Vehicle battery pack ballistic shield
Granted: October 16, 2012
Patent Number:
8286743
An improved protection system for a battery pack mounted between the passenger cabin floor panel of an electric vehicle and the driving surface is provided, the system utilizing a ballistic shield mounted under the electric vehicle and interposed between the battery pack enclosure and the driving surface, where the ballistic shield is spaced apart from the enclosure bottom panel. A layer of a compressible material may be interposed between the ballistic shield and the battery pack…
Battery pack enclosure with controlled thermal runaway release system
Granted: October 2, 2012
Patent Number:
8277965
A battery pack thermal management system is provided that is comprised of at least one enclosure failure port integrated into at least one wall of a battery pack enclosure, where the enclosure failure port(s) remains closed during normal operation of the battery pack, and opens during a battery pack thermal runaway event, thereby providing a flow path for hot gas generated during the thermal runaway event to be exhausted out of the battery pack enclosure in a controlled fashion.
Battery pack gas exhaust system
Granted: September 18, 2012
Patent Number:
8268469
A thermal management system is provided that minimizes the effects of thermal runaway within a battery pack. The system is comprised of a multi-sided, substantially airtight battery pack enclosure configured to hold a plurality of batteries, where at least one side of the battery pack enclosure includes at least one cavity. An inner wall of the enclosure includes a plurality of perforations configured to pass gas from within the enclosure to the cavity within the at least one side…
Liquid cooling manifold with multi-function thermal interface
Granted: September 11, 2012
Patent Number:
8263250
A liquid cooling manifold assembly for use in the thermal management system of a battery pack is provided. The liquid cooling manifold assembly includes a coolant channel portion through which the coolant channels run, and a dual layer thermal interface interposed between the coolant channel portion and the cells of the battery pack. The outer material layer of the dual layer thermal interface is comprised of an electrically non-conductive, high dielectric material that is preferably…
Cell with an outer layer of intumescent material
Granted: September 11, 2012
Patent Number:
8263254
A battery assembly is provided that includes a layer of intumescent material that coats the sidewall and bottom surface of the cell casing, excluding at least one case contact region.
Method of controlling battery pack humidity utilizing an active reactivation system
Granted: August 21, 2012
Patent Number:
8247097
A method for controlling the relative humidity within a battery pack enclosure is provided in which the volume of air within the battery pack is exposed to a volume of desiccant contained within a desiccant enclosure. The system is configured to heat and reactivate the desiccant at predetermined time intervals or when the humidity within the system reaches a preset level, thereby allowing the desiccant to regain its potential for absorbing/adsorbing water vapor.
Integrated battery pressure relief and terminal isolation system
Granted: August 14, 2012
Patent Number:
8241772
A system for integrating the venting feature of a battery with a means for simultaneously disconnecting the cell from the battery pack, thereby isolating the cell, is provided. The provided battery interconnect system is comprised of a battery, a connector plate for electrically coupling the battery to a battery pack, and an interruptible electrical connector for electrically coupling the connector plate to a battery terminal vent. The vent, defined by scoring on the battery terminal,…
Leakage current reduction in combined motor drive and energy storage recharge system
Granted: August 14, 2012
Patent Number:
8242739
A charging system and method that accommodates and reduces potential residual or leakage current when electrical grounds of a charger and an energy storage system are equalized at the moment of initiating charging. The charging system using an alternating current (AC) line voltage for conductive charging of an energy storage system (ESS) coupled to a polyphase motor drive circuit communicated to a polyphase motor, and converting the line voltage to a charging voltage communicated to the…
Method for the external application of battery pack encapsulant
Granted: July 10, 2012
Patent Number:
8216502
A method and apparatus for simplifying battery pack encapsulation is provided. The battery pack includes a pair of complementary housing members with each housing member including a plurality of cell constraints into which the ends of corresponding battery cells are inserted during assembly. One or both housing members also include at least one, and preferably a plurality, of raised encapsulant injection ports. The raised encapsulant injection ports are designed to extend above the…
