Battery cell, battery, electric device, and method and apparatus for processing battery cell

Abstract

A battery cell (20), a battery (100), an electric device (1000), and a method and apparatus for processing the battery cell (20). The battery cell (20) comprises an electrode assembly (23). The electrode assembly (23) comprises: a main body (231) and tabs (232) connected to the main body (231), wherein at least part of each tab (232) is bent toward the main body (231) so as to form a first surface (2321) opposite to the main body (231) on the tab (232); and structural members (233) provided on the first surfaces (2321) of the tabs (232), wherein each structural member (233) at least covers part of the corresponding tab (232) so as to separate the tab (232) from the main body (231). In the battery cell (20), by providing the structural members (233) on the tabs (232), the tabs (232) are separated from the main body (231) by means of the structural members (233); under the action of the structural members (233), the tabs (232) deform and it is not easy for the tabs (232) to be inserted into and abut against the main body (231), and even if the tabs (232) are inserted into the main body (231), the structural members (233) can also separate the tabs (232) from an electrode sheet (234), thereby reducing the occurrence of short circuit, and improving the yield and safety performance of the battery cell (20).

Description

Battery cells, batteries, electrical devices, and processing methods and equipment for battery cells.

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410508598.9, filed on April 25, 2024, entitled “Battery cell, battery, power device and processing method and apparatus for battery cell”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application belongs to the field of power battery technology, and in particular relates to a battery cell, a battery, an electrical device, and a method and equipment for processing the battery cell. Background Technology

[0003] Energy conservation and emission reduction are key to the sustainable development of the automotive industry, and electric vehicles, due to their energy-saving and environmentally friendly advantages, have become an important component of this sustainable development. For electric vehicles, battery technology is a crucial factor in their development.

[0004] During battery manufacturing, the tabs of the electrode assembly are typically quite long to facilitate better welding to the electrode terminals. After the electrode assembly is installed in the casing, the tabs are usually bent to accommodate them within the casing. Under external vibration, the tabs are prone to increased deformation and bending, which can easily cause them to insert into the main body and short-circuit between adjacent electrodes, leading to a short circuit. This results in lower yield and poorer stability of the battery cells.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the above problems, this application provides a battery cell, a battery, an electrical device, and a method and equipment for processing the battery cell, which can alleviate the problem of short circuit caused by the deformation and bending of the tabs when inserted into the main body.

[0007] In a first aspect, this application provides a battery cell, comprising:

[0008] An electrode assembly includes a main body and an electrode tab connected to the main body, at least a portion of the electrode tab being bent relative to the main body to form a first surface on the electrode tab opposite to the main body; and a structural member disposed on the first surface of the electrode tab, the structural member at least covering a portion of the electrode tab to separate the electrode tab from the main body.

[0009] In this embodiment, a structural component is provided on the tab to separate the tab from the main body. Under the action of the structural component, the external force on the tab not only needs to deform the tab but also needs to deform the structural component. Under the same external force, the structural component can reduce the deformation of the tab, making it difficult for the tab to be inserted into and abut against the main body. Even if the tab is inserted into the main body, the structural component can separate the tab from the electrode, making it difficult for the tab to directly contact and conduct with the electrode, thereby reducing the occurrence of short circuits and improving the yield and safety performance of the battery cell.

[0010] In some embodiments, the structural member includes an insulating portion for separating the tab from the body portion.

[0011] In the technical solution of this embodiment, the structural component includes an insulating part to separate the electrode tab from the main body. At this time, even if the electrode tab is deformed and bent and inserted into the main body, the insulating part can still insulate and separate the electrode tab from the electrode sheet that is in contact with it, thereby reducing the occurrence of short circuits in the electrode sheets.

[0012] In some embodiments, the insulating portion abuts against the main body portion; or the insulating portion is spaced apart from the main body portion.

[0013] In this embodiment, the insulating part is able to abut against the main body. When the tab is deformed, bent, and inserted into the main body, this arrangement can insulatingly separate the tab and the abutting electrode by the insulating part, thereby reducing the occurrence of electrode short circuits. Furthermore, the insulating part is spaced apart from the main body. In this case, the insulating part can have a certain strength and elasticity. When the battery cell is impacted by external force, this arrangement can prevent the tab from deforming excessively and inserting into the main body, thereby reducing the contact between the tab and the main body, further reducing the occurrence of electrode short circuits, and also reducing the damage to the tab and the main body caused by the tab inserting into the main body.

[0014] In some embodiments, the structural member further includes a connecting portion connected to the insulating portion, the connecting portion being used to connect to the electrode terminal of the battery cell along with the tab; the connecting portion and the insulating portion are arranged along the length direction of the tab, and the connecting portion is located on the side of the insulating portion away from the main body.

[0015] In the technical solution of this embodiment, an insulating part is provided to separate the electrode tab and the main body, thereby reducing the occurrence of electrode short circuits; a connecting part is provided and is located on the side of the insulating part away from the main body, so that the connecting part can be opposite to the position where the electrode tab is connected to the electrode terminal, thereby reducing the interference of the insulating part on the connection of the electrode tab to the electrode terminal.

[0016] In some embodiments, the length of the structural member is less than or equal to the length of the tab.

[0017] The technical solution of this embodiment provides a range of structural component lengths so that the structural component can cover part of the tab, thereby reducing the occurrence of short circuits in the electrode plates; it can also reduce the interference of the structural component on the tab welding, thereby facilitating the stable connection of the tab to the electrode terminal.

[0018] In some embodiments, the ratio of the length of the insulating portion to the length of the electrode tab is greater than or equal to 1 / 3, and the ratio of the length of the insulating portion to the length of the electrode tab is less than or equal to 1 / 2.

[0019] The technical solution of this embodiment further provides some length ranges for structural components, so that the structural components can cover the part of the tab to separate the tab from the main body, thereby reducing the occurrence of short circuits in the electrode plates; and can also reduce the interference of the structural components on the connection of the tab to the electrode terminal, thereby enabling the tab to be connected to the electrode terminal more stably.

[0020] In some embodiments, in the width direction of the tab, opposite sides of the structure extend beyond the tab.

[0021] In the technical solution of this embodiment, the structural component can extend beyond the tab in the width direction, so that the structural component can better cover the tab. When the tab is inserted into the main body, this setting can reduce the occurrence of short circuits caused by shorting between the electrode and the edge of the tab, thereby further improving the yield and safety performance of the battery cell.

[0022] In some embodiments, the difference between the width of the structural member and the maximum width of the tab is greater than or equal to 6 mm; and / or the ratio of the width of the structural member to the maximum width of the tab is less than or equal to 2.

[0023] The technical solution of this embodiment provides a range of widths for structural components, which allows the structural components to better cover the edges of the tabs along the width direction, thereby reducing the occurrence of short circuits in the electrode sheets; it also reduces the space occupied by the structural components, thereby reducing the negative impact of the structural components on the energy density of the battery cells, and at the same time, it can reduce costs.

[0024] In some embodiments, the structural member is an elastic member and is used to provide resistance to the deformation of the tab. The structural member is spaced apart from the main body to form a gap between the structural member and the main body.

[0025] In the technical solution of this embodiment, the structural component is made elastic. When the tab is deformed, the structural component can provide support for the tab and provide resistance to the deformation of the tab, so as to prevent the tab from being excessively deformed. When the tab is deformed, the support of the structural component for the tab allows a gap to exist between the structural component and the main body, that is, the tab is not easy to contact the main body, thereby reducing the short circuit of the electrode and improving the yield and safety performance of the battery cell.

[0026] In some embodiments, the structural member includes a reinforcing rib connected to the side of the electrode facing the main body.

[0027] In the technical solution of this embodiment, the structural component includes reinforcing ribs to strengthen the strength of the electrode tab. When the battery cell is subjected to external force and vibrates, this arrangement can reduce the deformation of the electrode tab to form a gap between the electrode tab and the main body, thereby separating the electrode tab and the main body through the gap and reducing short circuits between the electrode tab and the main body.

[0028] In some embodiments, the length direction of the reinforcing rib is parallel to the length direction of the electrode lug.

[0029] In the technical solution of this embodiment, since the electrode tab is usually bent in its length direction, the length direction of the reinforcing rib is parallel to the length direction of the electrode tab, so that the reinforcing rib can better support the electrode tab in the length direction of the electrode tab, thereby reducing the deformation of the electrode tab.

[0030] In some embodiments, the electrode assembly includes an electrode sheet, the electrode sheet including a current collector and an active material layer, the active material layer covering a portion of the current collector and forming an electrode sheet body portion, and the portion of the current collector not covered by the active material layer forming an electrode sheet tab portion.

[0031] The main body includes at least two electrode main bodies, the tab includes at least two electrode tabs, and the first surface is formed on the electrode tab near the interior of the battery cell.

[0032] The technical solution of this embodiment provides some specific structures for electrode assemblies and electrode sheets, such that the first surface is formed on the electrode tab portion near the inside of the battery cell, and the structural component is disposed on the electrode tab portion, so that the structural component can not only separate the tab from the main body, but also reduce the space occupied by the structural component, thereby reducing the negative impact of the structural component on the energy density of the battery cell, and also reducing costs.

[0033] In some embodiments, the thickness of the structural component is less than or equal to the thickness of the active material layer.

[0034] The technical solution of this embodiment provides a thickness range for the structural component, so that the structural component can separate the tab and the main body, reduce the space occupied by the structural component, thereby reducing the negative impact of the structural component on the energy density of the battery cell, and also reducing the cost of the structural component.

[0035] Secondly, some embodiments of this application also provide a battery, including the battery cell provided in some embodiments of the first aspect.

[0036] Thirdly, some embodiments of this application also provide an electrical device, including the battery provided in some embodiments of the second aspect.

[0037] Fourthly, some embodiments of this application also provide a method for processing a battery cell, used to process the battery cell provided in some embodiments of the first aspect, the processing method including:

[0038] Provide electrode plates;

[0039] Die-cut the current collector of the electrode sheet to obtain the electrode tab;

[0040] Determine the first electrode ear of the electrode sheet, and place the structural component on the first electrode ear of the electrode sheet;

[0041] Identify the tail tab of the electrode and cut the electrode, wherein, along the direction of travel of the electrode, the electrode is cut off on the side of the tail tab that is opposite to the head tab of the electrode.

[0042] The electrode and diaphragm are combined to form an electrode assembly, and a body and tabs are formed.

[0043] The technical solution of this embodiment provides some processing methods for battery cells to determine the first electrode tab and the last electrode tab of the electrode assembly, and to set the structural component on the first electrode tab so that the structural component can face the electrode tab after bending, thereby making it difficult for the electrode tab to directly contact and conduct with the electrode.

