Battery pack

• US 9,231,241 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2012
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Kim, Dukjung, Guen, Minhyung
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodas, Richard Isla
• Assistant Examiner(s): PELTON, NATHANIEL R
• Application Number:
  US13/366,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20120256582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,429 Days
• Field of Search: 320/101, 320/112, 320/137, 320/162, 310/316.03
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/176 for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/181 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/271 Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/291 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/55 on the same side of the cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/553 Terminals adapted for prismatic, pouch or rectangular cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/32 for charging batteries from a charging set comprising a non-electric prime mover rotating at constant speed
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery pack including a secondary battery arranged on an elastic member and a piezoelectric member is provided. Vertical movement of the secondary battery within the battery pack generates electrical energy that may be used to charge the secondary battery.

Claims

1. A battery pack, comprising:

at least one secondary battery including;

an electrode assembly;

a case accommodating the electrode assembly; and

a collecting terminal electrically connected to the electrode assembly and protruding out of the case, the collecting terminal having a positive collecting terminal and a negative collecting terminal;

a support member supporting a bottom portion of the secondary battery;

a cover member including a first through hole and a second through hole through which the positive collecting terminal and the negative collecting terminal pass, respectively, and surrounding an upper portion of the secondary battery;

an energy generator between the bottom portion of the secondary battery and the support member and to generate electrical energy, the energy generator having a positive contact point and a negative contact point; and

an energy supplier to supply the electrical energy generated from the energy generator to the secondary battery, the energy supplier having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, wherein

a first conductive line electrically couples the positive contact point of the energy generator with the positive terminal of the energy supplier and a second conductive line electrically couples the negative contact point of the energy generator with the negative terminal of the energy supplier.

2. The battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the energy generator comprises:

an elastic member contacting the secondary battery; and

a piezoelectric device between the elastic member and the support member.

3. The battery pack as claimed in claim 2, wherein the elastic member comprises a coil spring.

4. The battery pack as claimed in claim 2, wherein the piezoelectric device generates electrical energy by a vertical movement of the secondary battery.

5. The battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the energy supplier comprises:

a voltage booster to boost the electrical energy generated by the energy generator to a voltage having a level for charging the secondary battery;

a rectifier to rectify the voltage output from the voltage booster to a direct current voltage; and

an overvoltage protector to limit the direct current voltage to a charge voltage value of the secondary battery or to a smaller value than the charge voltage value.

6. The battery pack as claimed in claim 2, wherein the positive terminal of the energy supplier is electrically connected to a positive terminal of the collecting terminal, and

the negative terminal of the energy supplier is electrically connected to a negative terminal of the collecting terminal.

7. The battery pack as claimed in claim 2, wherein the support member comprises:

a horizontal part having a flat surface; and

a sidewall part extending from an edge of the horizontal part toward the secondary battery.

8. The battery pack as claimed in claim 7, wherein the horizontal part comprises a positioning recess that is coupled to the energy generator.

9. The battery pack as claimed in claim 8, wherein a line through hole is disposed under the positioning recess.

10. The battery pack as claimed in claim 7, wherein the horizontal part comprises a vertical part protruding toward the secondary battery such that the vertical part at least partially fits between the secondary battery.

11. The battery pack as claimed in claim 10, wherein the vertical part is disposed at a lower position than that of the sidewall part and the vertical part and the sidewall part define a cavity-like region for receiving the secondary battery.

12. A battery pack, comprising:

at least one secondary battery including a collecting terminal protruding out of an upper portion of the at least one secondary battery, the collecting terminal having a positive collecting terminal and a negative collecting terminal;

a support member supporting a bottom portion of the secondary battery;

a cover member including a first through hole and a second through hole through which the positive collecting terminal and the negative collecting terminal pass, respectively, and surrounding the upper portion of the secondary battery;

an energy generator between the bottom portion of the secondary battery and the supporting member, the energy generator to generate electrical energy based on movement of the secondary battery, the energy generator having a positive contact point and a negative contact point; and

an energy supplier to supply the electrical energy generated from the energy generator to the secondary battery, the energy supplier having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, wherein

a first conductive line electrically couples the positive contact point of the energy generator with the positive terminal of the energy supplier and a second conductive line electrically couples the negative contact point of the energy generator with the negative terminal of the energy supplier.

13. The battery pack as claimed in claim 12, wherein the secondary battery includes at least one coupling recess along the bottom portion, and the energy generator is at least partially arranged within the coupling recess of the secondary battery.

14. The battery pack as claimed in claim 12, wherein the energy generator includes an elastic member and a piezoelectric device, the elastic member being arranged between the bottom portion of the secondary battery and the piezoelectric device.

15. The battery pack as claimed in claim 14, wherein the elastic member is a coil spring.

16. The battery pack as claimed in claim 14, wherein the energy generator generates electrical energy from movement of the secondary battery relative to the elastic member.

17. A battery pack including at least one secondary battery, the at least one secondary battery including a collecting terminal protruding out of an upper portion of the at least one secondary battery, the collecting terminal having a positive collecting terminal and a negative collecting terminal, wherein:

a bottom portion of the at least one secondary battery is supported by a support member; and

the upper portion of the at least one secondary battery is surrounded by a covering member, the cover member including a first through hole and a second through hole through which the positive collecting terminal and the negative collecting terminal pass, respectively, comprising;

energy generators between the bottom portion of the at least secondary battery and the supporting member, the energy generators for generating electrical energy based on movement of the secondary battery, the energy generator being arranged between the covering member and the secondary battery, each of the energy generators having a positive contact point and a negative contact point; and

energy suppliers for supplying the electrical energy generated from the energy generator to the secondary battery, the energy supplier having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, wherein

a first conductive line electrically couples the positive contact point of each of the energy generators with the positive terminal of the energy supplier and a second conductive line electrically couples the negative contact point of each of the energy generators with the negative terminal of the energy supplier.