Patents Assigned to VB Autobatterie GmbH
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Publication number: 20040135582Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2003Publication date: July 15, 2004Applicant: VB Autobatterie GMbHInventors: Helmut Laig-Hoerstebrock, Eberhard Meissner, Wilfried Tautenhahn
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Publication number: 20040137316Abstract: A rechargeable battery includes a housing comprising at least two cells that can be filled with an electrolyte. The rechargeable battery includes a cover and a degassing system having openings provided therein. The cover and the degassing system are arranged such that the openings provided in the cover and the degassing system are located above the cells of the rechargeable battery. A sealing plug is provided in each of the openings, the sealing plug having an upper part and a lower part having a splash basket. The upper part covers the openings on the outside of the cover and the lower part extends in the direction of the cells. The splash basket surrounds a cavity and has slots distributed over its circumference, the slots continuing as far as a free end of the splash basket.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2003Publication date: July 15, 2004Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbHInventor: Peter Streuer
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Publication number: 20040130297Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2003Publication date: July 8, 2004Applicant: VB autobatterie GmbHInventors: Peter Baeuerlein, Frank Helmker, Eberhard Meissner, Ingo Koch
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Publication number: 20040095143Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2003Publication date: May 20, 2004Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbHInventors: Helmut Laig-Hoerstebrock, Eberhard Meissner
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Patent number: 6733921Abstract: A rechargeable electric battery including a plate block arranged in a plastic block box, positive and negative electrodes located in the box and electrically isolated by separators and conductively connected by sulfuric acid electrolyte, a cover for the box which has closure plugs and/or acid state indicators fitted in a gas-tight manner to openings therein, wherein at least a portion of an inner surface of the battery is electrically conductive or is provided with an electrically conductive layer, beginning in an area of a sealing seat of the closure plug or of the acid state indicator, and is electrically conductively connected to the electrolyte.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2002Date of Patent: May 11, 2004Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbHInventors: Gerolf Richter, Peter Streuer, Oliver Bosch
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Patent number: 6674266Abstract: A method for determining the operating state of an energy-storage battery in assumed temperature and state of charge conditions, which has the following steps: a) measurement of a temperature variable (TACT) which is correlated with the battery temperature (TBAT), b) determination of the state of charge (SOCACT) of the energy-storage battery, c) determination of a further state variable (AACT) of the energy-storage battery, d) formation of a reference value (BV) from the reference between the determined state variable (AACT) and a corresponding state variable (ANEW) of an identical, new energy-storage battery with the same temperature variable (TACT) and the same state of charge (SOCACT), and e) determination of a predicted state variable (AP) as a measure of the operating state for an assumed temperature variable (TP) and an assumed state of charge (SOCP) from known comparison reference values (BT), which have been recorded as a function of temperature variables (T), states of charge (SOC) and the aging statType: GrantFiled: December 12, 2002Date of Patent: January 6, 2004Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbHInventor: Ingo Koch
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Patent number: 6653818Abstract: In a method for predicting the equilibrated open-circuit voltage of an electrochemical energy store by measuring the voltage settling response Uo(t) in a load-free period, a formulaic relationship between the equilibrated open-circuit voltage Uoo and the decaying voltage Uo(t) of the form Uoo=Uo(t)−w*ln(t)−w*F(T) is used, the prefactor w being the experimentally determined slope of the dependency of Uo on ln(t) at the time t, w=−(uo(t2)−Uo(t1))/ln(t2/t1), and Uo(t1) being the unloaded voltage Uo at the time t1 and Uo(t2) being the unloaded voltage Uo at the later time t2>t1, and F(T) being a function which depends only on the absolute temperature T of the energy store. The function F(T) has the general form F(T)=(K|E/T)/(1+q*w)/f(T), K, E and q being experimentally determined constants, T being the absolute temperature in kelvin, and f(T) being a function which contains only the absolute temperature T as a free parameter.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2002Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbHInventors: Helmut Laig-Horstebrock, Eberhard Meissner
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Patent number: 6646416Abstract: An electrical rechargeable battery has an end pole, which is provided with an external thread and to which a flat cable lug of a cable connection is connected. The end pole is arranged in a circular recess in the cover such that the end pole is surrounded on all sides by the plastic material of the cover and is accessible only from above and through at least one narrow slot, through which a flat cable connection can be inserted. A covering cap, which is designed to be insulating at least in the region which is accessible from above, is screwed onto the end pole. The covering cap is attached to the cover.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2002Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbHInventors: Peter Streuer, Peter Schellenberg
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Method for controlling a plurality of electrical loads operated at the same time by a current source
Patent number: 6600237Abstract: In a method for controlling a plurality of electrical loads operated at the same time by a current source using a clocked or pulsed operating current, the instant and/or duration of pulse driving for the operating current of at least one load are synchronized to the operation of the other loads in such a way, and are matched to one another such, that the sum of the currents flowing to supply the loads assumes as constant a value as possible, and both the fluctuations and the rates of change in the sum of the currents flowing to supply the loads are minimized. The clocking or pulsing of the operating current of the electrical loads sets a partial load state for the load, or the load is operated from a power supply having a higher voltage than the rated operating voltage of the load.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2000Date of Patent: July 29, 2003Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbHInventor: Eberhard Meissner -
