Battery cell, battery device and electric device

Abstract

Disclosed in the present application are a battery cell, a battery device and an electric device. The battery cell comprises a housing, an end cover, an electrode assembly, adapter mechanisms, an insulation member and support structures. The housing forms an accommodating cavity having an opening. The end cover covers the opening, and electrode terminals are provided on the end cover. The adapter mechanisms are arranged between the electrode assembly and the end cover, and are electrically connected to the electrode assembly and the electrode terminals. The insulation member is arranged between the adapter mechanisms and the end cover, the support structures are arranged between the adapter mechanisms and the end cover, the support structures are insulation structures, and the melting point of each support structure is higher than the melting point of the insulation member. The support structures are arranged between the end cover and the insulation member, the end cover is provided with snap-fit parts, and the support structures are mounted to the snap-fit parts; or the support structures are arranged between the adapter mechanisms and the insulation member; or the support structures pass through avoidance holes in the insulation member.

Description

Battery cell, battery device and electric device

[0001] The present application claims priority to the Chinese patent application No. 202422359566.5, filed on September 27, 2024, entitled "Battery cell, battery device and electric device", the whole content of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of power battery, in particular to a battery cell, a battery device and an electric device. BACKGROUND

[0003] In the related art, the end cover and the adapter piece of the battery cell are separated by a plastic part, which plays an insulating role. During the use of the battery cell, the plastic part in the battery cell may be melted and damaged under heat, and there is a risk of overlap between the end cover and the adapter piece. SUMMARY

[0004] The main purpose of the present application is to provide a battery cell, a battery device and an electric device, which aims to at least improve the technical problem of the risk of overlap between the end cover and the adapter piece of the battery cell.

[0005] To achieve the above purpose, according to some embodiments of the present application, a battery cell is provided, which comprises a shell, an end cover, an electrode assembly, an adapter mechanism, an insulating part and a support structure, the shell forms a containing cavity with an opening; the end cover is arranged at the opening, and an electrode terminal is arranged on the end cover; the electrode assembly is arranged in the containing cavity; the adapter mechanism is arranged between the electrode assembly and the end cover and is electrically connected with the electrode assembly and the electrode terminal; the insulating part is arranged between the adapter mechanism and the end cover; the support structure is arranged between the adapter mechanism and the end cover, the support structure is an insulating structure, and the melting point of the support structure is higher than the melting point of the insulating part.

[0006] The support structure is arranged between the end cover and the insulating part; the end cover is provided with a clamping position, and the support structure is mounted on the clamping position; or,

[0007] The support structure is arranged between the adapter mechanism and the insulating part; or,

[0008] The insulating part is provided with a relief hole, and the support structure is arranged in the relief hole.

[0009] By arranging the support structure between the adapter mechanism and the end cover, physical isolation between the adapter mechanism and the end cover is achieved, and the support structure is made of insulating material, which can play a role in electrically isolating the adapter mechanism and the end cover. The melting point of the support structure is higher than that of the insulating piece, and the support structure can still play a role in isolation in the case of melting loss of the insulating piece, effectively preventing the end cover and the adapter mechanism from contacting each other, reducing the risk of short circuit and failure of the battery monomer caused by thermal runaway leading to melting loss of the insulating piece. Specifically, a clamping position can be arranged on the end cover, and the support structure is clamped in the clamping position. This not only facilitates installation and removal, but also improves the connection strength between the support structure and the end cover, and can also reduce the problem of installation misalignment affecting the internal space of the battery monomer. Alternatively, the support structure is arranged between the end cover and the adapter mechanism, that is, the adapter mechanism, the support structure, the insulating piece and the end cover are arranged in sequence, so that the support structure can still play a role in isolation and insulation between the end cover and the adapter mechanism after the insulating piece melts.

[0010] Alternatively, an avoiding hole is arranged on the insulating piece, and the support structure is arranged corresponding to the avoiding hole and passes through the avoiding hole. In this way, the influence of the arrangement of the support structure on the internal components of the battery monomer can be effectively reduced, and the battery monomer will not have excessive increase in required space due to the support structure.

[0011] In some embodiments, the support structure includes a support pad.

[0012] By using a support pad as a support structure, not only is the manufacturing and installation convenient and the manufacturing cost low, but also the influence on the overall structure of the battery monomer is reduced.

[0013] In some embodiments, the support structure is a ceramic piece.

[0014] By using a ceramic piece made of insulating ceramic material as a support structure, not only does it have a high melting point and is not easy to melt under thermal runaway, but also it has high hardness and can effectively support.

[0015] In some embodiments, the support structure includes an inner layer and an outer layer covering the inner layer, the inner layer being a metal piece and the outer layer being an insulating layer.

[0016] By designing the support structure as an inner and outer layer, the inner metal piece provides sufficient structural strength, and the outer insulating layer plays a role in insulating and isolating the end cover and the adapter mechanism, thereby reducing the risk of short circuit inside the battery monomer

[0017] In some embodiments, in a first direction, the distance between the outer edge of the adapter mechanism and the outer edge of the support structure is A, and 0≤A≤5mm, and the first direction is the thickness direction of the electrode assembly.

[0018] By setting the distance between the outer edge of the adapter mechanism and the outer edge of the support structure within a preset range, both the influence of the added support structure on the internal space of the battery monomer and the risk of the adapter mechanism being folded and lapping the end cover under the impact of the electrode assembly can be reduced.

