Battery pack, battery device, and method for detecting electrolyte leakage in battery device

Abstract

In a battery pack, a battery monitoring circuit is connected to a battery module including a plurality of battery cells to monitor the battery module. A detection sensor detects electrolyte leakage from the battery module and includes: a first resistor and a second resistor connected in series between a power supply providing a first voltage and a ground terminal; and a variable resistor connected in parallel to the first resistor, the resistance value of which varies according to the electrolyte leakage from the battery module. The detection sensor transmits the voltage at the contact point between the first and second resistors as a sense voltage to an input terminal of the battery monitoring circuit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0013132 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on January 29, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] The described technology relates to a battery pack, a battery device, and a method for detecting electrolyte leakage. Background Art

[0004] Electric vehicles, or hybrid vehicles, are vehicles that generate electricity by primarily using batteries as a power source to drive a motor. Electric vehicles are being actively researched as an alternative to internal combustion vehicles, potentially addressing pollution and energy issues. Rechargeable batteries are used in a variety of external devices besides electric vehicles.

[0005] The battery is provided in the form of a battery pack including a battery module, in which a plurality of battery cells are connected. The lower housing of the battery pack has a structure connected to an external device (e.g., the chassis of a vehicle). In this case, when the electrolyte leaks from the battery cells of the battery pack, the path where the battery cells and the lower housing of the battery pack are connected may occur due to the electrolyte leakage, so that the insulation may be destroyed. Insulation breakdown may cause a fire in the battery pack or damage low-voltage components in the vehicle. Therefore, it is necessary to detect electrolyte leakage inside the battery pack. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Technical issues

[0007] Some embodiments may provide a battery pack capable of detecting electrolyte leakage inside the battery pack, a battery device, and a method for detecting electrolyte leakage.

[0008] Technical Solution

[0009] According to an embodiment, a battery pack may be provided, comprising: a battery module including a plurality of battery cells; a battery monitoring circuit; and a detection sensor configured to detect electrolyte leakage in the battery module. The battery monitoring circuit may be connected to the battery module and may monitor the battery module. The detection sensor may include a first resistor and a second resistor connected between a power supply providing a first voltage and a ground terminal, and a variable resistor connected in parallel to the first resistor and having a resistance that varies depending on electrolyte leakage in the battery module. The detection sensor may transmit a voltage at a contact point between the first resistor and the second resistor as a sensing voltage to an input terminal of the battery monitoring circuit.

[0010] In some embodiments, the battery monitoring circuit can monitor the battery module in active mode.

[0011] In some embodiments, a battery pack may include: a pulse generator configured to generate a pulse signal for switching a battery monitoring circuit to an active mode, and output the pulse signal to an output terminal in response to a sensing voltage being higher than a threshold voltage; and a transmitting circuit configured to transmit the pulse signal to a receiving terminal of the battery monitoring circuit in a shutdown mode of the battery monitoring circuit, and to block the pulse signal from being transmitted to the receiving terminal of the battery monitoring circuit in an active mode.

[0012] In some embodiments, the transmission circuit may include a transistor connected between an output terminal of the pulse generator and a ground terminal. In an active mode, the transistor may be turned on in response to a second voltage being supplied to a power terminal of the battery monitoring circuit. In an off mode, the transistor may be turned off in response to blocking the second voltage from being supplied to the power terminal of the battery monitoring circuit.

[0013] In some embodiments, the transmitting circuit may further include a diode connected between the first terminal of the transistor and the receiving terminal of the battery monitoring circuit, and the second terminal of the transistor may be connected to a ground terminal.

[0014] In some embodiments, the transmission circuit may further include a third resistor connected between the output terminal of the pulse generator and the first terminal of the transistor.

[0015] In some embodiments, the battery pack may further include a voltage regulator configured to generate a first voltage from a voltage of the battery module.

[0016] In some embodiments, electrolyte leakage in the battery module may be diagnosed in response to the sensed voltage being higher than a reference voltage.

