A device for heating a vehicle battery

Abstract

The invention is a device (100) for heating a battery of vehicle. The battery is rectangular. The device comprises an elongated flexible and elastic body (107), a temperature sensor (112), and a heating arrangement inside the body. The body further comprises a first end part (117), a second end part (118), a first long side part (119), a second long side part (120) and a short side part (121 ). The heating arrangement comprises four heating elements (115a, 115b, 115c, 115d), and two heating elements are positioned in the first long side part and two heating elements are positioned in the second long side part, and there is a gap (128) between the heating elements in the same part. The device is configured in such a way that the body stretches over the battery corners when it is installed.

Description

[0001] A device for heating a vehicle battery

[0002] The invention relates to a device for heating a battery of a vehicle, and the battery comprises a rectangular frame comprising two long sides of the battery, two short sides of the battery, a top side of the battery and a bottom side of the battery, and the battery further comprises six cell departments, and the device comprises an elongated flexible body, a temperature sensor, a heating arrangement inside the body, and a connection arrangement for connecting the device to a power source, the device further comprises a first end of the device, a second end of the device, an upper side of the device and a lower side of the device.

[0003] BACKGROUND

[0004] Vehicles need a battery or batteries as a source of electricity, which batteries are generally charged during driving or externally, such as in vehicles running on electricity. The operation of the battery deteriorates as the temperature falls, which leads to a deteriorated charging capacity, and additionally it is less effective at giving and receiving current when cold. This is a problem in areas, where the temperature is during winter seasons significantly below the freezing point of water during long periods. This is especially problematic in electric and hybrid vehicles, where the electricity taken from the battery is used for moving the vehicle, which makes the use of electric vehicles more difficult in cold conditions. It is generally known in motor- driven vehicles that cold starting them in some cases in very low temperatures takes so much current from the battery that it would be necessary to drive the vehicle for almost an hour for the battery to regain the current it lost in the start-up. Over a short distance there is not time to regain this lost current, and the capacity of the battery slowly decreases. Additionally, the number of devices and systems consuming current in vehicles has grown and in cold conditions the charge level of the battery very easily falls. The battery cannot last long in cold conditions with such consumption. Sooner or later in such cases the battery empties and the vehicle does not start, even if the engine warmer has been on all night.

[0005] The above-described phenomenon occurs both in batteries, where the electrolyte is some liquid, such as in lead batteries, and in so-called dry batteries, such as lithium- ion batteries. Particularly lithium-ion batteries are especially sensitive to temperatures, for which they are not adapted. Too high and too low temperatures shorten the life of the lithium-ion battery and other types of batteries. Additionally, too low temperatures weaken both batteries’ current output capacity and its current intake capacity. In liquid batteries too high temperatures can even cause boiling of the battery liquid and too low temperatures freezing of the battery liquid, if the charge level of the battery falls too low.

[0006] Most standard car batteries contain six cells or cell departments that are situated in two rows (2 x 3) inside the plastic casing. The cell departments are physically separated from each other. One construction of cell contains a lead dioxide plate and a lead plate. The temperature of a cell determines how well it can deliver power and how easily or if at all it can be charged. The weakest cell in the pack can just be the hottest or coldest cell. Hence, it is important to control the cell temperature within limits and control the temperature gradients across a cell and across a pack. This is most prominent with truck batteries, i.e. heavy vehicles. These vehicles are, for example, buses, trucks, tractors, heavy duty vehicles and such.

[0007] Figures 1 a and 1 b show an example of a battery 101 suitable for heavy vehicles. These kind of batteries are mainly used for vehicles with combustion engines, but they can used for auxiliary batteries for electric vehicles. Figure 1 a shows the battery as seen from above and Figure 1 b shows the battery as seen from side.

[0008] The battery 101 comprises a rectangular frame comprising two long sides 102a, 102b of the battery, two short sides 103a, 103b of the battery, four comers 129 of the battery, a top side 104 of the battery and a bottom side 105 of the battery. The comers of the battery are connections between adjacent long and short sides. The comers are vertical in relation to the other parts of the battery. The battery further comprises six cell departments 106a, 106b, 106c, 106d, 106e, 106f, that are in two rows (2 x 3) inside the frame. The cell departments comprise two group of outer cell departments: a first group 106a, 106d and a second group 106c, 106f , and two middle cell departments 106b, 106e between said two outer cell department groups. It can be also defined that the battery comprises three cell departments on the long side of the battery, witch cell departments are middle department, and two outer cell departments. Between the cell departments inside the battery are vertical walls 127 separating the cell departments. In this embodiment, sizes of the cell departments are identical. In this embodiment, the top side of the battery forms a cover part for the battery, the cover part extends over the long sides and the short sides, i.e. area of the cover part is bigger than the area of the bottom side.

[0009] A battery heater is known from patent publication US 5994669, where a battery is installed into a box, which is open at the top, the walls of which have heating elements. These heating elements get their energy from external alternating current or from direct current obtained from another battery. The battery heater has a timer, with which the heater can be switched to a higher effect for some time, for example just before the battery is used. The described battery heater requires empty space around the battery, so that it can be placed in the engine space. Additionally, the battery heater presented in the publication requires opening the engine space to adjust the timer.

