Patents Assigned to VB Autobatterie GmbH
  • Patent number: 7423408
    Abstract: A method for determining at least one characteristic variable for the state of a battery includes: (a) determining the charge throughput of the battery per time step; having, (b) determining a first characteristic figure in order to describe the stratification of the electrolyte concentration in the battery on the basis of a defined initial state for an as-new battery, and of a second characteristic figure in order to describe the stratification of the state of charge in the battery on the basis of a defined initial value for an as-new battery during operation of the battery, in which (c) in each time step, the first characteristic figure and the second characteristic figure are adapted as a function of the charge throughput from the instantaneous state of the battery, and at least one characteristic variable is determined from the first and the second characteristic figure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Ingo Koch, Helmut Laig-Hoerstebrock, Eberhard Meissner, Ursula Teutsch
  • Patent number: 7375495
    Abstract: A method for determining the charge drawn by an energy storage battery starting from an initial state of charge at the start of the drawing of the charge includes determining the charge drawn as a function of an exponential function with a time constant. The time constant is defined at least as a function of the energy storage battery type and of the temperature of at least one of the battery temperature and the electrolyte temperature. The method may be carried out utilizing a monitoring device or a computer program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Gerolf Richter, Ingo Koch
  • Patent number: 7327147
    Abstract: A method for determining characteristic variables for electrical states of an energy storage battery includes subdividing an electrolyte volume of the battery into at least two electrolyte volume components with associated electrolyte balancing areasabd defining at least two electrode plate balancing areas by subdividing the total resistance of electrode plates in the battery into resistance components for the defined electrode plate balancing areas and by subdividing the total energy storage capacity of the electrode plates into energy storage capacity components for the defined electrode plate balancing areas. The method further includes determining the electrolyte concentration of the electrolyte volume components for the defined electrolyte balancing areas and determining the amounts of charge which are held in the electrode plates in each of the electrode plate balancing areas. At least one characteristic variable for associated electrical states of the battery is determined using a mathematical model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventor: Ingo Koch
  • Patent number: 7295014
    Abstract: A method for determining a state of charge (SOC) characteristic variable for a storage battery including determining a first SOC value and a second SOC value. The method further including determining changes in the first and second SOC values. These changes in the first and second SOC values are measured between a first operating time and a second operating time. The method also including determining a characteristic variable relating to the state of charge as a function of the change in the first and second SOC values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Ingo Koch, Eberhard Meissner
  • Patent number: 7276880
    Abstract: The invention relates to devices and/or methods for determining the availability of electrical energy in two-energy accumulator vehicle electric systems, in which both energy accumulators, particularly batteries, can be connected to one another via a D.C. converter. The required electric energy is generated by means of a generator that is driven by a vehicle engine. The customary consumers are connected to a first consumer battery circuit (10, 24). Additional consumer, for example, high-current consumers, particularly the starter, are connected to the second battery circuit (11, 29). A control device, for example, a controller that is equipped with a microprocessor determines the availability of the electric energy and occurring faults while evaluating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignees: Robert Bosch GmbH, DaimlerChrysler AG, VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Kneifel, Sigmar Braeuninger, Christof Gross
  • Patent number: 7253587
    Abstract: A method for prediction of electrical characteristics of an electrochemical storage battery and includes determining a functional relationship between a state of charge value which is related to a first parameter for a storage battery and a second state of charge value which is related to a second parameter for the storage battery for a second phase of use of the storage battery. The method also includes determining at least one characteristic variable from the reference of the functional relationship for the second phase to a state characteristic variable profile for a previous first phase of use of the storage battery. The method further includes predicting electrical characteristics of the storage battery utilizing a functional relationship between the characteristic variable and the electrical characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventor: Eberhard Meissner
  • Patent number: 7144657
    Abstract: An electrical rechargeable battery including a housing, positive and negative electrodes arranged in the housing, separators positioned between the electrodes, electrolyte in the housing, at least one end pole connected to at least one of the electrodes and adapted to connect to a cable, and a cover connected to the housing and adapted to receive a battery isolating switch connected to the cable such that the switch is integrated with the cover when the cable is connected to the end pole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Streuer, Christian Rosenkranz, Gerolf Richter
