THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS FOR BATTERY PACKS

• US 20080003491A1
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Andrew Seman, Christopher Yahnker, Danh Trinh, Daniele Brotto, Daniel White, David Carrier, Erik Ekstrom, Jeffrey Francis, Michael Doyle, Steven Phillips, William P. Spencer
• Original Assignee: Andrew Seman, Christopher Yahnker, Danh Trinh, Daniele Brotto, Daniel White, David Carrier, Erik Ekstrom, Jeffrey Francis, Michael Doyle, Steven Phillips, William P. Spencer
• Inventors: Doyle, Michael, Phillips, Steven, Francis, Jeffrey, Yahnker, Christopher, White, Daniel, Ekstrom, Erik, Trinh, Danh, Brotto, Daniele, Seman, Andrew, Spencer, William, Carrier, David
• Application Number:
  US11/851,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20080003491A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/62
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/008 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6235 Power tools
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/633 characterised by algorithms, flow charts, software details or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/643 Cylindrical cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6551 Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6552 Closed pipes transferring heat by thermal conductivity or phase transition, e.g. heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6554 Rods or plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/656 characterised by the type of heat-exchange fluid
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6561 Gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6567 Liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6572 Peltier elements or thermoelectric devices
• 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 2200/00 Safety devices for primary or secondary batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/10 : Temperature sensitive devices
• 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: H01M 50/24 : adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion thermal insulation H01M10/658
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/581 : in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 : Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 : with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 : Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 : using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 : with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 : of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A cordless power tool has a housing which includes a mechanism to couple with a removable battery pack. The battery pack includes one or more battery cells as well as a system to dissipate heat from the battery pack.

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising:

a housing;

at least one battery cell within said housing;

an electronic circuit connected to said at least one battery cell and including an electronic control unit;

a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature within said housing and in communication with said electronic circuit;

wherein said electronic control unit disables said electronic circuit when a sensed temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply within the said housing for providing electric power to said electronic circuit.

3. The battery pack according to claim 1, further comprising a driver circuit within said housing in communication with a pair of semi-conductor devices of said electronic circuit.

4. A battery pack, comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of battery cells disposed in said housing; and

phase-change material disposed in said housing in heat transfer relationship with said plurality of battery cells.

5. The battery pack according to claim 4, wherein said phase-change material individually surrounds each of said plurality of battery cells.

6. The battery pack according to claim 4, wherein said phase-change material is disposed in a gel-filled covering tube wrapped around said plurality of battery cells.

7. The battery pack according to claim 6, wherein said plurality of battery cells are individually wrapped by a plurality of gel-filled coverings.

8. The battery pack according to claim 4, wherein said phase-change material is disposed in a carrier that is disposed in heat transfer relationship with said plurality of battery cells.

9. The battery pack according to claim 8, wherein said carrier is formed from plastic.

10. The battery pack according to claim 8, wherein said carrier is formed from a material selected from the group of aluminum, copper, and carbon fiber.

11. The battery pack according to claim 8, wherein said phase-change material is disposed between heat fins disposed on said carrier.

12. The battery pack according to claim 4, wherein said housing is made from metal.

13. A cordless power tool, comprising:

a plastic tool housing;

a motor attached to said tool housing;

a battery pack including a metal pack housing connectable to said plastic tool housing and at least one battery cell disposed in said pack housing.

14. The cordless power tool according to claim 13, further comprising a drive mechanism attached to said motor.

15. The cordless power tool according to claim 13, wherein said tool housing includes a handle portion.

16. The cordless power tool according to claim 13, wherein said motor is disposed within said tool housing.

17. A battery pack, comprising:

a housing;

at least one battery cell disposed in said housing;

a circuit disposed in said housing;

a temperature sensor in said housing and in communication with said circuit; and

a temperature gauge mounted to said housing and in communication with said circuit, said temperature gauge providing an indication of a temperature level detected by said temperature sensor.

18. The battery pack according to claim 17, wherein said circuit directly connects said temperature sensor to said temperature gauge.