SELF-CONTAINED AUTOMATIC BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20150123600A1
• Filed: 11/07/2014
• Published: 05/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stored Energy Systems, A Limited Liability Company
• Original Assignee: Stored Energy Systems, A Limited Liability Company
• Inventors: Groat, Timothy, Miller, Kyle, Flavin, John
• Granted Patent: US 9,466,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/007 Plural converter units in cascade push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/4258 using a single converter stage both for correction of AC input power factor and generation of a regulated and galvanically isolated DC output voltage H02M1/4241 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

There is disclosed in an embodiment, a charger having a PCB that enable input AC power to flow into the system. A first high frequency switchmode converter converts AC input power into DC power and to provide active power factor correction. The converter comprising a high frequency isolation transformer providing electrical isolation between primary and secondary system circuitry. A second high frequency switchmode converter connected to DC output from the first converter regulates output voltage and limits system output current. DC output is connected to a battery and/or other electrical storage device to be charged and/or to a parallel-connected DC load to be powered. An optional accessory PCB is electrically connected to the power board, housed in a same chassis or enclosure. The accessory board provides optional features including an LCD, alarm output relay(s), and/or a CANbus interface. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A self-contained automatic battery charging system comprising:

a printed circuit power board comprising;

input connections to allow AC power to flow into the system;

a first high frequency switchmode converter used to convert the AC input power into DC power and to provide active power factor correction, the converter comprising a high frequency isolation transformer to provide electrical isolation between primary circuitry of the system and secondary circuitry of the system;

a second high frequency switchmode converter connected to DC output from the first converter and that is used to regulate the output voltage and limit the output current of the system; and

output connections for DC output wiring used to connect to an electrical load.

2. The self-contained automatic battery charging system of claim 1, wherein the electrical load is a battery to be charges, other electrical storage device to be charges and/or a DC load to be powered.

3. The self-contained automatic battery charging system of claim 1, wherein the first converter comprises active circuitry controlling an amount of electric current flowing into the first converter to maintain a sinusoidal waveform in phase with an input voltage waveform to provide the active power factor correction.

4. The self-contained automatic battery charging system of claim 1, further comprising a printed circuit accessory board electrically connected to the power board and housed in a same chassis and/or enclosure as the power board, the accessory board further comprising an LCD display, one or more alarm output relays, and/or a CANbus interface

5. The self-contained automatic battery charging system of claim 4, wherein the accessory board further comprises LED status indicators that duplicate a function of LEDs located on the power board.

6. The self-contained automatic battery charging system of claim 4, wherein the accessory board further comprises LED status indicators that deliver a function different from LEDs located on the power board.

7. The self-contained automatic battery charging system of claim 1, further comprising an alarm summary output provided by an internal connection.

8. The self-contained automatic battery charging system of claim 7, wherein the alarm summary output provided by an internal connection does not employ a separate summary relay or external user wiring and logic.

9. The self-contained automatic battery charging system of claim 1, further comprising combinations of latching and non-latching relays to provide zero voltage battery charging and/or to minimize power consumption.

10. The self-contained automatic battery charging system of claim 1, further comprising heat sink clips having anti-rotation element bearing on the board.

11. The self-contained automatic battery charging system of claim 1, wherein the heat sink clips accommodate a plurality of component package sizes.

12. The self-contained automatic battery charging system of claim 1, further comprising system executable definitions for system-specific functions that enable a user of the system to implement an NFPA-110-compliant interface using information obtained via SAE J1939 standards.

13. The self-contained automatic battery charging system of claim 12, wherein implementation of the NFPA-110-compliant interface using information obtained via SAE J1939 standards is carried out without additional hardware and wiring associated with dedicated meters and/or alarm relays.

14. A method comprising:

inputting AC power to a first high frequency switchmode converter, the first converter converting AC input power into DC power and providing active power factor correction, the converter comprising a high frequency isolation transformer to provide electrical isolation between primary circuitry and secondary circuitry;

outputting DC output from the first converter to an input of a second high frequency switchmode converter, the second converter regulating an output voltage and limiting an output current to an electrical load.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein providing the active power factor correction comprises controlling an amount of electric current flowing into the first converter to maintain a sinusoidal waveform in phase with an input voltage waveform to provide the active power factor correction.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising electrically coupling a printed circuit accessory board to a power board that includes the first and second converter to provide an LCD display, one or more alarm output relays, and/or a CANbus interface.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising detecting an over-current charging condition for a predetermined period of time and resultantly performing a restart.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein failure of the restart results in a system lock out, in a fault mode, disabling the system.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising selectively drawing operating housekeeping supply power from a connected battery or from AC input power.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

charging a connected battery at low current until the battery reaches a threshold voltage; and

increasing the current to a predetermined maximum allowed current upon the battery reaching the threshold voltage.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

increasing current; and

shutting down and locking off after a predetermined time of operation if DC voltage does not exceed a pre-determined safe value

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

detecting a connected battery voltage higher than a predetermined voltage for the battery or other electrical storage device being charged; and

shutting down and locking off charging.