Battery cell assembly, battery module, battery pack and electric device

Abstract

The present application belongs to the technical field of batteries. Provided are a battery cell assembly, a battery module, a battery pack and an electric device. The battery cell assembly comprises: a battery cell having two side planes opposite each other in a first direction and two main planes opposite each other in a second direction; elastic members arranged on the two main planes of the battery cell and configured to buffer the expansion of the battery cell during charging; U-shaped support members arranged at two opposite ends of the battery cell in the first direction; and a fixing structural member arranged around the outer sides of the battery cell and the U-shaped support members. Each U-shaped support member comprises: two U-shaped support legs, each of which extends in the first direction to cover a portion of an elastic member; and a U-shaped bending portion configured to connect the two U-shaped support legs, the two side planes of the battery cell being surrounded by the U-shaped bending portions. The technical problem to be solved is how to protect the internal structure at the edge of the battery cell from being damaged in a wound structure. The technical effect is to protect the internal structure at the edge of the battery cell from being damaged.

Description

Battery cell assembly, battery module, battery pack and electrical device Cross-reference to related applications

[0001] This application incorporates Chinese Patent Application No. 202520134505.0, filed on January 20, 2025, entitled “Battery Cell Assembly, Battery Module, Battery Pack and Electrical Device”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a cell assembly, battery module, battery pack and power device. Background Technology

[0003] A battery module typically comprises one or more battery cells. During the charging process, cell expansion is a common phenomenon. This not only affects the structural stability of the battery module but can also adversely impact the performance and lifespan of the battery cells.

[0004] To suppress cell expansion during charging, a fixed structural component with a certain tensile strength can be used to wrap and bind the cell, thus limiting its expansion and forming a wound protective structure. However, using a winding and binding method may damage the electrodes inside the battery edge at corners.

[0005] Therefore, the problem that this disclosure aims to solve is: how to protect the internal structure of the cell edge from damage in a wound structure. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the above problems, this disclosure provides a cell assembly, a battery module, a battery pack, and an electrical device.

[0007] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a battery cell assembly is provided, comprising: a battery cell having two side planes opposite each other along a first direction and two main planes opposite each other along a second direction; an elastic member disposed on the two main planes of the battery cell for buffering expansion generated by the battery cell during charging; a U-shaped support member disposed on two ends of the battery cell opposite each other along the first direction; and a fixing structure member disposed around the outside of the battery cell and the U-shaped support member. The U-shaped support member includes: two U-shaped legs, each U-shaped leg extending along the first direction to cover a portion of the elastic member; and a U-shaped bend for connecting the two U-shaped legs, the two side planes of the battery cell being surrounded by the U-shaped bend.

[0008] In the technical solution of this disclosure embodiment, U-shaped supports are disposed at both ends of the battery cell, so that the battery cell is clamped by the U-shaped supports from both ends. With this design, the binding force or compressive force of the fixing structure at the two end edges acts on the U-shaped supports, rather than directly on the battery cell, thereby achieving the beneficial effect of protecting the internal structure of the battery cell edges from damage.

[0009] In some embodiments, there is a gap between the two side planes of the battery cell and the U-shaped bend of the U-shaped support.

[0010] In some embodiments, the cell assembly further includes a cover plate disposed on the side of the elastic member away from the cell, and the cover plate covers all or part of the remaining portion of the elastic member not covered by the U-shaped legs.

[0011] In some embodiments, the fixing structure includes a wire or strip that is tensioned and wound around the outside of the battery cell and the U-shaped support, such that the U-shaped support is pressed and held by an elastic member to retain the battery cell.

[0012] In some embodiments, the fixing structure is coated with adhesive before being wrapped around the outside of the battery cell and the U-shaped support to maintain tension on the fixing structure as the adhesive cures, so that the U-shaped support is tightly attached to the battery cell via the elastic element.