[0017] In some embodiments, the battery pack may further include: a lower case of the battery pack; and a lower cover formed on the lower case and below the battery module and configured to collect electrolyte leaked from the battery module. The detection sensor may be attached to the lower cover.

[0018] According to another embodiment, a battery device may be provided, comprising: a battery module including a plurality of battery cells; a battery monitoring circuit; a detection sensor configured to detect electrolyte leakage in the battery module; and a battery management system. The battery monitoring circuit may be connected to the battery module and monitor the battery module. The battery management system may manage the battery monitoring circuit and may receive information from the battery monitoring circuit to diagnose electrolyte leakage. The detection sensor may include a variable resistor having a resistance that varies according to electrolyte leakage in the battery module, and may transmit a sensed voltage determined based on the resistance of the variable resistor to an input terminal of the battery monitoring circuit.

[0019] In some embodiments, the battery management system may diagnose an electrolyte leak in the battery module in response to determining that a sensed voltage is higher than a reference voltage based on information transmitted from the battery monitoring circuit.

[0020] In some embodiments, the detection sensor may further include a first resistor and a second resistor connected in series between a power supply for providing the first voltage and a ground terminal. In this case, the variable resistor may be connected in parallel to the first resistor, and the detection sensor may output a voltage at a contact point between the first resistor and the second resistor as the sensing voltage.

[0021] In some embodiments, the battery device may further include a pulse generator configured to transmit a pulse signal to a receiving terminal of the battery monitoring circuit in response to the detection sensor detecting electrolyte leakage in the battery module in the battery monitoring circuit's off mode. The battery monitoring circuit may switch to an active mode in response to the pulse signal.

[0022] In some embodiments, the pulse generator may generate a pulse signal in response to the sense voltage being higher than a threshold voltage.

[0023] In some embodiments, the battery device may further include a transistor connected between the output terminal of the pulse generator and the ground terminal and configured to control the transmission of the pulse signal to the receiving terminal of the battery monitoring circuit in response to the voltage provided to the power terminal of the battery monitoring circuit.

[0024] In some embodiments, a second voltage may be supplied to a power supply terminal of the battery monitoring circuit in an active mode, and the second voltage may be blocked from being supplied to the power supply terminal of the battery monitoring circuit in an off mode. In the active mode, the transistor may be turned on in response to the second voltage to block the pulse signal from being supplied to the power supply terminal. In the off mode, the transistor may be turned off in response to the blocked second voltage to transmit the pulse signal.

[0025] In some embodiments, the battery device may further include a lower cover formed below the battery module, the lower cover configured to collect electrolyte leaked from the battery module, and the detection sensor is attached to the lower cover.

[0026] According to yet another embodiment, a method for detecting electrolyte leakage in a battery device may be provided. The battery device includes a battery module, a battery monitoring circuit configured to monitor the battery module, and an electrolyte leakage detection sensor. The method may include the following steps: generating a pulse signal in response to electrolyte leakage in the battery module while the battery monitoring circuit is in a shutdown mode; switching the battery monitoring circuit to an active mode in response to the pulse signal; in the active mode, measuring a sensed voltage of the electrolyte leakage detection sensor in the battery monitoring circuit; and diagnosing an electrolyte leakage in response to the sensed voltage being higher than a reference voltage.

[0027] In some embodiments, the method may further include measuring, by the electrolyte leakage detection sensor, a sensed voltage based on a resistance that varies according to electrolyte leaked in the battery module.

[0028] Beneficial effects

[0029] According to some embodiments, electrolyte leaks can be detected even in a shutdown mode of the battery monitoring circuit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a battery device according to some embodiments.

[0031] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an electrolyte leakage detection apparatus according to some embodiments.

[0032] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating an electrolyte leakage detection apparatus according to some embodiments.

[0033] Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method for detecting electrolyte leakage in a battery device according to some embodiments.

[0034] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a structure of a battery pack according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] In the following detailed description, certain embodiments are shown and described only by way of example. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the described embodiments may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the drawings and description are to be considered illustrative and non-restrictive in nature. Throughout this specification, the same reference numerals represent the same elements.

