IP Library Granted Patent US 10,581,056
Granted Patent B2
US 10,581,056 · App. 14/231,105 · Granted Mar 3, 2020

Systems, methods, and devices for pre-charge control of a battery module

Inventors: Ronald J. Dulle (Mequon, WI); Mark D. Gunderson (Bristol, WI); Bryan L. Thieme (Colgate, WI)
Assignee: CPS Technology Holdings LLC
H01M2/22B60L1/003B60L1/02B60L1/14B60L3/0046B60L3/12B60L15/20B60L50/16B60L50/51B60L50/61B60L50/64B60L50/66B60L58/12B60L58/21B60L58/26B60R16/03B60R16/033G01R31/3835H01H47/325H01M2/1077H01M2/1205H01M2/1211H01M2/1252H01M2/20H01M2/206H01M2/24H01M2/305H01M2/34H01M10/04H01M10/0413H01M10/058H01M10/425H01M10/4257H01M10/482H01M10/486H01M10/6551H02J7/0021H02J7/0063H05K1/0218H05K1/18H05K3/32B60L2210/10B60L2210/40B60L2240/34B60L2240/545B60L2240/547B60L2240/549B60L2250/10B60L2260/26B60L2270/20G01R31/385G01R31/50H01M2/32H01M2/342H01M4/661H01M4/665H01M2010/4271H01M2010/4278H01M2200/103H01M2220/20H01M2250/20H01R12/716H02H7/18H05K1/0262H05K1/0263H05K1/0298H05K2201/0715H05K2201/09327H05K2201/1053H05K2201/10492H05K2201/10545Y02T10/6217Y02T10/645Y02T10/7005Y02T10/705Y02T10/7011Y02T10/7016Y02T10/7022Y02T10/7044Y02T10/7061Y02T10/7077Y02T10/7216Y02T10/7241Y02T10/7275Y10T29/4911Y10T29/49108Y10T29/49114
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,581,056
App. No.
14/231,105
Granted
Mar 3, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present subject matter relates to a battery module for use in a vehicle. The battery module may include a housing, a plurality of battery cells disposed within the housing, and solid state pre-charge control circuitry that pre-charges a direct current (DC) bus that may be coupled between the battery module and an electronic component of the vehicle. Furthermore, the solid state pre-charge control circuitry may include solid state electronic components as well as passive electronic components.

Claims (17)

1. A battery module for use in a vehicle, comprising: a housing; a plurality of battery cells disposed in the housing; and a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed in the housing, wherein the PCB comprises a solid state pre-charge control circuitry comprises solid state pre-charge circuitry configured to pre-charge a direct current (DC) bus coupled between the battery module and an electronic component of the vehicle, wherein the solid state pre-charge control circuitry comprises solid state electronic components and passive electronic components, wherein the solid state pre-charge control circuitry is configured to detect a presence of a short circuit across the DC bus while the pre-charge control circuitry pre-charges the DC bus; and wherein the solid state pre-charge control circuitry is configured to take a first voltage reading upon initially applying a voltage to pre-charge the DC bus and a second voltage reading after a predetermined amount of time has passed, and compare the first voltage reading and the second voltage reading to determine if the short circuit is present; wherein the solid state pre-charge control circuit comprises: a transistor configured to receive an input signal indicative of a pre-charge initiation request, wherein the transistor is configured to activate to provide a low resistance path between the plurality of battery cells and a ground upon receiving the pre-charge initiation request; a power transistor coupled between the plurality of battery cells and the DC bus and configured to create a path from the plurality of battery of battery cells to the DC bus when the transistor is activated; and a voltage divider configured to receive an output of the power transistor and to output a pre-charge voltage to the DC bus to pre-charge the DC bus.

2. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the PCB comprises an override system configured to provide an override signal to the solid state pre-charge control circuitry, and wherein the override signal disables the solid state pre-charge control circuitry.

3. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the power transistor comprises a power metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET).

4. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the voltage divider comprises a first set of resistors and a second set of resistors, and wherein a first resistance of the first set of resistors is smaller than a second resistance of the second set of resistors.

5. The battery module of claim 4 , wherein the first set of resistors is disposed between the output of the power transistor and the second set of resistors, and wherein the second set of resistors is disposed between the first set of resistors and ground.

6. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the second voltage reading occurs within approximately 30 ms of the first voltage reading.

7. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the solid state pre-charge control circuitry is configured to limit current received at the DC bus during a pre-charge.

8. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the solid state pre-charge control circuitry is configured to limit a current generated from an output of 48 V from the plurality of battery cells disposed in the housing.

