Battery module, battery, and electric device

Abstract

A battery module (10), a battery (100), and an electric device. The battery module (10) comprises at least two battery columns (11) and a plurality of first insulating members (12). Each battery column (11) comprises at least two battery cells (110) arranged side by side in a first direction (X), an end cap (111) of each battery cell (110) is provided with two terminals (112) respectively located at two ends thereof in the first direction (X), the at least two battery columns (11) are arranged in a second direction (Y) perpendicular to the first direction (X), the end caps (111) of all the battery cells (110) of the at least two battery columns (11) face the same direction, such that the battery cells (110) of different battery columns (11) at the corresponding positions form battery rows, and the plurality of terminals (112) of the plurality of battery rows form a plurality of terminal rows, each terminal row extending in the second direction (Y). The first insulating members (12) are correspondingly arranged to cover above the terminal rows, a first insulating member (12) corresponds to each terminal row, and the first insulating member (12) avoids a pressure relief structure (114). This technical solution can effectively prevent the ignition problem caused by thermal diffusion and improve the operational reliability of the battery.

Description

Battery modules, batteries, and power-consuming devices

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application is based on the application with CN application number 202420629960.3 and application date March 29, 2024, and claims its priority. The disclosed content of the CN application is hereby introduced as a whole into this application. Technical Field

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

[0004] Batteries are widely used in vehicles to provide electric propulsion. To meet the vehicle's high power requirements, battery packs are typically used as a power source. Batteries consist of multiple cells.

[0005] When a battery cell experiences thermal runaway, it will emit a large amount of gas and particulate matter and cause heat diffusion, which may cause greater safety problems.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of the above problems, the present application provides a battery module, a battery and an electrical device to improve the reliability of battery use.

[0008] In a first aspect, the present application provides a battery module comprising at least two battery columns and a plurality of separately arranged first insulating members. Each battery column comprises at least two battery cells arranged side by side along a first direction, and each battery cell is provided with two poles located at both ends of the first direction and a pressure relief structure provided between the two poles on the end cap. At least two battery columns are arranged in a second direction, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and the end caps of all battery cells of at least two battery columns face the same direction so that the battery cells at corresponding positions of different battery columns form a battery row, and the plurality of poles of the plurality of battery rows form a plurality of pole rows, each pole row extending along the second direction. The first insulating member is correspondingly provided above the pole row, and the first insulating member is provided correspondingly to each pole row, and the first insulating member is provided away from the pressure relief structure.

[0009] The technical solution of the embodiment of the present application is to respectively set a first insulating member above each pole row. In this way, if the second insulating sheet of the pole row of one of the two adjacent battery rows is blown up by the airflow, the second insulating sheet of the pole row of the other battery row of the two adjacent battery rows can be avoided from being blown away together because the second insulating sheet of the pole row of the other battery row of the two adjacent battery rows is set separately, thereby maintaining the protection of the pole row, thereby avoiding the ignition problem caused by heat diffusion, and improving the reliability of the battery.

[0010] In some embodiments, the battery module further includes at least one connecting piece electrically connected to each pole in the pole row, and the first insulating member covers the at least one connecting piece.

[0011] The battery module of the embodiment of the present application includes at least one connecting plate for electrically connecting each battery cell, so that the at least one connecting plate is electrically connected to the pole of each battery cell. In this way, covering the first insulating member above the at least one connecting plate can avoid the spark problem caused by short circuit between two adjacent pole rows.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first insulating member includes an insulating sheet. The first insulating member is provided in the form of an insulating sheet, so that the volume of the battery module is not excessively increased while providing insulation protection.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first insulating member comprises a square insulating sheet that matches the shape of the at least one connecting sheet to be covered, thereby forming good insulation protection.

[0014] In some embodiments, multiple battery cells of a battery module are connected in series or in parallel.

[0015] In some embodiments, multiple pole rows include a first pole row and a second pole row located in different battery rows and arranged close to each other, and the battery module includes a first connecting plate electrically connected to part of the poles in the first pole row, a second connecting plate electrically connected to part of the poles in the second pole row, and a third connecting plate for electrically connecting the first pole row and the second pole row, the first connecting plate and the second connecting plate extend along the second direction respectively, the third connecting plate extends along the first direction and spans two adjacent battery cells in its extension direction, and a second insulating member is arranged between the first connecting plate and the second connecting plate.