[0036] When describing that an element is “connected” to another element, it should be understood that the element can be directly connected to the other element or connected to the other element through a third element. On the other hand, when describing that an element is “directly connected” to another element, it should be understood that the element is connected to the other element without passing through a third element.

[0037] As used herein, the singular form may be intended to include the plural form as well, unless an explicit expression such as "one" or "single" is used.

[0038] In the flowcharts described with reference to the accompanying drawings, the order of operations or steps may be changed, several operations or steps may be combined, specific operations or steps may be divided, and specific operations or steps may not be performed.

[0039] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a battery device according to some embodiments, and Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an electrolyte leakage detection apparatus according to some embodiments.

[0040] Reference Figure 1 The battery device includes a battery pack 100 and a battery management system 10 . The battery pack 100 includes a battery module 110 and an electrolyte leakage detection circuit 120 .

[0041] The battery module 110 includes a plurality of battery cells (not shown). In some embodiments, the battery cells may be rechargeable batteries and may include a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte. In some embodiments, a predetermined number of battery cells may be connected in series or in parallel to form a battery module. Figure 1 One battery module 110 is shown for convenience of description, but the battery pack 100 may include one or more battery modules 110 in order to provide desired power.

[0042] The electrolyte leakage detection circuit 120 includes an electrolyte leakage detection sensor 121 and a battery monitoring circuit 122 .

[0043] The electrolyte leakage detection sensor 121 may be connected to the battery module 110 , detect electrolyte leakage in battery cells included in the battery module 110 , and transmit a signal to the battery monitoring circuit 122 upon detecting electrolyte leakage.

[0044] The battery monitoring circuit 122 is connected to the battery module 110 and monitors the voltage of the battery cells. In some embodiments, the battery monitoring circuit 122 can measure the temperature of the battery module 110. In some embodiments, the battery monitoring circuit 122 can be provided in the form of an integrated circuit (IC). Upon receiving a signal from the electrolyte leak detection sensor 121, the battery monitoring circuit 122 transmits the corresponding information to an external device (e.g., a vehicle).

[0045] The battery monitoring circuit 122 can communicate with the battery management system 10 of the battery device. The battery management system 10 can collect data (information) sent from the battery monitoring circuit 122 to control the operation of the battery pack 100. In addition, the battery management system 10 can transmit the information collected from the battery monitoring circuit 122 to an external device (e.g., a vehicle).

[0046] Reference Figure 2 The electrolyte leakage detection device 200 includes an electrolyte leakage detection sensor 210 and a battery monitoring circuit 220. In some embodiments, the electrolyte leakage detection device 200 can be used with Figure 1 Corresponding to the electrolyte leakage detection circuit 120.

[0047] The electrolyte leakage detection sensor 210 includes a plurality of resistors 211 and 212 connected in series between a power supply providing a predetermined voltage Vs and a ground terminal, and outputs a voltage at a contact point between the resistors 211 and 212 as a sensing voltage Vd. The electrolyte leakage detection sensor 210 also includes a variable resistor 213 connected in parallel with the resistor 211. In some embodiments, the variable resistor 213 may be connected (i.e., attached) to a battery module (e.g., Figure 1 110), a current path may not be formed when the electrolyte has not leaked into the battery cell, and a current path may be formed when the electrolyte has leaked into the battery cell.

[0048] In some embodiments, the resistance of resistor 211 can be set high to reduce the magnitude of the current flowing through electrolyte leakage detection sensor 210. For example, a 1 MΩ resistor can be used as resistor 211. Furthermore, the resistance of resistor 212 can be determined based on the resistance of variable resistor 213 caused by leaking electrolyte. For example, when variable resistor 213 caused by leaking electrolyte is several tens of kΩ, a 43 kΩ resistor can be used as resistor 212.

[0049] In some embodiments, the power source providing the predetermined voltage Vs may be derived from the voltage of the battery module (eg, Figure 1 110 in the battery module). To this end, the electrolyte leakage detection device 200 may further include a voltage regulator 230. The voltage regulator 230 may receive the voltage Vm of the battery module 110 through the input terminal IN and output a predetermined voltage Vs through the output terminal OUT. The predetermined voltage Vs may be, for example, 5V.

