System and Method for Boosting Battery Output

• US 20080246443A1
• Filed: 04/04/2008
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Doljack, Frank Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 8,179,103 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/167
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0866 comprising several power sources, e.g. battery and capacitor or two batteries
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2011/0885 Capacitors, e.g. for additional power supply
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2011/0888 DC/DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices

Abstract

Electrical systems and methods are described.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

charging a supercapacitor to a regulated voltage; and

applying a series combination of the regulated voltage and a power supply voltage to a load.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the power supply voltage comprises a battery voltage.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the load comprises a starter motor for an internal combustion engine.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the load comprises a component of a communication device that consumes intermittently.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of applying the series combination of the regulated voltage and the power supply voltage to the load comprises charging a flash lamp of a digital camera.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a handheld device comprises the load.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a cellular telephone comprises the load.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of charging the supercapacitor to the regulated voltage comprises charging the supercapacitor to a selected voltage level that is substantially less than the power supply voltage.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of charging the supercapacitor to the regulated voltage comprises maintaining the regulated voltage at a specified level independent of a fluctuation in the power supply voltage.

10. A method comprising:

maintaining a first voltage on a supercapacitor via transferring energy from a battery, having a second voltage, to the supercapacitor, wherein the first voltage is substantially lower than the second voltage; and

connecting the battery and the supercapacitor in series with a load.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of connecting the battery and the supercapacitor in series with the load comprises applying a sum of the first voltage and the second voltage to the load.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of maintaining the first voltage on the supercapacitor via transferring energy from the battery to the supercapacitor comprises charging the supercapacitor with a means for regulating voltage.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein transferring energy from the battery to the supercapacitor comprises a boost converter feeding electricity to the supercapacitor.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the maintaining step further comprises maintaining the first voltage on the supercapacitor independent of a fluctuation in the second voltage.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of connecting a second supercapacitor in parallel with the load.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein the load comprises a motor.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the load comprises a component of a communication device that draws electrical power on an intermittent basis.

18. An electrical system comprising:

a supercapacitor;

a means for charging the supercapacitor to a regulated voltage; and

a circuit, comprising the supercapacitor and the means for charging the supercapacitor, for applying a series combination of the regulated voltage and a battery voltage to a load in response to a trigger event.

19. The electrical system according to claim 18, wherein the electrical system further comprises a second supercapacitor,

wherein the circuit is operable to connect the second supercapacitor in parallel with the load in response to the trigger event, and

wherein an occurrence of the trigger event comprises engaging an ignition switch of a vehicle.

20. The electrical system according to claim 18, wherein the load comprises a starter for an internal combustion engine, and wherein the means for charging the supercapacitor to a regulated voltage comprises a boost converter.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a means for charging a supercapacitor to a first voltage via regulating a transfer of charge from a battery, having a second voltage, to the supercapacitor; and

a means for connecting the charged supercapacitor and the battery in series with a load.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the first voltage is substantially lower than the second voltage.

23. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the first voltage is substantially different than the second voltage.

24. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein regulating the transfer of charge comprises charging the supercapacitor with a DC-to-DC converter that draws power from the battery.

25. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the apparatus comprises a cell phone, and wherein the load comprises an element of the cell phone that consumes power intermittently.

26. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the load comprises a flash lamp of a digital camera.

27. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the load comprises a motor mechanically coupled to an engine.

28. A method for starting an engine of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

applying battery voltage from a battery to a boost converter;

applying current from the boost converter to a supercapacitor to maintain the supercapacitor at a regulated voltage level independent of a decline in the battery voltage associated with a cold weather condition;

providing a circuit that comprises a series arrangement of;

the battery;

the supercapacitor;

a starter solenoid; and

a starter motor;

engaging the starter solenoid in response to an operator of the vehicle turning an ignition key;

applying a sum of the declined battery voltage and the regulated voltage level to the starter motor in response to the step of engaging the starter solenoid; and

rotating the starter motor and starting the engine in response to the step of applying the sum of the declined battery voltage and the regulated voltage level.

29. A method for energizing a starter motor associated with an engine, comprising:

providing a battery having a battery voltage that changes in response to environmental conditions;

monitoring voltage between terminals of a supercapacitor;

maintaining the supercapacitor in a fully charged state via feeding current to the supercapacitor according to feedback from the monitored voltage;

connecting the fully charged supercapacitor, the battery, a starter relay, and the starter motor in series with one another; and

in response to a user turning an ignition key, closing the starter relay and applying to the starter motor an added combination of the monitored voltage and the voltage that changes in response to environmental conditions.

30. An electrical system, for starting an internal combustion engine, comprising:

an energy storage device comprising a carbon electrode, an aerogel, a first terminal, and a second terminal;

a boost converter for charging the energy storage device to a voltage level that remains essentially uniform despite shifts in voltage of a battery that feeds the boost converter and that comprises a positive terminal and a negative terminal; and

a circuit comprising;

starter relay; and

a conductive path that extends, when the relay is closed, between;

the first terminal and a winding of a starter motor;

the second terminal and the positive terminal; and

the negative terminal and the winding of the starter motor,

wherein the starter relay is operative to close based on an input from a user, and

wherein the starter motor is operative to start the internal combustion engine in response to electricity flowing through the winding.

31. A system, for applying electricity to a starter motor of a vehicle, comprising:

a supercapacitor module for charging a supercapacitor to a first voltage via regulating a transfer of electrical energy from a battery to the supercapacitor based on monitoring the first voltage,

wherein the first voltage is in a range of about 3 volts to about 6 volts, and wherein the battery has a second voltage in a range of about 9 volts to about 15 volts; and

an electrical circuit that connects the charged supercapacitor and the battery in series with the starter motor.