Invented by Mark S. Olsson, Alexander L. Warren, David A. Cox, Joseph B. Phaneuf, Paul G. Stuart, Seescan Inc

The market for modular battery pack apparatus, systems, and methods has been growing rapidly in recent years. This is due to the increasing demand for energy storage solutions that can be customized to meet the specific needs of different applications. Modular battery packs offer a flexible and scalable solution that can be easily adapted to different power requirements, making them ideal for a wide range of industries. One of the key drivers of the modular battery pack market is the growth of the electric vehicle (EV) industry. As more and more consumers switch to electric cars, the demand for high-performance battery packs is increasing. Modular battery packs offer a cost-effective and efficient solution for EV manufacturers, allowing them to customize the battery pack to meet the specific needs of their vehicles. Another key driver of the market is the growth of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. These sources of energy are intermittent, meaning that they are not always available when needed. Battery storage systems can help to smooth out the fluctuations in energy supply, ensuring a steady and reliable source of power. Modular battery packs are particularly well-suited to this application, as they can be easily scaled up or down depending on the size of the renewable energy system. The modular battery pack market is also being driven by the increasing demand for energy storage solutions in the data center industry. Data centers require a reliable and uninterrupted source of power to keep their servers running 24/7. Battery storage systems can provide backup power in the event of a power outage, ensuring that critical data is not lost. Modular battery packs are ideal for this application, as they can be easily integrated into existing data center infrastructure. In addition to these key drivers, the modular battery pack market is also being fueled by advances in battery technology. New materials and manufacturing processes are making batteries more efficient, durable, and cost-effective. This is leading to the development of new and innovative battery pack designs that are more modular and customizable than ever before. Overall, the market for modular battery pack apparatus, systems, and methods is expected to continue growing in the coming years. As the demand for energy storage solutions continues to increase, modular battery packs will play an increasingly important role in meeting the needs of a wide range of industries. With their flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness, modular battery packs are poised to become a key technology in the transition to a more sustainable and reliable energy future.

The Seescan Inc invention works as follows

The disclosure includes modular sealed battery packs that provide enhanced performance, safety, and features along with associated apparatuses, systems, methods, and devices for monitoring and controlling the operation and use such battery packs, coupled devices, and systems.

Background for Modular Battery Pack Apparatus, Systems, and Methods

The competition to develop new or improved portable electronic devices for consumer and industrial use continues to grow. Batteries with higher densities are therefore in high demand. They can be used for longer periods of time or have higher power output. In certain applications, it’s both desirable and required to run an electronic device in remote locations, without access to AC power sources, such as generators or inverters. “The inherent variability and unpredictability of conditions in remote environments such as changes in humidity, temperature, or precipitation during operation, storage, or use of batteries creates additional challenges for battery pack performance and security.

Detachable batteries are a common way to power portable devices. Batteries used in portable electronic devices are often rechargeable Lithium ion based batteries, like Lithium ion polymer batteries (also called Li-Poly or LiPo). Lithium-ion battery cells work well for high-capacity applications. However, as the energy density of the cells increases, so does the amount heat released exothermically when the cells are discharged. If the heat produced within the batteries cells is greater than the heat that is lost to the atmosphere, then the risks of fire, explosion and hazardous decomposition products increase. The same is true if you expose such a system at high temperatures. Heat dissipation is a major challenge for high-energy density battery packs.

While various approaches for regulating the internal temperature in battery packs are well-known in the art of the invention, these approaches can lead to a decrease in performance, or an increase in battery volume, manufacturing costs, and/or energy requirements. Some battery packs, for example, rely on temperature feedback shut-off controls to regulate the temperature inside the battery pack. If the internal battery temperature exceeds the recommended operating temperatures, the output power supply will be automatically adjusted or the circuit simply shut off.

Existing battery packs can also use forced air or liquid cooling systems to lower the internal temperature of battery packs. To dissipate the heat generated by battery cells, fans or pumps can be used. This approach, however, adds to the volume of the battery pack and increases manufacturing costs. It also requires energy for operation. Some unsealed batteries have safety vents or valves that release heat and/or pressurized, but these battery packs cannot be stored in humid environments. “If a conventional battery pack is unable to dissipate excess heat quickly enough, no secondary safety measures are in place to prevent catastrophic failure.

In order to solve the problems described above, as well as others, it is necessary that the art address them.

The present disclosure is a general description of a modular battery pack and its associated systems as well as the methods for manufacturing and using this apparatus.

In one aspect, this disclosure is about a battery enclosure. The battery enclosure can include an outer casing assembly, for instance. The battery enclosure can also include a structural housing element that is thermally conductive. The thermally-conductive structural housing component may be configured to accommodate a battery assembly within an interior volume. The thermally-conductive structural housing component may include an aperture for placing the battery assembly in the interior volume. The battery enclosure can include a lid. The lid element can be configured to cover an opening in the structurally thermally conductive housing element. The lid element can be designed to strengthen the thermally-conductive structural housing. The lid element can include a circuit component disposed to electrically connect the battery cell with a battery powered device. The thermally structured housing and/or lid element can include a vent assembly to allow gas exchange into and out of the interior volume, while restricting water entry. The battery enclosure can also include one or multiple memories, and one or several processing elements that are coupled to one or many memories. The battery enclosure can also include software, firmware or other encoded instructions that are executed on the processing element to measure, monitor and control battery operation information and/or coupled devices operational information. Memory may be configured to store instructions/code for the battery or coupled devices.

The disclosure also relates, in another aspect, to a battery assembly. The battery system may include, for instance, a receiver and a sealed assembly that is configured to connect to receiver assembly. The sealed battery may include a casing with a sealing element to seal contacts between the outer casing and receiver assemblies, a thermally-conductive structural element to house the battery in an interior volume. This thermally-conductive structural element includes an opening to place the battery in the inner volume. A lid element is used to cover this opening and to mechanically reinforce the thermally-conductive structural element.

