ORIENTED PRESSURE RELIEF STRUCTURE, BATTERY BOX, BATTERY, AND ELECTRIC APPARATUS

This application relates to an oriented pressure relief structure, a battery box, a battery, and an electric apparatus. A pressure relief assembly can control, based on a relationship between an internal pressure of the battery and a preset pressure, a cover to switch between a pressure relief position and a sealing position to implement opening and closing of a pressure relief channel, thereby implementing reuse of the oriented pressure relief structure.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates to the field of battery technologies, and in particular, to an oriented pressure relief structure, a battery box, a battery, and an electric apparatus.

BACKGROUND

With the increasing application of battery technologies in daily life, the safety performance of batteries is receiving more and more attention. Typically, the cause of battery safety issues is thermal runaway. As the temperature continues to rise, various reactions occur inside a battery, accompanied by the generation of a large amount of gas, leading to a sharp rise in internal pressure of the battery.

Therefore, to prevent the problem of battery explosion caused by the sharp rise in internal pressure, a pressure relief structure is provided in the battery. When the internal pressure of the battery rises sharply, the gas inside the battery can be discharged through the pressure relief structure, thus achieving the purpose of pressure relief and improving the safety performance of the battery.

However, when pressure is relieved for the battery through the pressure relief structure, the gas rushing out from inside the battery needs to break the pressure relief structure before it can be discharged. After one pressure relief event, the pressure relief structure cannot be reused, resulting in high use costs.

SUMMARY

In view of this, it is necessary to address the problem that existing pressure relief structures are not reusable and have high use costs by providing an oriented pressure relief structure, a battery box, a battery, and an electric apparatus.

According to a first aspect, this application provides an oriented pressure relief structure for relieving pressure inside a battery. The oriented pressure relief structure includes: a main body, where the main body is provided with a pressure relief channel communicating with the inside and outside of the battery; a cover movably covering the main body; and a pressure relief assembly connected between the main body and the cover; where the pressure relief assembly is capable of controlling, based on a relationship between an internal pressure of the battery and a preset pressure, the cover to switch between a pressure relief position for opening the pressure relief channel and a sealing position for blocking the pressure relief channel.

In the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the cover can switch, under the control of the pressure relief assembly, between the pressure relief position and the sealing position based on the changes in the internal pressure of the battery, implementing automatic discharge of gas inside the battery and enabling reuse of the oriented pressure relief structure. This not only improves the safety performance of the battery but also significantly reduces use costs.

In some embodiments, the pressure relief assembly includes a rotating shaft, where the rotating shaft is disposed at one of the main body and the cover, the other one of the main body and the cover is provided with a shaft cavity for the rotating shaft to pass through, and the cover rotates around the main body through the rotating shaft.

In the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the cover rotates around the rotating shaft with respect to the main body, which can implement rapid switch of the cover between the pressure relief position and the sealing position.

In some embodiments, the pressure relief channel is located on one side of the rotating shaft in a radial direction of the rotating shaft.

In the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, when the cover rotates around the rotating shaft, a gap is created between the cover and the pressure relief channel, allowing the gas inside the battery to be discharged through the pressure relief channel.

In some embodiments, the pressure relief assembly includes an elastic member connected between the main body and the cover, where the elastic member is located on the other side of the rotating shaft facing away from the pressure relief channel in the radial direction of the rotating shaft and is configured to provide a restoring force for restoring the cover from the pressure relief position to the sealing position.

In the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, as the gas inside the battery is gradually discharged, the cover can rotate toward a side close to the pressure relief channel under the pressure of the elastic member until the cover is hermetically connected to the pressure relief channel, to be specific, restored from the pressure relief position to the sealing position. Therefore, the elastic member can implement quick restoring of the cover from the pressure relief position to the sealing position and allow for simpler structure.

In some embodiments, when in the sealing position, the elastic member is in a compressed state.

In the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, when the cover is in the sealing position, the elastic member applies a pressure to the cover to make the cover rotate toward the side of the pressure relief channel, ensuring tight connection between the cover and the pressure relief channel and avoiding gas leakage.

In some embodiments, the main body is provided with a limiting portion, where the limiting portion is located on a side on which the pressure relief channel is located in the radial direction of the rotating shaft, and at least a portion of the cover abuts against the limiting portion under an action of the elastic member.

In the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the cover can be prevented from rotating excessively, thus ensuring hermetic connection between the cover and the pressure relief channel.

