# US 2021/0242709 A1 · Electric system and method for energizing the electric system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0242709 A1 - Document ID: US20210242709A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/233,628 - Filed: 2021-04-19 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-30 - Assignees: Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. - Applicants: Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. - Inventors: Normand LEBREUX - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242709A1 ## CPC - H02H 9/02: responsive to excess current {(current limitation for voltage regulators G05F1/573; disconnection after limiting H02H3/025)} - B60L 50/64: Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles - B60L 50/66: {Arrangements of batteries} - B60L 58/18: of two or more battery modules - H01M 10/425: {Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing (printed circuits H05K1/00)} - H01M 10/441: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially} - H02H 3/08: responsive to excess current (responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04) - H02J 1/08: Three-wire DC power distribution systems; Systems having more than three wires - H02J 7/00: Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries - H02J 7/342: {The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging (with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/68)} - H02J 7/56: Active balancing, e.g. using capacitor-based, inductor-based or DC-DC converters - H02J 7/62: against overcurrent - H02J 7/65: against overtemperature - H02J 7/663: {using battery or load disconnect circuits (H02J9/002 takes precedence)} - H01M 10/4257: {Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries} - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - H02J 2105/37: exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] - H02J 2207/10: Control circuit supply, e.g. means for supplying power to the control circuit - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - H02H: EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS (indicating or signalling undesired working conditions G01R, e.g. G01R31/00, G08B; locating faults along lines G01R31/08; emergency protective devices H01H) - 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 - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - 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 An electric system is disclosed. The electric system comprises first and second battery subassemblies, an interrupter, and a system controller. The interrupter connects the first battery subassembly in series to the second battery subassembly via a switched current-limiting path in parallel with a switched non-current-limiting path. The first battery subassembly causes closing of the switched current-limiting path when an energizing trigger is applied to the electric system. The system controller causes closing of the switched non-current-limiting path when energized by the first and second battery subassemblies. The electric system may be integrated in an electric vehicle. A method for energizing an electric system is also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for energizing an electric system, comprising: applying an energizing trigger to a first battery subassembly; in response to the energizing trigger, connecting the first battery subassembly in series to a second battery subassembly via a current-limiting path; delivering electric power from the first and second battery subassemblies connected in series via the current-limiting path to energize a system controller; and once the system controller is energized, connecting the first battery subassembly in series to the second battery subassembly via a non-current-limiting path. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second battery subassemblies provide a nominal system voltage when connected in series. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: converting the nominal system voltage to a control voltage, the nominal system voltage being greater than the control voltage; and energizing the system controller with the control voltage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the electric system comprises a motor and a motor controller, the method further comprising: energizing the motor controller with the control voltage; and delivering electric power from the motor controller to the motor at the nominal system voltage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the motor is an AC motor, the method further comprising: energizing the motor controller with the control voltage; converting the nominal system voltage into an AC voltage; and delivering electric power from the motor controller to the AC motor at the AC voltage. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 5) The method of claim 5, wherein: the AC motor is a multi-phase motor; and the electric power is delivered to the multi-phase motor at a multi-phase AC voltage. The method of claim 1, wherein: the first battery subassembly comprises a first battery module connected in series to a second battery module; and the second battery subassembly comprises a third battery module connected in series to a fourth battery module. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the energizing trigger is applied to the first battery module, the method further comprising successively cascading the energizing trigger from the first battery module to the second, third and fourth battery modules. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein connecting the first battery subassembly to the second battery subassembly is controlled by the first battery module. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the current-limiting path is in parallel with the non-current-limiting path, the method further comprising closing a service switch in series with the current-limiting and non-current-limiting paths. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the energizing trigger is a start command; the first battery subassembly or the second battery subassembly forwards an indication of the start command to the system controller; and the system controller controls an operation of the electric system in response to the indication of the start command. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the start command is a transient command. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the energizing trigger is a charging command; the first battery subassembly or the second battery subassembly forwards an indication of the charging command to the system controller; and the system controller controls charging of the first and second battery subassemblies in response to the indication of the charging command. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the charging command is a continuous command. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein connecting the first battery subassembly in series to the second battery subassembly via the non-current-limiting path is delayed until a condition is met, the condition being selected from at least one of a minimum time delay having been spent after connecting the first and second battery subassemblies via the current-limiting path, a voltage sensed on a load-side of the electric system having reached a minimum voltage threshold, and a current flowing through the first and second battery subassemblies having fallen below a maximum current threshold. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising disconnecting the current-limiting path between the first and second battery subassemblies after connecting the first and second battery subassemblies via the non-current-limiting path. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising opening the non-current-limiting path to shutdown the electric system.