The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 16, 2019
Filed:
May. 13, 2016
Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);
Karthik Kadirvel, San Jose, CA (US);
Soundararajan Manthiri, Cupertino, CA (US);
Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);
Abstract
In general, techniques are disclosed for providing short circuit protection to a battery pack having a number of battery cells, at least some of which are connected in parallel. Short circuit protection is provided by using pairs of electronic switches (e.g., integrated circuits consisting of a pair of transistors designed as battery charge/discharge switches) serially connected between one terminal of a battery cell and a battery pack's common node—a position which is upstream of conventional battery pack fault controllers. The state of all such switches may be controlled by a control unit that is also upstream of a conventional fault controller. The combination of switch pairs and control unit can provide a battery pack with over current (short circuit) protection without the use of thermal cutoff devises. The described devices and systems can also provide over voltage, under voltage and over temperature protection.