Mains-independent power supply unit

• US 20020125860A1
• Filed: 02/14/2002
• Published: 09/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Schworm, Ernst, Steiner, Guenther
• Application Number:
  US10/076,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20020125860A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/150
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/643 Cylindrical cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/647 Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6554 Rods or plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6555 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/659 by heat storage or buffering, e.g. heat capacity or liquid-solid phase changes or transition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A mains-independent power supply unit having at least one rechargeable battery element, in particular for use in an explosion-hazard area, having peak temperatures limiting capabilities in the event of an element-internal short circuit, which includes a heat sink which is connected in a thermally conductive manner to the rechargeable battery element or to the rechargeable battery elements, and has a high thermal capacity.

Claims

1. A mains-independent power supply unit, comprising:

at least one rechargeable battery element; and

a heat sink for peak temperature limiting in the event of an element-internal short circuit, the heat sink connected in a thermally conductive manner to the rechargeable battery element and having a high thermal capacity.

2. A mains-independent power supply unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat sink includes at least one solid metal part having a large contact area for contact with a casing of the at least one rechargeable battery element.

3. A mains-independent power supply unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the power supply unit includes a plurality of rechargeable battery elements thermally conductively connected to one another such that the heat sink includes at least one further rechargeable battery element when there is an element-internal short circuit in one rechargeable battery element.

4. A mains-independent power supply unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the large contact area contacts with the casings of at least two rechargeable battery elements.

5. A mains-independent power supply unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one rechargeable battery element has a cylindrical external shape, and the at least one solid metal part has at least one contact surface formed as a cylindrical section having a width which is substantially the same as a length of the cylindrical rechargeable battery element.

6. A mains-independent power supply unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one solid metal part has at least two contact surfaces formed as cylindrical sections via which the at least one cylindrical metal part touches the respectively associated rechargeable battery element.

7. A mains-independent power supply unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the power supply unit includes four cylindrical rechargeable battery elements and one solid metal part having four contact surfaces formed as cylindrical sections which respectively touch the four cylindrical rechargeable battery elements over a looping angle of not less than 60°

.

8. A mains-independent power supply unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the power supply unit includes two cylindrical rechargeable battery elements and two solid metal parts, each of the solid metal parts having two contact surfaces formed as cylindrical sections which respectively touch the two cylindrical rechargeable battery elements over a looping angle of not less than 120°

.

9. A mains-independent power supply unit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the rechargeable battery elements are mignon cells.

10. A mains-independent power supply unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the power supply unit includes n rechargeable battery elements and at least n−

1 solid metal parts respectively inserted between two of the rechargeable battery elements.

11. A mains-independent power supply unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the rechargeable battery elements have a cylindrical external shape and 2×

(n−

1) solid metal parts, each of the solid metal parts being insert ed between two rechargeable battery elements and touching the rechargeable battery elements over a looping angle in a range between 30° and

90°

.

12. A mains-independent power supply unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one solid metal part has an extruded profile.

13. A mains-independent power supply unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one solid metal part has a substantially constant thickness of at least 1 nm.

14. A mains-independent power supply unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the at least one solid metal parts respectively brackets the rechargeable battery elements to which the solid metal part is thermally conductively connected, resulting in the rechargeable battery elements being fixed in position relative to one another.

15. A mains-independent power supply unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one rechargeable battery element has a substantially cuboid shape, and the at least one solid metal part has at least one planer contact surface formed as one of a flat plate, an L-profile, and a U-profile.

16. A mains-independent power supply unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one solid metal part is formed from one of copper, aluminum, plastic with a high-quality copper particle filling, and plastic with a high-quality aluminum particle filling.