Patent Description:
An electric vehicle primarily uses a high voltage provided by a battery pack as a power source. Currently, with the development of the new-energy electric vehicle industry, higher requirements are imposed on the safety of the battery in the battery pack in the entire industry. That is because, if the battery in the battery pack is affected by factors such as a short circuit and a high temperature when the battery pack is in use, a high-pressure gas is prone to be generated inside the battery and is prone to cause thermal runaway and accidents such as a fire or explosion.

To slow down the spread of thermal runaway of the battery to avoid the accidents such as a fire or explosion, an existing battery pack is generally equipped with a fireproof component. The fireproof component is generally a mica board, fireproof cloth, or the like. When the mica board, the fireproof cloth, and the like are fastened into the battery pack by bolts, a joint between the fireproof component and the battery pack is prone to incur problems such as crushing and cracking under a locking effect of the bolts. <CIT>Amentions a frame for battery modules. <CIT> states a battery module for preventing thermal runaway. <CIT> relates to an aluminum profile security corner for a mirror frame.

In view of the problems existent in the background technologies, an objective of this application is to provide a battery pack as specified in any of claims <NUM>-<NUM>, and a device using a battery as a power supply as specified in claim <NUM>. The fireproof component is simply structured and easily moldable, thereby improving production efficiency. When the fireproof component is applied to the battery pack, problems such as crushing and cracking of the fireproof component are avoided, thereby improving safety and reliability of the battery pack.

To achieve the foregoing objective, this application provides a battery pack, including a battery module and the foregoing fireproof component. A fireproof component for use in a battery pack. The fireproof component includes a main body and a frame. The frame includes a body portion, an extension portion, and an opening. An inner peripheral face of the body portion defines the opening. The extension portion is located circumferentially outside the body portion and connected to an outer peripheral face of the body portion. The extension portion extends along a third direction and protrudes beyond the body portion. The main body covers the opening of the frame and is connected to the body portion. The main body and the frame are parts independent of each other, and the connection between the fireproof component and the battery module is implemented by screwing of the frame to the battery module, without a need to fix the main body to the battery module, thereby avoiding the problems such as crushing and cracking of the main body in a case of fixing the main body to the battery module, and improving safety of the fireproof component;.

In the third direction, the main body is located at one side of the body portion of the frame; or the main body is accommodated in the opening.

In the third direction, the main body is located at one side of the body portion of the frame. A first connecting hole is disposed on the body portion, a second connecting hole is disposed on the main body, and the main body is connected to the body portion through the second connecting hole and the first connecting hole, thereby implementing a connection between the main body and the frame.

A third connecting hole is further disposed on the body portion of the frame, and the third connecting hole is disposed close to the extension portion in contrast with the first connecting hole. An avoidance notch is further disposed on the main body, and the avoidance notch is configured to expose the third connecting hole out of the main body. In this way, when the body portion of the frame is fixedly connected to the battery module through the third connecting hole, because the main body is not fixedly connected to the battery module directly, the main body is prevented from being damaged in a connecting process, thereby ensuring reliability of the connection between the fireproof component and the battery module.

The main body is a mica board. The mica board is resistant to a high temperature, thereby improving the high-temperature resistance of the main body.

The plurality of connecting pieces are spliced in tandem to form the frame. When a connecting piece in the frame is damaged, the connecting piece is replaceable without a need to replace the entire frame, thereby reducing replacement cost.

Each of the connecting pieces is a sheet metal part. The sheet metal part is formed by stamping, of which the technical process is mature, thereby helping to improve the production efficiency of the frame.

In a circumferential direction, a positioning slot is disposed at an end of one of two adjacent connecting pieces, and the positioning slot accommodates an end of the other of the two adjacent connecting pieces. The positioning slot facilitates positioning of the two adjacent connecting pieces during installation.

The battery module is fixed to the frame. In this way, the battery module is fixed to the fireproof component, thereby avoiding the problems such as crushing and cracking caused by a fixed connection between the battery module and the main body.