[0010] BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0011] The object of the invention is a solution that can significantly reduce the disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. In particular, the object of the invention is a heater for a car battery that is constructed in such a way that heating is fast and controlled.

[0012] The objects of the invention are attained with an arrangement that is characterised by what is stated in the independent patent claim. Some advantageous embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.

[0013] The invention is a device for heating a battery of vehicle. The battery is rectangular. The device comprises an elongated flexible and elastic body, a temperature sensor, and a heating arrangement inside the body. The body further comprises a first end part, a second end part, a first long side part, a second long side part and a short side part. The heating arrangement comprises four heating elements, and two heating elements are positioned in the first long side part and two heating elements are positioned in the second long side part, and there is a gap between the heating elements in the same part. The device is configured to be set around the battery in such a way that the side parts are positioned on corresponding sides of the batter. The device is configured in such a way that the body stretches over the battery comers when it is installed.

[0014] When reference is made in the text to the upper or the lower parts or respective directions such as front or rear, a situation is described in which the device according to the invention is in use, i.e. put on a battery, and the battery is in a normal using position.

[0015] In one embodiment of the invention is a device for heating a vehicle battery, and the battery comprises a rectangular frame comprising two long sides of the battery, two short sides of the battery, four corners of the battery, a top side of the battery and a bottom side of the battery, and the battery further comprises six cell departments. The device comprises an elongated at least partly flexible body, a temperature sensor, a heating arrangement inside the body, and a connection arrangement for connecting the device to a power source. The device further comprises a first end of the device, a second end of the device, and the body comprises a first layer and a second layer, and the heating arrangement is between the first layer and the second layer, and the second layer is configured to be towards the battery when the device is in use. The device further comprises a first end part of the body, a second end part of the body, a first long side part of the body, a second long side part of the body and a short side part of the body. The first end part comprise the first end of the device and the second end part comprise the second end of the device. The first long side part and the second long side part are between the end parts and the short side part is between the long side parts. In one advantageous embodiment of the invention, the body comprises four corner areas of the body, and the body is at least partly elastic material, and the heating arrangement comprises four heating elements, and two heating elements are positioned in the first long side part and two heating elements are positioned in the second long side part. The device is configured to be set around the battery in such a way that the first long side part is on the long side of the battery, the second long side part is on another long side of the battery, the short side part is on the short side of the battery, the first end part and the second end part are on another short side of the battery and the corner areas are around the comers of the battery. At least the corner areas between the long side parts and the short side part are elastic material, and there is a gap between the heating elements on one long side part.

[0016] In an embodiment of the device, at least two corner areas comprising elastic material are configured to be stretched when attaching the device around the battery.

[0017] In an embodiment of the device, the device comprises a second corner area and a third corner area, and the second corner area is between the first long side part and the short side part, and the third corner area is between the short side part and the second long side part, and at least the second corner area and the third corner are elastic.

[0018] In an embodiment of the device, the first end part of the body and the second end part of the body are configured to overlap when the device is set around the battery, and said end parts are positioned on the short side of the battery which is opposite to the short side of the battery where the short side part of the body is positioned when the device is in use.

[0019] In an embodiment of the device, the corner areas extend from one short side of the battery to one long side of the battery around the corner of the battery when the device is attached to the battery.

[0020] In an embodiment of the device, the device further comprises an attaching arrangement for attaching the device around the battery, and the attaching arrangement comprises two parts configured to attach each other for tightening the device in such a way that the corner areas between the long side parts and the short side part, i.e. the corner areas bordering the short side part, stretch.

[0021] Positioning the attaching arrangement on the opposite side of the battery than the temperature sensor and the connection arrangement (that are positioned on another short side part), significantly reduces the probability of damaging these parts when placing the device in place around the battery.

[0022] In an embodiment of the device, one attaching arrangement part comprises at least one buckle, and another attaching arrangement part comprises at least one strap, and the strap is fixed to the body in such a way that the strap has one free end and a free part, and the free part of the strap comprise a velcro type fastening arrangement, and the said free end is configured go through the buckle and then the strap is fastened using the velcro type fastening arrangement. This kind of attaching arrangement has been found very fast and reliable. The attaching of the device can be done even in ten seconds.

[0023] In an embodiment of the device, the body at the elastic corner areas between the long side parts and the short side part are thinner than the thickest part of the body at the long side parts. This feature improves the elasticity of the corner areas and thus guides the stretching in said corner areas.

[0024] In an embodiment of the device, the elastic corner areas extend across the body, i.e. from one edge of the body to another edge of the body.

[0025] In an embodiment of the device, the device for heating further comprises two overheating thermostats and there is one overheating thermostat on the first long side part and another overheating thermostat on the second first long side part, and the overheating thermostats are configured to detect temperatures of the middle cell departments, and the overheating thermostats are between the heating elements of one long side part of the body. The overheating thermostats improve the safety of the device by preventing overheating. The middle cell departments are most prone to the overheating in the event of a fault.

