Power unit with controlled output voltage

• US 5,506,456 A
• Filed: 11/29/1994
• Issued: 04/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tai-Her Yang
• Original Assignee: Tai-Her Yang
• Inventors: Yang, Tai-Her
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US08/346,362
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 307/43, 307/54, 307/61, 307/63, 307/77, 307/80, 307/81, 307/85, 323/283, 363/65, 363/71
• US Class Current: 307/81
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/19 Switching between serial connection and parallel connection of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/59 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

The present invention is intended to provide an effective power unit with controlled output which can output graded output voltage in a wide range of required output voltages. The power unit also provides output voltage as a linear, chopped or PW modulated voltage. The power unit includes a plurality of substantially identical battery units which can be connected in series and/or in parallel with each other by respective switches, said switches (two-pole two-throw, one-pole one-throw, solid state) are controlled by a central control unit in respect to the required output voltage. Voltage inspection device and current inspection device provide a feedback to the central control unit to be compared with the predetermined value. Solid switch member provides linearization, chopping or PW modulation of the graded output voltage. The output voltage supplied by the power unit takes values of N×B, wherein N=1, 2, 3, . . . , and EB is the terminal output voltage of each battery unit. A plurality of diodes are connected to respective battery units and switches.

Claims

1. A power unit with controlled output voltage comprising a first, a second, a third and a fourth substantially identical battery unit, respectively, which are interconnected by a central control unit for connecting said battery units in a series and parallel arrangement for providing a required output voltage on a pair of output terminals, the output terminals including positive and negative output terminals, respectively;

each of said first, second, third and fourth battery units including a positive and a negative pole, respectively;

said power unit further comprising a first, a second, and a third electro-mechanical switches and a solid-state switch, each of said first, second and third electro-mechanical switches having first and second common contacts, first and second normally closed contacts, and first and second normally opened contacts, respectively, such that in the first and third electro-mechanical switches, the first common contact is connected to the second normally closed contact, and the second common contact is connected to the first normally closed contact, wherein said first electro-mechanical switch is connected between said first and second battery units such that the negative pole of the first battery unit is connected to both the first common contact and the first normally closed contact of the first electro-mechanical switch, wherein the positive pole of the second battery unit is connected to both the first normally closed contact and the second common contact of the first electro-mechanical switch, wherein said third electro-mechanical switch is connected between said third and fourth battery unit such that the negative pole of the third battery unit is connected to both the first common contact and the second normally closed contact of the third electro-mechanical switch and wherein the positive pole of the fourth battery unit is connected to both the first normally closed contact and the second common contact of the fourth electrical-mechanical switch, wherein the negative pole of the second battery unit is connected to the first common contact of the second electro-mechanical switch, wherein the positive pole of the third battery unit is connected to the second common contact of the second electro-mechanical switch, wherein the solid-state switch has a first, a second, a third and a first terminals, wherein the first normally closed contact of the second electro-mechanical switch is connected to the first terminal of the solid-state switch, wherein the second normally closed contact of the second electro-mechanical switch is connected to the second terminal of the solid-state switch, wherein a first averaging diode is connected between the positive pole of the first battery unit and the positive output terminal, wherein a second averaging diode is connected between the negative pole of the fourth battery unit and the negative output terminal, such that when each of said electro-mechanical switches is actuated by the central control unit, the respective common contacts are connected to respective normally opened contacts or to respective normally closed contacts, thereby providing serial or parallel connection of each battery unit, wherein the first normally opened contacts of all the switches are connected to ground, and wherein the second normally opened contacts of all the switches are connected to the positive output terminal, wherein a first, a second and a third pair of diodes are connected to said first, second and the third electro-mechanical switches, respectively, each pair of said diodes having first and second diodes, wherein each of the diodes has respective positive and negative terminals, wherein each pair of the diodes is connected to each electro-mechanical switch such that the first diode of the pair is connected by its negative terminal to the first normally opened contact and by its positive terminal to the first common contact, and the second diode of the pair is connected by its negative terminal to the second common contact and by its positive terminal to the second normally opened contact, wherein the negative terminals of all respective first diodes are interconnected and connected to ground, and wherein the positive terminals of all respective second diodes are interconnected and connected to the positive output terminal, wherein the solid-state switch is controlled by the central control unit through the respective third and fourth terminals of the solid-state switch for smoothing the required output voltage.