[0016] By providing a second insulating member between the first connecting piece and the second connecting piece, further insulation separation is formed between the first connecting piece and the second connecting piece, thereby avoiding the problem of sparking.

[0017] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the surface of the second insulating member facing away from the battery cell is higher than the surface of the first or second connecting tab facing away from the battery cell. Providing at least a portion of the surface of the second insulating member higher than the surface of the first or second connecting tab effectively ensures separation between the two connecting tabs and prevents sparking.

[0018] In some embodiments, the battery module further includes a wiring harness isolation plate, and the second insulating member is integrated with the wiring harness isolation plate. This arrangement can improve the integration of the battery module.

[0019] In some embodiments, the second insulating member comprises a square insulating strip.

[0020] In some embodiments, the second insulating member includes raised portions on both sides, each of which is higher than the surface of the first or second connecting piece away from the battery cell. The raised portions of the second insulating member are higher than the surface of the first or second connecting piece away from the battery cell, which helps ensure effective separation of the two connecting pieces.

[0021] In some embodiments, the battery module further includes a plurality of cooling plates, with cooling plates respectively provided on both sides of each battery column in the second direction, and the plurality of cooling plates are interconnected.

[0022] The battery module of the embodiment of the present application arranges cooling plates on both sides of each battery column in the second direction, so that the heat generated by the battery cells in the battery column during operation can be absorbed by the cooling plates in a timely manner, thereby preventing the temperature of the battery module from being too high and improving the performance of the battery module.

[0023] In a second aspect, the present application provides a battery, comprising a battery box and the above-mentioned battery module, wherein the battery module is disposed in the battery box.

[0024] In a third aspect, the present application provides an electrical device, including a battery, which is used to provide electrical energy.

[0025] 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

[0026] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to 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 the drawings without creative work.

[0027] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0028] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a battery according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0029] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a battery module in some embodiments of the present application

[0030] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the battery module of the embodiment shown in FIG3 ;

[0031] FIG5 is a schematic top view of the battery module of the embodiment shown in FIG3 ;

[0032] FIG6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the battery module BB of the embodiment shown in FIG5 ;

[0033] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of battery modules according to other embodiments of the present application;

[0034] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the battery module of the embodiment shown in FIG7 ;

[0035] FIG9 is a schematic top view of the battery module of the embodiment shown in FIG7 ;

[0036] FIG10 is a schematic cross-sectional structural diagram of CC of the battery module of the embodiment shown in FIG9 ;

[0037] FIG11 is a schematic top view of the battery modules according to some other embodiments of the present application;

[0038] FIG12 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the battery module DD of the embodiment shown in FIG11 .

[0039] In the drawings, the drawings are not drawn to scale.

[0040] Description of the symbols: Vehicle 200; Battery 100; Upper housing 20; Lower housing 30; Battery module 10; Battery array 11; Battery cell 110; End plate 111; Terminal post 112; Pressure relief structure 114; First insulating member 12; Connecting piece 13; First connecting piece 13a; Second connecting piece 13b; Third connecting piece 13c; Cooling plate 14; Second insulating member 15; First direction X; Second direction Y; Third direction Z. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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).

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] With reference to Figures 1 and 2, an embodiment of the present application provides an electrical device that uses a battery 100 as a power source. The electrical device includes a battery 100 and a driving device for providing driving force for the electrical device, and the battery 100 provides electrical energy to the driving device. The driving force of the device may be entirely electrical energy, or partly electrical energy and partly other energy sources (such as mechanical energy). For example, the device may also include a power source such as an engine that provides mechanical energy. As long as the device uses the battery 100 as a power source, it is within the scope of protection of this application.

