Patent Description:
Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, digital video cameras and laptop computers due to their high energy density, high power density, repetitively recyclable use, and durable storage. Lithium-ion batteries also have an extensive prospect in their use in electric vehicles such as electric cars and electric motorcycles, as well as large-and-middle-sized electric equipment such as energy storage facilities.

With improvement of electric vehicle technologies, electric vehicles are increasingly making their way into people's daily lives. While safety performance is demanded from lithium-ion batteries which provide energy to electric vehicles, higher energy density is more and more demanded from cells. In order to improve energy density of an electrode assembly, a component for collecting a current of a battery is bent after the component for collecting a current is welded to a tab of an electrode assembly, thereby reducing internal space occupied by the component for collecting a current, in the existing technologies. However, it is found that the component for collecting a current, when being bent, would deform and press against the electrode assembly, which results in damage of the electrode assembly.

From <CIT> there is known a battery, comprising an electrode assembly and a component for collecting a current, wherein the component is arranged to electrically connect an electrode assembly to the outside, the component comprises an introducing body and a connection body bendable relative to the introducing body, the connection body is connected to a tab of the electrode assembly, and the introducing body is electronically connected to the outside; and wherein the introducing body comprises a holding arrangement and an inner connecting structure connecting the holding arrangement and the connection body, the introducing body extends along a side of the electrode assembly.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a component for collecting a current and a battery to reduce damage to an electrode assembly when bending the component for collecting a current.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a battery. The battery includes an electrode assembly and a component for collecting a current which are configured to be assembled by means of an external tool for fixing and clamping the component, where the component is arranged to electrically connect an electrode assembly to the outside, the component includes an introducing body and a connection body bendable relative to the introducing body, the connection body connected to a tab of the electrode assembly, and the introducing body electronically connected to the outside. The introducing body includes a holding arrangement and an inner connecting structure connecting the holding arrangement and the connection body, the introducing body extends along a side of the electrode assembly, an accommodating space formed between a surface of the holding arrangement adjacent to the electrode assembly and a surface of the electrode assembly, the accommodating space is used to place the external tool.

In some embodiments, the holding arrangement protrudes relative to the inner connecting structure in a direction away from the electrode assembly.

In some embodiments, there is a gap between a surface of the holding arrangement adjacent to the electrode assembly and a surface of the inner connecting structure adjacent to the electrode assembly.

In some embodiments, the gap is configured to place the external tool in such a way that the holding arrangement is fixed by the external tool.

In some embodiments, the introducing body further comprises an outer connecting structure for electrically connecting to the outside, the holding arrangement comprises a first holding part, the first holding part is arranged between the outer connecting structure and the inner connecting structure.

In some embodiments, a cross-section of the first holding part is trapezoid, or curved or square.

In some embodiments, the holding arrangement includes a second holding part, the second holding part has one end connected to the inner connecting structure, and an other end being a free end.

In some embodiments, the second holding part extends beyond the connection body in a longitudinal direction of the inner connecting structure.

In some embodiments, the second holding part is formed integrally by a piece of metal that is in the form of a sheet.

In some embodiments, the introducing body further comprises an outer connecting structure for electrically connecting to the outside, the holding arrangement comprises a second holding part, and the second holding part is arranged at an end of the inner connecting structure away from the outer connecting structure.

In some embodiments, there are two connecting bodies respectively located on two lateral sides of the introducing body.

In some embodiments, the battery includes a cap plate arranged on top of the electrode assembly, the holding arrangement is arranged on a side of the electrode assembly, and a protruding distance of the holding arrangement relative to the side of the electrode assembly is shorter than a protruding distance of the cap plate edge relative to the side of the electrode assembly.

In some embodiments, the introducing body extends along the side of the electrode assembly, and an accommodating space is formed between a surface of the holding arrangement adjacent to the electrode assembly and a surface of the electrode assembly.

