Battery fire control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12533539-B2
Application number	US-202117566423-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2021
Priority date	Dec 30, 2021
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

The description relates to battery safety and more specifically to containing battery fires. One example can include displacement sub-systems configured to physically separate an affected battery pack from other battery packs. Another example can include a 3D deployable fire curtain configured to automatically deploy around a battery pack to limit the spread of fire between battery packs. A further example can include a media reservoir positioned over a battery pack that is configured to hold non-combustible smothering media. A media retainer can be interposed between the battery pack and the media reservoir and configured to automatically release the non-combustible smothering media into the battery pack support structure when the battery pack experiences a fire.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A system, comprising:
a battery pack positioned in a battery pack support structure; a media reservoir positioned over the battery pack support structure and configured to hold non-combustible smothering media; a smothering sub-system interposed between the battery pack and the media reservoir and configured to automatically release the non-combustible smothering media into the battery pack support structure when the battery pack experiences a fire; and a displacement sub-system configured to automatically displace the battery pack away from other flammable objects when the battery pack experiences the fire.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-combustible smothering media comprises a granular media.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the smothering sub-system comprises a retention mechanism having retractable doors, clamshell doors, or a combustible floor.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the smothering sub-system comprises a retention mechanism having clamshell doors that are maintained in a closed position by a fusible link.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the clamshell doors comprise multiple parallel clamshell doors.

6 . The system of claim 1 , the other flammable objects comprising other battery packs having respective media reservoirs and smothering sub-systems.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the displacement sub-system comprises a potential energy storage mechanism that is configured to store potential energy to physically separate the battery pack from the other flammable objects.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the potential energy storage mechanism is operable during an electrical power outage.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the potential energy storage mechanism comprises a spring.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the spring is in a compressed state prior to automatically displacing the battery pack.

11 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising a lock configured to release the spring from the compressed state.

12 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect the fire and send a signal that causes the lock to release responsive to detecting the fire.

13 . The system of claim 12 , the sensor being a heat sensor.

14 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising a guidance mechanism configured to guide the battery pack in a particular direction away from the other flammable objects.

15 . The system of claim 14 , the guidance mechanism comprising rails.

16 . The system of claim 15 , the rails sloping away from the other flammable objects.

17 . The system of claim 15 , further comprising another sensor configured to determine when the rails are obstructed by an object and prevent the lock from releasing the spring when the rails are obstructed.

18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the lock is configured to unlock responsive to receiving an unlock signal based on user input from a human.

19 . The system of claim 1 , the battery pack being a Lithium-Ion battery pack.

20 . A system comprising:
an array of Lithium-Ion battery packs having respective battery pack support structures; respective media reservoirs positioned over the respective battery pack support structures and configured to hold non-combustible smothering media; smothering sub-systems interposed between the Lithium-Ion battery packs and the respective media reservoirs and configured to automatically release the non-combustible smothering media in response to a fire; potential energy storage mechanisms configured to automatically displace the Lithium-Ion battery packs away from the array; and a sensor configured to detect the fire at an individual distressed Lithium-Ion battery pack and cause a corresponding potential energy storage mechanism to release, resulting in movement of the individual distressed Lithium-Ion battery pack away from a remainder of the Lithium-Ion battery packs of the array.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Delapaz Jose Seah
• Hage Richard Donald
• Eldin Sarah Hisham
• Ellis Nathan Andrew
• Churnock Paul Andrew
• Abbott Sean Patrick

Classifications

• H01M2200/10

  Temperature sensitive devices · CPC title

• H01M50/204

  Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells · CPC title

• A62C37/36

  an actuating signal being generated by a sensor separate from an outlet device · CPC title

• A62C3/16 Primary

  in electrical installations, e.g. cableways · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title