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WO-2026096362-A1 - AGM BATTERY WITH INDIVIDUAL VOLTAGE SENSE

WO2026096362A1WO 2026096362 A1WO2026096362 A1WO 2026096362A1WO-2026096362-A1

Abstract

A battery comprising a housing, a plurality of battery cells within the housing, a plurality of posts, each post electrically coupled to one or more battery cells, a first cover coupled to the housing in which at least a portion of the plurality of posts extend away from the first cover, a plurality of leads, and a monitoring connector in electrical communication with plurality of leads, each lead being electrically coupled to one post and being coupled to the monitoring connector to provide an electrical parameter associated with a corresponding battery cell.

Inventors

  • VARATHARAJAH, Arunraj
  • FUHR, JASON D.
  • LIEDHEGNER, JOSEPH E.
  • ELLNER, FREDRICK C.
  • HUDSON, ANDREW
  • DAVIS, Sierra

Assignees

  • CPS TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251027
Priority Date
20241028

Claims (20)

  1. 1. A battery (14), comprising: a housing (20); a plurality of battery cells (22) within the housing (20); a plurality of posts (34), each post (34) electrically coupled to one or more battery cells (22); a first cover (24) coupled to the housing (20), at least a portion of the plurality of posts (34) extending away from the first cover (24); a plurality of leads (40); and a monitoring connector (44) in electrical communication with plurality of leads (40), each lead (40) being electrically coupled to one post (34) and being coupled to the monitoring connector (44) to provide an electrical parameter associated with a corresponding battery cell (22).
  2. 2. The battery (14) of Claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of leads (40) is an insulated wire.
  3. 3. The battery (14) of Claim 1, further comprising a lead assembly (38), the lead assembly (38) comprising the plurality of leads (40), a lead frame (42), and a lead assembly connector (120), at least one lead (40) comprising a circuit element (46).
  4. 4. The battery (14) of Claim 3, wherein the plurality of leads (40) are overmolded with the lead frame (42).
  5. 5. The battery (14) of any one of Claims 1-4, wherein at least one lead (40) comprises a circuit element (46).
  6. 6. The battery (14) of Claim 5, wherein the at least one circuit element (46) is a resistor.
  7. 7. The battery (14) of any one of Claims 3-6, wherein the at least one circuit element (46) is placed in an electrically serial arrangement with the corresponding lead (40).
  8. 8. The battery (14) of any one of Claims 1-7, wherein the battery (14) further includes a second cover (26) coupled to the first cover (24), and the second cover (26) and the monitoring connector (44) are integrated into a single unitary construction.
  9. 9. The battery (14) of any one of Claims 1-8, wherein the battery (14) is an absorbent glass mat, AGM, battery.
  10. 10. A battery (14), comprising: a housing (20); a plurality of battery cells (22) within the housing (20); a lead assembly (38) comprising: one or more leads (40) electrically couplable to the one or more battery cells (22), at least one lead (40) comprising a circuit element (46), the one or more leads (40) being arranged to provide, to a device and/or a system external to the battery (14), an electrical parameter associated with the one or more cells (22); and a monitoring connector (44) in electrical communication with plurality of leads (40), each lead (40) being electrically coupled to one battery cell (22) and being coupled to the monitoring connector (44) to provide the electrical parameter associated with a corresponding battery cell (22) to the device and/or the system external to the battery (14).
  11. 11. The battery (14) of Claim 10, wherein the lead assembly (38) further includes: a lead frame (42) comprising at least a portion of the one or more leads (40); and a lead assembly connector (120) coupled to the lead frame (42).
  12. 12. The battery (14) of any one of Claims 10 and 11, wherein at least one lead (40) comprises a circuit element (46).
  13. 13. The battery (14) of Claim 12, wherein the at least one circuit element (46) is a resistor.
  14. 14. The battery (14) of any one of Claims 12 and 13, wherein the at least one circuit element (46) is placed in an electrically serial arrangement with the corresponding lead.
  15. 15. The battery (14) of any one of Claims 10-14, wherein the monitoring connector (44) is coupled to the lead assembly connector (120).
  16. 16. The battery (14) of any one of Claims 10-15, wherein the battery (14) further includes: a first cover (24) coupled to the housing (20) and disposed over the plurality of battery cells (22); and a second cover (26) disposed over the first cover (24), the second cover (26) including the monitoring connector (44), wherein the lead assembly (38) is disposed between the first cover (24) and the second cover (26).
  17. 17. The battery (14) of any one of Claims 10-16, wherein the battery (14) is an absorbent glass mat, AGM, battery.
  18. 18. A lead assembly (38) associated with a battery (14), the battery (14) comprising one or more battery cells (22), the lead assembly (38) comprising: one or more leads (40) electrically couplable to the one or more battery cells (22), at least one lead comprising a circuit element (46), the one or more leads (40) being arranged to provide, to a device and/or a system external to the battery (14), an electrical parameter associated with the one or more cells (22).
  19. 19. The lead assembly (38) of Claim 18, wherein the lead assembly (38) further includes: a lead frame (42) comprising at least a portion of the one or more leads (40); and a lead assembly connector (120) coupled to the lead frame (42).
  20. 20. The lead assembly (38) of Claim 19, wherein the lead assembly (38) further includes a monitoring connector (44) coupled to the lead assembly connector (120), the monitoring connector being couplable to the device and/or the system, the system being a vehicle system (16), the device being an accessory device (18).

