BATTERY WITH INTEGRATED POWER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND SCALABLE BATTERY CUTOFF

• US 20130101874A1
• Filed: 12/06/2010
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A123 Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: A123 Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Pevear, Brian J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,954,215 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/50
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/108 Normal resistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/583 in response to current, e.g. fuses
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 with safety or protection devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 Overdischarge protection
• 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

The present disclosure relates battery with an integrated power management system and scalable cutoff component, the battery system including a battery housing with first and second voltage output terminals, a plurality of rechargeable battery cells within the battery housing and having first and second voltage terminals; a power management system for generating an external control signal and an internal control signal based upon monitored operating parameters of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells, said external control signal for controlling an external power source and/or an external load, said power management system forming an integral part of the battery system; and a cutoff switch circuit within the battery housing and for making and breaking a conductive path between the first voltage terminal of the plurality of battery cells and the first voltage output terminal of the battery housing in response the internal control signal from the battery management system.

Claims

1. A battery system comprising:

a battery housing with first and second voltage output terminals;

a plurality of rechargeable battery cells within the battery housing and having first and second voltage terminals;

a power management system for generating an external control signal and an internal control signal based upon monitored operating parameters of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells, said external control signal for controlling an external power source and/or an external load, said power management system forming an integral part of the battery system; and

a cutoff switch circuit within the battery housing and for making and breaking a conductive path between the first voltage terminal of the plurality of battery cells and the first voltage output terminal of the battery housing in response the internal control signal from the battery management system.

2. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the battery cells are lithium ion cells.

3. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the cutoff switch comprises a plurality of metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs).

4. The battery system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of MOSFETs are arranged as groups of parallel MOSFETs.

5. The battery system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of MOSFETs include a first group of MOSFETs connected in parallel with each other and a second group of MOSFETs connected in parallel with each other and wherein the first group is connected in series with the second group.

6. The battery system of claim 3, further comprising a busbar in electrical communication with the plurality of rechargeable battery cells and the plurality of MOSFETs.

7. The battery system of claim 3, further comprising a shunt resistor in electrical communication with the plurality of MOSFETs.

8. The battery system of claim 3, further comprising a temperature sensor in thermal communication with the MOSFETs.

9. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the battery is an automotive battery.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the external power source comprises an alternator.

11. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the battery is a telecommunications battery.

12. A method for operating a battery system comprising:

monitoring operating parameters of a plurality of rechargeable battery cells within a battery housing;

generating an external control signal and an internal control signal based upon the monitored operating parameters of a plurality of rechargeable battery cells, said external control signal for controlling an external power source and/or an external load; and

making or breaking a conductive path between the first voltage terminal of the plurality of battery cells and the first voltage output terminal of the battery housing in response to the internal control signal.

13. The method for operating a battery system of claim 12, wherein the operating parameters comprise voltage across a shunt resistor within the battery housing.

14. The method for operating a battery system of claim 12, wherein the operating parameters comprise temperature and voltage across a plurality of metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) within the battery housing.

15. The method for operating a battery system of claim 12, wherein the making or breaking a conductive path comprises activating a cutoff switch comprising a plurality of metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs).