IP Library Granted Patent US 12,397,681
Granted Patent B2
US 12,397,681 · App. 17/562,259 · Granted Aug 26, 2025

Method for heating a battery pack, battery heating system and electric apparatus

Inventors: Zhanliang Li (Ningde, CN); Yuanmiao Zhao (Ningde, CN); Xiyang Zuo (Ningde, CN); Xiaojian Huang (Ningde, CN); Zhimin Dan (Ningde, CN); Yu Yan (Ningde, CN)
Assignee: CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY (HONG KONG) LIMITED
B60L58/27B60L58/12H01M10/615H01M10/625H01M10/63H01M50/249H01M2220/20
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 12,397,681
App. No.
17/562,259
Granted
Aug 26, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present application relates to a method for heating a battery pack, where the battery pack is connected to an inductive load via a converter and the method includes: controlling on and off of a switch module in the converter upon receiving a heating request, so as to control discharging and charging between the battery pack and the inductive load, connecting the battery pack and an auxiliary heating mechanism in parallel during a discharging stage of the battery pack; and disconnecting the auxiliary heating mechanism from the battery pack during a charging stage of the battery pack. The present application further relates to a battery heating system and an electric apparatus.

Claims (61)

1. A method for heating a battery pack, the battery pack connecting to an inductive load via a converter, the battery pack comprises an internal resistor and the method comprising:

controlling on and off of a switch module in the converter when receiving a heating request, so as to control discharging and charging between the battery pack and the inductive load;

connecting the battery pack and an auxiliary heating mechanism in parallel and controlling discharge of the battery pack to the inductive load so that the auxiliary heating mechanism, the inductive load and the internal resistor heat the battery pack during a discharging stage of the battery pack; and

disconnecting the auxiliary heating mechanism from the battery pack and controlling discharge of the inductive load to the battery pack so that the inductive load and the internal resistor heat the battery pack during a charging stage of the battery pack.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprising:

collecting a current parameter relating to heating the battery pack; and

adjusting durations of the charging stage and the discharging stage of a charging and discharging cycle of the battery pack based on a preset desired current threshold range, so as to enable the current parameter to return to the preset desired current threshold range, when the current parameter relating to heating the battery pack exceeds the preset desired current threshold range.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the durations of the charging stage and the discharging stage of the charging and discharging cycle of the battery pack are equal to each other.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the inductive load is a winding of a motor and a switch module in the converter is disposed to turn on or off periodically to cause the motor not to rotate.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the motor is a three-phase motor and the converter is a three-phase full-bridge circuit having a first phase bridge arm, a second phase bridge arm and a third phase bridge arm;

wherein during the discharging stage of the charging and discharging cycle of the battery pack, closing two or three switch modules during the discharging stage, the closed switch modules are located at different phase bridge arms, and closing at least one switch module located on an upper bridge arm and at least one switch module located on a lower bridge arm; and

during the charging stage of the charging and discharging cycle of the battery pack, disconnecting the switch modules closed during the discharging stage, and closing a switch module on a lower bridge arm or a upper bridge arm relative to the upper bridge arm or the lower bridge arm where the switch modules closed during the discharging stage are located.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:

obtaining a state parameter of the battery pack;

obtaining a temperature of the converter and a temperature of a motor;

generating a heating stop request when the state parameter, the temperature of the converter or the temperature of the motor exceed a corresponding parameter security range, wherein the state parameter comprises at least one of following parameters: a voltage, a temperature, a state of charge and an insulation resistance; and

controlling all switch modules of the converter to be in an off state and disconnecting the auxiliary heating mechanism from the battery pack in response to the heating stop request.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:

obtaining state information of a vehicle where the battery pack is mounted;

generating a heating stop request when the state information indicates that the vehicle is not in a heating condition, wherein the state information comprises at least one of following parameters: a vehicle starting state, a vehicle door state, collision information, a high-voltage-up state, and an ambient temperature; and

controlling all switch modules of the converter to be in an off state and disconnecting the auxiliary heating mechanism from the battery pack in response to the heating stop request.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary heating mechanism comprises a heating film.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary heating mechanism comprises a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heater.

10. A battery heating system, the battery heating system comprising:

a converter, wherein a direct current end of the converter is connected to a positive electrode and a negative electrode of a battery pack, the battery pack comprises an internal resistor;

an inductive load, connected to an alternating current end of the converter;

an auxiliary heating mechanism, connected to the battery pack in parallel; and

a controller, wherein the controller is respectively connected to the converter and the inductive load, and wherein the controller is configured to:

control on and off of a switch module in the converter in response to a heating request, so as to control discharging and charging between the battery pack and the inductive load;

connect the auxiliary heating mechanism and the battery pack in parallel and control discharge of the battery pack to the inductive load so that the auxiliary heating mechanism, the inductive load and the internal resistor heat the battery pack during a discharging stage of the battery pack; and

disconnect the auxiliary heating mechanism from the battery pack and control discharge of the inductive load to the battery pack so that the inductive load and the internal resistor heat the battery pack during a charging stage of the battery pack.

11. The battery heating system according to claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to:

collect a current parameter relating to heating the battery pack; and

adjust durations of the charging stage and the discharging stage of a charging and discharging cycle of the battery pack based on a preset desired current threshold range, so as to enable the current parameter to return to the preset desired current threshold range, when the current parameter relating to heating the battery pack exceeds the preset desired current threshold range.

