Patents by Inventor Michael Erhart

Michael Erhart has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240106083
    Abstract: A method for connecting a flexible printed circuit (FPC) to a battery module and a cell supervision circuit board (CSCB) is provided. The method includes: providing a coil of a continuous, strip-shaped FPC; unwinding a first section of the FPC from the coil, positioning the first section of the FPC over a first contact portion of the battery module, and welding a conductive structure of the FPC in the first section to the first contact portion of the battery module; unwinding a second section of the FPC from the coil, positioning the second section of the FPC over a contact pad of the CSCB, and welding the conductive structure of the FPC in the second section to the contact pad of the CSCB; and separating the first section and second section of the FPC from the coil of the FPC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: Michael ERHART, Hyeongkyu JEONG
  • Publication number: 20240097284
    Abstract: A method for connecting a flexible printed circuit (FPC) to a battery module and a cell supervision circuit board (CSCB) is provided. The method includes: providing a coil of a continuous, strip-shaped FPC; unwinding a first section of the FPC from the coil, positioning the first section of the FPC over a first contact portion of the battery module, and welding a conductive structure of the FPC in the first section to the first contact portion of the battery module; unwinding a second section of the FPC from the coil, positioning the second section of the FPC over a contact pad of the CSCB, and welding the conductive structure of the FPC in the second section to the contact pad of the CSCB; and separating the first section and second section of the FPC from the coil of the FPC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Michael ERHART, Hyeongkyu JEONG
  • Publication number: 20230344038
    Abstract: A battery system includes a plurality of cell rows, each including a plurality of cells arranged along a first direction; a plurality of cooler beams; and a channel system including a plurality of main channels, each being configured to guide a coolant. Each of the cell rows is sub-divided into a plurality of blocks, and in each block, the front side positively abuts the second side of one cooler beam and/or the rear side positively abuts the first side of another cooler beam. For each of the cooler beams, one of the main channels is integrated therein and is thermally connected thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventor: Michael ERHART
  • Publication number: 20230299429
    Abstract: A method for connecting a flexible printed circuit (FPC) to a battery module and a cell supervision circuit board (CSCB) is provided. The method includes: providing a coil of a continuous, strip-shaped FPC; unwinding a first section of the FPC from the coil, positioning the first section of the FPC over a first contact portion of the battery module, and welding a conductive structure of the FPC in the first section to the first contact portion of the battery module; unwinding a second section of the FPC from the coil, positioning the second section of the FPC over a contact pad of the CSCB, and welding the conductive structure of the FPC in the second section to the contact pad of the CSCB; and separating the first section and second section of the FPC from the coil of the FPC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventor: Michael ERHART
  • Publication number: 20230261284
    Abstract: A battery pack includes: a battery housing including a plurality of crossbeams dividing an interior space of the battery housing into a plurality of separated accommodation chambers; a plurality of cell units arranged within the battery housing, each of the cell units including a plurality of stacked battery cells, each of the accommodation chambers accommodating at least two of the cell units separated by a spacer stacked between the at least two cell units; and a plurality of venting paths respectively arranged per each of the cell units, each of the venting paths connecting the respective cell unit with a respective venting device of the corresponding accommodation chamber without passing an adjacent one of the cell units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Matthias Pucher, Michael Erhart, Bernhard Hadler
  • Patent number: 11695189
    Abstract: A method for connecting a flexible printed circuit (FPC) to a battery module and a cell supervision circuit board (CSCB) is provided. The method includes: providing a coil of a continuous, strip-shaped FPC; unwinding a first section of the FPC from the coil, positioning the first section of the FPC over a first contact portion of the battery module, and welding a conductive structure of the FPC in the first section to the first contact portion of the battery module; unwinding a second section of the FPC from the coil, positioning the second section of the FPC over a contact pad of the CSCB, and welding the conductive structure of the FPC in the second section to the contact pad of the CSCB; and separating the first section and second section of the FPC from the coil of the FPC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Michael Erhart
  • Publication number: 20230155201
    Abstract: A temperature measurement arrangement for a battery system includes: temperature sensing diodes in a grid and thermally connectable to battery cells of the battery system, a current supply portion, a voltage measurement portion, and a control portion. The grid has first lines and second lines electrically interconnected with the temperature sensing diodes. A forward direction of each temperature sensing diode pointing from the corresponding first line to the corresponding second line. The current supply portion including current supply connections that are, independently of each other, suppliable with electric current. The first lines are connected between the voltage measurement portion and the current supply portion, and the second lines are connected to the control portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Florian MAXL, Michael ERHART
