Electric vehicle battery systems with exchangeable parallel electric vehicle battery modules

• US 9,694,707 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2016
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ample, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ample, Inc.
• Inventors: Shrinkle, Louis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US15/006,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20160137093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 320126
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/25 by controlling the electric load
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0016 using shunting, discharge or bypass circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1423 with multiple batteries
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

Systems and methods for electric vehicle battery systems with replaceable parallel electric vehicle battery modules are described herein. The electric vehicle battery system includes a plurality of electric vehicle battery modules connected in parallel. Each electric vehicle battery module includes a battery. Each electric vehicle battery module can also include a balancing circuit in electrical communication with a current path from the battery to an electric vehicle battery module output node. Each electric vehicle battery module also may have a current sensor in electromagnetic communication with the current path between the battery and the balancing circuit. The current sensor can be configured to sense a current level between the battery and the balancing circuit. The balancing circuit can be configured to balance the current level sensed by the current sensor of each electric vehicle battery module.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle battery system, comprising:

a plurality of electric vehicle battery modules connected in parallel, each electric vehicle battery module comprising;

a battery;

a balancing circuit in electrical communication with a current path from the battery to an electric vehicle battery module output node, wherein the balancing circuit comprises a first pair of complementary switches that are electrically connected in parallel with the battery; and

a current sensor in electromagnetic communication with the current path between the battery and the balancing circuit, the current sensor configured to sense a current level between the battery and the balancing circuit,

wherein the balancing circuit is configured to balance the current level sensed by the current sensor of the electric vehicle battery module,

wherein the balancing circuit is configured to charge the battery when the battery module output node is in electromagnetic communication with a charging source, and

wherein the balancing circuit is configured to discharge the battery when the battery module output node is in electromagnetic communication with a load.

2. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 1, wherein the first pair of complementary switches includes first and second switches that are electrically connected in parallel with one another, the balancing circuit configured to discharge the battery by controlling a pulse width modulation of the first and second switches.

3. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 1, wherein the balancing circuit comprises a second pair of complementary switches that are electrically connected in parallel with the first pair of complementary switches.

4. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 3, wherein the second pair of complementary switches includes first and second switches that are electrically connected in parallel with one another, the balancing circuit configured to charge the battery by controlling a pulse width modulation of the first and second switches.

5. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 3, further comprising a smoothing circuit that is electrically connected in parallel with the first and second pairs of complementary switches.

6. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 5, wherein the smoothing circuit includes an inductor and a capacitor, the inductor electrically connected in parallel with the capacitor.

7. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 5, wherein each electric vehicle battery modules includes an inductor, the inductor electrically connected in series with the first and second pairs of complementary switches.

8. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 7, further comprising a capacitor electrically connected in parallel with the inductor.

9. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 8, wherein the capacitor is electrically connected in parallel to the plurality of electric vehicle battery modules.

10. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 3, further comprising a processor in electrical communication with the first and second pairs of complementary switches and the current sensor.

11. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to control an operation of the first and second pairs of complementary switches based on an output of the current sensor.

12. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to control an operation of the first and second pairs of complementary switches based on whether a disconnection condition has occurred.

13. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 1, wherein the current sensor includes a sense resistor and a comparator.

14. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 13, wherein the sense resistor is electrically connected in series with the battery and the comparator is electrically connected in parallel with the sense resistor, wherein the comparator determines a voltage or a current across the sense resistor.

15. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 1, wherein the balancing circuit is configured to disconnect the battery from the electric vehicle battery module output node when the current level sensed by the current sensor is beyond a threshold.

16. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 1, wherein the balancing circuit is configured to disconnect the battery from the electric vehicle battery module output node when a voltage level of the electric vehicle battery module is above an upper threshold or below a lower threshold.

17. The electric vehicle battery system of claim 1, wherein the balancing circuit is configured to disconnect the battery from the electric vehicle battery module output node when a temperature of the electric vehicle battery module is above an upper threshold or below a lower threshold.