Thermoelectrically isolated battery pack and energy storage device

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application relate to the technical field of energy storage, and provide a thermoelectrically isolated battery pack and an energy storage device. The battery pack comprises a housing and an electrical compartment shell, the electrical compartment shell being disposed outside an end plate of the housing in the length direction of the housing. An inner cavity of the housing is used for accommodating battery cells, and an inner cavity of the electrical compartment shell is used for accommodating electrical components. The separate-cavity design of the electrical components and the battery cells effectively avoids contact between a large amount of thermal runaway-affected medium ejected from the battery cells during thermal runaway and the electrical components, avoids electrical sparking of the electrical components, and further avoids the risk of combustion or explosion caused by the electrical sparking, thereby effectively improving the safety performance of the battery pack.

Description

Thermo-isolated battery packs and energy storage devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202520348252.7, filed on February 27, 2025, entitled "Thermoelectrically Isolated Battery Pack and Energy Storage Device", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of energy storage technology, and more particularly to a thermoelectrically isolated battery pack and energy storage device. Background Technology

[0003] Battery packs in related technologies include a casing, battery cells and electrical components located within the casing, as well as wiring harnesses, copper busbars, etc., for connecting the battery cells and electrical components. When a battery cell experiences thermal runaway, the thermal runaway medium ejected from the cell can easily cause electrical sparking upon contact with electrical components, posing a risk of combustion or explosion to the battery pack. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Embodiments of this application provide a thermoelectrically isolated battery pack and energy storage device to reduce the risk of battery pack overheating or explosion.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a battery pack, which includes a housing and a plurality of battery cells located within the inner cavity of the housing. The housing includes a bottom plate and a top cover opposite each other along the height direction of the battery pack, two side plates opposite each other along the width direction of the battery pack, and two end plates opposite each other along the length direction of the battery pack. The front end plates of the two end plates are respectively connected to the two side plates at both ends in the width direction, and are respectively connected to the top cover and the bottom plate in the height direction. The bottom plate, the top cover, the two side plates, and the two end plates are connected to form the inner cavity of the housing, that is, the two end plates are part of the housing. The battery pack also includes an electrical compartment housing located outside the housing and electrical components located inside the electrical compartment housing. For example, the electrical components may be disconnecting components. The electrical compartment housing is located on the side of the front end plates of the two end plates away from the inner cavity of the housing. The disconnecting components are used to electrically connect with the plurality of battery cells and to protect the plurality of battery cells in the event of overload or short circuit, that is, to disconnect the electrical connection with the battery cells, for example, to disconnect the electrode terminals of the battery pack from the plurality of battery cells to protect the battery cells. Because electrical components (such as disconnecting assemblies) are housed within the electrical compartment housing, which is located outside the main housing, while the inner cavity of the main housing houses the battery cells, the battery cells and electrical components can be separated into separate compartments. This effectively prevents large amounts of thermal runaway media ejected from the battery cells from entering the electrical compartment housing during thermal runaway, thus preventing contact with electrical components such as the disconnecting assemblies. This also prevents electrical components from coming into contact with the thermal runaway media and igniting, thereby avoiding combustion or explosion caused by electrical ignition. Furthermore, because the electrical compartment housing is isolated from the main housing cavity, the smaller space inside the electrical compartment housing and the lower oxygen content also effectively reduce the probability of combustion of the electrical components inside the electrical compartment housing.

[0006] Furthermore, since the electrical compartment is located on the outside of the housing, there is no need to consider the layout of electrical components inside the housing. Only the layout of the battery cells needs to be considered, which reduces the difficulty of battery cell layout and can effectively increase the space occupancy of the battery cells inside the housing, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery pack.

[0007] In some embodiments, a through-hole is provided on the front-end plate, connecting the inner cavity of the housing and the outer shell of the electrical compartment. A main electrode connector for multiple battery cells passes through the through-hole and is electrically connected to electrical components, such as the main current input copper busbar and output copper busbar for multiple battery cells, which extend from the inner side of the housing cavity into the through-hole and are used for electrical connection to the disconnecting assembly. In this embodiment, because the through-hole on the front-end plate connects the inner cavity of the housing and the outer shell of the electrical compartment, the main electrode connector inside the housing cavity can easily extend into the outer shell of the electrical compartment for convenient electrical connection to the disconnecting assembly. Furthermore, since the through-hole is located on the front-end plate, and the outer shell of the electrical compartment is located outside the front-end plate, the main electrode connector is usually also located inside the housing cavity near the front-end plate, thus effectively reducing the length of the main electrode connector. It is understood that in other embodiments, the main electrode connector can also directly pass between the top cover and the top surface of the front-end plate and enter the outer shell of the electrical compartment to avoid opening a hole in the front-end plate and thus avoid the through-hole affecting the strength of the front-end plate.

[0008] In some embodiments, the through-hole includes an inlet and an outlet disposed on the surface of the front end plate. The inlet is disposed on the top surface of the front end plate, and the main electrode connector passes through the inlet into the interior of the front end plate and exits through the outlet. That is, the front end plate has an inner cavity, at least a portion of which forms the through-hole. The main electrode connector passes through the inlet into the inner cavity of the front end plate and then exits through the outlet. The inlet of the through-hole communicates with the inner cavity of the housing. Since the top surface of the front end plate is typically slightly lower than or roughly the same height as the battery cell, by placing the inlet of the through-hole on the top surface of the front end plate, the main electrode connector can bend downwards directly from the upper surface of the battery cell to enter the through-hole, making the extension of the main electrode connector more natural. Importantly, it is not necessary to extend the main electrode connector into the area between the battery cell sidewall and the front end plate, thus eliminating the need for an insulating medium between the main electrode connector and the battery cell. This effectively increases the space occupancy of the battery cell within the inner cavity of the housing, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery pack.

[0009] In some embodiments, the outlet of the through-hole is located on the outer wall of the front panel away from the inner cavity of the housing, and the outlet of the through-hole communicates with the outer shell of the electrical compartment. Since the outlet of the through-hole is located on the side of the front panel, and the outer shell of the electrical compartment is also located on the side of the front panel, it is convenient for the outlet of the through-hole to communicate with the outer shell of the electrical compartment.

[0010] In some embodiments, the front-end board further includes a guide plate disposed inside the front-end board, extending from the inlet of the through-hole to the outlet of the through-hole. Because the guide plate extends from the inlet to the outlet of the through-hole, it has a guiding function, allowing the main electrode connector entering from the inlet of the through-hole to move smoothly to the outlet of the through-hole under the guidance of the guide plate, and then enter the electrical compartment housing through the outlet of the through-hole. This effectively improves the connection rate between the disconnecting assembly inside the electrical compartment housing and the battery cells inside the housing cavity.

[0011] In some embodiments, the front-end plate includes a top wall and a bottom wall that are opposite and spaced apart in the height direction of the battery pack, a top outer wall and an inner wall that are opposite and spaced apart in the length direction of the battery pack, and a plurality of reinforcing plates connected between the outer and inner walls. The plurality of reinforcing plates are arranged along the height direction of the battery pack, and the strength of the front-end plate can be improved by the arrangement of the plurality of reinforcing plates. The plurality of reinforcing plates are located below the guide plate in the height direction, thereby avoiding interference between the reinforcing plates and the guide plate.