[0019] In some embodiments, the size of the adapter mechanism along the second direction is A1, and the size of the support structure along the second direction is A2, and A2 / A1≥1 / 5, the second direction being perpendicular to the thickness direction of the electrode assembly.

[0020] By setting the size ratio of the support structure to the adapter mechanism along the second direction to be greater than 1 / 5, the possibility of generating excessive local stress can be reduced.

[0021] In some embodiments, the size of the adapter mechanism along the second direction is A1, and the size of the support structure along the second direction is A2, and A2 / A1≥1 / 2.

[0022] By setting the size ratio of the support structure to the adapter mechanism along the second direction to be greater than 1 / 2, the possibility of generating excessive local stress can be reduced.

[0023] In some embodiments, a chamfer is arranged on the support structure.

[0024] By arranging a chamfer on the support structure, the risk of producing excessive local stress can be reduced, and the risk of scratching other components in the battery monomer can also be reduced.

[0025] In some embodiments, the number of support structures is two, and the adapter mechanism includes a first adapter and a second adapter, one support structure being arranged between the first adapter and the end cover, and the other support structure being arranged between the second adapter and the end cover.

[0026] By designing a proper number of support structures, one support structure is arranged on each first adapter and each second adapter, which can more effectively achieve the isolation and insulation between the end cover and the adapter mechanism, and is conducive to reducing the risk of short circuit of the battery monomer.

[0027] In some embodiments, the thickness of the support structure is 1mm-3mm.

[0028] By setting the thickness of the support structure within a proper range, the influence on the structure of the battery monomer itself can be minimized while ensuring the isolation effect.

[0029] The above description is only a summary of the technical solutions of the present application, in order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present application, the specific embodiments of the present application can be implemented in accordance with the content of the description, and in order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the following specific embodiments of the present application are described. Attached Figure Description

[0030] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0031] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the vehicle structure according to some embodiments of this application;

[0032] Figure 2 is an exploded structural diagram of a battery according to some embodiments of this application;

[0033] Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of a single battery cell of some embodiments of the present application;

[0034] Figure 4 is another structural schematic diagram of a battery cell in some embodiments of this application;

[0035] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of Figure 4 at one section;

[0036] Figure 6 is another structural schematic diagram of a battery cell of some embodiments of the present application;

[0037] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a single battery cell in some embodiments of the present application;

[0038] Figure 8 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a battery cell of some embodiments of the present application from one perspective.

[0039] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure at point A in Figure 8;

[0040] Figure 10 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a battery cell of some embodiments of the present application from one perspective.

[0041] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the structure at point B in Figure 10;

[0042] Figure 12 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a battery cell of some embodiments of the present application from one perspective.

[0043] Figure 13 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a battery cell of some embodiments of the present application from one perspective.

[0044] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the structure at point C in Figure 13;

[0045] Figure 15 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a battery cell of some embodiments of the present application from one perspective.

[0046] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of the structure at point D in Figure 15;

[0047] Fig. 17 is a structural schematic diagram of a battery cell having one electrode assembly according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0048] Fig. 18 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a battery cell having one electrode assembly according to some embodiments of the present application from one perspective;

[0049] Fig. 19 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a battery cell having two electrode assemblies according to some embodiments of the present application from one perspective.

[0050] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: 1000, vehicle; 100, battery device; 200, controller; 300, motor; 10, box body; 11, first part; 12, second part; 20, battery cell; 1, electrode assembly; 2, end cover; 21, electrode terminal; 22, explosion-proof valve; 23, clamping position; 3, switching mechanism; 31, first switching piece; 32, second switching piece; 4, support structure; 5, insulating piece; 51, avoiding hole; 6, shell.

[0051] The objectives, functional characteristics and advantages of the present application will be further described with reference to the embodiments and the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] The technical solutions in the embodiments will be described clearly and completely below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present application, but not all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work fall within the scope of the present application.

[0053] It should be noted that all the directionality indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement condition, etc. between the components in a certain posture (as shown in the drawings), and if the certain posture changes, the directionality indications also change accordingly.

[0054] In addition, the descriptions such as “first”, “second” and the like in the present application are only for the purpose of description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying the relative importance of the indicated technical features or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as “first”, “second” can explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present application, the meaning of “plurality” is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically limited.

[0055] In the present application, unless specifically defined and limited otherwise, the terms "connected", "fixed", and the like should be interpreted broadly, for example, "fixed" can be fixed connection, or detachable connection, or integral; can be mechanical connection, or electrical connection; can be direct connection, or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; can be internal connection of two elements, or interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise specifically limited. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0056] In addition, the technical solutions among various embodiments of the present application can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the fact that a person skilled in the art can realize it, when the combination of technical solutions appears contradictory or unachievable, it should be considered that the combination of technical solutions does not exist, nor is it within the scope of protection claimed by the present application. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and do not limit the present application.

[0057] In the present application, the description of "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right" and the like is based on the orientation shown in the figure, and is only used to explain the relative positional relationship between the components in the posture shown in the figure. If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0058] In the related art, the battery monomer often appears short circuit phenomenon in use, especially in the case of thermal runaway of the electrode assembly.

[0059] The applicant found through research that in the related art, the end cover and the adapter plate of the battery monomer are separated by a plastic sheet, which plays an insulating role. However, due to the low melting point of the plastic sheet, in the scenario of thermal runaway of an electrode assembly, the temperature of the adjacent battery monomer will rise, and the plastic sheet will be damaged by melting, which will cause the risk of the end cover and the adapter plate lapping. At the same time, the explosion-proof valve will open under the condition of battery thermal runaway, and the electrode assembly will move towards the end cover, and the adapter plate will be impacted during the movement, resulting in lapping of the adapter plate and the end cover, causing short circuit, and leading to premature failure of the electrode assembly.

