High current low resistance double latching battery switch
First Claim
1. A battery for supplying electric power to a starter motor and to electrical loads in a vehicle, the battery comprising:
- a battery casing including a container and a cover, the casing having an external positive terminal and an external negative terminal, and the container having a plurality of cell cavities;
a battery cell disposed in each cell cavity, each battery cell containing at least one negative plate, at least one positive plate, and a separator between adjacent negative and positive plates, the battery cells being serially connected;
a first circuit path between one of the negative or positive terminal and a first set of plates of common polarity in one battery cell;
a second circuit path between the other of the positive or negative terminal and a second set of plates of opposite common polarity in another battery cell, the second circuit path being the only electrical path between the second set of plates and the other of the positive or negative terminal;
a switch arranged in the second circuit path, the switch having a normally closed position and an open position, the switch moving into the open position in response to a control signal; and
a controller in electrical communication with the battery and the switch for providing the control signal to the switch to move the switch into the open position.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A switch for controlling the supply of current from a battery cell in a cell cavity to a battery terminal in a battery casing is disclosed. The switch includes a mounting base, a first buss bar connected to the mounting base and connectable to the battery cell, a second buss bar connected to the mounting base and connectable to the battery terminal, and a relay having open and closed positions. The relay includes a third buss bar that places the first buss bar and the second buss bar in contact to provide current from the battery cell to the battery terminal when the relay is in the closed position. The relay is moved into a latched open position when a first winding of a coil of the relay is energized by electricity, and is moved back into a latched closed position when a second winding of the coil is energized.
37 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A battery for supplying electric power to a starter motor and to electrical loads in a vehicle, the battery comprising:
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a battery casing including a container and a cover, the casing having an external positive terminal and an external negative terminal, and the container having a plurality of cell cavities;
a battery cell disposed in each cell cavity, each battery cell containing at least one negative plate, at least one positive plate, and a separator between adjacent negative and positive plates, the battery cells being serially connected;
a first circuit path between one of the negative or positive terminal and a first set of plates of common polarity in one battery cell;
a second circuit path between the other of the positive or negative terminal and a second set of plates of opposite common polarity in another battery cell, the second circuit path being the only electrical path between the second set of plates and the other of the positive or negative terminal;
a switch arranged in the second circuit path, the switch having a normally closed position and an open position, the switch moving into the open position in response to a control signal; and
a controller in electrical communication with the battery and the switch for providing the control signal to the switch to move the switch into the open position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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13. A switch for controlling the supply of current from a battery cell in a cell cavity to a battery terminal in a battery casing, the switch comprising:
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a mounting base;
a first buss bar connected to the mounting base, the first buss bar being suitable for connection to the battery cell;
a second buss bar connected to the mounting base, the second buss bar being suitable for connection to the battery terminal; and
a relay having an open position and a closed position, the relay including a third buss bar such that when the relay is in the closed position, the third buss bar places the first buss bar and the second buss bar in electrical communication.
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Specification