Patent Publication Number: US-2023146128-A1

Title: Vehicle and battery pack thereof

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present disclosure is a bypass continuation of PCT International Application No. PCT/CN2021/090550, filed on Apr. 28, 2021, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202010659620.1, entitled “VEHICLE AND BATTERY PACK THEREOF” and filed by BYD Co., Ltd. on Jul. 9, 2020, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to the technical field of batteries, and more specifically, to a vehicle and a battery pack thereof. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Multiple battery cores in the existing battery pack are fixedly connected by adhesive, and when the battery pack vibrates and impacts, the adhesive may fail and cause relative displacement among the battery cores, which may lead to potential safety hazards of the battery pack. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure is intended to provide a vehicle and a battery pack thereof, so as to solve the technical problem that when the battery pack vibrates and impacts, the adhesive may fail and cause relative displacement among battery cores, which may lead to potential safety hazards of the battery pack. 
     The present disclosure provides a battery pack, including a tray, a pressing plate, and multiple battery cores arranged in an array. An accommodating space is formed in the tray, the multiple battery cores are accommodated in the accommodating space, the pressing plate is pressed against the multiple battery cores, and two opposite ends of the pressing plate are both fixed to the tray. 
     The battery pack further includes a pull plate fixed to the tray, the two opposite ends of the pressing plate include a first end, the first end of the pressing plate is connected with the pull plate, and the first end of the pressing plate is fixed to the tray through the pull plate. 
     The battery pack further includes a first pull rod fixed to the tray, and the two opposite ends of the pressing plate further include a second end. The second end is arranged opposite to the first end, the second end of the pressing plate is connected with the first pull rod, and the second end of the pressing plate is fixed to the tray through the first pull rod. 
     The tray includes a bottom plate and a side beam arranged on the bottom plate. The bottom plate and the side beam define the accommodating space. An opening is arranged on the side beam. A protrusion extends from the side beam in the opening. The pull plate is fixed to the bottom plate, and the protrusion is fixedly connected with the pull plate. The first pull rod is fixed to the bottom plate, and the first pull rod is fixedly connected with the side beam. 
     The battery pack further includes a second pull rod, and multiple intermediate crossbars arranged at intervals are arranged on the bottom plate. Each of the intermediate crossbars is provided with the second pull rod, and the second pull rods extend through gaps among the multiple battery cores and are connected with the pressing plate. 
     The battery pack further includes a limiting block. The limiting block is arranged between two adjacent battery cores, so that a gap is formed between two adjacent battery cores. In an extending direction of the battery cores, the gap includes a middle portion and edge portions located on two sides of the middle portion. The limiting block is located in each of the edge portions, and the second pull rod extends through the middle portion and is connected with the pressing plate. 
     A cross-sectional area of the pull plate is greater than a cross-sectional area of the first pull rod, and the cross-sectional area of the pull plate is greater than a cross-sectional area of the second pull rod. 
     Multiple pull plates are arranged, multiple first pull rods are arranged, and multiple second pull rods are arranged on the each intermediate crossbar. 
     Each of the battery cores includes a top surface. A positive pole and a negative pole spaced apart from each other are arranged on the top surface, and the top surfaces of the multiple battery cores form a mounting surface. 
     The battery pack further includes a top cover plate and an insulating cover. The top cover plate is mounted to the mounting surface, and the insulating cover is mounted to the top cover plate. 
     The present disclosure provides a vehicle, including the above battery pack. 
     Based on the above, in the present disclosure, the pressing plate is arranged to be pressed against multiple battery cores, the opposite ends of the pressing plates are both fixed to the tray, and the pressing plate fixes the multiple battery cores in the tray, so that even if the battery pack vibrates and impacts, the battery cores will not move relative to each other, which will not lead to potential safety hazards of the battery pack. Moreover, the pressing plate is pressed against the multiple battery cores, which can also avoid swelling of the battery cores during operation. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       To describe the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure or the related art more clearly, the following briefly introduces the accompanying drawings required for describing the embodiments or the related art. Apparently, the accompanying drawings in the following description show only some embodiments of this disclosure, and a person of ordinary skill in the art may still derive other accompanying drawings from these accompanying drawings without creative efforts. 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic structural diagram of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic diagram of a disassembled structure of the battery pack in 
         FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic diagram of another disassembled structure of the battery pack in  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  4    is a structural schematic diagram of a front cover and a sealing cover of the battery pack in  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  5    is a schematic diagram of a relationship between a battery pack and a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure are clearly and completely described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of this disclosure. Apparently, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this disclosure rather than all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by persons of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present disclosure without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure. 
     The present disclosure provides a vehicle  1000 , including a battery pack  100 . The battery pack  100  is to be described below. 
     The battery pack  100  includes a tray  10 , a pressing plate  20 , and multiple battery cores  30  arranged in an array. An accommodating space  40  is formed in the tray  10 . The multiple battery cores  30  are accommodated in the accommodating space  40 , the pressing plate  20  is pressed against the multiple battery cores  30 , and two opposite ends of the pressing plate  20  are both fixed to the tray  10 . 
     In the present disclosure, the pressing plate  20  is arranged to be pressed against the multiple battery cores  30 , the two opposite ends of the pressing plate  20  are both fixed to the tray  10 , and the pressing plate  20  fixes the multiple battery cores  30  in the tray  10 , so that even if the battery pack  100  vibrates and impacts, the battery cores  30  will not move relative to each other, which will not lead to potential safety hazards of the battery pack  100 . Moreover, the pressing plate  20  is pressed against the multiple battery cores  30 , which can also avoid swelling of the battery cores  30  during operation. 
     It may be understood that each of the battery cores  30  includes two first side surfaces  301  with a large area, two second side surfaces  302  with a small area, a top surface  303 , and a bottom surface. An area of each of the first side surfaces  301  is greater than an area of each of the second side surfaces  302 . The two first side surfaces  301  are opposite to each other, and the two second side surfaces  302  are opposite to each other. The top surface  303  and the bottom surface are opposite to each other, and the two first side surfaces  301  and the two second side surfaces  302  are alternately connected to form the side surface of the battery core  30 . The side surface of the battery core  30  is connected with the top surface  303  and the bottom surface. A positive pole  304  and a negative pole  305  spaced apart from each other are arranged on the top surface  303  of each of the battery cores  30 . 
     In the present disclosure, the pressing plate  20  is pressed against the first side surface  301  of the battery core  30 , and the pressing plate  20  is pressed against the first side surface  301  of the battery core  30  to prevent the first side surface  301  of the battery core  30  from expanding. 
     The battery pack  100  further includes a pull plate  50  fixed to the tray  10 . The two opposite ends of the pressing plate  20  include a first end  201 . The first end  201  of the pressing plate  20  is connected with the pull plate  50 , and the first end  201  of the pressing plate  20  is fixed to the tray  10  through the pull plate  50 . In an embodiment, the pull plate  50  includes a third end  501  and a fourth end  502  opposite to each other. The third end  501  is connected with the first end  201 , and the fourth end  502  is fixedly connected with the tray  10 . It may be understood that the first end  201  of the pressing plate  20  is detachably or fixedly connected with the third end  501  of the pull plate  50 , and the fourth end  502  of the pull plate  50  is fixedly connected with the tray  10 . Therefore, according to the present disclosure, the first end  201  of the pressing plate  20  is fixed to the tray  10  through the arrangement of the pull plate  50 , so that the pressing plate  20  can be pressed against the battery cores  30 . 
     In an embodiment, the pull plate  50  is attached to the battery core  30 , and the pull plate  50  is pressed against the battery core  30 . In an embodiment, the pull plate  50  is attached to and pressed against the second side surface  302  of the battery core  30  close to the first end  201  of the pressing plate  20 . Therefore, the pull plate  50  is attached to and pressed against the battery core  30 , which not only can further prevent the relative displacement between the battery cores  30 , but also can prevent the second side surface  302  of the battery core  30  from expanding. 
     The battery pack  100  further includes a first pull rod  60  fixed to the tray  10 . The two opposite ends of the pressing plate  20  further include a second end  202 . The second end  202  is arranged opposite to the first end  201 . The second end  202  of the pressing plate  20  is connected with the first pull rod  60 . The second end  202  of the pressing plate  20  is fixed to the tray  10  through the first pull rod  60 . In an embodiment, the first pull rod  60  includes a fifth end  601  and a sixth end  602  opposite to each other. The fifth end  601  is connected with the second end  202 , and the sixth end  602  is fixedly connected with the tray  10 . Therefore, according to the present disclosure, the second end  202  of the pressing plate  20  is fixed to the tray  10  through the arrangement of the first pull rod  60 , so that the pressing plate  20  can be pressed against the battery core  30 . It may be understood that the second end  202  of the pressing plate  20  is detachably connected or fixedly connected with the fifth end  601  of the first pull rod  60 . 
