BATTERY PACK

• US 20160201634A1
• Filed: 08/04/2015
• Published: 07/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: KIM, Sangkyou, JI, Sejin, JEONG, Hyeoncheol, BAEK, Woonseong
• Granted Patent: US 10,711,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0848 with means for detecting successful engine start, e.g. to stop starter actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0862 characterised by the electrical power supply means, e.g. battery
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/12 Starting of engines by means of mobile, e.g. portable, starting sets
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/14 Starting of engines by means of electric starters with external current supply F02N11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/062 Battery current
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/063 Battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/064 Battery temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/443 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/40 The network being an on-board power network, i.e. within a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0025 Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A battery pack including a battery, a sensor, a controller, and a self-discharge circuit. The battery includes at least one battery cell connected between a pair of external terminals. The at least one battery cell is used for an engine-start attempt. The sensor detects a temperature of the battery. The controller compares the temperature of the battery with a reference temperature value and outputs a self-discharge signal when the temperature of the battery is lower than the reference temperature value. The self-discharge circuit is connected between the pair of external terminals in parallel with the battery and performs self-discharge the battery based on the self-discharge signal.

Claims

1. A battery pack, comprising:

a battery including at least one battery cell connected between a pair of external terminals, the at least one battery cell to be used for an engine-start attempt;

a sensor to detect a temperature of the battery;

a controller to compare the temperature of the battery with a reference temperature value and to output a self-discharge signal when the temperature of the battery is lower than the reference temperature value; and

a self-discharge circuit connected between the pair of external terminals in parallel with the battery, the self-discharge circuit to self-discharge the battery based on the self-discharge signal.

2. The battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the sensor is to detect a current of the battery, and

the controller is to determine that an engine-start attempt was made when the current of the battery becomes higher than a reference current value.

3. The battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the sensor is to detect a current and a voltage of the battery, and

the controller is to detect that an engine-start attempt was made but failed when the voltage of the battery is lower than a reference voltage value and the current of the battery becomes higher than a reference current value.

4. The battery pack as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controller is to:

detect that an engine-start attempt was made when the current of the battery exceeds the reference current value;

detect that the engine-start attempt failed when the voltage of the battery is lower than the reference voltage value and the current of the battery becomes higher than the reference current value;

detect that the engine-start attempt was completed when the current of the battery becomes lower than the reference current value;

compare the temperature of the battery with the reference temperature value; and

output a self-discharge signal to the self-discharge circuit to self-discharge the battery when the temperature of the battery is lower than the reference temperature value.

5. The battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the sensor is to detect a current and a voltage of the battery, and

the controller is to;

detect that an engine-start attempt was made when the current of the battery becomes higher than a reference current value and then falls below the reference current value;

determine whether the engine-start attempt has succeeded by comparing a first voltage of the battery measured before the current of the battery becomes higher than the reference current value with a second voltage of the battery measured after the current of the battery becomes lower than the reference current value;

determine that the engine-start attempt has failed when the second voltage is lower than the first voltage;

compare the temperature of the battery with the reference temperature value; and

output a self-discharge signal to the self-discharge circuit to self-discharge the battery when the temperature of the battery is lower than the reference temperature value.

6. The battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is to:

monitor the temperature of the battery while outputting the self-discharge signal, and

stop outputting the self-discharge signal when the temperature of the battery becomes equal to or higher than the reference temperature value.

7. The battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is to output the self-discharge signal and stop outputting the self-discharge signal after a predetermined time period based on an initial temperature of the battery compared with the reference temperature value.

8. The battery pack as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

the battery is self-discharged to generate heat during the predetermined time period, and

the heat to be generated in a sufficient amount that the temperature of the battery is equal to or higher than the temperature reference value after the predetermined time period.

9. The battery pack as claimed in claim 7, wherein the controller is to store information indicative of the predetermined time period during which the self-discharge signal is output based on the initial temperature of the battery.

10. The battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the self-discharge circuit includes a self-discharge switch to connect the pair of external terminals based on the self-discharge signal.

11. The battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the self-discharge circuit includes a self-discharge switch and a self-discharge resistor that are connected in series between the pair of external terminals, and

the self-discharge switch is to be turned on or off based on the self-discharge signal.

15. A vehicle comprising the battery pack of as claimed in claim 1.

12. A battery pack, comprising:

a battery including at least one battery cell connected between a pair of external terminals;

a sensor to detect a temperature of the battery;

a controller to perform control based on an engine-start preparation signal received through a signal terminal, the controller to compare the temperature of the battery with a reference temperature value and to output a self-discharge signal when the temperature of the battery is lower than the reference temperature value; and

a self-discharge circuit connected between the pair of external terminals in parallel with the battery, the self-discharge circuit to self-discharge the battery based on the self-discharge signal.

13. The battery pack as claimed in claim 12, wherein the controller is to stop outputting the self-discharge signal when the temperature of the battery becomes equal to or higher than the reference temperature value.

14. The battery pack as claimed in claim 12, wherein the self-discharge circuit includes a self-discharge switch to connect the pair of external terminals based on the self-discharge signal.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

an interface; and

a controller to control an engine-start attempt, the controller to compare a temperature of a battery for the engine-start attempt with a reference temperature and to generate a self-discharge signal when the temperature of the battery is lower than the reference temperature, the self-discharge signal to be output through the interface to control a self-discharge circuit for the battery.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the controller receives instructions for the engine-start attempt from a storage area in or coupled to the controller.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the self-discharge signal is to control the self-discharge circuit to self-discharge the battery for a period of time until the temperature of the battery equals or exceeds the reference temperature.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the period of time includes a period for heat generated by self-discharge of the battery to raise the temperature of the battery to equal or exceed the reference temperature.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the reference temperature is based on a temperature range in which the battery is unable to output sufficient voltage for the engine-start attempt.