Integral battery temperature control system
First Claim
1. An integral battery heating system comprising:
- a) a battery controller;
b) a battery unit comprising a plurality of battery cells, said battery unit comprising;
i) a battery housing;
ii) a positive terminal;
iii) a negative terminal;
iv) a positive electrode electrically coupled with the positive terminal and extending into the battery housing;
v) a negative electrode electrically coupled with the negative terminal and extending into the battery housing;
vi) a separator between the positive and negative electrodes; and
vii) electrolyte within the housing;
c) wherein each of the plurality of cells comprises a battery temperature control system comprising;
i) a battery temperature sensor directly coupled to first terminal of each of the plurality of battery cells that measures a temperature of a first terminal, one of said positive or negative terminals and communicates the temperature of the first terminal to the battery controller;
ii) a heating device directly coupled to and in contact with a second terminal of each of the battery cells, wherein the second terminal is the other of the positive or negative terminals;
iii) a discharge circuit that provides a current flow to the heating device to heat the second terminal;
wherein when the temperature of the first terminal drops below a lower threshold temperature value the battery control system initiates current flow from the discharge circuit to the heating device to heat the heating device and the second terminal; and
wherein when the temperature of the first terminal rises above an upper threshold temperature value, the battery controller stops the current flow to the discharge circuit.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An integral battery temperature control system monitors and heats a battery to enable operation in cold environments and utilizes a heating device coupled to one of the terminals of the battery to heat the terminal and thereby heat the electrode coupled thereto. The heated electrode is within the battery housing and internally heats the battery. A temperature sensor measures the temperature of the opposing terminal and a controller will terminate heating when the measured temperature of the opposing terminal rises above an upper threshold temperature value. The heating device be coupled with or be part of a discharge circuit, wherein electrical current from the battery is used to heat the battery. A discharge circuit is part of a battery unit monitoring module that balances the voltage of a plurality of battery units. The heating device may include a resistor or a transistor of the discharge circuit.
31 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An integral battery heating system comprising:
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a) a battery controller; b) a battery unit comprising a plurality of battery cells, said battery unit comprising; i) a battery housing; ii) a positive terminal; iii) a negative terminal; iv) a positive electrode electrically coupled with the positive terminal and extending into the battery housing; v) a negative electrode electrically coupled with the negative terminal and extending into the battery housing; vi) a separator between the positive and negative electrodes; and vii) electrolyte within the housing; c) wherein each of the plurality of cells comprises a battery temperature control system comprising; i) a battery temperature sensor directly coupled to first terminal of each of the plurality of battery cells that measures a temperature of a first terminal, one of said positive or negative terminals and communicates the temperature of the first terminal to the battery controller; ii) a heating device directly coupled to and in contact with a second terminal of each of the battery cells, wherein the second terminal is the other of the positive or negative terminals; iii) a discharge circuit that provides a current flow to the heating device to heat the second terminal; wherein when the temperature of the first terminal drops below a lower threshold temperature value the battery control system initiates current flow from the discharge circuit to the heating device to heat the heating device and the second terminal; and wherein when the temperature of the first terminal rises above an upper threshold temperature value, the battery controller stops the current flow to the discharge circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20)
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18. An integral battery heating system comprising:
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a) a battery controller; b) a lithium ion battery unit comprising a plurality of battery cells, said lithium ion battery unit comprising; i) a battery housing; ii) a positive terminal; iii) a negative terminal; iv) a positive electrode electrically coupled with the positive terminal and extending into the battery housing; v) a negative electrode electrically coupled with the negative terminal and extending into the battery housing; vi) a separator between the positive and negative electrodes; and vii) electrolyte within the housing; c) wherein each of the plurality of cells comprises a battery temperature control system comprising; i) a battery temperature sensor directly coupled to first terminal of each of the plurality of battery cells that measures a temperature of a first terminal, one of said positive or negative terminals and communicates the temperature of the first terminal to the battery controller; ii) a heating device directly coupled to and in contact with a second terminal of each of the battery cells, wherein the second terminal is the other of the positive or negative terminals; iii) a discharge circuit that provides a current flow to the heating device to heat the second terminal; wherein when the temperature of the first terminal drops below a lower temperature threshold value the battery control system initiates current flow from the discharge circuit to the heating device to heat the heating device and the second terminal; wherein when the temperature of the first terminal rises above an upper temperature threshold value, the battery controller stops the current flow to the discharge circuit; and wherein the battery comprises a plurality of dual cell units, wherein a single positive electrode is configured between two opposing separators and negative electrodes; d) a battery unit monitoring module that is electrically connected to the positive terminal and the negative terminal of the battery and measures a state of charge of the battery and comprising a battery balancing circuit comprising said discharge circuit. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification