Roadway heat absorption system for battery heating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10833305-B2
Application number	US-201816102568-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2018
Priority date	Aug 13, 2018
Publication date	Nov 10, 2020
Grant date	Nov 10, 2020

Abstract

Methods and systems for warming a battery of a vehicle. The battery is configured to power a motor of the vehicle. The system includes a vent located below the battery and within an opening in the bottom surface of the vehicle, the vent configured to be in an open state or a closed state, the opening being substantially open when the vent is in the open state and the opening being substantially covered when the vent is in the closed state. The system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the vent and the battery and configured to determine whether a temperature of the battery is below a threshold temperature, and cause the vent to move from the closed state to the open state when the temperature of the battery is below the threshold temperature to allow the battery to directly absorb heat radiated from the ground surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery warming system for a vehicle located on a ground surface, comprising:
a battery configured to power a motor of the vehicle, the battery located within the vehicle and adjacent to a bottom surface of the vehicle;
a vent located below the battery and within an opening in the bottom surface of the vehicle, the vent configured to be in an open state or a closed state;
a screen located between the battery and the ground surface and configured to prevent objects or debris from entering the vehicle when the vent is in the open state, the screen configured to be in a deployed state or a retracted state based on a detected vehicle speed; and
an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the vent and the battery and configured to determine whether a temperature of the battery is below a threshold temperature, and cause the vent to move from the closed state to the open state when the temperature of the battery is, below the threshold temperature to allow the battery to directly absorb heat radiated from the ground surface.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a battery temperature sensor connected to the battery and the ECU and configured to detect the temperature of the battery; and
an outside temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the ground surface,
wherein the ECU is configured to cause the vent to move from the dosed state to the open state when the temperature of the ground surface exceeds the temperature of the battery in addition to the battery being below the threshold temperature, to allow the battery to directly absorb heat radiated from the around surface.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ECU is further configured to determine an effective outside temperature, and cause the vent to move from the closed state to the open state when the effective outside temperature exceeds the temperature of the battery in addition to the battery being below the threshold temperature, to allow the battery to directly absorb heat radiated from the around surface.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising an outside temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the ground surface; and
a wind sensor configured to detect a wind speed below the vehicle,
wherein the ECU is configured to determine the effective outside temperature based on the temperature of the ground surface and the wind speed below the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 3 , further comprising an outside temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the ground surface; and
a solar loading sensor configured to detect a current amount of sunlight,
wherein the ECU is configured to determine the effective outside temperature based on the temperature of the ground surface and the current amount of sunlight.

6. An electric vehicle located on a ground surface, comprising:
a bottom surface;
a battery configured to power a motor of the electric vehicle, the battery located within the electric vehicle and adjacent to the bottom surface;
a vent located below the battery and, within an opening in the bottom surface, the vent configured to be in an open state or a closed state;
a screen located between the battery and the ground surface and configured to block objects or debris when the vent is in the open state, the screen configured to be in a deployed state or a retracted state based on a detected vehicle speed; and
an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the vent and the battery and configured to determine whether a temperature of the battery is below a threshold temperature, and cause the vent to move from the closed state to the open state when the temperature of the battery is below the threshold temperature to allow the battery to directly absorb outside heat.

7. The electric vehicle of claim 6 , further comprising;
a battery temperature sensor connected to the battery and the ECU and configured to detect the temperature of the battery; and
an outside temperature sensor located adjacent to the bottom surface and configured to detect a temperature of air between the ground surface and the battery,
wherein the ECU is configured to cause the vent to move from the closed state to the open state when the temperature of the air between the ground surface and the battery exceeds the temperature of the battery in addition to the battery being below the threshold temperature, to allow the battery to directly absorb heat from the air between the ground surface and the battery.

8. The electric vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the ECU is further configured to determine an effective outside temperature, and cause the vent to move from the closed state to the open state when the effective outside temperature exceeds the temperature of the battery in addition to the battery being below the threshold temperature, to allow the battery to directly absorb heat from the air between the ground surface and the battery.

9. The electric vehicle of claim 8 , further comprising;
an outside temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the ground surface; and
a wind sensor configured to detect a wind speed,
wherein the ECU is configured to determine the effective outside temperature based on the temperature of the ground surface and the wind speed.

10. The electric vehicle of claim 8 , further comprising:
an outside temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the ground surface; and
a solar loading sensor configured to detect a current amount of sunlight,
wherein the ECU is configured to determine the effective outside temperature based on the temperature of the ground surface and the current amount of sunlight.

11. A method for warming a battery of an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
detecting, by a battery temperature sensor connected to the battery, a temperature of the battery;
detecting. by an outside temperature sensor, a temperature of a ground surface outside of the vehicle;
determining, by an electronic control unit (ECU), an effective outside temperature based on:
the temperature of the ground surface, and
wind speed below the vehicle detected by a wind sensor or a current amount of sunlight detected by a solar loading sensor:

determining, by the ECU, whether the temperature of the battery is below a threshold temperature and whether the effective outside temperature exceeds the temperature of the battery; and
moving, by a vent coupled to the ECU, from a closed state to an open state when the temperature of the battery is below the threshold temperature and when the effective outside temperature exceeds the temperature of the battery, the vent allowing the battery to directly absorb heat radiated from the ground surface when the vent is in the open state.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising;
detecting, by an outside temperature sensor, a temperature of the ground surface, and
wherein the vent moves from the closed state to the open state when the temperature of the ground surface exceeds the temperature of the battery in addition to the battery being below the threshold temperature, to allow the battery to directly absorb heat radiated from the ground surface.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining, by the ECU, an effective outside temperature, and causing the vent to move from the closed state to the open state when the effective outside temperature exceeds the temperature of the battery in addition to the battery being below the threshold temperature, to allow the battery to directly absorb heat radiated from the ground surface.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
detecting, by the ECU, whether the vehic

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Gaither Geoffrey D

Classifications

• H01M10/486 Primary

  for measuring temperature · CPC title

• H01M50/375 Primary

  Vent means sensitive to or responsive to temperature · CPC title

• H01M10/615

  Heating or keeping warm · CPC title

• H01M2200/20

  Pressure-sensitive devices · CPC title

• H01M10/625

  Vehicles · CPC title