In some embodiments, the limiting portion is a limiting notch formed by recessing a surface of the main body facing the cover, and at least a portion of the cover abuts on the limiting notch.

In the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the cover can abut against the limiting notch, ensuring that the cover blocks the pressure relief channel.

In some embodiments, the oriented pressure relief structure includes a sealing member, where the sealing member is hermetically connected between the cover and the pressure relief channel, and the sealing member can improve the sealing performance between the cover and pressure relief channel.

According to a second aspect, this application provides a battery box including a box body and the foregoing oriented pressure relief structure, where the oriented pressure relief structure is disposed on the box body, and the box body is provided with an exhaust vent communicating with the pressure relief channel.

According to a third aspect, this application provides a battery including the foregoing battery box and a battery module disposed inside the battery box.

According to a fourth aspect, this application provides an electric apparatus including a power consuming body and the foregoing battery.

For the foregoing oriented pressure relief structure, battery box, battery, and electric apparatus, the pressure relief assembly can control, based on the relationship between an internal pressure of the battery and the preset pressure, the cover to switch between the pressure relief position and the sealing position to implement opening and closing of the pressure relief channel, thereby implementing reuse of the oriented pressure relief structure.

The foregoing description is merely an overview of the technical solutions of this application. For a better understanding of the technical means in this application such that they can be implemented according to the content of the specification, and to make the above and other objectives, features and advantages of this application more obvious and easier to understand, the following describes specific embodiments of this application.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The following describes in detail the embodiments of technical solutions of this application with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are merely intended for a clearer description of the technical solutions of this application and therefore are used as just examples which do not constitute any limitations on the protection scope of this application.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein shall have the same meanings as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application relates. The terms used herein are intended to merely describe the specific embodiments rather than to limit this application. The terms “include”, “comprise”, and “have” and any other variations thereof in the specification, claims and brief description of drawings of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

In the description of the embodiments of this application, the terms “first”, “second” and the like are merely intended to distinguish between different objects, and shall not be understood as any indication or implication of relative importance or any implicit indication of the number, sequence or primary-secondary relationship of the technical features indicated. In the description of this application, “a plurality of” means at least two unless otherwise specifically stated.

In this specification, reference to “embodiment” means that specific features, structures or characteristics described with reference to the embodiment may be incorporated in at least one embodiment of this application. The word “embodiment” appearing in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or an independent or alternative embodiment that is exclusive of other embodiments. It is explicitly or implicitly understood by persons skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term “and/or” is only an associative relationship for describing associated objects, indicating that three relationships may be present. For example, A and/or B may indicate the following three cases: presence of only A, presence of both A and B, and presence of only B. In addition, the character “/” in this specification generally indicates an “or” relationship between contextually associated objects.

In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term “a plurality of” means more than two (inclusive). Similarly, “a plurality of groups” means more than two (inclusive) groups, and “a plurality of pieces” means more than two (inclusive) pieces.

In the description of the embodiments of this application, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by the technical terms “center”, “longitudinal”, “transverse”, “length”, “width”, “thickness”, “upper”, “lower”, “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, “inside”, “outside”, “clockwise”, “counterclockwise”, “axial”, “radial”, “circumferential”, and the like are based on the orientations or positional relationships as shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are merely for ease and brevity of description of the embodiments of this application rather than indicating or implying that the means or components mentioned must have specific orientations or must be constructed or manipulated according to specific orientations, and therefore shall not be construed as any limitations on embodiments of this application.

Currently, from a perspective of the market development, application of traction batteries is being more extensive. Traction batteries have been not only used in energy storage power supply systems such as hydroelectric power plants, thermal power plants, wind power plants, and solar power plants, but also widely used in many other fields including electric transportation tools such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric vehicles, military equipment, and aerospace. With continuous expansion of application fields of traction batteries, market demands for the traction batteries are also expanding.

During the use of traction batteries, their internal temperature continuously rises, and thermal runaway may even occur. As the temperature continues to rise, various reactions occur inside a battery, accompanied by the generation of a large amount of gas, leading to a sharp rise in internal pressure of the battery.

To prevent the problem of battery explosion caused by the sharp rise in internal pressure, a pressure relief structure is generally provided in the battery. When the internal pressure of the battery increases to a certain extent, the gas inside the battery will break through an explosion-proof sheet in the pressure relief structure, thereby discharging the gas.