[0012] In some embodiments, the electrical compartment housing has an opening facing the front panel. The electrical compartment housing covers the outer wall of the front panel, which is the surface away from the multiple battery cells and is also the surface of the front panel facing outwards from the housing. The electrical compartment housing covers the outlet. Specifically, the electrical compartment housing includes a top wall and a bottom wall that are opposite and spaced apart in the height direction of the battery pack, two side walls that are opposite in the width direction of the battery pack, and an outer wall. The top wall, bottom wall, and two side walls are connected to form a frame. The outer wall is located at the end of the frame away from the inner cavity of the housing and closes the opening at that end of the frame away from the inner cavity of the housing. The front panel is located at the end of the frame near the inner cavity of the housing and closes the opening at that end of the frame near the inner cavity of the housing. The outlet of the through hole is located inside the frame. In this embodiment, by covering the outer wall of the front panel with the electrical compartment housing, the inner cavity of the electrical compartment housing is sealed. Since the electrical compartment housing is formed by the electrical compartment housing and the front panel together, that is, the front panel is a common wall for the electrical compartment housing and the inner cavity of the housing, the length dimension of the battery pack can be reduced, and material costs can be saved. Because the outlet of the through hole is covered by the electrical compartment housing, the electrical compartment housing and the outlet of the through hole can be connected.

[0013] In some embodiments, the top of the front-end plate is provided with an assembly slot. The front-end plate also includes an assembly component disposed above the assembly slot. The assembly component includes a top surface and a side wall. The top surface of the assembly component is parallel to the top surface of the front-end plate, and the side wall of the assembly component is parallel to the outer wall of the front-end plate. The inlet is disposed on the top surface of the assembly component, and the outlet is disposed on the side wall of the assembly component. In this embodiment, the through hole is provided on the assembly component. Therefore, during assembly, the main electrode connector can be passed through the through hole on the assembly component first, and then the assembly component can be connected to the assembly slot. This reduces the difficulty of passing the main electrode connector or other wire harnesses through the through hole, thereby effectively reducing the assembly difficulty.

[0014] In some embodiments, the top of the front panel is provided with an assembly slot. The front panel includes an assembly component, which is disposed above the assembly slot. A gap is left between the assembly component and the inner wall of the assembly slot. The gap between the assembly component and the inner wall of the assembly slot is a through hole. The surface of the assembly component facing the top cover is parallel to the surface of the front panel facing the top cover. The surface of the assembly component away from the inner cavity of the housing is parallel to the surface of the front panel away from the inner cavity of the housing. That is, the top surface of the assembly component is parallel to the top surface of the front panel, and the side wall of the assembly component is parallel to the outer wall of the front panel. In this embodiment, since the through hole is formed after the assembly component and the inner wall of the assembly slot are assembled, the main electrode connector or other wire harnesses can be extended across the front panel from the assembly slot of the front panel before assembly. Then, the assembly component is connected to the front panel, thereby achieving the purpose of the main electrode connector or other wire harnesses passing through the through hole. This can reduce the difficulty of the main electrode connector or other wire harnesses passing through the through hole. Especially for wire harnesses or main electrode connectors with large connectors on the front panel, the through hole size can be smaller than the connector size. Since the assembly component and the assembly slot are detachably connected, they can also easily pass through the through hole into the electrical compartment housing for connection.

[0015] In some embodiments, the assembly has multiple notches on the side facing the inner wall of the assembly groove. These notches form through holes with the inner wall of the assembly groove. The notches penetrate the top surface and side wall of the assembly. The openings on the top surface of the notches serve as inlets, and the openings on the side walls serve as outlets. By forming notches on the assembly, through holes are formed at the notch locations. Furthermore, the notch design facilitates the limiting of the main electrode connector or wiring harness, thereby securing the main electrode connector or wiring harness.

[0016] In some embodiments, the front-end plate includes a bottom wall, an outer wall, an inner wall, and multiple reinforcing plates. The outer wall and the inner wall are arranged opposite to each other and spaced apart along the length of the battery pack. The multiple reinforcing plates are connected between the outer wall and the inner wall and are spaced apart along the height of the battery pack. The reinforcing plate farthest from the bottom wall among the multiple reinforcing plates forms an assembly groove with the outer wall and the inner wall. The top wall of the assembly is used to connect with the top cover. The assembly is bonded to the outer wall. A first gap is left between the assembly and the inner wall. A second gap is left between the assembly and the reinforcing plate farthest from the bottom wall. The first gap and the second gap are connected. An outlet communicating with the second gap is provided on the outer wall. An inlet communicating with the first gap is provided on the inner wall. The inlet, the first gap, the second gap, and the outlet together form a through hole. In this embodiment, since the top wall of the assembly is used to connect with the top cover and the inner wall has an inlet communicating with the first gap, that is, the top surface of the end plate does not have an inlet, the connection area between the top surface of the front-end plate and the top cover can be increased, thereby improving the connection strength between the top surface of the front-end plate and the top cover. Furthermore, since the main electrode connector or wire harness needs to pass through the first gap and the second gap in sequence, and the first gap and the second gap are approximately perpendicular, the main electrode connector or wire harness can be effectively limited and fixed through the first gap and the second gap, without the need for a fixed connection to the front end plate by fasteners.

[0017] In some embodiments, the electrical components also include a battery management unit (BMU) housed within the electrical compartment housing. The battery pack further includes a data acquisition board located between the top cover and multiple battery cells. The data acquisition board is electrically connected to the multiple battery cells and is used to acquire and monitor the voltage or temperature of the multiple battery cells. The output wires of the data acquisition board extend from the inner cavity of the housing through through-holes to the electrical compartment housing and are connected to the BMU. Because the BMU is housed within the electrical compartment housing, the wiring harnesses connected to the BMU and other components can be arranged within the electrical compartment housing. This allows most connections within the electrical compartment housing to be low-voltage connections, while most connections within the inner cavity of the housing are high-voltage connections. This effectively isolates high-voltage and low-voltage wiring harnesses, reducing the risk of electrical arcing.

[0018] In some embodiments, the front panel is lower than the upper surface of multiple battery cells in the height direction of the battery pack, and the upper surface of the multiple battery cells is provided with positive and negative terminals. Because the front panel is lower than the upper surface of the multiple battery cells, the main electrode connector and flexible circuit board extending from the upper surface of the battery cells can be conveniently extended to the battery compartment shell. In particular, when the entrance of the through hole is located on the top surface of the front panel, the main electrode connector and flexible circuit board can easily pass through the through hole, making the wiring of the main electrode connector and flexible circuit board more reasonable.

[0019] In some embodiments, the plurality of battery cells includes at least one row of cells arranged along the length of the battery pack. Two side plates are bonded to both sides of the at least one row of cells in the width direction of the battery pack, and two end plates are attached to both sides of the at least one row of cells in the length direction of the battery pack. The two end plates and the two side plates are connected to form a frame for fixing the at least one row of cells. Since the battery cells can be placed reasonably within the cavity of the housing without considering the layout of electrical components within the cavity, the battery cells within the cavity can be directly clamped and fixed by the two side plates and the two end plates, eliminating the need for cable ties and end caps in traditional battery packs. In traditional battery packs, multiple battery cells are usually clamped together to form a battery module using cable ties and end caps, and then the battery module is placed inside the housing. Since this embodiment eliminates the need for cable ties and end caps in traditional battery packs, the space occupancy of the battery cells within the cavity of the housing can be effectively increased, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery pack.

[0020] In some embodiments, the two end plates are non-metallic insulating plates. Because the end plates are non-metallic insulating plates, there is no risk of short circuits due to contact between the main electrode connector or wiring harness and the end plates. Furthermore, since the end plates are non-metallic insulating plates, they can directly contact the battery cell without the need for an insulating medium between the cell and the end plates. This increases the space occupied by the battery cell within the housing cavity and improves the energy density of the battery pack.

