BATTERY SYSTEM, PARTICULARLY FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a battery and / or an accumulator according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

[0002] Such rechargeable batteries or accumulators are used in motor vehicles, hybrid vehicles, e-bikes, etc., as well as for local energy storage. These batteries are often equipped with a so-called battery management system to control and / or monitor their functions.

[0003] Such a battery and / or accumulator has at least one electrical cell, i.e., a battery and / or accumulator cell. The battery and / or accumulator has an electrical connection for an electrical consumer and / or an electrical generator. Furthermore, a supply line is provided for electrically connecting the cell to the electrical connection, with the supply line serving to transport electrical energy to and from the cell. To record the battery parameters, it is necessary to measure the electrical voltage of each cell very precisely. Furthermore, temperature measurement can optionally also be provided.

[0004] In today's battery systems, each cell is connected to a control unit via two measuring cables. Furthermore, the battery system may require several measuring cables for the temperature sensors. These measuring cables must be routed appropriately within the battery system. The use of such cables, especially a large number of them, makes the entire system susceptible to failure.

[0005] DE 10 2012 208 444 A1 further discloses a battery and / or accumulator, wherein a control unit is provided for controlling the cell. The control unit serves to control or regulate the charging and / or discharging of the cell, for example to protect the cell from destructive overvoltage and / or undervoltage. The control unit is in turn electrically connected to the supply line, and this connection serves to control the cell accordingly. The battery and / or accumulator is provided with a sensor for measuring the electrical voltage of the cell and / or a sensor for measuring the temperature of the cell, wherein the sensor is arranged on the cell.

[0006] Other such batteries and / or accumulators are also described in US 2012 / 242144 A1 and DE 10 2011 113 798 A1.

[0007] In addition, the documents DE 10 2010 011 277 A1 and DE 10 2012 223 480 A1 propose batteries and / or accumulators with integrated sensors, some of which are read out via a bus system.

[0008] The invention is based on the object of making the battery and / or accumulator simpler and / or more reliable.

[0009] This object is achieved in a generic battery and / or accumulator by the characterizing features of claim 1.

[0010] The battery and / or accumulator according to the invention are characterized by the features defined in claim 1. The sensor for measuring the electrical voltage of the cell and / or the sensor for measuring the temperature of the cell are / is arranged in the cell. This embodiment advantageously enables measurement of the electrical cell voltage and / or the cell temperature directly in the battery and / or accumulator cell, so that corresponding cabling using electrical lines is not necessary. Further embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0011] In an advantageous further embodiment, the control unit can provide additional functions similar to a battery management system, such as charge control, load management, determination of the state of charge, determination of cell aging, balancing of the cells with each other, or similar functions. Conveniently, a sensor can be provided for each cell.

[0012] The measured value for the cell voltage and / or the cell temperature recorded by the sensor is transmitted to the control unit via the supply line. Advantageously, any separate measuring line and / or bus line to the battery cell can then be eliminated, which also results in cost savings. The measured value is conveniently transmitted in a modulated form on the supply line.

[0013] The measured value recorded by the sensor can be easily transmitted to the control unit as an analog and / or digital value. To protect the battery and / or accumulator from external influences, a housing can be provided to house the cell. In a compact design, the control unit can be located within the housing. If desired, the control unit can also be located externally of the housing. This can be particularly useful if the control unit is used for other purposes in the motor vehicle.

[0014] The invention further provides a method for operating a battery according to the invention and / or an accumulator according to the invention, in particular for a motor vehicle. The battery and / or the accumulator have at least one electrical cell, an electrical connection for an electrical consumer and / or an electrical generator, and a supply line for electrically connecting the cell to the electrical connection, wherein the measured value for the electrical voltage of the cell and / or for the temperature of the cell is transmitted from the cell to a control unit. The method according to the invention is characterized in that the electrical voltage of the cell and / or the temperature of the cell are measured directly in the cell.

[0015] In a further, reliable and simple design, the measured value is transmitted via modulation on the supply line. The measured value can then be evaluated in the control unit. Furthermore, the measured value can be used by the control unit to control and / or regulate the cell.

[0016] The invention further provides a method for operating a battery and / or an accumulator, in particular for a motor vehicle. The battery and / or the accumulator have at least one electrical cell, an electrical connection for an electrical consumer and / or an electrical generator, and a supply line for electrically connecting the cell to the electrical connection, wherein the measured value for the electrical voltage of the cell and / or for the temperature of the cell is transmitted from the cell to a control unit. The method according to the invention is characterized in that the electrical voltage of the cell and / or the temperature of the cell are measured directly in the cell.

