CN219626717U - Battery monomer, battery and power consumption device - Google Patents

Abstract

The embodiment of the application provides a battery monomer, a battery and an electric device, wherein the battery monomer comprises a shell, an electrode assembly and a capillary structure member, and the shell comprises a first end wall; the electrode assembly is arranged in the shell, the electrode assembly comprises a first end face facing the first end wall, an accommodating space is arranged between the first end face and the first end wall, and electrolyte is arranged in the accommodating space; the capillary structure conveys the electrolyte in the receiving space to the electrode assembly along the capillary structure. Belongs to the technical field of batteries. The battery cell, the battery and the power utilization device provided by the embodiment of the application aim to improve the utilization rate of electrolyte of the battery cell and increase the reliability and safety of the battery cell.

Description

Battery monomer, battery and power consumption device

Technical Field

The application relates to the technical field of batteries, in particular to a battery cell, a battery and an electric device.

Background

The chargeable and dischargeable battery has the advantages of small volume, high energy density, high safety, small self-discharge, long service life and the like, and is widely applied to various fields of energy storage, communication, electric vehicles, aerospace and the like. The battery comprises a plurality of battery cells which are connected in series, parallel or mixed.

With the expansion of the application range of the battery cell, the performance requirements of the battery cell are gradually improved, and particularly the cycle performance, the safety performance and the like of the battery cell still need to be improved.

Disclosure of Invention

The utility model aims to provide a battery cell, a battery and an electricity utilization device, wherein the battery cell has higher electrolyte utilization rate and better reliability.

The utility model is realized by the following technical scheme:

in a first aspect, the present utility model provides a battery cell comprising a housing, an electrode assembly, and a capillary structure, the housing comprising a first end wall; the electrode assembly is arranged in the shell, the electrode assembly comprises a first end face facing the first end wall, an accommodating space is arranged between the first end face and the first end wall, and electrolyte is arranged in the accommodating space; the capillary structure conveys the electrolyte in the receiving space to the electrode assembly along the capillary structure.

According to the battery cell provided by the embodiment of the utility model, the capillary structural member is arranged, so that the electrolyte can gradually permeate into each position of the electrode assembly under the capillary action of the capillary structural member, so that the distribution of the electrolyte at the electrode assembly is more uniform, and meanwhile, the arrangement of the capillary structural member can also convey the electrolyte in the accommodating space to the electrode assembly when the battery cell is in an inverted structure, so that the reliability and the safety of the battery cell in the inverted structure are improved.

According to one embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the electrode assembly further includes an outer peripheral surface adjacent to the first end surface; the capillary structure comprises a first section and a second section which are connected with each other, wherein the first section is positioned in the accommodating space, and the second section is positioned on the peripheral surface.

According to the battery cell provided by the embodiment of the application, the capillary structural member comprises the first section and the second section which are connected with each other, wherein the first section is positioned in the accommodating space, so that the contact area between the capillary structural member and electrolyte can be increased, the efficiency of capillary action is improved, the electrolyte in the accommodating space is further absorbed rapidly, and the second section is positioned on the peripheral surface and used for conveying the electrolyte to the electrode assembly, so that the reliability and the safety of the battery cell are further improved.

According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the application, the outer circumferential surface is provided with a liquid-retaining layer.

According to the battery cell provided by the embodiment of the application, the liquid-retaining layer is arranged on the outer peripheral surface, so that the efficiency of transporting electrolyte from the capillary structure to the electrode assembly can be improved, and the reliability and safety of the battery cell are further improved.

According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the battery cell further includes a protective film, and the protective film is coated on the electrode assembly.

According to the battery cell provided by the embodiment of the application, the protective film is arranged and is used for coating the electrode assembly, so that the consistency of the battery cell can be effectively improved, the electrolyte can be kept at the electrode assembly, and the reliability is better.

According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the application, the second segment is embedded within the protective film.

According to the battery monomer provided by the embodiment of the application, the second section is embedded in the protective film, so that the installation procedure of the capillary structural part is saved, namely, the capillary structural part can be synchronously installed in the installation process of the protective film, so that the production efficiency of the battery monomer is improved, and the economy is better.

According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the protective film is provided with a communication hole, and the second section and the electrode assembly are respectively positioned at two ends of the communication hole.

According to the battery cell provided by the embodiment of the application, the communication holes are formed in the protective film and are used for communicating the second section and the electrode assembly, so that electrolyte transported in the second section can contact with the electrode assembly at the communication holes and be absorbed by the electrode assembly, uniform distribution of the electrolyte in the electrode assembly is further realized, and the reliability and safety of the battery cell are further improved.

According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the application, the second section is arranged between the protective film and the outer circumferential surface.

According to the battery cell provided by the embodiment of the application, the second section is arranged between the protective film and the peripheral surface, so that the contact area between the second section and the electrode assembly can be increased, and further, the electrolyte can be transported to the electrode assembly more easily, the occurrence of stacking of the electrolyte in the accommodating space in the inverted structure of the battery cell is effectively reduced, and the reliability and safety of the battery cell are further improved.

According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the application, the capillary structure is integrally formed with the protective film.

According to the battery monomer provided by the embodiment of the application, the consistency of the capillary structural member and the protective film is improved by arranging the capillary structural member and the protective film into an integrated manner, the arrangement of the capillary structural member is simpler and more efficient, the occurrence probability of the situation of error arrangement position of the capillary structural member is reduced, and the reliability and the safety are better.

According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the application, the capillary structure is provided in plurality, and the orthographic projections of the second section of each capillary structure on the outer circumferential surface do not overlap.

According to the battery cell provided by the embodiment of the application, the plurality of capillary structural members are arranged, and the orthographic projections of the second sections of the capillary structural members on the peripheral surface are not overlapped, namely, the plurality of capillary structural members are utilized to convey the electrolyte to each position of the electrode assembly as much as possible, so that the electrolyte is more uniformly distributed at the electrode assembly, and the reliability and the safety are better.