[0026] In an embodiment of the device, the overheating thermostats are closer to the upper side of the device than to the lower side of the device. The inventor has found that this is the most optimal position for the overheating thermostats.

[0027] In an embodiment of the device, the overheating thermostats are configured to detect if a predetermined temperature is exceeded and if this event is occurred, to send an overheat signal.

[0028] In an embodiment of the device, the battery comprises three cell departments on the long side of the battery, witch cell departments are middle department and two outer departments, and the heating elements are positioned in such a way that that one heating element covers at least part of the outer department and part of middle department when the device is in use. The inventor has found that the middle cell departments are heated fastest and thus they need less heating input.

[0029] In an embodiment of the device, the heating elements are positioned in such a way that that one heating element covers less the middle department than outer cell department.

[0030] In an embodiment of the device, the device comprises an electrical connector between the heating elements on one long side part extending over the gap, and length of the electrical connector is more than width of the gap. This feature prevents damage to the connectors if the body stretches between the heating elements when attaching the device. In some embodiments, the body in the gap is elastic.

[0031] In an embodiment of the device, the first layer comprises three first layer parts, and the first layer parts are separate objects before being attached to the second layer for forming the first layer, and the first layer parts each form one part of one of following: the first long side part of the body, the second long side part of the body and the short side part. This feature makes manufacturing the device easier and provides seams in the body that helps using the device.

[0032] In an embodiment of the device, the body comprises an insulation layer, and the insulation layer is configured to cover the first layer at least partly. This feature enhances the heating process and prevents unwanted heating of parts of motor that are near the battery. In an embodiment of the device, the insulation layer covers at least the first long side part of the body and the second long side part of the body. Improving insulation prevents heat leaks and thus saves energy.

[0033] In an embodiment of the device, the insulation layer comprises insulation layer parts, and the insulation layer parts are separate objects before being attached to the first layer for forming the insulation layer.

[0034] In an embodiment of the device, the insulation layer is silicone foam or other porous material.

[0035] In an embodiment of the device, the insulation layer on one long side part is configured to extend from one edge of the corner area to another edge of the corner area between the long side parts and the short side part are not covered by the insulation layer.

[0036] In an embodiment of the device, the insulation layer covering the long side parts comprises gaps, grooves or seams or similar shaping arrangement.

[0037] In an embodiment of the device, the shaping arrangement, such as gaps, grooves or seams, in the insulation layer are positioned over the gap between the heating elements on one long side part.

[0038] In an embodiment of the device, the first layer is configured to extend from the corner area between the first end part of the body and the first long side part of the body to the corner area between the second long side part and the second end part

[0039] In an embodiment of the device, height of the device, i.e. distance between the upper side of the device and the lower side of the device is height of the battery or the height of the device is at maximum 10% smaller than the height of the battery.

[0040] In an embodiment of the device, the temperature sensor is closer to the upper side of the device than to the lower side of the device, and in middle of the short side part. The inventor has found that this is the most optimal position for the temperature sensor

[0041] An advantage of the invention is that it can be used to improve use reliability of a vehicle in cold conditions. The invention can further be used to improve the life expectancy and operating reliability of a battery. The invention is especially beneficial for trucks and other heavy duty vehicle used in cold areas, but it can further be adapted for all kinds of vehicle batteries. An advantage of the invention is further that it can be used for producing a battery heater, that is simple and easy to install. The battery heater according to the invention further takes little space, whereby it can be installed also in batteries placed in tight spaces. With the battery heater according to the invention the production and installation costs can be made significantly lower than with previously known products.

[0042] An advantage is also that the battery heater according to the invention does not contain parts, which would require service or adjustment, which improves the comfort of use and reduces costs.

[0043] The invention further improves the safety of the battery heater by monitoring the temperature of the battery in a reliable way and by providing a battery heater, which has as few parts as possible, which reduces potentially dangerous fault situations. The safety of the device is also increased by the fact that all the components of the device can be closed inside the body of the device in a gas- and liquid-tight manner.

[0044] The operating costs of the invention are significantly less than the operating costs of the known device for heating batteries.

[0045] The device according to the invention provides a body that is configured to be stretchable when installing the device. Also, the device is configured in such a way that the stretching do not cause any harm to the internal hardware or possibilities for that are minimized.

[0046] DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FIGURES

[0047] In the following, the invention is described in detail. The description refers to the accompanying drawings, in which

[0048] Figure 1 a shows an example of a battery as seen from above,

[0049] Figure 1 b shows the battery of Figure 1 a as seen from side,

[0050] Figure 2 shows a device for heating a battery according to an embodiment,

[0051] Figure 3 shows the device of Figure 2 attached to the battery as seen from side,

[0052] Figure 4 shows the device of Figure 2 attached to the battery as seen from short side, Figure 5 shows a cross section of the device of Figure 2,

[0053] Figure 6 shows an exploded view of the device of Figure 2

[0054] Figure 7 shows the device of Figure 2 comprising a continuous first layer, and

[0055] Figure 8 shows the device of Figure 7 where the corner areas of the body and the electrical connectors are marked.