[0044] In some embodiments, in the step of combining the electrode and the diaphragm to form an electrode assembly, the main body is formed by winding the electrode and the diaphragm, the first electrode tab is located on the side of the tab closer to the inside of the electrode assembly, and the last electrode tab is located on the side of the tab closer to the outside of the electrode assembly.

[0045] In the technical solution of this embodiment, the electrode assembly is formed by winding, with the first electrode tab facing the axis of the main body winding, so that the structural component can face the electrode tab after bending, thereby making it difficult for the electrode tab to directly contact and conduct with the electrode.

[0046] In some embodiments, in the step of combining the electrode sheet and the diaphragm to form an electrode assembly, the electrode assembly is formed by alternatingly stacking the electrode sheet and the diaphragm in sequence, with the first electrode tab and the last electrode tab located on opposite sides of the tab along its thickness direction.

[0047] In the technical solution of this embodiment, the main body is formed by stacking layers so that the processing method can also process electrode assemblies with stacked structures.

[0048] In some embodiments, in the step of determining the tail electrode ear, at least one electrode ear is provided between the tail electrode ear and the head electrode ear.

[0049] In the technical solution of this embodiment, the electrode tab includes at least one electrode tab portion, so that the electrode tab has a strong overcurrent capability, thereby improving the current transmission performance between the electrode assembly and the external circuit.

[0050] In some embodiments, during the step of determining the first electrode ear, a structural member is bonded to the first electrode ear.

[0051] The technical solution of this embodiment provides a method for setting some structural components on the first electrode ear of the electrode, so that the structural components are connected to the first electrode ear of the electrode by adhesive bonding, so that the structural components can be stably connected to the first electrode ear of the electrode, which is also convenient for processing and can reduce damage to the first electrode ear of the electrode.

[0052] Fifthly, some embodiments of this application provide a processing apparatus, including: a die-cutting module for die-cutting a current collector to form an electrode tab; an assembly module, disposed downstream of the die-cutting module, for disposing a structural component on the electrode tab; an identification module, disposed downstream of the assembly module, for identifying the electrode tab; and a cutting module, disposed downstream of the identification module, for cutting the current collector; wherein the identification module is used to identify the electrode tab with the structural component; and the cutting module is used to cut the current collector after the identification module identifies the electrode tab, so that at least one electrode tab is disposed on the cut current collector.

[0053] The technical solution of this embodiment provides a processing device for connecting structural components to the first electrode ear of the electrode sheet.

[0054] In some embodiments, the processing equipment further includes a calibration module located downstream of the die-cutting module; the calibration module is used to calibrate the tail tab of the electrode sheet and / or to calibrate the head tab of the electrode sheet for identification by the identification module.

[0055] In the technical solution of this embodiment, a calibration module is provided so that the identification module can identify the first electrode ear or the last electrode ear of the electrode, so that the cutting module can cut the current collector according to the information identified by the identification module.

[0056] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0057] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiments below. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

[0058] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0059] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a battery provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0060] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a battery cell provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0061] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the current battery cell.

[0062] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a battery cell provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0063] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a battery cell provided in some other embodiments of this application.

[0064] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the electrode assembly in a battery cell provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0065] Figure 8 is a front view schematic diagram of the electrode assembly in a battery cell provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0066] Figure 9 is a front view schematic diagram of the electrode assembly in a battery cell provided in some other embodiments of this application.

[0067] Figure 10 is a front view schematic diagram of the electrode assembly in a battery cell provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0068] Figure 11 is a top view of the electrode assembly in a battery cell provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0069] Figure 12 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the electrode winding structure of the electrode assembly in a battery cell provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0070] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electrode in a battery cell provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0071] Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of section AA in Figure 13.

[0072] Figure 15 is a flowchart illustrating the processing method of a battery cell provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0073] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of a battery cell processing equipment provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0074] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of a battery cell processing apparatus provided in some other embodiments of this application.

[0075] Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electrode sheet in the battery cell during the processing of some embodiments of this application.

[0076] The markings in the diagram mean:

[0077] 1000. Electrical appliances;

[0078] 100. Battery;

[0079] 10. Box body; 11. First part; 12. Second part;

[0080] 20. Battery cell; 21. End cap; 22. Electrode terminal; 23. Electrode assembly; 231. Main body; 232. Tab; 2321. First surface; 2322. Second surface; 233. Structural component; 2331. Insulating part; 2332. Connecting part; 2333. Reinforcing rib; 234. Electrode; 2341. Current collector; 2342. Active material layer; 2343. Electrode main body; 2344. Electrode tab; 2344a. First electrode tab; 2344b. Tail electrode tab; 235. Separator; 24. Casing; 25. Gap;

[0081] 200. Motor;

[0082] 300. Controller;

[0083] 2000, processing equipment;

[0084] 2100, Die-cutting module; 2200, Assembly module; 2300, Identification module; 2400, Cutting module; 2500, Calibration module.

[0085] Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0086] The following embodiments of the technical solution of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present application and are therefore only examples and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application.

[0087] 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.

[0088] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0089] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0090] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0091] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0092] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0093] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0094] Currently, judging from market trends, the application of power batteries is becoming increasingly widespread. Power batteries are not only used in energy storage systems such as hydropower, thermal power, wind power, and solar power plants, but also extensively used in electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric cars, as well as in military equipment and aerospace. With the continuous expansion of power battery applications, market demand is also constantly increasing.

[0095] During battery manufacturing, the tabs of the electrode assembly need to be connected to the electrode terminals. The tabs typically have lengthwise redundancy to facilitate welding to the electrode terminals. However, the space within the casing is limited, and to improve battery energy density, the distance between the main body of the electrode assembly and the casing end cap is usually small. This necessitates bending the tabs after the electrode assembly is installed in the casing. Referring to Figure 4, the bent tabs easily insert into the main body and press against the electrode plates, potentially causing short circuits and reducing battery yield and stability.

[0096] After the electrode assembly is installed in the housing, the bending direction of the tabs can be controlled in advance to prevent the tabs from inserting into the main body. However, in order to improve the energy density of the battery, the current collector is usually thinner and the strength of the tabs is relatively low. When the battery is subjected to external force and vibration, the tabs may still deform and bend further, which may cause the tabs to insert into the main body and trigger a short circuit of the electrode.

[0097] Based on the above considerations, in order to alleviate the problem of short circuit caused by the deformation and bending of the electrode tab when inserted into the main body, this application provides a battery cell with a structural member provided on the side of the electrode tab facing the main body, so that the structural member can separate the electrode tab from the main body.

[0098] In such a battery cell, structural components can increase the thickness of the tabs. The deformation of the tabs also requires the structural components to deform accordingly, meaning the resistance to tab deformation increases. Under the same external force, the structural components can reduce the deformation of the tabs, allowing them to abut against or insert into the main body. Simultaneously, because the structural components reduce the deformation of the tabs, they can also create a partition space between the tabs and the main body. This partition space separates the tabs from the main body, preventing the tabs from contacting and short-circuiting the electrode plates. When the battery vibrates under external force, this partition space also provides space for the deformation of the tabs, making it difficult for them to insert into the main body after deformation. When the tabs are inserted into the main body, the structural components can also separate the tabs from the electrode plates, preventing the electrode plates from directly contacting the tabs and causing short circuits. In short, the structural components can reduce the occurrence of short circuits, thereby improving the yield and safety performance of the battery cell.

[0099] The battery cells disclosed in this application can be used in electrical devices that use batteries as a power source or in various energy storage systems that use batteries as energy storage elements. Electrical devices can be, but are not limited to, mobile phones, tablets, laptops, electric toys, power tools, electric vehicles, electric cars, ships, spacecraft, etc. Electric toys can include stationary or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys, etc. Spacecraft can include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft, etc.

[0100] For ease of explanation, the following embodiments will be described using a vehicle as an example of an electrical device 1000 according to an embodiment of this application.

[0101] Referring to Figure 1, which is a schematic diagram of the vehicle structure provided in some embodiments of this application, the vehicle can be a gasoline-powered vehicle, a natural gas-powered vehicle, or a new energy vehicle. The new energy vehicle can be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, or a range-extended electric vehicle, etc. A battery 100 is installed inside the vehicle, and the battery 100 can be located at the bottom, front, or rear of the vehicle. The battery 100 can be used to power the vehicle; for example, the battery 100 can serve as the vehicle's operating power source. The vehicle may also include a controller 300 and a motor 200. The controller 300 controls the battery 100 to supply power to the motor 200, for example, to meet the power needs of the vehicle during starting, navigation, and driving.

[0102] In some embodiments of this application, the battery 100 can not only serve as the operating power source for the vehicle, but also as the driving power source for the vehicle, replacing or partially replacing fuel or natural gas to provide driving power for the vehicle.

[0103] Referring to Figure 2, which is an exploded structural diagram of a battery 100 provided in some embodiments of this application, the battery 100 includes a housing 10 and a battery cell 20, with the battery cell 20 housed within the housing 10. The housing 10 provides a space for the battery cell 20 and can have various structures. In some embodiments, the housing 10 may include a first portion 11 and a second portion 12, which overlap each other, jointly defining a space for accommodating the battery cell 20. The second portion 12 may be a hollow structure with one open end, and the first portion 11 may be a plate-like structure, covering the open side of the second portion 12 so that the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 jointly define the space. Alternatively, both the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 may be hollow structures with one open side, with the open side of the first portion 11 covering the open side of the second portion 12. Of course, the housing 10 formed by the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 can have various shapes, such as a cylinder, a cuboid, etc.

[0104] In battery 100, there can be multiple battery cells 20, which can be connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed manner. A mixed connection means that multiple battery cells 20 are connected in both series and parallel configurations. Multiple battery cells 20 can be directly connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed manner, and then the entire assembly of the multiple battery cells 20 is housed within the housing 10. Alternatively, battery 100 can also be composed of multiple battery cells 20 first connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed manner to form battery modules, and then these modules are connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed manner to form a whole, which is then housed within the housing 10. Battery 100 may also include other structures; for example, it may include a busbar component for electrical connection between the multiple battery cells 20.

[0105] Each battery cell 20 can be a secondary battery or a primary battery; it can also be a lithium-sulfur battery, a sodium-ion battery, or a magnesium-ion battery, but is not limited to these. The battery cell 20 can be cylindrical, flat, cuboid, or other shapes.