Efficient dual source battery pack system for an electric vehicle
Granted: May 29, 2012
Patent Number:
8190320
A method of optimizing the operation of the power source of an electric vehicle is provided, where the power source is comprised of a first battery pack (e.g., a non-metal-air battery pack) and a second battery pack (e.g., a metal-air battery pack). The power source is optimized to minimize use of the least efficient battery pack (e.g., the second battery pack) while ensuring that the electric vehicle has sufficient power to traverse the expected travel distance before the next battery…
Vehicle wheel front face
Granted: May 29, 2012
Patent Number:
D660767
Vehicle wheel front face
Granted: May 22, 2012
Patent Number:
D660219
Method for detecting battery thermal events via battery pack isolation resistance monitoring
Granted: May 15, 2012
Patent Number:
8178227
A method for detecting cell failure within a battery pack based on variations in the measured electrical isolation resistance of the battery pack is provided. The method includes the steps of monitoring the isolation resistance; determining when the isolation resistance falls below a first preset value; determining how long it takes for the electrical isolation resistance to recover to greater than a second preset value; determining when the isolation resistance falls below a third…
Efficient dual source battery pack system for an electric vehicle
Granted: May 15, 2012
Patent Number:
8180512
A method of optimizing the operation of the power source of an electric vehicle is provided, where the power source is comprised of a first battery pack (e.g., a non-metal-air battery pack) and a second battery pack (e.g., a metal-air battery pack). The power source is optimized to minimize use of the least efficient battery pack (e.g., the second battery pack) while ensuring that the electric vehicle has sufficient power to traverse the expected travel distance before the next battery…
Method and apparatus for battery potting
Granted: May 8, 2012
Patent Number:
8173295
One embodiment includes a bottom clamshell and a top clamshell sandwiching a first battery and a second battery, with a fill port extending from a top surface of the top clamshell through to the bottom surface of the top clamshell and to a space between the first and second batteries. The embodiment includes a protrusion coupled to the top clamshell proximate to the fill port and extending into the space, wherein the protrusion at least partially occludes a direct path through the fill…
Method for detecting battery thermal events via battery pack isolation monitoring
Granted: May 1, 2012
Patent Number:
8168315
A method for detecting cell failure within a battery pack based on variations in the measured electrical isolation resistance of the battery pack is provided. The method includes the steps of monitoring the isolation resistance; determining when the isolation resistance falls below a preset value; and performing a predetermined response when the isolation resistance falls below the preset value. The method may include additional steps such as (i) determining how long the isolation…
Heat dissipation for large battery packs
Granted: April 10, 2012
Patent Number:
8153290
One embodiment includes an electrical cell that includes a flat housing, at least one electrode and an electrically and heat conductive tab coupled to the electrode and extending through the housing for electrically and thermally coupling to a collector panel, the tab being capable of conducting both current and a substantial amount of heat out of the housing to a temperature control system. The cells may be stacked to form a battery having a temperature panel interfaced to the…
Dual layer winding pattern
Granted: April 10, 2012
Patent Number:
8154166
A dual-winding layer arrangement for a three-phase, four pole motor is provided.
Induction motor lamination design
Granted: April 10, 2012
Patent Number:
8154167
A high efficiency, high torque density, high speed induction motor is provided, the motor utilizing (i) stator teeth with parallel side surfaces; (ii) rotor teeth with parallel side surfaces; (iii) wide open stator slots; (iv) closed rotor slots with thick tooth bridges; and (v) deep stator and rotor slots.
Battery thermal event detection system using an electrical conductor with a thermally interruptible insulator
Granted: April 10, 2012
Patent Number:
8154256
A method and apparatus is provided for determining when a battery, or one or more batteries within a battery pack, undergoes an undesired thermal event such as thermal runaway. The system uses an insulated conductive member mounted in close proximity to, or in contact with, an external surface of the battery or batteries to be monitored. A voltage measuring system is coupled to the conductive core of the insulated conductive member, the voltage measuring system outputting a first signal…
