Serviceable battery pack

• US 10,109,888 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2014
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karl F. Scheucher
• Original Assignee: Karl F. Scheucher
• Inventors: Scheucher, Karl F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gatewood, Daniel S
• Application Number:
  US14/525,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20150044518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0411 Arrangement in the front part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0416 Arrangement in the rear part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0455 Removal or replacement of the energy storages
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0477 from the back
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0483 from the front
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0053 relating to fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/302 Cooling of charging equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 : for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 : Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 : for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 : Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 : Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/643 : Cylindrical cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6557 : arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6561 : Gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/00 : Safety devices for primary or secondary batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 : Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 : adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/264 : for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/271 : Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/284 : with incorporated circuit boards, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/293 : characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/298 : characterised by the wiring of battery packs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/569 : Constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements G01R31/364
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/574 : Devices or arrangements for the interruption of current
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/583 : in response to current, e.g. fuses
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/59 : characterised by the protection means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 : acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A fail safe battery pack is disclosed and claimed wherein first and second housings are affixed together. A plurality of battery cells reside within and fixedly engage the first and the second housings. First and second printed circuit boards (PCBs) reside within first and second lattice structures of the first and second housings. A variable bias device resides in the first and/or second lattice structure of the first and second housing and engages the first and/or second PCBs. When the bias of the variable bias device is sufficiently large it overcomes a plurality of fixed mechanically biased devices operating between the PCB and the plurality of battery cells and tending to separate same and causes the PCB to electrically communicate with the plurality of battery cells. When the bias of the variable bias device is sufficiently small, the plurality of fixed mechanically biased devices separates the PCB and the plurality of battery cells rendering the battery cells in an electrically safe condition.

Claims

1. A process for operating a battery pack service station to repair a battery pack, said service station includes a controller, said battery pack includes a plurality of cells, comprising the steps of:

determining, using said controller, a failed cell of said plurality of cells of said battery pack;

removing said failed cell from said battery pack;

determining, using said controller, a characteristic of a non-failed cell of said battery pack;

selecting a replacement cell;

determining a characteristic of said replacement cell using said controller;

comparing, using said controller, said characteristic of said replacement cell to said characteristic of said non-failed cell, and

deciding, using said controller, whether said replacement cell can be substituted for said failed cell in said battery pack.

2. A process for operating a battery pack service station to repair a battery pack as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

adding said non-failed cell to a cell inventory.

3. A process for operating a battery pack service station to repair a battery pack as claimed in claim 1, said battery pack includes a controller, further comprising the steps of:

communicating information between said battery pack controller and said service station controller, and

using said information in said step of determining said failed cell.

4. A process for operating a battery pack service station to repair a battery pack as claimed in claim 3 further comprising the step of:

using said information in said step of determining said characteristic of said non-failed cell.

5. A process for operating a battery pack service station to repair a battery pack as claimed in claim 4 wherein said information includes the age of said non-failed cell.

6. A process for operating a battery pack service station to repair a battery pack as claimed in claim 2, including an owner of said battery pack, further comprising the steps of:

calculating, using said controller, a second characteristic of said non-failed cell;

calculating a remaining value based upon said second characteristic of said non-failed cell, and

crediting said owner with said remaining value when said non-failed cell is added to said cell inventory.

8. A process for operating a battery pack service station to repair a battery pack as claimed in claim 1, said battery pack service station comprises an electrical load, a voltage sensor, and an electrical current sensor, wherein said controller uses, in said steps of determining said characteristic of said non-failed cell and said characteristic of said replacement cell, said electrical load, said voltage sensor and said electrical current sensor.

9. A process for operating a battery pack service station to repair a battery pack as claimed in claim 8 wherein said characteristic of said non-failed cell is capacity and said characteristic of said replacement cell is capacity.

10. A process for operating a battery pack service station to repair a battery pack as claimed in claim 8 wherein said characteristic of said non-failed cell is internal impedance and said characteristic of said replacement cell is internal impedance.

11. A process for operating a battery pack service station to repair a battery pack as claimed in claim 8, said battery pack service station further comprises a temperature sensor, wherein said controller uses, in said steps of determining said characteristic of said non-failed cell and said characteristic of said replacement cell, said temperature sensor.

12. A process for operating a battery pack service station to repair a battery pack as claimed in claim 11 wherein said characteristic of said non-failed cell is thermal performance and said characteristic of said replacement cell is thermal performance.

7. A process for operating a battery pack service station, said service station includes a service station controller and an electrical load, said battery pack includes a plurality of cells and a battery pack controller, comprising the steps of:

determining, using said service station controller, a failed cell of said plurality of cells of said battery pack;

removing said failed cell from said battery pack;

matching, using said service station controller and said electrical load, a characteristic of a non-failed cell of said battery pack to a replacement cell using a characteristic of said replacement cell, and

repairing said battery pack using said replacement cell.

13. A process for operating a battery pack service station as claimed in claim 7 wherein said characteristic of said non-failed cell is capacity and said characteristic of said replacement cell is capacity.

14. A process for operating a battery pack service station as claimed in claim 7 wherein said characteristic of a said non-failed cell is internal resistance and said characteristic of said replacement cell is internal resistance.

15. A process for operating a battery pack service station as claimed in claim 7 wherein said characteristic of said non-failed cell is age and said characteristic of said replacement cell is age.

16. A process for operating a battery pack service station as claimed in claim 7 wherein said characteristic of said non-failed cell is voltage and said characteristic of said replacement cell is voltage.

17. A process for operating a battery pack service station as claimed in claim 7 wherein said characteristic of said non-failed cell is the combination of size, chemistry, and energy density and said characteristic of said replacement cell is the combination of size, chemistry, and energy density.

18. A process for operating a battery pack service station as claimed in claim 7 wherein said characteristic of said non-failed cell is the combination of size, chemistry, and power density and said characteristic of said replacement cell is the combination of size, chemistry, and power density.

19. A process for operating a battery pack service station comprising the steps of:

detecting, using a controller, a failed cell in a battery pack;

selecting, using said controller, a non-failed cell of said battery pack;

measuring, using said controller and a temperature sensor, a first temperature of said non-failed cell;

measuring, using said controller, a characteristic of said non-failed cell at said first temperature;

measuring, using said controller and said temperature sensor, a second temperature of said non-failed cell;

measuring, using said controller, said characteristic of said non-failed cell at said second temperature;

selecting a replacement cell from an inventory of cells;

measuring, using said controller and said temperature sensor, a third temperature of said replacement cell;

measuring, using said controller, a characteristic of said replacement cell at said third temperature;

measuring, using said controller and said temperature sensor, a fourth temperature of said replacement cell;

measuring, using said controller, said characteristic of said replacement cell at said fourth temperature;

comparing said characteristic of said non-failed cell measured at said first and second temperatures to said characteristic of said replacement cell measured at said third and fourth temperatures, and

deciding whether said replacement cell is compatible with said non-failed cell.

20. A process for operating a battery pack service station as claimed in claim 19 wherein said characteristic of said non-failed cell is internal resistance and said characteristic of said replacement cell is internal resistance.