[0013] In some embodiments, the elastic element comprises foam, and the elastic element is configured to have the same shape as the two main planes of the battery cell.

[0014] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a battery module is provided, including a housing and at least one cell assembly as described in the above embodiments. Such a battery module can provide the advantages described above regarding the cell assembly, which will not be repeated for the sake of brevity.

[0015] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a battery pack is provided, including the battery modules described in the above embodiments. One or more battery modules can be integrated within the battery pack. Such a battery pack can provide the advantages described above regarding the cell assembly, which will not be repeated for the sake of brevity.

[0016] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, an electrical device is provided, including the battery pack described in the above embodiments, the battery pack being used to provide electrical energy. Such an electrical device can provide the advantages described above regarding the battery cell assembly, which will not be repeated for the sake of brevity.

[0017] It should be understood that the above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this disclosure. In order to better understand the technical means of this disclosure and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and in order to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this disclosure more obvious and understandable, specific embodiments of this disclosure are given below. Attached Figure Description

[0018] 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 disclosure. It should be noted that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and the dimensions of some features may be exaggerated for clarity. The same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. For clarity, the same parts may not be shown in all drawings. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a cell assembly according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The embodiments of the technical solutions disclosed herein will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical solutions disclosed herein and are therefore intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0021] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this disclosure; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims and foregoing description of the drawings of this disclosure are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0022] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, 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 or secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0023] 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 disclosure. 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.

[0024] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, 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, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0025] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple groups" refers to two or more (including two groups), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0026] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, 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 disclosure 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 disclosure.

[0027] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, 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. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0028] Existing cell structures involve using a material with a certain tensile strength to wrap and bind the cell to limit its expansion, forming a wound protective structure. However, using a winding and binding method may damage the electrodes inside the battery edge at corners, potentially leading to cell breakage or even explosion.

[0029] This disclosure relates to a battery cell assembly, including a wound structure capable of protecting the internal structure at the cell edges from damage. The battery cell assembly of this disclosure can be used in batteries.

[0030] Referring to FIG1, FIG1 shows a schematic structural diagram of a battery cell assembly 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The battery cell assembly 100 includes: a battery cell 10, an elastic member 20, U-shaped supports 30 and 31, and a fixing structure (not shown in the figure). The battery cell 10 has two side planes 12a and 12b opposite each other along a first direction and two main planes 11 opposite each other along a second direction. In the embodiment shown in FIG1, the main planes 11 are the upper and lower surfaces of the battery cell 10, the first direction is the length direction of the battery cell 10, and the second direction is the height direction of the battery cell 10. The battery cell 10 has a length along the first direction and a height along the second direction. The elastic member 20 is disposed on the two main planes 11 of the battery cell to buffer the expansion of the battery cell 10 during charging. The U-shaped supports 30 and 31 are disposed at two ends of the battery cell 10 opposite each other along the first direction. The fixing structure is disposed around the outside of the battery cell 10 and the U-shaped supports 30 and 31. The U-shaped support members 30 and 31 include two U-shaped legs 302 and 312 and U-shaped bends 301 and 311. Each U-shaped leg 302 and 312 extends along a first direction to cover a portion of the elastic member 20. The U-shaped bends 301 and 311 are used to connect the two U-shaped legs 302 and 312. The two side planes 12a and 12b of the battery cell 10 are respectively surrounded by the U-shaped bends 301 and 311.

[0031] In embodiments of this disclosure, the battery cell is approximately cubic in shape, having two opposing main planes, two side planes, and two end faces. Specifically, the main planes are the surfaces of the battery cell with relatively large surface areas, and the end faces are the surfaces of the battery cell used for external electrical connections, wherein one of the end faces has an electrode tab.

