System and method for heating a motor vehicle battery to improve the starting performance of the motor vehicle battery

Abstract

System for heating a motor vehicle battery (10) to improve the starting performance of the motor vehicle battery (10), comprising: - exactly one motor vehicle battery (10), - at least one functional component (20-26) of the motor vehicle that can be connected to the motor vehicle battery (10), and - an activation means (30) for activating the at least one functional component (20-26), wherein - the at least one functional component (20-26) is designed as a seat heater (20) for the motor vehicle, a rear window heater (21) for the motor vehicle, a steering wheel heater (22) for the motor vehicle, a mirror heater (23) for the motor vehicle, a PTC element (24) for the motor vehicle, a side window heater for the motor vehicle, a floor heater for the motor vehicle, a windscreen heater (25) for the motor vehicle, or an air conditioning fan (26) for the motor vehicle, - the activation means (30) is designed and provided to activate the at least one functional component (20-26) for a predefinable period of time before starting the motor vehicle, - the activated functional component (20-26) is designed and provided to discharge the motor vehicle battery (10) in such a way that the motor vehicle battery (10) heats up before the motor vehicle is started, - the activation means (30) which activates the at least one functional component (20-26) comprises a remote control device (40) cooperating with the activation means (30), wherein said remote control device (40) is designed and provided to activate the activation means (30) from an external space surrounding the motor vehicle, - the activation means (30) is designed and provided not to activate the at least one functional component (20-26) or to activate it only for a shorter period of time if the charge state of the motor vehicle battery (10) does not allow activation of the at least one functional component (20-26) for the said predefinable period of time.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a system for heating a motor vehicle battery to improve the starting performance of the motor vehicle battery and a corresponding method.

[0002] Such a system comprises a motor vehicle battery which is designed and provided at least for starting an engine of a motor vehicle or also as an energy source of an electric motor of a motor vehicle, at least one functional component of the motor vehicle connected to the motor vehicle battery, and an activation means for activating the at least one functional component.

[0003] Such a system is known from DE10 2006 001 714 A1. This discloses a device for heating an energy storage device in a motor vehicle, wherein first means are provided for converting electrical energy into thermal energy, and wherein second means are provided for detecting the current temperature of the energy storage device. Depending on the detected temperature, the first means extract electrical energy from the energy storage device, convert it into thermal energy, and heat the energy storage device.

[0004] The disadvantage of this is that in order to effectively heat the energy storage device, means must be provided with which the heat generated by the first means can be supplied to the energy storage device, or the said means must be positioned as close as possible to the energy storage device.

[0005] US 2010 / 0 019 728 A1 describes a power supply system and a vehicle with such a power supply system. A converter control unit receives a temperature increase start signal indicating the start of the temperature increase of an energy storage unit from each sensor and control unit provided in the vehicle. Furthermore, the converter control unit receives a permissible electrical energy of the energy storage unit from a battery control unit and an energy storage unit temperature from a temperature detection unit. If one of the received energy storage unit temperatures is lower than a corresponding lower temperature limit, the converter control unit generates a temperature increase command for the energy storage unit whose temperature is lower than the corresponding lower temperature limit, based on the temperature increase start signal.In addition, the converter control unit selects one control mode from a plurality of preset control modes based on the generated temperature increase command and sets this mode as the control mode for a converter.

[0006] The present invention is therefore based on the object of improving a system of the type mentioned at the outset with regard to the aforementioned disadvantages.

[0007] This problem is solved by a system having the features of claim 1.

[0008] According to this, the activation means is designed and provided to start the at least one functional component (consumer) before the motor vehicle is started, so that the motor vehicle battery is subjected to a current load by said functional component, wherein the functional component is designed and provided to discharge the motor vehicle battery in a predefinable manner such that the motor vehicle battery heats up in a predefinable manner due to the current load before the motor vehicle is started.

[0009] Thus, the heating is caused in particular exclusively or primarily by the discharge or current load of the motor vehicle battery and is thus essentially independent of the positioning of the at least one functional component in the motor vehicle or of special heat-conducting or heat-conducting means or heating means provided directly on the motor vehicle battery.