[0056] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] The embodiments in the following description are given as examples only. Though the description may refer to a certain embodiment or embodiments in several places, this does not mean that the reference would be directed towards only one described embodiment or that the described characteristic would be usable only in one described embodiment. The individual characteristics of two or more embodiments may be combined and new embodiments of the invention may thus be provided.

[0058] Figures 2 shows an example of a device 100 for heating a battery that is similar to the battery described in Figures 1 a and 1 b. The device is an elongated object that is essentially flat and thin. By thin it is meant here that the thickness of the device is small compared to other dimensions of the device such as height and length. Some parts of the device are transparent for making describing structure of the device clearer.

[0059] The device 100 comprises an elongated flexible body 107, a temperature sensor 112, a heating arrangement inside the body, and a connection arrangement 113 for connecting the device to a power source. The device further comprises a first end 108 of the device, a second end 109 of the device, an upper side 110 of the device and a lower side 111 of the device. The height of the device is distance between the upper side 110 of the device and the lower side 11 1 of the device. The length of the device is distance between the first end 108 of the device and the second end 109 of the device. The body is at least partly elastic, i.e. when stretched, it tries to return its original shape. The device 100 further comprises a first end part 117 of the body, a second end part 118 of the body, a first long side part 119 of the body, a second long side part 120 of the body and a short side part 121 of the body. The first end part comprise the first end 108 of the device and the second end part comprise the second end 109 of the device. The first long side part and the second long side part are between the end parts, and the short side part is between the long side parts. This means that order of said parts is (starting from left as seen in Figure 2) the first end part, the first long side part, the short side part, the second long side part, and the second end part. The heating arrangement comprises four heating elements 115a, 115b, 115c, 115d. Two heating elements are positioned in the first long side part, and other two heating elements are positioned in the second long side part. Between said pairs of heating elements is a gap 128. The heating elements are square like flat objects inside the body of the device. The heating arrangement and other means inside the device needs for functioning arrangements (such as wiring) that are inside the body, that are called internal hardware. The body is formed in such a way that the internal hardware is securely sealed inside the body. The internal hardware comprises two electrical connectors (not marked in Figure). One electrical connector is between the heating elements of one long side part and another electrical connector is between the heating elements of another long side part. The electrical connectors are parts of the system that distributes electricity to the internal hardware, such as the heating elements. The internal hardware is connected to a power source and an external control unit by the connection arrangement 113. For that purpose, the connection arrangement comprises parts that extend outside the body. For simplifying the structure and manufacturing of the device, the connection arrangement is positioned in the same short side part 212 as the temperature sensor.

[0060] The body 107 further comprises four corner areas 130. First corner area is between the first end part 117 of the body and the first long side part 119, second corner area is between the first long side part and the short side part 121 , third corner area is between the short side part and the second long side part 120, and fourth corner area is between the short side part and the second end part 118. The corner areas are vertical and they have a width. This means that they are rectangular areas extending across longitudinal axis of the body, i.e. from the upper side 110 of the device to lower side 111 of the device. The corner areas are configured to be set around the comers of the battery, when the device is in use. This means that the corner area extends from one part of the body to adjacent part of the body. The body is configured in such a way that at least the second corner area and the third corner area comprise elastic properties. This means that when the device is positioned around the battery and is tightened, at least the second corner area and the third corner area are stretched, i.e. the length of the body of the device increases. When the device is set and is ready to use, the stretched parts of the body return towards the original shape of the body. This helps installing the device, and makes the process faster than conventional methods. The gap 128 between the heating elements both protect the heating arrangement and allows also stretching the long side parts. Possible stretching of the long side parts occurs mainly in the gap area. In some embodiments, material of the gap area is elastic.

[0061] In some embodiments, the first long side part 119 of the body and the second long side part 120 of the body are slightly longer than corresponding long side of the battery, and the short side part 121 of the body is slightly longer than the short side 103a, 103b of the battery, and the first end part 117 of the body and the second end part 118 of the body are shorter than another short side of the battery. In some embodiments, this help stretching the device when attaching it around the battery.

[0062] The battery is configured in such a way that it comprises three cell departments on the long side of the battery, witch cell departments are middle cell department, and two outer cell departments, and the heating elements are positioned in such a way that one heating element of one long side part covers less the middle cell department than outer the cell department. In some embodiments, one heating element of one long side part covers significantly less the middle cell department than outer the cell department. By significant here is meant that area of the heating element covering the middle cell department is 33% of the total area of the heating element. This means that one heating element extends from one outer cell department to the middle cell department when the device is in use. There heating elements are positioned in such a way that the gap 128 is clear, i.e. there is distinct distance between the heating elements.