However, the applicant has found that the pressure relief structures in the prior art usually can implement pressure relief only once. After the gas inside the battery breaks through the explosion-proof sheet and is discharged, the pressure relief structure cannot be restored to a sealed state, and the explosion-proof sheet needs to be replaced, resulting in inconvenient use and high costs of the pressure relief structure in the prior art.

In addition, when breaking through the explosion-proof sheet, the gas can only be discharged in a direction perpendicular to the explosion-proof sheet. However, in actual use, an installation environment of the battery is often complex, with other devices installed around the battery. When breaking through in a direction perpendicular to the explosion-proof sheet, the gas may affect normal operation of other devices around the battery.

In view of the above problems, the applicant has found through research that provision of an oriented pressure relief structure that can freely switch between opening and closing a pressure relief channel allows for the reuse of the oriented pressure relief structure.

Moreover, since the oriented pressure relief structure is provided with a cover for opening and closing the pressure relief channel, the cover can provide certain blockage to the pressure relief channel, causing the gas rushing out through the pressure relief channel to experience certain change in direction under the blockage of the cover. Therefore, an installation position of the cover can be used to achieve oriented discharge of gas, thereby implementing oriented pressure relief and avoiding the influence on the normal operation of other devices around the battery when the gas is discharged.

Referring toFIGS.1,2, and3,FIG.1is a schematic diagram of an overall structure of an oriented pressure relief structure according to an embodiment of this application,FIG.2is a cross-sectional view of an oriented pressure relief structure according to an embodiment of this application, andFIG.3is a locally enlarged view of a location A inFIG.2.

An embodiment of this application provides an oriented pressure relief structure100for relieving pressure inside a battery. The oriented pressure relief structure100includes a main body10, a cover20, and a pressure relief assembly30. The main body10is provided with a pressure relief channel11communicating with the inside and outside of the battery. The cover20movably covers the main body10, and the pressure relief assembly30is connected between the main body10and the cover20. In addition, the pressure relief assembly30can control, based on a relationship between an internal pressure of the battery and a preset pressure, the cover20to switch between a pressure relief position for opening the pressure relief channel11and a sealing position for blocking the pressure relief channel11.

It should be noted that the main body10is constructed as a hollow cylindrical structure, and the pressure relief channel11runs through the cylindrical structure along an axial direction thereof. When provided on a structure with pressure to be relieved, the main body10allows the pressure relief channel11to communicate with the internal space of the structure with pressure to be relieved, facilitating the discharge of gas inside the structure with pressure to be relieved. It can be understood that the main body10may alternatively be arranged as other structure than the cylindrical structure, for example, the main body10is arranged as a hollow rectangular structure or the like. This is not described herein.

Further, the cover20is a circular plate-shaped structure that matches the main body10. The cover20covers the main body10in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the main body10, allowing the cover20to block the pressure relief channel11. It can be understood that when the main body10is arranged as other structure than the cylindrical structure, the cover20should have a corresponding shape that matches the opening shape of the main body10. For example, when the main body10is a hollow rectangular structure, the cover20is a corresponding rectangular plate-shaped structure so as to be engaged with the main body10.

In addition, the pressure relief assembly30connected between the main body10and the cover20is mainly for controlling the movement of the cover20relative to the main body10, therefore the pressure relief assembly30can be arranged as a connecting structure such as a rotating shaft or a hinge. Specifically, the connection of the pressure relief assembly30allows the cover20to move relative to the main body10under the action of an external force, and to open or close the pressure relief channel11in the process of movement.

Specifically, the cover20can move relative to the main body10under the control of the pressure relief assembly30. When the internal pressure of the battery is less than or equal to the preset pressure, the cover20is stationary relative to the main body10and covers the main body10, in which case the cover20is in the sealing position for blocking the pressure relief channel11. In this way, it can ensure that the inside of the battery is in a sealed state, ensuring the normal use of the battery.

When the internal pressure of the battery is greater than the preset pressure, the cover20moves relative to the main body10under the control of the pressure relief assembly30and switches from the sealing position to the pressure relief position for opening the pressure relief channel11. Since the pressure relief channel11is opened, the gas inside the battery can be discharged through the pressure relief channel11, thus achieving pressure relief of the battery and improving the safety performance of the battery.

In this way, the cover20can switch between the pressure relief position and the sealing position based on the changes in the internal pressure of the battery, thereby implementing automatic discharge of the gas inside the battery, improving the safety performance of the battery, and significantly reducing use costs.

