Electric bicycle battery with activation sensor, electric bicycle with such an electric bicycle battery and method for operating an electric bicycle battery

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric bicycle battery (10) comprising a housing (12) and at least one battery cell (14) arranged within the housing (12), wherein at least one activation sensor (16) is arranged within the housing (12) for detecting an activation action. The invention also relates to an electric bicycle comprising an electric bicycle battery (10), and to a method for operating an electric bicycle battery (10).

Description

[0001] Electric bicycle battery with activation sensor, electric bicycle with such an electric bicycle battery and method for operating an electric bicycle battery

[0002] The invention relates to an electric bicycle battery according to claim 1. The invention further relates to an electric bicycle with such an electric bicycle battery according to claim 6 and to a method for operating an electric bicycle battery according to claim 7.

[0003] Electric bicycle batteries (hereinafter also referred to simply as batteries) for supplying power to drive units for electric bicycles are well known in the art. These batteries are typically controlled via a control unit when installed on the bicycle. The control unit is located, for example, on the handlebar and is connected to the battery. The control unit can be used to query and display the battery's charge level and any error messages, among other things.

[0004] To enable communication with the battery when removed, one common approach is to equip the battery with a button or push button. Using the push button, the battery can be switched on even when removed from the bike and, for example, display its charge level or error messages via LEDs.

[0005] The use of a push button requires at least one electrical feedthrough through the housing. Such a feedthrough also represents a potential entry point for moisture. Furthermore, the housing must be designed to provide sufficient space for attaching a foil into which the push button is integrated and which also features an adhesive edge for cable entry. Furthermore, the connector, which is located on the circuit board and serves to contact the push button, takes up a comparatively large amount of space. The arrangement of the push button, via the contact, also determines the arrangement of the circuit board within the housing.The underlying object of the present invention is to provide an electric bicycle battery for a bicycle, an electric bicycle and a method for operating an electric bicycle battery, by means of which the electric bicycle battery can be operated in the removed state in the simplest possible manner.

[0006] The object is achieved according to the invention with the features of the independent claims. Further embodiments and advantages are described in connection with the dependent claims.

[0007] An electric bicycle battery according to the invention has a housing and at least one battery cell arranged within the housing. The housing surrounds the at least one battery cell, in particular on all sides, and serves to protect the at least one battery cell. In particular, the electric bicycle battery has a plurality of battery cells, preferably 24 3.6 V battery cells. The battery cells are in particular interconnected such that 12 battery cells are arranged in series in two parallel strings. The battery cells are in particular cylindrical. The electric bicycle battery is in particular a battery with a supply voltage in the low-voltage range. The nominal voltage of the electric bicycle battery is in particular below 60 V and is preferably 43 V.

[0008] At least one activation sensor is also arranged within the battery housing to detect an activation action. An activation action within the meaning of the invention is an action that serves to "wake up" or activate the battery when it is detached from the bicycle. In particular, in this detached state, the battery is in a "deep sleep mode," in which it consumes little or no energy. Specific activation actions can—as described in more detail below—include turning, pivoting, or shaking the battery, or a specific touch, illumination, or heating of the housing. The respective activation action is detected by the designated activation sensor. After "waking up" or activation, the battery can display a current charge level and / or an error code. For this purpose, the battery has, in particular, a display unit, such as several LEDs.The advantage of an electric bicycle battery according to the invention is that the activation sensor is located only within the housing. No feedthroughs through the housing are required. The electric bicycle battery is push-button-free. Furthermore, the design freedom for the arrangement of the at least one battery cell within the housing, a control unit or circuit board within the housing, and the housing itself is significantly improved by the elimination of the push-button. Nevertheless, the battery can be activated while detached from the bicycle, and it is also possible to communicate with the battery "stand-alone," i.e., without an external control unit.

[0009] The activation sensor is arranged, in particular, on a circuit board located in the housing. In particular, the activation sensor is arranged on the circuit board for the battery management system.

[0010] In a practical embodiment of the electric bicycle battery according to the invention, the activation sensor comprises at least one acceleration sensor. A movement of the battery can be detected by means of the acceleration sensor and recognized as an activation action. Such an activation action to be detected by an acceleration sensor is, for example, the movement of the battery, in particular along a defined trajectory. An activation action can be the rotation of the battery by 45° around its own axis. Alternatively, the activation action can also be a shaking movement or another rotation or a combination of rotation and lateral movement. The activation sensor comprises, in particular, several acceleration sensors that detect the acceleration in all three spatial axes. A piezoelectric acceleration sensor or a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) serves as the acceleration sensor here.Such an acceleration sensor requires very little space.