     In an embodiment, the first pull rod  60  is attached to the battery core  30 , and the first pull rod  60  is pressed against the battery core  30 . In an embodiment, the first pull rod  60  is attached to and pressed against the second side surface  302  of the battery core  30  close to the second end  202  of the pressing plate  20 . The first pull rod  60  is attached to and pressed against the battery core  30 , which not only can further prevent the relative displacement between the battery cores  30 , but also can prevent the second side surface  302  of the battery core  30  from expanding. 
     The tray  10  includes a bottom plate  101  and a side beam  102  arranged on the bottom plate  101 . The bottom plate  101  and the side beam  102  define the accommodating space  40 . An opening  103  is arranged on the side beam  102 . A protrusion  104  extends from the side beam  102  in the opening  103 . The pull plate  50  is fixed to the bottom plate  101 , and the protrusion  104  is fixedly connected with the pull plate  50 . The first pull rod  60  is fixed to the bottom plate  101 , and the first pull rod  60  is fixedly connected with the side beam  102 . Therefore, the pull plate  50  is not only fixedly connected with the bottom plate  101 , but also fixedly connected with the protrusion  104  on the side beam  102 , so that the connection stability between the pull plate  50  and the tray  10  is better. The first pull rod  60  is not only fixedly connected with the bottom plate  101 , but also fixedly connected with the side beam  102 , so that the connection stability between the first pull rod  60  and the tray  10  is better. Therefore, when the pressing plate  20  is fixedly connected with the tray  10  through the pull plate  50  and the first pull rod  60 , the pressing plate  20  may be fixedly connected to the tray  10 , so that the battery core  30  can be firmly pressed in the tray  10 , thereby avoiding the displacement between the battery core  30  and the swelling of the battery cores  30 . It may be understood that the pull plate  50  may also be fixed to the bottom plate  101  through the intermediate crossbar  80  arranged close to the opening  103 , and the first pull rod  60  may be fixed to the bottom plate  101  through the intermediate crossbar  80  arranged close to the side beam  102 . 
     In an embodiment, a cross-sectional area of the pull plate  50  is greater than a cross-sectional area of the first pull rod  60 , and the cross-sectional area of the pull plate  50  is greater than a cross-sectional area of a second pull rod  70 . In an embodiment, a larger space exists between the battery core  30  and the side beam  102  with the opening  103 , and the larger space may accommodate the pull plate  50  with a larger area. A smaller space exists between the battery core  30  and the rest of the side beam  102 , and the smaller space is used for accommodating the first pull rod  60  with a smaller area. Therefore, the pull plate  50  with a larger area increases the stability of the connection between the pull plate  50  and the tray  10 , and the first pull rod  60  with a smaller area not only may be suitable for the smaller space, but also may be sufficiently fix the pressing plate  20  to the tray  10 , so that the pressing plate  20  can be pressed against the battery core  30  tightly. It may be understood that the protrusion  104  has a larger area, and the connection between the protrusion  104  with the larger area and the pull plate  50  with the larger area can cause the pull plate  50  to be connected with the tray  10  more firmly. In an embodiment, the protrusion  104  includes a first connecting surface  104   a  facing the pull plate  50 , and the pull plate  50  includes a second connecting surface  50   a  facing the protrusion  104 . An area of the first connecting surface  104   a  is greater than an area of the second connecting surface  50   a.    
     The battery pack  100  further includes a second pull rod  70 , and multiple intermediate crossbars  80  arranged at intervals are arranged on the bottom plate  101 . Each of the intermediate crossbars  80  is provided with the second pull rod  70 , and the second pull rods  70  extend through gaps  110  among the multiple battery cores  30  and are connected with the pressing plate  20 . In an embodiment, the arrangement of the multiple intermediate crossbars  80  and the second pull rods  70  divides the accommodating space  40  into multiple subspaces. Each of the subspaces only needs to accommodate a small number of battery cores  30 , so that the battery cores  30  in the each subspace are less prone to relative displacement. Moreover, the second pull rod  70  on each of the intermediate crossbars  80  is connected with the pressing plate  20 , and the pressing plate  20  can be pressed against the battery core  30  in the each subspace. Therefore, the arrangement of the multiple intermediate crossbars  80  and the second pull rod  70  on the each intermediate crossbar  80  can further prevent the expansion of the battery cores  30  and the relative displacement between the battery cores  30 . It may be understood that the second pull rod  70  is detachably or fixedly connected with the pressing plate  20 . The tray  10  may be fixed to the pull plate  50  by welding, and the first pull rod  60  may be fixed to the second pull rod  70  by welding. For example, the pull plate  50  may be fixed to the protrusion  104  and the bottom plate  101  by welding, the first pull rod  60  may be fixed to the side beam  102  and the bottom plate  101  by welding, and the second pull rod  70  may be fixed to the intermediate crossbar  80  by welding. 