[0049] The power-consuming device of the embodiment of the present application can be a mobile device such as a vehicle, a ship, a small aircraft, etc. Taking a vehicle as an example, the vehicle of the embodiment of the present application can be a new energy vehicle. The new energy vehicle can be a pure electric vehicle, or a hybrid vehicle or an extended-range vehicle. Figure 1 shows a vehicle 200 using a battery 100 as a power source. Referring to Figure 2, the battery 100 is arranged in the vehicle 200 and includes at least one battery module 10. A drive motor is provided in the vehicle 200, and the drive motor is electrically connected to the battery 100. The battery 100 provides electrical energy to the drive motor, and the drive motor is connected to the wheels through a transmission mechanism to drive the vehicle to move. Specifically, the battery 100 can be arranged horizontally at the bottom of the vehicle 200.

[0050] The battery 100 of the embodiment of the present application includes at least one battery module 10. Specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the battery 100 of this embodiment includes multiple battery modules 10 and a case for accommodating the multiple battery modules 10. The case has a storage cavity, and the multiple battery modules 10 are arranged in the storage cavity. Specifically, the case of this embodiment is a box-shaped case and includes a lower case 30 for accommodating the battery modules 10 and an upper case 20 covering the lower case 30. In other embodiments not shown in the drawings, the case can also be other shapes such as a frame-shaped case or a disc-shaped case.

[0051] Referring to Figure 3, the battery module 10 includes a plurality of battery cells 110. The plurality of battery cells 110 are arranged in sequence to form an array. The battery cells 110 may include lithium-ion secondary batteries, lithium-ion primary batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, sodium-lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, or magnesium-ion batteries, among others. This is not limited in the present embodiment. The plurality of battery cells 110 are electrically connected via a connecting sheet. The plurality of battery cells 110 may be connected in series or in parallel under the connection of the connecting sheet.

[0052] 4 , a battery cell 110 refers to the smallest unit constituting the battery module 10. The battery cell 110 includes a housing, an end cap 111, an electrode assembly, and other functional components.

[0053] The end cap 111 refers to a component that covers the opening of the shell to isolate the internal environment of the battery cell from the external environment. Without limitation, the shape of the end cap 111 can be adapted to the shape of the shell to match the shell. Optionally, the end cap 111 can be made of a material with a certain hardness and strength (such as aluminum alloy), so that the end cap 111 is not easily deformed when squeezed and collided, so that the battery cell can have a higher structural strength and the safety performance can also be improved. Functional components such as poles 112 can be provided on the end cap 111. The poles 112 can be used to electrically connect to the electrode assembly for outputting or inputting electrical energy of the battery cell.

[0054] In some embodiments, the end cap 111 may also be provided with a pressure relief structure 114 for releasing the internal pressure when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaches a threshold. The material of the end cap 111 may also be various, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc., and the embodiments of the present application do not impose any special restrictions on this. In some embodiments, an insulating member may also be provided on the inner side of the end cap 111. The insulating member may be used to isolate the electrical connection components in the housing from the end cap to reduce the risk of short circuit. Exemplary, the insulating member may be plastic, rubber, etc.

[0055] The housing is a component that cooperates with the end cap 111 to form the internal environment of the battery cell. This internal environment can be used to accommodate the electrode assembly, electrolyte, and other components. The housing and end cap 111 can be independent components. An opening can be provided in the housing, and the end cap 111 is closed at the opening to form the internal environment of the battery cell. The housing can be made of a variety of materials, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc., and the embodiments of the present disclosure do not impose any special restrictions on this.

[0056] The electrode assembly is the component within a battery cell where the electrochemical reaction occurs. The housing may contain one or more electrode assemblies. The electrode assembly is primarily composed of positive and negative electrode sheets, wound or stacked. During the battery's charge and discharge processes, the positive and negative electrode active materials react with the electrolyte, and the tabs connect to the electrodes to form a current circuit. The electrode assembly can be a wound or laminated structure, but the disclosed embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0057] The pressure relief structure 114 refers to an element or component that is activated to release the internal pressure or temperature when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaches a predetermined threshold. The threshold design varies according to different design requirements. The threshold may depend on the material of one or more of the positive electrode sheet, negative electrode sheet, electrolyte and isolation membrane in the battery cell. The pressure relief structure 114 can take the form of an explosion-proof valve, an air valve, a pressure relief valve or a safety valve, and can specifically adopt a pressure-sensitive or temperature-sensitive element or structure, that is, when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell reaches a predetermined threshold, the pressure relief structure performs an action or the weak structure provided in the pressure relief structure is destroyed, thereby forming an opening or channel for the internal pressure or temperature to be released. When the pressure relief structure 114 is actuated, the high-temperature and high-pressure substances inside the battery cell will be discharged outward from the actuated part as exhaust.