According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the application, the second sections of the capillary structures are parallel to each other.

According to the battery cell provided by the embodiment of the application, the second sections of the capillary structural members are parallel to each other, so that the transportation direction of the electrolyte through the capillary structural members is kept consistent, the electrolyte is uniformly distributed in the direction of the second sections, and the reliability and the safety of the battery cell are further improved.

According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the application, there are at least two second segments of different lengths.

According to the battery cell provided by the embodiment of the application, the lengths of at least two second sections are different, so that the electrolyte can be transported to different positions of the electrode assembly by using the second sections with different lengths, and further, the different distribution of the required amount of the electrolyte can be performed on the different positions of the electrode assembly, and the reliability and the safety of the battery cell are further improved.

According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the application, at least part of the first section is connected to the first end wall.

According to the battery cell provided by the embodiment of the application, at least part of the first section is connected with the first end wall, so that in the inverted structure of the battery cell, at least part of the first section can be in contact with electrolyte accumulated at one end of the accommodating space close to the first end wall, and further more electrolyte can be transported to the electrode assembly under the capillary action of the capillary structural member, and the reliability is better.

According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the application, the capillary structure is a capillary tube.

According to the battery monomer provided by the embodiment of the application, the capillary structural member is arranged to be a capillary tube, the material consumption of the capillary structural member can be reduced by the tubular structure, and the capillary action direction can be conveniently controlled, so that electrolyte can be transported to different positions of the electrode assembly, the electrolyte can be uniformly distributed in the electrode assembly, the utilization rate of the electrolyte is improved, and the reliability and the safety are better.

According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the application, the capillary has a diameter of 0.001-0.1mm and/or the capillary has a wall thickness of 0.001-0.1mm.

According to the battery cell provided by the embodiment of the application, the diameter of the capillary tube and the tube wall thickness are limited, so that the capillary tube can provide a better buffering effect for the electrode assembly, and meanwhile, the proper electrolyte transportation rate is obtained, so that the reliability and the safety of the battery cell are further improved.

According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the battery cell further includes an insulating member disposed between the first end face and the first end wall, and the accommodating space is a space between the insulating member and the first end face.

According to the battery cell provided by the embodiment of the application, the insulating piece is arranged between the first end face and the first end wall, so that the electrode assembly is insulated from the accommodating space by the insulating piece, and the reliability and the safety of the battery cell are improved.

According to one embodiment of the first aspect of the application, the housing comprises a shell having an opening and an end cap closing the opening, the first end wall being an end cap.

According to the battery cell provided by the embodiment of the application, the shell comprises the shell and the end cover, the shell is of the semi-surrounding structure with the opening, the accommodating space is a space close to the end cover, the shell can be utilized to provide good protection for the electrode assembly, and meanwhile, the end cover seals the opening, so that a sealed and stable working environment can be provided for the operation of the electrode assembly, and the reliability and safety of the battery cell are further improved.

In a second aspect, the present application also provides a battery, including a battery cell according to any embodiment of the first aspect of the present application.

In a third aspect, the present application also provides an electric device, including a battery according to any one of the embodiments in the second aspect of the present application, where the battery is used to provide electric energy.

Additional aspects and advantages of the application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the application.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings that are needed in the embodiments will be briefly described below, it being understood that the following drawings only illustrate some embodiments of the present application and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope, and other related drawings may be obtained according to these drawings without inventive effort for a person skilled in the art.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a partial structure of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 2 is an exploded view of a battery according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application;

fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion a of the battery cell shown in fig. 3;

fig. 5 is a schematic view showing a combined structure of a protective film and a capillary structure in a stretched state in a battery cell according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the battery cell shown in FIG. 5 in one embodiment, taken along line B-B;

fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the battery cell shown in fig. 6 along line C-C;

fig. 8 is a part D enlarged view of the battery cell shown in fig. 7;

fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the battery cell shown in fig. 5 in another embodiment, taken along line B-B.

Icon: 1. a vehicle; 1000. a battery; 1a, a motor; 1b, a controller; 200. a case; 100. a battery cell; 10. a housing; 11. a first end wall; 12. a housing; 13. an end cap; 20. an electrode assembly; 21. a first end face; 22. an outer peripheral surface; 221. a liquid-retaining layer; 30. a capillary structure; 31. a first section; 32. a second section; 40. a protective film; 41. a communication hole; 50. an insulating member; 101. an accommodation space; x, a first direction; y, second direction.

Detailed Description

For the purpose of making the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application more apparent, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application, and it is apparent that the described embodiments are some embodiments of the present application, but not all embodiments of the present application. All other embodiments, which can be made by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the application without making any inventive effort, are intended to be within the scope of the application.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs; the terminology used in the description of the application herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application; the terms "comprising" and "having" and any variations thereof in the description of the application and the claims and the description of the drawings above are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. The terms first, second and the like in the description and in the claims or in the above-described figures, are used for distinguishing between different objects and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order.

Reference in the specification to "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the application. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Those of skill in the art will explicitly and implicitly appreciate that the described embodiments of the application may be combined with other embodiments.

In the description of the present application, it should be noted that, unless explicitly specified and limited otherwise, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "attached" are to be construed broadly, and may be, for example, fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally connected; can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and can be communication between two elements. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art according to the specific circumstances.

The term "and/or" in the present application is merely an association relation describing the association object, and indicates that three kinds of relations may exist, for example, a and/or B may indicate: a exists alone, A and B exist together, and B exists alone. In the present application, the character "/" generally indicates that the front and rear related objects are an or relationship.

The term "plurality" as used herein means two or more (including two), and similarly, "plural sets" means two or more (including two), and "plural sheets" means two or more (including two).