12. The battery heating system according to claim 11 , wherein the durations of the charging stage and the discharging stage of a charging and discharging cycle of the battery pack are equal to each other.

13. The battery heating system according to claim 10 , wherein the inductive load is a winding of a motor, and the controller is configured to control periodic on and off of a switch module in the converter, so as to enable the motor not to rotate.

14. The battery heating system according to claim 13 , wherein the motor is a three-phase motor, and the converter is a three-phase full-bridge circuit having a first phase bridge arm, a second phase bridge arm and a third phase bridge arm;

wherein the controller is configured to:

during the discharging stage of the charging and discharging cycle of the battery pack, close two or three switch modules during the discharging stage, wherein the closed switch modules are located at different phase bridge arms, and close at least one switch module located on an upper bridge arm and at least one switch module located on a lower bridge arm; and

during the charging stage of the charging and discharging cycle of the battery pack, disconnect the switch modules closed during the discharging stage, and close a switch module on a lower bridge arm or a upper bridge arm relative to the upper bridge arm or the lower bridge arm where the switch modules closed during the discharging stage.

15. The battery heating system according to claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to:

obtain a state parameter of the battery pack;

obtain a temperature of the converter and a temperature of a motor;

generate a heating stop request when the state parameter, the temperature of the converter or the temperature of the motor exceed a corresponding parameter security range, wherein the state parameter comprises at least one of following parameters: a voltage, a temperature, a state of charge and an insulation resistance; and

control all switch modules of the converter to be in an off state and disconnect the auxiliary heating mechanism from the battery pack in response to the heating stop request.

16. The battery heating system according to claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to:

obtain state information of a vehicle where the battery pack is mounted;

generate a heating stop request when the state information indicates that the vehicle is not in a heating condition, wherein the state information comprises at least one of following parameters: a vehicle starting state, a vehicle door state, collision information, a high-voltage-up state, and an ambient temperature; and

control all switch modules of the converter to be in an off state and disconnect the auxiliary heating mechanism from the battery pack in response to the heating stop request.

17. The battery heating system according to claim 10 , wherein the auxiliary heating mechanism comprises a heating film.

18. The battery heating system according to claim 10 , wherein the auxiliary heating mechanism comprises a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heater.

19. An electric apparatus, the electric apparatus comprising:

a battery pack and a battery heating system;

wherein the battery heating system comprises:

a converter, wherein a direct current end of the converter is connected to a positive electrode and a negative electrode of a battery pack, the battery pack comprises an internal resistor;

an inductive load, connected to an alternating current end of the converter;

an auxiliary heating mechanism, connected to the battery pack in parallel; and

a controller, wherein the controller is respectively connected to the converter and the inductive load, and wherein the controller is configured to:

control on and off of a switch module in the converter in response to a heating request, so as to control discharging and charging between the battery pack and the inductive load;

connect the auxiliary heating mechanism and the battery pack in parallel and control discharge of the battery pack to the inductive load so that the auxiliary heating mechanism, the inductive load and the internal resistor heat the battery pack during a discharging stage of the battery pack; and

disconnect the auxiliary heating mechanism from the battery pack and control discharge of the inductive load to the battery pack so that the inductive load and the internal resistor heat the battery pack during a charging stage of the battery pack.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 6, 2024
From: CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED
To: CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY (HONG KONG) LIMITED
Reel/Frame 068338/0402 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2021
From: LI, ZHANLIANG; ZHAO, YUANMIAO; ZUO, XIYANG; HUANG, XIAOJIAN; DAN, ZHIMIN; YAN, YU
To: CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED
Reel/Frame 058480/0862 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTCN2021115586 · Aug 31, 2021
Related Publication 20230062270A1 · Mar 2, 2023
References Cited (37)
US 20050264257A1 · Inui · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 20160072320A1 · Kanda · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20190363563A1 · Zhang et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200212520A1 · Dan et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210043990A1 · Dan et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210111451A1 · Lantzsch · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210126292A1 · Ogaki · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210126302A1 · Hooper et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210245628A1 · Zuo et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210354592A1 · Zuo et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210354593A1 · Wang · 2021 [cited by examiner]
CN 106450586A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
CN 107666026A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 110015202A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 110962631A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 110962692A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 110970672A · 2020 [cited by examiner]
CN 110970690A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 110970965A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 111347925A · 2020 [cited by examiner]
CN 111660875A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 112373351A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 112601297A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
DE 102011089955A1 · 2013 [cited by examiner]
EP 3674132A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
JP 2008125199A · 2008 [cited by applicant]
JP 2013030394A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP 2016052158A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
JP 2016524786A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017091847A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 6341209B2 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2021002513A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
WO 2017125207A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
Notification of Registration and Grant of Patent for Invention dated Dec. 3, 2023 received in Chinese Patent Application No. CN 202180036002.4. [cited by applicant]
Notice of Reasons for Refusal dated Oct. 30, 2023 received in Japanese Patent Application No. JP 2021-576388. [cited by applicant]
International Search report and Written Opinion dated May 27, 2022 received in International Application No. PCT/CN2021/115586. [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report dated Mar. 20, 2023 received in European Patent Application No. EP 21815346.8. [cited by applicant]