Battery pack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9577469-B2
Application number	US-201213620434-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2012
Priority date	Dec 16, 2011
Publication date	Feb 21, 2017
Grant date	Feb 21, 2017

Abstract

A battery pack includes first and second terminals, a battery unit electrically connected between the first and second terminals, the battery unit being configured to receive charging power, and being configured to output discharging power, and a power converter electrically coupled between the first terminal and the battery unit, the power converter being configured to convert the charging power to have a charging voltage corresponding to the battery unit, wherein the first and second terminals are configured to be electrically coupled to a generator and a starter motor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery pack comprising:
first and second terminals;
a battery unit electrically coupled between the first and second terminals, the battery unit being configured to receive charging power along a charging path, and being configured to output discharging power along a discharging path;
a power converter electrically coupled in series with the battery unit between the first terminal and the second terminal along the charging path, the power converter being configured to control the charging power to the battery unit to prevent over-charging of the battery unit;
a first current limiter electrically coupled in parallel with the power converter between the first terminal and the battery unit along the discharging path, the first current limiter being configured to limit the charging power along the discharging path; and
a second current limiter electrically coupled between the power converter and the battery unit along the charging path, the second current limiter being configured to limit the charging power to the battery unit along the charging path,
wherein the first and second terminals are configured to be electrically coupled to a generator and a starter motor.

2. A battery pack comprising:
First and second terminals; a battery unit electrically coupled between the first and second terminals, the battery unit being configured to receive charging power along a charging path, and being configured to output discharging power along a discharging path; a power converter electrically coupled in series with the battery unit between the first terminal and the second terminal along the charging path, the power converter being configured to control the charging power to the battery unit to prevent over-charging of the battery unit; a first current limiter electrically coupled in parallel with the power converter between the first terminal and the battery unit along the discharging path, the first current limiter being a diode configured to limit the charging power along the discharging path; and a second current limiter electrically coupled between the power converter and the battery unit along the charging path, the second current limiter being configured to limit the charging power to the battery unit along the charging path, wherein the power converter and the first current limiter are each electrically coupled between the first terminal and the battery unit such that the charging power and the discharging power must each pass through only one of the power converter and the first current limiter, wherein the power converter is a direct current to direct current (DC-DC) converter that is configured to convert the charging power to have a charging voltage corresponding to the battery unit, and wherein the first and second terminals are configured to be electrically coupled to a generator and a starter motor.

3. The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the power converter comprises a switching element configured to be controlled by pulse-width modulation corresponding to a state of the battery unit.

4. The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the power converter comprises at least one diode.

5. The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the starter motor is configured to receive the discharging power, and to provide starting power for starting an engine.

6. The battery pack of claim 5 , wherein the generator is configured to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy during operation of the engine, and is configured to supply the charging power to the first and second terminals.

7. The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the first current limiter comprises a plurality of diodes to lower a voltage drop.

8. The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the second current limiter comprises a resistive device.

9. The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the battery unit comprises a first battery module, a second battery module, and a third battery module electrically coupled in series.

10. The battery pack of claim 9 , further comprising a bus bar comprising:
a first bus bar electrically coupling first electrodes of the first battery module to each other;
a second bus bar electrically coupling second electrodes of the first battery module and first electrodes of the second battery module to each other;
a third bus bar electrically coupling second electrodes of the second battery module and first electrodes of the third battery module to each other; and
a fourth bus bar electrically coupling second electrodes of the third battery module to each other.

11. The battery pack of claim 10 , further comprising a connecting terminal extending to an outside of a cover of the battery pack.

12. The battery pack of claim 11 , wherein the connecting terminal comprises:
a first connecting terminal electrically coupled to the first bus bar;
a second connecting terminal electrically coupled to the second bus bar;
a third connecting terminal electrically coupled to the third bus bar; and
a fourth connecting terminal electrically coupled to the fourth bus bar.

13. The battery pack of claim 9 , wherein each of the battery modules comprises:
a plurality of battery cells;
a restrainer configured to surround a first end portion of the battery cells of the battery module and both lateral surfaces of the battery cells of the battery module; and
an end plate configured to be coupled to the restrainer at a second end portion of the battery cells of the battery module.

14. The battery pack of claim 13 , wherein the end plate comprises flange portions having a wing shape on two lateral surfaces of the end plate, the flange portions being configured to be coupled to respective end portions of the restrainer by a coupling member.

15. The battery pack of claim 9 , further comprising:
a base frame; and
a position aligning unit on the base frame, the position aligning unit corresponding to one of the battery modules.

16. The battery pack of claim 15 , wherein the position aligning unit is configured to isolate neighboring ones of the battery modules from each other with an isolation gap therebetween.

17. The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the power converter comprises a bidirectional converter further configured to convert the discharging power to have a discharging voltage corresponding to the first terminal and to convert the charging power from the first terminal to have a charging voltage corresponding to the battery unit.

18. The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the first current limiter comprises a diode.

Assignees

• Ju Ri-A
• Samsung Sdi Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ju Ri-A

Classifications

• H02J7/65

  against overtemperature · CPC title

• H02J7/63

  against overdischarge · CPC title

• H02J7/62

  against overcurrent · CPC title

• H02J7/61

  against overcharge · CPC title

• H02J7/00

  Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries · CPC title