[0050] Assuming that the resistance of resistor 211 is R1, the resistance of resistor 212 is R2, and the resistance of variable resistor 213 is R3 when electrolyte leakage occurs, the electrolyte leakage detection sensor 210 may output a voltage (Vs*R2 / (R1+R2)) obtained by dividing the voltage Vs by the resistors 211 and 212 as a sensing voltage Vd when electrolyte is not leaking from the battery module 110. When electrolyte is leaking from the battery module 110, the electrolyte leakage detection sensor 210 may output a voltage (Vs*R2 / (Rt+R2)) obtained by dividing the voltage Vs by the resistor (Rt=R1*R3 / (R1+R3)) formed by the parallel connection of the resistor 211 and the variable resistor 213 as a sensing voltage Vd. Therefore, the sensing voltage Vd when the electrolyte leaks is higher than the sensing voltage Vd when the electrolyte does not leak. In some embodiments, when the resistance of the resistor 211 is set to be significantly higher than the resistance of the resistor 212, the sensing voltage Vd when the electrolyte does not leak can be a voltage close to 0V. For example, when the voltage Vs of the power supply is 5V and a 1MΩ resistor and a 43kΩ resistor are used as the two resistors 211 and 212, respectively, when the electrolyte does not leak, the sensing voltage Vd can be approximately 0.2V. On the other hand, when the voltage Vs of the power supply is 5V, a 1MΩ resistor and a 43kΩ resistor are used as the two resistors 211 and 212, respectively, and when the resistance of the variable resistor 213 is 43kΩ when the electrolyte leaks, the sensing voltage Vd can be approximately 2.5V.

[0051] The battery monitoring circuit 220 receives a signal corresponding to the sensed voltage Vd of the electrolyte leak detection sensor 210 via an input terminal IN (e.g., an input pin). In some embodiments, the input terminal IN may be one of various input terminals configured to receive monitoring results from the battery monitoring circuit 220. In some embodiments, the electrolyte leak detection device 200 may further include an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that converts the sensed voltage Vd of the electrolyte leak detection sensor 210 into a digital signal that can be received by the battery monitoring circuit 220. In some embodiments, the electrolyte leak detection device 200 may further include a diode D1 that blocks the current path in the reverse direction (i.e., the current path from the input terminal IN of the battery monitoring circuit 220 to the output terminal of the electrolyte leak detection sensor 210). The diode D1 may have an anode connected to the output terminal of the electrolyte leak detection sensor 210 and a cathode connected to the input terminal IN of the battery monitoring circuit 220.

[0052] The battery monitoring circuit 220 can be operated by a predetermined voltage V_BMIC supplied to a power supply terminal Vcc (e.g., a power supply pin). In some embodiments, the predetermined voltage V_BMIC can be the same voltage as the power supply voltage Vs of the electrolyte leakage detection sensor 210. In addition, the battery monitoring circuit 220 can communicate with a battery management system (e.g., a battery management system) via a transmitting terminal Tx (e.g., a transmitting pin) and a receiving terminal Rx (e.g., a receiving pin). Figure 1 The battery monitoring circuit 220 can transmit the monitored data to the battery management system 10 via a transmission communication line connected between the transmission terminal Tx and the battery management system 10. The battery monitoring circuit 220 can receive control signals from the battery management system 10 via a reception communication line connected between the reception terminal Rx and the battery management system 10. In some embodiments, the communication between the battery monitoring circuit 220 and the battery management system 10 can be universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) communication.

[0053] The battery monitoring circuit 220 transmits information corresponding to the sensed voltage Vd of the electrolyte leakage detection sensor 210 received through the input terminal IN to, for example, the battery management system 10. As described above, when there is no electrolyte leakage, the sensed voltage Vd of the electrolyte leakage detection sensor 210 is a low voltage (a voltage close to 0 V). Therefore, when the sensed voltage Vd of the electrolyte leakage detection sensor 210 is lower than the reference voltage, the battery management system 10 or a processor of an external device (e.g., a vehicle) can determine that there is no electrolyte leakage.

