# US 2015/0147607 A1 · Insulating container for battery, battery control device, and battery-failure detection method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2015/0147607 A1 - Document ID: US20150147607A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/564,529 - Filed: 2014-12-09 - Published: 2015-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2012-06-15 - Assignees: NGK Insulators, Ltd. - Applicants: NGK Insulators, Ltd. - Inventors: Motohiro FUKUHARA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20150147607A1 ## CPC - H01M 10/4228: {Leak testing of cells or batteries} - G01M 3/186: {for containers, e.g. radiators} - H01M 10/3909: {Sodium-sulfur cells} - H01M 10/4257: {Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries} - H01M 10/482: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially} - H01M 10/615: Heating or keeping warm - H01M 10/6571: Resistive heaters (arrangements for heating the battery by its resistance to the internal current H01M10/637) - H01M 10/658: by thermal insulation or shielding - H01M 50/204: Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells - H01M 50/224: Metals - H01M 50/24: adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion (thermal insulation H01M10/658) - H01M 50/271: Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings - H01M 50/284: with incorporated circuit boards, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB] - H01M 50/298: characterised by the wiring of battery packs - H01M 50/569: Constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals (battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements G01R31/364) - H01M 2010/4271: {Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing} - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A battery assembly heat insulating container includes a box body and a lid body. The box body has an opening on its upper surface, and contains a battery module formed by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series or in parallel. The lid body is placed on the upper surface of the box body. The battery assembly heat insulating container is adapted to provide heat insulation between an external space and an internal space formed by the box body and the lid body and configured to contain the battery module. A circuit member configured to detect leakage of active material from the battery module is provided at the bottom of the box body. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A battery assembly heat insulating container, comprising: a box body containing a battery assembly formed by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series or in parallel, an opening being formed on an upper surface of the box body; and a lid body placed on the upper surface of the box body, the battery assembly heat insulating container being adapted to provide heat insulation between an external space and an internal space being formed by the box body and the lid body and containing the battery assembly, wherein a circuit member configured to detect leakage of active material from the battery assembly is provided at a bottom of the box body, and wherein the circuit member has at least one lead wire wired separately from a heater wire. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The battery assembly heat insulating container according to claim 1, wherein the lead wire is spread over an entire graphic pattern formed by projecting at least the battery assembly on the bottom of the box body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The battery assembly heat insulating container according to claim 2, wherein the lead wire is spread in a comb teeth pattern. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The battery assembly heat insulating container according to claim 1, wherein the circuit member comprises: a first insulating layer stacked on the heater wire for allowing the lead wire to be placed on the first insulating layer; and a second insulating layer stacked on the lead wire, wherein a plurality of holes extend through the second insulating layer from the internal space containing the battery assembly to the lead wire. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The battery assembly heat insulating container according to claim 3, wherein the circuit member includes a first lead wire and a second lead wire both spread in a comb teeth pattern, and comb teeth of the second lead wire are positioned between adjacent comb teeth of the first lead wire. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The battery assembly heat insulating container according to claim 5, wherein the circuit member includes: a first insulating layer stacked on the heater wire and configured to allow the first lead wire to be placed on the first insulating layer; a second insulating layer stacked on the first lead wire and configured to allow the second lead wire to be placed on the second insulating layer; and a third insulating layer stacked on the second lead wire, wherein a plurality of holes extend through the third insulating layer from the internal space containing the battery assembly to the second lead wire; and a plurality of holes extend through the second insulating layer from the second lead wire to the first lead wire. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The battery assembly heat insulating container according to claim 3, wherein the circuit member includes a first lead wire and the second lead wire both spread in a comb teeth pattern, and orientation of comb teeth of the first lead wire is different from orientation of comb teeth of the second lead wire. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The battery assembly heat insulating container according to claim 7, wherein the circuit member includes: a first insulating layer stacked on the heater wire and configured to allow the first lead wire to be placed on the first insulating layer; a second insulating layer stacked on the first lead wire and configured to allow the second lead wire to be placed on the second insulating layer; and a third insulating layer stacked on the second lead wire, wherein a plurality of holes extend through the third insulating layer from the internal space containing the battery assembly to the second lead wire; and a plurality of holes extend through the second insulating layer from the second lead wire to the first lead wire. ### Claim 9 A battery assembly control device for a battery assembly formed by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series or in parallel, the battery assembly being placed in a battery assembly heat insulating container containing a heater wire therein, the battery assembly control device comprising an active material leakage detection unit configured to detect leakage of active material from the battery assembly, wherein the active material leakage detection unit includes: at least one lead wire placed in the battery assembly heat insulating container and wired separately from the heater wire; a resistance measurement unit configured to measure a resistance value of the lead wire; and a leakage determination unit configured to output a leakage detection signal indicating presence of leakage of active material from the battery assembly on condition that there is a change in a resistance value measured by the resistance measurement unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The battery assembly control device according to claim 9, wherein the battery assembly heat insulating container contains a first lead wire and a second lead wire that are wired separately from the heater wire, the resistance measurement unit measures a resistance value of the first lead wire and a resistance value of the second lead wire; and the leakage determination unit outputs the leakage detection signal on condition that there is a change in any one or more of the resistance value of the first lead wire, the resistance value of the second lead wire, and a difference between the resistance value of the first lead wire and the resistance value of the second lead wire. ### Claim 11 A battery assembly failure detection method for detecting a failure in a battery assembly formed by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series or in parallel, the battery assembly being placed in a battery assembly heat insulating container containing a heater wire therein, the battery assembly heat insulating container containing therein at least one lead wire wired separately from the heater wire, the battery assembly failure detection method comprising: a first step of measuring a resistance value of the lead wire; and a second step of outputting a signal indicating presence of leakage of active material from the battery assembly on condition that there is a change in the measured resistance value.