Battery Pack Precharge Resistor Protection After Failed Charging Attempts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Precharge resistors in battery packs are prone to damage due to repeated failed precharging attempts, leading to potential failure and reduced lifespan.

Innovation Solution

Implement a penalty system using a processor to count penalty points based on precharge capacitor charging attempts, determining a limited state of the precharge resistor, and prevent further attempts if the resistor is in a limited state by operating a penalty timer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If repeated precharging attempts are made to ensure battery pack operation, then the reliability of battery pack startup is improved, but the precharge resistor may be damaged due to excessive current stress

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery pack startup reliabilityVSAvoidprecharge resistor durability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of precharging conditions before attempting to charge, and implements a penalty point system in advance that tracks failed attempts. This preliminary action prevents excessive current stress on the resistor by proactively identifying when further precharging attempts should be prevented, thus protecting the resistor while ensuring reliable battery pack startup when conditions are favorable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The penalty point system acts as an intermediary mechanism between the precharging control system and the precharge resistor. It mediates by accumulating penalty points for failed precharging attempts and triggering prevention of further attempts when the threshold is reached, thereby protecting the resistor from damage while maintaining system reliability through controlled precharging operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If precharging is attempted multiple times to accommodate failed charging scenarios, then the adaptability of the battery pack system is improved, but the precharge resistor temperature increases leading to potential failure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprecharging failure handling capabilityVSAvoidprecharge resistor temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback through the penalty point accumulation mechanism that monitors each precharging attempt's outcome. When precharging fails, penalty points are added and this feedback triggers prevention of further attempts when the threshold is reached, thereby controlling resistor temperature by limiting repeated high-current operations while maintaining adaptability through intelligent decision-making based on historical performance data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Prevents precharge resistor damage by temporarily inhibiting further charging attempts when the resistor is in a limited state, thereby extending its lifespan and ensuring reliable battery pack operation.

Implementation Method 1

a precharge capacitor electrically connected to two ends of a battery module provided in a battery pack and charged by receiving a precharge current from the battery module

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapacitance: Capacitance

Implementation Method 2

the more the number of times of being precharged, the higher the temperature, and in this case, the precharge resistor is damaged

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Data Source

PatentEP4586454A1Method and apparatus for protecting precharge resistor provided in battery pack
Publication Date: 2025.07.16 SAMSUNG SDI CO LTD
  • EP4586454A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4586454A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4586454A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method of protecting a precharge resistor provided in a battery pack, including attempting a first attempt to charge a precharge capacitor, the precharge capacitor being electrically connected to two ends of a battery module provided in the battery pack and charged by receiving a precharge current from the battery module, adding predetermined penalty points to a summed penalty point total based on a result of the first attempt to charge the precharge capacitor determining whether the precharge resistor is in a limited state based on the summed penalty point total, and preventing a second attempt to charge the precharge capacitor for a predetermined time if the precharge resistor is in the limited state.