[0060] Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a structural schematic diagram of a vehicle 1000 according to some embodiments of the present application. The electric device can be the vehicle 1000, which can be a fuel automobile, a gas automobile, or a new energy automobile, and the new energy automobile can be a pure electric automobile, a hybrid automobile, or a range extended automobile, etc. The vehicle 1000 is internally provided with a battery device 100, which can be arranged at the bottom, the head, or the tail of the vehicle 1000. The battery device 100 can be used for power supply of the vehicle 1000, for example, the battery device 100 can be used as the operating power supply of the vehicle 1000. The vehicle 1000 can further include a controller 200 and a motor 300, and the controller 200 is used to control the battery device 100 to supply power to the motor 300, for example, to meet the working power demand of the vehicle 1000 during starting, navigation, and driving.

[0061] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery device 100 can not only be used as the operating power supply of the vehicle 1000, but also be used as the driving power supply of the vehicle 1000, to replace or partially replace the fuel or natural gas to provide driving power for the vehicle 1000.

[0062] Please refer to FIG. 2, which is an exploded structural schematic diagram of the battery device 100 according to some embodiments of the present application. The battery device 100 includes a box body 10 and a battery monomer 20, and the battery monomer 20 is accommodated in the box body 10. The box body 10 is used to provide an accommodation space for the battery monomer 20, and the box body 10 can adopt various structures. In some embodiments, the box body 10 can include a first part 11 and a second part 12, and the first part 11 and the second part 12 are mutually covered. The first part 11 and the second part 12 jointly define an accommodation space for accommodating the battery monomer 20. The second part 12 can be a hollow structure with one end open, and the first part 11 can be a plate structure, which is covered on the open side of the second part 12 to jointly define the accommodation space with the second part 12. The first part 11 and the second part 12 can also be hollow structures with one side open, and the open side of the first part 11 is covered on the open side of the second part 12. Of course, the box body 10 formed by the first part 11 and the second part 12 can have various shapes, such as a cylinder, a cuboid, etc.

[0063] In the battery device 100, the battery cells 20 can be multiple, and the multiple battery cells 20 can be connected in series, in parallel, or in a mixed connection, where the mixed connection means that the multiple battery cells 20 are connected in both series and parallel. The multiple battery cells 20 can be directly connected in series, in parallel, or in a mixed connection, and the whole of the multiple battery cells 20 can be accommodated in the case 10. Of course, the battery device 100 can also be that the multiple battery cells 20 are first connected in series, in parallel, or in a mixed connection to form a battery module, and the multiple battery modules are connected in series, in parallel, or in a mixed connection to form a whole, and the whole is accommodated in the case 10. The battery device 100 can also include other structures, for example, the battery device 100 can also include a current collecting component for realizing the electrical connection between the multiple battery cells 20.

[0064] Each battery cell 20 can be a secondary battery or a primary battery, and can also be a lithium-sulfur battery, a sodium-ion battery, or a magnesium-ion battery, but is not limited thereto. The battery cell 20 can be in the shape of a cylinder, a flat body, a cuboid, or other shapes.

[0065] Referring to FIG. 3, the battery cell 20 refers to the smallest unit that constitutes the battery device 100. The battery cell 20 includes an end cover 2, a shell 6, an electrode assembly 1, a switching mechanism 3, and other functional components.

[0066] The shell 6 is a hollow structure with an open side, and the end cover 2 refers to a component that covers the opening of the shell 6 to isolate the internal environment of the battery cell 20 from the external environment. Without limitation, the shape of the end cover 2 can be adapted to the shape of the shell 6 to fit the shell 6. Alternatively, the end cover 2 can be made of a material with certain hardness and strength, such as aluminum alloy, so that the end cover 2 is not easily deformed when subjected to extrusion and impact, allowing the battery cell 20 to have higher structural strength and improved safety performance. The end cover 2 can be provided with functional components such as an electrode terminal 21. The electrode terminal 21 can be electrically connected to the electrode assembly 1 through the switching mechanism 3 for outputting or inputting the electrical energy of the battery cell 20. In some embodiments, the end cover 2 can also be provided with a pressure relief mechanism for relieving the internal pressure of the battery cell 20 when the internal pressure or temperature reaches a threshold value. The material of the end cover 2 can also be various, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc., and the embodiments of the present application do not make special limitations thereon.

[0067] In some embodiments, an insulating member 5 (lower plastic) can also be provided on the inner side of the end cover 2. The insulating member 5 can be used to isolate the electrical connection components in the shell 6 from the end cover 2 to reduce the risk of short circuit. The insulating member 5 can be provided with a plurality of hot melt points which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the insulating member 5. The battery cell 20 can also include an insulating film which is bonded to the hot melt points by a hot melt process to assemble the electrode assembly 1, the end cover 2 and the insulating film together. After the electrode assembly 1, the end cover 2 and the insulating film are assembled, they are loaded into the shell 6 together, which is convenient for assembly. For example, the insulating member 5 can be a plastic member, a rubber member or the like.

