Amazon Technologies, Inc.

William Mische

Richard Arvel Stevens

Mike MacGregor

Darin Lee Frink

Jared Joseph Lee

Systems and methods for identifying thermal run-away events in a battery pack can include using sensing circuits made up of series- or parallel-linked thermistors to measure subsets of the individual battery cells in a battery pack. Using multiple sensing circuits, a monitoring system can positively identify when a threshold temperature of any single battery cell has been reached even though individual temperatures are not monitored, and can generate a signal indicative of a thermal run-away event based on the detected temperature.

Thermistor-based thermal run-away detection for battery packs

Systems and methods for identifying thermal run-away events in a battery pack can include using infrared sensors to measure infrared radiation emitted by and reflected by subsets of the battery cells arrayed in a battery pack. Each infrared sensor can generate temperature data based on the received infrared radiation, which includes reflected infrared radiation for several and potentially many individual battery cells aligned in rows or columns within the battery pack. Each infrared sensor can sense the beginning of a thermal run-away event by sensing when an individual battery cell in the array has a temperature exceeding a threshold, and can generate a signal indicative of a thermal run-away event based on the detected excessive temperature.

Infrared thermal run-away detection for battery packs

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) may include embedded lateral connectors. The embedded lateral connectors may be configured to enable components to quickly couple to or plug into a PCB, thus saving time to form connections. The embedded lateral connectors may also reduce weight and/or size by avoiding need for bulky tradition collections with conventional components (e.g., solders, external pin connectors, etc.). The connectors may include male connectors, female connectors, and/or mounting connectors. The connectors may be configured to connect multiple PCBs together, such as using a stacked configuration, which may enable reducing a volume of space needed in a housing for the PCBs.

Printed circuit board with embedded lateral connector

Power systems and methods for supplying direct current power to a server rack employ multiple power supply units. A method for supplying direct current power to a server rack includes receiving an alternating current (AC) power input. A first portion of the AC power input is transferred to a first automatic transfer switch (ATS). A first DC power input is generated from the first portion of the AC power input via a first power supply unit (PSU) and transferred to the server rack. A second portion of the AC power input is transferred to a second ATS. A second DC power input is generated from the second portion of the AC power input via a second PSU and transferred to the server rack.

Power system for server rack

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) may include a heat sink configured to draw heat from a surface-mounted component through the PCB toward a side of the PCB opposite a side having the surface-mounted component. The heat sinks may be single piece components that extend at least partially through the PCB. In some embodiments, the PCB may include connectors that interface between the PCB and a heat sink, or possibly other components.

Printed circuit board with heat sink

In an automatic transfer power supply with relay protection, multiple electric power sources may be selectively coupled with a switched-mode power supply circuit using multiple corresponding sets of relays. The switched-mode power supply circuit may include one or more switches that operate under the control of a switch controller element to implement the functionality of the switched-mode power supply. To protect the relays during source transfer, a source transfer controller may signal the switch controller element to halt current flow through the switched-mode power supply circuit, and then signal the relays to change state while the current flow is halted, thereby protecting the relays during source transfer. Sparking may be reduced in relays that physically move metal armatures to make and break electrical connections, prolonging relay life and/or reducing relay failures and improving power supply availability.

Automatic transfer power supply with relay protection

A solid-state automatic transfer switch includes a primary rectifier circuit and a secondary rectifier circuit, wherein at least one of the rectifier circuits includes one or more controllable semi-conductor switches. The primary rectifier circuit is electrically coupled to a primary input and an output of the solid-state automatic transfer switch. Also, the secondary rectifier circuit is electrically coupled to a secondary input of the solid-state automatic transfer switch and the output. A controller controls a control state of the controllable semi-conductor switches to allow or prevent electrical power from flowing through the primary or secondary rectifier circuits, thus selectively controlling whether power is fed from the primary input or the secondary input of the solid-state automatic transfer switch to the output of the solid-state automatic transfer switch.

Solid-state automatic transfer switch

Automatic transfer switch and power supply units (ATSPSUs) and related methods condition switching to a second AC power source to allow a battery module to supply DC power to a load. An ATSPSU includes a power supply unit (PSU), an automatic transfer switch (ATS), and an ATSPSU controller configured to control the ATS to switch to the second AC power source in response to the voltage of the first AC power source having decreased in magnitude by a voltage drop value over a period of time greater than an allowable amount of time for the voltage drop value, and at least one of a voltage differential between DC power supply lines being less than a voltage threshold value, and a state of charge of a battery module operatively coupled with the DC power supply lines being less than a threshold state of charge.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

William Mische