[0017] In a further, functionally reliable and simple way, the transmission of the measured value can be carried out by modulation on the supply line or by means of a bus system.

[0018] The following can be stated for a particularly preferred embodiment of the battery and / or accumulator according to the invention.

[0019] To record the battery's characteristics, it is necessary to measure the voltage of each cell very precisely. Furthermore, cell temperature measurement may also be desirable. In current systems, each cell is connected to a control unit with two measuring cables, and the measurement is then performed by the control unit. Furthermore, the system requires several cables for the temperature sensors. These cables must be routed accordingly within the battery and / or accumulator pack. The use of such cables makes the entire system susceptible to failure.

[0020] According to the invention, the cell voltages and, if necessary, the cell temperatures are measured directly at the cell and / or even in the cell. The measurement data is transmitted digitally via a bus system, which can be configured as a single-wire bus. Alternatively, the measurement data can be transmitted in a modulated manner directly via the power supply line. When transmitting via the power supply line, any measurement line or bus line is eliminated.

[0021] The invention enables the measurement of cell voltage and / or cell temperature directly on or in the cell.

[0022] The advantages achieved by the invention are, in particular, that the electrical voltage and / or temperature can be measured very precisely. Furthermore, the wiring effort for the battery system is significantly reduced. This results in lower system costs and / or higher performance for the battery system. Finally, the functional and operational reliability of the battery system are also increased.

[0023] Embodiments of the invention with various developments and refinements are shown in the drawings and are described in more detail below. Fig. 1 a state-of-the-art battery system, Fig. 2 a battery system not according to the invention and Fig. 3 a battery system according to a second embodiment.

[0024] In Fig. 1 is a battery and / or an accumulator, hereinafter referred to as battery system 1', according to the prior art. The battery system 1' has a housing 2 in which a plurality of electrical cells 3, i.e. battery and / or accumulator cells, are arranged. The cells 3 are connected to one another by means of electrical supply lines 4 such that the electrical voltage generated by the cells 3 is available at electrical connections 5 on the housing 2. An electrical consumer, which can be operated using the electrical energy stored in the battery system 1', can in turn be connected to the electrical connections 5. When the consumer is operated, the battery system 1' is discharged accordingly. Furthermore, an electrical generator can be connected to the connections 5 so that the battery system 1' can be charged with electrical energy.Of course, the battery system 1' can also be charged in another way, for example by applying an electrical voltage provided by the mains voltage to the terminals 5.

[0025] Located in the housing 2 is a control unit 6 for the battery system 1', which, in the manner of a battery control unit or a battery management system, controls the charging and / or discharging of the cells 3 and, if applicable, other functions for the cells 3. For this purpose, the control unit 6 is electrically connected to the supply line 4. Each cell 3 is connected to the control unit 6 by means of two measuring lines 7, 8 and an associated plug, so that the electrical voltage of the cell 3 can be measured by means of a corresponding voltage sensor in the control unit 6. A further measuring line 9 leads from the control unit 6 to a temperature sensor connected to the cell 3 for measuring the temperature of the battery cell 3. This multitude of measuring lines 7, 8, 9 must be laid accordingly in the housing 2.

[0026] In Fig. 2 is a battery and / or an accumulator, hereinafter referred to as battery system 1, according to a first embodiment of the invention. The battery system 1, which is particularly suitable for a motor vehicle, has a housing 2 in which at least one electrical cell 3 is arranged. Furthermore, at least one supply line 4 for the cell 3 is arranged in the housing 2. If several cells 3 are located in the housing 2, these cells 3 are connected to one another by means of the supply line 4. The electrical voltage of the battery system 1 is in turn made available at electrical connections 5 on the housing 2, in that the supply line 4 establishes the electrical connection of the cell 3 to the electrical connection 5. In the usual way, an electrical consumer and / or an electrical generator can be connected to the connections 5 and / or another charging voltage can be applied to the connections 5.Finally, a control unit 6, which is electrically connected to the supply line 4 and is in the form of a battery control unit for controlling the cells 3, is also located in the housing 2.

[0027] A sensor 10 is arranged on and / or in the cell 3. The sensor 10 serves to measure the electrical voltage of the cell 3, i.e. the cell voltage, and / or to measure the temperature of the cell 3. The appropriate number of sensors 10 is present in each case, although preferably one sensor 10 is provided for each cell 3. The sensors 10 and / or the cells 3 are connected to one another and to the control unit 6 by means of a bus system 11. The measured value recorded by the respective sensor 10 with regard to the electrical voltage and / or the temperature of the cell 3 is transmitted via the bus system 11 to the control unit 6 for the battery system 1, which is located in the housing 2. The bus system 11 is designed as a single-wire bus, so that only a single bus line is required for the bus system 11.

