US 5,871,858 A · Anti-theft battery

Abstract

In a battery such as a starter battery for a motor vehicle semiconductor switches such as MOSFET-switches (11) are connected in parallel between the middle battery cells (7, 9). The switches (11) are controlled by a processor (15) which can receive signals from the exterior, such as rf-signals received by a receiver (25), for allowing a high but not too high current for powering a starter motor from the battery. In other cases only small currents can be drawn from the battery for powering a clock, illumination, etc. The processor also monitors the charge state and can block also small currents when there is too little charge left whereby also a sufficient charge can be left for starting the motor. The switches (15) are located inside the battery in a conducting contact with a metal plate, which is mounted directly on a terminal of one of the middle battery cells and which can be mounted against a bent cooling flange. On the adjacent terminal of the other one of the central cells also a conducting plate may be mounted, which is isolated from the first plate. To this second plate, at areas located adjacent to an edge next to the first plate, the switches (11) are connected electrically through connection wires. For an interrupt in a lead to a power supply unit it can be provided with voltage from a reduced number of battery cells. Therefore, suitably placed diodes are provided in the interior supply lines to the power supply unit.

Claims26

Dependent claims

An electrically controlled switch device, comprising:

a) at least one semiconductor switch, wherein the one or more semiconductor switches each comprise a main body having a first switch terminal located on a bottom side, a second switch terminal located on a top side and a control terminal;
b) a first electrical terminal comprising a first electrically and thermally conducting plate-shaped member comprising a first side wherein the main bodies of the switches are mounted in a line on the first side of the first electrically and thermally conducting plate-shaped member, so that the bottom sides of the switches are in electrical and intimate thermal contact with the first side of the first electrically and thermally conducting plate-shaped member;
c) a second electrical terminal comprising a second electrically conducting plate-shaped member comprising two sides and an edge, wherein the edge is located in parallel to the line of the switches and at the switches, the second member being attached to form a gap between the first and second members having an essentially constant width;
and
d) electrical connection leads coupled between the second switch terminals and the second electrically conducting plate-shaped member.

2 more elements

A battery having a built-in protection against theft comprising:

a) an electrically controllable switch device having at least two switches which are connected in parallel;
and
b) two adjacent series connected battery cells wherein the electrically controllable switch device comprises wherein the switch device is connected between the battery cells.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Anti-theft battery

Life of this patent

Anti-theft battery

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26