Configurable battery pack for series and parallel charging using switching

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10770908-B2
Application number	US-201816004258-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2018
Priority date	Oct 29, 2017
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

A configurable battery system may be arranged in such a way that two battery modules are connected in parallel to achieve a target maximum voltage for a load, or in series to achieve a high voltage of about double the target maximum voltage. Fast charging, at high voltage, may allow both battery modules to be charged at a charging current near a desired maximum current at the battery charger. A battery management module determines a switch configuration, coupling the battery modules in series or parallel. The battery management module applies the switch configuration to one or more switches to manage charging of the battery modules. The battery management module may receive charger capability information, local charging information, and fault information to aid in determining a switch configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A configurable battery system, comprising:
a first battery module having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;
a second battery module having a positive terminal and a negative terminal; and
at least one switch, wherein the at least one switch comprises at least two poles and wherein:
in a high voltage configuration of the at least one switch, the first battery module and the second battery module are connected in series, and
in a low voltage configuration of the at least one switch, the first battery module and the second battery module are connected in parallel, wherein:
the at least one switch comprises a first single pole double throw (SPDT) switch and second SPDT switch;
in the high voltage configuration, the first SPDT switch and the second SPDT switch are each in a first switch position, thereby connecting the positive terminal of the first battery module to the negative terminal of the second battery module; and
in the low voltage configuration:
the first SPDT switch is in a second switch position, thereby connecting the negative terminal of the first battery module to the negative terminal of the second battery module; and
the second SPDT switch is in a second switch position, thereby connecting the positive terminal of the first battery module to the positive terminal of the second battery module.

2. The configurable battery system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one charger switch configured to connect and disconnect the first and second battery modules to a charger.

3. The configurable battery system of claim 1 , wherein in the high voltage configuration:
a positive terminal of a device load is connected to the positive terminal of the first battery module; and
a negative terminal of the device load is connected the negative terminal of the first battery module.

4. The configurable battery system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one load switch comprising at least two poles, wherein in the high voltage configuration:
when the at least one load switch is set to a first switch position or positions:
a positive terminal of a device load is connected to the positive terminal of the first battery module, and
a negative terminal of the device load is connected to the negative terminal of the first battery module; and

when the at least one load switch is set to a second switch position or positions:
the positive terminal of the device load is connected to the positive terminal of the second battery module, and
the negative terminal of the device load is connected to the negative terminal of the first battery module.

5. The configurable battery system of claim 4 , further comprising control circuitry configured to, when in the high voltage configuration, set the position of the at least one load switch based on status information of at least one of the first battery module and the second battery module.

6. The configurable battery system of claim 1 , wherein:
the configurable battery charging system is configured for use in an electric vehicle; and
in the high voltage configuration, the configurable battery charging system is configured to receive a charging voltage of 900 volts (V).

7. The configurable battery system of claim 6 , wherein in the charging configuration, the configurable battery charging system is configured to provide a voltage of 450 V to components of the electric vehicle.

8. The configurable battery system of claim 1 , further comprising a battery management module configured to select between the low voltage configuration and the high voltage configuration.

9. A configurable battery system, comprising:
a first battery module having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;
a second battery module having a positive terminal and a negative terminal; and
at least one switch, wherein the at least one switch comprises at least two poles and wherein:
in a high voltage configuration of the at least one switch, the first battery module and the second battery module are connected in series, and

in a low voltage configuration of the at least one switch, the first battery module and the second battery module are connected in parallel, wherein:
the at least one switch comprises two single pole single throw (SPST) switches;
in the high voltage configuration:
a first of the two SPST switches is in an off position, and
a second of the two SPST switches is in an on position, thereby connecting the positive terminal of the first battery module to the negative terminal of the second battery module; and

in the low voltage configuration:
the first of the two SPST switches is in an on position, thereby connecting the negative terminal of the first battery module to the negative terminal of the second battery module, and
the second of the two SPST switches is in an off position.

10. The configurable battery system of claim 9 , further comprising at least one load switch comprising at least two poles, wherein in the high voltage configuration:
when the at least one load switch is set to a first switch position or positions:
a positive terminal of a device load is connected to the positive terminal of the first battery module, and
a negative terminal of the device load is connected to the negative terminal of the first battery module; and

when the at least one load switch is set to a second switch position or positions:
the positive terminal of the device load is connected to the positive terminal of the second battery module, and
the negative terminal of the device load is connected to the negative terminal of the first battery module.

11. The configurable battery system of claim 10 , further comprising control circuitry configured to, when in the high voltage configuration, set the position of the at least one load switch based on status information of at least one of the first battery module and the second battery module.

12. The configurable battery system of claim 9 , wherein:
the configurable battery charging system is configured for use in an electric vehicle; and
in the high voltage configuration, the configurable battery charging system is configured to receive a charging voltage of 900 volts (V).

13. The configurable battery system of claim 12 , wherein in the charging configuration, the configurable battery charging system is configured to provide a voltage of 450 V to components of the electric vehicle.

14. A method for managing battery charging of a first battery module and a second battery module that are coupled in series, comprising:
using at least one switch in a first switch configuration to couple an electric load in parallel to the first battery module during charging;
determining, using a battery management module, a first battery characteristic of the first battery module during charging, wherein the first battery characteristic comprises a first voltage across a positive terminal and a negative terminal of the first battery module;
determining, using a battery management module, a second battery characteristic of the second battery module during charging, wherein the second battery characteristic comprises a second voltage across a positive terminal and a negative terminal of the second battery module;
determining, using a battery management module, to apply a second switch configuration to the at least one switch based on the first battery characteristic and the second battery characteristic, wherein the second switch configuration couples the electric load in parallel to the second battery module during charging and wherein determining to apply the second switch configuration to the at le

Assignees

• Rivian Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Verbridge Mason

Classifications

• H02J7/575 Primary

  Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit · CPC title

• H01M50/505

  comprising a single busbar · CPC title

• H01M50/269

  Mechanical means for varying the arrangement of batteries or cells for different uses, e.g. for changing the number of batteries or for switching between series and parallel wiring (methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance H01M6/50, H01M10/42) · CPC title

• H01M10/482

  for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H01M50/512

  Connection only in parallel · CPC title