Stackable battery assemblies and methds of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022007526-A1
Application number	US-202016921639-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 6, 2020
Priority date	Jul 6, 2020
Publication date	Jan 6, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Stackable battery assemblies and methods of use are disclosed herein. An example battery assembly includes an energy storage device, a housing having a locking unit, a receiver unit, and a sidewall that are interconnected to form an enclosure that retains the energy storage device. The locking unit can include a plate that is spaced apart from the sidewall of the housing by a second sidewall, the plate supporting a first electrical connector that is electrically coupled to the energy storage device via a locking member. The receiver unit can include a third sidewall that defines a cavity that is shaped to correspond with the locking unit, the third sidewall having a lock notch and a second electrical connector that is electrically coupled to the energy storage device.

First claim

1 . A battery assembly, comprising:
an energy storage device; a housing comprising a locking unit, a receiver unit, and a sidewall that are interconnected to form an enclosure that retains the energy storage device, the housing further comprising:
a first electrical connector that is electrically coupled to the energy storage device;
a locking member that is resiliently biased into an extended, locking position, the locking member configured to be placed into a retracted, unlocked position by operation of either a manual actuator that is mechanically coupled to the locking member or an electronically controlled actuator that is mechanically coupled to the locking member;
and
a second electrical connector that is electrically coupled to the energy storage device.

2 . The battery assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the manual actuator is mechanically coupled to the locking member using a first cable and a second cable, wherein the first cable is coupled to a first side of the locking member and the second cable is coupled to a second side of the locking member.

3 . The battery assembly according to claim 2 , further comprising a resilient biasing member that couples the locking member to a backstop.

4 . The battery assembly according to claim 3 , wherein when the manual actuator is translated from a first position to a second position the first cable and the second cable draw the locking member towards the backstop to compress the resilient biasing member, placing the locking member in the retracted, unlocked position.

5 . The battery assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a mounting member that comprises a bracket configured to couple with a personal transportation device, the mounting member comprising a second locking unit that is identical to the locking unit of the battery assembly, wherein the second locking unit is configured to couple with the receiver unit of the battery assembly.

6 . The battery assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the second locking unit comprises a third electrical connector that is coupled with a main battery of the personal transportation device, wherein the second electrical connector of the receiving unit of the battery assembly electrically couples with the third electrical connector to transfer power from the energy storage device of the battery assembly to the main battery of the personal transportation device.

7 . The battery assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the lock notch of the receiver unit of the battery assembly receives a locking member of the mounting member.

8 . The battery assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a magnetic member associated with the plate, the magnetic member being adapted to magnetically couple with a mobile device.

9 . The battery assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a communications interface; and a controller having a processor and memory, the processor executing instructions stored in memory to determine operational metrics of the energy storage device or another energy storage device of an additional battery assembly that is electrically coupled to the battery assembly.

10 . A system, comprising:
a battery assembly comprising:
a communications interface;
an energy storage device;
a housing comprising a locking unit, a receiver unit, and a sidewall that are interconnected to form an enclosure that retains the energy storage device, the housing further comprising:
a first electrical connector that is electrically coupled to the energy storage device;
a locking member that is resiliently biased into an extended, locking position, the locking member configured to be placed into a retracted, unlocked position by operation of either a manual actuator that is mechanically coupled to the locking member or an electronically controlled actuator that is mechanically coupled to the locking member; and
a second electrical connector that is electrically coupled to the energy storage device; and
a controller having a processor and memory, the processor executing instructions stored in memory to receive from and forward data to another battery assembly electrically coupled to the battery assembly or a docking station; and
the docking station being connected to a power source

11 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein the actuator of the first battery assembly is mechanically coupled to the locking member using a first cable and a second cable, wherein the first cable is coupled to a first side of the locking member and the second cable is coupled to a second side of the locking member.

12 . The system according to claim 11 , further comprising a resilient biasing member that couples the locking member to a backstop that is mounted to the plate.

13 . The system according to claim 12 , wherein when the actuator is translated from a first position to a second position the first cable and the second cable draw the locking member towards the backstop to compress the resilient biasing member, placing the locking member in the retracted, unlocked position.

14 . The system according to claim 10 , further comprising a mounting member that comprises a bracket that is configured to couple with a personal transportation device, the mounting member comprising a mounting assembly locking unit that is identical to the locking unit of the first battery assembly, wherein the mounting assembly locking unit is configured to couple with the receiver unit of the battery assembly.

15 . The system according to claim 14 , wherein the mounting assembly locking unit comprises a third electrical connector that is coupled with a main battery of the personal transportation device, wherein the second electrical connector of the receiving unit of the first battery assembly electrically couples with the third electrical connector to transfer power from the energy storage device of the first battery assembly to the main battery of the personal transportation device.

16 . (canceled)

17 . A system, comprising:
a plurality of stackable battery assemblies arranged in a daisy-chain configuration, each of the plurality of stackable battery assemblies comprising:
a short-range wireless reader;
a short-range wireless writer; and
a controller comprising a processor and memory, the processor executes instructions stored in memory to receive data using the short-range wireless reader and forward the data through the short-range wireless writer to an adjacent stackable battery assembly.

18 . The system according to claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of stackable battery assemblies comprises an energy storage device that receives power from a power source when coupled to the docking station.

19 . The system according to claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to determine operational metrics of the energy storage device and manage power transfer from a energy storage device to a main battery of a connected device.

20 . The system according to claim 19 , wherein at least one of the plurality of stackable battery assemblies receives a request from the docking station, the request being fulfilled by transmission of data through the plurality of stackable battery assemblies to the docking station.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Mayberry Scott
• Sohmshetty Raj

Classifications

• H01M10/4257

  Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries · CPC title

• H01M10/425 Primary

  Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing (printed circuits H05K1/00) · CPC title

• Y02T10/70

  Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries · CPC title

• B60L53/80

  Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries · CPC title

• Y02T10/7072

  Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors · CPC title