Application US20190140459

Module Maintenance System
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US20190140459

1. A module maintenance system comprising: (2) (7)

a battery module comprising an enclosure and at least a first battery cell and a second battery cell, the first and second battery cells being disposed in a cavity of the enclosure;

a rig comprising a lid and a set of buses, the set of buses being attached to the lid;

a charging device for charging the first and second battery cells;

wherein the battery module has a series configuration and a parallel configuration;

wherein, in the series configuration, the lid of the rig is spaced apart from the enclosure and the set of buses of the rig are spaced apart from the first and second battery cells;

wherein, in the series configuration, one or more bus bars couple the first and second battery cells in series and the charging device modifies charge levels of the first and second battery cells using the one or more bus bars; and

wherein, in the parallel configuration, the lid of the rig attaches to the enclosure of the battery module such that the set of buses of the rig couple to the first and second battery cells and the charging device modifies charge levels of the first and second battery cells using the set of buses.

2. The module maintenance system according to claim 1, wherein the charging device includes an equalization output having a first connector and a second connector; (1) (3)

wherein the set of buses of the rig comprises a first bus and a second bus;

wherein the first battery cell has a first anode and a first cathode and the second battery cell has a second anode and a second cathode; and

wherein, in the parallel configuration, the first bus couples the first connector of the equalization output, the first cathode, and the second cathode and wherein, in the parallel configuration, the second bus couples the second connector of the equalization output to the first anode and the second anode.

3. The module maintenance system according to claim 2, wherein the charging device includes a bulk output having a first connector and a second connector; (1) (2)

wherein the one or more bus bars comprises at least a first bus bar; and

wherein, in the series configuration, the first bus bar couples the first anode and the second cathode, the first cathode being coupled to the first connector of the bulk output, and the second anode being coupled to the second connector of the bulk output.

4. The module maintenance system according to claim 3, wherein the first bus comprises a first set of contact elements extending away from a bottom surface of the lid of the rig and the second bus comprises a second set of contact elements extending away from the bottom surface of the lid of the rig; (1) (2)

wherein, in the parallel configuration, a first cathode contact element of the first set of contact elements is coupled to the first cathode and a second cathode contact element of the first set of contact elements is coupled to the second cathode; and

wherein, in the parallel configuration, a first anode contact element of the second set of contact elements is coupled to the first anode and a second anode contact element of the second set of contact elements is coupled to the second anode.

5. The module maintenance system according to claim 4, wherein, in the parallel configuration, the charging device outputs a first voltage on the equalization output; (0) (2)

6. The module maintenance system according to claim 1, wherein the lid of the rig comprises a top surface, the bottom surface and the top surface being on opposite sides of the lid; (0) (2)

7. A module maintenance system comprising: (1) (8)

a battery module comprising at least a first battery cell and a second battery cell;

a rig comprising a set of buses for connecting with the first and second battery cells;

a charging device comprising a bulk output and an equalization output;

wherein the battery module has a series configuration and a parallel configuration;

wherein, in the parallel configuration, the rig is disposed onto the battery module such that the set of buses couple the first and second battery cells in parallel;

wherein, in the parallel configuration, the equalization output is coupled to the set of buses and the charging device outputs a first voltage to the equalization output to equalize charge levels of the first and second battery cells;

wherein, in the series configuration, one or more bus bars couple the first and second battery cells in series with the bulk output and the charging device outputs a second voltage to the bulk output to modify charge levels of the first and second battery cells; and

wherein the second voltage is greater than the first voltage.

8. The module maintenance system according to claim 7, wherein, in the series configuration, the charging device is configured to selectively switch between a charging state and a discharging state; (4) (2)

wherein, in the charging state of the charging device, the charging device outputs the second voltage on the bulk output; and

wherein, in the discharging state of the charging device, the charging device switches a discharging circuit to the bulk output for discharging the first battery, the second battery cell, or a combination thereof.

9. The module maintenance system according to claim 8, wherein the discharge circuit includes a resistive element; and (0) (1)

10. The module maintenance system according to claim 8, wherein, in the discharging state of the charging device, the charging device transfers energy from the first and second battery cells to an electric grid connection. (0)

11. The module maintenance system according to claim 8, wherein, in the series configuration of the battery module, the set of buses of the rig are electronically isolated from the first and second battery cells. (0)

12. The module maintenance system according to claim 8, wherein, in the discharging state of the charging device, the charging device measures a discharge rate of the first battery cell; (1) (2)

wherein, in the charging state of the charging device, the charging device measures a first charge rate of the first battery cell; and

wherein, in the parallel configuration, the charging device measures a second charge rate of the first battery cell.

13. The module maintenance system according to claim 12, wherein the charging device includes a computing device, the computing device including a data store; and (1) (1)

15. A module maintenance system comprising: (0) (4)

a battery module comprising an enclosure and at least a first battery cell and a second battery cell, the first and second battery cells being disposed in a cavity of the enclosure;

wherein the first battery cell comprises a first anode and a first cathode and the second battery cell comprises a second anode and a second cathode;

a rig comprising a lid, a first bus having a first set of contact elements, and a second bus having a second set of contact elements; and

wherein the lid is secured onto the cavity such that the first set of contact elements are coupled to the first cathode and the second cathode and wherein the lid is secured onto the cavity such that the second set of contact elements are coupled to the first anode and the second anode.

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Application US20190140459

Module Maintenance System

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