In some embodiments, the pressure relief assembly30includes a rotating shaft31, where the rotating shaft31is disposed at one of the main body10and the cover20, the other one of the main body10and the cover20is provided with a shaft cavity32for the rotating shaft31to pass through, and the cover20rotates around the main body10through the rotating shaft31. Specifically, in this embodiment, the rotating shaft31is provided on the main body10, and the shaft cavity32is provided on the cover20, to be specific, the cover20is rotationally connected to the main body10through the cooperation of the rotating shaft31and the shaft cavity32. When the internal pressure of the battery is less than or equal to the preset pressure, the cover20covers the main body10and is perpendicular to an extension direction of the pressure relief channel11to block the pressure relief channel11. When the internal pressure of the battery is greater than the preset pressure, the cover20rotates around the rotating shaft31under the impact force of the gas inside the battery, and at the same time, a gap is created between the cover20and the pressure relief channel11, allowing the gas to be discharged through the gap.

Further, since the cover20is perpendicular to the extension direction of the pressure relief channel11and covers the pressure relief channel11, even after the cover20rotates a certain angle around the rotating shaft31, the gas discharged through the pressure relief channel11cannot be directly discharged in the extension direction of the pressure relief channel11, but changes direction after blocked by the cover20instead and is discharged through the gap between the cover20and the pressure relief channel11.

In this way, oriented pressure relief can be implemented for the battery, preventing the gas from directly rushing out of the pressure relief channel11and damaging other devices around the battery.

In some embodiments, the pressure relief channel11is located on one side of the rotating shaft31in a radial direction of the rotating shaft31. Specifically, to facilitate the rotation of the cover20relative to the main body10, the rotating shaft31is provided in the middle of the main body10and divides the main body10into upper and lower parts. Similarly, the shaft cavity32is provided in the middle of the cover20and divides the cover20into upper and lower parts respectively corresponding to the upper and lower parts of the main body10.

On a plane parallel to the cover20, the pressure relief channel11is located on one side of the rotating shaft31in the radial direction of the rotating shaft31, to be specific, the pressure relief channel11is provided in the lower part of the main body10. In this way, when the cover20rotates around the rotating shaft31, a gap is created between the cover20and the pressure relief channel11, allowing the gas inside the battery to be discharged through the pressure relief channel11.

In some embodiments, the pressure relief assembly30includes an elastic member33connected between the main body10and the cover20, where the elastic member33is located on the other side of the rotating shaft31facing away from the pressure relief channel11in the radial direction of the rotating shaft31and is configured to provide a restoring force for restoring the cover20from the pressure relief position to the sealing position, implementing quick reset of the cover20.

Specifically, the elastic member33may be provided as a spring. On a plane parallel to the cover20, the spring is disposed on the other side away from the pressure relief channel11in the radial direction of the rotating shaft31, to be specific, the spring is provided in the upper part of the main body10. In this way, as the gas inside the battery is gradually discharged, the cover20can rotate toward a side close to the pressure relief channel11under the pressure of the spring until the cover20is hermetically connected to the pressure relief channel11, to be specific, restored from the pressure relief position to the sealing position. Certainly, the elastic member33may alternatively be arranged as other elastic structural member than the spring. This is not described herein.

Further, when in the sealing position, the elastic member33is in a compressed state. In this way, when the cover20is in the sealing position, the elastic member33applies a pressure to the cover20to make the cover20rotate toward the side of the pressure relief channel11, ensuring tight connection between the cover20and the pressure relief channel11and avoiding gas leakage.

In some embodiments, the main body10is provided with a limiting portion12, where the limiting portion12is located on a side on which the pressure relief channel11is located in the radial direction of the rotating shaft31, and at least a portion of the cover20abuts against the limiting portion12under an action of the elastic member33.

Specifically, the limiting portion12is provided in the lower part of the main body10, that is, together with the pressure relief channel11on a same side of the rotating shaft31. When the cover20is in the sealing position, the cover20tends to rotate toward the side close to the pressure relief channel11under the pressure of the elastic member33. The provision of the limiting portion12allows the lower part of the cover20to abut against the limiting portion12, avoiding excessive rotation of the cover20, and thus ensuring hermetic connection between the cover20and the pressure relief channel11.

