International Business Machines Corporation

Robert B Schlak

Noah B Singer

Kevin Robert Covi

Mitchell Zapotoski

John G Torok

Xiaojin Wei

Steven John Ahladas

Luke L Jenkins

Levi A Campbell

Budy D Notohardjono

Robert K Mullady

Jacob T Porter

Matteo Cocchini

Richard John Fishbune

Xing Li

Kenneth Scea

Thomas C Long

William Louis Brodsky

John S Werner

Arkadiy O Tsfasman

Edward Joseph Seminaro

Raymond J Harrington

Byron S Green

Peter Adam Wendling

Kenneth Arenella

Mark L DeMarie

David Fratzke

Peter A Wendling, Jr

A state-of-charge (SOC) circuit makes a continuous contact with terminals of a battery and monitors voltage of the battery to detect that the battery has an SOC greater than a threshold SOC. In response, the SOC circuit establishes a state of an SOC indicator to indicate that the battery has an SOC greater than the threshold SOC. The threshold SOC corresponds to an SOC of the battery for storing or transporting the battery, and can correspond to a governmental regulatory or commercial SOC. A container for storing and/or transporting a battery includes an SOC circuit and SOC indicator to detect and indicate that a battery, held in the container, has an SOC greater than the threshold SOC. A method uses an SOC circuit and SOC indicator to detect and indicate that a battery has an SOC greater than the threshold SOC.

Battery state-of-charge indication

An apparatus for cooling and containing packaged battery cells includes a first structure disposed on a printed circuit board for encasing a first battery cell, the first battery cell being electrically coupled to the circuit board, the first structure includes an external surface and an internal surface defining a first cavity in which the first battery cell is located. The apparatus further includes a first seal surrounding the first battery cell between the printed circuit board coupled to the first structure. The apparatus further includes a first thermal interface material located in the first cavity, wherein a first portion of the first thermal interface material is thermally coupled to an interior surface and a second portion of the first thermal interface material is thermally coupled to the first battery cell. The apparatus further includes a plurality of heatsink fins located on the external surface of the first structure.

Containment heatsink for packaged battery cells

Described herein are techniques for battery management. The techniques include a method comprising initializing a battery management system (BMS) associated with a battery and calculating a degraded battery capacity by charging the battery from a first voltage threshold to a test voltage threshold, discharging the battery from the test voltage threshold to the first voltage threshold, collecting measurements of discharge capacity at predetermined voltage measurement points while discharging the battery from the test voltage threshold to the first voltage threshold, generating a polynomial fit function for discharge capacity as a function of voltage for the battery based on the measuring, and estimating the degraded battery capacity. The method further includes charging the battery based on the degraded battery capacity, the charging resulting in the battery maintaining an updated voltage threshold.

Capacity degradation analysis for batteries

An air plenum assembly includes a first plenum for cooling, where the first plenum includes an inlet for air intake located at a first side of the first plenum. The air plenum assembly further includes a second plenum for exhausting heated air, where the second plenum includes an outlet for exhausting air located at a first side of the second plenum. The air plenum assembly further includes a first aperture located on a first side of the first plenum for directing air from the inlet at the first side of the first plenum to a first compartment and includes a first vent located on a first side of the second plenum for exhausting air away from the first compartment towards the outlet at the first side of the second plenum. The first compartment is isolated from surrounding battery compartments by at least two thermal separators.

Cooled containment compartments for packaged battery cells

A connector system that includes first and second connector components. The first connector component includes a female connector. The second connector component includes a male connector having blades for insertion into the female connector; an enclosure enclosing the male connector and having an open end wherein the blades of the male connector face the open end; a locked shield within the open end of the enclosure to obscure the blades and to prevent contact with the blades; and an actuator to unlock the locked shield. Upon insertion of the first connector component into the enclosure, the first connector component causes the actuator to unlock the locked shield and upon further insertion of the first connector component into the enclosure, the first connector component opens the unlocked shield away from the male connector to expose the blades and to allow the female connector to engage the blades of the male connector.

Double touch-safe connector system

A device to detect a select state and initiate a function based on detecting the select state. The device receives a signal sent over a bus to be used to communicate between one component of one unit and another component of another unit. The bus is defined based on a selected protocol, and the device is configured to communicate with the other component of the other unit. A determination is made as to whether the signal represents a select state, the select state being an unintended state of the bus. Based on determining that the signal represents the select state, a function is initiated.

Select state detection and signal generation

A displacement sensor that includes a stationary printed circuit board which includes a first capacitor pad, an indicator, and a battery electrically communicating with the first capacitor pad and the indicator and a sliding card which includes a second capacitor pad, the first capacitor pad and the second capacitor pad being orientated to face each other and in an overlapping relation to each other. An overlap being defined by the first capacitor pad and the second capacitor pad, wherein the overlap of the first capacitor pad and the second capacitor pad generates a capacitance, the generated capacitance changes as the sliding card moves as a result of a change in the overlap of the first capacitor pad and the second capacitor pad. The indicator is activated when the generated capacitance change reaches a threshold value.

Apparatus to detect cable seating or disturbance

Battery management systems and methods for optimizing and extending the service life of a battery generally include subjecting the battery to a test cycle that appropriately sets the state of charge for the battery to less than the nominal capacity of the battery, i.e., to less than 100% state of charge. The state of charge of other batteries in the system not being tested can be increased to insure that the system battery capacity is not degraded during the test cycle. Periodic testing of the battery and adjusting the state of charge maintains an optimal state of charge as the battery ages. Batteries that do not meet the required capacity can be readily identified and replaced on demand.

Battery management system for extending service life of a battery

Electric power devices and control methods are provided which automatically select a line voltage or phase voltage of an AC voltage supply. The electric power device includes a switchable circuit, a sensor and a switch control. The switchable circuit connects to the AC voltage supply, and includes multiple switchable elements. The sensor ascertains a voltage level of the AC voltage supply, and the switch control automatically establishes a configuration of the switchable circuit through control of the multiple switchable elements. The switch control couples the electric power device in a line-line (delta) configuration to the AC voltage supply when the voltage level is in a first voltage range, and a line-neutral (wye) configuration when the voltage level is in a second voltage range.

Electric power devices with automatically established input voltage connection configuration

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Hyde Park, NY, United States of America

Robert B Schlak