Battery pack

• US 20060071636A1
• Filed: 11/18/2005
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrew E. Seman Jr., Christopher R. Yahnker, Danh Thanh Trinh, Daniele C. Brotto, David A. Carrier, Harry J. Campbell, Jeff Francis, Steven J Phillips
• Original Assignee: Andrew E. Seman Jr., Christopher R. Yahnker, Danh Thanh Trinh, Daniele C. Brotto, David A. Carrier, Harry J. Campbell, Jeff Francis, Steven J Phillips
• Inventors: Trinh, Danh Thanh, Carrier, David A., Brotto, Daniele C., Phillips, Steven J., Seman, Andrew E. Jr., Yahnker, Christopher R., Campbell, Harry J., Francis, Jeff
• Granted Patent: US 7,397,219 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/112
• 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 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/224 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/231 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/24 adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion thermal insulation H01M10/658
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/269 Mechanical means for varying the arrangement of batteries or cells for different uses, e.g. for changing the number of batteries or for switching between series and parallel wiring methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance H01M6/50, H01M10/42
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/293 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5016 Multimode utilisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery pack with a housing and a plurality of cells disposed in the housing and electrically coupled to provide a storage capacity between about 2.17 and 2.67 ampere hours with an equivalent lithium content between about 6.5 and 8.0. The plurality of cells includes a first battery disposed in the housing and including a first plurality of cells connected in series and a second battery disposed in the housing and including a second plurality of cells connected in series, wherein the first battery and the second battery are operable in a storage mode and a use mode.

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising:

a housing; and

a plurality of cells disposed in said housing and electrically coupled to provide a storage capacity between about 2.17 and 2.67 ampere hours with an equivalent lithium content between about 6.5 and 8.0.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of cells provides 36 volts.

3. The battery pack according to claim 1 wherein said storage capacity includes between about 78 and 96 watt hours.

4. The battery pack according to claim 1 wherein said storage capacity is between about 2.17 and 5.56 ampere hours with an equivalent lithium content between about 6.5 and 16.7.

5. The battery pack according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of cells includes 10 cells.

6. The battery pack according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of cells includes a first battery disposed in said housing and including a first plurality of cells connected in series and a second battery disposed in said housing and including a second plurality of cells connected in series, wherein said first battery and said second battery are operable in a storage mode and a use mode, said storage mode including isolating said first plurality of cells from said second plurality of cells, said use mode including electrically connecting said first plurality of cells to said second plurality of cells and defining a voltage and a storage capacity for the battery pack.

7. The battery pack according to claim 6 further comprising a controller electrically connected to at least one of said first plurality of cells and said second plurality of cells.

8. The battery pack according to claim 7 wherein said controller controls one or more of the following functions:

charging, discharging, communication, identification, status, diagnostic, logging and switching.

9. The battery pack according to claim 6 further comprising a first controller and a second controller, wherein said first controller is electrically connected to said first plurality of cells and said second controller is electrically connected to said second plurality of cells.

10. The battery pack according to claim 9 wherein said controller controls one or more of the following functions:

charging, discharging, communication, identification, status, diagnostic, logging and switching.

11. The battery pack according to claim 9 wherein said first controller is electrically isolated from said second controller in said storage mode and electrically connected to said controller in said use mode.

12. The battery pack according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of cells includes multiple two-cell units, wherein each cell of said two-cell unit is wired in parallel to the other cell and said multiple two-cell units are wired in series.

13. The battery pack according to claim 12 wherein said plurality of cells provides 36 volts.

14. The battery pack according to claim 12 wherein said storage capacity includes between about 78 and 96 watt hours.

15. The battery pack according to claim 12 wherein said plurality of cells includes 20 cells arranged in ten two-cell units.

16. The battery pack according to claim 12 wherein said plurality of cells includes a first battery disposed in said housing and including a first plurality of two-cell units and a second battery disposed in said housing and including a second plurality of two-cell units, wherein said first battery and said second battery are operable in a storage mode and a use mode, said storage mode including isolating said first plurality of cells from said second plurality of cells, said use mode including electrically connecting said first plurality of cells to said second plurality of cells and defining a voltage and a storage capacity for the battery pack.

17. The battery pack according to claim 16 further comprising a controller electrically connected to at least one of said first plurality of cells and said second plurality of cells.

18. The battery pack according to claim 17 wherein said controller controls one or more of the following functions:

charging, discharging, communication, identification, status, diagnostic, logging and switching.

19. The battery pack according to claim 16 further comprising a first controller and a second controller, wherein said first controller is electrically connected to said first plurality of cells and said second controller is electrically connected to said second plurality of cells.

20. The battery pack according to claim 19 wherein said controller controls one or more of the following functions:

charging, discharging, communication, identification, status, diagnostic, logging and switching.

21. The battery pack according to claim 19 wherein said first controller is electrically isolated from said second controller in said storage mode and electrically connected to said controller in said use mode.