Abstract: The present disclosure includes a system having a battery module, where the battery module includes a housing having a top side, a lateral side, and an edge extending along and between the top side and the lateral side. The battery module also includes electrochemical cells disposed in the housing, and a heat sink disposed on the lateral side of the housing. A fan is disposed over the top side of the housing. A hood includes a first hood portion disposed over the top side of the housing and the fan and a second hood portion coupled to the first hood portion and disposed over the lateral side of the housing, where the hood defines an airspace between the hood and the housing and the hood is configured to guide an airflow through the airspace from the fan on the top side of the housing, over the edge between the top side and the lateral side of the housing, and over the heat sink disposed on the lateral side of the housing.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a battery module that includes a housing having a first absorptive material configured to absorb a laser emission, a cover having a second absorptive material configured to absorb the laser emission, and a collar configured coupled to the housing and coupled to the cover via a laser weld. The collar includes a transparent material configured to transmit the laser emission through the collar and toward the housing or the cover.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a battery module having a housing with a first cover and a second cover. The battery module includes a plurality of lithium-ion (Li-ion) electrochemical cells disposed in the housing adjacent to the second cover. The battery module also includes a reinforcement column disposed within the housing that extends along a direction from the second cover to the first cover. The reinforcement column is positioned against the first cover and is coupled to a feature between the first and second covers, and the reinforcement column is configured to enhance a load bearing capacity of the battery module.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a battery module having a housing with a cell receptacle region defined by walls of the housing and configured to enable passage of electrochemical cells therethrough. The battery module also includes a bus bar carrier sealed in the cell receptacle region. The bus bar carrier includes a perimeter having flexible ribs extending along at least a majority of the perimeter and configured to enable intimate contact between the walls of the housing and the perimeter of the bus bar carrier.

Abstract: A system for placing a battery module in a sleep mode may include one or more sensors that monitor at least two properties associated with one or more batteries within the battery module that provides energy to a vehicle. The at least two properties may include two or more of: a state of charge, an input voltage, an input current, and a temperature. The system may also include a processor that receives measurements of the at least two properties from the one or more sensors, compares the measurements of the at least two properties to at least two respective thresholds, and places the battery module in the sleep mode when one of the measurements of the at least two properties is greater than a respective one of the at least two respective thresholds.

Abstract: A battery module may include a housing, a plurality of battery cells disposed in the housing, a battery terminal extending from the battery module for coupling the battery module with electrical components in the vehicle, and a contactor. A voltage supplied to a relay coil in the contactor may generate a magnetic field to actuate a contactor switch. The battery module may also include a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed in the housing. The PCB may include a relay control circuit configured to control a current flowing across the relay coil, and the relay control circuit may operate in a pull-in mode to transition the contactor switch into a closed position and in a hold mode to maintain the contactor switch in the closed position.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present disclosure describes a battery system including a battery module with a first and second cell group connected in series; and a cell control unit communicatively coupled to a plurality of sensors, in which the cell control unit includes a first analog-to-digital converter that outputs a first cell group voltage; a second analog-to-digital converter that outputs a second cell group voltage; outputs a measured battery module voltage; and logic circuitry that determines a calculated battery module voltage based at least in part on the first cell group voltage and the second cell group voltage; and determines whether a fault is expected to be present in the cell control unit, the battery module, or both based at least in part on the measured battery module voltage and the calculated battery module voltage.

Abstract: A battery module includes a housing and battery cells disposed in the housing, each of the battery cells including two terminals. The battery module also includes bus bar cell interconnects including a first material, where each bus bar cell interconnect is configured to electrically couple two adjacent battery cells via an electrical coupling with a first terminal of one of the adjacent battery cells and a second terminal of the other adjacent battery cell, where at least one of the first and second terminals includes the first material. The battery module includes welds, each weld being disposed at a corresponding welding point to directly couple one of the bus bar cell interconnects with the corresponding at least one terminal including the first material. Each welding point is accessible for welding from a position above the battery cells when the interconnects are disposed over the battery cells.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a battery pack for a hybrid vehicle. The battery pack includes: multiple battery cells, a housing, a first end plate, a second end plate, a bearing plate and an upper cover, wherein the housing is provided with a bottom portion and side walls extending from the periphery of the bottom portion and forming an upper portion opening; the housing is configured for accommodating the multiple battery cells and the two end plates, when the multiple battery cells are sequentially arranged and mounted into the housing, the first end plate and the second end plate are located at two end sides of the sequentially arranged multiple battery cells to laterally fix the multiple battery cells; the bearing plate is mounted above the top portions of the multiple battery cells; and the upper cover is mounted above the housing to cover the upper portion opening of the housing.

Abstract: The present subject matter relates to a battery module for use in a vehicle. The battery module may include a housing, a plurality of battery cells disposed within the housing, and solid state pre-charge control circuitry that pre-charges a direct current (DC) bus that may be coupled between the battery module and an electronic component of the vehicle. Furthermore, the solid state pre-charge control circuitry may include solid state electronic components as well as passive electronic components.

Abstract: A battery system may include multiple battery cells having different chemistries. To achieve certain performance goals, voltage parameters for the battery system, such as cruising voltages and maximum voltages can be adjusted. These adjustments may, for example, direct charging currents to a lithium-ion battery to increase fuel economy or may direct charging currents away from a lithium-ion battery to increase its longevity. Methods for matching batteries having different chemistries based on their open circuit voltages are also discussed.

Abstract: A battery module includes a housing having a wall. The wall includes an opening extending from an inner surface of the wall facing an interior of the housing to an outer surface of the wall opposite to the inner surface. The battery module also includes a connector barrel having a first open end, a second open end, and a body portion extending between the first and second open ends. The body portion is positioned within the opening of the wall, the first open end is positioned within the interior of the housing, and the second open end is positioned external to the housing. A ridge on the body portion is disposed proximate to the outer surface of the wall, and a first circumferential bump on the body portion is disposed proximate to the inner surface of the wall. The battery module also includes a securement component disposed within a space defined by the first circumferential bump of the connector barrel. The wall is sandwiched between the ridge of the connector barrel and the securement component.

Abstract: A battery module includes a lower housing and a plurality of battery cells. The plurality of battery cells are electrically coupled together to produce a voltage. A lid assembly is disposed over the battery cells and is coupled to the lower housing. The lid assembly includes a lid and a plurality of bus bar interconnects mounted on the lid. A printed circuit board (PCB) assembly is disposed on and coupled to the lid assembly, and the PCB assembly includes a PCB. A cover is disposed over and coupled to the lower housing to hermetically seal the battery module.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present disclosure describes a battery control system architecture design system that stores an objective function. The battery control system architecture design system determines implementation of battery systems intended be compatible with a battery control system architecture; determines target control levels to be provided by battery control systems based at least in part on the implementation of the battery systems; determines target functions to be provided by the battery control systems based at least in part on the implementation of the battery systems; determines infrastructure expected to be used to provide each of the target functions; and determines the battery control system architecture by dividing the target functions between the target control levels based at least in part on the objective function and the infrastructure, in which the battery control system architecture provides building blocks used to implement each of the battery control systems.

Abstract: A battery module includes a hermetically sealed battery cell assembly. The battery cell assembly includes a housing and an electrochemical cell disposed in the housing. The battery cell assembly also includes a first battery terminal coupled to and extending away from the electrochemical cell and extending through a first opening in the housing. The first opening in the housing comprises a flange. The battery cell assembly further includes a sealing ring disposed around the flange to exert a compressive force for hermetically sealing the opening.