Back to results
US 11,381,072 B2Granted
Quick battery disconnect system for high current circuits
AssigneeRivian IP Holdings, LLC
InventorsTodd Putnam, Nathaniel C. Wynn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A circuit protection system is provided herein that minimizes the disconnection time of a circuit while protecting other electrical components. Some configurations comprise a set of parallel circuit interruption devices, each connected in series with respective fuses. A control device sets a state of the circuit interruption device based on a current of the circuit. Under certain current loads, the circuit is interrupted without causing a fuse to blow. Under other current loads, the circuit is interrupted by having one or more fuses blow.
Claims17
A battery system comprising:
- first and second fuses, each comprising a first electrical terminal and a second electrical terminal;
- first and second contactors, each comprising a first contactor terminal and a second contactor terminal;
- one or more battery cells electrically coupled to a first battery module terminal and a second battery module terminal, wherein:
- the first battery module terminal is electrically coupled in parallel to the first electrical terminal of the first fuse and the first electrical terminal of the second fuse;
- the second electrical terminal of the first fuse is electrically coupled to the first contactor terminal of the first contactor;
- the second electrical terminal of the second fuse is electrically coupled to the first contactor terminal of the second contactor;
- and
- the second contactor terminal of the first contactor and the second contactor terminal of the second contactor are electrically coupled to each other;
- and
- a contactor control module configured to:
- maintain the first contactor and the second contactor in a closed state when detecting a load current below a predetermined amperage;
- and
- set the first contactor to an open state while maintaining the second contactor in the closed state in response to detecting the load current above the predetermined amperage.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.