Patent EP0226360A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0226360A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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A zener diode looping element for protecting a battery cell
Assignee: Powerplex Technologies Inc
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Filing: 1986-11-27
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-11-27
Abstract
Abstract A special zener diode is disclosed which is shunted across each cell in a series connected string of battery cells. In response to a cell failure which causes a cell to open circuit, all battery current is routed through the zener diode looping element. This current causes a permanent state change of the looping element thereby causing the looping element to become a permanent short circuit. Thereby, the failed cell is effectively removed from the circuit. Another embodiment is disclosed whereby the zener diodes are used to ensure uniform full charge among all of the cells in the battery. The zener diodes are chosen to have a breakdown voltage slightly higher than the optimal maximum battery voltage. A special charger is used which lowers the charging rate when the zener breakdown voltage is approached, so that the zener will not be destroyed from excess current during charging.
Inventors
- 👤 Morrie Altmejd
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 17:14
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M10/00; H01M10/42; H01M10/4207; H01M50/00; H01M50/50; H01M50/572; H01M50/574; H01M50/583; H02; H02J; H02J7/00; H02J7/50; H02J7/52; H02J7/54; H02J7/60; H02J7/62; H01M10/36; H01M10/39; H01M10/3909; H01M2200/00; H01M2200/10; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
83 words
A zener diode looping element for use in a battery with a plurality of cells, said element used as a shunt across each said cell, comprising: a zener diode p-n junction, packaged in a heavy duty package so that failure of said package will not occur during extreme overcurrent conditions, said zener diode fusing to a permanent short circuit condition when a predetermined amount of current is passed through said zener diode in a forward biased direction for a predetermined length of time.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
83 words
A zener diode looping element for use in a battery with a plurality of cells, said element used as a shunt across each said cell, comprising: a zener diode p-n junction, packaged in a heavy duty package so that failure of said package will not occur during extreme overcurrent conditions, said zener diode fusing to a permanent short circuit condition when a predetermined amount of current is passed through said zener diode in a forward biased direction for a predetermined length of time.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
An element as in claim 1 wherein said predetermined amount of current is less than the expected output current of said battery.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
An element as in claim 2 wherein said element has a reverse breakdown voltage chosen to be substantially equal to said cell voltage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
An element as in claim 1 further comprising a silicon chip, directly connected to said package.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
86 words
A battery comprising: a plurality of battery cells connected in series; and a plurality of zener diode looping elements, each connected in parallel with each said cell, each said looping element having its cathode connected to the anode of each said cell and said looping element having its anode connected to the cathode of each said cell; said looping element being constructed so that when a predetermined amount of current is passed in a forward direction, said looping element fuses permanently into a short circuit state.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
86 words
A battery comprising: a plurality of battery cells connected in series; and a plurality of zener diode looping elements, each connected in parallel with each said cell, each said looping element having its cathode connected to the anode of each said cell and said looping element having its anode connected to the cathode of each said cell; said looping element being constructed so that when a predetermined amount of current is passed in a forward direction, said looping element fuses permanently into a short circuit state.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
A battery as in claim 5 wherein said battery is sodium sulfur.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
A battery as in claim 5 wherein said battery is of the alkali/chalcogen type.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A battery as in claim 5 further comprising terminal means on said battery for coding a voltage produced by said series connected cells to an outside source.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
A battery as in claim 8 further comprising charging means for charging said battery according to a predetermined program.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
A battery as in claim 9 wherein said charging means charges at three rates - a first high current rate, a second reducing current rate and a third low current rate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
A battery as in claim 5 wherein said predetermined amount of current is less than the expected output current of said battery.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A battery as in claim 5 wherein each said looping element has a zener voltage substantially equal to each said cell.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
A battery as in claim 5 wherein each said looping element is housed in a heavy duty package.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
A battery as in claim 12 wherein each said looping element is housed in a heavy duty package.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
105 words
A battery system comprising: terminal means for relaying a voltage from said battery to a load; a plurality of battery cells connected in series between said terminal means; a plurality of zener diodes, each said zener diode connected in parallel across one of said battery cells, so that said zener diode is normally reverse biased; and charging means for applying charge to said battery according to a predetermined program; said predetermined program ensuring that when said battery voltage is high enough to cause reverse breakdown of said zener diodes that the current emitted from said charging means will not cause destruction of said zener diodes.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
105 words
A battery system comprising: terminal means for relaying a voltage from said battery to a load; a plurality of battery cells connected in series between said terminal means; a plurality of zener diodes, each said zener diode connected in parallel across one of said battery cells, so that said zener diode is normally reverse biased; and charging means for applying charge to said battery according to a predetermined program; said predetermined program ensuring that when said battery voltage is high enough to cause reverse breakdown of said zener diodes that the current emitted from said charging means will not cause destruction of said zener diodes.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
A device as in claim 15 wherein said battery is of the sodium sulfur type.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
A device as in claim 15 wherein said battery is of the alkali/chalcogen type.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device as in claim 15 wherein said zener diodes are also looping elements, which in response to a predetermined forward bias current permanently fuse into a short circuit state.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device as in claim 18 wherein the zener voltage of said zener diodes is chosen to be substantially equal to the cell voltage of said battery cells.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
43 words
A device as in claim 19 wherein said charging means has three charging rates - a high current rate, a reducing current rate, and a low current rate, said low current rate being lower than the current handling capacity of said zener diodes.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device as in claim 15 further comprising looping element means in parallel across said zener diode means for shorting out any failed cells.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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