9. A battery module for use in a vehicle, comprising: a housing; a plurality of battery cells disposed in the housing; a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed in the housing, wherein the PCB comprises solid state pre-charge control circuitry configured to pre-charge a direct, current (DC) bus coupled between the battery module and an electronic component of the vehicle, wherein the pre-charge control circuitry comprises: a transistor configured to receive an input signal indicative of a pre-charge initiation request, wherein the transistor is configured to activate to provide a low resistance path between the plurality of battery cells and a ground upon receiving the pre-charge initiation request; a power metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) coupled between the plurality of battery cells and the DC bus and configured to create a path from the plurality of battery ceils to the DC bus when the transistor is activated; and a voltage divider configured to receive an output of the power MOSFET and to output a pre-charge voltage to the DC bus to pre-charge the DC bus; and wherein the pre-charge control circuitry is configured to detect a short circuit across the DC the DC bus and providing an indication of a presence of the short circuit across the DC bus by collecting a first voltage reading across the DC bus and a second voltage reading across the DC bus and providing an indication of a presence of the short circuit across the DC bus based on a comparison between the first and second voltage readings; wherein the solid state pre-charge control circuitry comprises: a transistor configured to receive to activate to provide a low resistance path between the plurality of battery cells and a ground plurality of battery cells and the DC bus and configured to create a path from the plurality of battery cells to the DC bus when the transistor is activated; and a voltage divider configured to pre-charge the DC bus.

10. The battery module of claim 9 , wherein the pre-charge control circuitry comprises an AND gate, wherein the AND gate is configured to receive the input signal and an override signal from an override system of the battery module, and wherein the AND gate is configured to disable the pre-charge control circuitry upon receiving a disable indication from the override system of the battery module.

11. The battery module of claim 9 , wherein the voltage divider comprises:

a first set of resistors coupled to the output of the power MOSFET and the DC bus; and

a second set of resistors coupled to the DC bus and the ground, wherein the second set of resistors has a resistance larger than that of the first set of resistors.

12. The battery module of claim 11 , wherein the first set of resistors comprises two or more individual resistors positioned separately on the PCB.

13. The battery module of claim 9 , wherein the pre-charge control circuitry is configured to collect the second voltage reading less than 30 ms after the first voltage reading.

14. The battery module of claim 9 , wherein the pre-charge control circuitry further comprises a diode disposed between the power MOSFET and the voltage divider, and wherein the diode is configured to prevent back-feeding of power to the pre-charge control circuitry from the DC bus.

15. A printed circuit board (PCB) for use in a vehicle battery module, comprising: solid state pre-charge control circuitry dispose on the PCB; and configured to pre-charge a direct current (DC) bus coupled between the vehicle battery module and an electronic component of a vehicle in which the vehicle battery module is installed, wherein the PCB is disposed in the vehicle battery module and the pre-charge control circuitry comprises: a transistor configured to receive an input signal indicative of a pre-charge initiation request, wherein the transistor is configured to activate to provide a low resistance path between the plurality of battery cells and a ground upon receiving the pre-charge initiation request; a power metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) coupled between the plurality of battery cells and the DC bus and configured to create a path from the plurality of battery ceils to the DC bus when the transistor is activated; and a voltage divider configured to receive an output of the power MOSFET and to output a pre-charge voltage to the DC bus to pre-charge the DC bus; and wherein the pre-charge control circuitry is configured to detect a short circuit across the DC bus by collecting a first voltage reading across the DC bus and a second voltage reading across the DC bus and providing an indication of a presence of the short circuit across the DC bus based on a comparison between the first and second voltage readings: wherein the solid state pre-charge control circuit comprises: a transistor configured to receive an input signal indicative of a pre-charge initiation request, wherein the transistor is configured to activate to provide a low resistance path between the plurality of battery cells and a ground upon of battery cells and the DC bus and configured to create a path from the plurality of battery charge the DC bus.

Assignments (5)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PROPERTIES, REMOVING US APP. NO. 29466355 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 049551 FRAME 0672. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jan 24, 2020
From: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
To: CPS TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLC
Reel/Frame 051693/0174 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 29, 2019
From: CPS TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLC
To: CITIBANK N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 050229/0029 →
ABL PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 29, 2019
From: CPS TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLC
To: CITIBANK N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 050229/0079 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2019
From: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
To: CPS TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLC
Reel/Frame 049551/0672 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 31, 2014
From: DULLE, RONALD J.; GUNDERSON, MARK D.; THIEME, BRYAN L.
To: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
Reel/Frame 032566/0200 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,654,209