[0106] Referring to Figure 3, which is an exploded structural diagram of a battery cell 20 provided in some embodiments of this application, the battery cell 20 refers to the smallest unit that makes up the battery 100. As shown, the battery cell 20 includes an end cap 21, a housing 24, an electrode assembly 23, and other functional components.

[0107] End cap 21 refers to a component that covers the opening of housing 24 to isolate the internal environment of battery cell 20 from the external environment. The shape of end cap 21 can be adapted to the shape of housing 24 to fit the housing 24. Optionally, end cap 21 can be made of a material with certain hardness and strength (such as aluminum alloy), so that end cap 21 is not easily deformed under pressure and impact, allowing battery cell 20 to have higher structural strength and improved safety performance. Functional components such as electrode terminals 22 can be provided on end cap 21. Electrode terminals 22 can be used for electrical connection with electrode assembly 23 for outputting or inputting electrical energy to battery cell 20. In some embodiments, end cap 21 can also be provided with a pressure relief mechanism for releasing internal pressure when the internal pressure or temperature of battery cell 20 reaches a threshold. The material of end cap 21 can also be various, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc., and this application embodiment does not impose special limitations on this. In some embodiments, an insulating element may be provided on the inner side of the end cap 21. The insulating element can be used to isolate the electrical connection components within the housing 24 from the end cap 21 to reduce the risk of short circuits. For example, the insulating element may be made of plastic, rubber, etc.

[0108] The housing 24 is a component used to cooperate with the end cap 21 to form the internal environment of the battery cell 20. This internal environment can accommodate the electrode assembly 23, electrolyte, and other components. The housing 24 and the end cap 21 can be independent components. An opening can be provided on the housing 24, and the end cap 21 can be used to close the opening to form the internal environment of the battery cell 20. Alternatively, the end cap 21 and the housing 24 can be integrated. Specifically, the end cap 21 and the housing 24 can form a common connecting surface before other components are inserted into the housing. When it is necessary to encapsulate the interior of the housing 24, the end cap 21 closes the housing 24. The housing 24 can be of various shapes and sizes, such as cuboid, cylindrical, hexagonal prism, etc. Specifically, the shape of the housing 24 can be determined according to the specific shape and size of the electrode assembly 23. The material of the housing 24 can be various, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc. This application embodiment does not impose any special limitations on this.

[0109] Electrode assembly 23 is the component in the battery cell 20 where the electrochemical reaction occurs. The casing 24 may contain one or more electrode assemblies 23. The electrode assembly 23 is mainly formed by winding or stacking electrode sheets 234 and a separator 235. The portion of the electrode sheet 234 with active material constitutes the main body 231 of the electrode assembly 23, and the portion of the electrode sheet 234 without active material constitutes the tabs 232 of the electrode assembly 23. Specifically, the electrode sheet 234 includes a positive electrode sheet and a negative electrode sheet with different polarities. The positive and negative electrode sheets are wound or stacked, and the separator 235 is disposed between the positive and negative electrode sheets. The portions of the positive and negative electrode sheets with active material constitute the main body 231 of the electrode assembly 23. The portions of the positive electrode sheet without active material can be stacked to form a positive electrode tab, and the portions of the negative electrode sheet without active material can be stacked to form a negative electrode tab. The positive and negative electrode tabs can be located together at one end of the main body 231 or respectively at both ends of the main body 231. During the charging and discharging process of battery 100, the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material react with the electrolyte, and the tab 232 connects to the electrode terminal 22 to form a current loop.

[0110] In a first aspect, referring to Figures 5 to 7, some embodiments of this application provide a battery cell 20, including an electrode assembly 23. The electrode assembly 23 includes a main body 231, a tab 232, and a structural member 233. The tab 232 is connected to the main body 231, and at least a portion of the tab 232 is bent relative to the main body 231 to form a first surface 2321 on the tab 232 opposite to the main body 231. The structural member 233 is disposed on the side of the tab 232 facing the main body 231, and the structural member 233 at least covers a portion of the tab 232 to separate the tab 232 from the main body 231.

[0111] In Figure 7, the X direction is the width direction of the tab 232, the Y direction is the thickness direction of the tab 232, and the Z direction is the length direction of the tab 232.

[0112] The main body 231 refers to the structure in the electrode assembly 23 used to undergo an electrochemical reaction with the electrolyte, and the tab 232 refers to the structure in the electrode assembly 23 used to connect to the electrode terminal 22. The tab 232 is connected to the main body 231. For example, the tab 232 extends from the main body 231 to the outside of the main body 231 so that current can flow from the main body 231 through the tab 232 and the electrode terminal 22 to the outside of the battery 100, and the current outside the battery 100 can also flow to the main body 231 through the electrode terminal 22 and the tab 232.

[0113] To facilitate the connection of the tab 232 to the electrode terminal 22, the tab 232 is usually relatively long. However, the space inside the housing 24 is limited. In order to improve the energy density, the space in the housing 24 for accommodating the tab 232 is usually small. Therefore, after the battery cell 20 is installed into the housing 24 and the end cap 21 is closed with the housing 24, at least a portion of the tab 232 will be bent relative to the main body 231 in order to accommodate the tab 232 in the housing 24.

[0114] The tab 232 may be bent only partially relative to the main body 231. In this case, the part of the tab 232 that is bent relative to the main body 231 may be the part of the tab 232 that is away from the main body 231 and close to the electrode terminal 22; or the entire tab 232 may be bent relative to the main body 231.

[0115] Structural component 233 refers to the structure in electrode assembly 23 used to separate the tab 232 and the main body 231 so that the tab 232 and the main body 231 are not easily in direct contact. Structural component 233 is provided on the tab 232 and can be provided on the tab 232 by bonding, pressing or other means. The shape of structural component 233 can be square, circular or other shapes. Since the tab 232 can be bent relative to the main body 231, and structural component 233 is provided on the tab 232, structural component 233 should also be able to bend and deform with the tab 232.

[0116] Since at least a portion of the tab 232 is bent relative to the main body 231, and the tab 232 is connected to the electrode terminal 22, and the electrode terminal 22 is opposite to the main body 231, at least a portion of the tab 232 is opposite to the main body 231. At this time, the tab 232 includes a first surface 2321 opposite to the main body 231. That is, the first surface 2321 refers to the surface of the tab 232 that is opposite to the main body 231 when at least a portion is bent. The first surface 2321 is closer to the main body 231. It can be understood that when at least a portion of the tab 232 is bent relative to the main body 231, the tab 232 also includes a second surface 2322 opposite to the first surface 2321. The second surface 2322 is farther from the main body 231.

[0117] Referring to Figure 4, when the battery 100 is subjected to vibration by an external force, the tab 232 is prone to further deformation. Since one end of the tab 232 is connected to the main body 231 and the other end is connected to the electrode terminal 22, the position where the tab 232 undergoes further deformation is in the middle of the tab 232. The further deformation of the tab 232 can easily cause the part of the tab 232 opposite to the main body 231 to abut against or be inserted into the main body 231. At this time, the first surface 2321 of the tab 232 is in contact with the main body 231. The tab 232 abutting against or being inserted into the main body 231 can easily cause the electrode 234 to conduct with the tab 232, resulting in a short circuit of the electrode 234, which in turn causes the battery cell 20 to malfunction.

[0118] The structural component 233 is disposed on the first surface 2321 of the tab 232. At this time, the structural component 233 can separate the tab 232 from the main body 231, so that the tab 232 is less likely to contact the main body 231, thereby reducing the possibility of the battery cell 20 short-circuiting due to the tab 232 contacting the main body 231 and causing abnormality.

[0119] The structural component 233 can prevent the tab 232 from deforming by strengthening the tab 232, thereby separating the tab 232 from the main body 231. When the battery cell 20 is subjected to external force and vibrates, the external force on the tab 232 needs to deform not only the tab 232 but also the structural component 233. When the tab 232 is subjected to the same external force, the structural component 233 can reduce the deformation of the tab 232, thereby making it less likely for the tab 232 to come into contact with or be inserted into the main body 231.

[0120] Meanwhile, since the structural component 233 can reduce the deformation of the tab 232, the structural component 233 can also form a partition space between the tab 232 and the main body 231. This partition space can separate the tab 232 and the main body 231, so that the tab 232 is less likely to come into contact with the electrode and short-circuit with the electrode. When the battery cell 20 is subjected to external force and vibrates, this partition space can also provide space for the deformation of the tab 232, so that the tab 232 is less likely to come into contact with or be inserted into the main body 231 after deformation.

[0121] The structural component 233 can also separate the tab 232 from the main body 231 by preventing the tab 232 from conducting with the main body 231. When the tab 232 is pressed against or inserted into the main body 231, the electrode 234 will directly contact the structural component 233 instead of the tab 232. The structural component 233 between the electrode 234 and the tab 232 can prevent current from flowing, thereby reducing the occurrence of short circuits between the tab 232 and the electrode 234. Understandably, the material of the structural component 233 can include high-resistance materials or insulating materials to improve the effect of the structural component 233 in preventing current from flowing.

[0122] Since one end of the tab 232 is connected to the main body 231 and the other end is connected to the electrode terminal 22, when the battery cell 20 is subjected to external vibration, the portion of the tab 232 that is bent and opposite to the main body 231 is more likely to undergo further deformation and abut against or be inserted into the main body 231. Accordingly, the structural member 233 may only cover part of the tab 232, that is, only cover the portion of the tab 232 facing the main body 231 and opposite to the main body 231, or the structural member 233 may cover the entire side of the tab 232 facing the main body 231.

[0123] In this embodiment, a structural member 233 is provided on the tab 232 to separate the tab 232 from the main body 231. The structural member 233 can provide support for the tab 232, thereby forming a partition space between the tab 232 and the main body 231. This partition space can separate the tab 232 from the main body 231, making it less likely for the tab 232 to come into contact with the electrode 234 and short-circuit with it. When the battery cell 20 is subjected to external force and vibrates, this partition space can also serve as a partition for the tab 232. The deformation of 2 provides space, and the structural component 233 can also reduce the deformation of the tab 232, so that even if the tab 232 is deformed, it is not easy to insert into the main body 231; when the tab 232 is inserted into the main body 231, the structural component 233 can also separate the tab 232 from the electrode 234, and make it difficult for the electrode 234 to directly contact the tab 232 and cause the electrode 234 to short-circuit; that is, the setting of the structural component 233 can reduce the occurrence of short circuits, thereby improving the yield and safety performance of the battery cell 20.

[0124] Referring to Figures 7 to 9, in some embodiments, structural member 233 includes an insulating portion 2331 for separating the tab 232 from the main body portion 231.

