1. A longitudinal battery cell for a vehicle battery module, comprising:
a first end and an opposite second end with respect to a longitudinal axis of the battery cell;
a lateral surface extending from the first end to the second end; and
an attachment structure extending in an outward direction from the lateral surface at the second end adapted to couple the battery cell to the battery module.
2. The longitudinal battery cell according to claim 1, wherein the battery cell has a cylindrical shape having a first electrical terminal of a first polarity at the first end and a second electrical terminal of a second polarity at the second end.
3. The longitudinal battery cell according to claim 1, wherein the attachment structure includes a circumferential lip extending in the outward direction from the lateral surface at an connecting edge between the lateral surface and the second end.
4. The longitudinal battery cell according to claim 1, wherein the attachment structure includes at least one tab extending in the outward direction from the lateral surface at an connecting edge between the lateral surface and the second end.
5. The longitudinal battery cell according to claim 1, wherein the attachment structure includes three tabs extending in the outward direction from the lateral surface at an connecting edge between the lateral surface and the second end, the tabs being equally spaced along the connecting edge.
6. The longitudinal battery cell according to claim 1, wherein the attachment structure is integrally formed with the lateral surface.
7. The longitudinal battery cell according to claim 1, wherein the attachment structure includes a separate element attached to the lateral surface.
8. A vehicle battery module for accommodating a plurality of longitudinal battery cells, the battery cells arranged in the battery module in parallel with respect to their longitudinal axes, each battery cell having a first end and an opposite second end with respect to the longitudinal axis and a lateral surface extending from the first end to the second end, and each battery cell including an attachment structure extending in an outward direction from the lateral surface at the second end, comprising:
an alignment plate including a plurality of openings, each opening being adapted to receive and couple to the attachment structure of a corresponding battery cell of the plurality of battery cells.
9. The vehicle battery module according to claim 8, wherein the opening includes a coupling structure adapted to couple to the attachment structure, the coupling structure including at least one of (a) a twist-lock, (b) a groove, (c) a snap fit, and (d) a screw thread.
10. The vehicle battery module according to claim 8, further comprising a conductor plate adapted to electrically couple to the second ends of the battery cells, the conductor plate being arranged in parallel to the alignment plate and coupled to the alignment plate, wherein each opening of the alignment plate is dimensioned such that when the corresponding battery cell is mounted in the battery module, a corresponding battery cell protrudes through the opening in the longitudinal direction and the attachment structure of the corresponding battery cell is held between the alignment plate and the conductor plate.
11. The vehicle battery module according to claim 10, wherein a rim of each opening of the alignment plate includes an indentation on a face of the alignment plate facing the conductor plate, wherein the indentation forms in combination with the conductor plate a recess for receiving the attachment structure of the corresponding battery cell.
12. The vehicle battery module according to claim 10, further comprising a thermal conductive material layer sandwiched between the conductor plate and the alignment plate.
13. The vehicle battery module according to claim 10, wherein the conductor plate includes a plurality of openings, each opening being aligned with the second end of a corresponding battery cell.
14. The vehicle battery module according to claim 13, wherein at a rim of each of the openings of the conductor plate an indentation is provided, wherein a wire bond for electrically connecting the corresponding battery cell to the conductor plate is coupled to the indentation and the second end of the corresponding battery cell.
15. The vehicle battery module according to claim 8, further comprising a frame element including a plurality of holding structures, each holding structure being configured to receive the first end of a corresponding battery cell and to support the corresponding battery cell in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the battery cell.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for charging an electric storage battery in a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle through a power supply circuit, comprising the steps of:
(a) coupling the charger to the circuit;
(b) providing the charger with a signal representing a current capacity of the circuit;
(c) using the signal to determine a maximum charge rate corresponding to the current capacity of the circuit represented by the signal; and
(d) charging the battery through the circuit and charger at the maximum charge rate.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the circuit includes wires carrying current to the charger, wherein step (b) further includes the step of transmitting the signal to the charger on a wire that carries current to the charger.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further includes the step of:
transmitting the signal from a signal source to the charger on a wire dedicated to transmitting the signal.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further includes the steps of:
transmitting wirelessly from a signal source to the charger the signal representing the current capacity of the circuit.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the signal is transmitted by RF communication.
6. A system for charging an electric storage battery in a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, comprising:
a power supply circuit;
a signal source transmitting a signal representing a current capacity of the power supply circuit; and
a charger coupled to the power supply circuit and the battery, in communication with the signal source, and configured to charge the battery from the power supply circuit at a charge rate whose magnitude is represented by the signal.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein the system further comprises:
an adapter coupled to the circuit through said wires, the adapter including the signal source; and
a wire through which the signal is transmitted from the signal source to the charger.
8. The system of claim 6 wherein:
the power supply circuit includes first and second current carrying wires and a return wire; and
the system further comprises an adapter coupled to the power supply circuit and the charger through said wires, the adapter including the signal source, and the signal being transmitted from the signal source to the charger on one or more of the first and second current carrying wires and the return wire.
9. The system of claim 6 further comprising:
an adapter coupled to the power supply circuit and the charger, the adapter including the signal source, which produces an RF signal; and
the charger further including a receiver for receiving RF signals, and an identifier that identifies the RF signal representing a current capacity of the power supply circuit.
10. A system for charging an electric storage battery in a plug-in electric vehicle, comprising:
a power supply circuit;
a signal source transmitting a signal representing a current capacity of the power supply circuit; and
a charger coupled to the power supply circuit and the battery, in communication with the signal source, and configured to vary a charge rate depending on the current capacity of the circuit represented by the signal, to determine with reference to the signal representing the current capacity of the circuit a maximum charge rate at which the battery is charged, and to charge the battery at the maximum charge rate.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein the system further comprises:
an adapter coupled to the circuit through wires, the adapter including the signal source; and
a wire through which the signal is transmitted from the signal source to the charger.
12. The system of claim 10 wherein:
the power supply circuit includes first and second current carrying wires and a return wire; and
the system further comprises an adapter coupled to the power supply circuit and the charger through said wires, the adapter including the signal source, and the signal being transmitted from the signal source to the charger on one or more of the first and second current carrying wires and the return wire.
13. The system of claim 10 further comprising:
an adapter coupled to the power supply circuit and the charger, the adapter including the signal source that produces an RF signal; and
the charger further including a receiver for receiving RF signals, and an identifier that identifies the RF signal representing a current capacity of the power supply circuit.