[0063] The temperature sensor 112 is positioned in the short side part 121 . In this embodiment, the connection arrangement 113 is also positioned in the short side part. The device 100 is configured to be set around the battery in such a way that the first long side part 119 is on the long side of the battery, the second long side part 120 is on another long side of the battery (i.e. opposing side), the short side 121 is on the short side of the battery, and the first end part 117 and the second end part 118 are on another short side of the battery. In this embodiment, the first end part 117 of the body and the second end part 118 of the body are configured to overlap when the device is set around the battery and said end parts are positioned on the short side of the battery which is opposite to the short side of the battery where the short side part 121 of the body is positioned when the device is in use (i.e. wrapped around the battery). The corner areas 130 are configured to extend around the corner of the battery.

[0064] The device 100 further comprises an attaching arrangement 116a, 116b on opposing ends (or near them) of the device for attaching the device (the body of the device) around the battery 101 , and the attaching arrangement comprises two parts configured to attach each other for tightening the device. In this embodiment, one attaching arrangement part 116a comprises at least one buckle 122, and another attaching arrangement part 116b comprises at least one strap 123. The strap or straps are fixed to the body 107 in such a way that the strap has one free end and a free part, and the free part of the strap comprise a velcro type fastening arrangement, and the said free end is configured go through the buckle and then the strap is fastened using the velcro type fastening arrangement. Using the attaching arrangement stretch at least the corner areas 130 between the long side parts 119, 120 and the short side part 121 , i.e. the corner areas bordering the short side part.

[0065] In this embodiment, the device 100 further comprises two overheating thermostats 114a, 114b. There is one overheating thermostat on the first long side part 119 and another overheating thermostat on the second first long side part 120. The overheating thermostats are configured to detect temperatures of the middle cell departments. The overheating thermostats are positioned in such a way that they are between the heating elements of one long side part of the body, i.e. in the gap 128. Furthermore, the overheating thermostats are closer to the upper side 110 of the device than to the lower side 111 of the device. This means that the overheating thermostats are, when the device is in use, above the horizontal middle line of the middle cell departments. This have been found to be an optimal position for observing possible overheating of the battery. The overheating thermostats are configured to detect if a predetermined temperature is exceeded and if this event is occurred, to send an overheat signal to an external battery heater control unit. In some embodiments, the device comprise some arrangement to stop heating when the overheat signal is detected. Advantageously, the overheating thermostat is positioned in such a way that that distances to the surrounding heating elements are equal.

[0066] The temperature sensor 112 is in middle of the short side part 121 . The temperature sensor 112 is also closer to the upper side 110 of the device than to the lower side detected temperature is used for controlling behaviour of the device, i.e. keeping the battery in a predetermined temperature of a temperature range. These can be varied depending on, for example, external temperature, charge of the battery or other conditions. The temperature is sent to the external battery heater control unit, which controls heating processes of the device. In this embodiment, the connection arrangement 113 is positioned in same area as the temperature sensor. The connection arrangement comprises adapters, connectors and such for connecting the device to the power source and the external battery heater control unit. In some embodiments, the device comprises some circuits or similar for internal automatic control, for example preventing the battery overheating.

[0067] Figure 3 shows an example of the device 100 when it is set around a battery 101 . The battery is similar as was described in Figures 1 a and 1 b and it is seen from side. The battery comprises a top side 104, a bottom side 105, short sides 103a, 103b and a long side 102a. Another long side is not seen. Corners of the battery are not marked in this Figure. Inside the battery is six cell departments. The long sides and the short sides of the battery are in this Figure covered by the body of the device. Three cell departments are positioned behind the long side 102a. These cell departments are two outer cell departments 106d, 106f and a middle cell department 106e between outer cell departments.

[0068] The body 107 of the device is wrapped around the battery 101 and tightened in its place by the attaching arrangement (not visible in Figure 3) in such a way that the first long side part 119 of the body covers the long side 102a of the battery. When the device attached in its place, the end parts (first end part of the body and the second part of the body) overlap at least partly. In this embodiment, the device is configured in such a way that sides of the body extend from the bottom side 105 to the top side 104. Because in this embodiment the top side forms a collar type structure on upper side of the battery and edges of the collar extends over the vertical (when the battery is in a use position) sides of the battery, the upper side of the device extends to the collar. In some embodiments, the height of the device (the distance between the upper side of the device and the lower side of the device) is at maximum 10% smaller than the height of the battery.

[0069] The heating elements 115a, 115b are positioned inside the body of the device in such a way that edges of heating elements do not extend to the upper or lower side of the device. This means that height of the heating element is less than the height of the device. The device 100 is configured in such a way that there is two separated heating elements on both long sides of the battery when the device is in use. This counterintuitively provides an effect that the battery 101 , and more specifically, the cell departments inside the battery are heated evenly, i.e. temperatures of the cell departments are practically same or differ inside a temperature range that is significantly smaller than temperature ranges in batteries heated with conventional devices. This effect is enhanced by positioning the heating elements of one long side part of the body (the first long side part 119 of the body or the second long side part of the body) that one heating element covers both the outer cell department and the middle cell department, and more specifically, that the heating element covers less the middle cell department than the outer cell department. In some embodiments, this covering can be described being significantly less. In one embodiment, surface area of either heating element covering one outer cell department 106d, 106f is larger than combined surface areas of both heating elements covering the middle cell department 106e.

