is operating normally, the explosion-proof valve 13 is in the closed state, keeping the space inside the battery cell 10 sealed and preventing foreign matter from entering. In the event of thermal runaway of the battery cell 10, the high-temperature, high-pressure gas generated can trigger the explosion-proof valve 13 to switch from the closed state to the open state, allowing the high-temperature, high-pressure gas to be discharged from the battery cell 10 through the explosion-proof valve 13, thereby reducing the chance of explosion of the battery cell 10.

[0153] Impact strength is used to evaluate the impact resistance of a material or to determine the brittleness and toughness of a material.

[0154] When the explosion-proof valve 13 is in the closed state, the fracture area 20b has a certain shielding effect on the explosion-proof valve 13, reducing the outside from entering the explosion-proof valve 13 and affecting the opening and closing function of the explosion-proof valve 13; when the explosion-proof valve 13 is in the open state, after the high-temperature and high-pressure gas is discharged from the explosion-proof valve 13, it impacts the insulating film 20. Since the impact strength of the fracture area 20b is lower, the fracture area 20b is more likely to rupture than other parts of the insulating film 20, thereby causing the high-temperature and high-pressure gas to be ejected from the crack formed in the fracture area 20b.

[0155] In this way, by providing the rupture region 20 b , the high-temperature and high-pressure gas discharged from the explosion-proof valve 13 can break through the insulating film 20 more quickly, thereby reducing the risk of explosion of the battery cell 10 and improving safety.

[0156] The specific method for measuring the impact strength of the fracture region 20b is not limited. For example, the sample can be fixed in a sample fixture, and the punch of a pendulum film impact tester is allowed to impact and pass through the fracture region 20b at a certain speed. The energy consumed by the punch is measured, and the impact strength of the fracture region 20b can be calculated.

[0157] The specific method of forming the fracture region 20b is not limited.

[0158] For example, referring to FIG. 21 and FIG. 22 , a plurality of pre-breaking holes 20 c are provided on the insulating film 20 , and the plurality of pre-breaking holes 20 c are arranged in a ring shape at intervals to collectively enclose a breaking region 20 b.

[0159] The portion of the insulating film 20 between two adjacent preliminary rupture holes 20 c has lower impact strength than the other portions of the insulating film 20 .

[0160] In this way, under the impact of the gas discharged from the explosion-proof valve 13, the portion of the insulating film 20 between two adjacent pre-rupture holes 20c is more likely to tear, thereby reducing the risk of explosion of the battery cell 10 and improving safety.

[0161] The pre-fracture hole 20c can be a blind hole or a through hole.

[0162] In some embodiments provided with an explosion-proof valve 13, referring to FIG. 23, the insulating film 20 is provided with a pressure relief hole 20d penetrating along the thickness direction thereof, and the explosion-proof valve 13 is provided in the pressure relief hole 20d.

[0163] That is, a pressure relief hole 20 d is reserved on the insulating film 20 for the explosion-proof valve 13 to pass through the insulating film 20 .

[0164] In this way, the gas discharged from the explosion-proof valve 13 can be discharged directly through the insulating film 20 , thereby reducing the risk of explosion of the battery cell 10 and improving safety.

[0165] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 9 and FIG. 23 , a pole 14 is provided on the surface of the battery cell 10 , and an escape hole 20 e is provided in the insulating film 20 along its thickness direction, and the pole 14 is passed through the escape hole 20 e.

[0166] The pole 14 is used to be electrically connected to other components in the battery to output or input electrical energy to the battery cell 10 .

[0167] In this way, by providing the avoidance hole 20 e , the influence of the insulating film 20 on the conductive performance of the pole 14 is reduced.

[0168] The communicating hole 20a, the pressure relief hole 20d and the avoidance hole 20e may be connected to each other or may be independently provided.

[0169] The battery assembly in one embodiment of the present disclosure is described as follows:

[0170] The battery assembly includes a battery cell 10, an insulating film 20, a connector 30, and a thermal management kit 40. The insulating film 20 covers the outer surface of the battery cell 10 and has a communication hole 20a extending through the thickness of the insulating film 20. At least a portion of the connector 30 is located within the communication hole 20a, connecting the thermal management kit 40 to the battery cell 10. The outer surface of the battery cell 10 includes a first wall 10a and a second wall 10b. The insulating film 20 covers a portion of the first wall 10a, enclosing the communication hole 20a. The second wall 10b is connected to the first wall 10a. The insulating film 20 covers the second wall 10b and extends to the first wall 10a, covering the connection between the first and second walls 10a, 10b. The connector 30 is made of adhesive. When projected perpendicular to the thickness of the insulating film 20, the connector 30 is projected within the projection of the communication hole 20a. The first wall 10a is provided with at least two protrusions 10c, projecting away from the first wall 10a. The two protrusions 10c are located at one of the two ends of the first wall 10a along the first direction, with at least a portion of the thermal management kit 40 located between the two protrusions 10c. The insulating film 20 is provided with a plurality of pre-fracture holes 20c, spaced apart in a circular arrangement to collectively enclose a fracture region 20b. Alternatively, the insulating film 20 is provided with a pressure relief hole 20d extending through its thickness, and the explosion-proof valve 13 is disposed within the pressure relief hole 20d.

