Patent Publication Number: US-2022216555-A1

Title: Box body, battery pack, and device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/CN2020/124544 filed on Oct. 28, 2020, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201922027008.8, filed on Nov. 21, 2019. The aforementioned patent applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This application relates to the field of energy storage devices, and in particular, to a box body, a battery pack, and a device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     After being connected in series and in parallel, battery modules are mounted in a battery box. A battery module includes battery cells as well as end plates and side plates configured to fix the battery cells. 
     To reduce weight, the end plates and side plates may be omitted. The battery cells may be directly mounted in the battery box after being grouped. However, burrs tend to occur at a joint in a structure in a box body. The burrs may puncture or damage an insulation film outside the battery cells, and lead to a short circuit of the battery cells and cause a battery safety problem. 
     SUMMARY 
     This application provides a box body, a battery pack, and a device to solve problems in the prior art and improve safety of a battery. 
     One aspect of this application provides a box body applied to a battery pack, including a first beam and a second beam. 
     The first beam and the second beam intersect each other, and are connected by a connecting portion, and partition the box body into a plurality of accommodation spaces. 
     The first beam includes a body and a recess. The recess is recessed inward relative to the body. The connecting portion is disposed in the recess. 
     In a possible implementation, the recess includes recess faces. The recess faces are located on two sides of the recess. The connecting portion is disposed on each recess face. 
     In a possible implementation, a first slot is disposed in the recess, and a second slot is disposed on the second beam. The first beam and the second beam are plug-connected through the first slot and the second slot. 
     In a possible implementation, first mounting plates are disposed on two sides of the second slot. 
     The first mounting plates are connected to the recess. 
     In a possible implementation, the connecting portion is disposed at an edge of each first mounting plate. 
     In a possible implementation, a second mounting plate is disposed at a bottom of the second beam. 
     A bottom plate is further disposed at a bottom of the box body, and the second mounting plate is connected to the bottom plate. 
     In a possible implementation, a notch is disposed on the second mounting plate, and the notch is configured to avoid the recess. 
     In a possible implementation, a width of the notch is greater than a width of the recess. 
     In a possible implementation, the connecting portion is a weld. 
     Another aspect of this application provides a battery pack, including: the box body described above; and a battery cell accommodated in an accommodation space of the box body. 
     Still another aspect of this application provides a device. The device includes the battery pack described above. The battery pack is configured to provide electrical energy. 
     The technical solutions provided in this application achieve the following beneficial effects: 
     In the box body, the battery pack, and the device according to this application, the box body includes the first beam and the second beam. The first beam and the second beam intersect each other, and are connected by the connecting portion, and partition the box body into a plurality of accommodation spaces. The first beam includes a body and a recess. The recess is recessed inward relative to the body. The connecting portion is disposed in the recess. In this way, a joint position between the first beam and the second beam will not protrude from a lateral surface of the first beam, thereby preventing a short circuit of a battery cell caused by puncture of or damage to an insulation film outside the battery cell, and improving safety performance of the battery. 
     Understandably, the above general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary without limiting this application. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       To describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application more clearly, the following outlines the accompanying drawings to be used in the description of the embodiments of this application. Apparently, the accompanying drawings outlined below are merely some embodiments of this application, and a person of ordinary skill in the art may derive other drawings from these accompanying drawings without making any creative efforts. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic structural diagram of a battery pack according to an embodiment of this application; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic structural diagram of a box body applied to a battery pack according to an embodiment of this application; 
         FIG. 3  is a local detailed view of a part A shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic exploded view of a box body applied to a battery pack according to an embodiment of this application; 
         FIG. 5  is a local detailed view of a part B shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic structural diagram of a longitudinal beam in a box body according to an embodiment of this application; and 
         FIG. 7  is a local detailed view of a part C shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
                   
                 100: Battery pack; 
               
               
                   
                   
                  1: Box body; 
               
               
                   
                   
                     11: First beam; 
               
               
                   
                   
                       111: Body; 
               
               
                   
                   
                       112: Recess; 
               
               
                   
                   
                         112a: Recess face; 
               
               
                   
                   
                       113: First slot; 
               
               
                   
                   
                       114: Third mounting plate; 
               
               
                   