According to the component for collecting a current and the battery provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure, the component for collecting a current includes the introducing body and the connection body bendably arranged relative to the introducing body, and the introducing body includes the holding arrangement to be fixed when bending the connection body. When bending the connection body of some embodiments of the present disclosure, an operator may fix and clamp the holding arrangement arranged on a holding body by using a clamping tool, so that a stress applied on the component for collecting a current may be transferred to the clamping tool when bending the connection body, in order to reduce the stress from damaging the electrode assembly. In addition, the holding arrangement is arranged at an end of the inner connecting structure, such that clamping the holding arrangement by the clamping tool does not affect the bending of the connection body.

Further features of some embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description on exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings.

As a part of the present disclosure, drawings illustrated here are used to provide further understanding of the present disclosure. The schematic embodiments and description of the present disclosure are used for describing the present disclosure but do not constitute an inappropriate limit to the present disclosure. In the drawings:.

The reference signs represent respectively:
<NUM>-electrode assembly; <NUM>-tab; <NUM>- electrode terminal; <NUM>-cap plate; <NUM>-vent; <NUM>-electrolyte injection hole; <NUM>-component for collecting a current; <NUM>-inner connecting structure; <NUM>-first holding part; <NUM>-connection body; <NUM>-second holding part; <NUM>-outer connecting structure.

Technical solutions in embodiments of the present disclosure are clearly and completely described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure. It is obvious that the described embodiments are only some rather than all embodiments of the present disclosure. The following description on at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative, but by no means limits the present disclosure and its application or use. Based on the embodiments in the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative efforts fall into the scope to be protected in the present disclosure.

Unless defined otherwise, relative arrangements, expressions with figures and values in means and steps illustrated in these embodiments do no limit the scope of the present disclosure. Besides, it shall be appreciated that in order to facilitate description, dimensions of the portions shown in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to practical scale. Techniques, methods and devices known by ordinarily skilled persons in related arts may not be discussed in detail. Said techniques, methods and devices shall, in appropriate cases, be considered a part of a granted specification. In all examples presented and discussed here, any specific values shall be described as exemplary rather than limiting. Therefore, other examples of the embodiments may contain different values. It shall be noted that similar signs and letters represent similar items in the following drawings. Therefore, once a certain item is defined in one figure, there would not be necessary to perform a further discussion on it in the figures that follow.

In order to facilitate description, spatially relative terms such as "above", "over", "on", and "upper" and the like may be used for describing a spatial location relationship between one component or feature and another component or feature. It shall be understood that spatially relative items aim to encompass different orientations in use or operation in addition to the orientation of the device described. For example, if the device in the figure is inverted, a device described as "over another device or configuration" or "above another device or configuration" will be defined as "under another device or configuration" or "below another device or configuration". Thus, the exemplary term "over" may include both "over" and "under". The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated by <NUM> degrees or at other orientations) and the spatial relative description used here will be explained accordingly.

However, it is found that when bending the existing component for collecting a current, the component for collecting a current is deformed and pressed against the electrode assembly, causing damage to the electrode assembly. Therefore, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a component for collecting a current and a battery to reduce damage to an electrode assembly when bending the component for collecting a current.

With reference to <FIG>, a component for collecting a current <NUM> in an embodiment of the present disclosure is used to electrically connect an electrode assembly <NUM> to the outside. The component for collecting a current <NUM> includes an introducing body and a connection body <NUM> which is bendably arranged relative to the introducing body, and the introducing body includes a holding arrangement to be fixed when bending the connection body <NUM>. In some embodiments, a holding arrangement to be fixed when bending the connection body can be interpreted as: when the connection body <NUM> is bent, the holding arrangement is used to place an external tool, and a stress applied on the connection body <NUM> can be transferred to the external tool. Therefore, the holding arrangement can avoid the stress applied to the connection body <NUM> to transfer to the electrode assembly and reduce the damage to the electrode assembly. For example, the holding arrangement is a protrusion structure with a shape and is formed by a portion of the introducing body. The protrusion structure is used to place the external tool. The shape of the protrusion structure can be disposed according to actual requirements. The shape may be trapezoid, curved, square or the like.

