BATTERY DISCHARGE DEVICE WITH SELF-ADJUSTING RESISTANCE

• US 20150162761A1
• Filed: 12/05/2013
• Published: 06/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: GONZALES, Philip Michael, STANLEY, Joel Ray
• Granted Patent: US 9,240,693 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0007 Measures or means for preventing or attenuating collisions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 31/00 Arrangements for regulating or controlling electric motors not provided for in groups H02P1/00 - H02P5/00, H02P7/00 or H02P21/00 - H02P29/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A battery discharge device according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a sensor configured to sense a parameter of a high voltage source, a controller in communication with the sensor and a discharge circuit that discharges energy stored on the high voltage source in response to a command signal from the controller. The discharge circuit includes a plurality of resistors connected in parallel to one another.

Claims

1. A battery discharge device, comprising:

a sensor configured to sense a parameter of a high voltage source;

a controller in communication with said sensor; and

a discharge circuit that discharges energy stored on said high voltage source in response to a command signal from said controller, wherein said discharge circuit includes a plurality of resistors connected in parallel to one another.

2. The battery discharge device as recited in claim 1, wherein said sensor is a voltage sensor.

3. The battery discharge device as recited in claim 1, wherein said sensor is a current sensor.

4. The battery discharge device as recited in claim 1, wherein said sensor is a combined voltage and current sensor.

5. The battery discharge device as recited in claim 1, comprising a contactor between said discharge circuit and said high voltage source.

6. The battery discharge device as recited in claim 5, wherein said contactor includes a switch that is actuable between a first position that closes a connection between said high voltage source and said discharge circuit and a second position that opens said connection.

7. The battery discharge device as recited in claim 1, wherein said controller is powered by a battery separate from said high voltage source.

8. The battery discharge device as recited in claim 1, comprising a wiring system that electrically connects said sensor to said controller.

9. The battery discharge device as recited in claim 1, comprising a switching device connected in series with each of said plurality of resistors.

10. The battery discharge device as recited in claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to actuate at least said switching device in order to switch additional resistors of said plurality of resistors into operation within said discharge circuit.

11. An electrified vehicle, comprising:

a battery;

a high voltage source that powers an electric machine; and

a battery discharge device powered by said battery and configured to discharge energy stored on said high voltage source.

12. The electrified vehicle as recited in claim 11, wherein said high voltage source is a traction battery system of said electrified vehicle.

13. The electrified vehicle as recited in claim 11, wherein said battery is located on-board said electrified vehicle.

14. The electrified vehicle as recited in claim 11, wherein said battery discharge device includes a plurality of resistors connected in parallel to one another and each of said plurality of resistors is connected in series with a switch.

15. The electrified vehicle as recited in claim 11, wherein said battery discharge device is a stand-alone unit that is separate from said electrified vehicle.

16. A method, comprising:

connecting a battery discharge device to a high voltage source of an electrified vehicle;

powering the battery discharge device with a battery located on-board the electrified vehicle; and

discharging energy stored on the high voltage source with the battery discharge device.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the step of connecting includes electrically connecting the battery discharge device to the high voltage source subsequent to a vehicle collision.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, comprising the step of sensing a parameter associated with the high voltage source prior to the step of discharging.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the step of discharging includes actuating a first switching device to discharge the energy into a first resistor of the battery discharge device.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, comprising the step of actuating at least a second switch to add parallel resistances into the discharge circuit.