[0032] During the charging process of the battery cell 10, the main plane 11 experiences a significant expansion. The elastic elements 20 disposed on the two main planes 11 of the battery cell are made of a material with a certain deformation capability; in other words, the elastic elements 20 are compressible and resilient materials. When the battery cell 10 expands during charging, the elastic elements 20 can be compressed by the battery cell 10 to offset the volume change caused by the expansion. When the volume of the battery cell 10 recovers after charging, the elastic elements 20 can rebound in accordance with the volume reduction of the battery cell 10, keeping the overall volume of the battery cell assembly 100 constant. By providing the elastic elements 20, the battery cell 10 can exhibit normal expansion.

[0033] The "normal expansion" mentioned above refers to the normal expansion phenomenon that occurs during the use of the battery cell, and will not cause damage or other adverse effects to the battery cell. It should be understood that restricting any expansion of the battery cell through an external rigid structure may lead to excessive internal pressure in a localized area of ​​the battery cell, causing internal damage, surface damage, or even explosion.

[0034] Referring again to Figure 1, U-shaped supports 30 and 31 are respectively disposed at side planes 12a and 12b, and U-shaped legs 302 and 312 cover a portion of the elastic member 20, such that the battery cell 10 is clamped from both ends by the U-shaped supports 30 and 31. In some embodiments, the U-shaped supports 30 and 31 are made of elastic material, and before being assembled to the battery cell 10, there is an internal spacing between the U-shaped legs of each U-shaped support, which is equal to or less than the height of the battery cell. For example, the shortest distance between the inner sides of the two U-shaped legs 302 of the U-shaped support 30 is the internal spacing, which is less than or equal to the height of the battery cell 10. With this design, the elasticity of the U-shaped support 30 can be used to separate (or "spread out") the two U-shaped legs 302 away from each other, and then the U-shaped support 30 can be assembled into the intended position of the battery cell 10. Due to the presence of the elastic element 20, there is an interference fit between the U-shaped support 30 and the battery cell 10. The U-shaped support 30 generates a clamping force towards the battery cell 10 through the two U-shaped legs 302, so that the battery cell 10 is clamped by the U-shaped support 30. The U-shaped support 31 can be the same component as the U-shaped support 30. For example, the U-shaped supports 30 and 31 can also be made of heat-shrinkable material, and before being assembled into the battery cell 10, there is an internal gap between the U-shaped legs 302 and 312 of each U-shaped support 30 and 31, which is greater than the height of the battery cell 10. During assembly, the U-shaped supports 30 and 31 can be contracted, for example, by heating, reducing the internal gap and thus allowing the battery cell 10 to be clamped by the U-shaped support 30.

[0035] In embodiments of this disclosure, a fixing structure is used to protect the battery cell 10 and provide support for the elastic member 20 to limit the maximum expansion of the battery cell 10 from the outside. By combining the fixing structure with the elastic member 20, the volume change caused by the expansion of the battery cell 10 can be controlled within the battery cell assembly 100. Furthermore, since U-shaped supports 30 and 31 are provided at both ends of the battery cell 10, the binding force (or compressive force) of the fixing structure at the edges of the two ends of the battery cell 10 acts directly on the U-shaped supports 30 and 31, and most importantly, the edges of the two ends of the battery cell 10 are not compressed. Optionally, the connection between the U-shaped bends 301 and 311 and the U-shaped legs 302 and 312 can be configured as a smooth transition, such as an arc connection or a rounded corner connection, to reduce the pressure of the support structure 50 on the U-shaped supports 30 and 31.

[0036] The embodiments of this disclosure, by providing U-shaped support members 30 and 31, can achieve the beneficial effect of protecting the internal structure of the battery cell edge from damage.

[0037] Referring again to Figure 1, there is a gap between the two side planes 12a and 12b of the battery cell 10 and the U-shaped bends 301 and 311 of the U-shaped supports 30 and 31. This gap can be adjusted, for example, by changing the shape of the U-shaped bends 301 and 311. This design allows the U-shaped supports 30 and 31 to provide a certain amount of expansion space for the side planes 12a and 12b of the battery cell 10 while protecting the battery cell 10. The gap can be set according to factors such as the shape of the battery cell 10, the expansion range, or the surface material.