     The battery pack  100  further includes a limiting block  90 . The limiting block  90  is arranged between two adjacent battery cores  30 , so that a gap  110  is formed between two adjacent battery cores  30 . In an extending direction of the battery cores  30 , the gap  110  includes a middle portion  120  and edge portions  130  located on two sides of the middle portion  120 . The limiting block  90  is located in the edge portion  130 , and the second pull rod  70  extends through the middle portion  120  and is connected with the pressing plate  20 . In an embodiment, in the extending direction of the battery cores  30 , a length of the limiting block  90  is less than a length of the battery cores  30 . When the limiting block  90  is arranged in the gap  110  between adjacent battery cores  30 , the limiting block  90  may be arranged in the edge portion  130 , and the middle portion  120  of the gap  110  may be used for the second pull rod  70  to extend through, so that the second pull rod  70  extends through the middle portion  120  of the gap  110  and is connected with the pressing plate  20 . Therefore, the gap  110  may be formed between adjacent battery cores  30  through the arrangement of the limiting block  90 , which is convenient for the second pull rod  70  to extend through the gap  110  and be connected with the pressing plate  20 . It may be understood that the gap  110  is arranged between every two adjacent battery cores  30 , or the gap  110  is arranged among multiple battery cores  30 , or multiple battery cores  30  are connected to form a battery module. The gap  110  is arranged between the battery modules. Two edge portions  130  are arranged for each gap  110 , and the limiting block  90  is arranged in each of the two edge portions  130 . 
     Multiple pull plates  50  are arranged, multiple first pull rods  60  are arranged, and multiple second pull rods  70  are arranged on the each intermediate crossbar  80 . In an embodiment, multiple recesses  203  arranged at intervals are arranged on the pressing plate  20 . The recesses  203  are connected by a connecting plate  204 , and the recesses  203  are configured to be connected with the pull plates  50  and the first pull rods  60 . One end of a bottom of each of the recesses  203  is connected with one of the pull plates  50  and an other end is connected with one of the first pull rods  60 . A middle portion of the bottom of the recess  203  is connected with the second pull rod  70 . Therefore, the arrangement of the multiple pull plates  50 , the multiple first pull rods  60 , and the multiple second pull rods  70  causes a larger connection area between the pressing plate  20  and the pull plates  50 , a larger connection area between the pressing plate  20  and the first pull rods  60 , and a larger connection area between the pressing plate  20  and the second pull rods  70 , so that the pressing plate  20  can be firmly pressed against the battery cores  30 . It may be understood that the multiple pull plates  50  are connected to an end of the bottom plate  101 , or an end of the multiple pull plates  50  facing the bottom plate  101  is connected by a connecting portion  260 . The connecting portion  260  may be fixed to the protrusion  104  or the bottom plate  101 . Because the connecting portion  260  is connected with ends of the pull plates  50 , an area of the connecting portion  260  is larger, and the arrangement of the connecting portion  260  further increases the stability of the connection between the pull plates  50  and the tray  10 . In an embodiment, the area of the first connecting surface  104   a  of the protrusion  104  is less than the area of the connecting portion  260 . 
     In a specific embodiment, three recesses  203  are arranged, three pull plates  50  are arranged, three first pull rods  60  are arranged, and three second pull rods  70  are arranged on the each intermediate crossbar  80 . 