[0125] The insulating part 2331 refers to the structure in the structural component 233 that serves as insulation. The structural component 233 may include only the insulating part 2331 or other structures. The shape of the insulating part 2331 may be square, round or other shapes. The material of the insulating part 2331 may include rubber, glass, ceramic or other insulating materials. The insulating part 2331 may be provided on the tab 232 by bonding, pressing or other means.

[0126] Because the structural member 233 covers at least a portion of the tab 232, that is, the insulating part 2331 covers at least a portion of the tab 232, the insulating part 2331 can separate the tab 232 from the main body 231; the insulating part 2331 can cover a portion of the first surface 2321 or completely cover the first surface 2321, and the insulating part 2331 can also extend to the two sides of the tab 232 adjacent to the first surface 2321.

[0127] When the tab 232 abuts against or is inserted into the main body 231, the insulating portion 2331 can separate the side of the tab 232 facing the main body 231 from the main body 231. The electrode 234 of the main body 231 will directly contact the insulating portion 2331 covering the tab 232, and will not easily directly contact the tab 232. That is, at this time, the insulating portion 2331 can separate the tab 232 from the electrode 234, so that the current on the electrode 234 is not easy to pass through the insulating portion 2331 and flow to the tab 232, thereby reducing the occurrence of abnormal short circuit of the electrode 234.

[0128] In this embodiment, the structural member 233 includes an insulating portion 2331 to separate the tab 232 from the main body portion 231. At this time, even if the tab 232 is deformed and bent and inserted into the main body portion 231, the insulating portion 2331 can still insulate the tab 232 from the abutting electrode 234, thereby reducing the occurrence of short circuits in the electrode 234.

[0129] Referring to Figures 5, 7 to 9, in some embodiments, the insulating portion 2331 abuts against the main body portion 231; or the insulating portion 2331 is spaced apart from the main body portion 231.

[0130] Since the tab 232 will bend after the electrode assembly 23 is inserted into the housing, depending on the degree of bending of the tab 232, the insulating part 2331 can directly abut against the main body 231. At this time, part of the tab 232 also falls on the main body 231 and is supported by the main body 231. Since the insulating part 2331 can separate the tab 232 from the main body 231, this arrangement makes it less likely for the tab 232 to conduct with the electrode plate 234 of the main body 231 and cause a short circuit.

[0131] When the insulating part 2331 abuts against the main body part 231, the insulating part 2331 may only have an insulating function. At this time, the insulating part 2331 has a weaker ability to enhance the strength of the tab 232 and a weaker support performance for the tab 232.

[0132] The insulating part 2331 can also be spaced apart from the main body part 231, that is, a partition space is formed between the insulating part 2331 and the main body part 231. In this case, the tab 232 is not easy to contact the main body part 231, thereby further reducing the risk of short circuit between the tab 232 and the electrode 234 of the main body part 231.

[0133] When the insulating part 2331 is spaced apart from the main body part 231, the insulating part 2331 also has the function of improving the strength of the tab 232 and providing support for the tab 232; accordingly, the insulating part 2331 can also have a certain strength; for example, the material of the insulating part 2331 can have both good insulation performance and mechanical strength, and the material of the insulating part 2331 can include rubber insulating materials (e.g., silicone rubber), polymer insulating materials (e.g., polyethylene), glass fiber, etc.

[0134] In this embodiment, the insulating portion 2331 is able to abut against the main body portion 231. When the tab 232 deforms and bends and inserts into the main body portion 231, this arrangement can insulate and separate the tab 232 and the abutting electrode 234 through the insulating portion 2331, thereby reducing the occurrence of short circuits in the electrode 234. Furthermore, the insulating portion 2331 is spaced apart from the main body portion 231. At this time, the insulating portion 2331 can have a certain strength and elasticity. When the battery cell 20 is subjected to external force and vibrates, this arrangement can prevent the tab 232 from deforming excessively and inserting into the main body portion 231, thereby reducing the contact between the tab 232 and the main body portion 231, further reducing the occurrence of short circuits in the electrode 234, and also reducing the damage to the tab 232 and the main body portion 231 caused by the tab 232 inserting into the main body portion 231.

[0135] Referring to FIG8, in some embodiments, the structural member 233 further includes a connecting portion 2332 connected to the insulating portion 2331. The connecting portion 2332 is used to connect to the electrode terminal 22 of the battery cell 20 along with the tab 232. The connecting portion 2332 and the insulating portion 2331 are arranged along the length direction of the tab 232, and the connecting portion 2332 is located on the side of the insulating portion 2331 away from the main body portion 231.

[0136] The connecting part 2332 refers to the structure in the structural component 233 that is located near the connection position between the tab 232 and the electrode terminal 22. The connecting part 2332 is used to reduce the interference of the structural component 233 on the connection between the tab 232 and the electrode terminal 22. The connecting part 2332 is connected to the insulating part 2331. The connecting part 2332 can be connected to the insulating part 2331 by bonding, pressing or other means. The shape of the connecting part 2332 can be square, round or other shapes.

[0137] Because the tab 232 needs to be connected to the electrode terminal 22, and the tab 232 has good conductivity, while the insulating part 2331 has poor conductivity, that is, the materials of the insulating part 2331 and the tab 232 are quite different; and because during the process of connecting the tab 232 to the electrode terminal 22, the part of the structural component 233 near the connection position between the tab 232 and the electrode terminal 22 is easily connected together, the insulating part 2331 is prone to causing interference during the process of connecting the tab 232 to the electrode terminal 22.

[0138] Taking the electrode tab 232 welded to the electrode terminal 22 as an example, the insulating part 2331 is easily welded to the connection position between the electrode tab 232 and the electrode terminal 22. At this time, the fusion structure formed by welding will contain the corresponding material of the insulating part 2331. However, the materials of the insulating part 2331 and the electrode tab 232 are quite different. The presence of the corresponding material of the insulating part 2331 in the fusion structure formed by welding can easily lead to a reduction in the strength of the fusion structure.

[0139] Furthermore, since the end of the tab 232 connected to the electrode terminal 22 is the end of the tab 232 that is furthest from the main body 231 along its length direction Z, the connecting portion 2332 and the insulating portion 2331 are arranged along the length direction Z of the tab 232, and the connecting portion 2332 is located on the side of the insulating portion 2331 furthest from the main body 231, so that the insulating portion 2331 can be kept away from the connection position between the tab 232 and the electrode terminal 22, thereby reducing the interference of the insulating portion 2331 on the connection between the tab 232 and the electrode terminal 22.

[0140] Depending on the connection method between the tab 232 and the electrode terminal 22, the material of the connecting part 2332 may be the same as or similar to the material of the tab 232 or the electrode terminal 22; for example, when the tab 232 is soldered to the electrode terminal 22, the material of the connecting part 2332 may include aluminum, copper or other metal materials.

[0141] In this embodiment, an insulating portion 2331 is provided to separate the tab 232 and the main body portion 231, so as to reduce the occurrence of short circuits in the electrode 234; a connecting portion 2332 is provided and is located on the side of the insulating portion 2331 away from the main body portion 231, so that the connecting portion 2332 can be opposite to the position where the tab 232 is connected to the electrode terminal 22, thereby reducing the interference of the insulating portion 2331 on the connection of the tab 232 to the electrode terminal 22.

[0142] Referring to Figures 8 and 9, in some embodiments, the length of the structural member 233 is less than or equal to the length of the tab 232.

[0143] The length of tab 232 is the dimension of tab 232 on the Z-axis in the figure, which is also the dimension shown by H in the figure; the length of structural component 233 is the dimension of structural component 233 on the Z-axis in the figure, which is also the dimension shown by h in the figure.

[0144] The length of the structural component 233 can be less than the length of the tab 232. In this case, the end of the tab 232 connected to the electrode terminal 22 can extend beyond the structural component 233 and is not easily covered by the structural component 233, thereby reducing the interference of the structural component 233 on the connection of the tab 232 to the electrode terminal 22.

[0145] When the length of structural member 233 is less than the length of tab 232, structural member 233 may include only insulating part 2331, structural member 233 may include insulating part 2331 and connecting part 2332, and structural member 233 may include other structures.

[0146] The length of the structural component 233 can also be equal to the length of the tab 232, in which case the structural component 233 covers the tab 232; this setting allows the structural component 233 to better cover the side of the tab 232 facing the main body 231, thereby reducing the contact between the tab 232 and the main body 231 and reducing the occurrence of short circuit abnormalities in the main body 231.

[0147] When the length of the structural component 233 is equal to the length of the tab 232, the structural component 233 may include an insulating portion 2331 and a connecting portion 2332, and the connecting portion 2332 is positioned opposite to the tab 232 when it is connected to the electrode terminal 22, so as to reduce the interference of the structural component 233 on the connection of the tab 232 to the electrode terminal 22.

[0148] When the length of structural component 233 is equal to the length of tab 232, structural component 233 may include an insulating part 2331 and a connecting part 2332, or structural component 233 may only include an insulating part 2331; in this case, tab 232 can be welded to electrode terminal 22 by ultrasonic welding. Since ultrasonic welding can weld both metallic and non-metallic materials, this setting can also reduce the interference of structural component 233 on the connection of tab 232 to electrode terminal 22.

[0149] In this embodiment, the structural component 233 can cover part of the tab 232, thereby reducing the occurrence of short circuits in the electrode 234; it can also reduce the interference of the structural component 233 on the welding of the tab 232, thereby facilitating the stable connection of the tab 232 to the electrode terminal 22.

[0150] Referring to FIG9, in some embodiments, the ratio of the length of the insulating portion 2331 to the length of the tab 232 is greater than or equal to 1 / 3, and the ratio of the length of the insulating portion 2331 to the length of the tab 232 is less than or equal to 1 / 2.

[0151] The length of tab 232 is the dimension of tab 232 on the Z-axis in the figure, which is also the dimension shown by H in the figure; the length of insulating part 2331 is the dimension of structural part 233 on the Z-axis in the figure, which is also the dimension shown by h in the figure.

[0152] The ratio of the length of the insulating part 2331 to the length of the tab 232 is greater than or equal to 1 / 3 and less than or equal to 1 / 2, i.e., 1 / 3 ≤ h / H ≤ 1 / 2; for example, the ratio of the length of the insulating part 2331 to the length of the tab 232 can be 0.34, 0.36, 0.38, 0.4, 0.42, 0.44, 0.46, 0.48, 0.5 or other values.