[0011] In particular, three acceleration sensors, each aligned orthogonally to each other, can be combined in a so-called IMU (inertial measurement unit). From the measured values ​​recorded by the acceleration sensors, the linear velocity can be determined by integration after compensation for gravitational acceleration, and the position of the respective IMU relative to a reference point can be determined by further integration. In addition, three angular rate sensors can be provided. The integration of the three angular velocities determined by the angular rate sensors provides the orientation of the IMU (tilt) relative to a reference point.

[0012] Alternatively or in addition, the activation sensor can comprise an inductive sensor. An inductive sensor detects when a body part, such as a finger, approaches the activation sensor outside the housing. A fingerprint scanner can be used here, which further increases the security of the electric bike battery against theft.

[0013] The activation sensor can also be a light-sensitive sensor that reacts to lighting or shading.

[0014] An acoustic sensor is also conceivable, whereby a certain sound, such as clapping or a certain word, is detected, which leads to the electric bike battery being woken up.

[0015] In another practical embodiment of the electric bicycle battery according to the invention, the activation sensor is connected to the at least one battery cell and supplied with energy via it. The activation sensor then requires no additional power supply.

[0016] The electric bicycle battery has at least two operating modes, a first operating mode being a deep sleep mode and a second operating mode being a rest mode. The battery enters deep sleep mode when it is disconnected from the bicycle and not connected to a control unit and / or a power supply. In deep sleep mode, the battery consumes only minimal energy to operate its components. Rest mode (also known as idle SoC) is a mode that occurs after the battery has been woken up by an activation action and in which, for example, the charge level or an error code is displayed for a defined time interval.

[0017] The electric bicycle battery can also have a third operating mode, called shipping mode. Shipping mode can be activated for battery transport. Shipping mode is characterized by the fact that activation or waking from shipping mode is only possible by connecting an external control unit and / or external power supply. The activation sensor is deactivated, especially during shipping mode. Shipping mode is intended to prevent vibrations, rotations, or handling of the battery that occur during or are caused by transport from waking the battery and consuming additional energy.

[0018] The invention also relates to an electric bicycle with an electric bicycle battery as described above. An electric bicycle (also referred to as an e-bike or pedelec) has a drive unit for providing assistance during pedaling. The drive unit is supplied with power by the electric bicycle battery. As described above, the battery is removable from the electric bicycle and can be provided as a separate battery. In this state, the battery then enters a deep sleep mode.

[0019] The invention further relates to a method for operating an electric bicycle battery, in particular an electric bicycle battery as described above. Operation here means activating the battery, deactivating the battery, entering and waking from a deep sleep mode or possibly other modes, as well as reading a charge level indicator and / or an error code.

[0020] For this purpose, the electric bicycle battery is in a disassembled state, with the battery detached from the bicycle and having no contact with a control unit and / or an external power supply. The battery is in a deep sleep mode (first operating mode). An activation action is detected by at least one activation sensor. The electric bicycle battery, triggered by the activation action, is switched to a second operating mode, in which the electric bicycle battery displays a charge level and / or an error code. For this purpose, the electric bicycle battery has, in particular, various lighting devices.

[0021] As already described above, activation can occur even when the device is removed from the housing via an activation action detected by the activation sensor. The advantages of such an activation sensor located only inside the housing have already been described above. In particular, the activation action involves moving the electric bicycle battery. In particular, the battery is moved along a defined trajectory. The movement of the battery is recorded by the activation sensor. A trajectory can, for example, be a rotation of the battery by 45° around one of its axes. For activation, a rotation around a specific axis of the battery can be specified, or activation can also occur when rotation around one of the three spatial axes takes place.

[0022] As described above, the activation action can be a touch of a specific activation area. The activation can then be detected, in particular, by induction. Alternatively or additionally, the activation action can be the transmission of an acoustic signal and / or an optical signal.

[0023] In a practical embodiment of the method according to the invention, the electric bicycle battery displays the charge level and / or the error code for a defined period of time (particularly in sleep mode or idle SoC) and is subsequently switched back to the first operating mode, the deep sleep mode. The defined period of time is in particular a few seconds to minutes. In particular, the charge level and / or an error code can be displayed for a period of 10 seconds to 30 seconds. The transition to the first operating mode occurs automatically.