[0021] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide an energy storage device, which includes a cabinet and a battery pack as described in any of the embodiments of the first aspect above, wherein the battery pack is disposed within the cabinet.

[0022] In some embodiments, the energy storage device includes an energy storage cabinet, a power supply cabinet, or a vehicle powered by electricity. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below.

[0024] Figure 1 is a simplified schematic diagram of a battery pack provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a battery pack provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 3 is an exploded view of the battery pack in the embodiment of Figure 2;

[0027] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electrical compartment shell in the embodiment of Figure 2;

[0028] Figure 4B is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electrical compartment shell and the front end plate in Figure 4A;

[0029] Figure 5A provides a schematic diagram of the layout of an input copper busbar, an output copper busbar, and a data acquisition board 51.

[0030] Figure 5B illustrates a schematic diagram of the connection method of the input copper busbar or output copper busbar in the embodiment of Figure 5A.

[0031] Figure 6A is a schematic diagram of the front-end board in the embodiment of Figure 2;

[0032] Figure 6B is a cross-sectional view of the front end plate in the embodiment of Figure 6A;

[0033] Figure 6C provides a schematic diagram of another front-end board structure;

[0034] Figure 6D provides a schematic diagram of another front-end board structure;

[0035] Figure 7A provides a schematic diagram of yet another front-end board structure;

[0036] Figure 7B is an exploded view of the front-end board in the embodiment of Figure 7A;

[0037] Figure 7C provides a schematic diagram of yet another front-end board structure;

[0038] Figure 7D is an exploded view of the front-end board in the embodiment of Figure 7C;

[0039] Figure 7E provides a schematic diagram of yet another front-end board structure;

[0040] Figure 7F is an exploded view of the front-end board in the embodiment of Figure 7E.

[0041] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: Z, height direction of the battery pack; Y, width direction of the battery pack; X, length direction of the battery pack; 1, battery pack; 2, battery cell; 3, electrical component; 4, power board; 5, battery management unit; 6, disconnection assembly; 10, housing; 101, inner cavity of the housing; 11, top cover; 12, bottom plate; 14, side plate; 15, end plate; 20. Front end plate; 201. Through hole; 202. Inlet; 203. Outlet; 204. First through hole; 205. Second through hole; 206. Top surface of front end plate; 207. Side surface of front end plate; 208. First chamber; 21. Top wall of front end plate; 22. Bottom wall of front end plate; 23. Outer wall of front end plate; 24. Inner wall of front end plate; 25. Side wall of front end plate; 26. Reinforcing plate; 271. Assembly slot; 28. Assembly; 281. Notch; 282. First gap; 283. Second gap; 284. Side wall of assembly; 285. Top surface of assembly; 29. ​​Guide plate; 30. Electrical compartment shell; 301. Internal cavity of electrical compartment; 31. Enclosure frame; 32. Top wall of electrical compartment shell; 33. Bottom wall of electrical compartment shell; 34. Side wall of electrical compartment shell; 35. Outer wall of electrical compartment shell; 41. Busbar; 42. Main electrode connector; 421. Input copper busbar; 422. Output copper busbar; 51. Acquisition board; 52. Connector. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The following section will first explain some of the terms used in the embodiments of this application.

[0043] The terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented, for example, in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0044] In this specification, terms such as "parallel" are explained.

[0045] Parallelism: The parallelism defined in this application is not limited to absolute parallelism. This definition of parallelism can be understood as basic parallelism, allowing for situations where the parallelism is not absolute due to factors such as assembly tolerances, design tolerances, and structural flatness. These situations may lead to the sliding mating part and the first door panel not being absolutely parallel, but this application also defines such situations as parallelism.

[0046] Modern society is filled with a vast array of devices that rely on electricity, from small household appliances to large data centers and factory production lines. Electricity supply is a crucial factor in maintaining the normal operation of modern society. Therefore, energy storage devices have developed rapidly and are widely used. These devices can be energy storage cabinets using battery packs, power cabinets in data centers, and even vehicles using battery packs. Energy storage devices can be used to store electrical energy and supply power to equipment that requires electricity. Applications include site energy, photovoltaics, residential energy storage, industrial and commercial energy storage, and large-scale ground-mounted power plant energy storage.

[0047] With the development of energy storage devices, the energy capacity of these devices is increasing. Safety is the bottom line for energy storage devices, and the battery pack, as the core component, determines the safety of the entire energy storage system. In related technologies, the battery pack casing houses battery cells, electrical components, and various wiring harnesses and copper busbars for electrical connections. The coexistence of low and high voltage within the casing creates a high risk of electrical arcing. Especially in the event of thermal runaway in a battery cell, the thermal runaway medium emitted by the cell can come into contact with the electrical components, posing a high risk of combustion or explosion to the battery pack. Therefore, the safety performance of battery packs in related technologies is insufficient.

[0048] To improve the safety performance of the battery pack 1, referring to Figure 1, which is a simplified schematic diagram of a battery pack 1 provided in an embodiment of this application, Figure 1 is a top view of the battery pack 1. In this embodiment, the battery pack 1 mainly places the battery cell 2 and the electrical components 3 in two independent spaces, where the gas flow in the two independent spaces is essentially non-circulating or very small. The space for placing the battery cell 2 is the inner cavity 101 of the housing, and the space for placing the electrical components 3 is the inner cavity 301 of the electrical compartment. Because the gas flow in the two independent spaces is essentially non-circulating or very small, when the battery cell 2 in the inner cavity 101 of the housing experiences thermal runaway, a large amount of thermal runaway medium will not enter the inner cavity 301 of the electrical compartment. Moreover, the inner cavity 301 of the electrical compartment is small and contains little oxygen, thus effectively preventing the thermal runaway medium from contacting the electrical components 3 in the inner cavity 301 and causing combustion or explosion. In addition, since the battery cell 2 is placed in the inner cavity 101 of the housing and the electrical component 3 is placed in the inner cavity 301 of the electrical compartment, the low voltage and high voltage can be effectively separated, and electrical arcing caused by the creepage distance between the low voltage and high voltage being too close can be effectively avoided.

[0049] It is understood that the electrical components 3 of the battery pack 1 may include a power board, a battery management unit (BMU) 5, and a disconnection assembly, etc. The power board is used to convert power among multiple cells, and the BMU is used to evaluate data. If the data is abnormal, it will protect the battery, such as issuing a request to reduce the current or cutting off the charging and discharging path. It also manages the battery's charge and temperature. The disconnection assembly may include a current and voltage detection circuit, an overload protection circuit, a fuse, a relay, a connector, or a shunt, etc. The fuse may be an active fuse or a passive fuse.

[0050] To effectively isolate the electrical compartment cavity 301 from the housing cavity 101, Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a battery pack 1 provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 is an exploded schematic diagram of the battery pack 1 in the embodiment of Figure 2. Referring to Figures 1-3 together, in some embodiments, the battery pack 1 includes a housing 10, an electrical compartment outer shell 30, multiple battery cells 2 housed in the housing cavity 101, and a power board 4, a BMU, and a disconnecting assembly 6 housed in the electrical compartment cavity 301, wherein the electrical compartment cavity 301 is the inner cavity of the electrical compartment outer shell 30. The power board 4 is electrically connected to the multiple battery cells 2 and is used to perform power conversion on the multiple battery cells 2. The disconnecting assembly 6 is electrically connected to the multiple battery cells 2 and can be used to disconnect the electrode terminals of the battery pack 1 from the multiple battery cells 2. It can be used to actively or passively protect the multiple battery cells 2 in case of overload or short circuit. For example, the disconnecting assembly 6 can be a fuse, etc.

