Methods and Apparatus for a Battery and Regulating the Temperature of Batteries

Abstract

A battery that includes collectors with tabs that are wide with respect to the area of the collector. The wide tabs present a low electrical and thermal resistance to improve the flow of current and/or heat to and from the collector thereby improving electrical and thermal performance of the battery. The battery further includes terminals with a channel that supports the flow of medium (e.g., liquid) to heat and/or cool the battery. The terminals may include fins or pins to increase the surface area of the terminal to improve thermal transfer to and from the battery and collectors of the battery. The batteries may be formed into a battery module that includes a system for monitoring and regulating the temperature of the batteries of the module.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A battery cell comprising:
 a case having a plurality of walls that enclose a cavity;   an anode terminal positioned at least partially on an exterior of the case;   a cathode terminal positioned at least partially on the exterior of the case;   a plurality of anode collectors positioned in the cavity of the case, each anode collector couples to the anode terminal;   a plurality of cathode collectors positioned in the cavity of the case, each cathode collector is positioned between two anode collectors or to a side of one anode collector, each cathode collector couples to the cathode terminal;   a plurality of units of chemicals, each unit of chemicals is positioned in the cavity of the case, one unit of chemicals is positioned between each anode collector and each cathode collector; and   a plurality of temperature sensors positioned in or on the case at a respective location, each temperature sensor is configured to report a respective temperature of at least one of one or more anode collectors, one or more cathode collectors, one or more units of chemistry, the anode terminal, the cathode terminal and the case to a provided processing circuit.   
     
     
         2 . The battery cell of  claim 1  wherein each temperature sensor is further configured to report its respective location in or on the case to the provided processing circuit. 
     
     
         3 . The battery cell of  claim 1  wherein:
 each temperature sensor includes an identifier that identifies its respective location in or on the case; 
 each temperature sensor is further configured to provide its identifier to the provided processing circuit; and 
 the provided processing circuit is configured to convert the identifier from each temperature sensor to the respective location in or on the case. 
 
     
     
         4 . The battery cell of  claim 1  wherein:
 each anode collector, each cathode collector, each unit of chemicals, the anode terminal, the cathode terminal and one or more portions of the case are assigned a respective identifier; 
 each temperature sensor is programmed with the identifier of one anode collector, one cathode collector, one unit of chemicals, the anode terminal, the cathode terminal or one portion of the case that is proximate to the respective location of the temperature sensor; and 
 each temperature sensor is configured to provide its respective programmed identifier to the provided processing circuit thereby identifying its respective location in or on the case. 
 
     
     
         5 . A battery cell comprising:
 a case;   an anode terminal positioned at least partially on an exterior of the case;   a cathode terminal positioned at least partially on the exterior of the case;   a plurality of anode collectors positioned inside the case, each anode collector couples to the anode terminal;   a plurality of cathode collectors positioned inside the case, each cathode collector is positioned between two anode collectors or to a side of one anode collector, each cathode collector couples to the cathode terminal; and   a plurality of temperature sensors, each temperature sensor is configured to communicate with a provided processing circuit; wherein:
 a first temperature sensor of the plurality of temperature sensors is positioned in or on the anode terminal at a first location, the first temperature sensor is configured to report a first temperature of the anode terminal at the first location to the provided processing circuit; and 
 a second temperature sensor of the plurality of temperature sensors is positioned in or on the cathode terminal at a second location, the second temperature sensor is configured to report a second temperature of the cathode terminal at the second location to the provided processing circuit. 
   
     
     
         6 . The battery cell of  claim 5  wherein:
 the first temperature sensor is further configured to report the first location to the provided processing circuit; and 
 the second temperature sensor is further configured to report the second location to the provided processing circuit. 
 
     
     
         7 . The battery cell of  claim 5  wherein:
 each temperature sensor of the plurality of temperature sensors includes a respective identifier that identifies a respective location of the temperature sensor with respect to at least one of the case, the anode terminal, the cathode terminal, one or more anode collectors and one or more cathode collectors; and 
 each temperature sensor is configured to report its respective identifier to the provided processing circuit. 
 
     
     
         8 . The battery cell of  claim 5  wherein:
 the first temperature sensor includes a first identifier that identifies the first location of the first temperature sensor with respect to the anode terminal; and 
 the second temperature sensor includes a second identifier that identifies the second location of the second temperature sensor with respect to the cathode terminal. 
 
     
     
         9 . The battery cell of  claim 5  wherein a third temperature sensor of the plurality of temperature sensors is positioned inside the case, the third temperature sensor is configured to report a third temperature of at least one of one anode collector, one cathode collector and one unit of chemicals to the provided processing circuit. 
     
     
         10 . The battery cell of  claim 5  wherein a fourth temperature sensor of the plurality of temperature sensors is positioned in or on a wall of the case, the fourth temperature sensor is configured to report a fourth temperature of the case that is positioned proximate to the fourth temperature sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The battery cell of  claim 5  wherein a fifth temperature sensor of the plurality of temperature sensors is positioned in a center portion of an interior of the case, the fifth temperature sensor is configured to report a fifth temperature of one or more anode collectors, one or more cathode collectors and one or more units of chemicals that are positioned proximate to the fifth temperature sensor. 
     
     
         12 . A battery module comprising:
 a plurality of battery cells, each battery cells couples in series or parallel to at least one other battery cell;   a processing circuit;   a medium for cooling or heating one or more battery cells; and   a pump configured to direct the medium toward one or more battery cells to heat or cool the one or more battery cells; wherein:
 each battery cell of the plurality of battery cells includes:
 a case, 
 an anode terminal, 
 a cathode terminal, 
 a plurality of anode collectors positioned inside the case, each anode collector is coupled to the anode terminal, 
 a plurality of cathode collectors positioned inside the case, each cathode collector is coupled to the cathode terminal, and 
 a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the battery cell, the temperature sensor includes an identifier, the temperature sensor is configured to report the temperature and the identifier to the processing circuit; and 
 
 in accordance with the temperature and the identifier from each battery cell, the processing circuit controls the pump to direct the medium toward one or more battery cells of the plurality of battery cells to cool or heat the one or more battery cells. 
   
     
     
         13 . The battery module of  claim 12  wherein the temperature sensor of each battery cell is positioned in or on one of the case, the anode terminal, the cathode terminal, one anode collector, one cathode collector and a unit of chemicals of the battery cell. 
     
     
         14 . The battery module of  claim 12  wherein the processing circuit is configured to use the identifier from each battery cell to determine a respective location of the battery cell in the battery module. 
     
     
         15 . The battery module of  claim 12  wherein the anode terminal and the cathode terminal of each battery cell couples in series or parallel to the anode terminal or the cathode terminal of at least one other battery cell to form a manifold, the manifold includes one or more channels, the pump is configured to move the medium through the one or more channels of the manifold to heat or cool one or more battery cells. 
     
     
         16 . The battery module of  claim 15  wherein:
 the processing circuit is configured to use the identifier from each battery cell to determine a respective location of the battery cell in the battery module; and 
 the processing circuit controls the pump to direct the medium toward the one or more battery cells via the one or more channels.