In the present application, the battery cells may include lithium ion secondary battery cells, lithium ion primary battery cells, lithium sulfur battery cells, lithium sodium ion battery cells, sodium ion battery cells or magnesium ion battery cells, and the like, which is not limited in the embodiment of the present application. The battery cell may be in a cylindrical shape, a flat shape, a rectangular parallelepiped shape, or other shapes, which is not limited in this embodiment of the application. The battery cells are generally classified into three types according to the packaging method: the cylindrical battery cell, the square battery cell and the soft package battery cell are not limited in this embodiment.

The battery cell comprises an electrode assembly and electrolyte, wherein the electrode assembly comprises a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate and a separator. The battery cell mainly relies on metal ions to move between the positive pole piece and the negative pole piece to work. The positive electrode plate comprises a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode active material layer, and the positive electrode active material layer is coated on the surface of the positive electrode current collector; the positive current collector comprises a positive current collecting part and a positive lug protruding out of the positive current collecting part, wherein the positive current collecting part is coated with a positive active material layer, and at least part of the positive lug is not coated with the positive active material layer. Taking a lithium ion battery monomer as an example, the material of the positive electrode current collector can be aluminum, the positive electrode active material layer comprises a positive electrode active material, and the positive electrode active material can be lithium cobaltate, lithium iron phosphate, ternary lithium or lithium manganate and the like. The negative electrode plate comprises a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material layer, and the negative electrode active material layer is coated on the surface of the negative electrode current collector; the negative electrode current collector comprises a negative electrode current collecting part and a negative electrode tab protruding from the negative electrode current collecting part, wherein the negative electrode current collecting part is coated with a negative electrode active material layer, and at least part of the negative electrode tab is not coated with the negative electrode active material layer. The material of the anode current collector may be copper, the anode active material layer includes an anode active material, and the anode active material may be carbon or silicon, or the like. In order to improve the excessive flow of the lugs, the number of the positive lugs is multiple and the positive lugs are stacked together, and the number of the negative lugs is multiple and the negative lugs are stacked together. The material of the separator may be PP (polypropylene) or PE (polyethylene), etc. Furthermore, the electrode assembly may be, but is not limited to, a rolled or laminated structure.

The battery cell may further include a case having a receiving cavity therein, the receiving cavity being a closed space provided by the case for the electrode assembly and the electrolyte. The shell comprises a shell body and an end cover, the shell body is of a hollow structure with one side open, the end cover comprises an end cover, and the end cover covers the opening of the shell body and forms sealing connection so as to form a containing cavity for containing the electrode assembly and electrolyte.

In the related art, a part of space is usually reserved between the end cover and the electrode assembly due to the requirement of liquid injection and the design of the explosion-proof valve and the electrode column, and as the application range of the battery cell is expanded, the battery cell may exist in a use environment which needs to be in an inverted structure.

In this way, when the battery cell is in an inverted structure, the electrolyte easily flows to the end cover under the action of gravity and is accumulated in the space between the end cover and the electrode assembly, so that the electrolyte cannot be utilized by the electrode assembly, and further the weight energy density of the battery cell is reduced, and the utilization rate of the electrolyte is reduced.

In view of this, the present application provides a technical solution in which a battery cell includes a housing, an electrode assembly, and a capillary structure, the housing including a first end wall; the electrode assembly is arranged in the shell, and comprises a first end face facing the first end wall, and an accommodating space is arranged between the first end face and the first end wall; the capillary structure is used for delivering the electrolyte in the accommodating space to the electrode assembly. The battery monomer with the structure can utilize the capillary structural member to convey electrolyte in the accommodating space to the electrode assembly so as to improve the utilization rate of the electrolyte, further improve the weight energy density of the battery monomer and ensure better reliability and safety.

Reference to a battery in accordance with an embodiment of the present application refers to a single physical module that includes one or more battery cells to provide higher voltage and capacity. For example, the battery referred to in the present application may include a battery module or a battery pack, or the like. The battery generally includes a case for enclosing one or more battery cells. The case can reduce the influence of liquid or other foreign matters on the charge or discharge of the battery cells.

The technical scheme described in the embodiment of the application is applicable to an electrode assembly, a battery cell comprising the electrode assembly, a battery comprising the battery cell and a vehicle using the battery.

The devices to which the batteries described in the embodiments of the present application are applicable include, but are not limited to: battery cars, electric vehicles, ships, spacecraft, electric toys, electric tools, and the like, for example, spacecraft including airplanes, rockets, space planes, and spacecraft, and the like, electric toys including fixed or mobile electric toys, for example, game machines, electric vehicle toys, electric ship toys, and electric aircraft toys, and the like, and electric tools including metal cutting electric tools, grinding electric tools, assembly electric tools, and railway electric tools, for example, electric drills, electric grinders, electric wrenches, electric screwdrivers, electric hammers, impact electric drills, concrete vibrators, and electric planners.

For convenience of explanation, the following examples will be described taking an electric device as an example of a vehicle.

Fig. 1 is a schematic partial structure of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application.

As shown in fig. 1, a battery 1000 is provided inside a vehicle 1. The battery 1000 may be provided at the bottom or the head or the tail of the vehicle 1. The battery 1000 may be used for power supply of the vehicle 1, for example, the battery 1000 may serve as an operating power source of the vehicle 1.

The vehicle 1 may further include a controller 1b and a motor 1a. The controller 1b is used to control the battery 1000 to supply power to the motor 1a, for example, for operating power requirements at start-up, navigation and travel of the vehicle 1.

In some embodiments of the application, the battery 1000 may not only serve as an operating power source for the vehicle 1, but also as a driving power source for the vehicle 1, providing driving power for the vehicle 1 instead of or in part instead of fuel oil or natural gas.

Fig. 2 is a schematic exploded view of a battery according to an embodiment of the present application.

As shown in fig. 2, the battery 1000 includes a battery cell 100. The battery 1000 may further include a case 200 for accommodating the battery cells 100.

