ADVANCED RECHARGEABLE BATTERY SYSTEM

• US 20100253278A1
• Filed: 05/24/2010
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Changs Ascending Enterprise Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Chun-Chieh Chang, Tsun-Yu Chang
• Inventors: Chang, Chun-Chieh, Chang, Tsun-Yu
• Granted Patent: US 8,159,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2016/003 solar power driven
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2016/006 wind power driven
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/53 in combination with an external power supply, e.g. from overhead contact lines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/52 Wind-driven generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/242 for electrical energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/12 Motorcycles, Trikes; Quads; Scooters
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/941 which is a land vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 : for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0016 : using shunting, discharge or bypass circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 : Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 : Overdischarge protection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 : Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/90 : Energy harvesting concepts as power supply for auxiliaries' energy consumption, e.g. photovoltaic sun-roof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A rechargeable battery system having a plurality of cells in series circuits for high voltage applications. Cells, cell sets and cell packs in series circuits are protected from over-charging with self-discharging devices. The rechargeable battery system is protected from over-charging and over-discharging and charging is controlled to be resumed by an over-charge/over-discharge printed circuit board or the charger.

Claims

1. A rechargeable battery system having a plurality of cells and a charging means for charging the rechargeable battery system, comprising

a plurality of cells electrically connected to form a rechargeable battery system;

a self-discharge voltage measuring means for continually measuring a self-discharge voltage and a corresponding self-discharging means, both connected in parallel to at least one of a cell in a series circuit, a cell set in a series circuit and a cell pack in a series circuit;

an over-charge voltage measuring means for continually measuring an over-charge voltage across at least one of a cell in a series circuit, a cell set in a series circuit and a cell pack in a series circuit;

a charging means connected in series with the rechargeable battery system for charging all of the cells of the rechargeable battery system;

a system voltage measuring means for continually measuring a system voltage across the charging means;

a limiting means for limiting the charging current of the rechargeable battery system; and

a controlling means for controlling the rechargeable battery system, wherein;

(a) during charging, if the self-discharge voltage measured by any one of the self-discharge voltage measuring means is ≧

a preset self-discharge voltage, then, the corresponding self-discharging means operates until the measured self-discharge voltage is equal to the preset self-discharge voltage, then, the corresponding self-discharging means does not operate; and

(b) during charging, if any of the measured over-charge voltages is >

a preset overcharge voltage, then, the charging current to the rechargeable battery system is limited, then, when all the measured over-charge voltages are ≦

a preset first resume voltage, then, the charging current to the rechargeable battery system is not limited; and

(c) during charging, if the measured system voltage is >

a preset overall voltage, then, the charging current to the rechargeable battery system is limited, then, when the measured system voltage is ≦

the preset second resume voltage, then, the charging current to the rechargeable battery system is not limited; and

(d) during charging, if the period of time for the charging current to the rechargeable battery system being limited is >

a preset period of time, then, the charging current to the rechargeable battery system is not limited.

2. The rechargeable battery system of claim 1, wherein

in (a), when the self-discharging means operates until the measured self-discharge voltage is equal to the preset self-discharge voltage, the self-discharge means further operates for a preset period of time.

3. The rechargeable battery system of claim 2, wherein

the preset period of time is a period of time that provides a discharge of a preset percentage of a charge capacity of each of the at least one of a cell in a series circuit, a cell set in a series circuit and a cell pack in a series circuit.

4. The rechargeable battery system of claim 3, wherein

the preset percentage of the charge capacity is in the range of 0.1 to 20 percent.

5. The rechargeable battery system of claim 1 or 2, wherein

the charging means is a renewable energy power source device

6. The rechargeable battery system of claim 1 or 2, wherein

The charging means is at least one of a photovoltaic cell charger, a wind powered charger, and an internal combustion engine powered charger.

7. The rechargeable battery system of claim 1 or 2, wherein

in (b) and (c), when the charging current to the rechargeable battery system is limited, the charging current is limited to zero.

