Battery cell bypass module
First Claim
1. A battery cell bypass module comprising:
- sensing means for detecting an operating condition of a battery cell;
controller means connected across the battery cell and having a conductive mode and a normally non conductive mode, said controller means being operable in response to an operating condition of the battery cell in excess of a predetermined magnitude to change to the conductive mode and thereby shunt current around the battery cell; and
normally open actuating switch means connected across the cell and movable between open and closed positions; and
comparator means responsive to voltage across the battery cell to generate, in one instance, a voltage excessive actuating signal in the event the voltage across the battery cell exceeds a predetermined maximum value and, in another instance, a voltage minimal actuating signal in the event the voltage across the battery cell falls below a predetermined minimal value;
said actuating switch means responsive to either said voltage excessive actuating signal or to said voltage minimal actuating signal to move to the closed position;
whereby electric current is shunted around the battery cell.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A battery cell bypass module comprises a sensor for detecting an operating condition of a battery cell such as voltage or temperature and a controller connected across the battery cell of a lithium ion battery, for example, and having a conductive mode and a normally non conductive mode. The controller is operable to change to the conductive mode when an operating condition of the battery cell exceeds a predetermined value to thereby shunt current around the battery cell. The sensor may be a temperature transducer such as a thermistor for measuring battery cell temperature and a cell temperature comparator such as an operational amplifier is operable to generate a temperature excessive signal when the signal from the temperature transducer exceeds a predetermined value, the controller then being operable to change to the conductive mode and thereby shunt current around the battery cell. The sensor may also be a voltage comparator, also an operational amplifier, for measuring voltage across the cell, the controller being operable in response to a voltage excessive signal to change the controller to the conductive mode and thereby shunt current around the battery cell. The controller includes a voltage limiting operational amplifier operable for transmitting a voltage excessive output signal when the input thereto exceeds a predetermined value and a transistor having a predetermined gate voltage allowing bypass current flow, the transistor being responsive to the voltage excessive output signal from the voltage limiting operational amplifier to shunt current around the battery cell.
77 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A battery cell bypass module comprising:
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sensing means for detecting an operating condition of a battery cell; controller means connected across the battery cell and having a conductive mode and a normally non conductive mode, said controller means being operable in response to an operating condition of the battery cell in excess of a predetermined magnitude to change to the conductive mode and thereby shunt current around the battery cell; and normally open actuating switch means connected across the cell and movable between open and closed positions; and comparator means responsive to voltage across the battery cell to generate, in one instance, a voltage excessive actuating signal in the event the voltage across the battery cell exceeds a predetermined maximum value and, in another instance, a voltage minimal actuating signal in the event the voltage across the battery cell falls below a predetermined minimal value; said actuating switch means responsive to either said voltage excessive actuating signal or to said voltage minimal actuating signal to move to the closed position; whereby electric current is shunted around the battery cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14)
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12. In combination:
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a battery including a plurality of battery cells; a battery cell bypass module connected across at least one of said battery cells and including; sensing means for detecting an operating condition of said battery cell; controller means connected across said battery cell and having a conductive mode and a normally non conductive mode, said controller means being operable in response to an operating condition of said battery cell to change to the non conductive mode and thereby shunt current around said battery cell; normally open actuating switch means connected across the cell and movable between open and closed positions; and comparator means responsive to voltage across the battery cell to generate, in one instance, a voltage excessive actuating signal in the event the voltage across the battery cell exceeds a predetermined maximum value and, in another instance, a voltage minimal actuating signal in the event the voltage across the battery cell falls below a predetermined minimal value; said actuating switch means responsive to either said voltage excessive actuating signal or to said voltage minimal actuating signal to move to the closed position; whereby electric current is shunted around the battery cell.
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13. A battery cell bypass module comprising:
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sensing means for detecting an operating condition of a battery cell; and controller means connected across the battery cell and having a conductive mode and a normally non conductive mode, said controller means being operable in response to an operating condition of the battery cell in excess of a predetermined magnitude to change to the conductive mode and thereby shunt current around the battery cell while the voltage of the battery cell present at the time of the operation of said controller means remains unchanged; normally open actuating switch means connected across the cell and movable between open and closed positions, and comparator means responsive to voltage across the battery cell to generate, in one instance, a voltage excessive actuating signal in the event the voltage across the battery cell exceeds a predetermined maximum value and, in another instance, a voltage minimal actuating signal in the event the voltage across the battery cell falls below a predetermined minimal value; said actuating switch means responsive to either said voltage excessive actuating signal or to said voltage minimal actuating signal to move to the closed position; whereby electric current is shunted around the battery cell.
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15. A battery cell bypass module comprising:
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sensing means for detecting an operating condition of a battery cell; controller means connected across the battery cell and having a conductive mode and a normally non conductive mode, said controller means being operable in response to an operating condition of the battery cell in excess of a predetermined magnitude to change to the conductive mode and thereby shunt current around the battery cell; and diode means connected across the battery cell responsive to failure of the cell for shunting current flow around the cell.
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Specification