[0054] On the other hand, when the electrolyte is leaking, the sensing voltage Vd of the electrolyte leak detection sensor 210 is a significant voltage (e.g., a voltage of 2.5V or greater). Therefore, when the sensing voltage Vd of the electrolyte leak detection sensor 210 is higher than the reference voltage, the battery management system 10 or the processor of the external device can determine that there is an electrolyte leak. In this way, the battery management system 10 or the external device can detect the electrolyte leak in the battery pack through the output signal of the battery monitoring circuit 220 and perform a protective operation. In some embodiments, when the sensing voltage Vd is higher than the reference voltage, the battery management system 10 can send a warning signal to an external device (e.g., a vehicle). Therefore, the driver of the vehicle can perform a battery pack inspection.

[0055] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating an electrolyte leakage detection apparatus according to some embodiments.

[0056] Reference Figure 3 , the electrolyte leakage detection device 300 includes an electrolyte leakage detection sensor 310 and a battery monitoring circuit 320. In some embodiments, the electrolyte leakage detection device 300 can be used with Figure 1Corresponding to the electrolyte leakage detection circuit 120.

[0057] The electrolyte leakage detection sensor 310 includes a plurality of resistors 311 and 312 connected in series between a power supply providing a predetermined voltage Vs and a ground terminal, and outputs the voltage at the contact point between the resistors 311 and 312 as a sensing voltage Vd. The electrolyte leakage detection sensor 310 also includes a variable resistor 313 connected in parallel with the resistors 311. In some embodiments, the electrolyte leakage detection device 300 may further include a voltage regulator 330 that generates the predetermined voltage Vs.

[0058] The battery monitoring circuit 320 receives a signal corresponding to the sensed voltage Vd of the electrolyte leak detection sensor 310. In some embodiments, the electrolyte leak detection device 300 may further include an ADC 340 that converts the sensed voltage Vd of the electrolyte leak detection sensor 310 into a digital signal that can be received by the battery monitoring circuit 320. In some embodiments, the electrolyte leak detection device 300 may further include a diode D1 that blocks a current path in the reverse direction.

[0059] In some embodiments, the battery monitoring circuit 320 can enter the monitoring battery module (e.g., Figure 1 The device 300 may be configured to operate in one of an active mode (e.g., an active mode) and a shutdown mode in which the battery module 110 is not monitored. In the active mode, a predetermined voltage V_BMIC is supplied to a power supply terminal Vcc (e.g., a power pin) of the battery monitoring circuit 320 to operate the battery monitoring circuit 320. In the shutdown mode, the predetermined voltage V_BMIC supplied to the power supply terminal Vcc of the battery monitoring circuit 320 is blocked, so that the battery monitoring circuit 320 may not operate. In some embodiments, the predetermined voltage V_BMIC may be the same as the predetermined voltage Vs supplied to the electrolyte leak detection sensor 310. In some embodiments, the electrolyte leak detection device 300 may further include a pulse generator 350 to detect electrolyte leakage even when the battery monitoring circuit 320 is in the shutdown mode.

[0060] The sensing voltage Vd of the electrolyte leak detection sensor 310 is provided to the input terminal IN of the pulse generator 350. In some embodiments, the signal converted by the ADC 340 from the sensing voltage Vd of the electrolyte leak detection sensor 310 can be input to the input terminal IN of the pulse generator 350. In some embodiments, the electrolyte leak detection device 300 includes a diode D2 that blocks the current path in the reverse direction, that is, the current path from the input terminal IN of the pulse generator 350 to the electrolyte leak detection sensor 310. The diode D2 can have an anode connected to the output terminal of the electrolyte leak detection sensor 210 and a cathode connected to the input terminal IN of the pulse generator 350.