[0028] In Fig. 3 is a battery and / or accumulator, hereinafter referred to as battery system 1, according to a second embodiment of the invention. The battery system 1 according to Fig. 3 is essentially like that of the Fig. 2 However, the sensors 10 arranged on and / or in the cells 3 are not connected to one another via a bus system. Rather, the measured value for the electrical voltage and / or the temperature of the cell 3 detected by the sensor 10 is transmitted via the supply line 4 to the control unit 6 located in the housing 2. This eliminates any measuring line or bus line. The measured value is transmitted in a modulated manner on the supply line 4.

[0029] As in Fig. 2 or Fig. 3As can be seen, the control unit 6 is located in the housing 2 of the battery system 1. Of course, if desired, the control unit 6 can also be arranged externally with respect to the housing 2. Furthermore, depending on the expediency, the measured value detected by the sensor 10 can be transmitted to the control unit 6 as an analog and / or digital value.

[0030] The battery system 1 according to the invention is thus characterized in that the electrical voltage of the cell 3 and / or the temperature of the cell 3 are measured directly on and / or in the cell 3. The measured value for the electrical voltage of the cell 3 and / or for the temperature of the cell 3 is transmitted from the cell 3 to a control unit 6, in particular by means of modulation on the supply line 4 or by means of a bus system 11. This measured value is then evaluated in the control unit 6. The measured value is subsequently used to control the cell 3 by the control unit 6.

[0031] The invention is not limited to the described and illustrated embodiment. Rather, it also encompasses all expert developments within the scope of the invention defined by the patent claims. Thus, the battery system 1 according to the invention can be used not only for motor vehicles, but also for electric bicycles, pedelecs, or the like. It can also be advantageously used for other electrical devices that operate with a battery and / or accumulator, for example, for cordless power tools, cordless gardening tools, or the like. Reference symbol list:

[0032] 1:Battery system (according to the invention) 1':Battery system (according to the state of the art) 2:Housing 3:Cell 4:Supply line 5:(Electrical) connection 6:Control unit 7,8:Measuring line (for voltage measurement in the state of the art) 9:Measuring line (for temperature measurement in the state of the art) 10:Sensor 11:Bus system

Claims

1. A battery and / or accumulator for a motor vehicle with a plurality of electrical cells (3), with an electrical terminal (5) for an electrical consumer and / or an electrical generator, with a supply line (4) for electrically connecting the cells (3) to the electrical terminal (5), with a sensor (10) for measuring the electrical voltage of the cell (3) and / or a sensor (10) for measuring the temperature of the cell (3), and with a control unit (6) for controlling the charging and / or discharging of the cells (3), wherein the control unit (6) is electrically connected to the supply line (4) for the purpose of controlling the cells (3), and the sensor (10) is arranged in the cell (3), characterized in that the measured value for the electrical voltage and / or for the temperature of the cell (3) detected by the sensor (10) is transmitted to the control unit (6) via the supply line (4), the transmission of the measured value occurring in modulated form on the supply line (4).

2. The battery and / or accumulator according to claim 1, characterized in that one sensor (10) is provided for each cell (3).

3. The battery and / or accumulator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the measured value detected by the sensor (10) is transmitted to the control unit (6) as an analog and / or digital value.

4. The battery and / or accumulator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a housing (2) for receiving the cell (3) is provided.

5. The battery and / or accumulator according to claim 4, characterized in that the control unit (6) is located in the housing (2).

6. The battery and / or accumulator according to claim 4, characterized in that the control unit (6) is arranged externally with respect to the housing (2).

7. A method for operating a battery and / or an accumulator for a motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the battery and / or the accumulator has an electrical terminal (5) for an electrical consumer and / or an electrical generator and a supply line (4) for electrically connecting the cell (3) to the electrical terminal (5), wherein the electrical voltage of the cell (3) and / or the temperature of the cell (3) is measured, and wherein the measured value for the electrical voltage of the cell (3) and / or for the temperature of the cell (3) is transmitted from the cell (3) to a control unit (6), characterized in that the measured value is measured directly in the cell (3) and the measured value is transmitted by means of modulation on the supply line.

8. The method for operating the battery and / or the accumulator according to claim 7, characterized in that the measured value is transmitted by means of a bus system (11).

9. The method for operating the battery and / or the accumulator according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the measured value is evaluated in the control unit (6) and that the measured value is used by the control unit (6) to control the cell (3).