[0058] During the research process, it was found that when the battery cell 110 experiences thermal runaway, the battery cell 110 will emit a large amount of gas and particulate matter. The airflow will cause the connecting pieces of multiple battery cells to be conductive, thereby causing ignition and leading to heat diffusion.

[0059] To address this issue, referring to Figures 3 and 4 , some embodiments of the present application provide a battery module 10. The battery module 10 of these embodiments is provided with a first insulating member 12 above each pole row. This allows the first insulating member of one of the adjacent pole rows to maintain its insulation protection function even when the first insulating member is blown away by airflow. This prevents adjacent battery cells from igniting and causing heat diffusion, thereby improving the reliability of the battery.

[0060] The structure of the battery module of some embodiments of the present application is described in detail below with reference to FIG. 3 to FIG. 12 .

[0061] Referring to Figures 3 and 4 , a battery module 10 in some embodiments of the present application includes at least two battery columns 11 and multiple separately disposed first insulating members 12. Each battery column 11 includes at least two battery cells 110 arranged side by side along a first direction X. The end caps 111 of each battery cell 110 are provided with two terminals 112, one at each end in the first direction X, and a pressure relief structure 114 disposed between the two terminals 112. The at least two battery columns 11 are arranged in a second direction Y. The second direction Y is perpendicular to the first direction X. The end caps 111 of all battery cells 110 in the at least two battery columns 111 face the same direction, so that the battery cells 110 in corresponding positions in different battery columns 11 form a battery row, and the multiple terminals 112 in multiple battery rows form multiple terminal rows. Each terminal row extends along the second direction Y. The first insulating members 12 are disposed over the corresponding terminal rows, and the first insulating members 12 are disposed separately for each terminal row. The first insulating members 12 are disposed away from the pressure relief structure 114.

[0062] For ease of description, a coordinate system is shown in Figures 3 and 4 to illustrate various directions. Coordinate axis X represents the first direction, which refers to the arrangement direction of the individual battery cells 110 in the battery array 11. Specifically, the length direction of the battery cells 110 is parallel to the first direction, and the multiple battery cells 110 are arranged sequentially along their lengths. Coordinate axis Y represents the second direction, which refers to the arrangement direction of the individual battery cells 11. Specifically, the width direction of the battery cells 110 is parallel to the second direction. Coordinate axis Z represents the third direction, specifically, the height direction of the battery cells 110 is parallel to the third direction. The first, second, and third directions are mutually perpendicular. It should be understood that in the description of the various embodiments of this application, "parallel" includes not only the absolutely parallel case, but also the generally parallel case, which is commonly recognized in engineering. Furthermore, "perpendicular" also includes not only the absolutely perpendicular case, but also the generally perpendicular case, which is commonly recognized in engineering.

[0063] Figures 3 and 4 exemplarily illustrate a battery module 10 comprising three battery columns 11 arranged in a second direction Y. Each battery column 11 includes six battery cells 110 arranged in a first direction X. This results in the battery cells 110 of the battery module 10 forming an array arranged in rows and columns. The battery cells arranged in the first direction X are defined as battery columns, while the battery cells arranged in the second direction Y are defined as battery rows. Each battery cell 110 includes two electrodes 112 of opposite polarity, arranged along its length (i.e., the first direction X). Therefore, when the battery cells 110 are arranged in rows and columns, the electrodes of the battery cells 110 in different battery columns 11 can form a electrode row. As shown in Figure 4 , each battery cell 110 includes two electrodes, and the two electrodes of the battery cells 110 in corresponding positions in different battery columns 11 form two corresponding electrode rows. Each electrode row extends generally along the second direction Y. As shown in Figure 4 , each battery row includes two electrode rows spaced apart, with a pressure relief structure 114 disposed between the two electrode rows. The distance between the adjacent pole rows of two adjacent battery rows is very close, and a first insulating member 12 is provided above each pole row. Figure 4 exemplarily illustrates a battery module 10 comprising six battery rows. Each battery row comprises two pole rows. Therefore, in the specific embodiment shown in Figure 4, the battery module 10 comprises twelve pole rows and, accordingly, twelve first insulating members 12.