<FIG> is a schematic view when a component for collecting a current according to the present embodiment is in a first state, while <FIG> is a schematic view when a component for collecting a current according to the present embodiment is in a second state. The connection body <NUM> is bent relative to the introducing body to transform from the first state to the second state.

When bending the connection body of the present embodiment, an operator may fix and clamp the holding arrangement arranged on a introducing body by using a clamping tool, so that a stress applied on the component for collecting a current may be transferred to the clamping tool when bending the connection body <NUM>, in order to avoid the stress from damaging the electrode assembly.

The present embodiment exemplarily shows a prismatic cell. However, other embodiments of the present disclosure may further be batteries of various other shapes like cylindrical cells and the like.

As shown in <FIG>, the battery of this embodiment includes an electrode assembly, a cap plate <NUM> arranged on top of the electrode assembly <NUM>, an electrode terminal <NUM> drilled through the cap plate <NUM>, a vent <NUM> and an electrolyte injection hole <NUM> arranged on the cap plate <NUM>. The component for collecting a current <NUM> are arranged on sides of the electrode assembly <NUM> and are respectively connected to the tabs and the electrode terminals to electrically connect the electrode assembly to the outside. The component for collecting a current <NUM> includes a connection body <NUM> and an introducing body. The connection body <NUM> is connected to a tab, for example, by ultrasonic welding, resistance welding or the like. The introducing body is used to introduce electricity of the tab to the outside of the electrode assembly.

In some embodiments, the introducing body further includes an inner connecting structure <NUM> connecting the holding arrangement and the connection body <NUM>. The holding arrangement protrudes relative to the inner connecting structure <NUM> and in a direction that is away from the electrode assembly <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the inner connecting structure <NUM> is arranged close to a side of the electrode assembly. Therefore, protruding the holding arrangement away from the electrode assembly <NUM> leaves space and allows the operator to use a tool to fix and clamp the holding arrangement when bending the connection body <NUM>, thereby facilitating fixing the holding arrangement to reduce damage to the electrode assembly. That is, the introducing body extends along the side of the electrode assembly, and an accommodating space is formed between a surface of the holding arrangement adjacent to the electrode assembly and a surface of the electrode assembly. The tool to fix and clamp the holding arrangement can be placed in the accommodating space.

In the present embodiment, specifically, as shown in <FIG>, the inner connecting structure <NUM> is in the form of a sheet. When mounted on the electrode assembly, the inner connecting structure <NUM> extends in its longitudinal direction along the side of the electrode assembly and is arranged adjacent to the side of the electrode assembly. The holding arrangement of the present embodiment includes a first holding part <NUM> and a second holding part <NUM> which are respectively arranged at longitudinal ends of the inner connecting structure <NUM>. While bending the connection body of the present embodiment, the operator fixes both the first holding part <NUM> and the second holding part <NUM> to better fix the introducing body, so as to prevent it from deforming and pressing against the electrode assembly to damage the cell.

The introducing body further includes an outer connecting structure <NUM> to be electrically connected to the outside. The outer connecting structure <NUM> is provided with a connecting hole for connecting to the electrode terminal <NUM> that is connected to the outside. The first holding part <NUM> is arranged between the outer connecting structure <NUM> and the inner connecting structure <NUM>. The second holding part <NUM> is arranged at an end of the inner connecting structure <NUM> away from the outer connecting structure <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, there is a gap between a surface of the first holding part <NUM> adjacent to the electrode assembly <NUM> and a surface of the inner connecting structure <NUM> adjacent to the electrode assembly <NUM>; and there is a gap between a surface of the second holding part <NUM> adjacent to the electrode assembly <NUM> and the surface of the inner connecting structure <NUM> adjacent to the electrode assembly <NUM>. When bending the connection body, the first holding part <NUM> and the second holding part <NUM> may be fixed by reaching out the clamping tool into the gaps. In some embodiments, the gap can be understood as: the surface of the holding arrangement and the surface of the inner connecting structure <NUM> are not on a same surface, so that there is a gap between the holding arrangement and the side of the electrode assembly.

A cross section of the first holding part <NUM> is a trapezoid. In other embodiments, the cross section of the first holding part <NUM> may further be curved or a square or the like. One end of the second holding part <NUM> is connected to the inner connecting structure <NUM>, while the other end is a free end.

