Battery frame, battery group, battery pack, and method for assembling battery group

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11936059-B2
Application number	US-202117552343-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2021
Priority date	Nov 19, 2019
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

Embodiments of this application provide a battery frame, a battery group, a battery pack, and a method for assembling a battery group. The battery frame according to the embodiments of this application includes at least two frames. The at least two frames are sequentially connected along a first direction. Among the at least two frames, any two adjacent frames are rotatably connected to each other, so that the battery frame is foldable. The foldability of the battery frame according to the embodiments of this application diversifies the battery frame effectively.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery frame, comprising at least two frames, wherein each frame comprises a pallet and side plates, the side plates are peripherally connected to the pallet and comprise a first side plate and a second side plate that are arranged oppositely along a first direction, the first direction is parallel to a plane in which the pallet is located, and the at least two frames are sequentially connected along the first direction; in the at least two frames, any two adjacent frames are rotatably connected to each other, so that the battery frame is in either an unfolded state or a folded state; when the battery frame is in the unfolded state, the at least two frames are disposed alongside in the first direction; when the battery frame is in the folded state, the at least two frames are stacked along a second direction; and the second direction is perpendicular to the plane in which the pallet is located;
wherein the battery frame comprises at least three frames; and, among any three adjacent frames, a middle frame is folded in an opposite direction against two frames located on two sides;
wherein among any three adjacent frames, the middle frame is rotatably connected to a frame on a first side of the middle frame through a first rotation structure, the middle frame is rotatably connected to a frame on a second side of the middle frame through a second rotation structure, and the first rotation structure and the second rotation structure are located at two ends of the middle frame along the second direction, so that when the battery frame is in the folded state, the middle frame is oriented in an opposite direction against the two frames located on two sides;
wherein a hollow-out portion is further disposed on the frame, and the hollow-out portion is configured to fit an electrical connecting plate of a battery group;
wherein the electrical connecting plate comprises a first bend portion and a second bend portion that are connected to each other, and, when the battery frame is in the folded state, the first bend portion and the second bend portion are at an acute angle to each other and are located in two adjacent frames respectively; and
wherein the hollow-out portion comprises a first hollow-out portion and a second hollow-out portion, the first hollow-out portion is located on a side plate and penetrates the side plate along a thickness direction of the side plate, and the second hollow-out portion is located on the pallet and penetrates the pallet along a thickness direction of the pallet.

2. The battery frame according to claim 1 , wherein the first rotation structure is located at an end of a side plate along the second direction, the end being away from the pallet; and the second rotation structure is located at an end of a side plate along the second direction, the end being close to the pallet.

3. The battery frame according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first rotation structure comprises a first spindle, a first connecting slot and two first connecting holes; the first spindle is disposed on the second side plate of the frame on the first side; the first connecting slot and the two first connecting holes are all disposed on the first side plate of the middle frame; the two first connecting holes are located at two ends of the first side plate of the middle frame along a third direction; the first connecting slot is located between the two first connecting holes along the third direction; the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction; and the first spindle is inserted into the first connecting slot and the two first connecting holes; and/or
the second rotation structure comprises a second spindle, a second connecting slot and two second connecting holes; the second spindle is disposed on the second side plate of the middle frame; the second connecting slot and the two second connecting holes are all disposed on the first side plate of the frame on the second side; the two second connecting holes are located at two ends of the first side plate of the frame on the second side along the third direction; the second connecting slot is located between the two second connecting holes along the third direction; the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction; and the second spindle is inserted into the second connecting slot and the two second connecting holes.

4. The battery frame according to claim 1 , wherein a locking structure is disposed between any two adjacent frames, and the locking structure is configured to lock the two adjacent frames when the battery frame is in the folded state.

5. The battery frame according to claim 1 , wherein, among the any three adjacent frames, the two frames located on the two sides of the middle frame are identical in structure.

6. The battery frame according to claim 1 , wherein the frame is made of an insulation material; and/or the frame is made of a heat insulation material.

7. A battery group, comprising:
an electrical connecting plate;
a battery module containing a battery; and
the battery frame according to claim 1 ;
wherein:
the battery frame is in the folded state, the battery module is disposed in each frame of the battery frame, the electrical connecting plate is electrically connected to tabs of different batteries in the battery group; and
the electrical connecting plate is located at the hollow-out portion of the battery frame.

8. The battery group according to claim 7 , wherein a groove is disposed between the first bend portion and the second bend portion, and the groove fits a first spindle or a second spindle of the battery frame.

9. The battery group according to claim 7 , wherein the tabs are located on a side of the battery along a third direction, and the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction; or, the tabs are located on two sides of the battery along the first direction.

10. A battery pack, comprising:
a box body; and
the battery group according to claim 7 , wherein the battery group is disposed in the box body.

11. A method for assembling the battery group according to claim 7 , comprising:
placing the battery module containing the battery into each frame of the battery frame that is in the unfolded state;
electrically connecting the tabs of the different batteries by using the electrical connecting plate; and
rotating two adjacent frames oppositely so that the battery frame changes from the unfolded state into the folded state.

Assignees

• Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Yongguang
• Wang Peng
• Li Shenglin
• You Kaijie
• Tang Yu

Classifications

• H01M50/264 Primary

  for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames · CPC title

• H01M10/658

  by thermal insulation or shielding · CPC title

• H01M50/209

  adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells (H01M50/216 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M50/503

  characterised by the shape of the interconnectors · CPC title

• H01M10/04 Primary

  Construction or manufacture in general (H01M10/058, H01M10/12, H01M10/28, H01M10/38 take precedence) · CPC title