In the battery 1000, the number of battery cells 100 may be one or more. If there are a plurality of battery cells 100, the plurality of battery cells 100 may be connected in series, parallel or series-parallel. Series-parallel connection refers to both series connection and parallel connection of the plurality of battery cells 100. The plurality of battery cells 100 can be directly connected in series or in parallel or in series-parallel, and then the whole body formed by the plurality of battery cells 100 is accommodated in the box 200, or the plurality of battery cells 100 can be connected in series or in parallel or in series-parallel to form a battery module. The plurality of battery modules are then connected in series, in parallel or in series-parallel to form a unit, and are accommodated in the case 200.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application; fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion a of the battery cell shown in fig. 3.

As shown in fig. 3 and 4, an embodiment of the present application proposes a battery cell 100, the battery cell 100 comprising a housing 10, an electrode assembly 20 and a capillary structure 30, the housing 10 comprising a first end wall 11; the electrode assembly 20 is arranged in the shell 10, the electrode assembly 20 comprises a first end face 21 facing the first end wall 11, a containing space 101 is arranged between the first end face 21 and the first end wall 11, and electrolyte is arranged in the containing space 101; the capillary structure 30 transfers the electrolyte in the receiving space 101 to the electrode assembly 20 along the capillary structure 30.

The case 10 is a structure of the outermost layer of the battery cell 100, for providing protection to the internal structure of the battery cell 100 and providing a stable and sealed operating environment for the electrode assembly 20.

The housing 10 includes a first end wall 11, and in a possible embodiment, the housing 10 is in a structure with an opening at one end, and the first end wall 11 is disposed at the opening end of the housing 10, so that the housing 10 forms a structure sealed from the outside. In some embodiments, the casing 10 may be configured to be open at two ends, and in this case, the number of the first end walls 11 may be two to seal different openings of the casing 10.

The accommodating space 101 is formed between the first end surface 21 and the first end wall 11, that is, after the electrode assembly 20 is mounted into the case 10, the accommodating space 101 is left at the end of the electrode assembly 20 near the first end wall 11, and the accommodating space can be used for injecting electrolyte or mounting other components, and can be selected according to practical situations.

The accommodation space 101 has an electrolyte therein, and a possible embodiment is to enable the electrolyte to accumulate at the accommodation space 101 in some use structures of the battery cell 100.

The electrode assembly 20 is a member in which an electrochemical reaction actually occurs, and charge and discharge of the battery cell 100 are accomplished by movement of electrons within the electrode assembly 20 during operation of the battery cell 100.

The electrode assembly 20 is disposed in the case 10, meaning that the electrode assembly 20 is located inside the case 10 to isolate the electrode assembly 20 from the outside using the case 10, providing a stable and sealed working environment for the electrode assembly 20. In some embodiments, a fixed connection between the electrode assembly 20 and the case 10 may be provided to improve structural consistency of the battery cell 100 and increase reliability of the battery cell 100, and in some embodiments, a detachable connection between the electrode assembly 20 and the case 10 may be provided to facilitate maintenance or replacement of the electrode assembly 20 at a later stage.

The electrode assembly 20 includes a first end face 21 facing the first end wall 11, meaning that the surface of the electrode assembly 20 closest to the first end wall 11 is the first end face 21 after installation into the case 10. In these embodiments of the present application, the electrode assembly 20 may have a structure in which positive and negative electrode sheets are stacked, or may have a structure in which positive and negative electrode sheets are stacked and then wound.

The capillary structure 30 can transport the electrolyte by capillary action, that is, after the capillary structure 30 is immersed in the electrolyte, surface tension perpendicular to the tangent line of the electrolyte liquid surface is generated, and the surface tension can enable the electrolyte to flow in the capillary structure 30, so that the effect of transporting the electrolyte is achieved.

In some embodiments of the present application, the material of the capillary structure 30 may be one or more of polymer films, such as PI, PET, PP, PVC, and may be selected according to practical situations.

The capillary structure 30 may be a unitary structure, with the capillary structure 30 of the unitary structure transporting the electrolyte. In some embodiments, capillary structure 30 may also be provided to include a plurality of small members capable of capillary action to deliver electrolyte to different locations of electrode assembly 20.

The capillary structure 30 conveys the electrolyte in the accommodating space 101 to the electrode assembly 20, and in a possible implementation manner, the electrolyte can flow to the electrode assembly 20 independently after being injected into the housing 10, at this time, the capillary structure 30 can further help the electrolyte to flow, so that the standing time after the electrolyte is injected into the housing 10 is reduced, and in the process of injecting the electrolyte, the capillary structure 30 can also help the flow of bubbles in the housing 10 to be discharged, so that more electrolyte can be in contact with the electrode assembly 20, and the utilization rate of the electrolyte and the energy density of the battery cell 100 are improved.

In some embodiments, the electrolyte may not flow to the electrode assembly 20 independently, and at this time, the capillary action of the capillary structure 30 may be utilized to actively transport the electrolyte into the electrode assembly 20, so as to increase the probability of the electrode assembly 20 being wetted by the electrolyte, thereby improving the reliability and safety of the battery cell 100.

Electrolyte is transported along capillary structure 30 to electrode assembly 20, meaning that the electrolyte circulates along the extended path of capillary structure 30, i.e., the electrolyte is transported in capillary structure 30 by capillary action of capillary structure 30 along the extended path of capillary structure 30 to electrode assembly 20. Illustratively, in some embodiments, one end of the capillary structure 30 may be disposed within the receiving space 101, and the other end of the capillary structure 30 is disposed at the electrode assembly 20, such that the end of the capillary structure 30 within the receiving space 101 absorbs the electrolyte within the receiving space 101 to allow the electrolyte to flow along the extension path of the capillary structure 30 toward the end of the electrode assembly 20.

According to the battery cell 100 of the embodiment of the application, by arranging the capillary structure member 30, the electrolyte can gradually permeate to each position of the electrode assembly 20 under the capillary action of the capillary structure member 30, so that the distribution of the electrolyte at the electrode assembly 20 is more uniform, and meanwhile, the arrangement of the capillary structure member 30 can also convey the electrolyte in the accommodating space 101 to the electrode assembly 20 when the battery cell 100 is in an inverted structure, so as to improve the reliability and safety when the battery cell 100 is in the inverted structure.

