SPLIT ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) BATTERY INCLUDING BOTH A REPLACEABLE AND FIXED PORTION

• US 20180009331A1
• Filed: 10/03/2016
• Published: 01/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NIO (Anhui) Holding Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: NextEV USA, Inc.
• Inventors: HUANG, Chendong, FANG, Jie, ZHAO, Wenpeng, JIANG, Yaping, DENG, Xiaojia
• Granted Patent: US 10,076,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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: B60K 2001/001 one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0455 Removal or replacement of the energy storages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/42 with use of more than one motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/54 related to batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• 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 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• 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: H01M 50/264 for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 : The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 4/00 : Arrangements specially adapted for regulating or controlling the speed or torque of electric motors that can be connected to two or more different electric power supplies vector control H02P21/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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

Abstract

A battery for a vehicle having a fixed battery pack and a replaceable battery pack. The replaceable battery pack has electronic or mechanical locks to semi-temporarily hold the replaceable battery pack in place. The fixed battery pack is held in place via permanent or semi-permanent fasteners such as bolts. A battery controller controls the replaceable battery pack to power motors of the vehicle before controlling the fixed battery pack to power motors of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A battery system, comprising:

a fixed battery pack;

a replaceable battery pack; and

a battery controller configured to;

detect electrical characteristics of the fixed battery pack,

detect electrical characteristics of the replaceable battery pack,

compare the electrical characteristics of the fixed battery pack with the electrical characteristics of the replaceable battery pack, and

control either or both of the fixed battery pack and the replaceable battery pack to power one or more motors based on the comparison between the electrical characteristics of the fixed battery pack and the electrical characteristics of the replaceable battery pack.

2. The battery system of claim 1, wherein:

the fixed battery pack has bolts fastened to an enclosure.

3. The battery system of claim 1, wherein:

the replaceable battery pack has electrically or mechanically activated locks.

4. The battery system of claim 1, wherein comparing the electrical characteristics of the fixed battery pack with the electrical characteristics of the replaceable battery pack comprises:

determining whether the replaceable battery pack or the fixed battery pack are discharged below a charging threshold.

5. The battery system of claim 4, wherein controlling either or both of the fixed battery pack and the replaceable battery pack further comprises:

responsive to determining that neither the replaceable battery pack nor the fixed battery pack are discharged below a charging threshold, controlling the replaceable battery pack, but not the fixed battery pack, to power a motor of a vehicle.

6. The battery system of claim 4, wherein controlling either or both of the fixed battery pack and the replaceable battery pack further comprises:

responsive to determining that the replaceable battery pack is discharged below the charging threshold, but that the fixed battery pack is not discharged below the charging threshold, controlling the fixed battery pack, but not the replaceable battery pack, to power a motor of a vehicle.

7. The battery system of claim 1, wherein comparing the electrical characteristics of the fixed battery pack with the electrical characteristics of the replaceable battery pack comprises:

detecting that both the fixed battery pack and the replaceable battery pack are charged above a charging threshold.

8. The battery system of claim 7, wherein controlling either or both of the fixed battery pack and the replaceable battery pack further comprises:

responsive to detecting that both the fixed battery pack and the replaceable battery pack are charged above a charging threshold, causing the fixed battery pack to power a first motor of a vehicle and the replaceable battery pack to power a second motor of the vehicle.

9. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the battery controller is configured to:

cause the fixed battery pack to be recharged before the replaceable battery pack.

10. A method for controlling a battery system including a fixed battery pack and a replaceable battery pack, the method comprising:

detecting electrical characteristics of the fixed battery pack,

detecting electrical characteristics of the replaceable battery pack,

comparing the electrical characteristics of the fixed battery pack with the electrical characteristics of the replaceable battery pack, and

controlling either or both of the fixed battery pack and the replaceable battery pack to power one or more motors based on the comparison between the electrical characteristics of the fixed battery pack and the electrical characteristics of the replaceable battery pack.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein comparing the electrical characteristics of the fixed battery pack with the electrical characteristics of the replaceable battery pack comprises:

determining whether the replaceable battery pack or the fixed battery pack are discharged below a charging threshold.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling either or both of the fixed battery pack and the replaceable battery pack further comprises:

responsive to determining that neither the replaceable battery pack nor the fixed battery pack are discharged below a charging threshold, controlling the replaceable battery pack, but not the fixed battery pack, to power a motor of a vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling either or both of the fixed battery pack and the replaceable battery pack further comprises:

responsive to determining that the replaceable battery pack is discharged below the charging threshold, but that the fixed battery pack is not discharged below the charging threshold, controlling the fixed battery pack, but not the replaceable battery pack, to power a motor of a vehicle.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein comparing the electrical characteristics of the fixed battery pack with the electrical characteristics of the replaceable battery pack comprises:

detecting that both the fixed battery pack and the replaceable battery pack are charged above a charging threshold.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein controlling either or both of the fixed battery pack and the replaceable battery pack further comprises:

responsive to detecting that both the fixed battery pack and the replaceable battery pack are charged above a charging threshold, causing the fixed battery pack to power a first motor of a vehicle and the replaceable battery pack to power a second motor of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

causing the fixed battery pack to be recharged before the replaceable battery pack.

17. A vehicle comprising:

a first motor configured to power a first set of wheels; and

a battery system, comprising;

a fixed battery pack;

a replaceable battery pack; and

a battery controller configured to;

detect electrical characteristics of the fixed battery pack,

detect electrical characteristics of the replaceable battery pack,

compare the electrical characteristics of the fixed battery pack with the electrical characteristics of the replaceable battery pack, and

control either or both of the fixed battery pack and the replaceable battery pack to power one or more motors based on the comparison between the electrical characteristics of the fixed battery pack and the electrical characteristics of the replaceable battery pack.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein:

the fixed battery pack has bolts fastened to an enclosure.

19. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein:

the replaceable battery pack has electrically or mechanically activated locks.

20. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein comparing the electrical characteristics of the fixed battery pack with the electrical characteristics of the replaceable battery pack comprises:

determining whether the replaceable battery pack or the fixed battery pack are discharged below a charging threshold.