[0068] The shell 6 is a component used to cooperate with the end cover 2 to form an internal environment of the battery cell 20. The internal environment formed can be used to accommodate the electrode assembly 1, the insulating member 5, the electrolyte and other components. The shell 6 and the end cover 2 can be independent components. An opening can be provided on the shell 6. The end cover 2 is used to cover the opening to form the internal environment of the battery cell 20. Alternatively, the end cover 2 and the shell 6 can be integrated. Specifically, the end cover 2 and the shell 6 can form a common connecting surface before other components are loaded into the shell. When it is necessary to seal the internal environment of the shell 6, the end cover 2 is used to cover the shell 6. The shell 6 can have various shapes and sizes, such as a cuboid shape, a cylindrical shape, a hexagonal prism shape or the like. Specifically, the shape of the shell 6 can be determined according to the specific shape and size of the electrode assembly 1. The shell 6 can be made of various materials, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic or the like. The embodiments of the present application do not make special limitations on this.

[0069] The electrode assembly 1 is a component in which electrochemical reactions occur in the battery cell 20. The electrode assembly 1 is mainly formed by winding or layering a positive electrode sheet and a negative electrode sheet, and a separator is usually provided between the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet. The positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet have portions with active materials which constitute a main body of the electrode assembly 1, and the portions of the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet without active materials each constitute a tab. The positive tab and the negative tab can be located together at one end of the main body or respectively at two ends of the main body. In the charging and discharging process of the battery cell 20, the positive active material and the negative active material react with the electrolyte, and the tabs are connected to the electrode terminal 21 through the adapter 3 to form a current loop.

[0070] Referring to FIGS. 3-7, according to some embodiments of the present application, the present application provides a battery monomer 20, comprising a shell 6, an end cover 2, an electrode assembly 1, a switching mechanism 3, an insulating piece 5 and a support structure 4, the shell 6 forms a containing cavity with an opening; the end cover 2 is covered on the opening, and the end cover 2 is provided with an electrode terminal 21, the electrode assembly 1 is arranged in the containing cavity; the switching mechanism 3 is arranged between the electrode assembly 1 and the end cover 2, and is electrically connected with the electrode assembly 1 and the electrode terminal 21; the insulating piece 5 is arranged between the switching mechanism 3 and the end cover 2, the support structure 4 is arranged between the switching mechanism 3 and the end cover 2, the support structure 4 is an insulating structure, and the melting point of the support structure 4 is higher than that of the insulating piece 5; the support structure 4 is arranged between the end cover 2 and the insulating piece 5, the end cover 2 is formed with a clamping position 23, and the support structure 4 is installed in the clamping position 23; or, the support structure 4 is arranged between the switching mechanism 3 and the insulating piece 5; or, the insulating piece 5 is provided with a avoiding hole 51, and the support structure 4 is arranged in the avoiding hole 51.

[0071] In the related art, the battery monomer 20 comprises a shell 6, an electrode assembly 1 arranged in the containing cavity of the shell 6, the electrode assembly 1 can be a bare battery cell, the switching mechanism 3, the insulating piece 5 and the end cover 2 are sequentially arranged on the electrode assembly 1, the insulating piece is generally made of plastic sheet, which can be called lower plastic. The end cover 2 is provided with an electrode terminal 21 and an explosion-proof valve 22, and the electrode terminal 21 can be a pole. The switching mechanism 3 described above can be a sheet-shaped switching sheet, which is used to electrically connect the electrode terminal 21 and the electrode assembly 1, and the insulating piece 5 is arranged between the switching sheet and the end cover 2 to separate the switching sheet and the end cover 2, thereby achieving physical insulation. However, the insulating piece 5 is easily melted and damaged by heat, which causes the switching mechanism 3 to be overlapped with the support structure 4, thereby causing the short circuit of the battery monomer 20. Therefore, the support structure 4 is further arranged between the switching mechanism 3 and the end cover 2, and the melting point of the support structure 4 is greater than that of the insulating piece 5. Thus, even if the insulating piece 5 is melted and damaged by heat, as long as the melting point does not reach that of the support structure 4, the support structure 4 will not be melted and damaged. At the same time, the support structure 4 is made of insulating material and arranged between the switching mechanism 3 and the end cover 2, thereby playing a role of isolation.

[0072] It should be noted that the support structure 4 and the insulating piece 5 are both made of known materials, and the present application does not protect a new material with a melting point greater than that of the insulating piece 5, but a support structure 4 made of known materials with a melting point greater than that of the insulating piece 5.

[0073] In the above embodiments of the present application, the support structure 4 is arranged between the adapter mechanism 3 and the end cover 2, and is used to separate the adapter mechanism 3 and the end cover 2, and to block the end cover 2 and the adapter mechanism 3 from being overlapped, thereby achieving physical isolation. At the same time, since it is necessary to avoid electrical conduction between the adapter mechanism 3 and the end cover 2 as much as possible, the support structure 4 needs to be made of insulating material, i.e., the support structure 4 is an insulating structure. By using a material with a high melting point to make the support structure 4, the support structure 4 can still maintain its original state without melting and losing when the insulating piece 5 reaches the melting point, thereby effectively playing an isolating and insulating role and reducing the risk of short circuit of the battery monomer 20. It should be noted that the insulating structure herein can be that the support structure 4 is entirely insulating, or that at least one side of the support structure 4 close to the adapter mechanism 3 is insulating, or that at least one side of the support structure 4 close to the end cover 2 is insulating, as long as it can be in the form of the support structure 4 arranged between the adapter mechanism 3 and the end cover 2 and insulated, which is within the protection scope of the present application.