[0070] The overheating thermostat 114a is positioned between two heating elements 115a, 115b. Distances between the overheating thermostat and heating elements are equal.

[0071] Figure 4 shows the device 100 set around the battery 101. The setup is same as in Figure 3 but now the short side part of the body 121 covering the short side of the battery 103b is shown. On this short side the battery comprises two outer cell departments 106f , 106c. The border areas 130 cover the comers of the battery. The temperature sensor 112 is positioned on a border line between said cell departments. In that case the measured temperature best corresponds to the overall temperature of the battery. In this embodiment, the connecting arrangement 113 is in vicinity of the temperature sensor. This makes the structure of the body of the device slightly easier to manufacture. In some embodiments, the connecting arrangement is placed differently. This is, for example, due to the motor space of a vehicle where the battery is positioned.

[0072] Figure 5 shows a cross section of the device 100 and more specifically the body 107 of the device. The cross section is made to the first long side part of the body 119 in such a way that one heating element 115b is shown. The heating element is positioned between the upper side 110 and the lower side 111 in such a way that there is a clear distance between sides of the heating element and the sides of the device.

[0073] The body 107 comprises two parts: a first layer 125 and a second layer 126. The heating element 115b is between said layers. Also, the overheating thermostats and the temperature sensor between said layers. Similarly wiring and other equipment (internal hardware parts) are placed there. The device is configured in such a way that the second layer is towards the battery when the device is in use. The first layer and the second layer are same material. In some embodiments, the material is silicone based. In some embodiments, the material comprises fiberglass for reinforcement purposes.

[0074] In this embodiment, the body 107 comprises an insulation layer 124. The insulation layer is placed on an outer surface of the first layer 125. The material of the insulation layer is such that thermal conductivity is less than thermal conductivity of the first and second layers. In some embodiments, the material of the insulation layer is silicone foam or other porous material. Using silicone based material in the insulation layer simplifies fixing the insulation layer to the first layer if the material of the first layer is also silicone based. The insulation layer is for preventing heat transferring outwards. Also, this prevents unnecessary heating of nearby motor parts when the device is in use in a vehicle comprising a heated battery. The insulation layers are used for covering at least the heating arrangements, i.e. the long side parts of the body. In some embodiments, the short side part of the body and / or the end part of the body are covered at least partially by the insulation layer.

[0075] Figure 5 shows an exploded view of the device 100. The device comprises the body 107, and the body comprises the first end part 117 of the body, the second end part 118 of the body, the first long side part 119 of the body, the second long side part 120 of the body and the short side part 121 of the body. The device further comprises the temperature sensor 112, two overheat thermostats 114a, 144b and the heating arrangement comprising four heating elements 115a, 115b, 115c, 115d. The device also comprises the connecting arrangement 113. The body comprises the first layer 125 and the second layer 126. The temperature sensor, the overheat thermostats, the heating elements and the wiring between these hardware parts are between the first layer and the second layer. In this embodiment, the first layer covers the first long side part 119 of the body, the second long side part 120 of the body and the short side part 121 of the body.

[0076] In this embodiment, the body 107 comprises the insulation layer 124. The insulation layer forms parts of the first long side part 119 of the body, the short side part 121 of the body, and the second long side part 120 of the body. The insulation layer covers said parts of the body, and it is attached to the first layer 125. In this embodiment, the insulation layer does not cover the first end part 117 of the body and the second end part 118 of the body. Because the end parts are overlapping, the insulation is sufficient also in the battery areas the end parts are covering.

[0077] For allowing connections between the wiring and the connection arrangement 113 the first layer 125 and the insulation layer 124 comprise holes, slits or similar arrangements.

[0078] In this embodiment, for making manufacturing and at the same time installation processes easier the first layer 125 comprises three parts 125a, 125b, 125c and the insulation layer 124 comprises three parts 124a, 124b, 124c. These parts are separate before attaching the layers together for forming the body 107 of the device. In this process the first layer parts are fixed to the second layer in such a way that the internal hardware parts are between the thus formed first layer and the second layer. The first layer and the second layer encapsulate the internal hardware between them. The first layer parts form together a continuous layer i.e. the first layer. Each first layer part corresponds to the body parts of the second layer. The first layer parts are approximately same size as the body parts of the second layer they are positioned over. The insulation layer parts are dimensioned similarly and they are fixed over the first layer parts. In this embodiment, one part of the second layer, one first layer part and one insulation part form the first long side part 119 of the body. Another part of the second layer, another first layer part and another insulation part form the short side part 121 of the body. The second long side part 120 of the body is formed similarly from one part of the second layer and corresponding first layer part and insulation part.

[0079] In this embodiment, the first layer 125 extends from a border between the first end part of the body 117 and the first long side part 119 of the body (i.e. the corner area) to a border between the second end part of the body 118 and the second long side part 120 (another corner area). Also, in this embodiment, the insulation layer 124 extends correspondingly.

