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BATTERY CARRIER SYSTEM

  • US 20190157881A1
  • Filed: 01/17/2019
  • Published: 05/23/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A carrier comprising:

  • a housing, the carrier housing including;

    a cover,a plurality of receptacles, each receptacle configured to receive one rechargeable, removable battery pack, each receptacle including a terminal block for electrically coupling the battery pack to a plurality of electrical and electronic components for monitoring, managing and/or controlling the charging and discharging of the battery packs, the components including a system management unit (SMU), the SMU including a processor and a charge/discharge control module,an AC power input connector for connecting to an AC power supply,a power output connector;

    a discharge/charge mode switch for switching between (1) a charging mode of operation that charges the battery packs using electrical power input through at least one of the power input connectors, and (2) a discharging mode of operation that outputs electrical power from the battery packs through the power output connector;

    each battery pack including a terminal block, the charge/discharge control module electrically connected to the battery packs via the receptacle terminal block and the battery pack terminal block, the charge/discharge control module controlling a plurality of charging switches to provide a charging current to the battery packs through carrier power supply lines, the receptacle terminal block and the battery pack terminal block;

    the SMU also communicates with a first power supply coupled to the AC power input connector, the first power supply, configured to provide a charging voltage equal to a rated charging voltage of the battery packs;

    an inverter electrically connected to the power output connector for providing an AC output signal at the power output connector;

    the SMU electrically connected to the discharge/charge mode switch, wherein (1) when the discharge/charge mode switch is in a charge position, a charge signal is sent to the SMU and the SMU sends a signal to the inverter to turn the inverter off, sends a signal to the first power supply to turn the first power supply on, and selectively sends a signal to the charging switches to close the charging switches to selectively connect the battery packs to the first power supply to charge the battery packs and (2) when the discharge/charge mode switch is in the discharge position, a discharge signal is sent to the SMU and the SMU sends a signal to the inverter to turn the inverter on, sends a signal to the first power supply to turn the first power supply off, and selectively sends a signal to the charging switches to selectively open the charging switches to disconnect the battery packs from the first power supply.

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