[0074] The support structure 4 herein blocks the end cover 2 and the adapter mechanism 3 from being overlapped mainly in two aspects. On the one hand, the support structure 4 itself has a certain thickness, and is arranged between the end cover 2 and the adapter mechanism 3 to enable a certain gap between the end cover 2 and the adapter mechanism 3, thereby achieving physical isolation, or space isolation, between the end cover 2 and the adapter mechanism 3, and making it difficult for the end cover 2 and the adapter mechanism 3 to be directly overlapped to cause short circuit. On the other hand, the support structure 4 is made of insulating material and has an insulating effect, and the melting point of the support structure 4 is higher than that of the insulating piece 5, and the support structure 4 can still play an isolating role in the case of melting and loss of the insulating piece 5, thereby reducing the risk of electrical connection between the end cover 2 and the adapter mechanism 3 through the support structure 4. By arranging the support structure 4, the direct overlapping between the end cover 2 and the adapter mechanism 3 can be effectively blocked, insulation can be achieved, and the risk of short circuit caused by indirect electrical conduction between the end cover 2 and the adapter mechanism 3 through the support structure 4 can be reduced.

[0075] The insulating piece 5 herein can be a plastic sheet. It should be noted that in the scenario of arranging the support structure 4, the end cover 2 and the insulating piece 5 can be insulated. However, in order to further improve the insulation effect, the arrangement of the insulating piece 5 can be retained, and specifically, the shape and size of the insulating piece 5 are not much different from those of the end cover 2, so that the insulating piece 5 can play an insulating role from each position of the end cover 2. Regarding the relative position design between the support structure 4 and the insulating sheet, at least the following three specific implementation manners can be included:

[0076] Referring to FIG. 4, in the first implementation manner, the support structure 4 is arranged between the end cover 2 and the insulating piece 5.

[0077] Specifically, the bottom surface of the support structure 4 is arranged on or abuts against the insulation member 5, and the top surface of the support structure 4 is arranged on or abuts against the end cover 2. Of course, there can be a certain gap between the support structure 4 and the insulation member 5, or a certain gap between the support structure 4 and the end cover 2. In this way, when the insulation member 5 is melted due to high temperature, the support structure 4 can play a role in insulation and separation between the end cover 2 and the adapter mechanism 3. By arranging the support structure 4 between the end cover 2 and the insulation member 5, that is, the adapter mechanism 3, the insulation member 5, the support structure 4 and the end cover 2 are arranged in sequence, even after the insulation member 5 is melted, the support structure 4 can still play a role in insulation and separation between the end cover 2 and the adapter mechanism 3. The support structure 4 can be connected to the end cover 2, or the support structure 4 can be connected to the insulation member 5. As for the mounting mode of the support structure 4, the support structure 4 can be mounted on the end cover 2 by adhesion, clamping or heat melting, or can be mounted on the insulation member 5 by adhesion, clamping or heat melting. As long as the mounting mode can provide a support position for the support structure 4, it is within the protection scope of the present application. In a specific embodiment, referring to FIG. 5, the end cover 2 is formed with a clamping position 23, and the support structure 4 is mounted in the clamping position 23. The clamping position 23 refers to a region that provides a mounting position for the support structure 4, and can be clamped with the support structure 4. Specifically, the clamping position 23 can be a groove formed in the end cover 2, and the support structure 4 can be partially inserted into the groove to be clamped with the groove wall by interference fit, or a clamping hole or buckle can be arranged in the clamping position 23 and the support structure 4 to realize clamping. Of course, the clamping position 23 can also be a protrusion arranged on the end cover 2, and a groove matched with the protrusion can be arranged on the support structure 4, or other clamping structures can be used to clamp the support structure 4 in the clamping position 23. Of course, a layer of glue can also be coated between the support structure 4 and the clamping position 23 to further improve the connection strength between the support structure 4 and the end cover 2. Obviously, in some other embodiments, the support structure 4 can also be adhered to the clamping position 23 only by glue.

[0078] By arranging the clamping position 23 on the end cover 2 and clamping the support structure 4 in the clamping position 23, not only is the installation and disassembly very convenient, but also the connection strength between the support structure 4 and the end cover 2 is improved, and the positioning of the clamping position 23 can also reduce the problem of installation misalignment affecting the internal space of the battery monomer 20.

[0079] In some embodiments, the thickness of the support structure 4 is 1-3 mm.

[0080] The thickness of the support structure is shown as H in FIG. 5. The thickness of the support structure 4 cannot be designed too small, otherwise it cannot play the role of isolation. The thickness can be 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, 2.5 mm or 3 mm, or any value within the above range. Of course, the thickness of the support structure 4 cannot be designed too large, otherwise it will have a great impact on the internal structure or volume of the battery monomer 20, because the battery monomer 20 needs to provide more space to accommodate the support structure 4, resulting in an increase in the volume of the battery monomer 20.

[0081] By setting the thickness of the support structure 4 within a suitable range, the impact on the structure of the battery monomer 20 itself can be minimized while ensuring the isolation effect.

[0082] Referring to FIG. 6, in a second embodiment, the support structure 4 is arranged between the adapter mechanism 3 and the insulating piece 5.

[0083] Specifically, the top surface of the support structure 4 can be arranged on or abut the insulating piece 5, and the bottom surface of the support structure 4 can be arranged on or abut the adapter mechanism 3. Of course, there can be a certain gap between the support structure 4 and the insulating piece 5, or a certain gap between the support structure 4 and the adapter mechanism 3. In this way, when the insulating piece 5 is melted and damaged due to high temperature, the support structure 4 can play the role of isolation and insulation between the end cover 2 and the adapter mechanism 3.