[0153] For example, the ratio of the length of the insulating portion 2331 to the length of the tab 232 can be 1 / 3, that is, the length of the insulating portion 2331 is smaller, so that the insulating portion 2331 can separate the side of the tab 232 from the main body portion 231, and the size of the insulating portion 2331 can also be smaller. When the structural member 233 only includes the insulating portion 2331, this arrangement can reduce the space occupied by the structural member 233, thereby reducing the negative impact of the structural member 233 on the energy density of the battery cell 20, and can also reduce the interference of the structural member 233 on the connection of the tab 232 to the electrode terminal 22. When the structural member 233 includes the insulating portion 2331 and the connecting portion 2332, this arrangement can also reduce the interference of the structural member 233 on the connection of the tab 232 to the electrode terminal 22.

[0154] For example, the ratio of the length of the insulating portion 2331 to the length of the tab 232 can be 0.4, that is, the length of the insulating portion 2331 is increased so that the insulating portion 2331 can further separate the side of the tab 232 from the main body portion 231, while also reducing interference to the connection of the tab 232 to the electrode terminal 22, and also reducing the negative impact of the structural component 233 on the energy density of the battery cell 20.

[0155] For example, the ratio of the length of the insulating part 2331 to the length of the tab 232 can be 0.5, that is, the length of the insulating part 2331 is longer, so that the insulating part 2331 can better separate the side of the tab 232 from the main body 231, thereby better reducing the occurrence of short circuits in the main body 231.

[0156] In this embodiment, the structural member 233 can cover part of the tab 232 to separate the tab 232 from the main body 231, thereby reducing the occurrence of short circuits in the electrode 234; it can also reduce the interference of the structural member 233 on the connection of the tab 232 to the electrode terminal 22, thereby enabling the tab 232 to be connected to the electrode terminal 22 more stably.

[0157] Referring to Figures 8 and 9, in some embodiments, in the width direction of the tab 232, the opposite sides of the structural member 233 extend beyond the tab 232.

[0158] The width of tab 232 is the dimension of tab 232 on the X-axis in the figure, which is also the dimension shown by W in the figure; the width of structural component 233 is the dimension of structural component 233 on the X-axis in the figure, which is also the dimension shown by w in the figure.

[0159] The structural member 233 can extend beyond the tab 232 on both sides along the width direction X of the tab 232. That is, the size of the structural member 233 in the width X of the tab 232 is larger than the width of the tab 232, so that the structural member 233 can better cover the tab 232 in the width direction of the tab 232.

[0160] Understandably, the dimensions of the structural member 233 extending beyond the tab 232 on both sides along the width direction X of the tab 232 can be the same or different; for example, the dimensions of the structural member 233 extending beyond the tab 232 on both sides along the width direction X of the tab 232 are the same.

[0161] Since the tab 232 is usually formed by stacking multiple non-active material parts of the electrode 234, misalignment or other issues may occur during the stacking and other processing of the multiple non-active material parts of the electrode 234. As a result, the width of the tab 232 of different electrode assemblies 23 is easily affected by the processing technology and may have errors.

[0162] Accordingly, the structural member 233 extends beyond the tab 232 along the opposite sides of the tab 232 width X, so that when the structural member 233 is connected to each tab 232 of different sizes, it can completely cover the tab 232 in the width direction X. When the tab 232 is inserted into the main body 231, this arrangement can reduce the occurrence of short circuits caused by shorting between the electrode 234 and the edge of the tab 232, thereby reducing the occurrence of short circuit abnormalities in the battery cell 20 and improving the yield, stability and safety performance of the battery cell 20.

[0163] Referring to Figures 8 and 9, in some embodiments, the difference between the width of the structural member 233 and the maximum width of the tab 232 is greater than or equal to 6 mm; and / or the ratio of the width of the structural member 233 to the maximum width of the tab 232 is less than or equal to 2.

[0164] The width of tab 232 is the dimension of tab 232 on the X-axis in the figure, which is also the dimension shown by W in the figure; the width of structural component 233 is the dimension of structural component 233 on the X-axis in the figure, which is also the dimension shown by w in the figure.

[0165] Since the shape of the tab 232 is usually trapezoidal or trapezoidal, the width of the tab 232 varies along its length direction Z. For example, the width of the tab 232 at the position where it is connected to the main body 231 is usually wider, while the width of the tab 232 at the end away from the main body 231 is usually narrower. The maximum width of the tab 232 is the width of the widest part of the tab 232. The width of the structural member 233 should be greater than the maximum width of the tab 232 so that the structural member 233 can better cover the tab 232 along the width direction X of the tab 232.

[0166] The difference between the width of the structural component 233 and the maximum width of the tab 232 can be 6mm, 6.5mm, 7mm, 7.5mm, 8mm or other values, so that the structural component 233 can better cover the tab 232 along the width direction X of the tab 232.

[0167] For example, the difference between the width of the structural component 233 and the maximum width of the tab 232 can be 6mm. This arrangement allows the structural component 233 to cover the tab 232 along the width direction X, thereby reducing the occurrence of short circuits between the tab 232 and the electrode 234. It also reduces the space occupied by the structural component 233, thereby reducing the negative impact of the structural component 233 on the energy density of the battery cell 20, and also reduces costs.

[0168] For example, the difference between the width of the structural component 233 and the maximum width of the tab 232 can be 7mm. This arrangement allows the structural component 233 to further cover the tab 232 along the width direction X, thereby reducing the occurrence of short circuits between the tab 232 and the electrode 234. This arrangement can also reduce the space occupied by the structural component 233, thereby reducing the negative impact of the structural component 233 on the energy density of the battery cell 20, and also reducing costs.

[0169] For example, the difference between the width of the structural component 233 and the maximum width of the tab 232 can be 8mm. This setting allows the structural component 233 to adapt to larger errors in the tab 232 during the manufacturing process, so that the structural component 233 can better cover the tab 232 along the width direction X of the tab 232.

[0170] Provided that the width of the structural component 233 is greater than the maximum width of the tab 232, the ratio of the width of the structural component 233 to the maximum width of the tab 232 is less than or equal to 2. This ratio can be 2, 1.8, 1.5, 1.2, 1.1 or other values.

[0171] For example, the ratio of the width of the structural component 233 to the maximum width of the tab 232 can be 2. In this case, the width of the structural component 233 is relatively wide and can accommodate the large error of the tab 232 during the processing, so that the structural component 233 can better cover the tab 232 along the width direction X of the tab 232.

[0172] For example, the ratio of the width of the structural component 233 to the maximum width of the tab 232 can be 1.5. In this case, the width of the structural component 233 becomes narrower, and the structural component 233 can also cover the tab 232 along the width direction X. At the same time, this setting can also reduce the space occupied by the structural component 233, thereby reducing the negative impact of the structural component 233 on the energy density of the battery cell 20, and also reducing costs.

[0173] For example, the ratio of the width of the structural component 233 to the maximum width of the tab 232 can be 1.1. In this case, the width of the structural component 233 is relatively small. Under the premise that the structural component 233 covers the tab 232 along the width direction X of the tab 232, this setting can better reduce the space occupied by the structural component 233, thereby better reducing the negative impact of the structural component 233 on the energy density of the battery cell 20, and better reducing the cost.

[0174] In this embodiment, the structural component 233 can better cover the edge of the tab 232 along the width direction, thereby reducing the occurrence of short circuits in the electrode 234; it can also reduce the space occupied by the structural component 233, thereby reducing the negative impact of the structural component 233 on the energy density of the battery cell 20, and at the same time, it can reduce costs.

[0175] Referring to FIG6, in some embodiments, structural member 233 is an elastic member and is used to provide resistance to the deformation of tab 232. Structural member 233 is spaced apart from main body 231 to form a gap 25 between structural member 233 and main body 231.

[0176] Structural component 233 is an elastic component, and the material of structural component 233 may include metal, rubber or other elastic materials; in addition to being elastic, structural component 233 can also provide support for tab 232.

[0177] When structural component 233 is deformed, it tends to return to its original shape. When the battery cell 20 is vibrated by external force, the deformation of the tab 232 will cause the structural component 233 to deform accordingly. At this time, the elasticity of the structural component 233 can provide resistance to the deformation of the tab 232, thereby hindering the deformation of the tab 232. Accordingly, under the action of the structural component 233, the deformation of the tab 232 will be reduced, so that the tab 232 is not easy to come into contact with or be inserted into the main body 231, that is, the tab 232 is not easy to contact the electrode 234, thereby reducing the occurrence of abnormal short circuit of the electrode 234.

[0178] The structural component 233 is spaced apart from the main body 231, and a gap 25 is formed between the structural component 233 and the main body 231, which separates the main body 231 from the tab 232. According to the above analysis, the tab 232 is easily deformed due to vibration of the battery cell 20 under external force. However, under the action of the structural component 233, the deformation of the tab 232 is small, and the gap 25 between the structural component 233 and the main body 231 becomes smaller. However, the deformation of the tab 232 does not easily cause the gap 25 to disappear, that is, the tab 232 is not likely to contact the main body 231. After the vibration of the battery cell 20 stops, the tab 232 can return to its original position or roughly return to its original position under the action of the structural component 233. At this time, the tab 232 is even less likely to contact the main body 231.

[0179] With the elastic element included in the structural component 233, the structural component 233 primarily serves to provide resistance to the electrode 234 to reduce its deformation. Therefore, the structural component 233 does not need to cover the electrode 234. Accordingly, the structural component 233 does not need to extend beyond the tab 232, thereby reducing the space occupied by the structural component 233 within the battery cell 20, thus reducing the negative impact of the structural component 233 on the energy density of the battery cell 20 and lowering costs.

[0180] It is understandable that structural component 233 may only have elasticity, or it may have good insulation properties while having elasticity, in order to better reduce the occurrence of short circuit between electrode tab 232 and electrode plate 234.

[0181] In this embodiment, the structural component 233 is made elastic. When the tab 232 deforms, the structural component 233 can provide support for the tab 232 and provide resistance to the deformation of the tab 232 to prevent the tab 232 from deforming excessively. When the tab 232 deforms, the support of the structural component 233 for the tab 232 ensures that there is always a gap 25 between the structural component 233 and the main body 231, so that the tab 232 is not easy to contact the main body 231, thereby reducing the possibility of short circuit of the electrode 234 and improving the yield and safety performance of the battery cell 20.

[0182] Referring to Figures 6 and 10, in some embodiments, structural member 233 includes a reinforcing rib 2333 connected to the tab 232 on the side facing the main body 231.

