Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Ford Global Tech.inc

Calvin Edward Coates

Ronald David Brost

Robert John Melichar

Robert John Mellchar

This invention is a method and apparatus for controlling charging and/or discharging a battery for a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV).

Method of and apparatus for controlling charging and/or discharging of a battery for a hybrid electric vehicle

The invention is a method and system to efficiently ensure functionality of a battery pack during assembly using thermal imaging. After individual battery modules are combined into sections, such as for a high voltage battery pack to power a traction motor for an electric vehicle, a power discharge test using thermal imaging is conducted on each section before combined to form the battery pack. This can determine whether any connections are loose or faulty based on the additional heat generated and detected at the site and allow them to be fixed during assembly. Further tests can include a comparison of voltage among the battery pack and each battery section and a means to adjust any battery pack that exceeds a predetermined voltage variation. The thermal image scan can obtain thermal radiation variation using infrared intensity data that can be digitized, processed, assigned color values, put on a visual display and recorded.

Method and system to ensure full functionality of battery pack assembly using thermal imaging

A battery cooling system for use with a vehicle including several batteries or battery modules which provide power to the vehicle The system includes a refrigerant gas channeling or conduit system which is effective to store, compress, expand and circulate refrigerant gas through the battery pack and the system A first &ldquo;high pressure&rdquo; conduit system, having several tubes or conduits that are disposed throughout the vehicle is used to selectively carry and transport pressurized or compressed refrigerant gas to the battery pack and includes a pump a heat exchanger expansion valves and conduits and A second &ldquo;low pressure&rdquo; conduit system is used to circulate the &ldquo;expanded&rdquo; or decompressed refrigerant gas throughout the battery pack and to return the refrigerant gas to pump for recompression. The low pressure conduit system includes conduits which are in contact with one or more sides of the various battery modules and which absorb and/or dissipate heat from battery modules and conduits which return the circulated refrigerant gas to pump

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Canton, MI, United States of America

Calvin Edward Coates