# US 2019/0379031 A1 · Low voltage protector for systems battery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0379031 A1 - Document ID: US20190379031A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/463,724 - Filed: 2017-08-11 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-24 - Assignees: EV Works Pty Ltd - Applicants: EV Works Pty Ltd - Inventors: Robert Mason - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190379031A1 ## CPC - B60R 16/04: Arrangement of batteries - H01M 10/425: {Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing (printed circuits H05K1/00)} - B60L 50/64: Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles - H01M 10/48: Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte (constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569) - H01M 50/574: Devices or arrangements for the interruption of current - H02J 7/663: {using battery or load disconnect circuits (H02J9/002 takes precedence)} - B60L 2240/547: Voltage - H01M 10/052: Li-accumulators - H01M 10/06: Lead-acid accumulators (semi-lead accumulators H01M10/20) - H01M 2010/4271: {Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing} - H01M 2200/00: Safety devices for primary or secondary batteries - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - H02J 7/63: against overdischarge - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A battery cut-out device (11) has a housing (13) which interposes between a battery terminal and the vehicle lead that connected to the battery terminal. At one end (17) of the housing a first high current capacity termination (18) to connect to the battery terminal, and at the other end (21) of the housing (13) a second high current capacity termination (22) connects to the battery lead. A fly lead (25) extends from the housing (13) which connects to the other battery terminal to provide power to electronics in the housing. Also located at one end of the housing is a press-to-make momentary push button switch (27) which is provided to perform a reset function, and an LED indicator (29) which is provided to show the operational status of the battery cut-out device (11). The reset function electrically connects terminations (18) and (22), and the electronics disconnects these terminations if the battery voltage falls below a predetermined level. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A battery cut-out device to interpose between a battery terminal and an existent battery lead connected thereto, said battery cut-out device having a housing to co-locate with the battery, said battery cut-out device having a first high current capacity termination to connect to said battery terminal in place of the existent battery lead, and said battery cut-out device having a second high current capacity termination to connect to the existent battery lead, said battery cut-out device having a fly lead to connect to a terminal of opposite polarity forming a circuit with said battery terminal to provide a power supply for said battery cut-out device, said battery cut-out device having a high current capacity switch selectively connecting between said first high current capacity termination and said second high current capacity termination to make or break the connection therebetween, said high current capacity switch being controlled by a monitoring circuit that senses if a voltage equating to the battery voltage drops below a predetermined level indicative of at least 5% capacity remaining of said rated battery capacity and remains below said predetermined level for a predetermined period of at least five seconds, said monitoring circuit having an output interfaced with said high current capacity switch, said output changing state on said monitoring circuit sensing said voltage equating to the battery voltage dropping below said predetermined level and remaining below said predetermined level for said predetermined period, to deactuate said high current capacity switch; said battery cut-out device including a manually actuable reset switch to reset and reactuate said high current capacity switch. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A battery cut-out device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said predetermined level equates to a level indicative of at from 5% to 15% capacity remaining of said rated battery capacity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A battery cut-out device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said predetermined level is set at from 1% to 5% above the minimum operating voltage of the battery. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A battery cut-out device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said predetermined level is set at from 1% to 5% below the nominal operating voltage of the battery. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A battery cut-out device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said predetermined level is set at a level equating to 3.1 volts per cell, intended for use with a lithium battery. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A battery cut-out device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said predetermined level is set at a level equating to between 1.95 volts and 2.0 volts per cell, intended for use with a lead acid battery. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A battery cut-out device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said predetermined period is up to 20 seconds. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A battery cut-out device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said high current capacity switch also disrupts power to said monitoring circuit, and said manually actuable reset switch restores power to said monitoring circuit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A battery cut-out device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said battery terminal is the negative terminal of said battery and said terminal of opposite polarity is the positive terminal of said battery. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A battery cut-out device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fly lead may incorporates an in-line connector for connecting to the battery, which the user can readily disconnect to power down the battery cut-out device, and in so doing, disconnect power being supplied by the battery. ### Claim 11 In a battery, a battery cut-out device interposed between a battery terminal and an external battery connector, said battery cut-out device having a fly lead to connect to a terminal of opposite polarity forming a circuit with said battery terminal to provide a power supply for said battery cut-out device, said battery cut-out device having a high current capacity switch selectively connecting between said battery terminal and said external battery connector to make or break the connection therebetween, said high current capacity switch being controlled by a monitoring circuit that senses if a voltage equating to the battery voltage drops below a predetermined level indicative of at least 5% capacity remaining of said rated battery capacity and remains below said predetermined level for a predetermined period of at least five seconds, said monitoring circuit having an output interfaced with said high current capacity switch, said output changing state on said monitoring circuit sensing said voltage equating to the battery voltage dropping below said predetermined level and remaining below said predetermined level for said predetermined period, to deactuate said high current capacity switch; said battery cut-out device including a manually actuable reset switch to reset and reactuate said high current capacity switch. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A battery cut-out device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said predetermined level equates to a level indicative of at from 5% to 15% capacity remaining of said rated battery capacity. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A battery cut-out device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said predetermined level is set at from 1% to 5% above the minimum operating voltage of the battery. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) A battery cut-out device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said predetermined level is set at from 1% to 5% below the nominal operating voltage of the battery. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) A battery cut-out device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said predetermined level is set at a level equating to 3.1 volts per cell, where the battery is a lithium battery. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) A battery cut-out device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said predetermined level is set at a level equating to between 1.95 volts and 2.0 volts per cell, where the battery is a lead acid battery. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) A battery cut-out device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said predetermined period is up to 20 seconds. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) A battery cut-out device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said high current capacity switch also disrupts power to said monitoring circuit, and said manually actuable reset switch restores power to said monitoring circuit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) A battery cut-out device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said battery terminal is the negative terminal of said battery and said terminal of opposite polarity is the positive terminal of said battery. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) A battery cut-out device as claimed in claim 11 wherein the fly lead may incorporates an in-line connector for connecting to the battery, which the user can readily disconnect to power down the battery cut-out device, and in so doing, disconnect power being supplied by the battery.