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Battery heating circuits and methods using voltage inversion and freewheeling circuit components

  • US 8,947,049 B2
  • Filed: 01/24/2013
  • Issued: 02/03/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A circuit for heating a battery, the circuit comprising:

  • the battery including a first damping component and a first current storage component, the first damping component and the first current storage component being parasitic to the battery, the battery including a positive battery terminal and a negative battery terminal;

    a switch unit;

    a switching control component coupled to the switch unit;

    a first charge storage component; and

    an energy superposition unit connected across the first charge storage component;

    a freewheeling circuit connected between the positive battery terminal and the negative battery terminal;

    wherein;

    the first damping component, the first current storage component, the switch unit, and the first charge storage component are connected to form at least a part of a loop;

    the switching control component is configured to turn on the switch unit so as to allow a first current flowing from the battery to the first charge storage component and a second current flowing from the first charge storage component to the battery, and to turn off the switch unit;

    the energy superposition unit is configured to, after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off, adjust a storage voltage associated with the first charge storage component so that a positive voltage terminal of the first charge storage component is coupled, directly or indirectly, to the negative voltage terminal of the battery; and

    the freewheeling circuit configured to allow a freewheeling current to flow to the battery after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off;

    wherein the circuit for heating the battery is configured to heat the battery by at least discharging the battery.

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