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CN-122000500-A - Printed circuit board coupling

CN122000500ACN 122000500 ACN122000500 ACN 122000500ACN-122000500-A

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to printed circuit board coupling. A battery management system (110) is disclosed. The battery management system (110) includes a plurality of printed circuit boards (126, 128). The first printed circuit board (126) and the second printed circuit board (128) are electrically isolated from each other and are arranged for transmitting electrical signals via a non-conductive electrical coupling between each other. Furthermore, a method for arranging and operating a battery management system (110) is disclosed.

Inventors

  • C. Walter
  • M aikele
  • P. VOGEL
  • M. Monix

Assignees

  • 英飞凌科技股份有限公司

Dates

Publication Date
20260508
Application Date
20250909
Priority Date
20241105

Claims (20)

  1. 1. A battery management system (110) comprising a plurality of printed circuit boards (126, 128), wherein a first printed circuit board (126) and a second printed circuit board (128) are electrically isolated from each other and arranged for transmitting electrical signals via a non-conductive electrical coupling between each other.
  2. 2. The battery management system (110) of the preceding claim, wherein the non-conductive electrical coupling is a capacitive coupling.
  3. 3. The battery management system (110) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the first printed circuit board (126) and the second printed circuit board (110) at least partially overlap each other.
  4. 4. The battery management system (110) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the first printed circuit board (126) comprises a first conductive layer (130) and a first isolation layer (132), wherein the second printed circuit board (128) comprises a second conductive layer (134), wherein the first printed circuit board (126) and the second printed circuit board (128) are at least partially arranged such that the first conductive layer (130) and the second conductive layer (134) are spatially separated by the first isolation layer (132).
  5. 5. The battery management system (110) of the preceding claim, wherein the second printed circuit board (128) further comprises a second isolation layer (136), wherein the first printed circuit board (126) and the second printed circuit board (128) are at least partially arranged such that the first conductive layer (130) and the second conductive layer (134) are spatially separated by the first isolation layer (132) and the second isolation layer (136).
  6. 6. The battery management system (110) of any of the two preceding claims, wherein at least one of the first conductive layer (130) and the second conductive layer (134) is a structural layer.
  7. 7. The battery management system (110) of any of the three preceding claims, wherein at least one of the first conductive layer (130) and the second conductive layer (134) is configured for performing an electrical function.
  8. 8. The battery management system (110) of any of the preceding claims, further comprising a third printed circuit board (138), wherein the second printed circuit board (128) and the third printed circuit board (138) are electrically isolated from each other and arranged for transmitting electrical signals via a non-conductive electrical coupling between each other.
  9. 9. The battery management system (110) of the preceding claim, wherein the first printed circuit board (126), the second printed circuit board (128) and the third printed circuit board (138) are arranged for transmitting electrical signals between the first printed circuit board (126) and the third printed circuit board (138) via the second printed circuit board (128).
  10. 10. The battery management system (110) of any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the printed circuit boards (126, 128, 138) is a flexible printed circuit board.
  11. 11. The battery management system (110) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the battery management system (110) is a distributed battery management system.
  12. 12. The battery management system (110) of any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the printed circuit boards (126, 128, 138) carries a cell monitoring circuit (116) configured for monitoring battery cells (112).
  13. 13. The battery management system (110) of any of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one battery cell connector (146) configured for connecting a plurality of battery cells (112).
  14. 14. The battery management system (110) of the preceding claim, wherein at least one of the printed circuit boards (126, 128, 138) is electrically connected to the battery cell connector (146).
  15. 15. The battery management system (110) of either of the two preceding claims, further comprising at least one carrier (144) configured for carrying at least the battery cell connectors (146), wherein at least one of the printed circuit boards (126, 128, 138) is mechanically attached to the carrier (144).
  16. 16. A method, comprising: a) Disposing a first printed circuit board (126) and a second printed circuit board (126) within a battery management system (110) such that the first printed circuit board (126) and the second printed circuit board (126) are electrically isolated and electrically coupled via a non-conductive electrical coupling, and B) An electrical signal is transmitted between the first printed circuit board (126) and the second printed circuit board (128) via the non-conductive electrical coupling between the first printed circuit board (126) and the second printed circuit board (128).
  17. 17. The method of the preceding claim, wherein the non-conductive electrical coupling between the first printed circuit board (126) and the second printed circuit board (128) is a capacitive coupling.
  18. 18. The method of any of the preceding method claims, further comprising: c) -arranging a third printed circuit board (138) and the second printed circuit board (128) such that the second printed circuit board (128) and the third printed circuit board (138) are electrically isolated and electrically coupled via a non-conductive electrical coupling, and D) An electrical signal is transmitted between the second printed circuit board (128) and the third printed circuit board (138) via the non-conductive electrical coupling between the second printed circuit board (128) and the third printed circuit board (138).
  19. 19. The method according to the preceding claim, further comprising: e) An electrical signal is transmitted between the first printed circuit board (126) and the third printed circuit board (138) via the second printed circuit board (128).
  20. 20. The battery management system of any of the battery management systems (110) according to the preceding claims related to the battery management system (110), and the use of at least one of the methods according to any of the preceding method claims for automotive applications.

