Solid state switch for vehicle energy-storage systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10407004-B2
Application number	US-201514864815-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2015
Priority date	Jun 30, 2015
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

Provided are battery coupling systems. The system may comprise a first terminal electrically coupled to a vehicle electrical system; and a first contactor electrically coupled to a first battery connection of a battery and the first terminal, the first contactor comprising a first solid state switch for selectively coupling and decoupling the first battery connection to and from the first terminal, using a first control signal. The system may also comprise a second terminal electrically coupled to the vehicle electrical system; and a second contactor electrically coupled to a second battery connection of the battery and the second terminal, the second contactor comprising a second solid state switch for selectively coupling and decoupling the second battery connection to and from the second terminal, using a second control signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery coupling system comprising:
a first terminal electrically coupled to a vehicle electrical system;
a first contactor electrically coupled to a first battery connection of a battery and the first terminal, the first contactor comprising a first solid state switch for selectively coupling and decoupling the first battery connection to and from the first terminal, using a first control signal;
a second terminal electrically coupled to the vehicle electrical system;
a second contactor electrically coupled to a second battery connection of the battery and the second terminal, the second contactor comprising a second solid state switch for selectively coupling and decoupling the second battery connection to and from the second terminal, using a second control signal;
a first fuse electrically coupling the first contactor to the first battery connection, the first fuse configured to interrupt current flow between the first contactor and the first battery connection in response to the current flow exceeding a predetermined current lower than a rated current of the first contactor;
a second fuse electrically coupling the second contactor to the second battery connection, the second fuse configured to interrupt current flow between the first contactor and the first battery connection in response to the current flow exceeding a predetermined current lower than a rated current of the second contactor; and
an enclosure comprising a tray having the battery, the first contactor, and the second contactor disposed therein, the tray comprising a first bus bar electrically coupling the first contactor to the first terminal and a second bus bar electrically coupling the second contactor to the second terminal.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the first battery connection has a first electrical polarity and the second battery connection has a second electrical polarity, the first electrical polarity being opposite of the second electrical polarity; and
the first terminal has a third electrical polarity and the second terminal has a fourth electrical polarity, the third electrical polarity being opposite of the fourth electrical polarity.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the first solid state switch and the second solid state switch are each at least one of a: a thyristor, semiconductor-controlled rectifier (SCR), power metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), and triode for alternating current (TRIAC).

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising:
a controller providing the first and second control signals.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the battery comprises:
a plurality of modules, each module comprising:
two half modules coupled together, each half module comprising:
a plurality of cylindrical rechargeable lithium-ion cells each having a first end and a second end, the first end distal from the second end, and having an anode terminal and a cathode terminal being disposed at the first end.

Assignees

• Faraday&Future Inc
• Faraday & Future Inc

Inventors

• Harris W Porter
• Sampson Nicholas John

Classifications

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• B60L58/21

  having the same nominal voltage · CPC title

• B60L50/64

  Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles · CPC title

• H01M2010/4271

  Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing · CPC title

• H01M10/425

  Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing (printed circuits H05K1/00) · CPC title