Publication number: 20030112010Abstract: A method for determining the operating state of an energy-storage battery in assumed temperature and state of charge conditions, which has the following steps: a) measurement of a temperature variable (TACT) which is correlated with the battery temperature (TBAT), b) determination of the state of charge (SOCACT) of the energy-storage battery, c) determination of a further state variable (AACT) of the energy-storage battery, d) formation of a reference value (BV) from the reference between the determined state variable (AACT) and a corresponding state variable (ANEW) of an identical, new energy-storage battery with the same temperature variable (TACT) and the same state of charge (SOCACT), and e) determination of a predicted state variable (AP) as a measure of the operating state for an assumed temperature variable (TP) and an assumed state of charge (SOCP) from known comparison reference values (BT), which have been recorded as a function of temperature variables (T), states of charge (SOC) and the aging statType: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2002Publication date: June 19, 2003Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbHInventor: Ingo Koch
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Publication number: 20030077485Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2002Publication date: April 24, 2003Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbHInventors: Peter Streuer, Christian Rosenkranz, Gerolf Richter
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Publication number: 20030077483Abstract: An electrical rechargeable battery having positive and negative electrodes arranged in a housing with separators between them, and having an electrolyte, at least one end pole is surrounded by a contact protection device in the form of a wall which surrounds the end pole, can rotate freely and is composed of insulating material. Electrical contact can be made only from above through a slot in the contact protection device, which surrounds the end pole. The end pole is protected against direct contact from above by means of an electrically insulating pole cap, which is screwed to the end pole.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2002Publication date: April 24, 2003Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbHInventors: Peter Streuer, Christian Rosenkranz, Gerolf Richter
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Publication number: 20030062773Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2002Publication date: April 3, 2003Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbHInventors: Gerolf Richter, Martin Schreiber
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Patent number: 6534992Abstract: A method for determining performance of a storage battery including evaluating a time profile of voltage drop in the storage battery by application of a heavy current load, determining a voltage A from voltage response U(t) of the storage battery after switching on the heavy current load, determining a state value A1 from the voltage value A, battery temperature TBAT and state of charge SOC, comparing state value A1 with a preset value A1x which depends at least on associated battery temperature (TBAT) and associated state of charge (SOC) of the storage battery, wherein the present value A1x is calculated from comparison values A1T which are determined from the state values A1 for previous heavy current loads applied to the storage battery, and determining performance of the storage battery from the difference between the present value A1x and the state value A1.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2002Date of Patent: March 18, 2003Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbHInventors: Eberhard Meissner, Ingo Koch
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Publication number: 20030042869Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2002Publication date: March 6, 2003Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbHInventor: Eberhard Meissner
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Publication number: 20030020479Abstract: An electrical rechargeable battery with an electronic functional monitoring circuit integrated in the rechargeable battery container. The rechargeable battery contains an apparatus for measuring battery voltage, an apparatus for measuring battery temperature and an apparatus which detects the current direction by means of a measurement apparatus on the battery pole stem. The electronic circuit contains a microprocessor which uses the input variables to calculate the state of charge and/or the serviceability of the rechargeable battery, and the calculated output values can be passed on via a communication apparatus. A visual indicator is arranged on the rechargeable battery container, can be actuated via the communication apparatus, and indicates information about the state of charge and/or serviceability.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2002Publication date: January 30, 2003Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbHInventors: Ingo Koch, Martin Schreiber
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Publication number: 20030016023Abstract: A method for determining the state of charge of rechargeable batteries by measuring the rechargeable battery voltage and comparing it with predetermined families of characteristic curves, the rechargeable battery voltage UBi, the charging time tLi and, from comparison with characteristic curves &Dgr;Qi=f(SOC,tL,UB) the charge increase are determined in each charging phase. In a subsequent discharge phase, the rechargeable battery voltage UBi is measured in time intervals, a rechargeable battery voltage value UBij+1 at the end of a time interval is determined from the rechargeable battery voltage UBij at the beginning of the time interval by means of an assumed current value IBij by comparison with families of characteristic curves UB=f(IB,Ri,SOC), and a corrected current value IBij+1 is determined by iteration from the deviation of the value thus determined of UBij+1 and the rechargeable battery voltage actually measured at the end of the time interval.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2002Publication date: January 23, 2003Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbHInventors: Gerolf Richter, Ingo Koch
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Publication number: 20030001542Abstract: In a method for predicting the equilibrated open-circuit voltage of an electrochemical energy store by measuring the voltage settling response Uo(t) in a load-free period, a formulaic relationship between the equilibrated open-circuit voltage Uoo and the decaying voltage Uo(t) of the form Uoo=Uo(t)−w*ln(t)−w*F(T) is used, the prefactor w being the experimentally determined slope of the dependency of Uo on ln(t) at the time t, w=−(uo(t2)−Uo(t1))/ln(t2/t1), and Uo(t1) being the unloaded voltage Uo at the time t1 and Uo(t2) being the unloaded voltage Uo at the later time t2>t1, and F(T) being a function which depends only on the absolute temperature T of the energy store. The function F(T) has the general form F(T)=(K|E/T)/(1+q*w)/f(T), K, E and q being experimentally determined constants, T being the absolute temperature in kelvin, and f(T) being a function which contains only the absolute temperature T as a free parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2002Publication date: January 2, 2003Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbHInventors: Helmut Laig-Horstebrock, Eberhard Meissner
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Publication number: 20030001581Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2002Publication date: January 2, 2003Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbHInventors: Helmut Laig-Horstebrock, Eberhard Meissner
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Publication number: 20020171392Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 3, 2002Publication date: November 21, 2002Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbHInventors: Gerolf Richter, Christian Rosenkranz