SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SEPARATING BATTERIES

• US 20170207641A1
• Filed: 01/15/2016
• Published: 07/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trumpet Holdings, Inc. (Standard Motor Products Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Trumpet Holdings, Inc. (Standard Motor Products Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Stephen M., Maller, Dennis A., Hannas, James R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,343,545 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/00 Contacts liquid contacts H01H29/04
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2051/2218 having at least one movable permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/045 Details particular to contactors H01H50/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/08 Indicators; Distinguishing marks
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 51/29 Relays having armature, contacts, and operating coil within a sealed casing H01H51/27 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/002 in which a reserve is maintained in an energy source by disconnecting non-critical loads, e.g. maintaining a reserve of charge in a vehicle battery for starting an engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles

Abstract

Systems and methods for a battery separator system integrating a DC contactor (solenoid) plus control electronics and all required interconnects into a single sealed enclosure for the purpose of selectively connecting and disconnecting a main and auxiliary battery under predetermined conditions. Battery monitoring and control includes programmable time delays that immunize the system from reacting to transient conditions as well as monitoring for and correcting unintended states and disabling operation when voltage conditions fall outside of prescribed limits.

Claims

1. A contactor assembly comprising:

a housing;

a first stud and a second stud extending through the housing;

a solenoid assembly retained within the housing switchably contactable with the first stud and the second stud between an open-solenoid state in which the solenoid assembly is not in contact with the first and second studs and a closed-solenoid state in which the solenoid assembly is in contact with the first and second studs;

a printed circuit board (PCB) retained within the housing,

at least one stud-to-PCB terminal located within the housing electrically connecting at least one of the first stud and the second stud to the PCB; and

a pair of coil terminals located within the housing electrically connecting the solenoid assembly to the PCB.

2. The contactor assembly of claim 1, wherein the contactor assembly is a bi-stable contactor assembly.

3. The contactor assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one stud-to-PCB terminal has a bend configured to absorb movement of the PCB relative to the at least one stud-to-PCB terminal.

4. The contactor assembly of claim 1 comprising a first stud-to-PCB terminal located within the housing electrically connecting the first stud to the PCB and a second stud-to-PCB terminal located within the housing electrically connecting the second stud to the PCB.

5. The contactor assembly of claim 1, wherein the solenoid assembly comprises a plunger assembly comprising a first plunger part, a second plunger part, a magnet positioned between the first plunger part and the second plunger part, and a fastener configured to secure the first plunger part with the second plunger part.

6. The contactor assembly of claim 5 further comprising an end cap within which the second plunger part is at least partially received;

the fastener comprising a head extending outward from the second plunger part; and

whereby the head makes contact with the end cap when the contactor assembly is in the open state, thereby defining a gap between the second plunger part and the end cap.

7. The contactor assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a base, the base having a plurality of molded pockets configured to receive at least one of a light emitting diode (LED) and a lead wire in electrical communication with the PCB.

8. The contactor assembly of claim 7, whereby the at least one LED is configured to indicate a status of the contactor assembly.

9. The contactor assembly of claim 7, whereby the at least one lead wire is a grounding conductor.

10. The contactor assembly of claim 7, whereby the at least one lead wire is configured to relay at least one of input data and output data to or from the PCB.

11. The contactor assembly of claim 1, whereby the first stud is configured to be electrically connected to a first battery and the second stud is configured to be electrically connected to a second battery.

12. The contactor assembly of claim 11, whereby the PCB comprises a microprocessor configured to monitor voltage values of the first battery at the first stud and voltage values of the second battery at the second stud and change the state of the solenoid assembly based on whether the voltage value of the first battery and the voltage value of the second battery satisfy predetermined voltage values stored within the microprocessor for which the state of the solenoid assembly is to be changed.

13. The contactor assembly of claim 12, whereby the microprocessor continues to monitor the voltage value of the first battery and the voltage value of the second battery for a predetermined duration of time prior to changing the state of the solenoid assembly and changes the state of the solenoid assembly if the voltage value of the first battery and the voltage value of the second battery continually satisfy the voltage values stored within the microprocessor during the predetermined duration of time.

14. The contactor assembly of claim 12, whereby the microprocessor is configured to determine whether the solenoid assembly is in the open-solenoid state or the closed-solenoid state (the actual state), determine whether the solenoid assembly should be in the open-solenoid state or the closed-solenoid state based on the independent voltage values of the first and second batteries and the predetermined voltage values stored within the microprocessor (calculated state), and compare the actual state with the calculated state to determine whether the actual state and the calculated state are the same.

15. The contactor assembly of claim 14, whereby if the actual state is not the same as the calculated state, the microprocessor is configured to send up to a predetermined number of signals to change the actual state of the solenoid assembly until the actual state is the same as the calculated state or until the predetermined amount of signals has been achieved.

16. A method for opening or closing an electrical contactor between a pair of batteries, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a contactor assembly comprising;

a housing;

a first stud and a second stud extending through the housing,

the first stud configured to be electrically connected to a first battery and the second stud configured to be electrically connected to a second battery;

a solenoid assembly retained within the housing switchably contactable with the first stud and the second stud between an open-solenoid state in which the solenoid assembly is not in contact with the first and second studs and a closed-solenoid state in which the solenoid assembly is in contact with the first and second studs;

a printed circuit board (PCB) with a microprocessor retained within the housing;

at least one stud-to-PCB terminal located within the housing electrically connecting at least one of the first stud and the second stud to the PCB; and

a pair of coil terminals located within the housing electrically connecting the solenoid assembly to the PCB;

storing a predetermined voltage value in the PCB for at least one of the first battery and the second battery for which the state of the solenoid assembly is to be changed;

monitoring the voltage value of the at least one of the first battery and the second battery for which the predetermined voltage value is stored; and

changing the state of the solenoid assembly if the voltage value of the at least one of the first battery and the second battery is the same as the corresponding predetermined voltage threshold value.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

continuing to monitor the voltage value of the at least one of the first battery and second battery for a predetermined duration of time prior to changing the state of the solenoid assembly; and

changing the state of the solenoid assembly if the voltage value of the at least one of the first battery and the second battery continually stays the same as or goes beyond the predetermined voltage value throughout the predetermined duration of time.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

determining whether the solenoid assembly is in the open-solenoid state or the closed-solenoid state (actual state);

determining whether the solenoid assembly should be in the open-solenoid state or the closed-solenoid state (calculated state);

comparing the actual state with the calculated state;

if the actual state is not the same as the calculated state, sending up to a predetermined number of signals from the microprocessor to change the actual state of the solenoid assembly until the actual state is the same as the calculated state or until the predetermined number of signals has been achieved.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the steps of:

setting an error condition if the predetermined number of signals has been achieved and if the actual state is not the same as the calculated state;

waiting a predetermined amount of time; and

repeating the steps of claim 18.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the housing of the contactor further comprises a base, the base having a plurality of molded pockets configured to receive at least one of a light emitting diode (LED) in electrical communication with the PCB, the method further comprising the step of:

illuminating the at least one LED to indicate a status of the contactor assembly.