Nio Usa, Inc.

Lg Chem, Ltd

Nio Technology (anhui) Co., Ltd.

Lg Energy Solution, Ltd.

Alexander Jeffrey Smith

Austin Lawrence Newman

Adam H Ing

Rick Rajaie

Heekook Yang

Robert Merriman

Miaosen Shen

Richard McCormick

Michael P Garascia

Satish P Ketkar

Marc W Juzkow

Peng S Chen

Anthony Arena

Stephen C Holland

Xiaodong Liu

Feng Guo

Scott Dudley

Yadunandana Yellambalase

Juil Yum

Mohamed Alamgir

Paul Laurain

Joseph Blumka

Mark W Axler

Brittany M Repac

Pavel Dutov

Adam Ing

Shubham Saurav

Adam Henry Jin Wah Yee Ing

Hee-Kook Yang

Methods and systems are provided for managing multi-battery systems, such as those utilized in an electric vehicle. Multi-battery systems comprise batteries providing power in parallel, thereby making each battery available to the vehicle and avoiding the weight of transporting a backup battery. The methods and systems provided allow for a fault in one battery, in a parallel configuration with at least one other battery, to be detected and managed.

Split battery for autonomous driving

An energy storage device and structure for energy storage cells is provided that includes a plurality of energy storage cells, each of the energy storage cells having side surface areas. The plurality of energy storage cells are arranged in a pattern with each energy storage cell being spaced a specified distance apart from one another. An expandable material is adhered, by an adhesive backing, to at least a portion of the side surface areas of one or more of the energy storage cells, and the expandable material expands within and at least part of the specified distance.

Abuse tolerance in battery modules

A power supply device for a vehicle includes an energy storage device, and a converter coupled to an external power source and that converts a first voltage provided by the external power source into a second voltage. The power supply device includes at least one switching element coupled between the converter and the energy storage device, and a controller that monitors a charge level of the energy storage device while the vehicle is not in operation. The control controls switching of the at least one switching element based on the charge level to either i) connect the converter to the energy storage device to exit a sleep mode and enter a charge mode to charge the energy storage device with the second voltage, or ii) disconnect the converter from the energy storage device to exit the charge mode and enter the sleep mode.

Vehicle power devices, systems, and methods for sleep mode

A device for charging an energy storage device includes a controller to initiate a charging operation for the energy storage device and control, during a first stage of the charging operation, a thermal control system to direct a first volume of the thermal mass along a first flow path to heat the energy storage device to a first desired temperature. The controller controls, during a second stage of the charging operation, the thermal control system to direct a second volume of the thermal mass along a second flow path to cool the energy storage device from the first desired temperature towards a second desired temperature.

Methods and devices for thermal control during charging of electric vehicles

Systems of an electrical vehicle and the operations thereof are provided. Inflow current occurs when components of differing voltage are connected absent mitigating components. Batteries and other components may be damaged by unrestrained inflow current. By performing a pre-charge, a battery line is gradually brought up to the voltage source potential. Additionally, by determining the observed voltage, while a lesser voltage is applied, to a connected component, a determination may be made if charging should or should not continue. If the observed voltage is less than that applied, a problem may be present and charging discontinued. As a result, high-voltage current that may be inadvertently exposed may be curtailed.

Open line detection during pre-charge

A battery module cell cover is provided including a number of features configured to orient, capture, and isolate battery cell interconnections relative to battery cell locations in an array of battery cells. Isolation features may block a negative terminal battery cell interconnect from moving out of an orientation receptacle aligned with a negative terminal of a battery cell and into contact with a positive terminal of the battery cell, or vice versa. The battery module cell cover can include a number of structural connection features protruding from a planar surface into a battery cell containment cavity, between battery cell locations, that provide a number of surfaces for curing to structural adhesive of the battery module. These structural connection features, in conjunction with the structural adhesive, can assist in forming a unified strengthened structure of the battery module.

Battery cell cover including terminal short isolation feature

Methods and systems for welding a terminal of a battery cell to corresponding terminal tab or busbar are described using a magnet that causes the terminal and tab/busbar to be placed in physical contact. The terminal of a battery cell is aligned in contact with the tab/busbar by the force of a magnetic field. A welder, e.g., a laser welder, can then generate a laser weld beam to weld the terminal of the battery cell to the tab/busbar. Next, the laser weld beam is narrowed, reducing the first diameter to a smaller second diameter. Without touching the tab/busbar or terminal of the battery (which could affect the welding operation), the magnetic field can cause a force that brings the tab and terminal in contact during welding.

Magnetically coated busbar tabs

Devices and systems are provided that incorporate fusible links within the electrical traces of a battery module voltage sensing circuit. The fusible links can be integrally formed in an electric trace and provide an overcurrent protection feature for the circuit without requiring fuse elements or components that are separate from the electrical trace. Each of these fusible links include a substantially flat controlled cross-sectional area disposed along a length of the material making up the electrical trace. In an overcurrent situation, the connection between a battery management system and a battery cell may be severed by the overcurrent melting the fusible link. The electrical traces may be spaced apart from one another in the circuit such that an overcurrent situation breaking the connection between one cell and the battery management system would not affect adjacent electrical traces not having an overcurrent situation.

Fusible link in battery module voltage sensing circuit

A laminated busbar assembly includes positive and negative leads supported by an insulative layer. The insulative layer as well as the positive and negative leads are thin and flexible, thus facilitating connection of the positive and negative leads with the terminals of the electric cells of a battery module. The laminated busbar assembly may include voltage measurement wires and/or temperature sensors for measuring voltage and/or temperature, respectively.

Laminate busbars for battery module design

A tapered busbar for an energy storage device is provided. The tapered busbar is configured to interconnect with a first row of series-connected energy storage cells in a battery module at a first end of the busbar. As the busbar tapers from a first cross-sectional area at the first end to a larger second cross-sectional area at a second opposite end, the busbar is configured to interconnect with sequentially additional electrically-parallel rows of series-connected energy storage cells. The tapered cross-sectional area of the busbar provides a substantially uniform current density at any point along the length of the busbar regardless of the number of rows of energy storage cells connected before or after the point.

Uniform current density tapered busbar

Systems and methods of detecting leakage and other issues with electrical battery housings are provided. By using an air compressor to alter the air pressure within a battery housing, a processor may detect an abnormal rate of change in the air pressure within the battery housing as compared to a rate of change of an ideal battery housing.

Systems and methods for diagnosing seal integrity in a battery

A battery module having first and second battery cells is provided. The battery module includes a first frame member having a first substantially rectangular ring-shaped outer plastic frame and a first heat exchanger. The first heat exchanger has first and second thermally conductive plates that are coupled together and define a first flow path portion extending therethrough. The first battery cell is disposed on and against a first side of the first thermally conductive plate. The second battery cell is disposed on and against the first side of the first thermally conductive plate. The second battery cell is further disposed proximate to the first battery cell.

Battery module and method of assembling the battery module

A multiple-zone thermocouple battery module temperature monitoring system is provided configured to determine a plurality of temperatures along a depth of the battery module at different locations. The system may include a number of temperature probes each including a first temperature sensor oriented at a base of a group of cells in the module and a second temperature sensor oriented at an upper portion of the group of cells in the module. Providing upper and lower battery cell temperature sensors in each probe of the system allows a battery management system to detect and record a temperature gradient of the battery cells in the module at a number of different locations. These recordings can determine a gradient and temperature difference between the upper and lower battery cell portions over an operable threshold difference, and command a thermal management system to return the battery module to limits within the operable threshold.

Growing community of inventors

White Lake, MI, United States of America

Alexander Jeffrey Smith