Description

A GM BATTERY WITH INDIVIDUAL VOLTAGE SENSE TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates to a batteries, and in particular to batteries having a lead assembly and/or connector for monitoring battery cell parameters. BACKGROUND Motor-powered and/or electrically powered vehicles tend to rely on using one or more battery or battery systems to provide at least a portion of a motion power for the vehicle and, some cases, a starting power (e.g., power used to crank and start an engine). Such vehicles may include one or more of an air- or watercraft, a rail-guided vehicle, a street vehicle, etc., where a street vehicle may refer to, for example, cars, trucks, buses, recreational vehicles, etc. In some cases, vehicles can only receive power from the battery, but cannot receive, from the battery, additional information regarding battery components. While arrangements for monitoring battery cell and battery parameters are known, these arrangements typically include sophisticated and complex microprocessor based battery management systems integrated within the battery. Batteries having integrated battery management systems are more complex and expensive to manufacture than batteries that do not include integrated battery management systems. Further, integrated battery management systems are prone to failure if the electrolyte in the battery leaks from the cells into the space occupied by the integrated battery management system. On the other hand, batteries that do not have integrated battery management systems do not allow a way to monitor individual battery cell parameters. SUMMARY Some embodiments advantageously provide a method and system for a battery such as an absorbent glass mat (AGM) battery. The embodiments described herein may be applicable to batteries other than AGM batteries, e.g., lead acid, Li-Ion, etc. The battery may include a plurality of leads (or one or more leads) that may be coupled to battery cells and couplable to a vehicle (e.g., vehicle system) to provide battery cell parameters (e.g., battery cell voltage) to the vehicle. In some embodiments, the battery comprises a lead assembly comprising a lead frame and the plurality of leads, where at least a portion of the plurality of leads is within the lead frame. The leads may be arranged to provide the battery cell parameters. One or more leads may include a circuit element (such as a resistor) and be configured to provide circuit element functions. In some embodiments, the plurality of leads may be coupled to or comprise a first connector (e.g., vehicle connector receiver) arranged to couple to a second connector (e.g.,, vehicle connector). The second connector may be coupled to one or more vehicle systems (e.g., electronic control unit (ECU)) and accessory devices (On-board diagnostics (OBD) device and/or port). When the first connector and the second connector are coupled, the vehicle may receive battery cell parameters (e.g., battery cell voltage) via the plurality of leads and connectors. For example, a vehicle ECU and/or OBD device may be configured to receive and/or measure voltage of each individual battery cell and/or perform actions based on the received voltage and/or measured voltage. In some embodiments, one or more leads include a post connector end having one or more post connector end elements arranged to provide a plurality of connector functions. In accordance with one aspect, a battery is provided. The battery comprises a housing, a plurality of battery cells within the housing, a plurality of posts in which each post is electrically coupled to one or more battery cells, a first cover coupled to the housing, at least a portion of the plurality of posts extending away from the first cover, a plurality of leads, and a monitoring connector in electrical communication with plurality of leads, each lead being electrically coupled to one post and being coupled to the monitoring connector to provide an electrical parameter associated with a corresponding battery cell. In accordance with an embodiment of this aspect, each of the plurality of leads is an insulated wire. In accordance with an embodiment of this aspect, the battery further comprises a lead assembly, the lead assembly comprising the plurality of leads, a lead frame, and a lead assembly connector, at least one lead comprising a circuit element. In accordance with an embodiment of this aspect, the plurality of leads are over-molded with the lead frame. In accordance with an embodiment of this aspect, at least one lead comprises a circuit element. In accordance with an embodiment of this aspect, the at least one circuit element is a resistor. In accordance with an embodiment of this aspect, the at least one circuit element is placed in an electrically serial arrangement with the corresponding lead. In accordance with another embodiment of this aspect, the battery further includes a second cover coupled to the first cover, and the second cover and the monitoring connector are inte