It is worth noting that the holding arrangement should not be limited in including a first holding part <NUM> and a second holding part <NUM>. In some embodiments, any one of the first holding part <NUM> and the second holding part <NUM> can be arranged to enable a operator to use a tool to fix and clamp the first holding part <NUM> or the second holding part <NUM>, so that a stress applied on the component for collecting a current may be transferred to the clamping tool when bending the connection body <NUM>, in order to reduce the stress from damaging the electrode assembly.

As shown in <FIG>, the component for collecting a current <NUM> in this embodiment is formed integrally by a piece of metal that is in the form of a sheet. The outer connecting structure <NUM> is arranged substantially perpendicular to the inner connecting structure <NUM>. The first holding part <NUM> and the second holding part <NUM> also protrude relative to the inner connecting structure. The component for collecting a current of the present embodiment can be formed by bending the sheet-shaped piece of metal. The component for collecting a current is simple in its manufacturing process, the cost of manufacturing the component is saved and it is advantageous for popularization in practical production.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, tabs <NUM> are provided at both sides of the electrode assembly in its length direction. In the thickness direction of the electrode assembly <NUM>, the tabs <NUM> are provided adjacent to one side of the electrode assembly. And in the width direction of the electrode assembly, the tabs <NUM> are provided in the middle of the electrode assembly <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the battery of the present embodiment includes two electrode assemblies <NUM> arranged side by side, the tabs of the two electrode assemblies are generally parallel to each other.

In order to electrically connect the two electrode assemblies <NUM> to the outside, as shown in <FIG>, there are two connecting bodies <NUM> in a component for collecting a current, the two connecting bodies <NUM> respectively located on two lateral sides of the introducing body. As shown in <FIG>, the component for collecting a current is arranged between two tabs, and the two connecting bodies <NUM> respectively connect to the tabs of two electrode assemblies <NUM>.

In order to prevent the holding arrangement from occupying additional internal space of the electrode assemblies, the holding arrangement of the present embodiment is arranged on the side of the electrode assembly <NUM>. Besides, a protruding distance of the holding arrangement relative to the side of the electrode assembly <NUM> is shorter than a protruding distance of a cap plate <NUM> edge relative to the side of the electrode assembly <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the inner connecting structure <NUM> in this embodiment has a sheet of T-shape. The first holding part <NUM> and the second holding part <NUM> are arranged on both ends of the T-shaped sheet in its length direction. The T-shape sheet has a larger cross-section area, so as to improve the ability of current transmission for the inner connecting structure <NUM>.

In other embodiments, the holding arrangement includes one holding part. For example, the holding arrangement includes a first holding part <NUM> arranged between the outer connecting structure <NUM> and the inner connecting structure <NUM>. Alternatively, the holding arrangement includes a second holding part <NUM> arranged at an end of the inner connecting structure away from the outer connecting structure. The second holding part <NUM> has one end connected to the inner connecting structure <NUM>, and an other end being a free end.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the second holding part <NUM> extends beyond the connection body <NUM> in a longitudinal direction of the inner connecting structure <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A battery, comprising an electrode assembly (<NUM>) and a component (<NUM>) for collecting a current which are configured to be assembled by means of an external tool for fixing and clamping the component (<NUM>);
wherein the component (<NUM>) is arranged to electrically connect an electrode assembly (<NUM>) to the outside, the component (<NUM>) comprises an introducing body and a connection body (<NUM>) bendable relative to the introducing body, the connection body (<NUM>) is connected to a tab of the electrode assembly (<NUM>), and the introducing body is electronically connected to the outside; and
wherein the introducing body comprises a holding arrangement and an inner connecting structure (<NUM>) connecting the holding arrangement and the connection body (<NUM>), the introducing body extends along a side of the electrode assembly (<NUM>), an accommodating space formed between a surface of the holding arrangement adjacent to the electrode assembly (<NUM>) and a surface of the electrode assembly (<NUM>), the accommodating space is used to place the external tool.