[0183] The reinforcing rib 2333 refers to the structure in the structural component 233 used to strengthen the strength of the electrode lug 232. Under the action of the reinforcing rib 2333, the deformation of the electrode lug 232 under external force can be reduced. The length direction of the reinforcing rib 2333 can be parallel to the length direction Z of the electrode lug 232, or it can be set at an angle to the length direction Z of the electrode lug 232. Along the direction perpendicular to the length direction of the reinforcing rib 2333, the cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing rib 2333 can be square, semi-circular, trapezoidal or other shapes.

[0184] There may be one, two or more reinforcing ribs 2333; when there are two or more reinforcing ribs 2333, the length directions of the multiple reinforcing ribs 2333 may be the same or different; when there are two or more reinforcing ribs 2333, the multiple reinforcing ribs 2333 may form different shapes. For example, the multiple reinforcing ribs 2333 may form T-shape, H-shape, X-shape, V-shape, Y-shape, gate-shaped or other shapes on the tab 232.

[0185] The reinforcing rib 2333 can have a certain strength and a certain elasticity; accordingly, the material of the reinforcing rib 2333 can include metal, rubber or other elastic materials, so that the reinforcing rib 2333 can not only provide support for the tab 232, but also drive the tab 232 to return to its original position.

[0186] When the battery cell 20 vibrates under external force, the deformation of the tab 232 will cause the reinforcing rib 2333 to deform accordingly. At this time, the reinforcing rib 2333 can provide resistance to the deformation of the tab 232, thereby hindering the deformation of the tab 232. After the vibration of the battery cell 20 stops, the reinforcing rib 2333 can also restore the tab 232 to its original position or cause it to roughly return to its original position.

[0187] In this embodiment, the structural component 233 includes a reinforcing rib 2333, which strengthens the tab 232. In the event of an external impact or assembly error on the battery cell 20, this arrangement can reduce the deformation of the tab 232, thereby forming a gap 25 between the tab 232 and the main body 231. The gap 25 separates the tab 232 and the main body 231, reducing the short circuit between the tab 232 and the main body 231.

[0188] In some embodiments, the length direction of the reinforcing rib 2333 is parallel to the length direction of the tab 232.

[0189] When the structural member 233 includes a reinforcing rib 2333, the length direction of the reinforcing rib 2333 is parallel or approximately parallel to the length direction Z of the tab 232; when the structural member 233 includes two or more reinforcing ribs 2333, the length direction of at least one reinforcing rib 2333 is parallel to the length direction of the tab 232.

[0190] Since the tab 232 usually deforms and bends in its length direction Z, the length direction of the reinforcing rib 2333 is parallel to the length direction Z of the tab 232. This allows the reinforcing rib 2333 to deform synchronously with the deformation of the tab 232, so that the reinforcing rib 2333 can provide resistance to the tab 232, thereby hindering the deformation of the tab 232 and causing the tab 232 to return to its original position.

[0191] In this embodiment, since the tab 232 is usually bent in its length direction, the length direction of the reinforcing rib 2333 is parallel to the length direction of the tab 232, so that the reinforcing rib 2333 can better support the tab 232 in the length direction of the tab 232, thereby reducing the deformation of the tab 232.

[0192] Referring to Figures 11 to 14, in some embodiments, the electrode assembly 23 includes an electrode 234, which includes a current collector 2341 and an active material layer 2342. The active material layer 2342 covers a portion of the current collector 2341 and forms an electrode body portion 2343. The portion of the current collector 2341 not covered by the active material layer 2342 forms an electrode tab portion 2344. The body portion 231 includes at least one electrode body portion 2343, and the tab 232 includes at least two electrode tab portions 2344. A first surface 2321 is formed on the tab 232 near the electrode tab portion 2344 inside the battery cell 20.

[0193] Referring to Figure 11, in the electrode assembly 23, the electrode sheet 234 and the diaphragm 235 are spaced apart and form the electrode assembly 23.

[0194] Referring to Figures 13 and 14, the current collector 2341 refers to the structure in the electrode 234 used to collect and conduct current, and the active material layer 2342 refers to the material layer in the electrode 234 used to react with the electrolyte.

[0195] The active material layer 2342 can cover part of the current collector 2341 and form the electrode body 2343 of the electrode 234; the part 2342 of the current collector 2341 that is not covered by the active material layer 2342 can form the electrode tab 2344 of the electrode 234.

[0196] Referring to Figure 12, since the electrode assembly 23 can be formed by winding or stacking the electrode sheets 234, after the electrode sheets 234 are wound or stacked, the main body 231 includes at least two electrode body portions 2343, and the electrode tab 232 includes at least two electrode tab portions 2344. For example, depending on the number of turns of the electrode sheets 234 or the number of stacked layers, the main body 231 may include two electrode body portions 2343 or three or more electrode body portions 2343, and the electrode tab 232 may include two electrode tab portions 2344 or three or more electrode tab portions 2344.

[0197] Referring to Figure 12, since the electrode assembly 23 can be formed by winding or stacking the electrode sheets 234, and the tab 232 includes at least two electrode sheet tab portions 2344, each electrode sheet tab portion 2344 in the tab 232 is stacked in the direction from the inside of the battery cell 20 to the outside of the battery cell 20; since after the tab 232 is at least partially bent, the electrode sheet tab portion 2344 near the inside of the battery cell 20 will face the main body portion 231, so the first surface 2321 is formed on the electrode sheet tab portion 2344 near the inside of the battery cell 20; the structural member 233 is provided on the first surface 2321.

[0198] When the tab 232 is held against or inserted into the main body 231, the tab 2344 of each electrode tab 2344 that is close to the inside of the battery cell 20 will come into contact with the electrode main body 2343. Therefore, the structural member 233 is provided on the first surface 2321. When the tab 232 is held against or inserted into the main body 231, the structural member 233 can insulate and separate the tab 2344 from the electrode main body 2343. At the same time, the structural member 233 can also increase the strength of the tab 232, so that the tab 232 is less likely to bend and come into contact with the main body 231, thereby making it less likely for the tab 2344 to come into contact with the electrode main body 2343.

[0199] The structural component 233 may be provided on only one electrode tab 2344, and is provided on the electrode tab 2344 closest to the inside of the battery cell 20 among all electrode tabs 2344.

[0200] In this embodiment, the first surface 2321 is formed on the electrode tab 2344 near the inside of the battery cell 20, and the structural member 233 is only provided on this one electrode tab 2344. This allows the structural member 233 to separate the tab 232 from the main body 231 and also reduces the space occupied by the structural member 233, thereby reducing the negative impact of the structural member 233 on the energy density of the battery cell 20 and reducing costs.

[0201] Referring to Figures 11 to 14, in some embodiments, the thickness of the structural member 233 is less than or equal to the thickness of the active material layer 2342.

[0202] Referring to Figure 14, the thickness of the active material layer 2342 refers to the dimension of the active material layer 2342 in the width direction Y of the electrode assembly 23, which is the dimension shown as T in Figure 14; the thickness of the structural component 233 refers to the dimension of the structural component 233 in the width direction Y of the electrode assembly 23.

[0203] The thickness of the structural component 233 can be less than or equal to the thickness of the active material layer 2342. Since the structural component 233 is located on the part of the current collector 2341 that does not cover the active material layer 2342, this arrangement ensures that the thickness of the structural component 233 is not too thick, thereby reducing the negative impact of the structural component 233 on the energy density of the battery cell 20 and reducing costs.

[0204] In this embodiment, the structural component 233 can not only separate the tab 232 and the main body 231, but also reduce the space occupied by the structural component 233, thereby reducing the negative impact of the structural component 233 on the energy density of the battery cell 20, and at the same time reducing the cost of the structural component 233.

[0205] In some embodiments, the electrode assembly 23 of the battery cell 20 includes a main body 231, a tab 232 and a structural member 233, with a portion of the tab 232 bent relative to the main body 231.

[0206] Structural member 233 is disposed on the side of tab 232 facing the main body 231, and structural member 233 covers the bent portion of tab 232; structural member 233 includes insulating portion 2331, and the length of insulating portion 2331 is less than the length of tab 232, so that the end of tab 232 away from the main body 231 is exposed outside the insulating portion 2331; the width of insulating portion 2331 is greater than the width of tab 232, so that insulating portion 2331 can extend beyond tab 232 on both sides of the width X of tab 232; the thickness of structural member 233 is less than the thickness of active material layer 2342.

[0207] When the tab 232 is in contact with or inserted into the main body 231, the insulating part 2331 can separate the tab 232 from the electrode 234, so that the current on the electrode 234 is not easy to pass through the insulating part 2331 and flow to the tab 232, thereby reducing the occurrence of abnormal short circuit of the electrode 234.

[0208] In other embodiments, structural member 233 is disposed on the side of tab 232 facing the main body 231. Structural member 233 is elastic and includes reinforcing ribs 2333. The thickness of structural member 233 is less than the thickness of active material layer 2342. Structural member 233 does not extend beyond tab 232 in the length direction Z, width direction X, and the plane containing both.

[0209] When the battery cell 20 vibrates under external force, the deformation of the tab 232 will cause the reinforcing rib 2333 to deform accordingly. At this time, the reinforcing rib 2333 can provide resistance to the deformation of the tab 232, thereby hindering the deformation of the tab 232. After the vibration of the battery cell 20 stops, the reinforcing rib 2333 can also restore the tab 232 to its original position or cause it to roughly return to its original position.

[0210] Secondly, some embodiments of this application also provide a battery 100, including the battery cell 20 provided in some embodiments of the first aspect. Through the arrangement of the structural member 233, the tab 232 in the battery cell 20 is not easily deformed and comes into contact with the main body 231. Even if the tab 232 abuts against the main body 231 or is inserted into the main body 231, the structural member 233 can still separate the tab 232 from the electrode 234, and make it difficult for the electrode 234 to directly contact the tab 232 and cause the electrode 234 to short-circuit. That is, the arrangement of the structural member 233 can reduce the occurrence of short circuits, thereby improving the yield, stability and safety performance of the battery cell 20.

[0211] Thirdly, some embodiments of this application also provide an electrical device 1000, including the battery 100 provided in some embodiments of the second aspect.

[0212] Fourthly, referring to FIG15, some embodiments of this application also provide a method for processing a battery cell 20, including:

[0213] S100: Provides electrode 234.

[0214] In this step, the electrode 234 provided can be either a positive electrode or a negative electrode; depending on the polarity of the electrode 234 provided in this step, subsequent processing steps can be applied to either the positive electrode or the negative electrode.

[0215] S200: Die-cut the current collector 2341 of the electrode 234 to obtain the electrode tab 2344.

[0216] In this step, the current collector 2341 is cut and processed by a die-cutting tool. For example, the die-cutting tool cuts and processes the portion of the current collector 2341 in the electrode 234 that is not covered by the active material layer 2342. After this step, an electrode tab 2344 can be formed on the electrode 234, and the portion of the current collector 2341 covered by the active material layer 2342 forms the electrode body 2343.

