Patent ID: 8912757

Claim:
A battery, in particular a traction battery, comprising at least two series-connected battery modules, each of which has a first battery module pole, a second battery module pole, and at least one series circuit and/or parallel circuit of battery cells connected between them; a first terminal of the series circuit of battery modules is connected to a first battery pole, while a second terminal of the series circuit of battery modules is connected to a second battery pole, wherein at least one battery module of the at least two serially connected battery modules is a first battery module, which has at least one disconnecting device and one bridging device; when triggered accordingly, the at least one disconnecting device interrupts a connection between the series circuit and/or parallel circuit of battery cells and the first battery module pole and/or second battery module pole and/or interrupts the series circuit and/or parallel circuit of battery cells; and when triggered accordingly, the bridging device, which is connected between the first battery module pole and second battery module pole, short-circuits the first battery module pole and the second battery module pole, and/or at least one battery module of the at least two series-connected battery modules is a second battery module that has at least one charging and disconnecting device and one bridging device; when triggered accordingly, the at least one charging and disconnecting device interrupts the connection between the series circuit and/or parallel circuit of battery cells and the first battery module pole and/or second battery module pole and/or interrupts the series circuit and/or parallel circuit of battery cells and limits charging or equalizing currents occurring when the battery module or the battery with the battery module is switched on; and when triggered accordingly, the bridging device, which is connected between the first battery module pole and second battery module pole, short-circuits the first battery module pole and second battery module pole.