US-20260128397-A1 - HIGH-VOLTAGE BATTERY ADAPTED FOR DISCONNECT OF INTERNAL HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS

Abstract

High-voltage batteries with integrated high-voltage electrical components and electrical disconnects. High-voltage battery electric systems and mobile transports that include the same. In aspects, high-voltage batteries can include a main enclosure, a subcompartment within the main enclosure, and an electrical disconnect. The electrical disconnect can be configured so that it can be operated, e.g., through interaction with electrically-isolated components, to disconnect a high-voltage electrical circuit in the sub-compartment then allowing high-voltage electrical components in the sub-compartment to be accessed and manipulated without electrical potential. Methods of manufacturing, installing, servicing, and replacing high voltage batteries are also disclosed.:

Inventors

• Matthew Rodrigues
• Connor Kurtz

Assignees

• DAIMLER TRUCK NORTH AMERICA LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20251104

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An integrated high-voltage battery, comprising therein: a sub-compartment that encloses one or more high-voltage electrical components; and an electrical disconnect operable to disconnect the one or more high-voltage electrical components from a high-voltage electrical circuit prior to opening the sub-compartment.
2. 2 . The integrated high-voltage battery of claim 1 , further comprising a panel forming part of a main enclosure of the battery, wherein removing the panel exposes the sub-compartment and the electrical disconnect.
3. 3 . The integrated high-voltage battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrical disconnect comprises: a bus bar; and an electrically-insulated attachment structure that reversibly couples the bus bar to a pair of electrical contacts to thereby complete the high-voltage electrical circuit.
4. 4 . The integrated high-voltage battery of claim 3 , wherein the electrically-insulated attachment structure comprises a plurality of electrically-insulated fasteners that are extendable through a plurality of corresponding openings in the bus bar.
5. 5 . The integrated high-voltage battery of claim 3 , wherein the bus bar comprises a first portion that is electrically-conductive, and a second portion that is electrically-insulated, the first portion configured to engage the pair of electrical contacts, and the second portion configured to engage the electrically-insulated attachment structure.
6. 6 . The integrated high-voltage battery of claim 1 , further comprising a panel that reversibly couples over the sub-compartment inside a main enclosure of the battery.
7. 7 . The integrated high-voltage battery of claim 6 , wherein the panel is configured such that operating the electrical disconnect to interrupt the high-voltage electrical circuit allows the panel to be de-coupled from the sub-compartment.
8. 8 . The integrated high-voltage battery of claim 6 , wherein the panel couples to the sub-compartment with an interlocking structure.
9. 9 . The integrated high-voltage battery of claim 1 , further comprising an indicator that signals interruption of the high-voltage electrical circuit in response to operation of the electrical disconnect.
10. 10 . The integrated high-voltage battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrical disconnect is a first electrical disconnect operable for disconnecting the high-voltage electrical circuit through the sub-compartment, and wherein the integrated high-voltage battery further comprises a second electrical disconnect operable for disconnecting the high-voltage electrical circuit through one or more battery cells.
11. 11 . The integrated high-voltage battery of claim 1 , wherein the electrical disconnect comprises at least one ingress-protection-rated opening.
12. 12 . An integrated high-voltage battery, comprising: an enclosure, comprising therein: a first sub-compartment that encloses one or more low-voltage electrical components; a second sub-compartment that encloses one or more high-voltage electrical components; and an electrical disconnect operable to disconnect the one or more high-voltage electrical components from a high-voltage electrical circuit and thereby allow the second sub-compartment to be opened.
13. 13 . The integrated high-voltage battery of claim 12 , wherein the electrical disconnect comprises: a bus bar; and an electrically-insulated attachment structure that reversibly couples the bus bar to a pair of electrical contacts to thereby complete the high-voltage electrical circuit.
14. 14 . The integrated high-voltage battery of claim 13 , wherein de-coupling the bus bar from the pair of electrical contacts interrupts the high-voltage electrical circuit through the one or more high-voltage electrical components without interrupting a low-voltage electrical circuit through the one or more low-voltage electrical components.
15. 15 . The integrated high-voltage battery of claim 12 , wherein the first sub-compartment and the second sub-compartment are independently accessible.
16. 16 . The integrated high-voltage battery of claim 12 , wherein the electrical disconnect is integrated into a panel that couples over the second sub-compartment, and wherein operating the electrical disconnect to interrupt the high-voltage electrical circuit allows the panel to be de-coupled and removed and/or wherein de-coupling the panel operates the electrical disconnect.
17. 17 . The integrated high-voltage battery of claim 16 , wherein the panel is located inside the enclosure.