The battery module includes a plurality of batteries, and an explosion-proof valve is disposed in each of the batteries. A thickness of a part that is of the main body of the fireproof component and that corresponds to the explosion-proof valve is greater than a thickness of a part that is of the main body and that is located outside the explosion-proof valve, thereby preventing a high-temperature and high-pressure gas expelled out of the explosion-proof valve of the battery from crushing the main body when the battery module is thermally runaway.

The battery module is plural in number, and a plurality of battery modules are arranged in at least one row of module cells. The fireproof component is disposed on each row of module cells.

This application further provides a device that uses a battery as a power supply. The device includes a power source. The power source is configured to provide a driving force for the device. The foregoing battery pack configured to provide electrical energy to the power source.

Beneficial effects of this application are as follows:
The main body and the frame of the fireproof component are parts independent of each other, and therefore, can be made of different materials and formed separately in different molding processes. In this way, both the main body and the frame can be formed by using an appropriate molding process based on their respective materials, thereby helping to shorten a total molding time of the fireproof component, improving production efficiency, and ensuring high structural strength of the frame of the fireproof component. Therefore, when the frame is fixedly connected to the battery module, the main body does not need to be fixed to the battery module, thereby avoiding the problems such as crushing and cracking of the main body in a case of fixing the main body to the battery module. This improves safety of the fireproof component, and thereby improves safety and reliability of the battery pack in which the fireproof component is mounted.

To describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application more clearly, the following outlines the drawings used in the embodiments of this application. Evidently, the drawings outlined below are merely a part of embodiments of this application. A person of ordinary skill in the art may derive other drawings from the outlined drawings without making any creative efforts.

To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following describes this application in further detail with reference to accompanying drawings and embodiments. Understandably, the specific embodiments described herein are merely intended to explain this application, but are not intended to limit this application.

A device using a battery as a power supply according to this application includes a battery pack and a power source. The power source is configured to provide a driving force for the device, and the battery pack is configured to provide electrical energy to the power source. The device may be a mobile device such as a vehicle, a ship, or a small aircraft. The power source may be a battery pack and an engine, and the driving force provided by the power source may be solely electrical energy, or may include electrical energy and other types of energy (such as mechanical energy).

Using a vehicle as an example, a vehicle according to an embodiment of this application may be a new energy vehicle. The new energy vehicle may be a battery electric vehicle, or may be a hybrid electric vehicle, a range-extended electric vehicle, or the like. Specifically, the vehicle may include a vehicle body, a drive motor, a battery pack, a transmission mechanism, and wheels. The battery pack and the drive motor are disposed in the vehicle body. The battery pack is electrically connected to the drive motor to provide electrical energy for the drive motor. The drive motor is connected to the wheels on the vehicle body through the transmission mechanism, so as to drive the vehicle to move. Specifically, the battery pack may be horizontally disposed at a bottom of the vehicle body.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the battery pack includes a fireproof component <NUM>, a battery module <NUM>, an upper box <NUM>, and a lower box <NUM>. The fireproof component <NUM> may be fixedly connected to the battery module <NUM> by a bolt. The lower box <NUM> fits with the upper box <NUM>, and works together with the upper box <NUM> to accommodate the battery module <NUM> and the fireproof component <NUM>. The battery module <NUM> includes a plurality of batteries. When a battery in the battery module <NUM> is thermally runaway, the fireproof component <NUM> can effectively slow down the spread of the thermal runaway of the battery, thereby avoiding occurrence of accidents such as a fire or explosion and improving safety and reliability of the battery pack.

Specifically, the battery module <NUM> may be one or plural in number. When the battery module <NUM> is plural in number, a plurality of battery modules <NUM> may be arranged in at least one row of module cells M. In this case, the fireproof component <NUM> may be disposed on each row of module cells M, as shown in <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, the fireproof component <NUM> includes a main body <NUM> (made of a fire-retardant material) and a frame <NUM>. The frame <NUM> includes a body portion 12A, an extension portion 12B, and an opening 12C. The body portion 12A is a concentric square-shaped structure. An inner peripheral face of the body portion 12A defines the opening 12C. The extension portion 12B is located circumferentially outside the body portion 12A and connected to an outer peripheral face of the body portion 12A. The extension portion 12B extends along a third direction Z and protrudes beyond the body portion 12A. The main body <NUM> covers the opening 12C of the frame <NUM> and is connected to the body portion 12A. Specifically, the main body <NUM> may be connected to the body portion 12A of the frame <NUM> by riveting, welding, or bolting.