[0084] By arranging the support structure 4 between the end cover 2 and the adapter mechanism 3, that is, the adapter mechanism 3, the support structure 4, the insulating piece 5 and the end cover 2 are arranged in sequence, the support structure 4 can still play the role of isolation and insulation between the end cover 2 and the adapter mechanism 3 after the insulating piece 5 is melted.

[0085] Referring to FIG. 7, in a third embodiment, the insulating piece 5 is provided with a relief hole 51, and the support structure 4 is arranged in the relief hole 51.

[0086] The relief hole 51 is a through hole or a through hole provided on the insulating piece 5. The relief hole 51 is provided at a position corresponding to the support structure 4. The number of support structures 4 is the same as the number of relief holes 51 and they are arranged one by one. The support structure 4 passes through the relief hole 51. Here, the thickness of the support structure 4 can be greater than or equal to the thickness of the insulating piece 5. In other embodiments, it can also be less than the thickness of the insulating piece 5.

[0087] By arranging the relief hole 51 on the insulating piece 5 and arranging the support structure 4 corresponding to the relief hole 51 and passing through the relief hole 51, the influence of arranging the support structure 4 on the arrangement of the internal components of the battery monomer 20 can be effectively reduced, and the battery monomer 20 will not have excessive increase in the required space due to the support structure 4.

[0088] In the above embodiments of the present application, the support structure 4 is arranged between the adapter mechanism 3 and the end cover 2 to physically separate the adapter mechanism 3 and the end cover 2, and the support structure 4 is made of insulating material to electrically separate the adapter mechanism 3 and the end cover 2. The melting point of the support structure 4 is higher than that of the insulating member 5, so that the support structure 4 can still play a role of separation in the case of melting loss of the insulating member 5, thereby reducing the risk that the related art will fail due to short circuit of the battery monomer 20 caused by the lapping of the end cover 2 and the adapter mechanism 3 in the case of thermal runaway.

[0089] Referring to any one of FIGS. 4-7, in some embodiments, the support structure 4 includes a support pad.

[0090] The support structure 4 can have many specific forms, such as a round sheet, a square block, a cylindrical body, or other irregular shapes. The support structure 4 in the present application is a block-shaped support pad, and specifically, a plurality of support pads can be used to support from various positions. Compared with the use of a whole sheet-shaped structure, the use of a support pad can reduce the manufacturing cost of the support structure 4 and also reduce the influence on the overall structure and internal space of the battery monomer 20.

[0091] By using a support pad as the support structure 4, not only is the manufacturing and installation convenient and the manufacturing cost low, but also the influence on the overall structure of the battery monomer 20 is reduced.

[0092] In some embodiments, the support structure 4 is a ceramic member.

[0093] The support structure 4 can be entirely made of insulating material, such as plastic, ceramic, or other non-metal insulating material. Plastic has a relatively soft texture, and plastic is easy to soften even if it has not reached the melting point when heated. Ceramic material not only has a relatively high melting point, but also has a relatively hard texture. The ceramic member here refers to an insulating ceramic member made of non-conductive ceramic material.

[0094] By using a ceramic member made of insulating ceramic material as the support structure 4, not only does it have a relatively high melting point and is not easy to melt under thermal runaway, but also it has a relatively high hardness and can effectively play a supporting role.

[0095] In some embodiments, the support structure 4 includes an inner layer and an outer layer covering the inner layer, the inner layer is a metal member, and the outer layer is an insulating layer.

[0096] The support structure 4 is composed of two layers, the inner layer is the inner part, also known as the inner core, and the outer layer is the part wrapped on the outer surface of the inner layer, which can be completely wrapped or partially wrapped, and the partially wrapped part should ensure that it can insulate the end cover 2 and the adapter mechanism 3. The inner layer is made of metal, which can provide sufficient structural strength to the support structure 4 at high temperatures, and can prevent the short circuit caused by the contact between the adapter mechanism 3 and the end cover 2 due to the melting of the insulation part 5 caused by the high temperature inside the battery monomer 20. At the same time, the outer layer of the insulation plastic / insulation rubber ensures that the battery monomer 20 will not conduct electricity during normal use, that is, to insulate the adapter mechanism 3 and the end cover 2.

[0097] By designing the support structure 4 as two layers, the inner metal layer provides sufficient structural strength, and the outer insulation layer insulates and isolates the end cover 2 and the adapter mechanism 3, thereby reducing the risk of internal short circuit of the battery monomer 20.

[0098] Referring to FIGS. 8-11, in some embodiments, a distance A between the outer edge of the adapter mechanism 3 and the outer edge of the support structure 4 is defined in a first direction, and the first direction is the thickness direction of the electrode assembly 1, and 0≤A≤5mm.