  • Patent number: 7098665
    Abstract: A method for predicting the internal resistance of an energy storage battery in assumed environmental and battery state conditions includes subdividing the internal resistance into a first resistance component which represents the electrical resistance of the energy storage battery for the region of electron conduction and a second resistance component which represents the electrical resistance of the energy storage battery for the region of ion conduction. The method also includes determining the first and second resistance components to be expected for the assumed environmental and battery state conditions. Each of the first and second resistance components are determined as a function of parameters of the assumed environmental and battery state conditions. Monitoring devices or computer programs may be utilized to carry out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Laig-Hoerstebrock
  • Patent number: 7097935
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery includes a housing having at least two cells and a cover which closes the housing. The cover includes a lower part which is coupled to the housing, an upper part which is arranged at a distance from the lower part and closes the lower part forming a seal, and labyrinth-like outlet channels provided between the lower part and the upper part for acid deposition. The lower part is cut through in the area of the upper part adjacent to the outlet channels. The cells in the cut-through areas are separated from one another in a liquid-tight manner by cell separating wall sections which are adjacent to the upper part, and which are closed by the upper part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Schellenberg, Hans Muehe
  • Patent number: 7061138
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electrical power supply system for feeding electrical loads, having at least two electrical energy stores, a circuit for connecting the electrical energy stores to an electrical d.c. network with loads and at least one power generator, wherein each energy store can be connected to the d.c. network by activating switching elements by means of d.c. transformers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH & Co. KGAA
    Inventors: Gerolf Richter, Martin Schreiber
  • Patent number: 7042226
    Abstract: A method for determining the wear to a storage battery by monitoring the state of charge of the storage battery includes identifying a plurality of deep discharge events when a state of charge value for the storage battery is less than a minimum state of charge value specified for the storage battery. The method also includes determining the duration of the plurality of deep discharge events and determining a wear variable which characterizes the wear as a function of the total number and the total duration of the plurality of deep discharge events. The wear variable increases as the total number and the total duration of the deep discharge events increases. A monitoring device comprising a measurement unit and an evaluation unit that is configured to use the method may be provided. A computer program having computer program means designed to carry out the method may also be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Laig-Hoerstebrock, Eberhard Meissner, Wilfried Tautenhahn
  • Patent number: 7012434
    Abstract: A method for determining the amount of charge which can be drawn from a storage battery and a monitoring device are provided that measure at least one of battery currents and battery voltages at at least two points in time before or during a rise phase and during or after a decay phase of a charging or discharging operation. A characteristic variable for the amount of charge is determined. The characteristic variable is derived from the relationship of at least one battery voltage value from the rise phase with respect to at least one battery voltage value from the decay phase or from the relationship of at least one battery current value from the rise phase with respect to at least one battery current value from the decay phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventor: Ingo Koch
  • Patent number: 6982540
    Abstract: An energy management system for an electrical system of a motor vehicle subjected to a large number of loads including at least one generator, at least one storage battery, a controller of energy distribution in the system which bases such control at least on efficiency of individual components of the motor vehicle involved in power generation, energy storage and power consumption. In order to determine the overall efficiency of the energy storage unit, which comprises at least one energy store, the state of charge, the temperature of the store and the absolute magnitude of the charging and discharging currents are taken into account. In addition to mechanically driven generators, the system can possess a fuel cell and, in addition to an electrochemical energy store, further physical stores such as double-layer capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Gerolf Richter, Christian Rosenkranz
  • Patent number: 6967466
    Abstract: A method for determining the amount of charge which can be drawn from a storage battery includes determining a battery voltage and current profile over at least one time interval; smoothing the battery voltage profile and the battery current profile using at least two different smoothing measures; and determining voltage and current differences between battery current and voltage profiles smoothed using a second and third smoothing measure, with the third smoothing measure producing greater smoothing than the second smoothing measure. The method further includes calculating characteristic values from quotients of the voltage differences and the current differences; utilizing the characteristic values for a time interval to determine an interval characteristic value; and determining the amount of charge which can be drawn from the storage battery from at least one interval characteristic value for at least one time interval. A monitoring device may be provided for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventor: Ingo Koch
