Combination of a battery stack and a battery monitor, and a method of connecting a battery monitor to a stack of batteries
AssigneeAnalog Devices Technology
InventorsJeremy R. GORBOLD, Colin Charles PRICE
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Battery monitors are provided in association with battery stacks to monitor the health of individual batteries. This is important as damaged batteries present a fire risk. Usually the battery stack is assembled and connected to a multipin connector assembled and connected to a multipin connector which engages with a cooperating connector of a battery monitor. The connections have a tolerance so the connections make in a random and uncontrolled order. This disclosure provides ways of ensuring that the power supply connector connects first. This reduces voltage stress in the monitoring circuit and also allows steps to be taken to control inrush currents.
Claims15
A plug and socket for use with a battery stack and a battery monitor for monitoring batteries within the battery stack, wherein the dimensions of first and second connection elements within the plug and/or within the socket are adapted to cause the first and second connection elements to make contact with cooperating connections elements prior to the remainder of the connection elements making contact.
A battery monitor comprising a plurality of monitoring circuits connected in series such that each has positive and negative power supplies defining a respective voltage domain, and a connector adapted to cause two supply contacts to make connection before any other of the contacts in the connector make connection.
A method of connecting a plug and socket comprising a first step of applying an intermediate element to delay connection of a majority of the cooperating connectors of the plug and socket compared to first and second pairs of cooperating connectors, and subsequently connecting the plug and socket together such that the connection process enables selected current flow paths to open before other ones of the current flow paths.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.