  • Patent number: 11605945
    Abstract: A pyro igniter circuit and a method for testing the same is provided. The pyro igniter circuit includes a supervisory circuit configured to: transmit a test signal having a pulse duration time below an igniter activation pulse time of a pyro igniter disconnect element and/or an ignition control signal, in response to the transmitted test signal, has an amplitude below an igniter activation amplitude of the pyro igniter disconnect element; and receive a diagnostic response signal in response to the transmitted test signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michael Erhart, Wolfgang Reinprecht
  • Patent number: 11451072
    Abstract: A control unit for a battery system includes a plurality of battery cells is provided. The control unit includes: an input node configured to receive a sensor signal indicative of a state of at least one of the plurality of battery cells; a microcontroller connected to the input node and configured to generate a first control signal based on the sensor signal; and a switch control circuit configured to control a power switch of the battery system by: receiving the sensor signal, the first control signal, and a fault signal indicative of an operational state of the microcontroller; generating a second control signal based on the sensor signal; and transmitting one of the first control signal and the second control signal to an output node of the control unit based on the received fault signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Inventors: Maximilian Hofer, Markus Pretschuh, Michael Erhart
  • Publication number: 20220263154
    Abstract: A battery system includes: a plurality of battery cells, each of the battery cells having a venting side including a venting exit configured to allow venting products to exit the battery cells during a thermal runaway and a cooling side opposite the venting side; a cooling plate, the cooling side of the battery cells being in thermal connection with a first side of the cooling plate; and a battery housing enclosing the battery cells in a cell chamber. A guiding channel is formed between a second side of the cooling plate opposite the first side and a channel wall of the battery housing facing the second side of the cooling plate, and a passage fluidly connects the cell chamber and the guiding channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Gernot Kraberger, Wolfgang Reinprecht, Michael Erhart
  • Publication number: 20220263151
    Abstract: A battery system for an electric vehicle includes: a plurality of battery cells, each of the battery cells including electrode terminals; a busbar interconnecting the battery cells by contacting the electrode terminals; a battery housing enclosing the battery cells; and an electrically and thermally insulating cover element. The cover element covers the electrode terminals and the busbar such that the electrode terminals and the busbar are shielded from venting products exiting one or more of the battery cells towards the battery housing during a thermal runaway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Wolfgang REINPRECHT, Michael ERHART, Gernot KRABERGER, Matthias PUCHER
  • Patent number: 11407311
    Abstract: A dual power supply system with first to third system terminals is disclosed. The dual power supply system includes a first battery cell stack interconnected between first and second stack nodes and providing a first operation voltage and a second battery cell stack interconnected between the second stack node and a third stack node and providing a second operation voltage. The dual power supply system further includes a DC/DC converter with first to third converter nodes and configured to convert a voltage of the first or second battery cell stack. Each of the system terminals is connected to the respective stack node or converter node in parallel. The DC/DC converter can provide redundant power supply and active balancing. The application further relates to a vehicle including the above dual power supply system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Erhart, Thomas Korherr
  • Patent number: 11394087
    Abstract: A battery module includes: a plurality of aligned battery cells, each of the battery cells including a cell case, a cap assembly on the cell case, a negative cell terminal, and a positive cell terminal; a plurality of busbars over the cap assemblies, each of the busbars electrically connecting the cell terminals of at least two of the battery cells to each other; and a cell supervision circuit carrier configured to accommodate a cell supervision circuit, the cell supervision circuit carrier comprising a connector configured to establish data communication with the cell supervision circuit. The cell supervision circuit carrier electrically connects the cell supervision circuit to the negative cell terminal of one of the battery cells and to the cell cases of at least some of the other battery cells from among the plurality of battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Michael Erhart
  • Patent number: 11280852