[0080] Although the first layer parts 125a, 125b, 125c are connected together there are seams in the first layer 125 between the first layer parts. This means that the seams are in the corner areas. These seams helps when the device 100 is bended around the battery. The body 107 is configured in such a way that the seams coincide with the corners of the battery when the device is in use, i.e. set around the battery. The body 107 folds better at the seams and thus the installation of the device is easier. In some embodiments, there are similar seam between the insulation layer parts 124a, 124b, 124c. In some embodiments, the insulation layer parts are not connected together but they are slightly separated from each other. This makes folding the body around the battery even easier. Also, the stretching effect of the corner areas is improved and guided to them.

[0081] Figure 7 shows similar exploded view of the device 100 as Figure 6. In this embodiment, the first layer 125 is a continuous part, i.e. it is a one piece. The first layer is configured to extend from the corner area between the first end part of the body and the first long side part of the body to the corner area between the second long side part and the second end part.

[0082] Figure 8 shows similar exploded view of the device 100 as Figure 7. Between the first layer 125 and the second layer 126 are four heating elements 115a, 115b, 115c, 115d. Between adjacent elements is the electrical connector 131. This means that the electrical connector is in the gap between the heating elements. The electrical connector is longer than the width of the gap.

[0083] Between the parts of the body are four corner areas 130. In this embodiment, the device 100, and more specifically, the body of the device is configured in a such way that body in the corner areas is thinner than the thickest part of the body at the long side parts. This guides the stretching to the corner areas, and especially to the corner areas between the long side parts and the short side part, i.e. the corner areas bordering the short side part. This effect can be enhanced by positioning the insulation layer parts in such a way that they form gaps over the corner areas (Figures 6, 7 and 8). This feature is produced by the heating elements 115a, 115b, 115c, 115d that are in the long side parts between the first layer 125 and the second layer 126.

[0084] In this Figure also is presented an embodiment where the insulation layer 125 comprises some shapings such as gaps, grooves or seams or similar shaping arrangement 132. These shaping arrangements are positioned in the long side parts. These are configured to make the body of the device be thinner than other parts of the body of the long side part. When the device 100 is installed around the battery the stretching is, in addition to the corner areas, may be happen in those shaping arrangements, when the device is tightened. The shaping arrangements are positioned in such a way that the stretching positions are controlled, i.e. the stretching is happening in known areas. This is used for preventing uncontrollable stretching and thus the internal hardware is protected. One advantageous area where those shaping arrangements are positioned is over the gap between the heating elements. Here are given some examples of the shaping arrangements 132 and how they are formed. The gaps may be formed by having the insulation layer 125 comprising several parts that are configured to cover one long side part. The gap in the insulation layer are positioned over the gaps between the heating elements 115a, 115b, 115c, 115d. The slits may be formed similarly, but the parts of the insulation layer are in connection but not fixed to each other. The grooves are formed by removing some part of the insulation layer. These shaping arrangements are vertical when the device 100 is in use.

[0085] Some advantageous embodiments of the device for heating according to the invention have been described above. The invention is however not limited to the embodiments described above, but the inventive idea can be applied in numerous ways within the scope of the claims.

