TWI811301B - Battery module - Google Patents

Abstract

A battery module includes a battery, a thermal cutoff (TCO) assembly and a protection device. The TCO assembly includes a TCO chip, a first electrode and a second electrode electrically connected to the TCO chip. The first electrode is connected to the battery. The protection device covers the TCO chip.

Description

battery module

The present invention relates to a battery module, and in particular to a battery module that provides protection for a thermal break chip.

Generally speaking, the battery module is usually equipped with a battery management unit (Battery Management Unit, BMU) to manage the battery. The battery management unit detects the temperature of the battery through a thermal switch component and controls the on/off of the current loop in real time. , to prevent battery damage in high temperature environments. However, during the manufacturing process, when assembling the above-mentioned components into the battery case, assemblers often accidentally hit or bend the thermal break chip on the thermal break component, causing damage.

The present invention provides a battery module, which has a protection device that protects a thermal break chip.

A battery module of the present invention includes a battery, a thermal break component and a protection device. The thermal break component includes a thermal break chip, a first electrode and a second electrode electrically connected to the thermal break chip, wherein the first electrode is connected to the battery. The protective device covers the thermal interrupting chip.

In an embodiment of the invention, the above protection device covers the first electrode and exposes the second electrode.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned protection device has a first side wall, a second side wall and a third side wall that are connected by bending in sequence. The first side wall, the second side wall and the third side wall together form a Accommodating space, the thermal interrupt chip is located in the accommodating space.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned second side wall has a slit, and the second electrode protrudes from the slit.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned first side wall is relative to the third side wall, and the distance between the first side wall and the third side wall is equal to the thickness of the thermal break wafer, so that the protection device is closely matched with the thermal break wafer .

In an embodiment of the present invention, the above protection device is adhered to the thermal interruption chip.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned protection device is a hard insulating shell.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned protection device is a flexible insulating shell.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the protective device is made of rubber or silicone.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the height of the above protection device is smaller than the height of the battery.

Based on the above, the battery module of the present invention covers the thermal break chip with a protective device to protect the thermal break chip, which can effectively reduce the risk of damage to the thermal break chip due to impact or bending during the assembly process. Probability.

In order to make the above-mentioned features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, embodiments are given below and described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram hiding the protection device of the battery module in FIG. 1 . FIG. 3 is an exploded schematic diagram of the battery module of FIG. 1 . It should be noted that, in order to clearly represent the content of the present application, FIGS. 1 to 3 only illustrate components related to the present application, and do not illustrate other components, such as battery cases and battery management components.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3 , the battery module 5 of this embodiment includes a battery 10 , a thermal break component 15 and a protection device 100 . In this embodiment, the battery 10 is a rectangular battery, but the shape of the battery 10 is not limited thereto. The battery 10 will be connected to a battery management unit (not shown) to manage the battery 10. The battery management unit will detect the temperature of the battery 10 through the thermal break component 15 and control the current loop on and off in real time to prevent the battery from 10Damage occurs in high temperature environment.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the thermal break component 15 includes a thermal break chip 20 , a first electrode 21 and a second electrode 22 electrically connected to the thermal break chip 20 . In this embodiment, the first electrode 21 is connected to the battery 10, and the second electrode 22 can be used to connect to other components, such as a battery management component (not shown), but is not limited thereto. That is to say, the thermal break chip 20 can be electrically connected to the battery 10 through the first electrode 21 and can be electrically connected to the battery management element through the second electrode 22 . Therefore, the battery management component can be electrically connected to the battery 10 through the thermal switch chip 20 .

Generally speaking, the thermal cutoff chip 20 is easily damaged when it is impacted or bent by external force. In this embodiment, the protection device 100 covers the thermal break chip 20 to protect the thermal break chip 20, which can effectively reduce the probability of the thermal break chip 20 being damaged due to impact or bending during the assembly process. .

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the protection device 100 extends to the first electrode 21 to cover the first electrode 21 . Of course, in other embodiments, the protection device 100 can also expose the first electrode 21 , as long as the thermal break chip 20 is covered by the protection device 100 .

As can be seen from FIG. 1 , the second electrode 22 is exposed from the protection device 100 . Therefore, the second electrode 22 is exposed by the protection device 100, which facilitates subsequent connection of the second electrode 22 to other components (such as battery management components). Of course, in other embodiments, the protection device 100 can also be extended to the second electrode 22 to protect the joint between the second electrode 22 and the connected component.

It is worth mentioning that in FIGS. 1 to 3 , only one set of battery modules 5 is schematically illustrated, but in fact there may be multiple sets of multiple thermal break assemblies 15 of the battery modules 5 . The second electrode 22 is connected to the battery management component, and together forms an assembly with multiple batteries 10 . The quantitative relationship between the battery module 5 and the battery management component is not limited to this.

