THERMAL INTERLOCK FOR BATTERY PACK, DEVICE, SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20120106593A1
• Filed: 11/02/2010
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sinoelectric Powertrain Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sinoelectric Powertrain Corporation
• Inventors: Zhou, Peng, Tsao, Paul, Pariseau, David Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 8,641,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/57
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/105 NTC
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/106 PTC
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Faulty battery detecting and locating devices and methods are able to detect and locate a faulty battery cell. The device applies an energy to a sensing member, such as a polymeric tube containing at least two polymer-coated and twisted electric wires. Heat that is generated by a faulty battery triggers an electric communication between the two electric wires by melting at least a portion of the polymer. The resulting change in resistance between the two electric wires is used to detect and locate a faulty battery.

Claims

1. A battery fault detecting device comprising at least one heat sensitive member having a heat-dependent conductivity and a controller for disconnecting a faulty battery from a system when the heat-dependent conductivity exceeds a predetermined threshold.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one heat sensitive member is in thermal contact with a battery.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the conductivity comprises electrical conductivity.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the heat sensitive member comprises a first electrically conductive wire, a second electrically conductive wire, and a polymer, wherein the polymer electrically isolates the first and the second electrically conductive wires from each other.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the polymer is fabricated to melt when exposed to heat at the predetermined threshold, thereby electrically coupling the first and second wires.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the electrically coupling of the first electrically conductive wire and the second electrically conductive wire is able to cause an electric disconnection from the faulty battery.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the electrically coupling of the first electrically conductive wire and the second electrically conductive wire is able to cause an electric vehicle to be electrically disconnected from a power source that contains the faulty battery.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the heat sensitive member comprises at least one electrically conductive wire.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the at least one electrically conductive wire comprises a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) material.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the PTC material is capable of changing a value of electrical conductivity when exposed to heat above the predetermined threshold.

11. The device of claim 4, wherein the polymer comprises a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) material.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the NTC material is capable of changing a value of electrical conductivity in response to a fault occurring in the battery.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the heat sensitive member signally couples with a fault bus, so that the heat generated by the faulty battery received by the heat sensitive member is able to trigger an electricity disconnection signal transmitted through the fault bus to disconnect an electric vehicle from at least a portion of a power supply containing the faulty battery.

14. A faulty battery locating system comprising a heat sensitive member thermally coupling with multiple battery cells, wherein a conductivity of the heat sensitive member is capable of changing in response to heat from a faulty battery of the multiple battery cells, so that a location of the faulty battery is capable of being identified.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the conductivity comprises electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, magnetic conductivity, optical conductivity, or a combination thereof.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein an amount of the conductivity change is related to the location of the faulty battery.

17. The system of claim 15 further comprising a sensing circuit capable of measuring the electrical conductivity of the heat sensitive member.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the heat sensitive member comprises a first electrically conductive wire, a second electrically conductive wire, and a polymer, wherein the polymer electrically isolates the first and the second electrically conductive wires from each other.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the polymer melts when exposed to a predetermined temperature, so that the first electrically conductive wire is capable of electrically coupling with the second electrically conductive wire.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the electrically coupling of the first electrical conductive wire and the second electrical conductive wire is able to cause an electrical disconnection from the faulty battery.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the electrically coupling of the first electrical conductive wire and the second electrical conductive wire is able to cause an electrical disconnection of an electric vehicle from a power source containing the faulty battery.

22. A method of detecting a faulty battery comprising detecting a location of a fault in a battery pack from a resistance of a wire in thermal contact with the battery pack.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the location corresponds to an individual battery of multiple batteries, wherein the multiple batteries form the battery pack.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the fault is heating above a predetermined temperature.

25. The method of claim 22 further comprising disconnecting the faulty battery from the battery pack.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the resistance comprises electrical conductivity.

27. The method of claim 22 further comprising detecting a change of the resistance of the wire.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the wire comprises a first conducting wire and a second conducting wire electrically isolated from each other by a first polymer.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the first polymer has a melting point lower than a melting point of the second polymer.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the melting point is higher than a normal battery cell operating temperature and below an explosion temperature of the faulty battery.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the first polymer has a melting point above 140°

F.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the first polymer covers and electrically isolates the first conducting wire from the second conducting wire.

33. The method of claim 28 further comprising a second polymer that electrically isolates the second conducting wire.

34. The method of claim 28 further comprising a third polymer enclosing the first and the second conducting wires.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the third polymer has a melting point different from a melting point of the first polymer, the second polymer, or both.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the third polymer has a melting point higher than a melting point of the first polymer, the second polymer, or both.