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:
Feb. 25, 2014
Filed:
Oct. 29, 2010
Weston Arthur Hermann, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Scott Ira Kohn, Redwood City, CA (US);
Philip David Cole, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Nicholas Robert Kalayjian, San Carlos, CA (US);
Weston Arthur Hermann, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Scott Ira Kohn, Redwood City, CA (US);
Philip David Cole, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Nicholas Robert Kalayjian, San Carlos, CA (US);
Tesla Motors, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
An overcharge protection device (OPD) is provided that may be used alone, or in combination with conventional charging protection systems, to protect a battery pack from the occurrence of a potentially damaging overcharging event. The OPD is designed to be coupled to, and interposed between, the terminals of the battery pack. During normal system operation, the OPD has no effect on the operation of the charging system or the battery pack. During an overcharging event, if overcharging is not prevented by another conventional system, the OPD of the invention creates a short across the terminals of the battery pack causing a battery pack fuse designed to provide battery pack short circuit protection to blow, thereby interrupting the current path from the charger to the battery pack and preventing the battery pack from being overcharged.