Method and System for Supplying Electrical Energy from a Battery Power Supply Unit

• US 20080124616A1
• Filed: 07/02/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Campagnolo S.R.L.
• Original Assignee: Campagnolo S.R.L.
• Inventors: MIGLIORANZA, Federico
• Granted Patent: US 9,634,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/62
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1407 on vehicles not being driven by a motor, e.g. bicycles

Abstract

In order to improve the performance of a battery power supply unit for a bicycle electronic device at low atmospheric temperature, when its temperature is less than or equal to a lower temperature threshold, electrical energy is supplied by the power supply unit to a heating element thermally coupled with the power supply unit that, in this way, self-heats. Part of the electrical energy of the power supply unit can be simultaneously supplied to the electronic device.

Claims

1. Method for supplying electrical energy from a battery power supply unit for a bicycle electronic device, comprising the steps of:

detecting at least one temperature indicative of the temperature of the power supply unit;

checking operative conditions of the power supply unit, including checking whether the detected temperature is less than or equal to a lower temperature threshold;

and, if the checking step has a positive outcome;

supplying electrical energy from the power supply unit to at least one heating element thermally coupled with the power supply unit.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the lower temperature threshold is selected so as to ensure a capacity of the power supply unit of at least 5% of a maximum nominal capacity of the power supply unit.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the lower temperature threshold is selected so as to ensure a capacity of the power supply unit of 40% of the maximum nominal capacity of the power supply unit.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the lower temperature threshold is −

4°

C.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the checking step comprises checking whether the detected temperature is lower than an upper temperature threshold.

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein the upper temperature threshold is selected so as to ensure a capacity of the power supply unit of about 75% of a maximum nominal capacity of the power supply unit.

7. Method according to claim 5, wherein the upper temperature threshold is 4°

C.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein the electrical energy from the power supply unit to the at least one heating element is supplied as a function of a difference between the lower temperature threshold and a temperature proportional to the detected temperature.

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein the function is a function of the proportional, integrative and/or derivative type.

10. Method according to claim 1, wherein the step of detecting at least one temperature comprises detecting the temperature of each of a plurality of batteries of the battery power supply unit.

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein the checking step comprises checking whether a difference between the lower temperature threshold and the detected temperature is less than or equal to a maximum temperature difference.

12. Method according to claim 11, wherein the maximum temperature difference is a constant value.

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein the maximum temperature difference is equal to 15°

C.

14. Method according to claim 12, wherein the maximum temperature difference is a non-decreasing function of a residual charge of the power supply unit.

15. Method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of detecting a residual charge of the power supply unit, wherein the checking step comprises checking whether the residual charge is greater than a minimum residual charge.

16. Method according to claim 15, wherein the minimum residual charge is a constant percentage value of a maximum charge of the power supply unit.

17. Method according to claim 16, wherein the minimum residual charge is equal to 75% of the maximum charge of the power supply unit.

18. Method according to claim 16, wherein the minimum residual charge is a non-decreasing function of the temperature difference.

19. Method according to claim 18, wherein the minimum residual charge is an increasing function of the temperature difference in the temperature difference range comprised between 0°

C. and a maximum temperature difference, is equal to a residual reserve charge for a temperature difference equal to 0°

C., and is equal to a maximum charge of the power supply unit for temperature differences greater than or equal to the maximum temperature difference.

20. Method according to claim 19, wherein the increasing function of the temperature difference in the temperature difference range comprised between 0°

C. and a maximum temperature difference is linear.

21. Method according to claim 19, wherein the minimum residual charge is equal to a residual reserve charge for temperature differences less than 0°

C.

22. Method according to claim 19, wherein the residual reserve charge is equal to 30% of the maximum charge of the power supply unit.

23. Method according to claim 11, wherein the detected temperature is the atmospheric temperature.

24. Method according to claim 15, wherein the detected temperature is the atmospheric temperature.

25. Method according to claim 1, wherein the checking step comprises checking whether the electronic device is active.

26. Method according to claim 1, wherein a part of energy from the power supply unit is supplied to a plurality of heating elements thermally coupled with each of a plurality of batteries of the battery power supply unit.