[0099] Referring to FIGS. 8-9, in the case of thermal runaway, the electrode assembly 1 moves upward and may collide with the adapter mechanism 3, which may cause the outer edge of the adapter mechanism 3 to fold and contact the end cover 2, resulting in a short circuit. The outer edge of the adapter mechanism 3 refers to the outer edge of the adapter mechanism 3, and the outer edge of the support structure 4 refers to the outer edge of the support structure 4, such as when the support structure 4 is a square pad, it refers to the outer edge of the square pad. The distance E between the outer edge of the adapter mechanism 3 and the outer edge of the support structure 4 refers to the distance between the outer edge of the adapter mechanism 3 and the outer edge of the support structure 4 in the thickness direction of the electrode assembly 1, that is, the direction indicated by the arrow X in FIG. 9, such as the distance between the upper edge of the outer edge of the adapter mechanism 3 and the upper edge of the outer edge of the support structure 4 in FIG. 9. The distance is designed to be less than 5mm, so that the adapter mechanism 3 has little space to fold under the impact of the electrode assembly 1, or even if there is a small fold, it cannot reach the contact with the end cover 2. At the same time, referring to FIGS. 10-11, in order to reduce the impact of the design of the support structure 4 on the internal space and component arrangement of the battery monomer 20, the support structure 4 is generally designed not to exceed the outer edge of the adapter mechanism 3, and in the extreme case, the outer edge of the support structure 4 coincides with the outer edge of the adapter mechanism 3, that is, the distance is 0. Referring to FIG. 12, the distance between the adapter mechanism 3 and the support structure 4 and the outer shell 6 can also be defined, such as defining the distance between the edge of the adapter mechanism 3 close to the outer shell 6 and the outer shell 6 as L1, and the distance between the edge of the support structure 4 close to the outer shell 6 and the outer shell 6 as L2, then 0≤L2-L1≤5mm, which can be 0, 1mm, 2mm, 3mm, 4mm or 5mm, or any value within the above range.

[0100] By setting the distance between the outer edge of the adapter 3 and the outer edge of the support structure 4 within a preset range, both the influence of the added support structure 4 on the internal space of the battery monomer 20 and the risk of the adapter 3 being folded and overlapped with the end cover 2 under the impact of the electrode assembly 1 can be reduced.

[0101] Referring to FIGS. 13-17, in some embodiments, the size of the adapter 3 along the second direction is defined as A1, and the size of the support structure 4 along the second direction is defined as A2, and A2 / A1≥1 / 5, and the second direction is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the electrode assembly 1.

[0102] FIGS. 13 and 14 show schematic diagrams of the support structure 4 located at the middle position of the adapter 3. FIGS. 15 and 16 show schematic diagrams of the structure in which the edges of the support structure 4 and the adapter 3 are flush. Here, the second direction refers to the direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the electrode assembly 1, or the length direction of the support structure 4, specifically the direction indicated by the arrow Y in FIG. 14 or FIG. 16. The size of the support structure 4 along the Y direction is A2, and the size of the adapter 3 along the Y direction is A1, and A2 cannot be designed too small relative to A1, and too small may cause local stress. Here, the size can refer to the length. Therefore, A2 / A1≥1 / 5 is designed, and the specific ratio can be 1 / 5, 2 / 5, 3 / 5, or 4 / 5, or greater than 4 / 5, or any value within the above range.

[0103] By setting the size ratio of the support structure 4 to the adapter 3 along the second direction to be greater than 1 / 5, the possibility of generating excessive local stress can be reduced.

[0104] In some embodiments, the size of the adapter 3 along the second direction is A1, and the size of the support structure 4 along the second direction is A2, and A2 / A1≥1 / 2, and the specific ratio can be 1 / 2, 2 / 3, 1, or 2, or greater than 2, or any value within the above range.

[0105] As in the above embodiment, the second direction here refers to the direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the electrode assembly 1, or the length direction of the support structure 4, specifically the direction indicated by the arrow Y in FIG. 14 or FIG. 16. The size of the support structure 4 along the Y direction is A2, and the size of the adapter 3 along the Y direction is A1, and A2 cannot be designed too small relative to A1, and too small may cause local stress. Here, the size can refer to the length. Therefore, A2 / A1≥1 / 2 is designed.

[0106] By setting the size ratio of the support structure 4 to the adapter 3 along the second direction to be greater than 1 / 2, the possibility of generating excessive local stress can be reduced.

[0107] In some embodiments, the support structure 4 is formed with a chamfer.

[0108] The chamfer can be a round chamfer or a straight chamfer. In the present embodiment, a round chamfer is used. The chamfer is designed to make the top corner of the support structure 4 relatively smooth, thereby reducing the risk of generating local stress or scratching the components in the battery cell 20.

[0109] By providing the chamfer on the support structure 4, the risk of generating local stress that is too large can be reduced, and the risk of scratching other components in the battery cell 20 can also be reduced.

[0110] In some embodiments, the number of support structures 4 is two, and the adapter mechanism 3 includes a first adapter 31 and a second adapter 32. One support structure 4 is arranged between the first adapter 31 and the end cover 2, and the other support structure 4 is arranged between the second adapter 32 and the end cover 2.

[0111] One battery cell 20 can be provided with one electrode assembly 1, or two or more electrode assemblies 1. Referring to FIGS. 17 and 18, when one electrode assembly 1 is provided in the housing 6, the adapter mechanism 3 of the one electrode assembly 1 includes a first adapter 31 and a second adapter 32. Specifically, the first adapter 31 and the second adapter 32 can be a copper adapter and an aluminum adapter, respectively. In this case, the number of support structures 4 is two, one of which is arranged between the copper adapter and the end cover 2, and the other of which is arranged between the aluminum adapter and the end cover 2.

[0112] Referring to FIG. 19, in other embodiments, when the number of electrode assemblies 1 is two, two first adapters 31 and two second adapters 32 are provided in the adapter mechanism 3. In this case, the number of support structures 4 is four, and each support structure 4 corresponds to one first adapter 31 or one second adapter 32.

[0113] By designing a proper number of support structures 4, each first adapter 31 and each second adapter 32 is provided with one support structure 4, which is beneficial to reducing the risk of short circuit of the battery cell 20.

