ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY SYSTEMS WITH EXCHANGEABLE PARALLEL ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY MODULES

• US 20140176073A1
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ample, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ample, Inc.
• Inventors: Shrinkle, Louis J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,315,113 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/126
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/25 by controlling the electric load
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0016 using shunting, discharge or bypass circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1423 with multiple batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

Systems and methods for electric vehicle battery systems with replaceable parallel electric vehicle battery modules are described herein. The electric vehicle battery system includes a plurality of electric vehicle battery modules connected in parallel. Each electric vehicle battery module includes a battery. Each electric vehicle battery module can also include a balancing circuit in electrical communication with a current path from the battery to an electric vehicle battery module output node. Each electric vehicle battery module also may have a current sensor in electromagnetic communication with the current path between the battery and the balancing circuit. The current sensor can be configured to sense a current level between the battery and the balancing circuit. The balancing circuit can be configured to balance the current level sensed by the current sensor of each electric vehicle battery module.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle battery system, comprising:

a plurality of electric vehicle battery modules connected in parallel, each electric vehicle battery module comprising;

a battery;

a balancing circuit in electrical communication with a current path from the battery to an electric vehicle battery module output node; and

a current sensor in electromagnetic communication with the current path between the battery and the balancing circuit, the current sensor configured to sense a current level between the battery and the balancing circuit,

wherein the balancing circuit is configured to balance the current level sensed by the current sensor of each electric vehicle battery module.

2. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle module output node is connected to a load.

3. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle battery module output node is connected to a charging source.

4. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 1, wherein the balancing circuit comprises a module switch, the balancing circuit configured to control pulse width modulation of the module switch to control the current level.

5. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 4, wherein the pulse width modulation of the module switch comprises disconnecting the battery from the output node when the current level is beyond an upper threshold and connecting the battery to the output node when the current level is below a lower threshold.

6. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 5, wherein the pulse width modulation is between 10 KHz to 500 KHz.

7. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 4, wherein the balancing circuit is configured to balance the current level by reducing the current level.

8. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 1, wherein each of the electric vehicle battery modules are configured to be removed and reconnected with the electric vehicle battery system without damage.

9. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 1, wherein each battery is configured to hold at least 120 volts.

10. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 1, wherein the balancing circuit is configured to disconnect the battery from the electric vehicle battery module output node when the current level sensed by the current sensor is beyond a threshold.

11. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 1, wherein the balancing circuit is configured to disconnect the battery from the electric vehicle battery module output node when a voltage level of the electric vehicle battery module is not between an upper threshold and a lower threshold.

12. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 1, wherein the balancing circuit is configured to disconnect the battery from the electric vehicle battery module output node when a temperature of the electric vehicle battery module is not between an upper threshold and a lower threshold.

13. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 1, wherein the balancing circuit is configured to disconnect the battery from the electric vehicle battery module output node when the electric vehicle battery module is about to be removed from the electric vehicle battery system.

14. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 1, wherein the balancing circuit is configured to disconnect the battery from the electric vehicle battery module output node when the electric vehicle is shut off.

15. A method of operating an electric vehicle battery system, comprising:

monitoring a first current level using a first current sensor at a first current path between a first battery and an electric vehicle battery module output node;

balancing the first current level at the first current path using a first balancing circuit in electrical communication with the first current path based upon the first current level, where the first current sensor, first battery and first balancing circuit comprises a first electric vehicle battery module;

monitoring a second current level using a second current sensor at a second current path between a second battery and the electric vehicle battery module output node; and

balancing the second current level at the second current path using a second balancing circuit in electrical communication with the second current path based upon the second current level, where the second current sensor, second battery and second balancing circuit comprises a second electric vehicle battery module,

wherein the first electric vehicle battery module and second electric battery module are connected in parallel with each other at the electric vehicle battery module output node.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the electric vehicle module output node is connected to a load.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the electric vehicle battery module output node is connected to a charging source.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein:

balancing the first current level at the first current path is performed by using the first balancing circuit comprising a first module switch, the first balancing circuit configured to control pulse width modulation of the first module switch to control the first current level; and

balancing the second current level at the second current path is performed by using the second balancing circuit comprising a second module switch, the second balancing circuit configured to control pulse width modulation of the second module switch to control the second current level.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the pulse width modulation of each of the first module switch and the second module switch is between 10 KHz to 500 KHz.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein

balancing the first current level at the first current path comprises reducing the first current level at the first current path;

and

balancing the second current level at the second current path comprises reducing the second current level at the second current path.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the first and second electric vehicle battery modules are configured to be removed and reconnected with the electric vehicle battery system without damage.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the first battery and the second battery is configured to hold at least 200 volts.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein:

balancing the first current level at the first current path is performed using the first balancing circuit configured to disconnect the first battery from the electric vehicle battery module output node when the first current level sensed by the first current sensor is not between a first upper threshold and a first lower threshold; and

balancing the second current level at the second current path is performed using the second balancing circuit configured to disconnect the second battery from the electric vehicle battery module output node when the second current level sensed by the second current sensor is not between a second upper threshold and a second lower threshold.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein

balancing the first current level at the first current path is performed using the first balancing circuit configured to disconnect the first battery from the electric vehicle battery module output node when a first voltage level of the first electric vehicle battery module is not between a first upper threshold and a first lower threshold;

and

balancing the second current level at the second current path is performed using the second balancing circuit configured to disconnect the second battery from the electric vehicle battery module output node when a second voltage level of the second electric vehicle battery module is not between a second upper threshold and a second lower threshold.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein

balancing the first current level at the first current path is performed using the first balancing circuit configured to disconnect the first battery from the electric vehicle battery module output node when a temperature of the first electric vehicle battery module is not between a first upper threshold and a first lower threshold;

and

balancing the second current level at the second current path is performed using the second balancing circuit configured to disconnect the second battery from the electric vehicle battery module output node when a temperature of the second electric vehicle battery module is not between a second upper threshold and a second lower threshold.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein

balancing the first current level at the first current path is performed using the first balancing circuit configured to disconnect the first battery from the electric vehicle battery module output node when the first electric vehicle battery module is about to be removed from the electric vehicle battery system;

and

balancing the second current level at the second current path is performed using the second balancing circuit configured to disconnect the second battery from the electric vehicle battery module output node when the second electric vehicle battery module is about to be removed from the electric vehicle battery system.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein

balancing the first current level at the first current path is performed using the first balancing circuit configured to disconnect the first battery from the electric vehicle battery module output node when the electric vehicle is shut off;

and

balancing the second current level at the second current path is performed using the second balancing circuit configured to disconnect the second battery from the electric vehicle battery module output node when the electric vehicle is shut off.