According to one embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the electrode assembly 20 further includes an outer peripheral surface 22 adjacent to the first end surface 21; the capillary structure 30 includes a first segment 31 and a second segment 32 connected to each other, the first segment 31 being located in the accommodating space 101, and the second segment 32 being located on the outer peripheral surface 22.

The first end surface 21 being adjacent to the outer peripheral surface 22 means that the outer peripheral surface 22 intersects the first end surface 21, and the peripheral edge of the first end surface 21 is connected to the outer peripheral surface 22. Illustratively, in some embodiments, the outer circumferential surface 22 may be provided as a large surface of the electrode assembly 20, i.e., a side of the outermost separator film adjacent to the inner wall of the case 10.

The first section 31 is located in the accommodating space 101, which means that after the battery cell 100 is installed, the position where the first section 31 is located in the accommodating space 101, so that the first section is wetted by the electrolyte when the electrolyte is injected, and then transportation of the electrolyte is achieved.

In this way, since the first section 31 is located in the accommodating space 101, it can better contact with the electrolyte in the accommodating space 101, so that the electrolyte can quickly wet the first section 31 and be transported along the first section 31 under capillary action.

The second section 32 is located on the outer circumferential surface 22, which means that the second section 32 is disposed near the outer circumferential surface 22 after the battery cell 100 is mounted, so that the electrolyte in the second section 32 can contact the electrode assembly 20 and be delivered to the electrode assembly 20.

In some embodiments, the second segment 32 may be disposed in direct contact with the outer peripheral surface 22 such that electrolyte may be delivered directly to the electrode assembly 20 through the second segment 32; in some embodiments, the second section 32 may be spaced from the outer peripheral surface 22, and the electrolyte may be immersed in the electrode assembly 20 in combination with other structures, which may be selected according to the actual situation.

The first section 31 and the second section 32 are connected to each other, and it is possible to integrally form the first section 31 and the second section 32, and a portion located in the accommodating space 101 after the forming is regarded as the first section 31, and a portion located in the outer peripheral surface 22 is regarded as the second section 32.

According to the battery cell 100 of the embodiment of the application, the capillary structure 30 is provided with the first section 31 and the second section 32 which are connected with each other, wherein the first section 31 is located in the accommodating space 101, so that the contact area between the capillary structure 30 and the electrolyte can be increased, the efficiency of capillary action can be improved, the electrolyte in the accommodating space 101 can be absorbed rapidly, and the second section 32 is located on the outer peripheral surface 22 and used for conveying the electrolyte to the electrode assembly 20, so that the reliability and safety of the battery cell 100 can be further improved.

Fig. 5 is a schematic view showing a combined structure of a protective film and a capillary structure in a stretched state in a battery cell according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application; fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the battery cell shown in fig. 5 in an embodiment, taken along line B-B.

As shown in fig. 3 to 6, according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the outer peripheral surface 22 is provided with a liquid retaining layer 221.

The function of the liquid-retaining layer 221 is to increase the absorption rate of the electrolyte by the electrode assembly 20 so that the electrolyte can be rapidly absorbed and utilized after being transferred to the electrode assembly 20 through the capillary structure 30.

In some embodiments, liquid retention layer 221 may be a thin layer of coating, and may be made of alumina, PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride), CMC (sodium carboxymethyl cellulose), or calcium hydroxide.

According to the battery cell 100 of the embodiment of the application, the liquid retaining layer 221 is arranged on the outer peripheral surface 22, so that the efficiency of transporting the electrolyte from the capillary structure member 30 to the electrode assembly 20 can be improved, and the reliability and safety of the battery cell 100 can be further improved.

According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the battery cell 100 further includes a protective film 40, and the protective film 40 is coated on the electrode assembly 20.

The protective film 40 serves to reduce the probability of leakage, and to make the electrolyte better contact with the electrode assembly 20 for electrons to move between the positive and negative electrode sheets of the electrode assembly 20. Meanwhile, the probability of short circuit between the anode and the cathode of the battery cell 100 can be reduced, so that the safety and reliability of the battery cell 100 are improved.

The protection film 40 is coated on the electrode assembly 20, which means that the protection film 40 is disposed on the outer layer of the electrode assembly 20 to coat the electrode assembly 20.

In these embodiments of the present application, the protective film 40 may be provided as a mylar film covering the electrode assembly 20.

According to the battery cell 100 of the embodiment of the application, the uniformity of the battery cell 100 can be effectively improved by arranging the protective film 40 and coating the electrode assembly 20 by using the protective film 40, so that the electrolyte can be kept at the electrode assembly 20, and the reliability is better.

According to one embodiment of the first aspect of the application, the second section 32 is embedded within the protective film 40.

The second section 32 is embedded in the protective film 40, and in a possible implementation manner, a hole channel for accommodating the second section 32 is formed in the protective film 40, and the second section 32 is embedded in the hole channel; in some embodiments, capillary structure 30 may also be provided integrally formed with protective film 40, with second section 32 of capillary structure 30 being embedded within protective film 40.

The second section 32 is embedded in the protective film 40, so that the relative position between the second section 32 and the protective film 40 is determined, and the position accuracy of the second section 32 after being installed can be improved. Meanwhile, in the production process of the battery cell 100, the installation process of the capillary structure member 30 can be integrated to the installation process of the protective film 40, that is, the installation of the protective film 40 is completed, and then the installation of the capillary structure member 30 is completed, thereby improving the production efficiency of the battery cell 100.

According to the battery cell 100 of the embodiment of the application, the second section 32 is embedded in the protective film 40, so that the installation procedure of the capillary structure member 30 is saved, that is, the capillary structure member 30 can be synchronously installed in the installation process of the protective film 40, so that the production efficiency of the battery cell 100 is improved, and the economy is better.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the battery cell shown in fig. 6 along line C-C; fig. 8 is a magnified view of a portion D of the battery cell shown in fig. 7.

