Patent ID: 11901533
Assignee: CATERPILLAR INC.
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  Y | IPC H

Claim 0:
1. A system, comprising:
a housing configured to support a plurality of battery cells, the housing comprising:
a first side wall,
a second side wall disposed opposite the first side wall,
a first end plate coupled to the first side wall and the second side wall,
a second end plate coupled to the first side wall and the second side wall, the second end plate disposed opposite the first end plate,
a central wall extending from the first end plate to the second end plate, and disposed substantially parallel to the first side wall, and
a thermal interface material extending from the first side wall to the second side wall, and from the first end plate to the second end plate, the thermal interface material being disposed substantially perpendicular to the first side wall, the second side wall, the first end plate, and the second end plate;

a heating pad including a heating element configured to raise a temperature of the plurality of battery cells, the heating pad having
a first surface disposed adjacent to the thermal interface material,
a second surface opposite the first surface, and
a central slot extending from the first surface to the second surface, at least part of the central wall extending through the central slot from the first surface to the second surface;

a cooling plate configured to lower the temperature of the plurality of battery cells, the cooling plate including a coolant channel configured to direct coolant through at least part of the cooling plate, the cooling plate having a third surface disposed adjacent to the second surface of the heating pad, and a fourth surface opposite the third surface; and
a controller programmed to:
receive a temperature indication determined by a temperature sensor disposed at a location within the housing and proximate at least one battery cell of the plurality of battery cells;
determine the temperature of the plurality of battery cells based at least in part on the temperature indication;
cause energy to be directed from a power source to the heating element based at least in part on the determined temperature of the plurality of battery cells being less than a first temperature threshold; and
cause coolant to be directed from a coolant source to the coolant channel based at least in part on the determined temperature of the plurality of battery cells being greater than a second temperature threshold, the second temperature threshold being greater than the first temperature threshold.