[0051] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the housing 10 includes a top cover 11, a bottom plate 12, two side plates 14, and two end plates 15. The top cover 11 and the bottom plate 12 are arranged opposite each other along the height direction Z of the battery pack 1, the two side plates 14 are arranged opposite each other along the width direction Y of the battery pack 1, and the two end plates 15 are arranged opposite each other along the length direction X of the battery pack 1. The top cover 11, the bottom plate 12, the two side plates 14, and the two end plates 15 together enclose the inner cavity 101 of the housing (as shown in Figure 1).

[0052] The electrical compartment cavity 301 (see Figure 4B below) can be formed by the electrical compartment shell 30 itself, or it can be formed by the outer surfaces of the electrical compartment shell 30 and the housing 10 working together. For example, similar to the battery pack 1 in the embodiments of Figures 2 and 3, the electrical compartment shell 30 is located on one of the end plates 15 on the side away from the multiple battery cells 2. For ease of description, the end plate 15 connected to the electrical compartment shell 30 is designated as the front end plate 20. The surface of the front end plate 20 away from the multiple battery cells 2 and the electrical compartment shell 30 together form the electrical compartment cavity 301.

[0053] Specifically, as shown in Figures 4A and 4B, Figure 4A is a structural schematic diagram of the electrical compartment shell 30 in the embodiment of Figure 2, Figure 4B is a structural schematic diagram of the electrical compartment shell 30 and the front end plate 20 in Figure 4A, and Figure 4B is also a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a portion of the battery pack 1 in Figure 2 in the vertical Y direction. The electrical compartment housing 30 includes a top wall 32 and a bottom wall 33 opposite each other in the Z direction, two side walls 34 opposite each other in the Y direction, and an outer wall 35 that is parallel to and spaced apart from the end plate 15 in the X direction. The top wall 32, bottom wall 33 and two side walls 34 of the electrical compartment housing 30 enclose a frame 31. The outer wall 35 is located at the end of the frame 31 away from the housing 10 and closes the opening at the end of the frame 31 away from the housing 10. The front end plate 20 is located at the end of the frame 31 close to the housing 10 and closes the opening at the end of the frame 31 close to the housing 10. The outer wall 35, top wall 32, bottom wall 33, two side walls 34 and front end plate 20 of the electrical compartment housing 30 together enclose an electrical compartment cavity 301.

[0054] An adhesive is provided at the connection between the end of the frame 31 near the housing 10 and the front panel 20 to ensure the sealing between the front panel 20 and the frame 31.

[0055] Since the electrical compartment housing 30 is located outside the housing 10, the size of the electrical compartment housing 30 can be set according to requirements. For example, when there are many electrical components 3 in the electrical compartment cavity 301 and the functions are more complex, the volume of the electrical compartment housing 30 can be appropriately increased. When there are few electrical components 3 in the electrical compartment cavity 301, the volume of the electrical compartment housing 30 can be reduced. For example, the area of ​​the opening at the end of the frame 31 near the housing 10 can be smaller than the area of ​​the front end plate 20.

[0056] It is understood that in some other embodiments, the electrical compartment housing may also include an inner wall (not shown in the figure) opposite to the outer wall 35 in the X direction, based on the electrical compartment housing 30 in Figures 4A and 4B. The inner wall of the electrical compartment housing 30 is located at the end of the frame 31 near the housing 10 and closes the opening at the end of the frame 31 near the housing 10. The outer wall 35, top wall 32, bottom wall 33, two side walls 34 and inner wall of the electrical compartment housing 30 together enclose the electrical compartment cavity 301.

[0057] As shown in the embodiments of Figures 2 and 3, since the electrical compartment shell 30 is designed independently of the housing 10, the electrical compartment shell 30 is used to house the electrical components 3, while the housing 10 is used to house the battery cells 2. The functions of the housing 10 and the electrical compartment shell 30 are simplified, which facilitates the assembly layout of the housing 10 and the battery cells 2, as well as the assembly layout of the electrical components 3 and the electrical compartment shell 30. Furthermore, it facilitates the integrated design of the electrical components 3. Because the electrical compartment shell 30 is located outside the housing 10, the integrated electrical components 3 and the battery cells 2 inside the housing 10 can be effectively isolated by the housing 10. Therefore, in the event of thermal runaway of the battery cells 2 inside the housing 10, the amount of thermal runaway medium ejected from the battery cells 2 inside the housing 10 entering the electrical compartment shell 30 can be effectively reduced. This effectively reduces the risk of electrical sparking due to contact between the electrical components 3 and the thermal runaway medium, thereby reducing the risk of combustion or explosion of the battery pack 1. Moreover, by reducing the probability of damage to the electrical components 3 inside the electrical compartment shell 30 during thermal runaway, damage to the entire battery pack 1 can be avoided in the event of thermal runaway, reducing costs. Furthermore, since the electrical compartment housing 30 is located outside the housing 10, it facilitates the maintenance of the battery pack 1. For example, if the electrical component 3 malfunctions and requires maintenance, there is no need to open the top cover 11, thus eliminating the need for airtightness re-inspection and significantly reducing maintenance costs.

[0058] Because the housing 10 has a single function, it is more advantageous to rationally arrange multiple battery cells 2 within the housing 10 to improve the energy density of the battery pack 1. For example, the arrangements in the embodiments of Figures 2 and 3 can reasonably and effectively improve the energy density of the battery pack 1. Specifically, the two side plates 14 and the two end plates 15 are connected to form a frame, which can clamp and fix multiple battery cells 2 in the inner cavity 101 of the housing (see Figure 1). The bottom plate 12 is located at the bottom of the frame, and the top cover 11 is located at the top of the frame. The top cover 11, the frame, and the bottom plate 12 form the inner cavity 101 of the housing. Compared with some existing battery packs 1, which first use cable ties and end covers to bundle multiple battery cells 2 into a battery module and then place the battery module in the housing 10, in this embodiment, since the housing 10 directly participates in clamping and fixing multiple battery cells 2, there is no need for cable ties and end covers to bundle multiple battery cells 2 into a battery module. This can effectively improve the utilization rate of the inner cavity 101 of the housing, thereby improving the energy density of the battery pack 1.

[0059] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the plurality of battery cells 2 includes at least one row of battery cells 2. The arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells 2 in each row of the at least one row of battery cells 2 is consistent with the X direction. When the battery cells 2 in the inner cavity 101 of the housing (refer to Figure 1) have multiple rows, the multiple rows of battery cells 2 are arranged along the Y direction. Two side plates 14 are respectively glued to the two side walls of the at least one row of battery cells 2 in the width direction of the battery pack 1 by adhesive. Two end plates 15 are respectively provided on the two side walls of the at least one row of battery cells 2 in the X direction. Then, the two end plates 15 are connected to the two side plates 14 by adhesive. 4. The fixed connection allows at least one row of cells 2 to be restricted in the Y direction by the two side plates 14 and in the X direction by the two end plates 15. The bottom plate 12 is fixed to the bottom of the two side plates 14 and the two bottom plates 12 respectively to support the cells 2 in the inner cavity 101 of the housing. The top cover 11 is fixed to the top of the two side plates 14 and the two end plates 15 respectively to form the inner cavity 101 of the housing accommodating at least one row of cells 2 together with the two side plates 14, the two end plates 15 and the bottom plate 12.