[0038] Referring again to Figure 1, the battery cell assembly 100 further includes a cover plate 40. The cover plate 40 is disposed on the side of the elastic member 20 away from the battery cell, and the cover plate 40 covers all or part of the remaining portion of the elastic member 20 not covered by the U-shaped support leg. In this design, on the one hand, the cover plate 40 can provide uniform support force to the elastic member 20; on the other hand, the binding force (or compressive force) of the fixing structure acts directly on the cover plate 40, thus reducing the risk of damage to the elastic member 20 structure by the fixing structure.

[0039] Optionally, the cover plate 40 may be provided with mating parts along its two edges in the first direction for connecting with the U-shaped legs 302 and 312, such as snap-fit ​​or sliding groove, so that the cover plate 40 is connected in contact with the U-shaped legs 302 and 312, thus covering the entire remaining portion of the elastic member 20 not covered by the U-shaped legs. Therefore, within the plane defined by the first and second directions, the battery cell 10 is continuously surrounded by the cover plate 40 and the U-shaped support members 30 and 31, which improves the support and protection effect on the battery cell 10.

[0040] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the fixing structure includes a filament or strip 50 tightly wound around the outside of the battery cell 10 and the U-shaped supports 30, 31, such that the U-shaped supports 30, 31 are pressed and held by the elastic member 20. The fixing structure is achieved by winding the filament or strip 50, which can accommodate battery cells 10 of different sizes or shapes. By tightly winding the filament or strip 50 around the outside of the battery cell 10, the battery cell assembly 100 structure can remain compact, and the fixing structure can have a certain shear strength and rigidity, thereby helping to protect the internal structure of the battery cell assembly 100. In some embodiments, the filament or strip 50 is composed of carbon fiber filaments or glass fiber. Carbon fiber or glass fiber materials have high tensile strength, are lightweight, heat-resistant, and wear-resistant, which can significantly improve the structural strength and stability of the battery cell assembly 100 without significantly increasing the overall weight. In particular, carbon fiber filaments and glass fiber have good plasticity and weavability, which can flexibly adapt to various shapes of battery cells 10, facilitating the achievement of the desired winding.

[0041] In some embodiments of this disclosure, an adhesive is applied to the fixing structure before it is wrapped around the outside of the battery cell 10 and the U-shaped supports 30, 31, to maintain tension in the fixing structure after the adhesive cures, so that the U-shaped supports 30, 31 are tightly attached to the battery cell 10 via the elastic member 20. In embodiments of this disclosure, the adhesive is a curable adhesive, such as epoxy resin, acrylate, polyurethane adhesive, anaerobic adhesive, or UV-curable adhesive, or other curable adhesives that those skilled in the art can conceive of. The adhesive described in this disclosure is a fluid with a certain degree of fluidity before curing, and forms a rigid structure after curing. It should be understood that after curing, the adhesive is tightly bonded to the fixing structure, forming an inseparable integral structure similar to a "hardened shell." This integral structure has shear resistance and deformation resistance, which helps protect the internal structure of the battery cell assembly 100 from damage by the external environment. For example, the overall structure formed after curing can reduce the possibility of moisture, dust, or corrosive substances penetrating into the battery cell assembly 100 and damaging the battery cell 10, thereby extending the service life of the battery cell assembly 100. Through the above curing, on the one hand, the tension of the fixing structure can be maintained for a long time, enhancing the mechanical stability and durability of the fixing structure; on the other hand, by compressing and tightening from the outside, the elastic element 20 can more sensitively absorb / compensate the expansion / contraction of the battery cell by maintaining a close fit with the battery cell 10. Furthermore, the fixing structure can form a rigid structure after the adhesive cures, thereby limiting the excessive expansion of the battery cell 10.