Description

Printed circuit board coupling Technical Field The present disclosure relates to battery management systems, methods for arranging and operating battery management systems, and uses thereof. The disclosed battery management system and the disclosed method may be particularly useful in automotive applications (such as for controlling battery cells in a vehicle). However, other applications are of course possible. Background Battery management systems typically control several battery cells in at least partially different voltage domains. Thus, several cell monitoring circuits, each controlling a different battery cell, may be interconnected for forming a battery management system. In particular, the cell monitoring circuits may be arranged in a daisy chain. The cell monitoring circuit may be electrically isolated, such as by using a capacitor to provide electrical isolation. In practice, the unit monitoring circuits are typically connected in a daisy chain using a two-wire communication bus, such that two plugs need to be placed during manufacture. This typically involves labor-intensive processes that require particularly manual labor. Thus, there is a particular need to reduce the effort of arranging battery management systems, and more particularly to eliminate the manual labor in the process. Disclosure of Invention In a first aspect, a battery management system is disclosed. The battery management system includes a plurality of printed circuit boards. The first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board are electrically isolated from each other. The first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board are further arranged for transmitting electrical signals via a non-conductive electrical coupling between each other. In another aspect, a method is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps: a) Disposing a first printed circuit board and a second printed circuit board within a battery management system such that the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board are electrically isolated and electrically coupled via a non-conductive electrical coupling, and B) Electrical signals are transmitted between the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board via the non-conductive electrical coupling between the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board. In another aspect, use of a battery management system and/or method for automotive applications is disclosed. Those skilled in the art will recognize additional features and advantages upon reading the following detailed description, and upon viewing the accompanying drawings. Drawings The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to similar or identical elements. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily to scale relative to each other. Features of the various illustrated examples may be combined unless mutually exclusive. Fig. 1 schematically illustrates an example of an electrical setup of a battery management system. Fig. 2 schematically illustrates an example of an arrangement of two printed circuit boards within a battery management system. Fig. 3 schematically illustrates an example of an arrangement of three printed circuit boards within a battery management system. Fig. 4 schematically illustrates an example of a mechanical setup of the battery management system. Fig. 5 illustrates a flow chart of an example of a method for arranging and operating a battery management system. Detailed Description The examples described herein provide considerable advantages. In particular, the disclosed battery management system includes a plurality of printed circuit boards arranged to transmit electrical signals via non-conductive electrical coupling (such as capacitive coupling). Thus, the printed circuit boards, which may carry cell monitoring circuitry for monitoring the battery cells, may be arranged such that they form a capacitive coupling between each other (such as by at least partially overlapping each other). This arrangement of the printed circuit board can be automated during manufacture. Therefore, it is no longer necessary to manually place the plug for connecting the unit monitoring circuit, so that the manufacturing effort for arranging the battery management system can be significantly reduced. Fig. 1 schematically illustrates an example of an electrical setup of a battery management system 110. The battery management system 110 may be configured to control, monitor, or regulate one or more battery cells 112. Accordingly, the battery management system 110 may be configured to determine a physical characteristic (such as state of charge, temperature, or output voltage) of the at least one battery cell 112. The battery cells 112 or at least some of the battery cells 112 may form a battery stack 114 (such as by connecting a plural