ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE

• US 20070194747A1
• Filed: 04/06/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Alvarez-Troncoso, Ignacio, Roset, Josep
• Granted Patent: US 7,688,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/364 Battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements

Abstract

An energy management system and method for a vehicle monitors the state and/or condition of at least one energy storage device. A connection element is included that is adapted to connect to a first terminal of the energy storage device. A terminal body is included having a terminal connection point configured to connect to a second terminal of the energy storage device. At least one electrical shunt is also coupled to the terminal body and the connection element wherein the electrical shunt provides a path for the flow of current from the terminal connection point to the connection element. This system further includes an electrical circuit coupled to the shunt that is configured to determine predetermined parameters of the energy storage device based on the flow of current through the electrical shunt.

Claims

1. An energy management system for a vehicle having at least one energy storage device, the system comprising:

a connection element adapted to connect to a first terminal of the energy storage device;

a terminal body having a terminal connection point configured to connect to a second terminal of the energy storage device;

at least one electrical shunt coupled to the terminal body and the connection element, the electrical shunt providing a path for the flow of current from the terminal connection point to the connection element; and

an electrical circuit coupled to the shunt, the electrical circuit being configured to determine predetermined parameters of the energy storage device based on the flow of current through the electrical shunt.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one shunt includes at least two shunts configured to have substantially the same electrical resistance.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical circuit includes a printed circuit board having a controller.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fastening device for securing the electrical shunt and the connection element to the terminal body.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a thermal device coupled to the electrical circuit and the terminal body, the thermal device being configured to respond to the temperature of the terminal body for the electrical circuit to determine a temperature of the terminal body.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the thermal device is a thermal resistor.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a connector coupled to the electrical circuit, the connector enabling the transmission of electrical signals to and from the energy management system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the shunt is coupled to the terminal body through the use of at least one notch on the terminal body that is configured to receive the shunt.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the terminal body includes at least one projection on an outer portion of the terminal body for thermal dissipation.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical circuit is configured to determine a voltage and a temperature of the energy storage device and the electrical circuit determines the predetermined parameters of the energy storage device based on the voltage and the temperature of the energy storage device.

11. A method for sensing and monitoring at least one energy storage device for a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing an energy management system having;

a connection element adapted to connect to a first terminal of the energy storage device,

a terminal body having a terminal connection point configured to connect to a second terminal of the energy storage device,

at least one electrical shunt coupled to the terminal body and the connection element, the electrical shunt providing a path for the flow of current from the terminal connection point to the connection element,

an electrical circuit coupled to the shunt; and

determining predetermined parameters of the energy storage device based on the flow of current through the electrical shunt.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one shunt includes at least two shunts configured to have substantially the same electrical resistance.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the electrical circuit includes a printed circuit board having a controller.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising a fastening device for securing the electrical shunt and the connection element to the terminal body.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising a thermal device coupled to the electrical circuit and the terminal body, the thermal device being configured to respond to the temperature of the terminal body for the electrical circuit to determine a temperature of the terminal body.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the thermal device is a thermal resistor.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising a connector coupled to the electrical circuit, the connector enabling the transmission of electrical signals to and from the energy management system.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the shunt is coupled to the terminal body through the use of at least one notch on the terminal body that is configured to receive the shunt.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the terminal body includes at least one projection on an outer portion of the terminal body for thermal dissipation.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the electrical circuit is configured to determine a voltage and a temperature of the energy storage device and the electrical circuit determines the predetermined parameters of the energy storage device based on the voltage and the temperature of the energy storage device.