Vehicle traction battery thermal conditioning
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorMichael Edward Loftus
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vehicle traction battery includes a plurality of battery cells and a battery energy control module (BECM) for charge-balancing the plurality of battery cells. The BECM is disposed within the vehicle traction battery and includes circuitry having at least one positive temperature coefficient component, such as a thermistor or silistor, connected to at least one of the plurality of battery cells for thermal conditioning of the plurality of battery cells.
Claims19
A vehicle traction battery, comprising:
- a plurality of battery cells;
- a battery energy control module in communication with the plurality of battery cells;
- and
- charge-balancing circuitry associated with the plurality of battery cells, the charge-balancing circuitry including positive temperature coefficient thermistors positioned within the traction battery to provide thermal conditioning to the plurality of battery cells in response to a current applied to the charge-balancing circuitry.
A vehicle having an electric motor/generator powered by a traction battery, comprising:
- battery cells;
- positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistors disposed within charge balancing circuitry of the traction battery;
- and
- a battery control module (BCM) disposed within the traction battery and in communication with the battery cells and the thermistors, the BCM configured to supply current from the battery cells to the thermistors to provide battery thermal conditioning during charge balancing of the battery cells.
A vehicle traction battery, comprising:
- a plurality of battery cells;
- and
- a battery energy control module (BECM) disposed within the vehicle traction battery and having charge balancing circuitry including at least one positive temperature coefficient component connected to at least one of the plurality of battery cells for thermal conditioning of the plurality of battery cells during charge balancing of the plurality of battery cells.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.