Safety apparatus for battery of vehicle and method for operating the same

• US 9,539,889 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2014
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Lim, Hae Kyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Dolak, James M
• Application Number:
  US14/553,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20160046178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/54 related to batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0007 Measures or means for preventing or attenuating collisions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/91 Electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/26 Dangerous conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2306/01 Reducing damages in case of crash, e.g. by improving battery protection
• 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 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• 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 2200/00 Safety devices for primary or secondary batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/20 Pressure-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/579 in response to shock
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/907 : Electricity storage, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/952 : Housing details

Abstract

A safety apparatus for a vehicle battery and a method for operating the same capable of preventing accidents such as fire and battery explosion are provided. The safety apparatus includes a fixed housing that is fixed to a vehicle body and a movable housing that is movably disposed in the fixed housing to move due to external impact. An impact sensor is disposed within the fixed housing configured to be fractured due to the movement of the movable housing and an elastic member is configured to provide a restoring force to the movable housing.

Claims

1. A safety apparatus for a vehicle battery, comprising:

a fixed housing fixed to a vehicle body;

a movable housing movably disposed within the fixed housing in order to be able to move due to external impact;

an impact sensor disposed within the fixed housing so as to be fractured due to a movement of the movable housing;

an elastic member providing a restoring force to the movable housing after the external impact; and

a fracture part which is formed to extend within the movable housing toward the impact sensor to fracture the impact sensor by the movement of the movable housing.

2. The safety apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the impact sensor includes a notch which facilitates fracturing of the impact sensor upon impact.

3. The safety apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the impact sensor includes a conductive material.

4. The safety apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the impact sensor is further provided with a connector electrically connected to a battery management system (BMS).