[0061] The transistor 351 is connected between the output terminal OUT of the pulse generator 350 and the ground terminal. That is, the first terminal of the transistor 351 is connected to the output terminal OUT of the pulse generator 350, and the second terminal of the transistor 351 is connected to the ground terminal. In addition, the control terminal of the transistor 351 receives the same voltage as the power supply terminal Vcc of the battery monitoring circuit 320. For example, the control terminal of the transistor 351 can be connected to the power supply terminal Vcc of the battery monitoring circuit 320. In addition, the first terminal of the transistor 351 is connected to the receiving terminal Rx (e.g., receiving pin) of the battery monitoring circuit 320. In some embodiments, the first terminal of the transistor 351 can be connected to the receiving terminal Rx of the battery monitoring circuit 320 and the battery management system (e.g., Figure 1 10) between the receiving communication line. In some embodiments, the electrolyte leakage detection device 300 may further include a diode D3 that blocks the current path in the opposite direction, that is, the current path from the receiving communication line to the first terminal of the transistor 351. The diode D3 may have an anode connected to the first terminal of the transistor 351 and a cathode connected to the receiving terminal Rx of the battery monitoring circuit 320. In some embodiments, a resistor 352 may be connected between the output terminal OUT of the pulse generator 350 and the first terminal of the transistor 351.

[0062] When a predetermined voltage (e.g., V_BMIC) is applied to the power supply terminal Vcc of the battery monitoring circuit 320, the transistor 351 may be turned on, and when the voltage applied to the power supply terminal Vcc of the battery monitoring circuit 320 is blocked, the transistor 351 may be turned off. In some embodiments, the transistor 351 may be an n-channel transistor, such as an n-channel metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). In this case, the first terminal, the second terminal, and the control terminal of the transistor 351 may be a drain, a source, and a gate, respectively.

[0063] In active mode, the electrolyte leak detection sensor 310 and the battery monitoring circuit 320 are connected to the reference Figure 2 The electrolyte leak detection sensor 210 and the battery monitoring circuit 220 described above operate identically. Their description is omitted. Furthermore, in active mode, a predetermined voltage V_BMIC is applied to the power supply terminal Vcc of the battery monitoring circuit 320, turning on the transistor 351. Consequently, 0V is applied to the anode of the diode D3, leaving communication via the receiving terminal Rx of the battery monitoring circuit 320 unaffected.

[0064] In the shutdown mode, since the voltage applied to the power supply terminal Vcc of the battery monitoring circuit 320 is blocked, transistor 351 is turned off. Furthermore, when electrolyte leaks, a significant sensing voltage Vd is output from the electrolyte leak detection sensor 310. Therefore, in response to the sensing voltage Vd of the electrolyte leak detection sensor 310, the pulse generator 350 can generate a pulse signal and output the pulse signal to the output terminal OUT. That is, when the voltage input to the input terminal IN exceeds the threshold voltage, the pulse generator 350 can generate a pulse signal and output it to the output terminal OUT. In this case, since transistor 351 is turned off, the pulse signal from the pulse generator 350 can be applied to the receiving terminal Rx of the battery monitoring circuit 320. In response to the pulse signal sent to the receiving terminal Rx, the battery monitoring circuit 320 can switch to the active mode. The battery monitoring circuit 320 can then transmit information corresponding to the sensing voltage Vd of the electrolyte leak detection sensor 310 to the battery management system 10.

[0065] In some embodiments, transistor 351, resistor 352, and diode D3 can operate as a transmission circuit that transmits the pulse signal of the pulse generator 350 to the receiving terminal Rx of the battery monitoring circuit 320 in the shutdown mode and blocks the pulse signal from being transmitted to the receiving terminal of the battery monitoring circuit in the active mode.

[0066] According to the above-described embodiment, electrolyte leakage can be detected even when the battery monitoring circuit 320 is in the off mode.

[0067] Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method for detecting electrolyte leakage in a battery device according to some embodiments.

[0068] Reference Figure 4 When the battery monitoring circuit of the battery pack is in active mode (S410), the battery monitoring circuit measures a voltage corresponding to electrolyte leakage (S450). In some embodiments, the battery monitoring circuit may measure a sensed voltage output from an electrolyte leakage detection sensor (S450).