[0042] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the elastic element 20 includes foam, and the elastic element 20 is configured to have the same shape as the two main planes 11 of the battery cell 10. The shape of the elastic element 20 can be made to match the main planes 11 of the battery cell 10 by cutting. This design allows the elastic element 20 to fit and cover the entire area of ​​the main planes 11 of the battery cell 10, improving the buffering effect of the elastic element 20 on the expansion of the battery cell 10.

[0043] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the battery module may include a housing and at least one cell assembly 100 according to the embodiments described above. The housing serves to support and secure the cell assembly 100 and to provide encapsulation for the cell assembly 100. In some embodiments, multiple cell assemblies 100 may be arranged in the housing in parallel or in series. The number and connection method of the cell assemblies 100 can be configured according to desired voltage, current, or other output parameters.

[0044] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the battery pack includes the battery modules described in the above embodiments. Multiple battery modules can be integrated within the battery pack to provide greater energy storage capacity and output power. For example, the battery pack may also include a battery management system (BMS), a cooling system, a housing, and connectors to monitor the normal operation of the battery modules and provide the desired energy output. It should be understood that the battery pack is a highly integrated battery system capable of providing or storing electrical energy as needed. In other embodiments of this disclosure, the battery pack may be configured with connectors, switches, or other electrical components for external electrical connections as required.

[0045] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the power-consuming device includes the battery pack described in the above embodiments, the battery pack being used to provide electrical power. The power-consuming device may be, for example, a car, a large work platform, a portable digital product, or other electronic equipment.

[0046] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this disclosure, and not to limit them. Although this disclosure 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 disclosure, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this disclosure. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any way. This disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

[0047] The reference numerals in the detailed embodiments are as follows:

[0048] 100 cell assembly

[0049] 10 battery cells

[0050] 11 Main Plane

[0051] 12a, 12b Lateral planes

[0052] 20 Elastic components

[0053] 30, 31 U-shaped support

[0054] 301, 311 U-shaped bend

[0055] 302, 312 U-shaped outriggers

[0056] 40 Cover plate.

Claims

1. A battery cell assembly, wherein, The battery cell assembly includes: The battery cell has two side planes opposite each other along a first direction and two main planes opposite each other along a second direction; An elastic element is disposed on the two main planes of the battery cell to buffer the expansion of the battery cell during charging; U-shaped support members are disposed at two opposite ends of the battery cell along a first direction, and the U-shaped support members include: Two U-shaped legs, each of the two U-shaped legs extending along a first direction to cover a portion of the elastic element, and The U-shaped bend is used to connect the two U-shaped legs, and the two side planes of the battery cell are surrounded by the U-shaped bend; and A fixed structural component is disposed around the outside of the battery cell and the U-shaped support.

2. The battery cell assembly according to claim 1, wherein, There is a gap between the two side planes of the battery cell and the U-shaped bend of the U-shaped support.

3. The cell assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The battery cell assembly further includes: a cover plate disposed on the side of the elastic member away from the battery cell, the cover plate covering all or part of the remaining portion of the elastic member not covered by the U-shaped support leg.

4. The cell assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The fixing structure includes a wire or strip that is tautly wound around the outside of the battery cell and the U-shaped support, such that the U-shaped support is pressed and held by the elastic member to retain the battery cell.

5. The cell assembly according to claim 4, wherein, Before the fixing structure is wrapped around the outside of the battery cell and the U-shaped support, an adhesive is applied to maintain the fixing structure under tension as the adhesive cures, so that the U-shaped support is tightly attached to the battery cell via the elastic member.

6. The cell assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The elastic element includes foam, and the elastic element is configured to have the same shape as the two main planes of the battery cell.

7. A battery module, comprising a housing and at least one cell assembly according to any one of claims 1-6.

8. A battery pack comprising the battery module according to claim 7.

9. An electrical device comprising a battery pack according to claim 8, the battery pack being used to provide electrical energy.

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