27. Method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of supplying electrical energy to the electronic device.

28. Method according to claim 27, wherein the step of supplying electrical energy to the electronic device occurs when the detected temperature is higher than the lower temperature threshold.

29. Power supply system for a bicycle electronic device, comprising:

a battery power supply unit;

at least one sensor of a temperature indicative of the temperature of the power supply unit;

at least one heating element thermally associated with the power supply unit;

a selectively actuable electrical connection from the power supply unit to the heating element; and

a controller that checks operative conditions of the system and, if the check has a positive outcome, actuates the electrical connection to supply electrical energy from the power supply unit to the heating element,

wherein the operative conditions include whether the detected temperature is less than or equal to a lower temperature threshold.

30. System according to claim 29, comprising an electrical connection from the power supply unit to the bicycle electronic device.

31. System according to claim 29, further comprising the bicycle electronic device.

32. System according to claim 29, wherein the operative conditions further include whether the detected temperature is less than an upper temperature threshold.

33. System according to claim 29, wherein the controller actuates the electrical connection through a power regulator selected from the group consisting of relays and solid-state devices.

34. System according to claim 33, wherein the heating element is of the resistive type and the heating controller comprises a multiplier of an output signal of the at least one temperature sensor, a subtractor for subtracting an output of the multiplier from the lower temperature threshold and for obtaining an error signal, and a P.I.D. (proportional-integral-derivative) type power regulator block acting upon the error signal to output a driving signal for the power regulator.

35. System according to claim 34, wherein the driving signal at the output of the P.I.D. power regulator block causes a voltage value at ends of the heating element, or a current value through the heating element, that increases as the error signal increases.

36. System according to claim 34, wherein the P.I.D. power regulator block causes a modulated voltage at ends of the heating element, or a modulated current through the heating element, the duty cycle of which increases as the error signal increases.

37. System according to claim 29, wherein the at least one temperature sensor comprises at least one temperature sensor thermally coupled with the power supply unit.

38. System according to claim 37, wherein the power supply unit comprises at least two batteries, and at least one temperature sensor is thermally associated with each battery.

39. System according to claim 29, wherein the at least one temperature sensor comprises a thermistor.

40. System according to claim 29, wherein the operative conditions further include whether a difference between the lower temperature threshold and the detected temperature is less than or equal to a maximum temperature difference.

41. System according to claim 29, further comprising a residual charge sensor, and in the operative conditions further include whether the residual charge is greater than a minimum residual charge.

42. System according to claim 40, wherein the at least one sensor of a temperature indicative of the temperature of the power supply unit comprises a sensor of atmospheric temperature to provide the detected temperature used to evaluate the temperature difference.

43. System according to claim 29, wherein the at least one heating element comprises at least one resistive sheet applied to the power supply unit.

44. System according to claim 29, wherein the power supply unit comprises at least two batteries, and at least one heating element is thermally associated with each battery.

45. System according to claim 29, wherein its components are housed in a single casing that can be fixed to the frame of a bicycle.

46. System according to claim 29, wherein the power supply unit is housed in a first casing and the electronic device is housed in a second casing, the first and the second casing being mechanically and electrically removably connectable.

47. System according to claim 46, wherein the controller is housed in the first casing.

48. System according to claim 46, wherein the controller is housed in the second casing.

49. System according to claim 46, wherein a power regulator for the selective actuation of the electrical connection is housed in the first casing.

50. System according to claim 46, wherein a power regulator for the selective actuation of the electrical connection is housed in the second casing.

51. System according to claim 46, wherein the selectively actuable electrical connection is shunted from an electrical connection from the power supply unit to the electronic device.

52. System according to claim 51, wherein a residual charge sensor of the power supply unit is housed in the first casing.

53. System according to claim 51, wherein at least one atmospheric temperature sensor is housed in the first casing.

54. System according to claim 51, wherein at least one atmospheric temperature sensor is housed in the second casing.

55. System according to claim 29, wherein the battery power supply unit is of a rechargeable type.

56. Bicycle electronic device, comprising:

a connector for receiving electrical energy from a power supply unit comprising at least one heating element; and

a controller that receives in input a signal indicative of a temperature of the power supply unit and provides a signal for switching part of the electrical energy of the power supply unit towards the heating element when the detected temperature is less than or equal to a lower temperature threshold.

