IP Library Granted Patent US 10,586,961
Granted Patent B2
US 10,586,961 · App. 15/988,843 · Granted Mar 10, 2020

Multi-modular battery system

Inventor: Brian R. Huff (Newbury Park, CA)
Assignee: Artisan Vehicle Systems Inc.
H01M2/1077H01M2/206H01M2/305H01M10/425H01M10/4207H01M10/48H01M2010/4271H01M2010/4278H01M2220/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,586,961
App. No.
15/988,843
Granted
Mar 10, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A battery module having a plurality of battery cells is described. The battery module includes a head unit with corresponding conical positive and negative terminals that allow additional battery modules to mate together and be electrically coupled in an end-to-end relationship. A plurality of battery modules can be combined together into rows of modules that are the electrically coupled to form a multi-modular battery system. The multi-modular battery system uses interchangeable individual battery modules for ease of replacement. Battery modules of a multi-modular battery system can communicate with each other using optical communication methods, including via line-of-sight and/or optical cables.

Claims (52)

1. A battery module comprising:

a plurality of battery cells;

a positive terminal coupler connecting positive terminal posts of the plurality of battery cells;

a negative terminal coupler connecting negative terminal posts of the plurality of battery cells;

wherein the positive terminal coupler includes a conical positive terminal disposed on a front side of the battery module;

wherein the negative terminal coupler includes a conical negative terminal disposed on a rear side of the battery module.

2. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the conical positive terminal has a generally concave shape that extends away from the front side of the battery module.

3. The battery module according to claim 2 , wherein the conical negative terminal has a generally convex shape that defines a recess extending into the rear side of the battery module.

4. The battery module according to claim 3 , wherein the conical positive terminal and the conical negative terminal are configured to mate with each other.

5. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the conical positive terminal of the battery module is configured to mate with a conical negative terminal disposed on another battery module to couple the battery modules together.

6. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the conical negative terminal of the battery module is configured to receive a conical positive terminal disposed on another battery module to couple the battery modules together.

7. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the positive terminal coupler and the negative terminal coupler are disposed on top of the plurality of battery cells in an opposing relationship.

8. The battery module according to claim 7 , wherein the conical positive terminal includes an opening disposed approximately in a center of the positive terminal coupler on the front side of the battery module;

wherein the conical positive terminal includes an opening disposed approximately in a center of the negative terminal coupler on the rear side of the battery module; and

wherein the opening of the conical positive terminal is aligned with the opening of the conical negative terminal.

9. The battery module according to claim 7 , further comprising a battery maintenance system (BMS) disposed between the positive terminal coupler and the negative terminal coupler.

10. A multi-modular battery system comprising:

a plurality of battery modules;

wherein each battery module of the plurality of battery modules comprises a plurality of battery cells, a positive terminal coupler connecting positive terminal posts of the plurality of battery cells, a negative terminal coupler connecting negative terminal posts of the plurality of battery cells, wherein the positive terminal coupler includes a conical positive terminal disposed on a front side of the battery module, and wherein the negative terminal coupler includes a conical negative terminal disposed on a rear side of the battery module; and

wherein at least two battery modules of the plurality of battery modules are coupled together in an end-to-end relationship by mating a conical positive terminal of one battery module with a conical negative terminal of another battery module.

11. The multi-modular battery system according to claim 10 , further comprising at least two rows of battery modules, wherein each row comprises at least two battery modules coupled together in an end-to-end relationship by mating a conical positive terminal of one battery module with a conical negative terminal of another battery module.

12. The multi-modular battery system according to claim 10 , further comprising a platform including at least one track system; and

wherein the plurality of battery modules are configured to be moved by sliding along the at least one track system.

13. The multi-modular battery system according to claim 10 , wherein the conical positive terminal includes an opening disposed approximately in a center of the positive terminal coupler on the front side of the battery module;

wherein the conical positive terminal includes an opening disposed approximately in a center of the negative terminal coupler on the rear side of the battery module; and

wherein the opening of the conical positive terminal is aligned with the opening of the conical negative terminal.

14. The multi-modular battery system according to claim 13 , further comprising at least one coupling rod; and

wherein the plurality of battery modules are electrically coupled together by inserting the at least one coupling rod through the openings disposed in the conical positive terminal and the conical negative terminal of the battery modules.