    Abstract: A battery management unit for a battery system with a conductor or a busbar, the battery management unit including a printed circuit board, and a fluxgate current sensor including a magnetic core having a through-hole, at least one excitation winding, at least one compensation winding, and a sensor circuit configured to measure a magnetization of the at least one excitation winding, to generate a driving signal for driving the at least one compensation winding, to generate a current flowing through the at least one compensation winding according to the driving signal, and to generate an output signal corresponding to a magnitude of an electric current flowing through the through-hole of the magnetic core, wherein the magnetic core, the at least one excitation winding, the at least one compensation winding, and the sensor circuit are each integrated into the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Michael Erhart
  • Publication number: 20220077549
    Abstract: A battery system includes: a high voltage (HV) system having a plurality of connected rechargeable battery cells; a battery disconnecting unit (BDU) comprising a carrier plate, BDU relays configured to switchably open or close a HV line of the HV system, wherein the HV line is at least partially integrated into the carrier plate, and a BDU control unit configured to control the BDU relays; and a liquid cooling plate on a first side of the carrier plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Michael ERHART, Joshua HICHENS
  • Publication number: 20220006305
    Abstract: A control unit for a battery system includes a plurality of battery cells is provided. The control unit includes: an input node configured to receive a sensor signal indicative of a state of at least one of the plurality of battery cells; a microcontroller connected to the input node and configured to generate a first control signal based on the sensor signal; and a switch control circuit configured to control a power switch of the battery system by: receiving the sensor signal, the first control signal, and a fault signal indicative of an operational state of the microcontroller; generating a second control signal based on the sensor signal; and transmitting one of the first control signal and the second control signal to an output node of the control unit based on the received fault signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Maximilian HOFER, Markus PRETSCHUH, Michael ERHART
  • Patent number: 11218008
    Abstract: A control unit for a battery system includes a plurality of battery cells is provided. The control unit includes: an input node configured to receive a sensor signal indicative of a state of at least one of the plurality of battery cells; a microcontroller connected to the input node and configured to generate a first control signal based on the sensor signal; and a switch control circuit configured to control a power switch of the battery system by: receiving the sensor signal, the first control signal, and a fault signal indicative of an operational state of the microcontroller; generating a second control signal based on the sensor signal; and transmitting one of the first control signal and the second control signal to an output node of the control unit based on the received fault signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Maximilian Hofer, Markus Pretschuh, Michael Erhart
  • Publication number: 20210372861
    Abstract: A monitoring system for monitoring the temperature of a battery module having a plurality of battery cells, the monitoring system including an electric network including a plurality of thermistors, wherein each of the thermistors is thermally connected to a battery cell, a monitoring device that is adapted to measure a total resistance (Rtot) of the electric network including the plurality of thermistors and is further adapted to generate a signal in case of detecting that the value of the total resistance (Rtot) of the electric network traverses a predetermined threshold resistance value, wherein the monitoring system is adapted to determine a mean temperature (Tamb) of the battery module independently from the measurement of the total resistance (Rtot) of the electric network, and wherein the predetermined threshold resistance value is dependent on the mean temperature (Tamb) of the battery module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Michael ERHART, Peter PARZ, Gernot KRABERGER
  • Publication number: 20210359374
    Abstract: A battery system includes: battery cells; and a battery housing including: a chamber between a bottom cover and a top cover of the battery housing; and at least one sidewall member connecting the bottom cover and the top cover to each other, the at least one sidewall member extending along an outer boundary of the chamber, and including: a channel inside the sidewall member; and apertures connecting the chamber with the channel, the apertures being located at a top half of the channel such that at least a bottom half of the channel is for collecting solid matter. The battery system vents a venting gas of a thermal runaway from at least one of the battery cells by directing the venting gas along at least one venting path leading from the chamber, through at least one of the apertures and the channel, and to an environment of the battery system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Wolfgang REINPRECHT, Matthias PUCHER, Miran KOJC, Michael ERHART
  • Publication number: 20210305634
    Abstract: A battery system includes: a plurality of battery units, each of the battery units including at least one battery cell, the at least one battery cell including a positive terminal, a negative terminal, and a cell case; and a flexible printed circuit (FPC) including a plurality of integrated circuits (ICs) configured for voltage measurement and temperature measurement. The ICs are interconnected by a wiring structure of the FPC. Each of the ICs is thermally connected to the cell case of the at least one of battery cell of each of the battery units via a contact element in the FPC and is electrically connected via the contact element to the positive terminal of the at least one battery cell of each of the battery units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Michael ERHART, Wolfgang REINPRECHT