As shown in fig. 3 to 8, according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the protection film 40 is provided with communication holes 41, and the second section 32 and the electrode assembly 20 are respectively positioned at both ends of the communication holes 41.

In these embodiments of the present application, the communication hole 41 is opened in the protective film 40 so that the second section 32 embedded in the protective film 40 can deliver the electrolyte to the electrode assembly 20 through the communication hole 41 to increase the transport rate of the electrolyte and the rate at which the electrolyte infiltrates the electrode assembly 20.

In some embodiments, the number of the communication holes 41 may be set to be plural, and the plural communication holes 41 are uniformly distributed on the protective film 40. Illustratively, in an embodiment in which the capillary structure 30 is a capillary tube, the communicating holes 41 may be provided to be sequentially spaced apart along the arrangement direction of the capillary tube; in embodiments in which the capillary structure 30 is a unitary structure, a plurality of communication holes 41 may be provided in an array to uniformly distribute the electrolyte over the electrode assembly 20.

According to the battery cell 100 of the embodiment of the application, the through holes 41 are formed in the protective film 40, and the through holes 41 serve to connect the second section 32 with the electrode assembly 20, so that the electrolyte transported in the second section 32 can contact with the electrode assembly 20 at the through holes 41 and be absorbed by the electrode assembly 20, thereby realizing uniform distribution of the electrolyte in the electrode assembly 20 and further improving the reliability and safety of the battery cell 100.

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the battery cell shown in fig. 5 in another embodiment, taken along line B-B.

As shown in fig. 3 to 9, according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the second section 32 is provided between the protective film 40 and the outer peripheral surface 22.

The second section 32 is disposed between the protective film 40 and the outer peripheral surface 22, and in a possible embodiment, the second section 32 is sandwiched between the protective film 40 and the outer peripheral surface 22, and the second section 32 is fixed in position by the coating effect of the protective film 40 on the electrode assembly 20; in some embodiments, it may also be provided that the electrode assembly 20 is covered with the protective film 40 after the second segment 32 is fixed to the protective film 40.

In these embodiments of the present application, since the second section 32 is disposed between the protective film 40 and the outer circumferential surface 22, the second section 32 can be utilized as a buffer medium for the electrode assembly 20 to accommodate expansion of the battery cells 100 during circulation, reducing the influence of the expansion of the electrode assembly 20 on the structure of the protective film 40, and improving reliability.

In the embodiment in which the capillary structure 30 is a plurality of capillaries, the gaps are formed between the different capillaries, so that the electrolyte can flow in the gaps rapidly, thereby accelerating the rate of the electrolyte infiltrating the electrode assembly 20 and reducing the time of electrolyte filling and standing.

According to the battery cell 100 of the embodiment of the application, the second section 32 is disposed between the protective film 40 and the outer peripheral surface 22, so that the contact area between the second section 32 and the electrode assembly 20 can be increased, and further, the electrolyte can be transported to the electrode assembly 20 more easily, the occurrence of stacking of the electrolyte in the accommodating space 101 in the inverted structure of the battery cell 100 is effectively reduced, and the reliability and safety of the battery cell 100 are further improved.

According to one embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the capillary structure 30 is integrally formed with the protective film 40.

According to the battery monomer 100 of the embodiment of the application, the consistency of the capillary structural member 30 and the protective film 40 is improved by arranging the capillary structural member 30 and the protective film 40 in an integrated mode, the arrangement of the capillary structural member 30 is simpler and more efficient, the occurrence probability of the situation of error arrangement position of the capillary structural member 30 is reduced, and the reliability and the safety are better.

According to one embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the capillary structure 30 is provided in plurality, and the orthographic projections of the second section 32 of each capillary structure 30 on the outer circumferential surface 22 do not overlap.

The number of the capillary structural members 30 is set to be multiple, so that electrolyte is transported by utilizing the multiple capillary structural members 30 at the same time, thus the cross-sectional area of a single capillary structural member 30 can be reduced, the capillary action in the single capillary structural member 30 is more obvious, and the transport rate of the electrolyte in the single capillary structural member 30 is further accelerated; meanwhile, a plurality of capillary structures 30 are provided to simultaneously transport the electrolyte, and the electrolyte may be transported to a specific location according to the condition of the electrode assembly 20, so as to improve the utilization rate of the electrolyte.

The orthographic projection of the second section 32 of each capillary structure 30 on the outer peripheral surface 22 is not overlapped, so that the interaction between the capillary structures 30 can be reduced, the risk of capillary effect is reduced, and a plurality of capillary structures 30 can cover a larger range of the outer peripheral surface 22 of the electrode assembly 20, thereby further improving the reliability and safety of the battery cell 100.

According to the battery cell 100 of the embodiment of the application, the plurality of capillary structures 30 are arranged, and the orthographic projections of the second sections 32 of the capillary structures 30 on the outer peripheral surface 22 are not overlapped, namely, the plurality of capillary structures 30 are utilized to convey the electrolyte to each position of the electrode assembly 20 as much as possible, so that the electrolyte is more uniformly distributed at the electrode assembly 20, and the reliability and the safety are better.

According to one embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the second sections 32 of the capillary structures 30 are parallel to each other.

The second segments 32 are parallel to each other, and it is possible that a plurality of second segments 32 extend along the first direction X, and the plurality of second segments 32 are spaced apart along the second direction Y. The first direction X is a direction in which the first end wall 11 is directed toward the first end surface 21, and the second direction Y is a direction intersecting the first direction X and parallel to the outer peripheral surface 22.

In this way, the flowing direction of the electrolyte in each capillary structure 30 is kept consistent, the electrolyte is uniformly wetted from one end of the electrode assembly 20 close to the first end face 21 to the other end, so that the electrolyte is uniformly distributed in the electrode assembly 20, each position of the electrode assembly 20 can be wetted by the electrolyte, and electrons move more actively between the pole pieces of the electrode assembly 20 during charging and discharging, thereby improving the weight energy density of the battery cell 100, and improving the reliability and safety.