[0064] Each row of poles is covered with a first insulating member 12. The area of ​​the first insulating member 12 must be larger than the area covered by the multiple poles in the row, providing insulation protection for the multiple poles. To avoid obstructing the pressure relief structure 114, the first insulating member 12 is positioned away from the pressure relief structure 114. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the first insulating member 12 is positioned adjacent to the pressure relief structure 114, away from it.

[0065] The first insulating member 12 is used to insulate and protect the pole. For example, the insulating member can be a mica board, plastic, rubber, etc.

[0066] The technical solution of the embodiment of the present application is to respectively set a first insulating member 12 above each pole row. In this way, if the second insulating sheet 12 of the pole row of one of the two adjacent battery rows is blown up by the airflow, the second insulating sheet 12 of the pole row of the other battery row of the two adjacent battery rows can be avoided from being blown away together because the second insulating sheet 12 of the pole row of the other battery row of the two adjacent battery rows is set separately, thereby maintaining the protective effect on the pole row, thereby avoiding the ignition problem caused by heat diffusion, and improving the reliability of the battery.

[0067] In some embodiments, the battery module 10 further includes at least one connecting piece 13 electrically connected to each pole of the pole row. The first insulating member 12 covers the at least one connecting piece 13 .

[0068] The connecting piece 13 is used to electrically connect to the pole to transmit the electric energy of the battery module 10 or to electrically connect to two poles to realize the series or parallel connection of battery cells. As shown in Figure 4, the battery module 10 includes a plurality of connecting pieces 13. Moreover, the connecting piece 13 electrically connected to each pole row includes at least one connecting piece. For the two pole rows located at both ends of the first direction X, the corresponding connecting piece is responsible for transmitting the electric energy of the battery module 10. Therefore, the connecting piece corresponding to the pole row includes two connecting pieces, one of which has a pole connection portion, and the other has two pole connection portions, and both of the connecting pieces extend along the second direction Y. Correspondingly, the first insulating member 12 extends along the second direction Y and covers the two connecting pieces. The connecting piece 13 includes at least one pole connection portion, and the pole connection portion is connected to the pole. For the pole row located in the middle portion in the first direction X, its connecting pieces include a first connecting piece 13a (or a second connecting piece 13b) for electrically connecting a portion of the poles within the pole row, and a third connecting piece 13c for electrically connecting the poles of an adjacent pole row. Because the third connecting piece 13c needs to electrically connect the poles of adjacent pole rows, it needs to extend between the two pole rows. Therefore, the third connecting piece 13c extends along the first direction X. To provide insulation protection for the pole row located in the middle portion, the corresponding first insulating member 12 needs to cover the entire first connecting piece 13a and a portion of the third connecting piece 13c.

[0069] The battery module 10 of the embodiment of the present application includes at least one connecting piece 13 for electrically connecting each battery cell, so that the at least one connecting piece 13 forms an electrical connection with the pole of each battery cell. In this way, covering the first insulating member 12 above the at least one connecting piece 13 can avoid the spark problem caused by short circuit between two adjacent pole rows.

[0070] In some embodiments, the first insulating member 12 is connected to the connecting piece 13 by gluing or other methods.

[0071] In some embodiments, the first insulating member 12 includes an insulating sheet.

[0072] 3 to 10 , the first insulating member 12 includes an insulating sheet. The first insulating member 12 is configured as an insulating sheet so as to provide insulation protection while not increasing the size of the battery module.

[0073] In some embodiments, the first insulating member 12 comprises a square insulating sheet that matches the shape of the at least one connecting sheet to be covered, thereby forming good insulation protection.