                   
                    12: Second beam; 
               
               
                   
                   
                      121: Second slot; 
               
               
                   
                   
                      122: First mounting plate; 
               
               
                   
                   
                      123: Second mounting plate; 
               
               
                   
                   
                        123a: Notch; 
               
               
                   
                   
                   13: Bottom plate; 
               
               
                   
                   
                   14: Connecting part; 
               
               
                   
                   
                   15: Accommodation space; and 
               
               
                   
                   
                  2: Battery cell. 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     The drawings described here are incorporated into the specification as a part of the specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of this application and are used together with the specification to interpret the principles of this application. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following explicitly and fully describes the technical solutions of this application with reference to accompanying drawings. Apparently, the described embodiments are a part rather than all of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments derived by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of this application without making any creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of this application. 
     The terms used in the embodiments of this application are intended only for describing specific embodiments rather than for limiting this application. Unless otherwise expressly indicated in the context, the words “a”, “the”, and “this” that precede a singular noun in the embodiments and claims of this application are intended to include the plural form thereof. 
     Understandably, the term “and/or” used herein merely describes an association relationship between associated objects and indicates existence of three relationships. For example, “A and/or B” may indicate existence of A alone, coexistence of A and B, and existence of B alone. In addition, the character “/” herein generally indicates an “or” relationship between the object preceding the character and the object following the character. 
     It needs to be noted that localizers such as “on”, “above”, “under”, “below”, “left”, and “right” used in the embodiments of this application are described from a perspective shown in the accompanying drawings, and shall not be understood as a limitation on the embodiments of this application. In addition, understandably, depending on the context, one element described as being connected “on” or “under” another element not only means that the element may be directly connected “on” or “under” the other element, but also means that the element may be indirectly connected “on” or “under” the other element through an intermediate element. 
     An embodiment of this application provides a device. The device may be an electric vehicle, a ship, a small aircraft, an energy storage cabinet, or the like. Using a vehicle as an example, the vehicle may include a battery pack and a vehicle body. The battery pack is disposed in the vehicle body. A driving motor is further disposed in the vehicle body, and the driving motor is electrically connected to the battery pack and is powered by the battery pack. The driving motor is connected to wheels of the vehicle body through a transmission mechanism to drive the vehicle to run. In a specific embodiment, the battery pack may be disposed at a bottom of the vehicle body. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic structural diagram of a battery pack according to an embodiment of this application. As shown in  FIG. 1 , this embodiment of this application provides a battery pack  100 , including a box body  1  and a battery cell  2 . The battery cell  2  is accommodated in an accommodation space  15  of the box body  1 . The battery cell  2  may be plural in number, and the plurality of battery cells  2  are stacked on each other and accommodated in the accommodation space  15 . The battery pack  100  may further include an upper cover (not shown). The upper cover is connected to the box body  1  and encloses the battery cell  2  in the box body  1 . 
     In the prior art, to reduce weight, end plates and side plates configured to fix the battery cell  2  are omitted, and the battery cell  2  is directly disposed in the box body  1 . This brings a problem that burrs of the box body  1  may puncture or damage the battery cell  2 . The box body, the battery pack, and the device according to this embodiment of this application can solve the such technical problem in the prior art. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic structural diagram of a box body applied to a battery pack according to an embodiment of this application, and  FIG. 3  is a local detailed view of a part A shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , an embodiment of this application further provides the box body  1  applied to the battery pack  100 . The box body  1  includes a first beam  11  and a second beam  12 . In an embodiment, the first beam  11  may be a cross beam extending in a width direction Y of the battery pack  100 . The second beam  12  is a longitudinal beam extending in a length direction X of the battery pack  100 . In other embodiments, the first beam  11  may be a longitudinal beam, and correspondingly, the second beam  12  is a cross beam. This is not further limited herein. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , in this embodiment, the first beam  11  is a cross beam, and the second beam  12  is a longitudinal beam. The first beam  11  extends in the width direction Y of the battery pack  100 , and the second beam  12  extends in the length direction X of the battery pack  100 . The first beam  11  may be one or more in number, and the second beam  12  may also be one or more in number. The first beam  11  and the second beam  12  intersect each other, and are connected by a connecting portion  14 , and partition the box body  1  into a plurality of accommodation spaces  15  configured to accommodate the battery cells  2 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the first beam  11  includes a body  111  and a recess  112 . The body  111  and the recess  112  may be integrally formed. The recess  112  is recessed inward relative to the body  111 . The connecting portion  14  is disposed in the recess  112 . 
     With the box body  1  provided in this embodiment of this application, the recess  112  is disposed on the first beam  11 . The connecting portion  14  is disposed in the recess  112 . In this way, a joint position between the first beam  11  and the second beam  12  will not protrude from a lateral surface of the first beam  11 . In a case that no end plates or side plates are available for protection, the box body  1  according to this embodiment of this application can prevent burrs of the box body  1  from puncturing or damaging an insulation film outside the battery cell  2  and prevent a short circuit of the battery cell  2  arising therefrom, thereby improving safety performance of the battery. 
     In this embodiment, the first beam  11  is a cross beam. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the recess  112  is recessed in the length direction X. In other embodiments, the recess  112  may be disposed on the second beam  12 , and the second beam  12  is a longitudinal beam. The recess  112  is recessed in the width direction Y. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic exploded view of a box body applied to a battery pack according to an embodiment of this application, and  FIG. 5  is a local detailed view of a part B shown in  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , in a specific implementation, the recess  112  includes recess faces  112   a . The recess faces  112   a  are located on two sides of the recess  112 . The connecting portion  14  is disposed on each recess face  112   a . The recess face  112   a  may be approximately parallel to an extension direction of the first beam  11 . 
     The recess face  112   a  may be integrally formed by stamping on the body  111 . The recess face  112   a  disposed can provide an enough space for accommodating the connecting portion  14 , and prevent the connecting portion  14  from protruding beyond two sides of the body  111  of the first beam  11 . After the battery cell  2  is mounted into the box body  1 , the connecting portion  14  will not damage the insulation film outside the battery cell  2 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , in a specific implementation, a first slot  113  is disposed in the recess  112 . The first slot  113  may be cut out in the recess  112 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , a second slot  121  is disposed on the second beam  12 . The second slot  121  may be cut out on the second beam  12 . The first beam  11  and the second beam  12  are plug-connected through the first slot  113  and the second slot  121 . After the first slot  113  and the second slot  121  are plug-connected, the first beam  11  is connected to the second beam  12  by the connecting portion  14 . 
     In this embodiment, the first beam  11  may be plural in number. A plurality of first beams  11  are approximately parallel to each other. The second beam  12  may be one in number. With the second slot  121  disposed on the second beam  12 , the second beam  12  can be connected to the plurality of first beams  11  in an integral structure without disconnecting the second beam  12 , thereby enhancing overall strength of the first beam  11  and the second beam  12 . In addition, by disposing the first slot  113  in the recess  112  of the first beam  11  and disposing the second slot  121  on the second beam  12 , this application reduces an overall height of the first beam  11  and the second beam  12 , and reduces an overall space occupied by the box body  1  on the device (such as an electric vehicle). 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic structural diagram of a longitudinal beam in a box body according to an embodiment of this application, and  FIG. 7  is a local detailed view of a part C shown in  FIG. 6 . In a specific implementation, as shown in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 , first mounting plates  122  are disposed on two sides of the second slot  121 . The first mounting plates  122  are connected to the recess  112 . 
     In this embodiment, the first mounting plates  122  may be directly formed on the two sides of the second slot  121  by folding. Each first mounting plate  122  may be fitted snugly with a corresponding recess face  112   a  of the recess portion  112 , and the connecting portion  14  is disposed peripherally around the first mounting plate  122 . The first mounting plate  122  disposed can prevent the connecting portion  14  from being disposed at a right-angled joint between the first beam  11  and the second beam  12 . The connecting portion  14  is disposed in the recess  112  rather than at the right-angled joint between the first beam  11  and the second beam  12 , thereby not only avoiding stress concentration but also increasing a connection area of the connecting portion  14  and improving connection strength between the beam  11  and the second beam  12 . 