According to the battery cell 100 of the embodiment of the application, the second sections 32 of the capillary structures 30 are arranged in parallel to each other, so that the transportation direction of the electrolyte through the capillary structures 30 is kept consistent, the electrolyte is uniformly distributed in the direction in which the second sections 32 are arranged, and the reliability and safety of the battery cell 100 are further improved.

According to one embodiment of the first aspect of the application, there are at least two second segments 32 of different lengths.

The presence of at least two second segments 32 having different lengths means that in embodiments in which the capillary structure 30 is a capillary tube, there are at least two second segments 32 of different capillary structures 30 having different lengths set between different capillary structures 30. In this way, the positions of the electrode assembly 20 mainly responsible for wetting are different between the different capillary members 30 due to the different lengths of the second sections 32, so that the transportation rate of the electrolyte can be improved by wetting the different positions of the electrode assembly 20 with the dedicated capillary members 30.

Illustratively, the electrode assembly 20 may be divided into a plurality of layers along the first direction X, and in these embodiments of the present application, where there are at least two second segments 32 having different lengths, it may be considered that the use of a number of capillary structure members 30 is dedicated to wetting a first layer of the electrode assembly 20, a number of capillary structure members 30 is dedicated to wetting a second layer of the electrode assembly 20, a number of capillary structure members 30 is dedicated to wetting a third layer of the electrode assembly 20, and so on, to enhance the rate at which the electrode assembly 20 is wetted by the electrolyte at each layer.

In these embodiments of the present application, the electrolyte delivery locations may also be differentially distributed for different electrolyte requirements for each portion of electrode assembly 20. Illustratively, if a layer is susceptible to electrolyte starvation, then more second segments 32 are provided with ends at the layer to deliver more electrolyte to the layer.

According to the battery cell 100 of the embodiment of the application, by arranging at least two second sections 32 with different lengths, the electrolyte can be transported to different positions of the electrode assembly 20 by using the second sections 32 with different lengths, so that the required amount of the electrolyte can be differentially distributed according to different positions of the electrode assembly 20, and the reliability and the safety of the battery cell 100 are further improved.

According to one embodiment of the first aspect of the application, at least part of the first section 31 is connected to the first end wall 11.

At least part of the first section 31 is connected to the first end wall 11, and it is possible to implement that at least part of the first section 31 is fixedly connected to the first end wall 11, because in the inverted structure of the battery cell 100, the electrolyte is easily accumulated in the accommodating space 101 by the action of gravity, and the bottom surface is the first end wall 11. The first section 31 is fixed to the bottom wall of the accommodating space 101 in the inverted structure of the battery cell 100, so that the first section 31 can always contact with the electrolyte in the inverted structure of the battery cell 100, and more electrolyte is conveyed to the electrode assembly 20 by utilizing capillary action, so that the reliability and safety of the battery cell 100 are improved.

According to the battery cell 100 of the embodiment of the application, at least part of the first section 31 is connected to the first end wall 11, so that in the inverted structure of the battery cell 100, at least part of the first section 31 can be in contact with the electrolyte accumulated in the accommodating space 101 near one end of the first end wall 11, and further more electrolyte can be transported to the electrode assembly 20 under the capillary action of the capillary structure 30, and the reliability is better.

According to one embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the capillary structure 30 is a capillary tube.

The tubular structure of capillary structure 30 has a smaller cross-sectional area, thereby enhancing the surface tension of the electrolyte entering the capillary structure 30, which is beneficial to enhancing the rate of capillary action and thus the rate of wetting of electrode assembly 20 by the electrolyte.

According to the battery cell 100 of the embodiment of the application, the capillary structure member 30 is arranged as the capillary tube, the tubular structure can reduce the material consumption of the capillary structure member 30, and the capillary action direction is convenient to control, so that the electrolyte is transported to different positions of the electrode assembly 20, the electrolyte is uniformly distributed in the electrode assembly 20, the utilization rate of the electrolyte is improved, and the reliability and the safety are better.

According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the application, the capillary has a diameter of 0.001-0.1mm and/or the capillary has a wall thickness of 0.001-0.1mm.

The smaller the diameter of the capillary tube is, the thinner the tube wall is, the larger the surface tension of the electrolyte in the capillary tube is, so that the transportation rate of the electrolyte can be improved; the larger the diameter of the capillary tube and the thicker the tube wall, the more expansion absorption the capillary tube can provide for the electrode assembly 20, alleviating the expansion of the electrode assembly 20 that occurs during cycling.

In these embodiments of the application, the capillary is defined to have a diameter of 0.001-0.1mm and/or a wall thickness of 0.001-0.1mm. The capillary tube can obtain a preferable electrolyte transport rate and can provide a stable swelling absorption amount of the electrode assembly 20.

Illustratively, in some embodiments, the capillary may be provided with a diameter of 0.005mm, 0.01mm, 0.025mm, 0.05mm, or 0.08mm; the capillary tube may be provided with a wall thickness of 0.005mm, 0.01mm, 0.025mm, 0.05mm or 0.08mm.

According to the battery cell 100 of the embodiment of the application, the diameter of the capillary tube and the tube wall thickness are limited, so that the capillary tube can provide a better buffering effect for the electrode assembly 20, and meanwhile, a proper electrolyte transportation rate is obtained, so that the reliability and the safety of the battery cell 100 are further improved.

According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the battery cell 100 further includes an insulating member 50, the insulating member 50 is disposed between the first end face 21 and the first end wall 11, and the accommodating space 101 is a space between the insulating member 50 and the first end face 21.

The insulating member 50 serves to insulate the electrode assembly 20 from the case 10, reduce the risk of an insulation short circuit occurring due to the contact of the electrode assembly 20 with the case 10, and further increase the reliability and safety of the battery cell 100.

