Apparatus for detecting overheating of battery module and method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12384252-B2
Application number	US-202318545585-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2023
Priority date	May 15, 2020
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting overheating of a battery module includes a battery pack including a first battery module and a second battery module, a first temperature fuse arranged on the first battery module and having a first resistance value, a second temperature fuse arranged on the second battery module and having a second resistance value, and a controller that detects an overheated battery module based on a total resistance value of the first and second temperature fuses, which are connected in parallel to each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of detecting overheating of a battery module, comprising:
arranging a first temperature fuse having a first resistance value on a first battery module constituting a battery pack;
arranging a second temperature fuse having a second resistance value on a second battery module constituting the battery pack;
connecting the first temperature fuse and the second temperature fuse in parallel with each other; and
detecting an overheated battery module based on a total resistance value of the first and second temperature fuses;
further comprising:
arranging a third temperature fuse having a third resistance value to be spaced apart from the first and second battery modules;
connecting the third temperature fuse in parallel with the first and second temperature fuses; and
determining a defective connector connection has occurred connection line between the first, second, and third temperature fuses when a total resistance value of the first, second, and third temperature fuses is 0Ω.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the overheated battery module includes:
storing a reference table in which a reference resistance value is recorded corresponding to disconnection of the first temperature fuse or the second temperature fuse;
measuring the total resistance value of the first and second temperature fuses;
searching the reference table for a temperature fuse in which disconnection has occurred, based on the measured total resistance value; and
determining that a battery module corresponding to the searched temperature fuse is overheated.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
warning of a possibility of fire when the overheated battery module is detected.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
cutting off power of the battery pack when the overheated battery module is detected.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second temperature fuses include wires that are melted at or above a threshold temperature, and wherein melting occurs throughout the wires.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first temperature fuse is arranged in a portion of the first battery module where a highest heat is generated.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second temperature fuse is arranged in a portion of the second battery module where a highest heat is generated.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Lee Yoon Jun
• Yoon Jong Hu

Classifications

• H01M50/581

  in response to temperature · CPC title

• B60L58/18

  of two or more battery modules · CPC title

• H01M2200/103

  Fuse · CPC title

• H01M10/482 Primary

  for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title