[0060] In this embodiment, the two side plates 14 are respectively bonded to the two side walls of at least one row of cells 2 in the width direction of the battery pack 1 by adhesive. Adhesive can also be provided between the side wall of at least one row of cells 2 in the X direction and the end plate 15. Adhesive can also be provided between the bottom plate 12 and the bottom wall of at least one row of cells 2. With the setting of adhesive, the force between the two side plates 14, the two end plates 15 and the bottom plate 12 and the at least one row of cells 2 can be effectively dispersed by adhesive, so that the force on the two side plates 14, the two end plates 15 and the bottom plate 12 is more uniform. This can effectively reduce or avoid the occurrence of stress concentration in a certain part of the two side plates 14, the two end plates 15 and the bottom plate 12 after being subjected to force. Especially during the transportation of the battery pack 1, it can effectively improve the pressure bearing capacity of the casing 10.

[0061] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, since adhesive is provided between the base plate 12, the two side plates 14 and the two end plates 15 and at least one row of cells 2, the base plate 12, the two side plates 14 and the two end plates 15 are subjected to uniform stress, which can effectively avoid stress concentration on the base plate 12, the two side plates 14 and the two end plates 15. Based on the above, since the two side plates 14 are subjected to uniform stress, the strength requirements for the two side plates 14 can be appropriately reduced. Therefore, in some embodiments, both side plates 14 can be made of non-metallic insulating material. This not only reduces the weight and cost of the side plates 14, but more importantly, by using insulating material for the two side plates 14, even if the adhesive between the side plates 14 and at least one row of cells 2 fails, there is no need to worry about short circuits between the side plates 14 and the cells 2. Especially in the event of thermal runaway of the battery pack 1, even if the adhesive between the side plates 14 and at least one row of cells 2 fails at high temperature, at least one row of cells 2 will directly contact the side plates 14 without short circuits or electrical arcing, thus effectively improving the safety performance of the battery pack 1. Moreover, there is no need to set insulating material between the side plates 14 and the cells 2, avoiding increased costs and space. The space saved from placing insulating material can be used to place the cells 2, effectively increasing the energy density of the battery pack 1.

[0062] Just as the two side plates 14 are made of non-metallic insulating material, the two end plates 15 can also be made of non-metallic insulating material. Since the two end plates 15 are made of non-metallic insulating material, they can also prevent short circuits or electrical arcing between the end plates 15 and the battery cell 2 after the insulation medium between the battery cell 2 and the end plate 15 fails, effectively improving the safety performance of the battery pack 1.

[0063] In some embodiments, the top cover 11 and the bottom plate 12 may also be made of non-metallic insulating material.

[0064] It is understood that in some other embodiments, the top cover 11, the bottom plate 12, the two side plates 14 and the two end plates 15 may also be made of metal, such as aluminum, iron, copper and other materials.

[0065] As shown in the embodiments of Figures 2 and 3, the top cover 11 includes a downwardly bent outer edge. The top cover 11 itself can form a receiving cavity with a certain depth. Therefore, the top surface 206 of the front end plate 20 is usually not higher than the upper surface of the multiple battery cells 2. That is, the top surface 206 of the front end plate 20 is set to be lower than or flush with the upper surface of the multiple battery cells 2. This is to avoid the gap between the multiple battery cells 2 and the top cover 11 being too large after the outer edge of the top cover 11 is fixed to the frame, and also to avoid the overall height of the housing 10 being too high.

[0066] To achieve electrical connection between the power board 4 and the disconnecting assembly 6 and the battery cell 2, referring to Figures 3 and 4B, the battery pack 1 also includes a busbar 41, a main electrode connector 42, and a wiring harness (not shown in the figure) disposed in the inner cavity 101 of the housing. The power board 4 and the disconnecting assembly 6 are electrically connected to the battery cell 2 through the busbar 41, the main electrode connector 42, and the wiring harness. The busbar 41 is disposed on the upper surface of the multiple battery cells 2 facing the upper cover 11 and is connected to the positive or negative terminal on the upper surface of the battery cell 2. The busbar 41 is located between the multiple battery cells 2 and the upper cover 11. The busbar 41 connects the multiple battery cells 2 in series or in parallel. The main electrode connector 42 includes an input copper busbar 421 and an output copper busbar 422. The input copper busbar 421 and the output copper busbar 422 are connected to the busbar 41 for the input and output of the total current after the multiple battery cells 2 are connected in series or in parallel.

[0067] To enable the BMU to monitor multiple battery cells 2, referring to Figure 3, the battery pack 1 also includes a data acquisition board 51 disposed in the inner cavity 101 of the housing (as shown in Figure 4B). For example, the data acquisition board 51 can be a flexible printed circuit (FPC). The data acquisition board 51 is connected to multiple battery cells 2 and is used to acquire information such as current, voltage or temperature of multiple battery cells 2. The data acquisition board 51 is connected to the BMU, thereby enabling the BMU to monitor multiple battery cells 2.

[0068] Specifically, referring to Figures 5A and 5B, the embodiment in Figure 5A provides a layout diagram of an input copper busbar 421, an output copper busbar 422, and a data acquisition board 51; the embodiment in Figure 5B shows a schematic diagram of the connection method of the input copper busbar 421 or the output copper busbar 422 in the embodiment in Figure 5A.

[0069] Referring to Figure 5A, in some embodiments, the front-end plate 20 has a through hole 201 that connects to the electrical compartment cavity 301 (refer to Figure 5B). The main electrode connector 42, the acquisition board 51, the wire harness, etc. can pass through the through hole 201 to connect the battery cell 2 in the housing cavity 101 (refer to Figure 1) and the electrical components 3 in the electrical compartment cavity 301. For example, the power board 4 and the disconnecting assembly 6 can be connected to the battery cell 2, or the battery cell 2 can be connected to the BMU through the acquisition board 51.

[0070] It is understandable that there are multiple through holes 201, and different total electrode connectors 42 or acquisition boards 51 can each correspond to one through hole 201.

[0071] Referring to Figure 5A, the through hole 201 has an inlet 202 and an outlet 203 that are interconnected. The main electrode connector 42 passes through the inlet 202 into the interior of the front end plate 20 and exits through the outlet 203. That is, the main electrode connector 42 passes through the inlet 202 into the through hole 201 provided in the front end plate 20 and exits through the outlet 203. In other words, the interior of the front end plate 20 has a receiving cavity, at least a portion of which together with the inlet 202 and the outlet 203 constitutes the through hole 201. The inlet 202 of the through hole 201 is located on the top surface 206 of the front end plate 20, that is, the inlet 202 of the through hole 201 is located on the surface of the front end plate 20 used for connecting with the upper cover 11. Since the top surface 206 of the front end plate 20 is usually not higher than the upper surface of the multiple battery cells 2, by setting the inlet 202 of the through hole 201 on the top surface 206 of the front end plate 20, the total electrode connector 42 or the acquisition plate 51 located on the upper surface of the multiple battery cells 2 can be conveniently inserted into the through hole 201 through the inlet 202 on the top surface 206 of the front end plate 20. Therefore, there is no need to leave space between the front end plate 20 and the multiple battery cells 2 for accommodating the total electrode connector 42 or the acquisition plate 51, and there is no need to leave material between the front end plate 20 and the multiple battery cells 2 for isolating or insulating the total electrode connector 42 or the acquisition plate 51 from the battery cells 2. That is, the battery cells 2 can directly contact the front end plate 20, thereby effectively improving the space occupancy rate of the battery cells 2 in the inner cavity 101 of the housing and increasing the energy density of the battery pack 1. Furthermore, since the main electrode connector 42 or the acquisition plate 51 does not need to extend between the front end plate 20 and the multiple battery cells 2, it does not affect the direct use of the front end plate 20 to compress the multiple battery cells 2 and apply pressure to them in the X direction. Therefore, by setting the inlet 202 of the through hole 201 on the top surface 206 of the front end plate 20, the multiple battery cells 2 can be clamped and fixed by the frame formed by the connection of the two end plates 15 and the two side plates 14, eliminating the need for end caps and cable ties, and improving the energy density of the battery pack 1. It can be understood that "between the front end plate 20 and the multiple battery cells 2" refers to the area between the surface of the front end plate 20 facing the battery cells and the surface of the battery cell 2 closest to the front end plate 20 in the X direction facing the front end plate 20.