15. The multi-modular battery system according to claim 10 , further comprising a first row of battery modules and a second row of battery modules;

wherein the first row of battery modules comprises at least two battery modules coupled together in an end-to-end relationship by mating a conical positive terminal of one battery module with a conical negative terminal of another battery module;

wherein the second row of battery modules comprises at least two battery modules coupled together in an end-to-end relationship by mating a conical positive terminal of one battery module with a conical negative terminal of another battery module;

wherein the at least two battery modules of the first row of battery modules are electrically coupled together with a coupling rod inserted through openings disposed in the conical positive terminal and the conical negative terminal of the battery modules; and

wherein the at least two battery modules of the second row of battery modules are electrically coupled together with a coupling rod inserted through openings disposed in the conical positive terminal and the conical negative terminal of the battery modules.

16. The multi-modular battery system according to claim 15 , further comprising at least one bus bar; and

wherein the at least one bus bar electrically couples at least one battery module in the first row of battery modules with at least one battery module in the second row of battery modules.

17. The multi-modular battery system according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one bus bar includes a first bus bar that couples the conical positive terminal of the at least one battery module in the first row of battery modules with the conical positive terminal of the at least one battery module in the second row of battery modules.

18. The multi-modular battery system according to claim 15 , further comprising a platform including a first track system and a second track system;

wherein the first row of battery modules are disposed along the first track system; and

wherein the second row of battery modules are disposed along the second track system.

19. The multi-modular battery system according to claim 10 , wherein each battery module of the plurality of battery modules further comprises a head unit disposed on top of the plurality of battery cells, the head unit including the positive terminal coupler and the negative terminal coupler; and

wherein the head unit includes a battery maintenance system (BMS) disposed between the positive terminal coupler and the negative terminal coupler.

20. The multi-modular battery system according to claim 19 , wherein the head unit includes at least one optical port disposed on the front side of the battery module and at least one optical port disposed on the rear side of the battery module.

21. The multi-modular battery system according to claim 20 , wherein the at least one optical port disposed on the front side of the battery module and the at least one optical port disposed on the rear side of the battery module include a tapered recess that terminates near the BMS.

22. The multi-modular battery system according to claim 20 , wherein at least one optical port disposed on the front side of one of the battery modules in the plurality of battery modules is aligned with at least one optical port disposed on the rear side of another one of the battery modules in the plurality of battery modules.

23. The multi-modular battery system according to claim 22 , wherein the BMS of at least two battery modules are in optical line-of-sight communication with each other through the aligned optical ports.

24. The multi-modular battery system according to claim 19 , wherein a head unit of at least one of the battery modules in the plurality of battery modules is connected by a fiber optical cable to at least another one of the battery modules in the plurality of battery modules.

25. The multi-modular battery system according to claim 19 , wherein head units of the battery modules in the plurality of battery modules are connected by an optical communication path.

26. The multi-modular battery system according to claim 25 , wherein the optical communication path comprises at least one of an optical line-of-sight communication path and a fiber optic cable.

27. The multi-modular battery system according to claim 10 , further comprising at least two rows of battery modules; and

wherein a head unit of at least one battery module in a first row of battery modules is connected by an optical communication path to a head unit of at least one battery module in a second row of battery modules.

28. The multi-modular battery system according to claim 27 , wherein optical communication between the battery modules in the first row of battery modules can be re-routed through at least one battery module in the second row of battery modules in the case of a failure of a battery module in the first row of battery modules.

29. The multi-modular battery system according to claim 27 , wherein the optical communication path is a fiber optic cable that connects a head unit of one battery module disposed at an end of the first row of battery modules with a head unit of one battery module disposed at an end of the second row of battery modules.

Assignments (2)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Aug 9, 2024
From: ARTISAN VEHICLE SYSTEMS, INC.
To: SANDVIK MINING AND CONSTRUCTION OY
Reel/Frame 068523/0889 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2018
From: HUFF, BRIAN R.
To: ARTISAN VEHICLE SYSTEMS INC.
Reel/Frame 045964/0730 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62512296 · May 30, 2017
Related Publication 20180351144A1 · Dec 6, 2018