METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE BATTERY ENVIRONMENT CONTROL

• US 20150283914A1
• Filed: 04/04/2014
• Published: 10/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Malone, Mark Douglas, Mansur, William Najib, Roberts, Daniel Paul, Savaya, Bonnie Elias
• Application Number:
  US14/245,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20150283914A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/004 for vehicles having a combustion engine and electric drive means, e.g. hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/0075 the input being solar radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/00 Windows; Windscreens; Accessories therefor B60J10/00 takes precedence; air curtains instead of windows B60J9/04 ; sealing strips for windshields B60J10/70; sealing sash guides for sliding window panes B60J10/74; glass partitions inside vehicles to protect occupants against personal attack B60R21/12
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/02 of sliding type , e.g. comprising guide shoes
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/0573 power driven arrangements, e.g. electrical
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/695 Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/71 responsive to temperature changes, rain, wind or noise
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Methods and system for controlling conditions within an enclosure housing a vehicle propulsion energy source are described. In one example, vehicle windows, vents, and shades may be operated to reduce an amount of energy used to maintain conditions within an enclosure housing a vehicle propulsion source. The systems and methods may be at least incorporated into electric and hybrid vehicles.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an energy storage device enclosure environment, comprising:

opening a vehicle window in response to a temperature in a vehicle propulsion energy storage device enclosure exceeding a first threshold temperature.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising closing the vehicle window in response to the temperature in the vehicle propulsion energy storage device being less than a second threshold temperature.

3. The method of claim 1, where the vehicle window is a sun roof or moon roof.

4. The method of claim 1, where a position of the vehicle window is adjusted to an open state in further response to an ambient outdoor temperature being less than the temperature in the vehicle propulsion energy storage device enclosure and where the position of the vehicle window is adjusted to a closed state in further response to ambient outdoor temperature being greater than the temperature in the vehicle propulsion energy storage device enclosure.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising drawing air from a vehicle passenger cabin into the vehicle propulsion energy storage device enclosure.

6. The method of claim 5, where the air from the vehicle passenger cabin is drawn through a one-way valve.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying a driver of opening the window at a location remote from the vehicle.

8. A method for controlling an energy storage device enclosure environment, comprising:

shading a window in response to a temperature in a vehicle propulsion energy storage device enclosure exceeding a first threshold temperature.

9. The method of claim 8, where shading the window includes tinting the window via applying an electrical current to the window.

10. The method of claim 8, where shading the window includes drawing a blind over the window.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising removing shading from a window in response to the temperature storage device enclosure being less than a second threshold temperature.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising opening passenger cabin vents in response to the temperature in the vehicle propulsion energy storage device enclosure exceeding the first threshold temperature.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising activating a battery thermal controller in response to the temperature in a vehicle propulsion energy storage device enclosure exceeding the first threshold temperature for greater than a threshold period of time.

14. The method of claim 8, where air is drawn from a vehicle'"'"'s passenger cabin into the vehicle propulsion energy storage device enclosure, and where the vehicle propulsion energy storage device enclosure houses a battery for propelling a vehicle.

15. A vehicle system, comprising:

an energy storage device enclosure;

a passenger cabin;

a conduit coupling the energy storage device enclosure and the passenger cabin; and

a controller including executable instructions stored in non-transitory memory for controlling a temperature in the energy storage device enclosure via air from the passenger cabin.

16. The vehicle system of claim 15, where the executable instructions include instructions to shade a window of a vehicle in response to a condition of the energy storage device enclosure.

17. The vehicle system of claim 15, where the executable instructions include instructions to open and close a window of a vehicle in response to a condition of the energy storage device enclosure.

18. The vehicle system of claim 17, where the executable instructions open and close the window in further response to a solar load on the passenger cabin.

19. The vehicle system of claim 17, where the executable instructions open and close the window in further response to rain.

20. The vehicle system of claim 19, further comprising additional instructions stored in non-transitory memory for notifying a driver at a location remote from the vehicle.