When the fireproof component <NUM> is applied in a battery pack, the main body <NUM> of the fireproof component <NUM> and the body portion 12A of the frame <NUM> are located above the battery module <NUM>, the extension portion 12B is located circumferentially outside the battery module <NUM>, and the body portion 12A of the frame <NUM> may be fixedly connected to the battery module <NUM> by a bolt. When the battery in the battery module <NUM> is thermally runaway, because the main body <NUM> of the fireproof component <NUM> is fire-retardant, the fireproof component <NUM> can effectively slow down the spread of the thermal runaway of the battery. In addition, because the body portion 12A and the extension portion 12B of the frame <NUM> together form an L-shaped structure, the frame <NUM> can lead a flame to spray downward, thereby preventing the flame from burning the upper box <NUM> (made of a composite material) of the battery pack, and improving safety and reliability of the battery pack.

The main body <NUM> and the frame <NUM> of the fireproof component <NUM> are parts independent of each other, and therefore, can be made of different materials and formed separately in different molding processes (in other words, the molding process of the frame <NUM> is not limited by the molding process of the main body <NUM>). In this way, both the main body <NUM> and the frame <NUM> can be formed by using an appropriate molding process based on their respective materials, thereby helping to shorten a total molding time of the fireproof component <NUM>, improving production efficiency, and ensuring high structural strength of the frame <NUM> of the fireproof component <NUM>. Therefore, when the frame <NUM> is fixedly connected to the battery module <NUM>, the problems such as crushing and cracking of the frame <NUM> under a locking force of the bolt are avoided, thereby improving safety and reliability of the battery pack.

A mica board is resistant to a high temperature. Therefore, in some embodiments, the main body <NUM> may be a mica board. The mica board includes a plurality of mica sheets (made of a mica material) and an adhesive disposed between every two adjacent mica sheets. The plurality of mica sheets and the adhesive may integrally form a flat slab structure by compression molding. Because the compression molding method works without a need to develop a mold, the main body <NUM> of the fireproof component <NUM> can be mass-produced rapidly.

Specifically, the main body <NUM> may be a mica board of uniform thickness. In order to improve an anti-ablation capability of the main body <NUM>, the main body <NUM> may be a partially thick mica board. That is, a thickness of a part that is of the main body <NUM> and that corresponds to the explosion-proof valve of the battery is greater than a thickness of a part that is of the main body <NUM> and that is located outside the explosion-proof valve.

The frame <NUM> may be a sheet metal part and formed by stamping, and the sheet metal part is made of a metal material. The technique of forming by stamping is mature, thereby improving the production efficiency of the frame <NUM>. In addition, due to high strength of the sheet metal part, when the frame <NUM> is fixedly connected to the battery module <NUM>, the problems such as crushing and cracking of the frame <NUM> under a locking force of the bolt are avoided, thereby improving safety and reliability of the battery pack.

Referring to <FIG>, in the third direction Z, the main body <NUM> is located on one side of the body portion 12A of the frame <NUM> and fixedly connected to the body portion 12A. That is, a part of the main body <NUM> overlaps the body portion 12A. Specifically, a first connecting hole T1 may be disposed on the body portion 12A of the frame <NUM>, and a second connecting hole T2 may be disposed on the main body <NUM>. The main body <NUM> is riveted or bolted to the body portion 12A through the second connecting hole T2 and the first connecting hole T1.

