PORTABLE DRONE BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM

• US 20180294659A1
• Filed: 01/04/2017
• Published: 10/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coonix Inc.
• Original Assignee: Coonix Inc.
• Inventors: LEE, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 10,461,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00714 in response to battery charging or discharging current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A portable drone battery charger that charges a variety of batteries of different capacities as well as voltage levels is provided. The drone battery charger operates from an internal battery and may charge a drone battery multiple times because the capacity of the drone battery charger internal battery is many times larger than the done battery.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A portable charging system for charging a multi-cell drone battery, comprising:

a) a system battery configured to power the portable charging system during a portable operation to charge the multi-cell drone battery;

b) a recharging circuit for providing, in a system battery recharge operation, the system battery with sufficient charge for powering the portable operation to charge the multi-cell drone battery, the recharging circuit comprising;

a power input for receiving power during the system battery recharge operation of the system battery; and

a protector coupled between the power input and the system battery, the protector configured to protect the system battery during the system battery recharge operation;

c) a charging module coupled to the system battery and configured to receive power from the system battery to charge the multi-cell drone battery in a drone battery charge operation as part of the portable operation, the charging module comprising;

a drone battery charge control circuit configured to provide charging control of the multi-cell drone battery during the drone battery charge operation; and

a drone battery charging status monitor coupled to the drone battery charge control circuit, the drone battery charging status monitor being configured to control operation of the drone battery charge control circuit based on a multi-cell drone battery status; and

d) a drone battery connector configured to connect the multi-cell drone battery to the charging module.

3. The portable charging system of claim 2, further comprising a second drone battery connector configured to connect a second multi-cell drone battery to the charging module.

4. The portable charging system of claim 2, further comprising a second charging module configured to charge a second multi-cell drone battery.

5. The portable charging system of claim 4, wherein the multi-cell drone battery and the second multi-cell drone battery are charged simultaneously by the charging module and the second charging module, respectively.

6. The portable charging system of claim 4, wherein the multi-cell drone battery and the second multi-cell drone battery are charged independently by the charging module and the second charging module, respectively.

7. The portable charging system of claim 4, wherein the multi-cell drone battery and the second multi-cell drone battery are of different types.

8. The portable charging system of claim 2, wherein the multi-cell drone battery status comprises a voltage level and the drone battery charge control circuit is shut down based on the voltage level of the multi-cell drone battery.

9. The portable charging system of claim 8, wherein the drone battery charging status monitor is further configured to shut down the drone battery charge control circuit when the voltage level of the multi-cell drone battery exceeds a setting voltage.

10. The portable charging system of claim 8, wherein the drone battery charging status monitor is further configured to shut down the drone battery charge control circuit based on the voltage level of the multi-cell drone battery.

11. The portable charging system of claim 2, wherein the charging module further comprises a power switch coupled to the drone battery charge control circuit, the power switch configured to initiate the drone battery charge operation.

12. The portable charging system of claim 11, wherein the charging module further comprises a timer configured to disable the drone battery charge control circuit after the drone battery charge operation has been initiated by the power switch when the multi-cell drone battery has not been detected to be connected to the drone battery connector within a certain amount of time.

13. The portable charging system of claim 2, wherein the protector is configured to provide over-current as well as over/under voltage protection for the system battery.

14. The portable charging system of claim 2, further comprising a status monitor coupled to the system battery and configured to monitor the system battery.

15. The portable charging system of claim 2, wherein the system battery comprises a capacity for charging the multi-cell drone battery multiple times during the portable operation after the system battery recharge operation.

16. A portable charging system for charging a multi-cell drone battery, comprising:

a portable housing enclosing;

a) a system battery configured to power the portable charging system during a portable operation to charge the multi-cell drone battery;

b) a recharging circuit for providing, in a system battery recharge operation, the system battery with sufficient charge for powering the portable operation to charge the multi-cell drone battery, the recharging circuit comprising;

a power input for receiving power during the system battery recharge operation of the system battery; and

a protector coupled between the power input and the system battery, the protector configured to protect the system battery during the system battery recharge operation; and

c) a charging module coupled to the system battery and configured to receive power from the system battery to charge the multi-cell drone battery in a drone battery charge operation as part of the portable operation, the charging module comprising;

a drone battery charge control circuit configured to provide charging control of the multi-cell drone battery during the drone battery charge operation; and

a drone battery charging status monitor coupled to the drone battery charge control circuit, the drone battery charging status monitor being configured to control operation of the drone battery charge control circuit based on a multi-cell drone battery status; and

a drone battery connector accessible through an opening of the portable housing, the drone battery connector configured to connect the multi-cell drone battery to the charging module.