57. Device according to claim 56, further comprising a power regulator for regulating the switching of the part of electrical energy, driven by the signal provided by the controller.

58. Device according to claim 56, further comprising a sensor of atmospheric temperature, an output of which is supplied to the controller.

59. A method for supplying electrical energy from a battery power supply unit, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting at least one temperature indicative of the temperature of the power supply unit; and

checking operative conditions of the power supply unit, comprising the steps of checking whether the detected temperature is less than or equal to a lower temperature threshold,

checking whether the detected temperature is lower than an upper temperature threshold, and

if the detected temperature is less than or equal to the lower temperature threshold and if the detected temperature is less than or equal to the upper temperature threshold, supplying electrical energy from the power supply unit to at least one heating element thermally coupled with the power supply unit.

60. The method according to claim 59, wherein the upper temperature threshold is selected so as to ensure a capacity of the power supply unit of about 75% of a maximum nominal capacity of the power supply unit.

61. Method according to claim 59, wherein the upper temperature threshold is 4°

C.

62. The method according to claim 59, wherein the method is for use with a bicycle electronic device.

63. A power supply system for a bicycle electronic device having an electronic circuit power supply line, comprising:

a battery power supply unit comprising a single power supply line;

at least one sensor of a temperature indicative of the temperature of the power supply unit;

at least one heating element thermally associated with the power supply unit, the heating element comprising a selectively actuable electrical connection; and

a controller that checks operative conditions of the system including whether the detected temperature is less than or equal to a lower temperature threshold, and, if the check has a positive outcome, actuates the electrical connection to supply electrical energy from the power supply unit to the heating element, the controller comprising a controller power supply line;

wherein the electronic circuit power supply line, the selectively actuable electrical connection, and the controller power supply line feed into the single power supply line.

64. The system according to claim 63, wherein a power supply device and the electronic device are removably connectable through a pair of connectors.

65. The system according to claim 63, wherein the selectively actuable electrical connection is shunted from the single power supply line from the power supply unit to the electronic device.

66. System according to claim 63, further comprising a residual charge sensor, and wherein the operative conditions further include whether the residual charge is greater than a minimum residual charge.

67. Power supply system for a bicycle electronic device, comprising:

a battery power supply unit;

at least one sensor of a temperature indicative of the temperature of the power supply unit;

at least one heating element thermally associated with the power supply unit;

a selectively actuable electrical connection from the power supply unit to the heating element; and

a controller;

wherein the power supply unit, the temperature sensor and the heating element (5) are mechanically and electrically removable from the electronic device.

68. The system according to claim 67, wherein the power supply unit, the temperature sensor and the heating element are mechanically and electrically removable from the electronic device through a pair of connectors.

69. System according to claim 67, wherein its components are housed in a single casing that can be fixed to the frame of a bicycle.

70. The system according to claim 67, wherein the selectively actuable electrical connection is shunted from a single power supply line from the power supply unit to the electronic device.

71. Bicycle electronic device, comprising:

a connector for receiving electrical energy from a power supply unit comprising at least one heating element;

a controller that receives in input a signal indicative of a temperature of the power supply unit; and

a power regulator;

wherein the controller provides a signal for the power regulator for switching part of the electrical energy of the power supply unit towards the heating element when the detected temperature is less than or equal to a lower temperature threshold.

72. Power supply system for a bicycle electronic device, comprising:

a battery power supply unit;

at least one sensor of a temperature indicative of the temperature of the power supply unit;

at least one heating element thermally associated with the power supply unit;

a residual charge sensor of the power supply unit,

a selectively actuable electrical connection from the power supply unit to the heating element; and

a controller;

wherein the power supply unit, the temperature sensor, the heating element and the residual charge sensor are mechanically and electrically removable from the electronic device.

73. The system according to claim 72, wherein the power supply unit, the temperature sensor, the heating element and the residual charge sensor are mechanically and electrically removable from the electronic device through a pair of connectors.

74. Device according to claim 72, further comprising a sensor of atmospheric temperature, an output of which is supplied to the controller.