[0217] In this step, the die-cutting of the current collector 2341 can be done by disc shearing, die punching or other methods.

[0218] In this step, the die-cutting of the current collector 2341 can be performed intermittently as the electrode 234 moves, so as to form a plurality of spaced electrode tabs 2344 on the electrode 234.

[0219] S300: Determine the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode sheet, and place the structural member 233 on the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode sheet.

[0220] The first electrode tab 2344 in the direction of travel of electrode 234 is the first electrode tab 2344a; after the electrode 234 is wound or stacked to form electrode assembly 23, the first electrode tab 2344a is located on the outermost side of the tab 232.

[0221] In this step, structural component 233 can be attached to the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode by bonding, pressing or other means; structural component 233 can be connected to the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode by assembly equipment. Depending on the connection method of structural component 233, the assembly equipment can attach structural component 233 to the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode by applying glue, rolling or other means.

[0222] In this step, after determining the first electrode ear 2344a, a mark can be set on the first electrode ear 2344a to distinguish it from other electrode ears 2344 for easy identification; the mark can be a color mark, a structural mark or other mark.

[0223] It is understandable that after the structural member 233 is provided on the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode, the structure of the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode is different from that of the other electrode ears 2344. Therefore, the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode can also be identified by identifying the structural member 233.

[0224] S400: Determine the tail tab 2344b of the electrode and cut off the electrode 234.

[0225] In this step, along the direction of travel of the electrode 234, the electrode 234 is cut off on the side of the tail electrode ear 2344b that is away from the head electrode ear 2344a.

[0226] The electrode 234 is cut off at the side of the tail electrode tab 2344b away from the head electrode tab 2344a. This arrangement can reduce damage to the tail electrode tab 2344b during the cutting process of the electrode 234.

[0227] After the electrode 234 is cut, the tail electrode tab 2344b is the last electrode tab 2344 in the direction of travel of the electrode 234; after the electrode 234 is wound or stacked to form the electrode assembly 23, the tail electrode tab 2344b is located on the outermost side of the tab 232, and the head electrode tab 2344a and the tail electrode tab 2344b are located on opposite sides of the tab 232.

[0228] After the electrode 234 is cut off, a new electrode head ear 2344a is formed on the side of the electrode tail ear 2344b. That is, on both sides of the position where the electrode 234 is cut off, there is an electrode tail ear 2344b of one electrode 234 and an electrode head ear 2344a of another electrode 234.

[0229] In this step, the position of the tail tab 2344b of the electrode can be determined by measuring the travel length of the electrode 234. For example, a preset length is set, which is the distance between the first tab 2344a and the tail tab 2344b of the electrode. After confirming the first tab 2344a, the travel length of the electrode 234 is measured, and the electrode 234 is cut off after the travel length of the electrode 234 reaches the preset length.

[0230] In this step, the position of the tail tab 2344b of the electrode can also be determined by measuring the travel time of the electrode 234. For example, a preset time is set, and after confirming the first tab 2344a of the electrode, the travel time of the electrode 234 is measured, and the electrode 234 is cut off after the travel time of the electrode 234 reaches the preset time. It is understandable that within the preset time, different travel speeds of the electrode 234 can result in different distances between the first tab 2344a and the tail tab 2344b of the electrode, and can also result in different numbers of tabs 2344 on the electrode 234.

[0231] In this step, after determining the tail tab 2344b of the electrode, a mark can be set on the tail tab 2344b of the electrode to distinguish it from other electrode tabs 2344 for easy identification; the mark can be a color mark, a structural mark or other mark.

[0232] Understandably, after the tail tab 2344b of the electrode is identified, the adjacent tab 2344 of the electrode is the head tab 2344a of the other electrode. In other words, the position of the head tab 2344a of the electrode can be identified by recognizing the tail tab 2344b of the electrode.

[0233] S500: The electrode assembly 23 is formed by combining the electrode plate 234 and the diaphragm 235, and the main body 231 and the tab 232 are formed.

[0234] In this step, the electrode 234 and the diaphragm 235 can be wound to form the electrode assembly 23 or stacked to form the electrode assembly 23; in the process of forming the electrode assembly 23, the main body 231 and the tab 232 of the electrode assembly 23 can also be formed.

[0235] In this step, the first electrode ear 2344a and the last electrode ear 2344b are located on opposite sides of the electrode ear 232 along its thickness direction. For example, when there are two or more electrode ear portions 2344 on one electrode 234, the electrode ear portions 2344 are stacked to form the electrode ear 232. In this case, the first electrode ear 2344a and the last electrode ear 2344b are located on opposite sides of the electrode ear 232 along its thickness direction.

[0236] Understandably, after step S500, steps S100 and thereafter can be repeated.

[0237] In this embodiment, the electrode tab 232 of the electrode assembly 23 has a first electrode tab 2344a and a last electrode tab 2344b. The structural member 233 is disposed on the first electrode tab 2344a so that the structural member 233 can be bent toward the main body 231, thereby making it difficult for the electrode tab 232 to directly contact and conduct with the electrode 234.

[0238] Referring to FIG15, in some embodiments, in the step of combining the electrode 234 and the diaphragm 235 to form the electrode assembly 23, i.e. in step S500, the electrode assembly 23 is formed by winding the electrode 234 and the diaphragm 235.

[0239] In this step, the electrode 234 and the diaphragm 235 are alternately arranged in sequence. After the electrode 234 and the diaphragm 235 are alternately arranged in sequence, the electrode 234 and the diaphragm 235 can be wound around the winding axis by a winding device to form a wound electrode assembly. The wound electrode assembly can be cylindrical or cuboid. After the wound electrode assembly is processed, it can also undergo other processes such as shaping.

[0240] In this step, after the electrode 234 and the diaphragm 235 are wound, the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode is oriented towards the direction of the winding axis of the electrode 234 and the diaphragm 235.

[0241] In this step, the first electrode tab 2344a is located on the side of the tab 232 near the inside of the electrode assembly 23, and the last electrode tab 2344b is located on the side of the tab 232 near the outside of the electrode assembly 23. Taking the wound electrode assembly 23 as an example, the direction of the inside of the electrode assembly 23 is the direction of the winding axis of the electrode assembly 23, which is also the concave surface of the winding of the electrode assembly 23. The outside of the electrode assembly 23 is opposite to its inside, that is, the direction of the outside of the electrode assembly 23 is the convex surface of the winding of the electrode assembly 23. When the tab 232 is inserted into the housing and bent, this arrangement allows the structural member 233 to be located between the tab 232 and the main body 231, so as to separate the tab 232 and the main body 231.

[0242] In this embodiment, the electrode assembly 23 is formed by winding, with the first electrode tab 2344a facing the winding axis of the electrode assembly 23, so that the structural member 233 can face the main body 231 after bending, thereby making it difficult for the tab 232 to directly contact and conduct with the electrode 234.

[0243] Referring to FIG15, in some embodiments, in the step of combining the electrode 234 and the diaphragm 235 to form the electrode assembly 23, i.e. in step S500, the electrode assembly 23 is formed by sequentially and alternately stacking the electrode 234 and the diaphragm 235 to form a stacked electrode assembly.

[0244] In this step, the first electrode ear 2344a and the last electrode ear 2344b are located on opposite sides of the electrode ear 232 along its thickness direction. For example, when there are two or more electrode ear portions 2344 on one electrode 234, the electrode ear portions 2344 are stacked to form the electrode ear 232. In this case, the first electrode ear 2344a and the last electrode ear 2344b are located on opposite sides of the electrode ear 232 along its thickness direction.

[0245] This embodiment enables the processing method to also be used to process stacked electrode assemblies, thereby making the processing method more adaptable.

[0246] Referring to FIG15, in some embodiments, in the step of determining the tail electrode ear 2344b, that is, in step S400, at least one electrode ear 2344 is provided between the tail electrode ear 2344b and the head electrode ear 2344a.

[0247] After the electrode assembly 23 is formed by the electrode 234 and the diaphragm 235, the arrangement enables the tab 232 to include at least three electrode tab portions 2344, even if the tab 232 can include a first electrode tab portion 2344a, at least one electrode tab portion 2344 and a last electrode tab portion 2344b.

[0248] This configuration enables the tab 232 to have a stronger overcurrent capability, thereby improving the current transmission performance between the electrode assembly 23 and the external circuit.

[0249] Referring to Figure 15, in some embodiments, during the step of determining the first electrode ear 2344a, the structural member 233 is bonded to the first electrode ear 2344a.

[0250] The structural component 233 is connected to the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode by adhesive bonding, so that the structural component 233 can be stably connected to the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode, which is also convenient for processing and can reduce damage to the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode.

[0251] Fifthly, referring to Figures 16 to 18, some embodiments of this application also provide a processing apparatus 2000, including a die-cutting module 2100, an assembly module 2200, an identification module 2300, and a cutting module 2400.

[0252] Among them, the die-cutting module 2100 refers to the structure in the processing equipment 2000 used for die-cutting the current collector 2341. The die-cutting module 2100 can process the current collector 2341 and form the electrode tab 2344. The die-cutting module 2100 may include a disc slitting mechanism, a die punching mechanism or other mechanisms for cutting and processing the current collector 2341.

[0253] The assembly module 2200 is located downstream of the die-cutting module 2100. After the electrode 234 passes through the die-cutting module 2100, the electrode 234 processed by the die-cutting module 2100 can move to the assembly module 2200. The assembly module 2200 is used to place the structural component 233 on the electrode tab 2344 of the electrode. The assembly module 2200 can bond the structural component 233 to the electrode tab 2344 of the electrode, or the assembly module 2200 can place the structural component 233 on the electrode tab 2344 of the electrode by welding or other means. After the electrode 234 passes through the assembly module 2200, the electrode tab 2344 of the electrode with the structural component 233 is the first electrode tab 2344a of the electrode.

[0254] The identification module 2300 is located downstream of the assembly module 2200. After the electrode 234 passes through the assembly module 2200, the electrode 234 processed by the assembly module 2200 can move to the identification module 2300. The identification module 2300 is used to identify the electrode tab 2344 of the electrode. Specifically, the identification module 2300 is used to identify the electrode tab 2344 of the electrode with the structural member 233, that is, the identification module 2300 is used to identify the first electrode tab 2344a of the electrode.