8. The rechargeable battery system of claim 7, wherein

the limiting means is at least one of a circuit breaker in the series circuit of the charging means and the rechargeable battery system, a circuit breaker at the DC output of the charging means and a circuit breaker at the AC input of the charging means.

9. The rechargeable battery system of claim 1 or 2, wherein

in (b) and (c), when the charging current to the rechargeable battery system is limited, the charging current is limited to a magnitude equal or less than a current that discharges one of the at least one of a cell in a series circuit, a cell set in a series circuit and a cell pack in a series circuit

10. The rechargeable battery system of claim 1 or 2, wherein

the controlling means for controlling the rechargeable battery system is at least one of an integrated circuit and a printed circuit board.

11. The rechargeable battery system of claim 1 or 2, wherein

in (d), the preset period of time for the charging current to the rechargeable battery system being limited is in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 hours.

12. A vehicle, comprising

an electric motor, and

the rechargeable battery system of claim 1 or 2 for providing electric energy to the electric motor.

13. A method of charging a rechargeable battery system having a plurality of cells and a charging means for charging the rechargeable battery system, comprising

providing a plurality of cells electrically connected to form a rechargeable battery system;

providing a self-discharge voltage measuring means for continually measuring a self-discharge voltage and a corresponding self-discharging means, both connected in parallel to at least one of a cell in a series circuit, a cell set in a series circuit and a cell pack in a series circuit;

providing an over-charge voltage measuring means for continually measuring an over-charge voltage across at least one of a cell in a series circuit, a cell set in a series circuit and a cell pack in a series circuit;

providing a charging means connected in series with the rechargeable battery system for charging all of the cells of the rechargeable battery system;

providing a system voltage measuring means for continually measuring a system voltage across the charging means;

providing a limiting means for limiting the charging of the rechargeable battery system;

providing a controlling means for controlling the rechargeable battery system;

beginning charging, and;

(a) during charging, if the self-discharge voltage measured by any one of the self-discharge voltage measuring means is ≧

a preset self-discharge voltage, then, operate the corresponding self-discharging means until the measured self-discharge voltage is equal to the preset self-discharge voltage, then, stop operating the corresponding self-discharging means; and

(b) during charging, if any of the measured over-charge voltages is >

a preset overcharge voltage, then, limit the charging current to the rechargeable battery system, then, when all the measured over-charge voltages are ≦

a preset first resume voltage, then, stop limiting the charging current to the rechargeable battery system; and

(c) during charging, if the measured system voltage is >

a preset overall voltage, then, limit the charging current to the rechargeable battery system, then, when the measured system voltage is ≦

the preset second resume voltage, then, stop limiting the charging current to the rechargeable battery system; and

(d) during charging, if the period of time for the charging current to the rechargeable battery system being limited is >

a preset period of time, then, stop limiting the charging current to the rechargeable battery system.

14. The method of charging a rechargeable battery system of claim 13, wherein

in (a), when operating the self-discharging means until the measured self-discharge voltage is equal to the preset self-discharge voltage, further operate the self-discharge means for a preset period of time.

15. The method of charging a rechargeable battery system of claim 13, wherein

the preset period of time is a period of time that provides a discharge of a preset percentage of a charge capacity of each of the at least one of a cell in a series circuit, a cell set in a series circuit and a cell pack in a series circuit.

16. The method of charging a rechargeable battery system of claim 13, wherein

the preset percentage of the charge capacity is in the range of 0.1 to 20

17. The method of charging a rechargeable battery system of claim 13, wherein

in (b) and (c), when the charging current to the rechargeable battery system is limited, the charging current is limited to zero

18. The method of charging a rechargeable battery system of claim 13, wherein

in (b) and (c), when the charging current to the rechargeable battery system is limited, the charging current is limited to a magnitude equal or less than a current that discharges the at least one of a cell in a series circuit, a cell set in a series circuit and a cell pack in a series circuit

19. The method of charging a rechargeable battery system of claim 13, wherein in (d), the preset period of time for the charging current to the rechargeable battery system being limited is in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 hours.