     In a specific implementation, referring to  FIG. 3 , the connecting portion  14  is disposed at an edge of each first mounting plate  122 . Specifically, the first mounting plate  122  is approximately a rectangular plate shape, and is directly formed by folding from the position of the second slot  121 . The connecting portion  14  may be disposed at all remaining three edges of the first mounting plate  122  other than the edge connected to the second slot  121 . 
     In this embodiment, the connecting portions  14  may be welds, and are formed by welding at the three edges around the first mounting plate  122 . A person skilled in the art understands that the welds serving as the connecting portions  14  may be continuous welds or segmented welds. This is not further limited herein. 
     In this way, the weld connects the first mounting plate  122  and the recess face  112   a  of the recess portion  112 , and is located on the recess face  112   a . The weld serving as the connecting portion  14  does not protrude from the lateral face of the body  111  or protrude from a side of the first mounting plate  122 , the side being oriented toward the battery cell  2 . Therefore, the insulation film of the battery cell  2  will not be damaged. 
     In a specific implementation, referring to  FIG. 6 , a second mounting plate  123  is disposed at the bottom of the second beam  12 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , a bottom plate  13  is further disposed at the bottom of the box body  1 . The second mounting plate  123  is connected to the bottom plate  13 . 
     The second mounting plate  123  may be formed at the bottom of the second beam  12  by bending. The second beam  12  is connected to the bottom plate  13  through the second mounting plate  123 , thereby improving reliability of the connection between the second beam  12  and the bottom plate  13 . The second mounting plate  123  may be connected to the bottom plate  13  by welding or by other means. 
     In a specific implementation, referring to  FIG. 5 , a third mounting plate  114  is disposed at the bottom of the first beam  11 . The third mounting plate  114  is connected to the bottom plate  13 . The third mounting plate  114  may be formed at the bottom of the first beam  11  by bending. The first beam  11  is connected to the bottom plate  13  through the third mounting plate  114 , thereby improving reliability of the connection between the first beam  11  and the bottom plate  13 . The third mounting plate  114  may be connected to the bottom plate  13  by welding or by other means. 
     In a specific implementation, referring to  FIG. 7 , a notch  123   a  is disposed on the second mounting plate  123 , and the notch  123   a  is configured to avoid the recess  112 . The notch  123   a  may be formed by cutting on the second mounting plate  123  after the second mounting plate  123  is formed by bending. Alternatively, the notch  123   a  may be formed first by cutting, and then a segmented second mounting plate  123  is formed by bending. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , at the time of connecting the second beam  12  to the first beam  11 , referring to the status shown in  FIG. 4 , the second slot  121  of the second beam  12  may be inserted into the first slot  113  of the first beam  11  from top to bottom. In the process of plug-connecting the two slots, because the notch  123   a  is disposed on the second mounting plate  123  and can avoid the recess  112  without causing interference between the second mounting plate  123  and the recess  112 , the assembly of the second beam  12  and the first beam  11  is facilitated. 
     In a specific implementation, as shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 7 , a width W 1  of the notch  123   a  is set to be greater than a width W 2  of the recess  112 , the assembly of the second beam  12  and the first beam  11  is more facilitated. After the second slot  121  of the second beam  12  is plug-connected to the first slot  113  of the first beam, the connecting portion  14  can be formed by welding, thereby connecting the first beam  11  to the second beam  12 . 
     In conclusion, in the box body  1 , the battery pack  100 , and the device according to the embodiments of this application, the box body  1  includes the first beam  11  and the second beam  12 . The first beam  11  and a second beam  12  intersect each other, and are connected by the connecting portion  14 , and partition the box body  1  into a plurality of accommodation spaces  15 . The accommodation spaces  15  can accommodate the battery cells  2 . The first beam  11  includes the body  111  and the recess  112 . The recess  112  is recessed inward relative to the body  111 . The connecting portion  14  is disposed in the recess  112 . With the recess  112  disposed on the first beam  11 , and with the connecting portion  14  disposed in the recess  112 , the joint position between the first beam  11  and the second beam  12  will not protrude from the lateral surface of the first beam  11 , thereby preventing a short circuit of a battery cell caused by puncture of or damage to the insulation film outside the battery cell  2 , and improving safety performance of the battery. 
     The foregoing descriptions are merely exemplary embodiments of this application, but are not intended to limit this application. A person skilled in the art understands that this application may have various modifications and variations. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, and the like made without departing from the spirit and principles of this application fall within the protection scope of this application.