[0072] Referring to Figure 5B, the outlet 203 of the through hole 201 is located on the side of the front end plate 20 away from the battery cell 2. That is, the through hole 201 penetrates the top surface 206 and the outer wall 23 of the front end plate 20. The outer wall 23 of the front end plate 20 is the surface away from the multiple battery cells 2. The outer wall 23 of the front end plate 20 is also the surface of the front end plate 20 facing the outside of the housing 10 (refer to Figure 1). The outlet 203 of the through hole 201 is connected to the inner cavity 301 of the electrical compartment. Specifically, the outlet 203 of the through hole 201 is located inside the frame 31 formed by the top wall 32, bottom wall 33 and two side walls 34 of the electrical compartment housing 30. That is, the electrical compartment housing 30 covers the outlet 203 to realize the connection between the through hole 201 and the inner cavity 301 of the electrical compartment. The main electrode connector 42 or the acquisition board 51 located on the upper surface of multiple battery cells 2 can pass through the through hole 201 from the inlet 202 on the top surface 206 of the front end plate 20, and then pass through the through hole 201 from the outlet 203 on the side 207 of the front end plate 20, and extend into the electrical compartment cavity 301 to achieve connection with the electrical components 3 in the electrical compartment cavity 301.

[0073] It is understandable that when the front-end plate 20 is made of non-metallic insulating material, the main electrode connector 42 will not cause a short circuit when it comes into contact with the front-end plate 20 as it passes through the multi-hole. When the front-end plate 20 is made of metallic material, the insulation between the main electrode connector 42 and the front-end plate 20 needs to be ensured when the main electrode connector 42 passes through the through hole 201. For example, insulating coating can be sprayed on the outer surface of the main electrode connector 42 that contacts the front-end plate 20, or insulating material such as foam can be provided between the inner wall of the through hole 201 and the main electrode connector 42.

[0074] Taking the main electrode connector 42 (input copper busbar 421 or output copper busbar 422) as an example, referring to Figure 5B, in some embodiments, the front end plate 20 is made of non-metallic insulating material, and a sealing material is provided between the main electrode connector 42 and the inlet 202 of the through hole 201. That is, a sealing material is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the main electrode connector 42 and the inner wall of the through hole 201, such as foam or other sealing materials. By providing a sealing material between the main electrode connector 42 and the inlet 202 of the through hole 201, the gas flow between the electrical compartment cavity 301 and the housing cavity 101 can be effectively guaranteed to be less than a preset threshold. That is, in the event of thermal runaway, the thermal runaway gas in the housing cavity 101 will not enter the electrical compartment cavity 301 in large quantities through the through hole 201.

[0075] To improve the stability of the main electrode connector 42, referring to Figures 4A and 5B, the electrical compartment housing 30 also includes a recess 351 formed from the outer wall 35 towards the front end plate 20. The main electrode connector 42 is fixedly connected to the bottom wall 3511 of the recess 351, for example, by fasteners such as screws or bolts passing through the bottom wall 3511 of the recess 351 to fix it to the main electrode connector 42. The design of the recess 351 facilitates the connection of fasteners such as screws or bolts through the recess 351 and its bottom wall 3511 to the main electrode connector 42, thereby improving the stability of the main electrode connector 42. It is understood that there can be two recesses 351, to be fixedly connected to the input copper busbar 421 and the output copper busbar 422 respectively.

[0076] In other embodiments, the portion of the main electrode connector 42 located within the through hole 201 can also be fixed to the inner wall of the through hole 201 (which is also the front end plate 20) by fasteners such as screws or bolts. The portion of the main electrode connector 42 extending into the electrical compartment cavity 301 can also be fixed to the front end plate 20 by fasteners such as screws or bolts, thereby effectively improving the stability of the main electrode connector 42. It is understood that the main electrode connector 42 can be a single piece or composed of multiple segments connected together.

[0077] As shown in Figures 6A and 6B, Figure 6A is a structural schematic diagram of the front-end plate 20 in the embodiment of Figure 2, which is also the front-end plate 20 in the embodiment of Figure 5B. Figure 6B is a cross-sectional view of the front-end plate 20 in the embodiment of Figure 6A. In some embodiments, the front-end plate 20 includes a top wall 21 and a bottom wall 22 that are opposite and spaced apart in the Z direction, an outer wall 23 and an inner wall 24 that are opposite and spaced apart in the X direction, and two side walls 25 that are opposite in the Y direction. The top wall 21, bottom wall 22, outer wall 23, inner wall 24, and two side walls 25 of the front-end plate 20 together form a cavity. The top surface 206 of the front-end plate 20 mentioned above is the surface of the top wall 21 facing the upper cover 11, and the side surface 207 of the front-end plate 20 is the surface of the outer wall 23 away from the battery cell 2 (see Figure 5B).

[0078] To improve the strength of the front end plate 20, the front end plate 20 also includes multiple reinforcing plates 26, which are connected between the outer wall 23 and the inner wall 24 to improve the overall strength of the front end plate 20. The multiple reinforcing plates 26 are arranged at intervals along the Z direction, and the multiple reinforcing plates 26 divide the cavity of the front end plate 20 into multiple chambers. For ease of description, the reinforcing plate 26 closest to the top wall 21 of the front end plate 20 is designated as the guide plate 29. The chamber formed by the guide plate 29, the top wall 21 of the front end plate 20, the outer wall 23, and the inner wall 24 is designated as the first chamber 208. A portion of the first chamber 208 communicates with the inlet 202 and the outlet 203 and together constitutes the through hole 201.

[0079] To facilitate the passage of the main electrode connector 42 or the acquisition plate 51 through the through hole 201, referring to Figures 6A and 6B, in some embodiments, the guide plate 29 is set at an angle to the top wall 21 of the front end plate 20, and the end of the guide plate 29 connected to the inner wall 24 is higher than the end connected to the outer wall 23. The front end plate 20 extends to the outlet 203 of the through hole 201. In this embodiment, when the main electrode connector 42 (refer to Figure 5B) or the acquisition plate 51 (refer to Figure 3) needs to pass through the through hole 201 into the electrical compartment cavity 301 (refer to Figure 5B), it first enters the first chamber 208 through the inlet 202 of the through hole 201. Under the guidance of the guide plate 29, the main electrode connector 42 or the acquisition plate 51 can smoothly pass from the first chamber 208 into the electrical compartment cavity 301 through the outlet 203 of the through hole 201, thereby effectively reducing the assembly difficulty of the battery pack 1.

[0080] It is understood that in some other embodiments, the front end plate 20 may also be solid, and a through hole 201 may be formed on the solid front end plate 20. The inner surface of the through hole 201 near the inner cavity 101 of the housing is flat, and the flat surface is set at an acute angle with the top surface. The flat surface extends from the inlet 202 of the through hole 201 to the outlet 203 of the through hole 201. This allows the main electrode connector 42 or the acquisition plate 51 to be smoothly inserted into the inner cavity 301 of the electrical compartment (see Figure 5B) through the flat surface, reducing the assembly difficulty of the battery pack 1. Of course, the inner surface of the through hole 201 near the cell 2 (see Figure 5B) may also be curved.

