Monitoring device and method for monitoring the functional capability of an accumulator for electrical energy of a battery and discharge device, battery system and motor vehicle

• US 10,320,205 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2013
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Galamb, Gergely, Bosch, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Tat, Binh C
• Application Number:
  US13/965,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20140042982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,129 Days
• Field of Search: 320128-136
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• 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 2240/62 Vehicle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• 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 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• 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 50/00 Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle with power supply from force of nature, e.g. sun or wind, B60L8/00; for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• 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 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• 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: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

In order to monitor a functional capability of an accumulator for electrical energy of a battery, at least one position sensor is provided which outputs a position signal which is representative of the position of the accumulator. If the duration of an incorrect position exceeds a minimum duration, an incorrect position signal is output by a monitoring device.

Claims

1. A monitoring device for monitoring a functional capability of an accumulator for electrical energy of a battery, the accumulator including an electrolytic fluid and two connecting elements which are connected in an electrically conductive fashion to connecting contacts of the battery, the monitoring device comprising:

an incorrect-position-detecting device configured to detect an incorrect position of the accumulator, the incorrect position being any position at which the electrolytic fluid could leak from the accumulator or come into contact with electronics arranged in the accumulator, the incorrect-position-detecting device including a memory device configured to store a duration of the incorrect position; and

a signal device configured to make available an incorrect position signal if (i) the duration of the incorrect position is longer than a predetermined minimum duration, or (ii) the duration of the incorrect position is equal to the predetermined minimum duration, and

wherein;

the monitoring device is included in a discharge device for the battery, the discharge device including the accumulator,

the discharge device defines a discharging current path configured to conduct a discharging current between the two connecting elements

the discharge device includes a discharging switch configured to close the discharging current path, and

the discharge device is configured to change the discharging switch into a closed state as a function of the incorrect position signal.

2. The monitoring device according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one position sensor configured to detect the incorrect position of the accumulator.

3. The monitoring device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one position sensor includes an acceleration sensor configured to detect accelerations of a magnitude of an acceleration due to gravity.

4. The monitoring device according to claim 2, wherein:

the accumulator includes a housing part, and

the at least one position sensor is configured so as to be capable of being attached to the housing part.

5. The monitoring device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display device configured (i) to be connectable in a signal-transmitting fashion to an external signal source, and (ii) to output a warning signal, as a function of a signal of the external signal source, the warning signal being representative of a potential incorrect position of the accumulator.

6. A battery system comprising:

a battery including connecting contacts; and

a discharge device including (i) an accumulator for electrical energy of the battery, a monitoring device configured to monitor a functional capability of the accumulator, and (iii) a discharging switch,

wherein the accumulator includes an electrolytic fluid and two connecting elements which are connected in an electrically conductive fashion to the connecting contacts of the battery,

wherein the monitoring device includes

an incorrect-position-detecting device configured to detect an incorrect position of the accumulator, the incorrect-position-detecting device including a memory device configured to store a duration of the incorrect position, the incorrect position being any position at which the electrolytic fluid could leak from the accumulator or come into contact with electronics arranged in the accumulator, and

a signal device configured to make available an incorrect position signal if (i) the duration of the incorrect position is longer than a predetermined minimum duration, or (ii) the duration of the incorrect position is equal to the predetermined minimum duration,

wherein the discharge device defines a discharging current path configured to conduct a discharging current between the two connecting elements,

wherein the discharging switch is configured to close the discharging current path, and

wherein the discharge device is configured to change the discharging switch into a closed state as a function of the incorrect position signal.

7. The battery system according to claim 6, wherein the battery system is connected to a drive system of a motor vehicle in such a way as to supply energy.

8. A method for monitoring a functional capability of an accumulator for electrical energy of a battery, the accumulator including an electrolytic fluid and two connecting elements which are connected in an electrically conductive fashion to connecting contacts of the battery, the method comprising:

determining a duration of an incorrect position of the accumulator using a monitoring device, the incorrect position being any position at which the electrolytic fluid could leak from the accumulator or come into contact with electronics arranged in the accumulator; and

making available an incorrect position signal using a monitoring device when a predefined minimum duration is exceeded; and

changing a discharging switch of a discharge device into a closed state as a function of the incorrect position signal, the discharge device defining a discharging current path configured to conduct a discharging current between the two connecting elements, the discharge switch being configured to close the discharging current path in the closed state,

wherein the monitoring device includes

an incorrect-position-detecting device configured to detect an incorrect position of the accumulator, the incorrect-position-detecting device including a memory device configured to store a duration of the incorrect position, the incorrect position being any position at which the electrolytic fluid could leak from the accumulator or come into contact with electronics arranged in the accumulator, and

a signal device configured to make available an incorrect position signal if (i) the duration of the incorrect position is longer than a predetermined minimum duration, or (ii) the duration of the incorrect position is equal to the predetermined minimum duration.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

outputting a warning signal that represents a potential incorrect position of the accumulator.