[0074] In some embodiments, the multiple battery cells 110 of at least two battery columns 11 are connected in series or in parallel. The multiple battery cells 110 of at least two battery columns 11 are electrically connected through multiple connecting plates. The multiple battery cells 110 can be connected in series and / or in parallel through the connecting plates. For example, when the battery cells 110 are connected in series, the positive electrode column of one battery cell 110 is connected to the negative electrode column of another battery cell 110 through the connecting plate; or, when the battery cells 110 are connected in parallel, the positive electrode column of one battery cell 110 is connected to the positive electrode column of another battery cell 110 through the connecting plate.

[0075] The connecting piece 13 is conductive and can be used to electrically connect the battery cells 110 .

[0076] Referring to Figures 7 to 12, in some embodiments, the plurality of pole rows include a first pole row and a second pole row located in different battery rows and arranged adjacent to each other. The battery module includes a first connecting piece 13a electrically connected to a portion of the poles in the first pole row, a second connecting piece 13b electrically connected to a portion of the poles in the second pole row, and a third connecting piece 13c for electrically connecting the first pole row and the second pole row. The first connecting piece 13a and the second connecting piece 13b extend along the second direction Y, respectively. The third connecting piece 13c extends along the first direction X and spans two adjacent battery cells in its extension direction. A second insulating member 15 is provided between the first connecting piece 13a and the second connecting piece 13b.

[0077] Separate insulation protection is achieved by disposing a first insulating member 12 above the two rows of poles. However, since there is space between the first connecting piece 13a and the second connecting piece 13b, the first connecting piece 13a and the second connecting piece 13b may still be connected by the ejected material. To further prevent heat diffusion and sparks, in some embodiments, referring to Figure 8, a second insulating member 15 is disposed between the first connecting piece 13a and the second connecting piece 13b. This provides further insulation separation between the first connecting piece 13a and the second connecting piece 13b, preventing sparks.

[0078] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the surface of the second insulating member 15 away from the battery cell is higher than the surface of the first connecting tab 13 a or the surface of the second connecting tab 13 b away from the battery cell.

[0079] The second insulating member 15 is disposed between the first connecting piece 13a and the second connecting piece 13b. At least a portion of the surface of the second insulating member 15 is disposed higher than the surface of the first connecting piece or the second connecting piece, which can effectively ensure the separation of the two connecting pieces and avoid sparking problems.

[0080] The second insulating member 15 is used to insulate and isolate the two connecting pieces. For example, the second insulating member 15 can be a mica board, plastic, rubber, etc.

[0081] In some embodiments, the battery module 10 further includes a wiring harness isolation plate. The second insulating member 15 is integrated with the wiring harness isolation plate. This arrangement can improve the integration of the battery module.

[0082] Referring to Figures 9 and 10 , in some embodiments, the second insulating member 15 comprises a square insulating strip. That is, the cross-section of the second insulating member 15 is square. Furthermore, the height of the square insulating strip is higher than the height of the two first insulating members 12 on either side, thereby providing more effective isolation.

[0083] In some embodiments, the second insulating member 15 includes protrusions located on both sides, and the height of the protrusions is higher than the surface of the first connecting plate or the second connecting plate away from the battery cell.

[0084] Referring to Figures 11 and 12, in one specific embodiment, the cross-section of the second insulating member 15 is a mountain-shaped shape. This allows the raised portions on both sides of the second insulating member 15 to isolate heat diffusion, thereby effectively avoiding the problem of excessive weight increase of the battery module 10 caused by the installation of the second insulating member 15 while providing separation. In other embodiments, the cross-section of the second insulating member 15 is a groove-shaped structure. The end surface height of the sidewall of the groove structure is higher than the surface of the first insulating member 12 away from the battery cell, thereby serving to separate the two connecting pieces.

[0085] The height of the raised portion of the second insulating member 15 is higher than the surface of the first connecting piece or the second connecting piece away from the battery cell, which helps to ensure the effective separation of the two connecting pieces.

