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:
Dec. 01, 2020
Filed:
Dec. 08, 2017
Ford Global Technologies, Llc, Dearborn, MI (US);
Benjamin A. Tabatowski-Bush, South Lyon, MI (US);
Kyle Krueger, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abdul Lateef, Canton, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A hybrid electric vehicle having battery packs coupled to the vehicle in parallel, which each include series-connected cells, a single contactor, a battery pack controller that detects cell voltages, and at least one controller coupled to a bus contactor and the packs. Responsive to a vehicle key on signal, the at least one controller closes the single battery pack contactor for at least one of the battery packs that includes voltage balanced cells. The bus contactor is then closed to deliver electrical power to the vehicle, and may include a precharge contactor that is closed in advance of and until the bus contactor open circuit voltage is reduced to a contactor voltage difference. The battery pack controllers are further configured to detect voltage, current, and temperature of each cell, to open the single contactor, and to adjust the state of charge of unbalanced cells until balanced relative with the others.