METHOD FOR BALANCING THE CHARGE AND DISCHARGE LEVEL OF A BATTERY BY SWITCHING ITS BLOCKS OF CELLS
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device balancing overall levels of electrical charge in plural blocks of cells in a battery. The blocks can be connected in a circuit during a charging phase of the cells accumulating charge, and during a discharging phase of the cells giving back charge. The device includes one series switch and one parallel switch. The series switch can, when closed and the parallel switch is open, connect a block to the circuit, in series with the other blocks, so that the block is connected during the charging and discharging phases. The parallel switch can, when closed and the series switch is open, disconnect the block from the circuit, so that the block is disconnected if discharging disconnection conditions are met during the discharging phase or if charging disconnection conditions are met during the charging phase. The block includes a mechanism locally balancing charge levels of its cells when disconnected.
18 Citations
28 Claims
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1-14. -14. (canceled)
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15. A device for balancing overall levels of electrical charge of N blocks of cells, where N>
- 2, the N blocks configured to be connected into a circuit during a charging phase during which cells of the connected blocks accumulate charge and during a discharging phase during which the cells of the connected blocks return the charge in a form of electrical current, the device comprising at least one switch SSi and one switch PSi where 0<
i≦
N−
1, wherein;the switch SSi is configured, when in a closed position and when the switch PSi is in an open position, to connect a block Bi into the circuit in series with other blocks, such that the block Bi is connected during the charging and discharging phases; the switch PSi is configured, when in the closed position and when the switch SSi is in the open position, to remove the block Bi from the circuit, such that the block Bi is disconnected if discharging disconnection criteria are satisfied during the discharging phase or if charging disconnection criteria are satisfied during the charging phase, the block Bi further comprising means for locally balancing levels of charge of its cells when the block Bi is disconnected. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
- 2, the N blocks configured to be connected into a circuit during a charging phase during which cells of the connected blocks accumulate charge and during a discharging phase during which the cells of the connected blocks return the charge in a form of electrical current, the device comprising at least one switch SSi and one switch PSi where 0<
Specification