US 6,008,652 AGranted

Battery tub tester

AssigneeChrysler Corporation

InventorsJohn Theofanopoulos, Erik J. Hansen

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Abstract

A battery tub tester is disclosed that tests the individual batteries, battery accessories and connections as they are being assembled into a battery tub for an electric vehicle. The batteries and battery tub accessories, including temperature sensing devices and battery monitor modules, are mounted and electrically connected in the battery tub in accordance with a known battery tub assembly scheme. As the assembler mounts and connects the batteries and battery tub accessories, the tub tester determines the battery voltages of each battery after it is mounted and connected within the tub to determine if the batteries have the desirable voltage and will operate as they are intended and are connected properly. Additionally, the tester determines the temperature readings as the temperature sensors are being mounted, to determine if the temperature sensors will operate as intended and are connected properly. In this manner, the assembler will know that the battery tub is assembled properly and the components will operate properly prior to the battery tub being mounted to the vehicle.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method of testing the electrical performance of a battery tub for an electric vehicle while the tub is being assembled, said assembled battery tub including a plurality of batteries, a plurality of temperature sensing devices, and at least one battery monitor module, said batteries presumed to be in a full state of charge prior to being assembled in the tub, said method not including charging a battery if the battery is not in a full state of charge prior to being assembled, said method comprising the steps of:

determining an identification of a battery before it is assembled within the battery tub;
mounting the battery within the tub if the identification corresponds to predetermined criteria;
measuring the voltage of the battery after it is mounted within the tub, said step of measuring the battery voltage includes determining whether the battery has a measured battery voltage within an acceptable battery voltage range;
determining whether the battery is electrically connected properly if the measured battery voltage is not within the acceptable battery voltage range;
removing the battery from the tub if the battery is electrically connected properly and the battery voltage is not within the acceptable battery voltage range;
mounting a temperature sensor within the tub;
determining if a temperature measurement of the temperature sensing device is within an expected temperature range;
determining whether the temperature sensing device is properly connected if the temperature measurement is not within the expected temperature range;
and
separately repeating the foregoing steps for all of the batteries and temperature sensing devices in a predetermined sequence until all of the batteries and temperature sensing devices are assembled within the tub.

7 more elements

A method of testing the electrical performance of batteries mounted in a battery tub of an electric vehicle as the batteries are being assembled in the tub, said batteries presumed to be in a full state of charge prior to being assembled in the tub, said method not including charging a battery if the battery is not in a full state of charge prior to being assembled, said method comprising the steps of:

determining an identification of a current battery before it is assembled within the battery tub;
mounting the battery within the battery tub if the identification corresponds to predetermined criteria;
measuring the voltage of the battery after it is mounted within the tub, said step of measuring the battery voltage includes determining whether the battery has a measured battery voltage within an acceptable battery voltage range;
determining whether the battery is electrically connected properly if the measured battery voltage is not within the acceptable battery voltage range;
removing the battery from the tub if the battery is electrically connected properly and the battery voltage is not within the acceptable battery voltage range;
and
repeating the steps of determining an identification, mounting the battery, measuring the voltage of the battery, and determining whether the battery is electrically connected properly for a next battery that is to be assembled in the tub if the current battery has a measured battery voltage within the acceptable battery voltage range.

4 more elements

An apparatus for determining the electrical performance of a battery tub for an electric vehicle while the tub is being assembled prior to the battery tub being connected to the vehicle, said battery tub including a plurality of batteries, a plurality of temperature sensing devices, and at least one battery monitor module, said batteries presumed to be in a full state of charge prior to being assembled in the tub, said apparatus being unable to charge a battery if the battery is not in a full state of charge prior to being assembled, said apparatus comprising:

a system for separately determining an identification of each battery before it is mounted within the battery tub;
a system for measuring the voltage of the battery after it is mounted within the battery tub prior to a next battery being mounted in the tub, said system for measuring the battery voltage determining whether the battery has a measured battery voltage within an acceptable battery voltage range;
and
a system for determining a temperature measurement of a temperature sensing device after it is mounted within the battery tub, said system for determining a temperature measurement determining if the temperature measurement is within an expected temperature range.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/023,966Filed 13 Feb 1998
Granted: 28 Dec 1999
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

G01R 31/3648
Constructional arrangements: comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
G01R 31/396
Arrangements for testing, measuring or monitoring the electrical condition of accumulators or electric batteries, e.g. capacity or state of…
H01M 10/4257
Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing: smart batteries, e.g.…
H01M 10/48
Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells: accumulators combined with arrangements for…