Battery pack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021005941-A1
Application number	US-202016838067-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 2, 2020
Priority date	Jul 5, 2019
Publication date	Jan 7, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A battery pack includes a case and a battery module. The case includes an accommodating cavity and a drain hole in communication with the accommodating cavity. The battery module is mounted inside the accommodating cavity. A reservoir cavity is provided below the battery module to store a liquid, and in communication with the drain hole. A reservoir cavity is provided, such that the liquid can flow into a reservoir portion to prevent dangers such as short-circuit occurring in the battery module inside the case, and optimize the structure and performance of the battery pack when liquid is accumulated inside the case.

First claim

1 . A battery pack, comprising:
a case ( 1 ), comprising an accommodating cavity ( 11 ) and a drain hole ( 12 ) in communication with the accommodating cavity ( 11 ); and a battery module ( 2 ) mounted inside the accommodating cavity ( 11 ); wherein a reservoir cavity ( 10 ) is provided below the battery module ( 2 ) to store a liquid, and in communication with the drain hole ( 12 ).

2 . The battery pack according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a reservoir portion ( 3 ) disposed outside the case ( 1 ); wherein the reservoir portion ( 3 ) is provided with the reservoir cavity ( 10 ), or the reservoir portion ( 3 ) and the case ( 1 ) jointly form the reservoir cavity ( 10 ).

3 . The battery pack according to claim 2 , wherein the reservoir portion ( 3 ) is mounted below a wall ( 15 ) of the case ( 1 ) provided with the drain hole ( 12 ), and sealingly connected with the wall ( 15 ); wherein the reservoir portion ( 3 ) and the wall ( 15 ) enclose the reservoir cavity ( 10 ).

4 . The battery pack according to claim 3 , wherein the reservoir portion ( 3 ) is provided with an inner concave portion ( 31 ) recessed in a direction away from the case ( 1 ).

5 . The battery pack according to claim 4 , wherein there are a plurality of the drain hole ( 12 ), and the inner concave portion ( 31 ) is located outside all of the drain holes ( 12 ) and covers all of the drain holes ( 12 ).

6 . The battery pack according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a protection portion ( 4 ) mounted on one side of the reservoir portion ( 3 ) away from the case ( 1 ).

7 . The battery pack according to claim 6 , wherein the protection portion ( 4 ) has a hardness greater than that of the reservoir portion ( 3 ), and the protection portion ( 4 ) entirely covers the reservoir portion ( 3 ).

8 . The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the case ( 1 ) comprises:
a first case ( 13 ); and a second case ( 14 ) enclosing the accommodating cavity ( 11 ) with the first case ( 13 ) and located below the first case ( 13 ); wherein the drain hole ( 12 ) is provided in the second case ( 14 ).

9 . The battery pack according to claim 8 , wherein the second case ( 14 ) comprises:
a case body ( 141 ); and a carrier ( 142 ) disposed inside the case body ( 141 ); wherein the carrier ( 142 ) divides an inner space of the case ( 1 ) into the accommodating cavity ( 11 ) and the reservoir cavity ( 10 ); the carrier ( 142 ) is provided with the drain hole ( 12 ), and the battery module ( 2 ) is carried by the carrier ( 142 ).

10 . The battery pack according to claim 9 , wherein a bottom of the case body ( 141 ) is provided with an inner concave area ( 16 ) recessed in a direction away from the first case ( 13 ), and the carrier ( 142 ) is connected with an edge of the recessed area ( 16 ).

11 . The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the battery module ( 2 ) comprises:
a battery cell assembly ( 21 ) comprising a plurality of battery cells ( 210 ) arranged side by side; a cooling system ( 22 ) abutting against the plurality of battery cells ( 210 ) and configured to cool each of the battery cells ( 210 ); and wherein the drain hole ( 12 ) is configured to discharge a fluid leaked by the cooling system ( 22 ).

12 . The battery pack according to claim 11 , wherein the cooling system ( 22 ) comprises:
at least two cooling plates ( 221 ), wherein each of the at least two cooling plates ( 221 ) is provided in cooling flow passages; a connecting pipe ( 222 ) in communication with the cooling flow passages of each of the at least two cooling plates ( 221 ); and wherein the drain hole ( 12 ) is adjacent to a connection of the cooling plate ( 221 ) and the connecting pipe ( 222 ).

13 . The battery pack according to claim 11 , wherein all of the battery cells ( 210 ) of the battery module ( 2 ) are arranged along a length direction of the case ( 1 ), and a maximum lateral surface of each of the battery cells ( 210 ) and the wall ( 15 ) in which the drain hole ( 12 ) of the case ( 1 ) is located face towards each other.

14 . The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein there are a plurality of the drain holes ( 12 ) arranged along a width direction of the case ( 1 ).

15 . The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the size of an opening of the drain hole ( 12 ) on one end in communication with the accommodating cavity ( 11 ) is greater than the size of an opening of the drain hole ( 12 ) on the other end in communication with the reservoir portion ( 3 ).

Assignees

• Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chen Xingdi
• You Kaijie
• Wang Peng
• Tang Yu
• Li Long

Classifications

• H01M50/636 Primary

  Closing or sealing filling ports, e.g. using lids · CPC title

• H01M50/103

  prismatic or rectangular (H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M50/271

  Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings · CPC title

• H01M50/209

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

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title