[0081] In other embodiments, as shown in FIG6C, another structural schematic diagram of the front end plate 20 is provided, in which multiple reinforcing plates 26 are arranged parallel to the top wall 21 of the front end plate 20. As shown in FIG6D, another structural schematic diagram of the front end plate 20 is provided, in which the reinforcing plate 26 located in the middle part of the multiple reinforcing plates 26 is inclined, that is, it is arranged at an angle to the top wall 21 of the front end plate 20, so as to form an approximately triangular structure with the other reinforcing plates 26 and the outer wall 23 or inner wall 24, thereby improving the structural strength of the front end plate 20.

[0082] As shown in the embodiments of Figures 6A-6D above, the front-end plate 20 can be integrally molded, for example, by extrusion, die casting, or injection molding. However, since the end of the acquisition plate 51 is usually connected to a connector 52 (as shown in Figure 3) for insertion with the connector 52 for connection with the BMU, thereby realizing the connection between the BMU and the acquisition plate 51, and the size of the connector 52 at the end of the acquisition plate 51 is relatively large, the size of the through hole 201 needs to be designed to be relatively large. However, a large through hole 201 not only leads to a large end plate 15, but also leads to a decrease in the strength of the end plate 15. If the through hole 201 is too small, the connector 52 at the end of the acquisition plate 51 cannot pass through smoothly. Therefore, this application also provides some other implementation methods, such as the front-end plate 20 in the embodiments of Figures 7A-7F below, which is manufactured by a split design concept to solve the problem of difficulty in passing the main electrode connector 42 or the acquisition plate 51 through the through hole 201.

[0083] Figure 7A provides a schematic diagram of another front-end board 20, and Figure 7B is an exploded view of the front-end board 20 in the embodiment of Figure 7A.

[0084] Referring to Figures 7A and 7B, in some embodiments, the front-end plate 20 is a split design. For example, the front-end plate 20 is composed of multiple detachably connected parts that together form the front-end plate 20. For instance, the front-end plate 20 has an assembly groove on its top, and it also includes an assembly 28 positioned above the assembly groove. In this embodiment, the assembly 28 and the front-end plate 20 are manufactured separately and then assembled. The assembly 28 and the front-end plate 20 can be connected by fasteners such as screws and bolts. Adhesive is provided on the connecting surfaces of the assembly 28 and the front-end plate 20 to ensure a tight seal at the connection point.

[0085] Specifically, the surface of the assembly 28 facing the upper cover 11 is flush with the surface of the front end plate 20 facing the upper cover 11, and together they form the top surface 206 of the front end plate 20. The side wall 284 of the assembly 28 away from the inner cavity 101 of the housing (see Figure 1) is flush with the outer wall 23 of the front end plate 20, and together they form the outer wall 23 of the front end plate 20.

[0086] The fitting 28 and the front end plate 20 cooperate to form a through hole 201, with the inlet 202 of the through hole 201 located on the top surface 206 of the front end plate 20 and the outlet 203 of the through hole 201 located on the side surface 207 of the front end plate 20. Specifically, there is a gap between the fitting 28 and the inner wall of the assembly groove 271, and the gap constitutes the through hole 201.

[0087] For example, in some embodiments, the assembly 28 has multiple notches 281, which penetrate the surface of the assembly 28 facing the top cover 11 and the surface of the assembly 28 away from the inner cavity 101 of the housing. That is, the notches 281 penetrate the top surface 285 and the side wall 284 of the assembly 28. The openings of the multiple notches on the top surface of the assembly are inlets, and the openings of the multiple notches on the side walls of the assembly are outlets. After the assembly 28 is assembled with the front end plate 20, the inner wall of the assembly groove 271 closes a part of the notches 281, thereby forming a through hole 201. That is, the assembly 28 forms a gap between its notches 281 and the inner wall of the assembly groove 271, and the gap constitutes the through hole 201. In this embodiment, since the through hole 201 is formed by the fitting 28 and the front-end plate 20, and the fitting 28 and the front-end plate 20 are assembled later, during assembly, the main electrode connector 42 (input copper busbar 421 or output copper busbar 422) and the acquisition plate 51 can be placed in the assembly slot 271 of the front-end plate 20 first. Then, the notch 281 of the fitting 28 is aligned with the main electrode connector 42 and the acquisition plate 51, and the front-end plate 20 and the fitting 28 are assembled by adhesive and fasteners. This makes it easier for the main electrode connector 42 and the acquisition plate 51 to pass through the through hole 201, and effectively solves the problem that the connector 52 connected to the end of the acquisition plate 51 cannot pass through the through hole 201. It can also effectively reduce the size of the through hole 201 to reduce the impact of the through hole 201 on the strength of the front-end plate 20.

[0088] For ease of description, the through hole 201 for passing through the main electrode connector 42 is designated as the first through hole 204, and the through hole 201 for passing through the acquisition plate 51 is designated as the second through hole 205. Referring to Figures 7A and 7B, in some embodiments, both the first through hole 204 and the second through hole 205 are formed by the fitting 28 and the front end plate 20. It is understood that in other embodiments, the inlet 202 may be located on the top surface 285 of the fitting 28, and the outlet 203 may be located on the side wall 284 of the fitting 28, meaning the through hole 201 is located on the fitting 28.

[0089] Figure 7C provides a schematic diagram of another front-end board 20, and Figure 7D is an exploded view of the front-end board 20 in the embodiment of Figure 7C. The main difference between the embodiments of Figures 7C and 7D and the embodiments of Figures 7A and 7B is that the first through hole 204 is formed on the front-end board 20, while the second through hole 205 is formed by the fitting 28 and the front-end board 20. In this embodiment, since the size of the total electrode connector 42 is small, it is not necessary to make the first through hole 204 too large. And since the second through hole 205 is formed by the fitting 28 and the front-end board 20, the problem that the connector 52 connected to the end of the acquisition board 51 cannot pass through the through hole 201 can be effectively solved.

[0090] Furthermore, in this embodiment, there are multiple fittings 28, and one fitting 28 can be matched with the front end plate 20 to form a second through hole 205.

[0091] It is understandable that the shape of the assembly 28 can be varied, for example, the assembly 28 in the embodiments of Figures 7C and 7D is generally rectangular.

[0092] Figure 7E provides another structural schematic diagram of the front panel 20, and Figure 7F is an exploded schematic diagram of the front panel 20 in the embodiment of Figure 7E. Similar to the embodiments of Figures 7A and 7B, the through hole 201 in the embodiments of Figures 7C and 7D is also formed by the fitting 28 and the front panel 20. However, unlike the embodiments of Figures 7A and 7B, the surface of the fitting 28 facing the upper cover 11 constitutes the top surface of the front panel 20 facing the upper cover 11. Furthermore, the inlet 202 of the through hole 201 is not located on the top surface 206 of the front panel 20, but rather on the inner wall 24 of the front panel 20 near the top wall 21 of the front panel 20, while the outlet 203 of the through hole 201 is located on the front panel 20.

[0093] Specifically, the fitting 28 is disposed within the assembly slot 271, with a gap between it and part of the inner wall of the assembly slot 271. An inlet 202 communicating with the gap is formed at one end of the inner wall 24 of the front end plate 20 near the top wall 21 of the front end plate 20. An outlet 203 communicating with the gap is provided on the front end plate 20. The inlet 202, the gap, and the outlet 203 constitute a through hole 201. Input copper busbar 421 or output copper or acquisition plate 51, etc., enter the electrical compartment cavity 301 from the inner cavity 101 of the housing through the through hole 201. In this embodiment, since the through hole 201 is formed by the fitting 28 and the front end plate 20, the problem that the connector 52 connected to the end of the acquisition plate 51 cannot pass through the through hole 201 can also be effectively solved. Moreover, since the top surface 206 of the front end plate 20 does not have an inlet 202 of the through hole 201, the connection area between the front end plate 20 and the upper cover 11 can be increased, thereby improving the connection strength between the upper cover 11 and the front end plate 20.

