Apparatus and Method for Diagnosing Battery Cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026098908-A1
Application number	US-202319115573-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 20, 2023
Priority date	Sep 30, 2022
Publication date	Apr 9, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for diagnosing a battery cell. The apparatus may include a reference cell module including at least one reference cell composed of a super-capacitor, a measuring device configured to measure a reference impedance of the reference cell and a battery impedance of the battery cell, and a processor configured to compare the battery impedance with the reference impedance to determine whether there is an abnormality in the battery cell.

First claim

1 . A diagnostic apparatus for inspecting the state of a battery cell, the apparatus comprising:
a reference cell module including at least one reference cell composed of a super-capacitor; and a processor configured to compare a measured battery impedance of the battery cell with a reference impedance of the reference cell to determine whether there is an abnormality in the battery cell.

2 . The diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reference cell module comprises:
a housing having an inner space to accommodate the at least one reference cell; a protective cover for covering the inner space; and a first bus bar and a second bus bar spaced apart from each other with the protective cover interposed therebetween.

3 . The diagnostic apparatus of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first bus bar and the second bus bar protrudes further than the protective cover.

4 . The diagnostic apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the reference cell comprises:
a body accommodated in the inner space and storing charge; a first conductive terminal disposed on the body, and electrically connected to the first bus bar; and a second conductive terminal disposed on the body to be spaced apart from the first conductive terminal, and electrically connected to the second bus bar.

5 . The diagnostic apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the reference cell module further comprises:
a first conductive bar disposed on an inner side of the housing and bent from the first bus bar; and a second conductive bar disposed on the inner side of the housing to face the first conductive bar and bent from the second bus bar.

6 . The diagnostic apparatus of claim 5 , wherein:
the first bus bar is electrically connected to the first conductive terminal through the first conductive bar; and the second bus bar is electrically connected to the second conductive terminal through the second conductive bar.

7 . The diagnostic apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a charger/discharger configured to charge and discharge the reference cell and electrically contacted with the first bus bar and the second bus bar.

8 . The diagnostic apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the charger/discharger is mounted on the protective cover.

9 . The diagnostic apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the length of the charger/discharger is the same as a distance between the first bus bar and the second bus bar.

10 . The diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the battery cell comprises a lithium-ion battery cell configured to generate electricity by using an oxidation/reduction reaction.

11 . The diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
determine that the battery cell is normal when the difference between the battery impedance and the reference impedance is within a threshold; and determine that the battery cell is defective when the difference between the battery impedance and the reference impedance is greater than the threshold.

12 . The diagnostic apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the apparatus further comprises:
an impedance measuring device configured to re-measure the battery impedance of the battery cell determined to be defective.

13 . The diagnostic apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the impedance measuring device is configured to re-measure the reference impedance when determined to be the abnormality in the measurement environment, wherein the re-measured reference impedance is updated in a memory.

14 . The diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reference cell module is included in a portable kit.

15 . A diagnostic method for diagnosing the state of a battery cell, the method comprising:
measuring a reference impedance for at least one reference cell including a super-capacitor; measuring a battery impedance for a battery cell of a battery cell module including at least one battery cell; and comparing the battery impedance with the reference impedance to determine whether there is an abnormality in the battery cell.

16 . The diagnostic apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to:
determine that the battery cell is defective when the difference between the re-measured battery impedance and the reference impedance is greater than a threshold; and determine that there is an abnormality in a measurement environment of the diagnostic apparatus when the difference between the re-measured battery impedance and the reference impedance is within the threshold.

Assignees

• Lg Energy Solution Ltd

Inventors

• Song Jae Hwan

Classifications

• H01M10/4285

  Testing apparatus · CPC title

• G01R31/378

  specially adapted for the type of battery or accumulator · CPC title

• G01R31/396

  Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery · CPC title

• H01M10/052

  Li-accumulators · CPC title

• H01M10/425

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