The disclosure also relates in another aspect to a intelligent (Lucid), battery pack. The battery pack can include, for instance, a lithium-ion battery, an electronic component electrically connected to the battery, which is able to determine the state of the battery, and a housing unit that encloses the battery and electronic element. The housing assembly can include a release-latch assembly that is designed to mechanically remove the battery pack from the connected device, and begin determining the battery condition or state.

The disclosure also relates to the operation and use of the battery apparatus described above alone or with other devices.

In another aspect, this disclosure is about processor-readable media that include instructions to cause a processing element implement the methods of operating and using the battery apparatus described above.

The disclosure also relates to peripherals such as tools, instruments and chargers.

The following description of additional features and functions is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Overview

The present disclosure is generally concerned with modular battery pack systems and apparatuses, and methods of making and using these systems and apparatuses. The present disclosure can be embodied in various ways to provide a modular system and battery pack with improved performance and safety.

For instance, one aspect of the disclosure is a battery enclosure. Battery enclosures may include an outer casing assembly, for instance. The battery enclosure can also include a structural housing element that is thermally conductive. The thermally-conductive structural housing component may be configured to accommodate a battery assembly within an interior volume. The thermally-conductive structural housing component may include an aperture for placing the battery assembly in the interior volume. The battery enclosure can include a lid. The lid element can be configured to cover an opening in the structurally thermally conductive housing element. The lid element can be designed to strengthen the thermally-conductive structural housing. The lid element can include a circuit component disposed to electrically connect the battery cell with a battery powered device. The thermally structured housing and/or lid element can include a vent assembly to allow gas exchange into and out of the interior volume, while preventing water from entering the interior volume. The battery enclosure can also include one or multiple memories, and one or several processing elements that are coupled to one or many memories. The battery enclosure can also include software, firmware or other encoded instructions that are executed on the processing element to measure, monitor and control battery operation information and/or coupled devices operational information. Memory may be configured to store instructions/code for the battery or coupled devices.

The thermally-conductive structural housing component may, for instance, include a metal. The thermally-conductive structural housing component may be manufactured as a cast and/or machined piece. Aluminum or aluminum alloys are acceptable metals. Metals can be made of copper or copper alloys. The metal can be zinc or zinc alloy. Metals can be other metals or combinations of metals. A flame retardant material may be used in the thermally conductive housing element. The thermally-conductive structural housing component may include multiple heat dissipation blades. The thermally-conductive structural housing component may include one of more apertures that allow light to pass through the interior volume. “One or more LEDs, or other optical or acoustic components may be disposed in the one or two apertures to provide output.

The battery enclosure can include, for instance, a sealant element. The sealing element can be placed between the thermally-conductive structural housing and the lid to create a waterproof seal for the interior volume. The sealing element can include a layer of foam. The sealing element can include an O-ring. “One or more additional seal elements can be used to seal additional volumes inside the battery enclosure.

The lid component may, for instance, include a circuit assembly. Circuit assemblies can be printed circuit board (PCB), or any other type of circuit assembly. The lid element can include a PCB outer layer and a metal interior layer. The lid assembly can include a metal-clad printed circuit (MCPCB). A flame retardant material may be used on the PCB’s exterior layer. The flame retardant can be fiberglass reinforced epoxy laminate (FR4), or another flame retardant. The PCB can include a surface-mount connector to connect the circuit assembly and battery assembly. The PCB can include one or multiple contact assemblies that are disposed to electrically connect the battery assembly with the battery-powered devices. One or more of the contact assemblies can be configured to clean or wipe the contact surface during the connection to the battery-powered devices in order to maintain or enhance electrical conductivity. One or more contact assembly may have four contact assemblies. One or more contact assembly may include multiple contact assemblies. A first subset may be configured for an electrical power connection to be made between the device powered by the battery and the assembly. And a second set may be configured for a data link between the device powered by the battery and the assembly.

The PCB can include, for instance, one or two processing elements, and one or two memories. The PCB can also include one or several communication elements, as well as one or multiple battery measurement, monitoring and control elements. A battery control element may be included on the PCB. This electronic circuit is configured to provide information about a state of a battery assembly and/or its operating condition, coupled device status and/or the coupled device’s operating condition. The PCB memory can store data related to the battery, coupled device, or another device. The PCB memory can store instructions/code to be executed on the battery or on a coupled devices. The PCB memory can include code/instructions to be executed on the processing element in order to receive and/or transfer code/instructions or data between a battery and a connected device. The PCB memory can include code/instructions that are executed on the processing element to monitor and/or control battery operation, and/or measure battery operating conditions or coupled device operating condition. The PCB memory can include code/instructions that are executed on the processing element to verify code/instruction upgrades. Battery assembly state can be the battery element’s charge or discharge. Battery assembly state can be the number of cycles that the battery has been charged and discharged. Battery assembly state can be current, voltage and/or power condition, or a range of conditions. The battery assembly status can be represented by a date/time. The battery assembly condition can be determined by a number of factors, including temperature, pressure, humidity, impacts, and other environmental conditions.

The battery enclosure can include switch elements, for instance. The switch element can be coupled with the battery control element. The switch may provide information on the battery’s condition such as its charge or discharge status, number of cycles and/or any other relevant data. The switch can be activated manually by the user or automatically when docked with another device, such as a charger, tool, instrument or other device. Battery control elements may contain an electronic circuit that controls an operating function for the battery assembly. The battery control element may include an electronic circuit configured to control the operating function of the battery assembly.

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