Battery arrangement for a motor vehicle

• US 9,579,989 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2012
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Jrg, Hinterberger, Michael, Avdic, Reuf, Acikgoez, Erdal, Stckert, Diana
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Fritz M
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARRIES, DRU M
• Application Number:
  US14/371,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20150028669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 307/66, 307/9.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3835 involving only voltage measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/396 Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/66 Testing of connections, e.g. of plugs or non-disconnectable joints testing for incorrect line connections G01R31/55
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• 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 50/569 Constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements G01R31/364
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/30 using a wired architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A battery arrangement for a motor vehicle, includes a plurality of battery modules, each of the battery modules having a plurality of battery cells and being coupled to a control unit, and a high voltage lead wire for electrical coupling being provided between all adjacent battery modules, the control units each being designed to exchange data via the high voltage lead wire.

Claims

1. A battery arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of battery modules, each battery module comprising a plurality of battery cells;

control units, each battery module being coupled with a respective one of the control units;

a high voltage line provided between respectively adjacent ones of the battery modules for electric coupling, wherein the control units are respectively configured to exchange data via the high voltage line and to send the data received via the respective high voltage line to a higher level monitoring device; and

a measuring device configured to determine the presence of an electrical connection between at least two of the battery modules via the high voltage line and outputting a warning signal during assembly of the battery arrangement in the vehicle when a cumulative electric voltage provided by the at least two battery modules in a connected state of the at least two battery modules exceeds a predetermined threshold value said warning signal being perceptible by a person assembling the battery arrangement.

2. The battery arrangement of claim 1, wherein each of the control units is configured to send data which contain an identification of the battery module with which it is coupled.

3. The battery arrangement of claim 1, wherein the control units for exchanging the data modulate a voltage generated by at least one battery module at the high voltage line.

4. The battery arrangement of claim 1, wherein each control unit for exchanging the data is electrically connected with the high voltage line, wherein the control unit detects an electric voltage at the measuring line of at least one battery cell of the battery module with which it is coupled.

5. A motor vehicle, comprising the battery arrangement of claim 1.

6. A method for testing an electric connection between at least two battery modules of a battery arrangement for a motor vehicle comprising:

providing the battery modules, wherein each of the battery modules has a plurality of battery cells and each battery module is coupled with a respective control unit;

electrically coupling of at least two adjacent battery modules with a high voltage line;

sending data with each of the control units, wherein the control units are configured to transmit the data via the high voltage line;

testing during assembly of the battery arrangement in the vehicle an electrical connection between at least two of the battery modules by way of the data which are received by the control units from the other control units, and

outputting during the assembly of the battery arrangement in the vehicle a warning signal when a cumulative electric voltage provided by the at least two battery modules in a connected state of the at least two battery modules exceeds a predetermined threshold value said warning signal being perceptible by a person assembling the battery arrangement.