18. 18 . The integrated high-voltage battery of claim 16 , wherein the panel comprises part of the enclosure.
19. 19 . An integrated high-voltage battery, comprising: an enclosure; a panel that reversibly couples to the enclosure to thereby enclose one or more high-voltage electrical components; and an electrical disconnect operable for disconnecting the one or more high-voltage electrical components from a high-voltage electrical circuit, wherein operating the electrical disconnect de-couples the panel from the enclosure, and/or wherein de-coupling the panel from the enclosure operates the electrical disconnect.
20. 20 . The integrated high-voltage battery of claim 19 , wherein the electrical disconnect is integrated into the panel.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/716,674, filed on Nov. 5, 2024, titled “HIGH-VOLTAGE BATTERY ADAPTED FOR DISCONNECT OF INTERNAL HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS.” The disclosure of the prior application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND High-voltage batteries include one or more internal battery cells and high-voltage electronics (e.g., controllers, fuses, current sensors). To maximize space—especially in vehicles—these electronics are often integrated within a main battery enclosure. This compact integration can place high-voltage components close proximity to one another or near structures with electrical potential and those components periodically require inspection, service, repair, or replacement. Accessing them in such confined areas often demands special tools, training, and certified procedures, increasing service time, cost, and complexity and, in some cases, resulting in disposal of otherwise serviceable batteries. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to high-voltage batteries, e.g., those used in vehicles, e.g., freight trucks. SUMMARY The following presents a simplified summary of one or more implementations of the present disclosure to provide a basic understanding of such implementations. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated implementations and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all implementations nor delineate the scope of any or all implementations. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more implementations of the present disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an integrated high-voltage battery, including therein: a sub-compartment that encloses one or more high-voltage electrical components; and an electrical disconnect operable to disconnect the one or more high-voltage electrical components from a high-voltage electrical circuit prior to opening the sub-compartment. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an integrated high-voltage battery, including: an enclosure, including therein: a first sub-compartment that encloses one or more low-voltage electrical components; a second sub-compartment that encloses one or more high-voltage electrical components; and an electrical disconnect operable to disconnect the one or more high-voltage electrical components from a high-voltage electrical circuit and thereby allow the second sub-compartment to be opened. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an integrated high-voltage battery, including: an enclosure; a panel that reversibly couples to the enclosure to thereby enclose one or more high-voltage electrical components; and an electrical disconnect operable for disconnecting the one or more high-voltage electrical components from a high-voltage electrical circuit, wherein operating the electrical disconnect de-couples the panel from the enclosure, and/or wherein de-coupling the panel from the enclosure operates the electrical disconnect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a high-voltage battery in exploded form, in in accordance with an example aspect of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a schematic view of high-voltage battery of FIG. 1 in assembled form, in accordance with an example aspect of the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is schematic view of an internal configuration of a high-voltage battery, in accordance with an example aspect of the present disclosure; FIGS. 4A-4C are schematic views of an electrical disconnect for a high-voltage battery, in accordance with an example aspect of the present disclosure; FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an interlocking configuration for a panel that encloses high-voltage electrical components, in accordance with aspect an example of the present disclosure; FIG. 6 depicts a touch protected opening of an electrical disconnect, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure; FIG. 7 depicts an internal configuration of a high-voltage battery with distinct compartments, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure; FIG. 8 depicts another internal configuration of a high-voltage battery with distinct compartments, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure; FIG. 9 depicts another internal configuration of a high-voltage battery with distinct compartments, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure; FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a method of servicing a high-voltage battery, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure; and FIG. 11 depicts an example of a mobile transport that can incorporate aspects described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In current high-voltage battery systems, accessing the high-voltage electronics (controllers, fuses, sensors, contactors) often leaves parts of the s