[0069] When an electrolyte leak occurs inside the battery pack while the battery monitoring circuit of the battery pack is in a shutdown mode (S420), the battery device generates a pulse signal in response to the electrolyte leak (S430). The battery monitoring circuit switches to an active mode in response to the pulse signal (S440) and measures a voltage corresponding to the electrolyte leak (S450). In some embodiments, a pulse generator may generate a pulse signal in response to a sensed voltage corresponding to the electrolyte leak output from the electrolyte leak detection sensor, and the battery monitoring circuit may switch to the active mode in response to the pulse signal of the pulse generator.

[0070] When the voltage measured by the battery monitoring circuit is higher than the reference voltage (S460), the battery device can diagnose electrolyte leakage and send a warning signal to an external device (e.g., a vehicle) (S470). When the measured voltage is not higher than the reference voltage, the battery device can diagnose that there is no electrolyte leakage (S480).

[0071] Next, refer to Figure 5 A battery pack to which the electrolyte leakage detection method according to various embodiments is applied is described.

[0072] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a structure of a battery pack according to some embodiments.

[0073] Reference Figure 5 , the battery pack 500 is formed by combining a lower case 510 and an upper case (not shown), and the battery module 520 is accommodated between the lower case and the upper case. Figure 5 For ease of description, the battery pack 500 is shown to include four battery modules 520, but the number of battery modules 520 is not limited thereto. A battery monitoring circuit 530 is connected to each battery module 520. The battery monitoring circuit 530 can monitor the battery cell voltage and the temperature of the corresponding battery module 520.

[0074] A lower cover 540 may be formed under each battery module 520. The lower cover 540 may have a shape capable of collecting electrolyte leaked from the corresponding battery module 520. An electrolyte leakage detection sensor 550 may be attached to the lower cover 540. The electrolyte leakage detection sensor 550 may sense the electrolyte collected in the lower cover 540 and output a corresponding voltage.

[0075] In some embodiments, the battery pack inner cover 560 may be formed on the lower case 510. The battery pack inner cover 560 may be formed between the lower case 510 and the lower cover 540. The battery pack inner cover 560 may be formed of a non-conductor and may block a current path that may be connected to the lower case 510 through leaked electrolyte.

[0076] While the invention has been described in connection with what are presently considered to be practical embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A battery pack, comprising: a battery module, the battery module comprising a plurality of battery cells; a battery monitoring circuit connected to the battery module and configured to monitor the battery module, the battery monitoring circuit being configured to monitor the battery module in an active mode; a detection sensor configured to detect electrolyte leakage in the battery module, Wherein, the detection sensor includes: a first resistor and a second resistor, the first resistor and the second resistor being connected in series between a power supply that supplies a first voltage and a ground terminal; and a variable resistor connected in parallel to the first resistor and having a resistance that varies according to the electrolyte leaked in the battery module, and wherein the detection sensor is configured to transmit a voltage at a contact point between the first resistor and the second resistor as a sensing voltage to an input terminal of the battery monitoring circuit; a pulse generator configured to generate a pulse signal for switching the battery monitoring circuit to the active mode and output the pulse signal to an output terminal in response to the sensing voltage being higher than a threshold voltage; and a transmitting circuit configured to transmit the pulse signal to a receiving terminal of the battery monitoring circuit in a shutdown mode of the battery monitoring circuit and to block the pulse signal from being transmitted to the receiving terminal of the battery monitoring circuit in the active mode.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: The transmission circuit includes a transistor connected between the output terminal of the pulse generator and a ground terminal. wherein, in the active mode, the transistor is turned on in response to a second voltage supplied to a power terminal of the battery monitoring circuit, and Wherein, in the shutdown mode, the transistor is turned off in response to blocking the second voltage from being provided to the power terminal of the battery monitoring circuit.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein: The transmitting circuit further includes a diode connected between the first terminal of the transistor and the receiving terminal of the battery monitoring circuit, and The second terminal of the transistor is connected to the ground terminal.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein: The transmission circuit further includes a third resistor connected between the output terminal of the pulse generator and the first terminal of the transistor. 5 . The battery pack according to claim 1 , further comprising a voltage regulator configured to generate the first voltage from a voltage of the battery module.

6. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein: Electrolyte leakage in the battery module is diagnosed in response to the sensed voltage being higher than a reference voltage.

7. The battery pack according to claim 1, further comprising: a lower housing of the battery pack; as well as A lower cover is formed on the lower case and below the battery module, the lower cover being configured to collect electrolyte leaked from the battery module, and the detection sensor is attached to the lower cover.

8. The battery pack according to claim 7, further comprising: a battery pack inner cover, the battery pack inner cover being formed between the lower shell and the lower cover, The battery pack inner cover is formed of a non-conductor and blocks a current path connecting the leaked electrolyte to the lower shell.

9. A battery device, comprising: a battery module, the battery module comprising a plurality of battery cells; a battery monitoring circuit connected to the battery module and configured to monitor the battery module; a detection sensor configured to detect electrolyte leakage in the battery module; a battery management system configured to manage the battery monitoring circuit and receive information from the battery monitoring circuit to diagnose electrolyte leakage, wherein the detection sensor includes a variable resistor having a resistance that varies according to the electrolyte leaked from the battery module, and the detection sensor is configured to transmit a sensing voltage determined based on the resistance of the variable resistor to an input terminal of the battery monitoring circuit; and a pulse generator configured to transmit a pulse signal to a receiving terminal of the battery monitoring circuit in response to the detection sensor detecting the electrolyte leaking in the battery module in a shutdown mode of the battery monitoring circuit, The battery monitoring circuit is configured to switch to an active mode in response to the pulse signal.

10. The battery device according to claim 9, wherein: The battery management system is configured to diagnose leakage of the electrolyte in the battery module in response to determining that the sensed voltage is higher than a reference voltage based on the information transmitted from the battery monitoring circuit.

11. The battery device according to claim 9, wherein The detection sensor further includes a first resistor and a second resistor connected in series between a power supply for providing a first voltage and a ground terminal. wherein the variable resistor is connected in parallel to the first resistor, and The detection sensor is configured to output a voltage at a contact point between the first resistor and the second resistor as the sensing voltage.

12. The battery device according to claim 9, wherein The pulse generator is configured to generate the pulse signal in response to the sensing voltage being higher than a threshold voltage.

13. The battery device according to claim 9 further includes a transistor connected between the output terminal of the pulse generator and a ground terminal, and configured to control the transmission of the pulse signal to the receiving terminal of the battery monitoring circuit in response to the voltage provided to the power terminal of the battery monitoring circuit.

14. The battery device according to claim 13, wherein: In the active mode, a second voltage is provided to the power supply terminal of the battery monitoring circuit, wherein, in the shutdown mode, the second voltage is blocked from being provided to the power terminal of the battery monitoring circuit; wherein, in the active mode, the transistor is turned on in response to the second voltage to block the pulse signal from being supplied to the power supply terminal, and Wherein, in the shutdown mode, the transistor is turned off in response to the blocked second voltage to transmit the pulse signal. 15 . The battery device according to claim 9 , further comprising a lower cover formed below the battery module, the lower cover configured to collect electrolyte leaked from the battery module, and the detection sensor is attached to the lower cover.

16. A method for detecting electrolyte leakage in a battery device, the battery device comprising a battery module, a battery monitoring circuit configured to monitor the battery module, and an electrolyte leakage detection sensor, the method comprising the following steps: generating a pulse signal in response to electrolyte leakage in the battery module while the battery monitoring circuit is in a shutdown mode; switching the battery monitoring circuit to an active mode in response to the pulse signal; measuring a sensed voltage of the electrolyte leakage detection sensor in the battery monitoring circuit in the active mode; as well as The electrolyte leakage is diagnosed in response to the sensed voltage being higher than a reference voltage.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of: The sensing voltage is measured by the electrolyte leakage detection sensor based on a resistance that changes according to the electrolyte leaked in the battery module.

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