  • Patent number: 6949911
    Abstract: A method for determining the amount of charge which can be drawn from a storage battery includes determining a response signal profile within a time interval to an electrical stimulus to the storage battery. The method also includes linearizing the response signal profile and determining the amount of charge which can be drawn as a function of a degree of change of the linearized response signal profile in the time interval. A monitoring device for a storage battery is provided that includes measurement means for measuring at least one of voltage and current of the storage battery over time intervals. The monitoring device also includes evaluations means that are designed for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Laig-Hoerstebrock, Eberhard Meissner
  • Patent number: 6936373
    Abstract: A monobloc battery including a plurality of interconnected electrochemical cells formed from electrodes and electrolyte and having end poles, wherein distances between selected cells and the end poles and, optionally, distances between the selected cells, are set such that no voltages of more than about 30V occur between the distances under normal operating conditions of the monobloc battery, and at least one gas collecting line connected to selected cells and located to collect explosive gas mixtures, if any, generated by the cells, the gas collecting line being substantially electrically insulating and, in at least one area, having a lining composed of an electron-conductive material electrically conductively contacting the electrodes or the electrolyte in an individual cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventor: Eberhard Meissner
  • Patent number: 6909261
    Abstract: A method for predicting the loading capability of an accumulator by measuring the current I, voltage U and temperature T of the accumulator, and comparing the measured values with the corresponding values of the response of an equivalent circuit diagram of the accumulator, the parameters of the components of the equivalent circuit diagram and the state variables are varied so that a match with the measured values is obtain. The loading capability is deduced from the matched parameters and state variables determined in this way. The equivalent circuit diagram has the form -Uo-R-CS- and the input voltage U? of the equivalent circuit diagram is a voltage that is corrected with respect to the measured battery voltage U, the correction function containing as variables only the current I, the voltage U and the temperature T and as a nonlinear term a logarithmic dependency on I. By using the equivalent circuit diagram, the instantaneous loading capability, i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Laig-Horstebrock, Eberhard Meissner
  • Patent number: 6885951
    Abstract: In a method for determining the state of function SOF of an energy storage battery, in particular a starter battery for a motor vehicle, as the capability to supply at least one load with an amount of energy, by determining a characteristic value for the state of charge SOC of the energy storage battery and a characteristic value for the state of health SOH when an electrical load is applied to the energy storage battery, with state of health (SOH) being the suitability of the energy storage battery to emit a specific amount of energy to the at least one load while maintaining a minimum voltage, a characteristic value for the state of function (SOF) is determined by linking the characteristic values for the state of charge (SOC) and for the state of health (SOH).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventor: Gerolf Richter
  • Patent number: 6861842
    Abstract: A method for determining the amount of charge which can still be drawn from an energy storage battery includes measuring current values and voltage values at at least two times in a voltage response of the energy storage battery to at least one current pulse, with one voltage/current value pair being obtained for each of the at least two times. The method also includes calculating a resistance difference characteristic variable utilizing the measured voltage/current value pairs. The method also includes determining of the amount of charge which can still be drawn from the energy storage battery utilizing the resistance difference characteristic variable. An energy storage battery having measurement means and processor-controlled evaluation means may be provided for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Baeuerlein, Frank Helkmer, Eberhard Meissner, Ingo Koch
  • Publication number: 20040189255
    Abstract: A method for determining the amount of charge which can be drawn from a storage battery includes determining a battery voltage and current profile over at least one time interval; smoothing the battery voltage profile and the battery current profile using at least two different smoothing measures; and determining voltage and current differences between battery current and voltage profiles smoothed using a second and third smoothing measure, with the third smoothing measure producing greater smoothing than the second smoothing measure. The method further includes calculating characteristic values from quotients of the voltage differences and the current differences; utilizing the characteristic values for a time interval to determine an interval characteristic value; and determining the amount of charge which can be drawn from the storage battery from at least one interval characteristic value for at least one time interval. A monitoring device may be provided for carrying out the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventor: Ingo Koch