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US 2019/0199106 A1Published application
Cell balancing in batteries
OwnerEric Paul Grasshoffinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A battery cell balancing system contains a switch mode circuit employing voltage sensors across the cells, and current sensors on the balancing legs to enable reliable and efficient cell balancing during battery charge.
Claims21
Apparatus comprising:
- at least first and second Lithium-ion battery cells arranged in electrical series with each other and defining a primary charge/discharge path;
- a balancing circuit arranged in electrical parallel with the primary charge/discharge path, the balancing circuit comprising:
- a balancing line comprising a respective positive node and a respective negative node and at least one cell junction between respective adjacent cells,
- a respective voltage sensor being in the balancing line in electrical parallel to a respective cell to generate a signal representative of voltage across a respective cell;
- a respective switch mode divider (SMD) connected via a respective balancing leg to a respective cell junction of the balancing line in electrical parallel with a respective voltage sensor,
- a respective current sensor being electrically connected to a respective balancing leg and being useful to enable the respective SMD to limit current through the balancing leg to which the current sensor is connected;
- and
- at least one controller controlling the SMDs to equalize voltages between cells.
5 more elements
Assembly, comprising:
- at least one switch mode divider (SMD) connectable in parallel to at least one respective battery cell and operable to equalize voltages between plural cells during charging of the cells;
- and
- at least one current sensor associated with a control output voltage of the at least one SMD to enable the SMD to limit current from the SMD to at least one of the cells during charging.
A method, comprising:
- modulating at least one switch mode divider (SMD) associated with respective battery cells to equalize voltage between the cells during battery charge;
- and
- limiting current in at least one balancing leg associated with the at least one SMD to satisfy a threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.