External hybridisation

• US 20060234116A1
• Filed: 06/03/2003
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG
• Original Assignee: SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG
• Inventors: Müller, Jens, Freitag, Oliver
• Application Number:
  US10/529,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20060234116A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/123
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/003 of fuel cells with other electrochemical devices, e.g. capacitors, electrolysers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04298 Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0491 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04917 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

The invention relates to a connection device for an electrical consumer which is provided with an internal energy source so that, when an external energy source is connected, the internal energy source and the external energy source form a hybrid energy source. The connection device comprises an interconnection designed in such a way that an external energy source connected to the connection device (i) exclusively supplies the consumer with energy in a lower load range and (ii) in a higher load range supplies the consumer with energy in conjunction with the internal energy source. The invention also relates to an interface or an electrical consumer having such a connection device.

Claims

1. Connection device for an electrical consumer with an internal energy source, for connecting an external energy source, such that:

the connection device comprises an interconnection which is designed in such a way that an external energy source connected to the connection device

exclusively supplies the consumer with energy in a lower load range and

in a higher load range supplies the consumer with energy in conjunction with the internal energy source.

2. Connection device according to claim 1 for an electrical consumer whose internal energy source comprises a rechargeable energy source, such that:

the interconnection of the connection device is also so designed that the rechargeable energy source can be recharged by the external energy source which is connected to the connection device.

3. Connection device according to claim 2 for an electrical consumer whose internal rechargeable energy source comprises a capacitor and/or an accumulator, such that:

the interconnection of the connection device is so designed that the connected external energy source is connected in parallel with the capacitor and/or the accumulator.

4. Connection device according to claim 3, wherein at least one connection of the interconnection between the external energy source and the accumulator has two parallel branches, such that:

the first branch is provided to enable the accumulator to be charged up by the external energy source and it has a charge limiter to limit the charging, and

the second branch is provided to enable current to be drained from the accumulator and it has a device to prevent the accumulator being charged up via the second branch.

5. Connection device according to claim 1, with devices for preventing a short-circuit current through the internal and/or external energy source and/or for preventing a current flowing contrary to the natural current direction of the external energy source.

6. Connection interface for an electrical consumer with an internal rechargeable energy source, comprising:

a first connection device which is designed according to claim 1,

a second connection device which is designed for charging the internal rechargeable energy source via a power pack.

7. Connection interface according to claim 6, wherein the first and the second connection device are designed differently in such a way as to make it impossible to wrongly connect an external energy source.

8. Electrical consumer with one of

a connection device according to claim 1, and

a connection interface for an electrical consumer with an internal rechargeable energy source, comprising a first connection device which is designed according to claim 1 and a second connection device which is designed for charging the internal rechargeable energy source via a power pack.

9. Electrical consumer according to claim 8, wherein the connection devices comprise sockets in the wall of the casing of the electrical consumer.

10. Electrical consumer according to claim 9 which comprises a portable computer.

12. Method, for supplying energy to an electrical consumer with an internal energy source, wherein the internal energy source is so hybridized with an external energy source that the external energy source

exclusively supplies the consumer with energy in a lower load range and

in a higher load range supplies the consumer with energy in conjunction with the internal energy source,

wherein the hybridization of the external energy source with the internal energy source of the electrical consumer is effected via a connection device according to claim 1.

13. Electrical consumer according to claim 8, wherein the first and the second connection device are designed differently in such a way as to make it impossible to wrongly connect an external energy source.

14. Connection device according to claim 2, with devices for preventing a short-circuit current through the internal and/or external energy source and/or for preventing a current flowing contrary to the natural current direction of the external energy source.

15. Connection device according to claim 4, with devices for preventing a short-circuit current through the internal and/or external energy source and/or for preventing a current flowing contrary to the natural current direction of the external energy source.

16. Connection interface for an electrical consumer with an internal rechargeable energy source, comprising:

a first connection device which is designed according to claim 2,

a second connection device which is designed for charging the internal rechargeable energy source via a power pack.

17. Connection interface for an electrical consumer with an internal rechargeable energy source, comprising:

a first connection device which is designed according to claim 4,

a second connection device which is designed for charging the internal rechargeable energy source via a power pack.

18. Connection interface for an electrical consumer with an internal rechargeable energy source, comprising:

a first connection device which is designed according to claim 5,

a second connection device which is designed for charging the internal rechargeable energy source via a power pack.

19. Method, for supplying energy to an electrical consumer with an internal energy source, wherein the internal energy source is so hybridized with an external energy source that the external energy source

exclusively supplies the consumer with energy in a lower load range and

in a higher load range supplies the consumer with energy in conjunction with the internal energy source,

wherein the hybridization of the external energy source with the internal energy source of the electrical consumer is effected via a connection device according to claim 2.

20. Method, for supplying energy to an electrical consumer with an internal energy source, wherein the internal energy source is so hybridized with an external energy source that the external energy source

exclusively supplies the consumer with energy in a lower load range and

in a higher load range supplies the consumer with energy in conjunction with the internal energy source,

wherein the hybridization of the external energy source with the internal energy source of the electrical consumer is effected via a connection device according to claim 4.

11. Method for supplying energy to an electrical consumer with an internal energy source, wherein the internal energy source is so hybridized with an external energy source that the external energy source

exclusively supplies the consumer with energy in a lower load range and

in a higher load range supplies the consumer with energy in conjunction with the internal energy source.