[0010] According to the invention, the activation means is designed to activate the at least one functional component for a predefined period of time and, for example, additionally automatically at a predefined time. Furthermore, activation can also be temperature-dependent. For this purpose, the activation means can have a temperature sensor that detects the ambient temperature or the temperature of the motor vehicle battery, or can be coupled to such a sensor.

[0011] The activation means is therefore at least designed to connect the connection between the at least one functional component and the motor vehicle battery, which connection serves to supply power to the at least one functional component, and to disconnect it again after the predefined period of time or earlier, and in this respect comprises at least one switch (circuit breaker).

[0012] In this regard, the activation means is designed according to the invention not to activate the at least one functional component or to activate it only for a shorter period of time if the charge state of the motor vehicle battery does not allow activation of the at least one functional component for the said pre-definable period of time, ie if, for example, discharging the battery by the at least one functional component would no longer allow the engine of the motor vehicle to be started thereafter or the charge state of the motor vehicle battery would not be sufficient for operation of the said functional component from the outset.

[0013] According to the invention, the activation means can be activated via a remote control device, which in particular has a radio transmitter, so that the at least one functional component can be activated in a simple manner (before entering the motor vehicle) from an external space surrounding the motor vehicle by means of the remote control device.

[0014] To activate the activation means itself, an actuating element, such as a manually operated button, can additionally be provided, so that when that actuating element is actuated, the activation means switches on (activates) the at least one functional component.

[0015] Preferably, said motor vehicle battery is designed as a lithium-ion battery.

[0016] According to the invention, the at least one functional component is configured as a seat heater of the motor vehicle, a rear window heater of the motor vehicle, a steering wheel heater of the motor vehicle, a mirror heater of the motor vehicle, a PTC element for the motor vehicle, a windshield heater of the motor vehicle, or as an air conditioning fan of the motor vehicle. Other possible applications include side window heaters and underfloor heating.

[0017] Of course, a plurality of functional components can be connected to the motor vehicle battery in the manner described above for heating it and can be activated accordingly via the activation means. These functional components can represent any selection of the aforementioned components. In one embodiment, all of the aforementioned components are connected to the motor vehicle battery in the manner described by way of example and can be activated by the activation means. The activation means can generally be designed as a (possibly separate) vehicle-side component that communicates with the relevant functional components in order to activate or deactivate them (switch them on or off). It is also conceivable for the activation means to be integrated into one, some, or all of the functional components.

[0018] Furthermore, the object of the invention is achieved by a method having the features of claim 5.

[0019] According to the invention, the method provides that at least one functional component of a motor vehicle connected to a motor vehicle battery is activated before the motor vehicle is started, so that the motor vehicle battery is discharged in a predefinable manner for the predefinable heating of the motor vehicle battery.

[0020] According to the invention, it is provided that the at least one functional component is activated for a predefinable period of time and, for example, additionally automatically at a predefinable time (see above).

[0021] Furthermore, according to the invention, the at least one functional component is not activated at all or only for a shorter period of time if the state of charge of the motor vehicle battery does not allow activation of the motor vehicle battery beyond the said predefinable period of time (see above).

[0022] According to the invention, the activation means is activated by means of the remote control device from the outside space surrounding the motor vehicle.

[0023] According to a further inventive concept, a motor vehicle is provided which has the system according to the invention.

[0024] Further features and advantages of the invention will be explained by means of the following description of the figures with reference to the figure.

[0025] It shows: Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a system according to the invention for heating a motor vehicle battery.

[0026] Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a system according to the invention for heating a motor vehicle battery 10 in the form of a lithium-ion battery, which serves at least for starting an engine of a motor vehicle or also as an energy source of an electric motor of a motor vehicle.

[0027] The higher cycle stability, better voltage stability, and higher maximum charging current of a lithium-ion battery compared to conventional lead-acid batteries allow energy to be made available even before the journey begins. This allows the driver to activate preconditioning—heating the vehicle battery to a predefined level—at the push of a button (similar to a parking heater) before setting off.

[0028] To this end, the driver activates the individual functional components 20-26 of the motor vehicle, e.g., via a radio transmitter 40 or at a previously programmed time via a vehicle-mounted activation means 30, which interacts, e.g., with the existing functional components 20-26 of the motor vehicle via connections 230, by, e.g., switching through their power supply connections 210, via which the functional components 20-26 are connected to the motor vehicle battery 10, using the activation means 30. The activation means 30 can also switch through such connections 210 centrally for all functional components 20-26. Other modes of action of the activation means 30 are also conceivable.