     The top surfaces  303  of the multiple battery cores  30  form a mounting surface  160 . The battery pack  100  further includes a top cover plate  140  and an insulating cover  150 . The top cover plate  140  is mounted to the mounting surface  160 , and the insulating cover  150  is mounted to the top cover plate  140 . In an embodiment, a position on a side surface of the battery core  30  close to the top surface  303  is covered with wrapping paper  170 . The wrapping paper  170  has a larger width and extends out of the side surface of the battery core  30  toward the top surface  303 . According to the present disclosure, the top cover plate  140  is arranged on the mounting surface  160 , and the wrapping paper  170  extending out of the side surface of the battery core  30  may be attached to the top cover plate  140 . When the insulating cover  150  is mounted to the top cover plate  140 , the wrapping paper  170  does not extend to the insulating cover  150 , and the edge of the wrapping paper  170  does not push up the insulating cover  150 , so that the mounting is convenient, and the insulating cover  150  will not fall off during later use. Therefore, the top cover plate  140  is arranged on the mounting surface  160 , and when the battery core  30  is coated, the wrapping paper  170  may extend to the top cover plate  140 , so that the wrapping paper  170  is not cocked and does not affect the insulating cover  150 , so as to solve the technical problem that the wrapping paper  170  needs to be folded at the top surface  303  of the battery core  30 , the edge of the wrapping paper  170  is to be cocked, the edge of the wrapping paper  170  may push up the insulating cover  150 , a bonding area between the insulating cover  150  and the top surface  303  of the battery core  30  is insufficient, and the insulating cover  150  has a risk of falling off. It may be understood that the top cover plate  140  is provided with a snap, and the insulating cover  150  is fixed with the top cover plate  140  by the snap, so that the top cover plate  140  is more reliably connected with the insulating cover  150 . The surface of the battery core  30  provided with the positive pole  304  and the negative pole  305  is the top surface  303  of the battery core. 
     The battery pack  100  further includes multiple connecting pieces  180  and a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) 190 . In an embodiment, the insulating cover  150  is provided with a through hole  270  in direct opposition to the positive pole  304  and the negative pole  305  of each battery core  30 . The positive pole  304  and the negative pole  305  of the each battery core  30  extend into the through hole  270 . Each of the connecting pieces  180  is arranged on a surface of the insulating cover  150  facing away from the top cover plate  140 , and the each connecting piece  180  connects the positive pole  304  to negative pole  305  of two adjacent battery cores  30  located in the through hole  270 . The FPC  190  is arranged in the gap  110  between the multiple connecting pieces  180  of the insulating cover  150 , and the FPC  190  is connected with the each connecting piece  180 . In an embodiment, the each connecting piece  180  may be connected with the FPC  190  through an adapter  210 . Therefore, when the pressing plate  20  of the present disclosure is pressed against the multiple battery cores  30 , the pressing plate  20  fixes the battery cores  30 , avoiding the relative displacement between the battery cores  30 , and preventing the battery cores  30  from swelling during operation, thereby preventing the battery cores  30  from tearing the FPC  190 , and preventing the battery cores  30  from tearing the housing, for example, preventing the battery cores from tearing the tray  10 . It may be understood that the top cover plate  140  is also provided with the through hole  270 , and the through hole  270  on the top cover plate  140  is correspondingly in communication with the through hole  270  on the insulating cover  150 . The positive pole  304  and the negative pole  305  of the battery core  30  are located in the through hole  270  on the insulating cover  150  after extending through the through hole  270  on the top cover plate  140 . 
     The battery pack  100  further includes a front cover  220 , a sealing cover  230 , and a liquid cooling tube  280 . The front cover  220  is mounted to a side of the tray  10  provided with the opening  103 . The sealing cover  230  covers the tray  10  to seal the multiple battery cores  30 . The liquid cooling tube  280  is arranged on an outer surface of the battery core  30 , and configured to dissipate heat of the battery core  30 . A liquid inlet and a liquid outlet of the liquid cooling tube  280  extend out of the battery pack  100 . 
     During the mounting, the tray  10  is connected with the pull plate  50 , the first pull rod  60 , and the second pull rod  70  by welding, for example. Insulating sheets are attached to the bottom and the periphery of the tray  10 , and glue is applied to gaps of the insulating sheets to fix the battery cores  30  in the tray  10 . The limiting block  90  is arranged between the battery cores  30 , and the battery, the liquid cooling tube, and the integrated wiring harness (including the insulating cover  150 , the FPC, and the connecting pieces  180 ) are assembled and put into the tray  10  through tooling. After the connecting piece  180  is welded to the positive pole  304  and the negative pole  305  of the battery, the pressing plate  20  is mounted, and the pressing plate  20 , the first pull rod  60 , the second pull rod  70 , and the pull plate  50  are respectively fixed by screws. The front cover  220  is mounted, the sealing cover  230  is positioned in place, and the sealing cover  230  and the tray  10  are sealed by gluing and sealing. 
     What is disclosed above is merely exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, and certainly is not intended to limit the protection scope of the present disclosure. A person of ordinary skill in the art may understand that all or some of processes that implement the foregoing embodiments and equivalent modifications made in accordance with the claims of the present disclosure shall fall within the scope of the present disclosure.