# US 9,882,252 B2 · Controlled battery box > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,882,252 B2 - Document ID: US9882252B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/361,693 - Filed: 2012-11-30 - Published: 2014-11-06 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2011-11-30 - Assignees: Maxon Industries, Inc. - Applicants: Maxon Industries, Inc. - Inventors: George Y. Marji - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9882252B2 ## CPC - H01M 10/61: Types of temperature control - B60P 1/4414: {and keeping the loading platform parallel to the ground when raising the load} - B60P 1/4471: {General means for controlling movements of the loading platform, e.g. hydraulic systems} - H01M 10/486: {for measuring temperature} - H01M 10/613: Cooling or keeping cold - H01M 10/615: Heating or keeping warm - H01M 10/625: Vehicles - H01M 10/633: characterised by algorithms, flow charts, software details or the like - H01M 10/635: based on ambient temperature - H01M 10/6571: Resistive heaters (arrangements for heating the battery by its resistance to the internal current H01M10/637) - H01M 10/6572: Peltier elements or thermoelectric devices - H01M 10/658: by thermal insulation or shielding - H01M 50/213: adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic (H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence) - H01M 50/24: adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion (thermal insulation H01M10/658) - H01M 50/569: Constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals (battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements G01R31/364) - H01M 10/44: Methods for charging or discharging (circuits for charging H02J7/00) - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - B60P: VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS (vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A battery container for battery temperature control comprises a housing including an enclosure for receiving a battery, wherein at least a portion of the housing comprises a thermal insulation material for insulating the interior of the enclosure against ambient temperature. The battery container further comprises a temperature control element disposed within the enclosure, wherein the temperature control element reduces the rate of heat transfer between the ambient and the interior of the enclosure. The temperature control element comprises an active temperature control element. The battery container further comprises a controller that in response to a signal indicating battery temperature, controls the active temperature control element for reducing the rate of heat transfer between the ambient and the interior of the enclosure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A battery container for battery temperature control, comprising: a housing including an enclosure for receiving a battery, wherein at least a portion of the housing comprises a thermal insulation material for insulating the interior of the enclosure against ambient temperature, and wherein the battery is a dedicated battery; and a temperature control element comprising an active temperature control element; and a controller programmed to, in response to a first signal indicating battery temperature and a second signal indicating battery state of charge, wherein battery state of charge is related to battery voltage, control the temperature control element to maintain the battery temperature within a selected temperature range, wherein the active temperature control element comprises a thermoelectric device, wherein the controller is programmed to operate the thermoelectric device to selectively provide heating or cooling. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The battery container of claim 1, wherein: the temperature control element comprises a passive temperature control element including thermal insulation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The battery container of claim 2, wherein: the housing comprises a rectangular container including a bottom wall, side walls, and atop wall; and the thermal insulation of the temperature control element comprises an essentially planar thermal insulation within the container for surrounding at least a portion of a battery when placed in the container. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The battery container of claim 1, wherein: in response to said signal indicating battery temperature and said signal indicating battery state of charge comprising voltage, the controller is programmed to control the active temperature control element to maintain the battery temperature within a selected temperature range, and wherein batter state of charge indicates battery voltage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The battery container of claim 1, wherein: in response to said first signal indicating battery temperature and said second signal representing battery state of charge comprising voltage, the controller is programmed to control the active temperature control element to maintain the battery temperature within a selected temperature range for powering an electrical load. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The battery container of claim 1, wherein: the controller comprises a temperature comparator programmed to compares a signal indicating battery temperature to a signal indicating a temperature set-point to detect a temperature difference therebetween; and based on the detected difference the controller is programmed to control the active temperature control element to reduce the temperature difference. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The battery container of claim 6, wherein: the controller further comprises a voltage comparator that is programmed to compare a signal indicating battery voltage to a signal indicating a battery voltage set point, to detect a battery state of charge; and the controller is programmed to control the active temperature control element to reduce the temperature difference further based on said detected battery state of charge. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The battery container of claim 1, wherein: the active temperature control element comprises an electrical heating device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The battery container of claim 8, wherein: the controller is programmed to control the active temperature control element to maintain the battery temperature within a selected temperature range for battery operation, based on one or more of: battery capacity, battery run time, battery charge time, battery efficiency and battery life. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The battery container of claim 8, further comprising: a passive temperature control element including thermal insulation disposed within the container for surrounding at least a portion of a battery when placed in the container. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The battery container of claim 8, wherein: the controller is programmed to activate the active temperature control element only when the battery state of charge is within a selected battery state of charge range. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The battery container of claim 1, further comprising: a passive temperature control element including thermal insulation disposed within the container for surrounding at least a portion of a battery when placed in the container. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The battery container of claim 1, wherein: the temperature control element comprises an active temperature control device and a passive temperature control device, such that the controller is programmed to control the active temperature control device. ### Claim 14 A control system for a battery container, the system comprising: a temperature sensor for sensing temperature within the container; a sensor for detecting battery state of charge of a battery in the container, wherein the battery is a dedicated battery; and a controller programmed to, in response to a first signal from the temperature sensor and a second signal from the battery state of charge sensor, wherein battery state of charge is related to battery voltage, control an active temperature control element to maintain the battery temperature within a selected temperature range by selectively providing heating or cooling. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The control system of claim 14, wherein: in response to said first signal indicating battery temperature and said second signal representing battery state of charge comprising voltage, the controller is programmed to control the active temperature control element to maintain a temperature within the battery container above a selected temperature range, and wherein battery state of charge indicates battery voltage. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The control system of claim 15, wherein: the controller is programmed to maintain temperature within the battery container between about −10° C. and 50° C. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The control system of claim 16, wherein: the controller is programmed to maintain said temperature within the container at about 25° C. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The control system of claim 14, wherein: the controller comprises a temperature comparator that is programmed to compare a signal indicating battery temperature to a signal indicating a temperature set-point to detect a temperature difference therebetween; and based on the detected difference, the controller is programmed to control the active temperature control element to reduce the temperature difference. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The control system of claim 18, wherein: the controller further comprises a battery state of charge comparator that is programmed to compare said signal indicating battery state of charge to a signal indicating a battery state of charge set-point, to detect a battery state of charge; and the controller is programmed to control the active temperature control element to reduce the temperature difference based on said detected battery state of charge. ### Claim 20 A lift gate system, comprising: a lift gate assembly including a lifting platform coupled to a linkage mechanism, and an actuator for moving the lifting platform via the linkage mechanism; a battery for powering the actuator for moving the lifting platform; a battery container for housing said battery, the battery container including an enclosure for receiving the battery, wherein at least a portion of the housing comprises a thermal insulation material for insulating the interior of the enclosure against ambient temperature, and wherein the battery container is disposed proximate the lift gate assembly and the battery comprises a dedicated lift gate battery that only provides electrical power for operation of the lift gate assembly; and a temperature control element; and a controller programmed to, in response to a first signal indicating battery temperature and a second signal indicating battery state of charge, wherein battery state of charge is related to battery voltage, control the temperature control element to maintain the battery temperature within a selected temperature range by selectively providing heating or cooling. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The lift gate system of claim 20, wherein the temperature control element comprises an active temperature control element. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The lift gate system of claim 21, further comprising: a temperature sensor for sensing temperature of the battery from a battery terminal post; and wherein in response to a said first signal from the temperature sensor and said second signal from the battery state of charge sensor, the controller programmed to control the active temperature control element to maintain the battery temperature within a selected temperature range. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The lift gate system of claim 22, wherein: the controller is programmed to activate the active temperature control element only when the battery state of charge is within a selected battery state of charge range. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The lift gate system of claim 22 wherein: the controller comprises a temperature comparator that is programmed to compare a signal indicating battery temperature to a signal indicating a temperature set point to detect a temperature difference therebetween; and based on the detected difference, the controller is programmed to control the active temperature control element to reduce the temperature difference. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The lift gate system of claim 24 wherein: the controller further comprises a battery state of charge comparator that is programmed to compare a signal indicating battery state of charge to a signal indicating a battery state of charge set point, to detect a battery state of charge; and the controller is programmed to control the active temperature control element to reduce the temperature difference based on said detected battery state of charge, wherein battery state of charge indicates battery voltage. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The lift gate system of claim 21, wherein: the controller is programmed to maintain temperature within the container between about −10° C. and 50° C. ### Claim 27 A control system for a battery container, the system comprising: a temperature sensor for sensing temperature within the container; a sensor for detecting battery state of charge of a battery in the container, wherein the battery is a dedicated battery; and a controller programmed to, in response to a first signal from the temperature sensor and a second signal from the battery state of charge sensor, wherein battery state of charge is related to battery voltage, control an active temperature control element to maintain the battery temperature within a selected temperature range by providing heating. ### Claim 28 (depends on 14) The control system of claim 14 wherein the battery is a dedicated battery, wherein the dedicated battery only provides electrical power to an electrical circuit. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The control system of claim 27, wherein battery state of charge indicates battery voltage.