[0086] Reference numbers

[0087] Device 100

[0088] Battery 101

[0089] Long side of the battery 102a, 102b

[0090] Short side of the battery 103a, 103b

[0091] Top side of the battery 104

[0092] Bottom side of the battery 105

[0093] Cell departments of the battery 106a, 106b, 106c, 106d, 106e, 106f

[0094] Body of the device 107

[0095] First end of the device 108

[0096] Second end of the device 109

[0097] Upper side of the device 110

[0098] Lower side of the device 111

[0099] Temperature sensor 112

[0100] Connecting arrangement 113

[0101] Overheating thermostat 114a, 114b

[0102] Heating element 115a, 115b, 115c, 115d

[0103] Attaching arrangement 116a, 116b

[0104] First end part of the body 117

[0105] Second end part of the body 118

[0106] First long side part of the body 119

[0107] Second long side part of the body 120

[0108] Short side part of the body 121

[0109] Buckle 122

[0110] Strap 123

[0111] Insulation layer 124, 124a, 124b, 124c

[0112] First layer 125, 125a, 125b, 125c

[0113] Second layer 126

[0114] Wall 127

[0115] Gap 128

[0116] Corner of the battery 129

[0117] Corner area of the body 130

[0118] Electrical connector 131

[0119] Shaping arrangement 132

Claims

Patent claims1 . A device (100) for heating a vehicle battery (101 ), and the battery comprises a rectangular frame comprising two long sides (102a, 102b) of the battery, two short sides (103a, 103b) of the battery, four comers (129) of the battery, a top side (104) of the battery and a bottom side (105) of the battery, and the battery further comprises six cell departments (106a, 106b, 106c, 106d, 106e, 106f), and the device comprises an elongated at least partly flexible body (107), a heating arrangement inside the body, and a connection arrangement (113) for connecting the device to a power source, the device further comprises a first end (108) of the device, a second end (109) of the device, and the body comprises a first layer (125, 125a, 125b, 125c) and a second layer (126), and the heating arrangement is between the first layer and the second layer, and the second layer is configured to be towards the battery when the device is in use, and the device further comprises a first end part (117) of the body, a second end part (118) of the body, a first long side part (119) of the body, a second long side part (120) of the body and a short side part (121 ) of the body, and the first end part comprise the first end of the device and the second end part comprise the second end of the device, and the first long side part and the second long side part are between the end parts and the short side part is between the long side parts, characterised in that the body comprises four corner areas (130) of the body, and the body is at least partly elastic material, and the heating arrangement comprises four heating elements (115a, 115b, 115c, 115d), and two heating elements are positioned in the first long side part and two heating elements are positioned in the second long side part, and the device is configured to be set around the battery in such a way that the first long side part is on the long side of the battery, the second long side part is on another long side of the battery, the short side part is on the short side of the battery, the first end part and the second end part are on another short side of the battery, and the corner areas are around the comers of the battery, and at least_corner areas between the long side parts and the short side part are elastic material, and there is a gap (128) between the heating elements on one long side part.

2. The device (100) according to claim 1 , characterised in that at least two corner areas (130) comprising elastic material are configured to be stretched when attaching the device around the battery (101 ).

3. The device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the device comprises a second corner area and a third corner area, and the second corner area is between the first long side part (119) and the short side part (121 ), and the third corner area is between the short side part and the second long side part (120), and at least the second corner area and the third corner are elastic.

4. The device (100) according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the first end part (117) of the body and the second end part (118) of the body are configured to overlap when the device is set around the battery (101 ), and said end parts are positioned on the short side of the battery (103a, 103b) which is opposite to the short side of the battery where the short side part (121 ) of the body is positioned when the device is in use.

5. The device (100) according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the corner areas (130) extend from one short side (103a, 103b) of the battery to one long side (102a, 102b) of the battery around the corner (129) of the battery when the device is attached to the battery (101 ).

6. The device (100) according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the device further comprises an attaching arrangement (116a, 116b) for attaching the device around the battery (101 ), and the attaching arrangement comprises two parts (122, 123) configured to attach each other for tightening the device in such a way that the corner areas (130) between the long side parts (119, 120) and the short side part (121 ), i.e. the corner areas bordering the short side part, stretch.

7. The device (100) according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the body at the elastic corner areas (130) between the long side parts (119, 120) and the short side (121 ) part are thinner than the thickest part of the body (107) at the long side parts.

8. The device (100) according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the elastic corner areas (130) extend across the body (107).

9. The device (100) according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the device further comprises two overheating thermostats (114a, 114b) and there is one overheating thermostat on the first long side part (119) and another overheating thermostat on the second first long side part (120), and the overheating thermostats are configured to detect temperatures of the middle cell departments (106b, 106e), and the overheating thermostats (114a, 114b) are between the heating elements (115a, 115b, 115c, 115d).

10. The device (100) according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the battery (101 ) comprises three cell departments (106a, 106b, 106c, 106d, 106e, 106f) on the long side (102a, 102b) of the battery, witch cell departments are middle department (106b, 106e) and two outer departments (106a, 106c, 106d, 106f), and the heating elements (115a, 115b, 115c, 115d) are positioned in such a way that that one heating element covers at least part of the outer department and part of middle department when the device is in use.11 . The device (100) according to claim 10, characterised in that the heating elements (115a, 115b, 115c, 115d) are positioned in such a way that that one heating element covers less the middle department (106b, 106e) than outer cell department (106a, 106c, 106d, 106f).

12. The device (100) according to any of claims 1 to 11 , characterised in that the device comprises an electrical connector (131 ) between the heating elements (115a, 115b, 115c, 115d) on one long side part (119, 120) extending over the gap (128), and length of the electrical connector is more than width of the gap (128).

13. The device (100) according to any of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that the body (107) comprises an insulation layer (124), and the insulation layer is configured to cover the first layer (125, 125a, 125b, 125c) at least partly.

14. The device (100) according to claim 13, characterised in that the insulation layer covers at least partly the first long side part (119) of the body and the second long side part (120) of the body.

15. The device (100) according to claim 13 or 14, characterised in that the insulation layer (124) comprises insulation layer parts (124a, 124b, 124c), and the insulation layer parts are separate objects before being attached to the first layer for forming the insulation layer.

16. The device (100) according to any of claims 13 to 15, characterised in that the insulation layer (124) on one long side part (119, 120) is configured to extend from one edge of the corner area (130) to another edge of the corner area between the long side parts and the short side parts are not covered by the insulation layer (124).

17. The device (100) according to any of claims 13 to 16, characterised in that the insulation layer (124) covering the long side parts (119, 120) comprises gaps, grooves, seams or similar shaping arrangement (132).

18. The device (100) according to claim 17, characterised in that the shaping arrangement (132) in the insulation layer (124) are positioned over the gap (128) between the heating elements on one long side part.

19. The device (100) according to any of claims 1 to 18, characterised in that the first layer (125, 125a, 125b, 125c) is configured to extend from the corner area (130) between the first end part (117) of the body and the first long side part (119) of the body to the corner area between the second long side part (120) and the second end part (118).

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