[0086] 4 , in some embodiments, the battery module 10 further includes a plurality of cooling plates 14. A cooling plate 14 is disposed on both sides of each battery column 11 in the second direction Y, and the plurality of cooling plates 14 are interconnected.

[0087] In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the battery module 10 includes three battery columns 11 arranged side by side. Cooling plates 14 are provided on both sides of each battery column 11 in the second direction Y. Cooling plates 14 can be, for example, water-cooled plates to cool and dissipate heat from the batteries. Figure 4 exemplarily shows that the battery module 10 includes four cooling plates 14. The four cooling plates 14 are interconnected by connectors.

[0088] The battery module 10 of the embodiment of the present application arranges cooling plates 14 on both sides of each battery column 11 in the second direction Y, so that the heat generated by the battery cells of the battery column 11 during operation can be promptly absorbed by the cooling plates 14, thereby preventing the temperature of the battery module 10 from being too high, thereby improving the performance of the battery module 10.

[0089] An embodiment of the present application further provides a battery, including a battery box and a battery module 10, wherein the battery module 10 is disposed in the battery box.

[0090] An embodiment of the present application further provides an electrical device, including a battery 100, which is used to provide electrical energy.

[0091] The structures of the battery modules of various specific embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to FIG. 3 to FIG. 12 .

[0092] 3 to 6 illustrate the structure of a battery module according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0093] As shown in FIG3 , a battery module 10 in some embodiments includes a plurality of battery columns 11, a plurality of first insulating members 12, and a plurality of cooling plates 14. The plurality of battery columns 11 are arranged sequentially in a second direction Y. The plurality of battery cells 110 in each battery column 11 are arranged sequentially in a first direction X.

[0094] As shown in Figure 4, the multiple battery cells 110 of the battery module 10 are electrically connected through multiple connecting plates 13. For the two pole rows located at both ends of the first direction X, the corresponding connecting plates are responsible for transmitting the electrical energy of the battery module 10. Therefore, the connecting plates corresponding to the pole rows include two connecting plates, one of which has a pole connection portion, and the other has two pole connection portions, and both of the connecting plates extend along the second direction Y. Correspondingly, the first insulating member 12 extends along the second direction Y and covers the two connecting plates. The connecting plate 13 includes at least one pole connection portion, which is connected to the pole. For the pole row located in the middle part of the first direction X, its connecting plates include a first connecting plate 13a (or a second connecting plate 13b) for electrically connecting part of the poles inside the pole row and a third connecting plate 13c for electrically connecting the poles of adjacent pole rows. Since the third connecting piece 13c needs to electrically connect the poles of adjacent pole rows, it needs to extend between the two pole rows. Therefore, the third connecting piece 13c extends along the first direction X. Therefore, in order to provide insulation protection for the pole row located in the middle part, the corresponding first insulating member 12 needs to cover the entire first connecting piece 13a and part of the third connecting piece 13c.

[0095] In this embodiment, each of the multiple first insulating members 12 is disposed above at least one connecting piece in each electrode row. This prevents the ejected material from blowing away the first insulating members 12 of two adjacent electrode rows in different battery rows when thermal runaway occurs, thereby preventing insulation protection from being lost and potentially causing sparks between the battery cells in the two rows, leading to heat spread.

[0096] As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 , the first insulating member 12 includes an insulating sheet.

[0097] When thermal runaway occurs, one of the first insulating members 12 is blown away, while the other first insulating member 12 remains adhered to the connecting piece and can continue to provide insulation protection.

[0098] 7 to 10 illustrate the structures of battery modules according to other embodiments of the present application.

[0099] Unlike the battery module structures shown in Figures 3 to 6, in some other embodiments, a second insulating member 15 is provided between the first connecting tab 13a and the second connecting tab 13b. The second insulating member 15 is a high-temperature resistant insulating member. Adding a high-temperature resistant insulating member between the two connecting tabs further separates them and prevents sparks.

[0100] In order to further ensure that the second insulating member 15 can effectively isolate the two connecting pieces, the height of at least one edge of the second insulating member 15 must exceed the height of the two connecting pieces on both sides, thereby achieving effective separation.