Referring to <FIG>, a third connecting hole T3 may be further disposed on the body portion 12A of the frame <NUM>, and the third connecting hole T3 is disposed close to the extension portion 12B in contrast with the first connecting hole T1. An avoidance notch T4 may be further disposed on the main body <NUM>, and the avoidance notch T4 is configured to expose the third connecting hole T3 out of the main body <NUM>. In this case, the body portion 12A of the frame <NUM> is fixedly connected to the battery module <NUM> through the third connecting hole T3. Because the main body <NUM> is not fixedly connected to the battery module <NUM> directly, the main body <NUM> is prevented from being damaged in a connecting process, thereby ensuring reliability of the connection between the fireproof component <NUM> and the battery module <NUM>.

In another embodiment not shown, the main body <NUM> may be integrally accommodated in the opening 12C and fixedly connected to the inner peripheral face of the body portion 12A.

In an embodiment, referring to <FIG>, the body portion 12A and the extension portion 12B of the frame <NUM> may be integrally formed.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the frame <NUM> includes a plurality of connecting pieces <NUM>, and the plurality of connecting pieces <NUM> are spliced in tandem together circumferentially to form a hollow frame <NUM>. Specifically, the splicing may be implemented by welding (such as spot welding), riveting or bolting. Each connecting piece <NUM> may be a sheet metal part and may be formed by stamping. A single connecting piece <NUM> is structurally simple and fast moldable, thereby improving the overall molding efficiency of the frame <NUM>.

Each connecting piece <NUM> includes a first plate portion <NUM> and a second plate portion <NUM>. The second plate portion <NUM> extends along the third direction Z and protrudes beyond the first plate portion <NUM>. The first plate portions <NUM> of all the connecting pieces <NUM> constitute the body portion 12A of the frame <NUM>, and the second plate portions <NUM> of all the connecting pieces <NUM> constitute the extension portion 12B of the frame <NUM>.

To facilitate positioning and mounting of the plurality of connecting pieces <NUM>, in a circumferential direction, a positioning slot <NUM> is disposed at an end of one of two adjacent connecting pieces <NUM>, and the positioning slot <NUM> accommodates an end of the other of the two adjacent connecting pieces <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A battery pack, comprising a fireproof component (<NUM>) and a battery module (<NUM>);
a fireproof component (<NUM>), wherein the fireproof component (<NUM>) comprises a main body (<NUM>) and a frame (<NUM>);
the frame (<NUM>) comprises a body portion (12A), an extension portion (12B), and an opening (12C), an inner peripheral face of the body portion (12A) defines the opening (12C), the extension portion (12B) is located circumferentially outside the body portion (12A) and connected to an outer peripheral face of the body portion (12A), and the extension portion (12B) extends along a third direction (Z) and protrudes beyond the body portion (12A);
the main body (<NUM>) covers the opening (12C) of the frame (<NUM>) and is connected to the body portion (12A);
the frame (<NUM>) comprises a plurality of connecting pieces (<NUM>), the plurality of connecting pieces (<NUM>) are spliced together in tandem, each of the connecting pieces (<NUM>) comprises a first plate portion (<NUM>) and a second plate portion (<NUM>), and the second plate portion (<NUM>) extends along the third direction (Z) and protrudes beyond the first plate portion (<NUM>);
the first plate portions (<NUM>) of all the connecting pieces (<NUM>) constitute the body portion (12A) of the frame (<NUM>), and the second plate portions (<NUM>) of all the connecting pieces (<NUM>) constitute the extension portion (12B) of the frame (<NUM>);
wherein the plurality of connecting pieces (<NUM>) comprise two first connecting pieces (121A) and two second connecting pieces (121B), the two first connecting pieces (121A) are spaced apart in a first direction (X), the two second connecting pieces (121B) are spaced apart in a second direction (Y), and each of the second connecting pieces (121B) is connected to the two first connecting pieces (121A); and
wherein the main body (<NUM>) of the fireproof component (<NUM>) and the body portion (12A) of the frame (<NUM>) are located above the battery module (<NUM>), the extension portion (12B) is located circumferentially outside the battery module (<NUM>), and the body portion (12A) of the frame (<NUM>) is fixedly connected to the battery module (<NUM>).