[0255] The recognition module 2300 may include a machine vision inspection system or other recognition structures. For example, the recognition module 2300 may also include a toggle switch. Since the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode is provided with a structural member 233, the overall thickness of the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode is greater than that of the other electrode ears 2344. Accordingly, the position of the toggle switch can be adjusted so that the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode can trigger the toggle switch, while the other electrode ears 2344 cannot trigger the toggle switch.

[0256] The cutting module 2400 is located downstream of the identification module 2300. After the electrode 234 passes the identification module 2300, the electrode 234 can travel to the cutting module 2400. The cutting module 2400 is used to cut the current collector 2341. The cutting module 2400 can cut the current collector 2341 after the identification module 2300 identifies the electrode tab 2344, so that at least one electrode tab 2344 is provided on the cut current collector 2341.

[0257] For example, after the identification module 2300 identifies the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode, the cutting module 2400 can directly operate and cut the electrode 234. At this time, the cut electrode 234 has only one electrode ear 2344, namely the first electrode ear 2344a.

[0258] For example, after the identification module 2300 identifies the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode, the cutting module 2400 can delay its action and cut the electrode 234. At this time, the cut electrode 234 may have multiple electrode ears 2344. After the identification module 2300 identifies the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode, the action time of the cutting module 2400 can be determined by measuring the travel length of the electrode 234, or by measuring the travel time of the electrode 234.

[0259] Understandably, after the electrode 234 is cut, the electrode 234 and the diaphragm 235 are wound or stacked to form the electrode assembly 23.

[0260] Referring to Figures 16 to 18, in some embodiments, the processing equipment 2000 further includes a calibration module 2500, which is located downstream of the die-cutting module 2100. The calibration module 2500 is used to calibrate the tail tab 2344b of the electrode sheet and / or to calibrate the head tab 2344a of the electrode sheet for identification by the identification module 2300.

[0261] The calibration module 2500 is located downstream of the die-cutting module 2100. After the electrode 234 passes through the die-cutting module 2100, the electrode 234 processed by the die-cutting module 2100 can move to the calibration module 2500, and the electrode 234 can move to the assembly module 2200 after passing through the calibration module 2500.

[0262] The calibration module 2500 is used to identify the first electrode ear 2344a and / or the last electrode ear 2344b of the electrode sheet. That is, the calibration module 2500 can calibrate only the first electrode ear 2344a or the last electrode ear 2344b of the electrode sheet, or it can calibrate both the first electrode ear 2344a and the last electrode ear 2344b of the electrode sheet.

[0263] For example, when the calibration module 2500 calibrates the first electrode tab 2344a and the last electrode tab 2344b of the electrode, the calibration module 2500 first calibrates the foremost electrode tab 2344 of the electrode 234 as the first electrode tab 2344a; then, the calibration module 2500 calibrates the last electrode tab 2344b after the electrode 234 has traveled a certain distance; as the electrode 234 continues to travel, the calibration module 2500 marks the other electrode tab 2344 adjacent to the last electrode tab 2344b as the first electrode tab 2344a.

[0264] After the calibration module 2500 calibrates the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode, the calibration module 2500 can determine and calibrate the position of the last electrode ear 2344b by measuring the travel length or travel time of the electrode 234.

[0265] The calibration module 2500 can calibrate the first electrode tab 2344a and the last electrode tab 2344b by coloring, in which case the calibration colors of the first electrode tab 2344a and the last electrode tab 2344b can be different; the calibration module 2500 can also calibrate the first electrode tab 2344a and the last electrode tab 2344b by drilling holes, in which case the holes on the first electrode tab 2344a and the last electrode tab 2344b can be... The shapes or positions of the electrode heads 2344a and 2344b may differ; the calibration module 2500 can also calibrate the electrode head ear 2344a and electrode tail ear 2344b by chamfering, in which case the shapes or positions of the chamfers on the electrode head ear 2344a and electrode tail ear 2344b may differ; it is understood that the calibration module 2500 can also calibrate the electrode head ear 2344a and electrode tail ear 2344b in other ways, and not limited to the above-mentioned methods.

[0266] The identification module 2300 can identify the first electrode ear 2344a and the last electrode ear 2344b of the electrode according to the calibration module 2500, so that the cutting module 2400 can cut the electrode 234 on the side of the last electrode ear 2344b away from the first electrode ear 2344a.

[0267] There can be one, two or more identification modules 2300. When there are two identification modules 2300, one identification module 2300 can be located between the calibration module 2500 and the assembly module 2200, so that the assembly module 2200 can identify the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode according to the identification module 2300 and set the structural member 233 on the first electrode ear 2344a. The other identification module 2300 can be located between the assembly module 2200 and the cutting module 2400, so that the cutting module 2400 can cut the electrode 234 on the side of the last electrode ear 2344b away from the first electrode ear 2344a.

[0268] In some embodiments, the electrode 234 first passes through the die-cutting module 2100 to form spaced electrode tabs 2344 on the electrode 234; then, the electrode 234 passes through the calibration module 2500, and the calibration module 2500 calibrates the first electrode tab 2344a and the last electrode tab 2344b; then, the electrode 234 passes through the identification module 2300, and the identification module 2300 confirms the first electrode tab 2344a; finally, the electrode 234 passes through the assembly module 2... 200, to set structural member 233 on the first electrode ear 2344a of the electrode, the assembly module 2200 operates intermittently to set structural member 233 on the first electrode ear 2344a of each electrode; then, the electrode 234 passes through the identification module 2300, the identification module 2300 identifies the tail electrode ear 2344b of the electrode; then, the electrode 234 passes through the cutting module 2400, the cutting module 2400 cuts the electrode 234 according to the tail electrode ear 2344b of the electrode identified by the identification module 2300.

[0269] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A battery cell, wherein, include: An electrode assembly includes a main body and a tab connected to the main body, wherein at least a portion of the tab is bent relative to the main body to form a first surface on the tab opposite to the main body; as well as A structural member is disposed on the first surface of the electrode tab, the structural member at least covering a portion of the electrode tab to separate the electrode tab from the main body.

2. The battery cell according to claim 1, wherein, The structural component includes an insulating portion for separating the electrode tab from the main body portion.

3. The battery cell according to claim 2, wherein, The insulating part abuts against the main body part; or the insulating part is spaced apart from the main body part.

4. The battery cell according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, The structural component further includes a connecting portion connected to the insulating portion, the connecting portion being used to connect to the electrode terminal of the battery cell along with the tab; The connecting portion and the insulating portion are arranged along the length of the tab, and the connecting portion is located on the side of the insulating portion away from the main body.

5. The battery cell according to any one of claims 2-4, wherein, The length of the structural component is less than or equal to the length of the electrode tab.

6. The battery cell according to claim 5, wherein, The ratio of the length of the insulating part to the length of the electrode tab is greater than or equal to 1 / 3, and the ratio of the length of the insulating part to the length of the electrode tab is less than or equal to 1 / 2.

7. The battery cell according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein, In the width direction of the electrode tab, the opposite sides of the structure extend beyond the electrode tab.

8. The battery cell according to claim 7, wherein, The difference between the width of the structural component and the maximum width of the electrode tab is greater than or equal to 6 mm; and / or The ratio of the width of the structural component to the maximum width of the electrode tab is less than or equal to 2.

9. The battery cell according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein, The structural member is an elastic member and is used to provide resistance to the deformation of the electrode tab. The structural member is spaced apart from the main body to form a gap between the structural member and the main body.

10. The battery cell according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein, The structural component includes a reinforcing rib connected to the side of the electrode facing the main body.

11. The battery cell according to claim 10, wherein, The length direction of the reinforcing rib is parallel to the length direction of the electrode lug.

12. The battery cell according to any one of claims 1-11, wherein, The electrode assembly includes an electrode sheet, which includes a current collector and an active material layer. The active material layer covers a portion of the current collector and forms the main body of the electrode sheet, while the portion of the current collector not covered by the active material layer forms an electrode tab portion. The main body includes at least two electrode main bodies, the tab includes at least two electrode tab portions, and the first surface is formed on the electrode tab portion near the interior of the battery cell.

13. The battery cell according to claim 12, wherein, The thickness of the structural component is less than or equal to the thickness of the active material layer.

14. A battery, wherein, Includes the battery cell as described in any one of claims 1-13.

15. An electrical appliance, wherein, Includes the battery as described in claim 14.

16. A method for processing a single battery cell, wherein, The processing method for processing battery cells as described in any one of claims 1-13 includes: Provide electrode plates; Die-cut the current collector of the electrode to obtain the electrode tab; Determine the first electrode ear of the electrode sheet, and place the structural component on the first electrode ear of the electrode sheet; Identify the tail tab of the electrode and cut off the electrode, wherein, along the direction of travel of the electrode, the electrode is cut off on the side of the tail tab away from the head tab of the electrode; The electrode and diaphragm are combined to form an electrode assembly, and a body and tabs are formed.

17. The processing method according to claim 16, wherein, In the step of combining the electrode sheet and the diaphragm to form an electrode assembly, the electrode assembly is formed by winding the electrode sheet and the diaphragm, wherein the first electrode tab of the electrode sheet is located on the side of the tab closer to the inside of the electrode assembly, and the last electrode tab of the electrode sheet is located on the side of the tab closer to the outside of the electrode assembly.

18. The processing method according to claim 16, wherein, In the step of combining the electrode and the diaphragm to form an electrode assembly, the main body is formed by alternating layers of the electrode and the diaphragm, with the first electrode tab and the last electrode tab located on opposite sides of the electrode tab along its thickness direction.

19. The processing method according to any one of claims 16-18, wherein, In the step of determining the tail electrode ear, at least one electrode ear is provided between the tail electrode ear and the head electrode ear.

20. The processing method according to any one of claims 16-19, wherein, In the step of determining the first electrode ear of the electrode sheet, the structural member is bonded to the first electrode ear of the electrode sheet.

21. A processing device, wherein, include: Die-cutting module, used to die-cut current collectors to form electrode tabs; An assembly module, located downstream of the die-cutting module, is used to attach structural components to the electrode tab portion; An identification module, located downstream of the assembly module, is used to identify the electrode tabs of the electrode sheet; A cutting-off module, located downstream of the identification module, is used to cut off the current collector; The identification module is used to identify the electrode tab portion of the electrode with the structural component. The cutting module is used to cut the current collector after the identification module identifies the electrode tab, so that at least one electrode tab is provided on the cut current collector.

22. The processing equipment according to claim 21, wherein, The processing equipment also includes a calibration module located downstream of the die-cutting module; The calibration module is used to calibrate the tail tab of the electrode and / or to calibrate the head tab of the electrode for identification by the recognition module.

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