[0101] The second insulating member 15 can be a separate component or integrated with the wiring harness isolation plate.

[0102] The cross-sectional shape of the second insulating member 15 may be a square.

[0103] Other structures and technical effects of the battery module of this embodiment are similar to those of the battery module of the embodiments shown in Figures 3 to 6 and will not be described again here.

[0104] 11 and 12 illustrate the structures of battery modules according to some other embodiments of the present application.

[0105] Different from the structure of the battery module shown in FIG. 7 to FIG. 10 , the cross-sectional shape of the second insulating member 15 in this embodiment is a V-shaped one.

[0106] Although the present application has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications may be made thereto and components may be substituted with equivalents without departing from the scope of the present application. In particular, the various technical features described in the various embodiments may be combined in any manner as long as there are no structural conflicts. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but encompasses all technical solutions within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A battery module (10), comprising: At least two battery columns (11), each of the battery columns (111) comprising at least two battery cells (110) arranged side by side along a first direction (X), an end cap (111) of each battery cell (110) being provided with two poles (112) respectively located at two ends of the first direction (X) and a pressure relief structure (114) provided between the two poles (112), the at least two battery columns (111) being arranged in a second direction (Y), the second direction (Y) being perpendicular to the first direction (X), and the end caps (111) of all the battery cells (110) of the at least two battery columns (111) being oriented in the same direction so that the battery cells (110) at corresponding positions of different battery columns form a battery row, and the multiple poles (112) of the multiple battery rows form multiple pole rows, each pole row extending along the second direction (Y); and A plurality of first insulating members (12) are separately arranged, wherein the first insulating members (12) are arranged to cover and cover the top of the pole row, and the first insulating members (12) are arranged corresponding to each pole row, and the first insulating members (12) are arranged to avoid the pressure relief structure (114).

2. The battery module (10) according to claim 1, wherein: The battery module (10) further comprises at least one connecting piece (13) electrically connected to each pole of the pole row, and the first insulating member (12) covers the at least one connecting piece (13).

3. The battery module (10) according to claim 1, wherein: The first insulating member (12) comprises an insulating sheet.

4. The battery module (10) according to claim 3, wherein: The first insulating member (12) comprises a square insulating sheet.

5. The battery module (10) according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of battery cells (110) of the battery module (10) are connected in series or in parallel.

6. The battery module (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The plurality of pole rows include a first pole row and a second pole row located in different battery rows and arranged close to each other. The battery module includes a first connecting piece (13a) electrically connected to part of the poles in the first pole row, a second connecting piece (13b) electrically connected to part of the poles in the second pole row, and a third connecting piece (13c) for electrically connecting the first pole row and the second pole row. The first connecting piece (13a) and the second connecting piece (13b) extend along the second direction (Y) respectively. The third connecting piece (13c) extends along the first direction (X) and spans two adjacent battery cells in its extending direction. A second insulating member (15) is provided between the first connecting piece (13a) and the second connecting piece (13b).

7. The battery module (10) according to claim 6, wherein: At least a portion of the surface of the second insulating member (15) on the side away from the battery cell is higher than the surface of the first connecting piece (13a) or the second connecting piece (13b) away from the battery cell.

8. The battery module (10) according to claim 6, wherein: The battery module further comprises a wiring harness isolation plate, and the second insulating member (15) is integrated with the wiring harness isolation plate.

9. The battery module (10) according to claim 6, wherein: The second insulating member (15) comprises a square insulating strip.

10. The battery module (10) according to claim 6, wherein: The second insulating member (15) comprises raised portions located on both sides, and the height of the raised portions is higher than the surface of the first connecting piece (13a) or the second connecting piece (13b) away from the battery cell.

11. The battery module (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The battery module (10) further comprises a plurality of cooling plates (14), wherein a cooling plate (14) is respectively provided on both sides of each battery column (10) in the second direction (Y), and the plurality of cooling plates (14) are connected to each other.

12. A battery comprising a battery box and a battery module (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the battery module (10) is arranged in the battery box.

13. An electrical device comprising the battery according to claim 12, wherein the battery is used to provide electrical energy.

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