Cell module assemblies battery pack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12494516-B2
Application number	US-202017781444-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2020
Priority date	Dec 2, 2019
Publication date	Dec 9, 2025
Grant date	Dec 9, 2025

Abstract

A battery pack includes a battery housing, a positive terminal, a negative terminal, a plurality of cell module assemblies, and a battery management system. The plurality of cell module assemblies are received within an internal cavity of the battery housing, and include a plurality of lithium-ion battery cells that are connected in parallel. The battery management system is in communication with at least one of the plurality of cell module assemblies within the internal cavity, and is structured to receive a voltage tap measurement from each of the plurality of cell module assemblies within the internal cavity, compare the voltage tap measurement from each of the plurality of cell module assemblies to an expected voltage tap measurement, and determine if a voltage tap measurement for a cell module assembly within the plurality of cell module assemblies deviates from the expected voltage tap measurement to identify a faulty cell module assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A battery pack, comprising:
a battery housing defining an internal cavity; a positive terminal and a negative terminal, the positive terminal and the negative terminal each extending through the housing; a plurality of cell module assemblies (CMAs) received within the internal cavity, the plurality of CMAs being electrically coupled to the positive terminal and the negative terminal, wherein each of the plurality of cell module assemblies comprises:
a top CMA cell holder frame defining a plurality of first pockets;
a bottom CMA cell holder frame defining a plurality of second pockets;
a top collector plate coupled to the top CMA cell holder frame;
a bottom collector plate coupled to the bottom CMA cell holder frame; and
a plurality of lithium-ion battery cells, the plurality of the lithium-ion battery cells being connected in parallel, each of the plurality of lithium-ion battery cells being partially received in one of the plurality of first pockets and partially received in one of the plurality of second pockets, the plurality of lithium-ion battery cells each being coupled to the top collector plate and the bottom collector plate;
an aluminum midplate arranged between at least two of the plurality of CMAs, wherein the at least two of the plurality of CMAs are separated from one another with the aluminum midplate being arranged therebetween so that an air gap is formed between the at least two of the plurality of CMAs and the aluminum midplate; and a battery management system, the battery management system being in communication with at least one of the plurality of CMAs within the internal cavity, the battery management system structured to:
receive a voltage tap measurement from each of the plurality of CMAs within the internal cavity;
compare the voltage tap measurement from each of the plurality of CMAs to an expected voltage tap measurement;
determine if a voltage tap measurement for a CMA within the plurality of CMAs deviates from the expected voltage tap measurement and
in response to determining that the voltage tap measurement for a CMA within the plurality of CMAs deviates from the expected voltage tap measurement, generate an alarm including locating information identifying which of the plurality of CMAs has a voltage tap measurement that deviates from the expected voltage tap measurement.

2 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of CMAs are removably coupled to each of the positive terminal and the negative terminal.

3 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of CMAs include a thermistor mounted to at least one of the lithium-ion battery cells using closed cell foam adhesive, wherein the thermistor is configured to communicate a temperature measurement of the at least one lithium-ion battery cell with the battery management system.

4 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein each of the CMAs within the internal cavity are connected in parallel and at least two of the CMAs within the internal cavity are connected in series.

5 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the battery management system is received within an electromagnetic interference resistant metallic housing.

6 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the battery pack is configured to output a nominal voltage through the positive terminal and the negative terminal between about 24 V and about 48 V.

7 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the battery management system is coupled to a dual controller area network (CAN) bus, the dual CAN bus being configured to communicate information from the battery management system over at least two baud rates.

8 . The battery pack of claim 7 , wherein the battery management system includes a memory configured to store firmware updates that can be received and transmitted using the dual CAN bus.

9 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the battery management system conducts a current profile of the battery pack to detect a type of equipment that is coupled with the positive terminal and the negative terminal of the battery pack.

10 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein a data connection terminal extends through the battery housing and defines a series of data terminals in communication with the battery management system.

11 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the battery management system controls a charging threshold of each CMA within the battery pack, wherein the battery management system adjusts an upper limit of the charging threshold based upon a recharging type.

12 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein a circulating fan is received within the housing.

13 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the battery housing is a 5-sided structure removably coupled to a baseplate, the baseplate supporting the plurality of CMAs.

14 . The battery pack of claim 1 , further comprising a CMA-to-ground cable extending at least partially beneath the plurality of CMAs within the battery pack and configured to connect each of the plurality of CMAs to a common ground.

15 . A battery pack, comprising:
a battery housing defining an internal cavity; a positive terminal and a negative terminal, the positive terminal and the negative terminal each extending through the housing; a plurality of cell module assemblies (CMAs) received within the internal cavity, the plurality of CMAs being electrically coupled to the positive terminal and the negative terminal, wherein each of the plurality of cell module assemblies comprises:
a top CMA cell holder frame defining a plurality of first pockets;
a bottom CMA cell holder frame defining a plurality of second pockets;
a top collector plate coupled to the top CMA cell holder frame;
a bottom collector plate coupled to the bottom CMA cell holder frame; and
a plurality of lithium-ion battery cells, the plurality of the lithium-ion battery cells being connected in parallel, each of the plurality of lithium-ion battery cells being partially received in one of the plurality of first pockets and partially received in one of the plurality of second pockets, the plurality of lithium-ion battery cells each being coupled to the top collector plate and the bottom collector plate; and
a battery management system, the battery management system being in communication with at least one of the plurality of CMAs within the internal cavity, the battery management system structured to:
receive a voltage tap measurement from each of the plurality of CMAs within the internal cavity;
compare the voltage tap measurement from each of the plurality of CMAs to an expected voltage tap measurement;
determine if a voltage tap measurement for a CMA within the plurality of CMAs deviates from the expected voltage tap measurement and
in response to determining that the voltage tap measurement for a CMA within the plurality of CMAs deviates from the expected voltage tap measurement, generate an alarm including locating information identifying which of the plurality of CMAs has a voltage tap measurement that deviates from the expected voltage tap measurement,
wherein the battery pack is defined by at least two tiers of CMAs, wherein a first tier of CMAs is spaced from a second tier of CMAs with a midplate extending therebetween so that an air gap is arranged between each of the first tier of CMAs and the second tier of CMAs and the midplate, and wherein the first tier of CMAs and the second tier of CMAs are electrically coupled together by a busbar extending between at least one of the CMAs within the first tier of CMAs and at least one of the CMAs within the second tier of CMAs.

Assignees

• Briggs & Stratton Llc

Inventors

• Zeiler Jeffrey
• Schmalz Jacob
• Marshall Michael
• Busse Jim

Classifications

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M10/44

  Methods for charging or discharging (circuits for charging H02J7/00) · CPC title

• H01M50/298

  characterised by the wiring of battery packs · CPC title

• H01M10/6571

  Resistive heaters (arrangements for heating the battery by its resistance to the internal current H01M10/637) · CPC title

• H01M10/617

  for achieving uniformity or desired distribution of temperature · CPC title