Please refer to FIG. 3 . In this embodiment, the protection device 100 has a first side wall 110 , a second side wall 120 and a third side wall 130 that are connected by bending in sequence. The first side wall 110 is relative to the third side wall 130 . The first side wall 110 , the second side wall 120 and the third side wall 130 jointly form an accommodation space S, and the protection device 100 is set on the thermal break assembly 15 . The thermal break chip 20 and the first electrode 21 are located in the accommodation space S. Of course, in other embodiments, the protection device 100 can also be U-shaped in cross section without obvious turning, or the protection device 100 can also be in other forms, which is not limited by the drawings.

In addition, in this embodiment, the second side wall 120 has a slit 122 , and the second electrode 22 protrudes from the slit 122 . Of course, in other embodiments, the slit 122 may also be located on the first side wall 110 or the third side wall 130 , and the slit 122 may not be in the shape of a long slit, but may be in the shape of a window, and the form of the slit 122 is not limited thereto. .

In addition, in this embodiment, the distance between the first side wall 110 and the third side wall 130 may be equal to the thickness of the thermal break wafer 20 , so that the protection device 100 is closely matched with the thermal break wafer 20 after being sheathed thereon. The breaking chip 20 prevents the protection device 100 from easily falling out of the thermal break assembly 15 after being installed.

It is worth mentioning that, as can be seen from FIG. 2 , the surface profile of the thermal break component 15 presents an undulating appearance. To be more clear, the thermal break component 15 is highest at the thermal break wafer 20 and at the first electrode 21 at the lowest. In this embodiment, the inner surface of the first side wall 110 of the protection device 100 is a plane, and the inner surface of the first side wall 110 will be closely attached to the position with the greatest height (that is, the upper surface of the thermal interruption chip 20 ). .

In other embodiments, the contour of the inner surface of the first side wall 110 of the protection device 100 may also correspond to the surface contour of the covered thermal interruption component 15 . For example, if the first side wall 110 of the protection device 100 has unequal thicknesses at different locations, the thickness of the first side wall 110 of the protection device 100 may be smallest at the position corresponding to the thermal break wafer 20 and at the position corresponding to the first electrode 21 The thickness is maximum. Or, in an embodiment, the first side wall 110 , the second side wall 120 and the third side wall 130 of the protection device 100 can be of equal thickness, and the inner surface of the first side wall 110 of the protection device 100 can be at a thickness corresponding to the thermal break chip. It is higher at 20 and lower at the position corresponding to the first electrode 21 .

Such a contour-matching design can ensure a tight fit between the protective device 100 and the covered parts of the thermal interrupt assembly 15 . That is to say, in this embodiment, the inner surface of the first side wall 110 not only closely adheres to the upper surface of the thermal interruption chip 20 , but also closely adheres to the upper surface of the first electrode 21 .

Of course, the manner in which the protection device 100 is fixed to the thermal disconnect assembly 15 is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the protection device 100 may also be adhered to the thermal interrupt chip 20 . For example, the inner surfaces of the first side wall 110 and the third side wall 130 may be coated with adhesive to adhere to the thermal break chip 20 . Alternatively, adhesive may be coated on the upper and lower surfaces of the thermal break component 15 (especially the thermal break chip 20 ) to adhere to the inner surfaces of the first side wall 110 and the third side wall 130 .

In other embodiments, the protection device 100 may also be fixed to the thermal disconnect component 15 through clamping or locking. Or, in other embodiments, the protection device 100 can also be fixed on the battery 10 by fitting, gluing, snapping or locking, so as to be indirectly fixed on the thermal interrupting component 15 .

In addition, in this embodiment, the protection device 100 can be a hard insulating shell, such as a plastic part made by injection molding, which has good structural strength and is resistant to falling and impact, so as to protect the thermal break component 15 Provide protection. Of course, in other embodiments, the material of the protective device 100 may also be ceramic, glass, or a combination of plating an insulating layer on the outside of the metal. The type and manufacturing method of the hard material of the protective device 100 are not limited thereto.

In other embodiments, the protection device 100 may also be a flexible insulating shell. For example, the material of the protection device 100 includes rubber or silicone, which can provide buffering for the thermal break component 15 and absorb the force of impact or bending, thereby reducing the impact of impact or bending on the thermal break component 15 . Of course, in other embodiments, the protective device 100 may also be in the form of cloth, thick cardboard, etc., and the type of flexible material of the protective device 100 is not limited thereto.