[0114] According to some embodiments of the present application, a battery cell 20 is provided, comprising a shell 6, an end cover 2, an electrode assembly 1, an adapter mechanism 3, an insulating piece 5 and a support structure 4, the shell 6 forms a receiving cavity with an opening; the end cover 2 is arranged on the opening, and the end cover 2 is provided with an electrode terminal 21; the electrode assembly 1 is arranged in the receiving cavity; the adapter mechanism 3 is arranged between the electrode assembly 1 and the end cover 2, and is electrically connected with the electrode assembly 1 and the electrode terminal 21; the insulating piece 5 is arranged between the adapter mechanism 3 and the end cover 2; the support structure 4 is arranged between the adapter mechanism 3 and the end cover 2, the support structure 4 is an insulating structure, and the melting point of the support structure 4 is higher than the melting point of the insulating piece 5. The support structure 4 has three arrangement positions: one, the support structure 4 is arranged between the end cover 2 and the insulating piece 5, the end cover 2 is formed with a clamping position 23, and the support structure 4 is arranged in the clamping position 23; two, the support structure 4 is arranged between the adapter mechanism 3 and the insulating piece 5; three, the insulating piece 5 is provided with a avoiding hole 51, and the support structure 4 passes through the avoiding hole 51. The support structure 4 is a ceramic piece or the support structure 4 comprises an inner layer and an outer layer covering the inner layer, the inner layer is a metal piece, and the outer layer is an insulating layer. The support structure 4 comprises a support pad, the support structure 4 is formed with a chamfer, and one support structure 4 is arranged on each first adapter piece 31 and each second adapter piece 32. In terms of size, the size of the adapter mechanism 3 along a second direction is defined as A1, the second direction is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the electrode assembly 1, the size of the support structure 4 along the second direction is defined as A2, and A2 / A1≥1 / 5, and the thickness of the support structure 4 is 1mm-3mm. The embodiment can effectively reduce the risk of the overlap of the end cover 2 and the adapter mechanism 3, and reduce the risk of short circuit of the battery cell 20.

[0115] According to some embodiments of the present application, the present application further provides a battery device 100, which comprises a box body 10 and the above-mentioned battery cell 20, and the battery cell 20 is arranged in the box body 10. The above-mentioned battery device 100 can be a battery pack. Since the battery device 100 comprises any one of the technical solutions of all the above-mentioned embodiments, it at least has all the beneficial effects brought by any one of the above-mentioned technical solutions, which will not be repeated here.

[0116] According to some embodiments of the present application, the present application further provides a power utilization device, which comprises a device body and the above-mentioned battery device 100, and the battery device 100 is arranged in the device body. The above-mentioned power utilization device can be a vehicle 1000. Since the power utilization device comprises any one of the technical solutions of all the above-mentioned embodiments, it at least has all the beneficial effects brought by any one of the above-mentioned technical solutions, which will not be repeated here.

[0117] The above merely describes optional embodiments of the present application, and does not limit the patent scope of the present application. Any equivalent structure transformation made according to the content of the present application specification and drawings, or direct / indirect application in other related technical fields is included in the patent protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A battery cell, wherein, The battery cell comprises: a housing forming a receiving cavity with an opening; an end cover covering the opening, the end cover being provided with an electrode terminal, an electrode assembly arranged in the receiving cavity; an adapter mechanism arranged between the electrode assembly and the end cover and electrically connected with the electrode assembly and the electrode terminal; an insulating member arranged between the adapter mechanism and the end cover; and a support structure arranged between the adapter mechanism and the end cover, the support structure being an insulating structure, the melting point of the support structure being higher than the melting point of the insulating member; the support structure is arranged between the end cover and the insulating member; the end cover is provided with a clamping position, and the support structure is mounted in the clamping position; or the support structure is arranged between the adapter mechanism and the insulating member; or the insulating member is provided with a relief hole, and the support structure is arranged in the relief hole.

2. The battery cell of claim 1, wherein, The support structure comprises a support pad.

3. The battery cell of claim 1, wherein, The support structure is a ceramic member.

4. The battery cell of claim 1, wherein, The support structure comprises an inner layer and an outer layer covering the inner layer, the inner layer being a metal member, and the outer layer being an insulating layer.

5. The battery cell of claim 1, wherein, The distance between the outer edge of the adapter mechanism and the outer edge of the support structure in the first direction is defined as A, the first direction being the thickness direction of the electrode assembly, and 0≤A≤5mm.

6. The battery cell of claim 1, wherein, The size of the adapter mechanism in the second direction is defined as A1, and the size of the support structure in the second direction is defined as A2, the second direction being perpendicular to the thickness direction of the electrode assembly, and A2 / A1≥1 / 5.

7. The battery cell of claim 6, wherein, A2 / A1≥1 / 2.

8. The battery cell of claim 1, wherein, The support structure is provided with a chamfer.

9. The battery cell of claim 1, wherein, The number of the support structures is two, and the adapter mechanism comprises a first adapter member and a second adapter member, one of the support structures being arranged between the first adapter member and the end cover, and the other support structure being arranged between the second adapter member and the end cover.

10. The battery cell of claim 1, wherein, The thickness of the support structure is 1mm-3mm.

11. A battery device, wherein, The battery device comprises a box body and the battery cell according to any one of claims 1-10, and the battery cell is arranged in the box body.

12. An electrical device, comprising: The power consumption device comprises a device body and the battery device according to claim 11, and the battery device is arranged in the device body.

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