Patent ID: 9306247
Filing Date: 2016-04-05
CPC Classification: B60L,G01R,H01M,Y02E,Y02T

Claim Text:
1. A method for detecting impact damage to a battery pack mounted to a vehicle, said battery pack configured to house a plurality of batteries, the method comprising the steps of: positioning a plurality of deformable cooling conduits between a lower surface of each of said plurality of batteries and an upper surface of a lower battery pack enclosure panel, wherein integral to each of said plurality of deformable cooling conduits is at least one coolant channel containing a coolant; absorbing thermal energy directly from said plurality of batteries via said plurality of deformable cooling conduits positioned between said lower surface of each of said plurality of batteries and said upper surface of said lower battery pack enclosure panel; incorporating at least one sensor into said plurality of deformable cooling conduits, wherein said at least one sensor monitors a characteristic of said coolant; monitoring said at least one sensor; outputting a first control signal to a system controller when said characteristic monitored by said at least one sensor is within a preset range of values; and outputting a second control signal to said system controller when said characteristic monitored by said at least one sensor is outside of said preset range of values, wherein deformation without breakage of a portion of said plurality of deformable cooling conduits due to an object striking a lower surface of said lower battery pack enclosure panel causes said characteristic monitored by said at least one sensor to fall outside of said preset range of values.