MODULAR AND PORTABLE BATTERY PACK POWER SYSTEM

• US 20130183562A1
• Filed: 12/18/2012
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goal Zero LLC (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Goal Zero LLC (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Workman, Robert E., Krantz, Norman, Atkin, Joseph R., Ford, Walker
• Granted Patent: US 9,385,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/100
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/224 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/227 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/502 Interconnectors for connecting terminals of adjacent batteries; Interconnectors for connecting cells outside a battery casing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A reconfigurable battery pack power system with interchangeable accessories has at least one modular, portable, rechargeable battery module having a first side, the first side having a first contour and a mounting port and a power output port, and at least one accessory module configured to receive power from the battery module. The accessory module has a second side with a second contour that mates with the first contour on the battery module, and has a power coupling connector and a fastener. The accessory module is interchangeably mateable with the battery module with the first and second contours nested together, and with the power output port engaged with the power coupling connector and with the fastener engaged with the mounting port, so that the battery module and the accessory module form a single integrated and substantially rigid structure.

Claims

1. A battery pack power system, comprising:

a plurality of modular, portable, battery modules having various capacities that can be mixed and matched with one another into a first battery power pack configuration to provide power to a first load application, and then disassembled and re-assembled in a second battery power pack configured to provide power to a second load application, wherein at least one of the battery modules comprises a first mounting interface;

one or more connectors for electrically chaining the battery modules to one another; and

at least one accessory module that is connectible to any one of the battery modules, and operates using power from one or more of the battery modules,

wherein the accessory module comprises a second mounting interface, and wherein the first mounting interface of the at least one battery module and the second mounting interface of the accessory module are configured to be coupled to one another to place the battery module and the accessory module into a coupled configuration in which the inverter module and the battery module form a single integrated and substantially rigid structure.

2. The battery pack power system of claim 1 wherein the first mounting interface of the battery modules comprises a first side having a first contour and the second mounting interface of the accessory module comprises a second side having a second contour, and wherein the first contour and the second contour are configured to mate with one another.

3. The battery pack power system of claim 2 wherein the first contour and the second contour comprise a substantially arcuate surface.

4. The battery pack power system of claim 1 wherein the first side of the battery module comprises a mounting port and the second side of the accessory comprises a connector, and wherein the mounting port and the connector are releasably engageable to connect the accessory module to one of the battery modules to form the single integrated and substantially rigid structure.

5. The battery pack power system of claim 1 wherein the accessory module comprises an inverter module operable to receive power from the battery module and provide an electrical output of at least one of 110 VAC or 220 VAC.

6. The battery pack power system of claim 5 wherein the accessory module is a first accessory module and wherein the first accessory module comprises the inverter module, and further comprising a second accessory module that is engageable with the inverter module and configured to receive power from the battery module via the inverter module.

7. The battery pack power system of claim 1 wherein the accessory module comprises a plurality of accessory modules that are interchangeably nestable with one another and with at least one of the battery modules.

8. The battery pack power system of claim 1 wherein the battery modules comprise a second side, the second side opposite the first side, and both the first side and the second side configured to receive the accessory module.

9. The battery pack power system of claim 8 wherein the first side of the battery module is configured to receive and provide power to a first module and the second side of the battery module is configured to receive and provide power to a second module.

10. The battery pack power system of claim 1 wherein the accessory module comprises at least one of a lighting device, an inverter, a tool, a medical device, and a communication device.

11. A reconfigurable battery pack power system with interchangeable accessories, comprising:

at least one modular, portable, rechargeable battery module having a first side, the first side having a first contour and a mounting port and a power output port; and

at least one accessory module configured to receive power from the battery module, the accessory module having a second side, the second side having a second contour configured to mate with the first contour on the battery module, and having a power coupling connector and a fastener,

wherein the accessory module is interchangeably mateable with the battery module with the first and second contours nested together, and with the power output port engaged with the power coupling connector and with the fastener engaged with the mounting port, so that the battery module and the accessory module form a single integrated and substantially rigid structure.

12. The reconfigurable battery pack power system with interchangeable accessories of claim 11 wherein the accessory module comprises at least one of a lighting device, an inverter, a tool, a medical device, and a communication device.

13. The reconfigurable battery pack power system with interchangeable accessories of claim 11 wherein the accessory module comprises an inverter module operable to receive power from the battery module and provide an electrical output of at least one of 110 VAC or 220 VAC.

14. The reconfigurable battery pack power system with interchangeable accessories of claim 13 wherein the accessory module is a first accessory module and wherein the first accessory module comprises the inverter module, and further comprising a second accessory module that is engageable with the inverter module and configured to receive power from the battery module via the inverter module.

15. The reconfigurable battery pack power system with interchangeable accessories of claim 11 wherein the accessory module comprises a plurality of accessory modules that are interchangeably nestable with one another and with at least one of the battery modules.

16. An accessory for use with a reconfigurable battery pack power system with interchangeable accessories, the battery pack power system having at least one modular, portable, rechargeable battery pack having a first side, the first side having a first contour and a mounting port and a power output port, the accessory comprising:

a module configured to receive power from the battery module, the accessory module having a second side, the second side having a second contour configured to mate with the first contour on the battery pack, and having a power coupling connector and a fastener,

wherein the module is interchangeably mateable with the battery pack with the first and second contours nested together, and with the power output port engaged with the power coupling connector and with the fastener engaged with the mounting port, so that the battery pack and the module form a single integrated and substantially rigid structure.

17. The accessory of claim 16 wherein the module comprises at least one of a lighting device, an inverter, a tool, a medical device, and a communication device.

18. The accessory of claim 16 wherein the module comprises an inverter operable to receive power from the battery pack and provide an electrical output of at least one of 110 VAC or 220 VAC.

19. The accessory of claim 18 wherein the module is a first module and wherein the first module comprises the inverter, and further comprising a second module that is engageable with the inverter and configured to receive power from the battery pack via the inverter.

20. The accessory of claim 16 wherein the module comprises a plurality of modules that are interchangeably nestable with one another and with the battery pack.