[0094] Referring to Figures 7E and 7F, in some embodiments, the assembly groove 271 is formed by the reinforcing plate 26 closest to the top wall 21, the outer wall 23, and the inner wall 24. The assembly groove 271 is generally U-shaped. In the Z direction, the outer wall 23 is higher than the inner wall 24. The side of the assembly 28 closest to the inner wall 24 forms a first gap 282 with the inner wall 24. The bottom wall of the assembly 28 and the guide plate 29 form a second gap 283. Since the outer wall 23 is higher than the inner wall 24 in the Z direction, a gap 281 is formed between the top wall of the assembly 28 and the inner wall 24. This gap 281 is the inlet 202 of the through hole 201. The outer wall 23 and the side wall of the assembly 28 away from the inner cavity 101 of the housing are bonded together. The outlet 203 is opened on the outer wall 23 and its height is aligned with the second gap 283 and communicates with the second gap 283. The first gap 282 and the second gap 283, the inlet 202, the first gap 282, the second gap 283 and the outlet 203 constitute the through hole 201.

[0095] The width of the top wall of the assembly 28 is the same as the width of the front end plate 20, and the top wall of the assembly 28 constitutes the top wall 21 of the front end plate 20.

[0096] To improve the connection strength between the assembly 28 and the front plate 20, in addition to bonding the assembly 28 and the front plate 20, screw connections or riveting can also be used to improve the connection strength between the assembly 28 and the front plate 20. For example, the bottom wall of the assembly 28 and the uppermost reinforcing plate 26 can be connected by bolts.

[0097] This application also provides an energy storage device, which includes a cabinet and a battery pack disposed in the cabinet. The battery pack can be the battery pack 1 in any of the above embodiments. The energy storage device can be an energy storage cabinet using the battery pack, a power cabinet of a data center, or even a vehicle using the battery pack.

[0098] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

A thermoelectrically isolated battery pack, characterized in that, The battery pack includes a housing and a plurality of battery cells located inside the housing cavity. The housing includes a bottom plate and a top cover opposite each other along the height direction of the battery pack, two side plates opposite each other along the width direction of the battery pack, and two end plates opposite each other along the length direction of the battery pack. The front end plate of the two end plates is connected to the two side plates at both ends in the width direction, and the front end plate is connected to the top cover and the bottom plate in the height direction. The battery pack also includes an electrical compartment housing located outside the housing, and a disconnection assembly located inside the electrical compartment housing. The electrical compartment housing is disposed on the side of the front end plate away from the plurality of battery cells, and the disconnection assembly is used to disconnect the electrical connection between the electrode terminals of the battery pack and the plurality of battery cells. The battery pack according to claim 1 is characterized in that, The front end plate is provided with a through hole, through which the main electrode connector of the multiple battery cells passes and is electrically connected to the electrical components. The battery pack according to claim 2 is characterized in that, The through hole includes an inlet and an outlet disposed on the surface of the front end plate, wherein the inlet is disposed on the top surface of the front end plate; the main electrode connector passes through the inlet into the interior of the front end plate and exits from the outlet. The battery pack according to claim 3 is characterized in that, The outlet is located on the outer wall of the front-end plate away from the plurality of battery cells. The battery pack according to claim 3 or 4 is characterized in that, The front end plate also includes a guide plate disposed inside the front end plate, the guide plate extending from the entrance of the through hole to the exit of the through hole. The battery pack according to claim 5 is characterized in that, The front end plate also includes a plurality of reinforcing plates spaced apart in the height direction of the battery pack. The plurality of reinforcing plates are disposed inside the front end plate and are respectively connected to the outer wall and inner wall of the front end plate opposite in the length direction. The plurality of reinforcing plates are located below the guide plate in the height direction. The battery pack according to any one of claims 3-6 is characterized in that, The electrical compartment housing has an opening facing the front panel, the electrical compartment housing covers the outer wall of the front panel, the outer wall of the front panel is the surface of the front panel facing outwards from the housing, and the electrical compartment housing covers the outlet. The battery pack according to any one of claims 3-7 is characterized in that, The front end plate has an assembly groove at its top. The front end plate also includes an assembly component, which is disposed above the assembly groove. The assembly component includes a top surface and a side wall. The top surface of the assembly component is parallel to the top surface of the front end plate, and the side wall of the assembly component is parallel to the outer wall of the front end plate. The inlet is disposed on the top surface of the assembly component, and the outlet is disposed on the side wall of the assembly component. The battery pack according to any one of claims 3-7 is characterized in that, The front end plate has an assembly groove at its top. The front end plate also includes an assembly component, which is disposed above the assembly groove. The assembly component includes a top surface and a side wall. The top surface of the assembly component is parallel to the top surface of the front end plate, and the side wall of the assembly component is parallel to the outer wall of the front end plate. A gap is formed between the assembly component and the inner wall of the assembly groove, and the through hole is the gap. The battery pack according to claim 9 is characterized in that, The assembly has multiple notches on one side facing the inner wall of the assembly groove. The multiple notches and the inner wall of the assembly groove form the through hole. The multiple notches penetrate the top surface and side wall of the assembly. The opening of the multiple notches on the top surface of the assembly is the inlet, and the opening of the multiple notches on the side wall of the assembly is the outlet. The battery pack according to claim 9 is characterized in that, The front end plate also includes a bottom wall, an outer wall, an inner wall, and multiple reinforcing plates. The outer wall and the inner wall are opposite to each other and spaced apart along the length direction. The multiple reinforcing plates are connected between the outer wall and the inner wall and are spaced apart along the height direction of the battery pack. The reinforcing plate farthest from the bottom wall, together with the outer wall and the inner wall, forms the assembly groove. The assembly is located between the outer wall and the inner wall. The top surface of the assembly is used to connect with the top cover. The assembly is connected to the outer wall. A first gap is left between the assembly and the inner wall. A second gap is left between the assembly and the reinforcing plate farthest from the bottom wall. The first gap and the second gap are connected. An outlet communicating with the second gap is provided on the outer wall. An inlet communicating with the first gap is provided on the end of the inner wall away from the bottom wall. The inlet, the first gap, the second gap, and the outlet together form the through hole. The battery pack according to any one of claims 2-11 is characterized in that, The battery pack also includes a battery management unit located inside the electrical compartment housing. The battery pack also includes a sampling plate located between the top cover and the plurality of battery cells. The sampling plate is used to collect the voltage or temperature of the plurality of battery cells, and the output wire of the sampling plate passes through the through hole and is connected to the battery management unit. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1-12 is characterized in that, The plurality of battery cells includes at least one column of battery cells arranged along the length direction, the two side plates are bonded to both sides of the at least one column of battery cells in the width direction of the battery pack, the two end plates are attached to both sides of the at least one column of battery cells in the length direction of the battery pack, and the two end plates and the two side plates are connected to form a frame for fixing the at least one column of battery cells. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1-13 is characterized in that, The two end plates are non-metallic insulating plates. An energy storage device, characterized in that, It includes a cabinet and a battery pack as described in any one of claims 1-14, wherein the battery pack is disposed within the cabinet.

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