In these embodiments of the present application, the insulating member 50 may be provided as the lower plastic of the battery cell 100.

According to the battery cell 100 of the embodiment of the present application, the reliability and safety of the battery cell 100 are improved by disposing the insulating member 50 between the first end surface 21 and the first end wall 11 to insulate the electrode assembly 20 from the receiving space 101 using the insulating member 50.

According to one embodiment of the first aspect of the application, the housing 10 comprises a shell 12 and an end cap 13, the shell 12 having an opening, the end cap 13 closing the opening, the first end wall 11 being the end cap 13.

According to the battery cell 100 of the embodiment of the application, the casing 10 includes the casing 12 and the end cover 13, the casing 12 is a semi-enclosed structure with an opening, the accommodating space 101 is a space close to the end cover 13, so that good protection can be provided for the electrode assembly 20 by using the casing 12, and meanwhile, the end cover 13 seals the opening, so that a sealed and stable working environment can be provided for the operation of the electrode assembly 20, and the reliability and safety of the battery cell 100 are further improved.

The embodiment of the application also provides a battery, which comprises the battery cell 100 according to any embodiment of the first aspect of the application.

The embodiment of the application also provides an electric device, which comprises the battery provided by any embodiment of the second aspect of the application, wherein the battery is used for providing electric energy.

According to an embodiment of the present application, as shown in fig. 1 to 9, a battery cell 100 is provided, the battery cell 100 includes a housing 10, an electrode assembly 20, a capillary structure 30, a protective film 40, and an insulating member 50, the housing 10 includes a first end wall 11; the electrode assembly 20 is disposed in the case 10, the electrode assembly 20 including a first end surface 21 facing the first end wall 11, and an accommodation space 101 is provided between the first end surface 21 and the first end wall 11; the capillary structure 30 serves to transport the electrolyte in the receiving space 101 to the electrode assembly 20.

The electrode assembly 20 further includes an outer peripheral surface 22 adjacent the first end surface 21; the capillary structure 30 includes a first segment 31 and a second segment 32 connected to each other, the first segment 31 being located in the accommodating space 101, and the second segment 32 being located on the outer peripheral surface 22.

In these embodiments of the present application, the outer circumferential surface 22 may be provided as a large surface of the electrode assembly 20, i.e., a side of the outermost separator near the inner wall of the case 10, and the second section 32 is in direct contact with the outer circumferential surface 22, so that the electrolyte may be directly supplied to the electrode assembly 20 through the second section 32.

The outer peripheral surface 22 is provided with a liquid retaining layer 221. In these embodiments of the present application, liquid retaining layer 221 is an alumina material. By providing the liquid retaining layer 221 on the outer circumferential surface 22, the efficiency of transporting the electrolyte from the capillary structure 30 to the electrode assembly 20 can be improved, thereby further improving the reliability and safety of the battery cell 100.

In these embodiments of the present application, by the arrangement of the capillary structure 30, the gas in the housing 10 can move in the capillary structure 30 toward the first end wall 11 during the filling stage of the battery cell 100, so that the gas in the housing 10 can be discharged, and the arrangement of the capillary structure 30 facilitates the rapid contact of the electrolyte with the electrode assembly 20, thereby improving the filling rate of the battery cell 100 and reducing the rest time after filling. Meanwhile, when the battery cell 100 is in the working environment of the inverted structure, the electrolyte accumulated in the accommodating space 101 overcomes the gravity thereof by utilizing the capillary action of the capillary structure member 30, and is transported into the electrode assembly 20 along the capillary structure member 30, so as to improve the reliability and safety of the battery cell 100 in various use environments.

While the application has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, various modifications may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the application. In particular, the technical features mentioned in the respective embodiments may be combined in any manner as long as there is no structural conflict. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but encompasses all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims (18)

1. A battery cell, comprising:

a housing including a first end wall;

an electrode assembly disposed within the housing, the electrode assembly including a first end face facing the first end wall, a receiving space being provided between the first end face and the first end wall, the receiving space having an electrolyte therein;

and a capillary structure member that conveys the electrolyte in the accommodation space to the electrode assembly along the capillary structure member.

2. The battery cell of claim 1, wherein the electrode assembly further comprises an outer peripheral surface adjacent the first end surface;

the capillary structure comprises a first section and a second section which are connected with each other, wherein the first section is positioned in the accommodating space, and the second section is positioned on the peripheral surface.

3. The battery cell according to claim 2, wherein the outer peripheral surface is provided with a liquid retaining layer.

4. The battery cell of claim 2, further comprising a protective film coating the electrode assembly.

5. The battery cell of claim 4, wherein the second segment is embedded within the protective film.

6. The battery cell as defined in claim 5, wherein the protective film is provided with communication holes, and the second section and the electrode assembly are respectively positioned at both ends of the communication holes.

7. The battery cell of claim 4, wherein the second segment is disposed between the protective film and the outer peripheral surface.

8. The battery cell of claim 4, wherein the wicking structure is integrally formed with the protective film.

9. The battery cell of claim 2, wherein the capillary structure is provided in plurality, and wherein orthographic projections of the second section of each capillary structure on the outer peripheral surface do not overlap.

10. The battery cell of claim 9, wherein the second sections of each of the wicking members are parallel to each other.

11. The battery cell of claim 10, wherein there are at least two of the second segments that differ in length.

12. The battery cell of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the first section is connected to the first end wall.

13. The battery cell of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the capillary structure is a capillary tube.

14. The battery cell according to claim 13, wherein the capillary tube has a diameter of 0.001-0.1mm and/or a wall thickness of 0.001-0.1mm.

15. The battery cell of any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising an insulating member disposed between the first end face and the first end wall, wherein the receiving space is a space between the insulating member and the first end face.

16. The battery cell of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the housing comprises a shell having an opening and an end cap closing the opening, the first end wall being the end cap.

17. A battery comprising a cell according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

18. An electrical device comprising a battery as claimed in claim 17, said battery being adapted to provide electrical energy.