In addition, in other embodiments, the protective device 100 may also be a combination of partially rigid and partially flexible. That is to say, the protective device 100 may be a combination of plastic parts and rubber. For example, the protection device 100 may have a plastic shell, and a rubber layer is provided on the inner surface of the plastic shell. Alternatively, the protection device 100 may have a plastic inner shell, and a rubber layer is provided on the outer surface of the plastic inner shell. Alternatively, the protection device 100 may be a soft area at a location corresponding to the thermal interruption chip 20 and a hard area at other locations. Alternatively, the protection device 100 may be a hard area at a location corresponding to the thermal interruption chip 20 and a soft area at other locations. The form of the protection device 100 is not limited to the above.

Please return to FIGS. 1 and 3 . In this embodiment, the height H1 of the protection device 100 is smaller than the height H2 of the battery 10 . In addition, the length L1 and width W1 of the protection device 100 are similar to the length L2 and width W2 of the thermal interrupt assembly 15 outside the second electrode 22 , and the length L1 of the protection device 100 is smaller than the length L3 of the battery 10 . Therefore, even if the protection device 100 is installed on the battery module 5, the thickness and length of the battery module 5 will not be affected, and the battery module 5 can still maintain its original size.

It is worth mentioning that according to the specification, the conditions for the drop test of the battery module 5 are that the battery module 5 installed in the casing (not shown) is placed in six rectangular bodies at a height of 1 meter. Drop the face, three edges and one corner towards the ground one by one, and drop twice in each direction. The criteria for passing the drop test are that the change in open circuit voltage (OCV) is less than 100Mv, the change in impedance is less than 10 milliohms (m ohm), and there is no liquid leakage and no gas ejection.

The conditions of the vibration test are as follows: sinusoidal wave with logarithmic sweep, repeated from 7Hz to 200Hz for 15 minutes, 7Hz to 18Hz for 1gn, 18Hz to 50Hz for 8gn, and 50Hz to 200Hz for 8 gn, amplitude (amplitude) is 0.8 mm. If the change in open circuit voltage is less than 1%, the change in AC impedance (Alternating Current Internal Resistance, ACIR) is less than 10%, and the appearance and operation are normal, it has passed the vibration test.

Through experiments, in this embodiment, since the thermal interrupt chip 20 of the battery module 5 is covered by the protection device 100, all the battery modules 5 can pass the drop test and the vibration test.

To sum up, the battery module of the present invention covers the thermal interrupt chip with a protective device to protect the thermal interrupt chip, and can effectively reduce the damage caused by impact or bending of the thermal interrupt chip during the assembly process. Chance of damage.

Although the present invention has been disclosed above through embodiments, they are not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone with ordinary knowledge in the technical field may make some modifications and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, The protection scope of the present invention shall be determined by the appended patent application scope.

H1, H2: height L1, L2, L3: length W1, W2: Width S: Accommodation space 5:Battery module 10:Battery 15: Thermal interrupt component 20: Thermal interrupt chip 21: First electrode 22: Second electrode 100:Protective device 110: First side wall 120:Second side wall 122:Crack 130:Third side wall

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram hiding the protection device of the battery module in FIG. 1 . FIG. 3 is an exploded schematic diagram of the battery module of FIG. 1 .

L1, L2: length

W1, W2: Width

S: Accommodation space

5:Battery module

10:Battery

15: Thermal interrupt component

20: Thermal interrupt chip

21: First electrode

22: Second electrode

100:Protective device

110: First side wall

120:Second side wall

122:Crack

130:Third side wall

Claims (8)

A battery module includes: a battery; a thermal cutoff (TCO) component, including a thermal cutoff chip, a first electrode and a second electrode electrically connected to the thermal cutoff chip, wherein The first electrode is connected to the battery; and a protection device covers the thermal interruption chip, wherein the protection device has a first side wall, a second side wall and a third side wall connected by bending in sequence, the The first side wall, the second side wall and the third side wall jointly form an accommodating space, the thermal interrupt chip is located in the accommodating space, and the first side wall is relative to the third side wall, and the first side wall and the The distance between the third side walls is equal to the thickness of the thermal break wafer, so that the protection device is closely matched with the thermal break wafer. As in the battery module described in claim 1 of the patent application, the protection device covers the first electrode and exposes the second electrode. As in the battery module described in claim 1, the second side wall has a slit, and the second electrode protrudes from the slit. For the battery module described in Item 1 of the patent application, the protection device is adhered to the thermal break chip. For the battery module described in item 1 of the patent application, the protection device is a hard insulating case. For the battery module described in item 1 of the patent application, the protection device is a flexible insulating shell. For the battery module described in item 6 of the patent application, the protective device is made of rubber or silicone. As for the battery module described in item 1 of the patent application, the height of the protection device is smaller than the height of the battery.

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