In some embodiments, the limiting portion12is a limiting notch formed by recessing a surface of the main body10facing the cover20, and at least a portion of the cover20abuts on the limiting notch. Specifically, under the pressure of the elastic member33, the cover20tends to rotate toward the side close to the pressure relief channel11, therefore, a limiting notch recessed inward is formed at the lower part of the main body10, allowing the lower part of the cover20to abut against the limiting notch, and ensuring that the cover20blocks the pressure relief channel11.

In some embodiments, the oriented pressure relief structure100includes a sealing member40, where the sealing member40is hermetically connected between the cover20and the pressure relief channel11. Specifically, the sealing member40is a sealing strip that matches a radial contour of the pressure relief channel11, and the sealing strip is sealed between the cover20and the pressure relief channel11along the radial contour of the pressure relief channel11, which can improve the sealing performance between the cover20and the pressure relief channel11.

Referring toFIGS.4and5,FIG.4is a schematic diagram of an overall structure of a battery box according to an embodiment of this application, andFIG.5is an exploded structural view of a battery box according to an embodiment of this application. Following the idea of the foregoing oriented pressure relief structure100, this application further provides a battery box1000including a box body200and the foregoing oriented pressure relief structure100. The oriented pressure relief structure100is disposed on the box body200, and the box body200is provided with an exhaust vent communicating with the pressure relief channel11. Gas generated inside the box body200can enter the pressure relief channel11through the exhaust vent and then be discharged through the oriented pressure relief structure100.

Following the idea of the foregoing battery box1000, this application further provides a battery including the foregoing battery box1000and a battery module disposed inside the battery box1000.

Following the idea of the foregoing battery, this application further provides an electric apparatus battery including a power consuming body10and the foregoing battery.

In specific use of this application, when an internal pressure of the battery box1000is less than or equal to a preset pressure, the cover20abuts against the limiting notch under the pressure of the spring, thus making the cover20be located in the sealing position for blocking the pressure relief channel11. When the internal pressure of the battery box1000is greater than the preset pressure, the gas inside the battery box1000enters the pressure relief channel11through the exhaust vent, the cover20rotates toward a side away from the pressure relief channel11under the impact force of the gas, and a gap is created between the cover20and the pressure relief channel11, so that the pressure relief channel11is opened, and the gas inside the battery box1000is smoothly discharged.

As the gas inside the battery box1000is gradually discharged, the internal pressure of the battery box1000gradually decreases. When the internal pressure of the battery box1000is less than the preset pressure, the cover20rotates toward a side close to the pressure relief channel11under the pressure of the spring until the cover20abuts against the limiting notch, thereby being restored from the pressure relief position to the sealing position.

The oriented pressure relief structure100, battery box1000, battery, and electric apparatus in the foregoing embodiments have at least the following advantages:(1) The pressure relief assembly30can control the cover20to flexibly switch between the pressure relief position and the sealing position, implementing the reuse of the oriented pressure relief assembly30and reducing use costs.(2) The cover20opens or closes the pressure relief channel11through rotation, allowing the gas inside the battery to be discharged laterally through the pressure relief channel11, preventing the gas from directly rushing out of the pressure relief channel11which otherwise affects normal operation of other devices around the battery.(3) The elastic member33applies a certain pressure to the cover20, allowing the cover20to abut against the limiting notch, thereby improving the airtightness between the cover20and the pressure relief channel11.

According to some embodiments of this application, referring toFIG.1, this application provides an oriented pressure relief structure100including a main body10provided with a pressure relief channel11and a cover20that can rotate relative to the main body10around a rotating shaft31. When the cover20is in a sealing position, the cover20abuts against a limiting notch on the main body10under the pressure of an elastic member33, thereby ensuring a tight connection between the cover20and the pressure relief channel11. When an internal pressure of a battery is greater than a preset pressure, the cover20rotates toward a side away from the pressure relief channel11under the impact force of gas inside the battery, so as to switch from the sealing position to a pressure relief position.

When the cover20is in the pressure relief position, the gas inside the battery can be discharged through a gap between the cover20and the pressure relief channel11. In addition, due to the blockage of the cover20, the gas is discharged from the side instead of directly rushing out of the pressure relief channel11and affecting other devices around the battery.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the foregoing embodiments are for description of the technical solutions of this application only rather than for limiting this application. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, persons of ordinary skill in the art should appreciate that they can still make modifications to the technical solutions described in the embodiments or make equivalent replacements to some or all technical features thereof without departing from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application. All such modifications and equivalent replacements shall fall within the scope of claims and specification of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any manner. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed in this specification but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.