Battery connection failure detection system
First Claim
1. An electrical power system comprising an at least one battery cell comprising a cell body, a positive electrical connector for connection to a power transfer means, a negative electrical connector for connection to said power transfer means and a load drawing power from said cell body through the power transfer means, wherein:
- a) said electrical power system further includes means for detecting degradation of at least one of said positive and said negative electrical connectors;
b) the power transfer means comprises one of a power regulator mounted to a circuit board having conducting elements, a bus bar, a wire or a sheet of metal; and
,c) said means for detecting degradation of said at least one of the positive and negative electrical connectors comprises an at least one cell body temperature sensor disposed on the cell body;
an at least one electrical connector temperature sensor placed close to the at least one of the positive and negative electrical connectors to measure the temperature of the at least one of the connectors and a software driven comparator in electrical communication with said at least one cell body temperature sensor, said at least one electrical connector temperature sensor and a connector current sensor, wherein said software driven comparator includes means for calculating, at a point in time, a difference between a measured cell body temperature and a measured at least one electrical connector temperature at a measured connector current at said point in time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of detecting battery connection failures relies upon measuring battery cell body temperature and battery connector temperature at a measured current. The difference between these two temperatures is calculated using a software driven comparator. The comparator compares the difference as measured against a predetermined safe difference for the measured current. If the measured value exceeds the predetermined safe value an alarm is given. In one embodiment of the invention the difference between the two temperatures is compared to a predetermined safe difference independent of current measurements.
11 Citations
11 Claims
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1. An electrical power system comprising an at least one battery cell comprising a cell body, a positive electrical connector for connection to a power transfer means, a negative electrical connector for connection to said power transfer means and a load drawing power from said cell body through the power transfer means, wherein:
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a) said electrical power system further includes means for detecting degradation of at least one of said positive and said negative electrical connectors; b) the power transfer means comprises one of a power regulator mounted to a circuit board having conducting elements, a bus bar, a wire or a sheet of metal; and
,c) said means for detecting degradation of said at least one of the positive and negative electrical connectors comprises an at least one cell body temperature sensor disposed on the cell body;
an at least one electrical connector temperature sensor placed close to the at least one of the positive and negative electrical connectors to measure the temperature of the at least one of the connectors and a software driven comparator in electrical communication with said at least one cell body temperature sensor, said at least one electrical connector temperature sensor and a connector current sensor, wherein said software driven comparator includes means for calculating, at a point in time, a difference between a measured cell body temperature and a measured at least one electrical connector temperature at a measured connector current at said point in time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A battery connection failure detection system for an electrical power system, said electrical power system comprising an at least one battery cell comprising a cell body, a positive electrical connector for connection to a power transfer means, a negative electrical connector for connection to said power transfer means and a load drawing power from said cell body through the power transfer means, wherein said battery connection failure detection system comprises an at least one cell body temperature sensor disposed on the cell body and an at least one electrical connector temperature sensor placed close to at least one of said positive and said negative electrical connectors to measure the temperature of said at least one of the connectors, a software driven comparator in electrical communication with said at least one cell body temperature sensor and said at least one electrical connector temperature sensor, wherein said software driven comparator further includes:
- means for calculating a difference in temperature between a measured cell body temperature and a measured electrical connection temperature;
means for comparing said difference in measured temperature with a predetermined safe difference in temperature; and
, means for signaling an alarm when the difference exceeds said predetermined safe difference. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
- means for calculating a difference in temperature between a measured cell body temperature and a measured electrical connection temperature;
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10. A method for detection a connection failure in an electrical power system comprising an at least one battery cell comprising a cell body, a positive electrical connector for connection to a power transfer means, a negative electrical connector for connection to said power transfer means and a load drawing power from said cell body through the power transfer means, said method comprising the following steps:
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a) placing at least one cell body temperature sensor on said cell body; b) placing at least one electrical connector temperature sensor close to at least one of said positive and said negative electrical connectors; c) providing a software driven comparator and placing said at least one cell body temperature and said at least one electrical connector temperature sensor in electrical communication with said software driven comparator; d) measuring a cell body temperature at a given point in time; e) measuring a connection temperature at said given point in time; f) determining a difference between said cell body temperature and said connection temperature at the given point in time; g) comparing said difference to a predetermined safe difference; and
,h) providing an alarm when the difference exceeds said predetermined safe difference. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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Specification