BATTERY WITH THERMAL INSULATION

Abstract

A high-temperature battery having at least one battery module, a battery housing, and at least one thermal insulating element, the battery housing and the thermal insulating element surrounding the battery module, and at least one connecting element for connecting the battery to external devices. The connecting element is realized as at least one first transponder inside the thermal insulating element, whereby a transmission of electrical energy and/or data can be carried out wirelessly between the first transponder and at least one second transponder outside the thermal insulating element.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A high-temperature battery, comprising: at least one battery module; a battery housing; at least one thermal insulating element, the battery housing and the thermal insulating element surrounding the battery module; and at least one connecting element for connecting the battery to external devices, the connecting element including at least one first transponder inside the thermal insulating element, whereby a transmission of at least one of electrical energy and data can be carried out wirelessly between the first transponder and at least one second transponder outside the thermal insulating element.

12. The battery as recited in claim 11, wherein the transmission of the at least one of the energy and the data takes place at least one of: (i) electromagnetically, (ii) inductively, (iii) capacitively, and (iv) optically.

13. The battery as recited in claim 11, wherein at least one of the first transponder and the second transponder has at least one of: (i) a coil, (ii) a light source, (iii) a sensor, and (iv) a capacitor plate.

14. The battery as recited in claim 11, wherein at least one of: (i) the first transponder has at least one first transponder electronics whereby at least a voltage, a current, and a frequency of the electrical energy can be modified, and (ii) the second transponder has at least one second transponder electronics whereby at least a voltage, a current, and a frequency of the electrical energy can be modified.

15. The battery as recited in claim 11, wherein the first transponder and the second transponder can each transmit and receive the at least one of the energy and the data, whereby at least one of a bidirectional energy and a data transmission is enabled.

16. The battery as recited in claim 11, wherein the second transponder is situated movably outside the thermal insulating element.

17. The battery as recited in claim 11, wherein at least one positioning aid for the battery module is situated on the battery housing.

18. The battery as recited in claim 11, wherein at least one sensor unit is situated at least one of: (i) on the battery module, (ii) on the battery housing, (iii) on the thermal insulating element, with which sensor unit state information of the battery can be ascertained.

19. The battery as recited in claim 11, wherein the first transponder and the second transponder have a data interface for the data, and wherein at least one of Bluetooth, NFC, wireless LAN, and GSM being used for the transmission of the data.

20. A method for transmitting at least one of energy and data of a battery to an external device, the battery including at least one battery module, a battery housing, and at least one thermal insulating element, the battery housing and the thermal insulating element surrounding the battery module, and at least one connecting element for connecting the battery to external devices, the at least one connecting element including a first transponder inside the thermal insulating element, the method comprising: wirelessly transmitting at least one of electrical energy and data, between the first transponder and at least one second transponder outside the thermal insulating element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Further features that improve the present invention result from the following description of some exemplary embodiments of the present invention that are schematically shown in the Figures. All the features and/or advantages resulting from the description, or the figures, including constructive details, spatial configurations, and method steps, can be essential to the present invention both in themselves and also in any combination. Here it is to be noted that the Figures have only a descriptive character and are not intended to limit the present invention in any way.

[0022] FIG. 1 schematically shows a battery according to the existing art.

[0023] FIG. 2 schematically shows a first specific embodiment of the battery according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0024] FIG. 1 schematically shows a battery according to the existing art, having a multiplicity of battery modules 11, a battery housing 12, an insulating element 13, and two connecting elements 14. The connecting elements 14 are, on the one hand, a terminal for transmitting electrical energy between battery 10 and an external device. Connecting element 14 is realized in the form of cables that run from battery modules 11 through insulating element 13 and battery housing 14, and thus run out from the battery. Connecting element 14 for the transmission of data is made up of a cable that is also routed from battery modules 11 through thermal insulating element 13 and battery housing 12. Both in the case of connecting element 14 for the transmission of electrical energy and also in the case of connecting element 14 for the transmission of data, due to the cables that are present in each case there results a thermal loss due to the thermal conduction in the connecting cables. In the transmission of electrical energy, at least two lines are required, and for the power transmission of the electrical energy more than two lines are present so that different voltage levels can be realized. Depending on the temperature level of the interior compartment of the battery, a more or less expensive thermal insulation of battery modules 11 is required in order to keep the thermal losses low and to keep the required heating power as small as possible. The routing of connecting elements 14 through thermal insulating element 13 and battery housing 12 is a thermally conductive connection to the surrounding environment of the battery, and thus represents a potential thermal leakage that, in particular when the ambient temperature around the battery is low, negatively influences the efficiency of the battery and its useful life. The influence of the temperature is particularly important in the case of storage elements that, due to temperature-sensitive performance, have to be operated at particular temperatures and that therefore already depend on a thermal insulating element 13 having a high insulating effect. The insulating effect of these thermal insulating elements 13 is mostly based on the exploitation of the good insulating properties of gas or vacuum cavities.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a specific embodiment of battery 10 according to the present invention that has a multiplicity of battery modules 11, a battery housing 12, and at least one thermal insulating element 13, battery housing 12 and thermal insulating element 13 surrounding battery module 11. For better distinguishability and illustration of the battery according to the present invention relative to the existing art, battery 10 according to the present invention in FIG. 2 also optionally has two connecting elements 14, respectively one connecting element 14 for the transmission of electrical energy and one connecting element 14 for the transmission of data between first transponder 20, 26 and second transponder 21, 27. According to the present invention, in FIG. 2, instead of the cable through thermal insulating element 13, there are now oppositely situated transponders 20, 21 and 26, 27. Here, within the scope of the present invention it is possible that to achieve the bidirectionality of the transmission of electrical energy and/or data, transponders 20, 21, 26, 27 act both as transmitters and as receivers, or depending on the direction of energy flow a separate transponder can be installed for transmission or reception. For the operation of transponders 20, 21, 26, 27, in general a transponder electronics unit 24, 25, 28, 29 is required that, given the transmission of electrical energy, for example generates an alternating voltage for transponder 20, because battery 10 typically supplies direct current. In addition, transponder electronics 24, 25 can be used to generate a modified voltage or frequency position in order in this way to enable linkage to the external devices. This holds both for the direction of the energy flow when charging battery 10 and also during discharging or removal of energy from battery 10 by an external device. In the transmission of data, transponder electronics 28, 29 are used to achieve the bidirectionality of the data flow, transponder electronics 28, 29 being capable of acting both as transmitter and also as receiver of the data.

[0026] It is also possible here that a separate transponder 26, 27 can be installed per data flow direction. In the transmission of data, transponder electronics 28, 29 are used for example for signal conversion (electrical ⇄ optical) and for the digitization or digital preparation of signals. In the context of the present invention, data transmission means that sensor or control signals are transmitted from and to battery 10 either in analog or digital fashion. These can for example be voltage signals, temperature sensor data, or control signals for triggering the battery balancing. The data can for example be ascertained by a sensor unit 30 or by a separate electronics unit of battery 10, such that in this way a balancing or also a heating can be carried out. In order to ensure this, a bidirectional data transmission from and to the battery is required. In FIG. 2, sensor unit 30 is situated as an example on battery module 11, and can thus be prepared via transponder electronics 24, 25, 28, 29, and transmitted via transponder 20, 21, 26, 27. In addition, in FIG. 2 positioning units 40 are shown which are situated on battery housing 12 and which provide a correct positioning of battery 10. Correspondingly, positioning aid 40 also acts as a reverse polarity protection of the battery and, where required, is used for the best possible transmission of electrical energy and/or data between transponders 20, 26, 21, 27.