[0171] The embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a battery 100. Referring to FIG. 2 , the battery includes a housing 50 and a battery assembly according to any one of the aforementioned embodiments. The housing 50 includes an installation space 50a, and the battery assembly is located in the installation space 50a.

[0172] The box body 50 provides protection and isolation for the battery assembly, reducing the adverse effects of the outside world on the charging and discharging functions of the battery assembly.

[0173] In this way, the battery cell 10 and the thermal management kit 40 are directly connected by the connector 30 passing through the communication hole 20 a , thereby improving the connection strength between the battery cell 10 and the thermal management kit 40 and improving the safety of the battery 100 .

[0174] The present disclosure also provides an electrical device, which includes the battery 100 in the aforementioned embodiment. The battery 100 serves as a power source for the electrical device, that is, the battery 100 can be used to supply power to other electrical components in the electrical device.

[0175] In this way, by adopting the battery 100 of the battery assembly in the aforementioned embodiment, the safety of the electrical device is improved.

[0176] The various embodiments / implementations provided in the present disclosure can be combined with each other without causing any contradiction.

[0177] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure and is not intended to limit the embodiments of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations of the embodiments of the present disclosure are possible. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the embodiments of the present disclosure shall be included within the scope of protection of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A battery assembly, comprising: Battery cells; an insulating film covering the outer surface of the battery cell, wherein the insulating film is provided with a communication hole penetrating along the thickness direction thereof; a connecting member, at least partially disposed in the communicating hole; The thermal management kit is connected to the battery cell by the connector.

2. The battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The outer surface of the battery cell includes a first wall surface. The insulating film covers a portion of the first wall surface. The insulating film covering the first wall surface surrounds and forms the communicating hole.

3. The battery assembly according to claim 2, wherein: The outer surface of the battery cell includes a second wall surface connected to the first wall surface. The insulating film covers the second wall surface and extends to the first wall surface so that the insulating film covers the connection position between the first wall surface and the second wall surface.

4. The battery assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The connecting member is adhesive, and on a projection plane perpendicular to the thickness direction of the insulating film, the projection of the connecting member is located within the projection range of the connecting hole.

5. The battery assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The outer surface of the battery cell includes a first wall, the first wall is provided with at least two protrusions, the protrusions protrude in a direction away from the first wall, the two protrusions are spaced apart along a first direction of the first wall, and at least a portion of the thermal management kit is located between the two protrusions.

6. The battery assembly according to claim 5, wherein: The two protrusions are respectively located at one end of the first wall surface along the first direction.

7. The battery assembly according to claim 5 or 6, wherein: The insulating film covering the first wall surface between the two protrusions is provided with the communication hole.

8. The battery assembly according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein: The side surface of the protrusion facing the other protrusion is an inclined surface, and the inclined surface gradually moves away from the first wall surface in a direction away from the other protrusion. The insulating film covering the inclined surface is provided with the connecting hole.

9. The battery assembly according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein: The insulating film covering the end surface of the protrusion away from the first wall surface is provided with the communicating hole.

10. The battery assembly according to claim 7, wherein: The communicating hole extends along the first direction to the insulating film covering the end surface of the protrusion away from the first wall surface.

11. The battery assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: An explosion-proof valve is provided on the outer surface of the battery cell. The insulating film includes a fracture area having an impact strength lower than that of other parts of the insulating film. The fracture area covers the outer side of the explosion-proof valve.

12. The battery assembly according to claim 11, wherein: The insulating film is provided with a plurality of pre-breaking holes, and the plurality of pre-breaking holes are spaced apart and arranged in a ring shape to collectively enclose and form the breaking area.

13. The battery assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein: An explosion-proof valve is provided on the outer surface of the battery cell, and a pressure relief hole is provided on the insulating film that penetrates along the thickness direction thereof, and the explosion-proof valve is passed through the pressure relief hole.

14. A battery comprising a housing and the battery assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the housing comprises an installation space, and the battery assembly is located in the installation space.

15. An electrical device comprising the battery according to claim 14, wherein the battery serves as a power source for the electrical device.

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