[0029] The motor vehicle thus starts the involved functional components 20 - 26 for a parameterizable time, provided that the state of charge (SOC) of the lithium-ion battery 10 permits it.

[0030] The functional components 20 - 26 are, in detail, a seat heater 20 of the motor vehicle (for the driver and possibly also for the front passenger), a rear window heater 21 of the motor vehicle, a steering wheel heater 22 of the motor vehicle, a mirror heater 23 of the motor vehicle, a PTC element 24 (electric auxiliary heater, if installed) of the motor vehicle, a windscreen heater 25 and an air conditioning fan 26 of the motor vehicle.

[0031] After switching on the functional components 20-26, the driver can enter the (preheated) vehicle, where the lithium-ion battery 10, warmed by the current load, can now start the vehicle's engine with increased starting performance. The energy extracted by this function is recharged into the lithium-ion battery 10 during the first few minutes of driving (e.g., via an alternator).

[0032] As a result, the invention enables better starting performance of the lithium-ion battery 10 at low temperatures due to the internal heating of the battery 10 as a result of the current of the functional components 20 - 26 listed above. Due to the better voltage stability, the increased cycle stability and the higher maximum charging currents, the function according to the invention is preferably implemented with a lithium-ion battery 10.

[0033] The further advantages of the system and method according to the invention lie in the increased passenger comfort by activating the above-described heating systems 20 - 26 before the start of the journey and in the increased safety by activating the heating systems 21, 23 and 25.

Claims

[1] System for heating a motor vehicle battery (10) to improve the starting performance of the motor vehicle battery (10), comprising: - exactly one motor vehicle battery (10), - at least one functional component (20-26) of the motor vehicle that can be connected to the motor vehicle battery (10), and - an activation means (30) for activating the at least one functional component (20-26), wherein - the at least one functional component (20-26) is designed as a seat heater (20) for the motor vehicle, a rear window heater (21) for the motor vehicle, a steering wheel heater (22) for the motor vehicle, a mirror heater (23) for the motor vehicle, a PTC element (24) for the motor vehicle, a side window heater for the motor vehicle, a floor heater for the motor vehicle, a windscreen heater (25) for the motor vehicle, or an air conditioning fan (26) for the motor vehicle, - the activation means (30) is designed and provided to activate the at least one functional component (20-26) for a predefinable period of time before starting the motor vehicle, - the activated functional component (20-26) is designed and provided to discharge the motor vehicle battery (10) in such a way that the motor vehicle battery (10) heats up before the motor vehicle is started, - the activation means (30) which activates the at least one functional component (20-26) comprises a remote control device (40) cooperating with the activation means (30), wherein said remote control device (40) is designed and provided to activate the activation means (30) from an external space surrounding the motor vehicle, - the activation means (30) is designed and provided not to activate the at least one functional component (20-26) or to activate it only for a shorter period of time if the charge state of the motor vehicle battery (10) does not permit activation of the at least one functional component (20-26) for the said predefinable period of time. [2] System according to claim 1, characterized by that the activation means (30) is designed and provided to activate the at least one functional component (20-26) automatically at a predefinable time. [3] System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the remote control device (40) cooperating with the activation means (30) is designed in the form of a radio transmitter. [4] System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the motor vehicle battery (10) is designed as a lithium-ion battery. [5] A method for heating a motor vehicle battery (10) to improve the starting performance of the motor vehicle battery (10) using a system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one functional component (20-26) of the motor vehicle connected to the motor vehicle battery (10) is activated for a predefinable period of time before the motor vehicle is started, so that the motor vehicle battery (10) discharges to heat the motor vehicle battery (10), wherein the activation means (30) is activated by means of the remote control device (40) from the exterior space surrounding the motor vehicle, and wherein the at least one functional component (20-26) is not activated or is activated only for a shorter period of time if the state of charge of the motor vehicle battery (10) does not permit activation of the functional component (20-26) for said predefinable period of time. [6] Method according to claim 5, characterized bythat the at least one functional component (20-26) is automatically activated at a predefinable time. [7] Motor vehicle with a system according to one of claims 1 to 4.

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