[0024] In addition, the electric bicycle battery can have an additional operating mode in the form of a shipping mode. The electric bicycle battery can only be switched out of this operating mode by connecting it to an external power supply and / or a control unit and / or by inserting it into the electric bicycle. Shipping mode cannot be ended by the activation actions described above.

[0025] Further practical embodiments and advantages are described below in conjunction with the figures. They show:

[0026] Fig. 1 an electric bicycle battery in a schematic representation,

[0027] Fig. 2 shows a flowchart for waking up an electric bicycle battery. Fig. 1 schematically shows an electric bicycle battery 10. The electric bicycle battery comprises a housing 12 in which at least one battery cell 14 is arranged. Furthermore, an activation sensor 16 for detecting an activation action is arranged within the housing 12.

[0028] In the present case, the activation sensor 16 comprises several acceleration sensors which detect an acceleration of the battery 10 in all three spatial directions.

[0029] The battery 10 is detached from an electric bicycle and is connected neither to a control unit nor to an external power supply. The battery 10 is in a first operating mode: a deep sleep mode. To awaken the battery 10 from the deep sleep mode, the embodiment shown here is rotated by at least 45° around an axis A with an activation action. This rotation is detected by the activation sensor 16, and the battery is awakened. A rotation around the longitudinal axis is shown here as an example. However, it is also conceivable that rotations around the vertical or transverse axis lead to an activation of the battery 10.

[0030] The method for operating such a battery 10 is explained below in connection with Fig. 2.

[0031] In step S1, it is first determined that the battery 10 has no contact with a control unit and an external power supply, and the battery 10 is put into a deep sleep mode in step S2.

[0032] If an activation action is detected by the activation sensor 16 in step S3 (Y), for example, a rotation of the battery 10 as described in connection with Fig. 1 (or, via inductive detection, the approach of a body part or an optical or acoustic signal), the battery 10 indicates a charge level in step S4. The battery 10 is then in a second operating state, a sleep mode.

[0033] If no activation action is detected in step S3 (N), the battery 10 remains in deep sleep mode. If it is determined in step S5 that the battery 10 has already been in sleep mode for a defined time interval (Y), the battery 10 is automatically switched back to deep sleep mode.

[0034] List of reference symbols

[0035] 10 electric bike battery (battery)

[0036] 12 Housing 14 Battery cell

[0037] 16 Activation sensor

Claims

Patent claims 1. Electric bicycle battery with a housing (12) and at least one battery cell (14) arranged inside the housing (12), characterized in that at least one activation sensor (16) for detecting an activation action is arranged inside the housing (12).

2. Electric bicycle battery according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the activation sensor (16) comprises at least one acceleration sensor.

3. Electric bicycle battery according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the activation sensor (16) comprises an inductive sensor, a light-sensitive sensor and / or an acoustic sensor.

4. Electric bicycle battery according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the activation sensor (16) is connected to the at least one battery cell (14) and is supplied with energy via the battery cell (14).

5. Electric bicycle battery according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electric bicycle battery (10) has at least two operating modes, wherein a first operating mode is a deep sleep mode and wherein a second operating mode is a rest mode.

6. Electric bicycle battery according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the electric bicycle battery (10) has a third operating mode, which is a shipping mode.

7. Electric bicycle with an electric bicycle battery (10) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 6. A method for operating an electric bicycle battery (10), characterized in that the electric bicycle battery (10) is in a removed state and is in a deep sleep mode, and wherein an activation action is detected by means of at least one activation sensor (16), and the electric bicycle battery (10), triggered by the activation action, is switched to a second operating mode in which the electric bicycle battery (10) displays a charge level and / or an error code. A method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the activation action is moving the electric bicycle battery (10). A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the activation action comprises touching a specific activation area, emitting an acoustic signal, and / or emitting an optical signal.A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electric bicycle battery (10) displays the state of charge and / or the error code for a defined period and is subsequently returned to deep sleep mode. A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electric bicycle battery (10) has a further operating mode in the form of a shipping mode and the electric bicycle battery (10) is switched out of this operating mode by means of a connection to an external power supply and / or a control unit and / or by being inserted into the electric bicycle.

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