Uninterruptible power supply

• US 6,998,821 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2004
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Battery Co., Ltd. (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Battery Co., Ltd. (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakai, Hirotaka, Akamoto, Yukinori, Mori, Yasushi, Miyamoto, Hideki, Shiojima, Nobuo
• Primary Examiner(s): TIBBITS, PIA FLORENCE
• Application Number:
  US10/873,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20040232885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 320/138, 320/106, 320/128, 361/103, 361/684, 340/568.3, 702/63
• US Class Current: 320/138
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/067 using multi-primary transformers, e.g. transformer having one primary for each AC energy source and a secondary for the loads

Abstract

An uninterruptible power supply comprises a power supply unit for generating DC power at a predetermined voltage from AC power supplied from the outside to supply the DC power to an electronic device, and a rechargeable battery unit including rechargeable battery cells for storing the power supplied thereto from the power supply unit for supplying the electronic device with the power stored in the rechargeable battery upon service interruption of the AC power. Particularly, the rechargeable battery unit comprises a battery state monitoring unit for monitoring a state of the rechargeable battery cells, and communicating means for notifying the electronic device of information indicative of the state of the rechargeable battery detected by the battery state monitoring unit, thereby securely guaranteeing the operation of the electronic device upon power failure, and sufficiently improve the operational reliability of the entire system.

Claims

1. An uninterruptible power supply comprising:

a power supply unit configured to generate DC power at a predetermined voltage from AC power supplied from outside, and to supply the DC power to an electronic device; and

a rechargeable battery unit including rechargeable battery cells configured to store the power supplied thereto from said power supply unit for supplying said electronic device with the power stored in said rechargeable battery upon service interruption of said AC power,

wherein said rechargeable battery unit comprises;

a battery state monitoring unit configured to monitor a lifetime of said rechargeable battery cells, and

communicating means for notifying said electronic device of information indicative of the lifetime of said rechargeable battery detected by said battery state monitoring unit.

2. The uninterruptible power supply according to claim 1, wherein:

said battery state monitoring unit comprises functions of detecting a battery voltage of said rechargeable battery cells and calculating the lifetime of said rechargeable battery cells based on the battery voltage detected thereby.

3. The uninterruptible power supply according to claim 1, wherein:

said communication means further notifies said electronic device of at least one of a battery voltage, a battery temperature, a charge current, a discharge current, a battery capacity, the number of discharges, and a replacement time of said rechargeable battery cells, as information indicative of the state of said rechargeable battery cells.

4. The uninterruptible power supply according to claim 1, wherein:

said rechargeable battery unit comprises a charge controller configured to control charging of said rechargeable battery cells in accordance with at least one of a battery voltage and a battery temperature of said rechargeable battery cells detected by said battery state monitoring unit.

5. The uninterruptible power supply according to claim 1, wherein:

said rechargeable battery unit comprises a power supply monitoring unit configured to monitor a state of said power supply unit.

6. The uninterruptible power supply according to claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said power supply unit and said rechargeable battery unit comprises an alarm function for detecting an interruption of the AC power supplied from the outside to inform the interrupted AC power.

7. The uninterruptible power supply according to claim 6, wherein:

said alarm function includes means for informing the interrupted AC power through at least one of a visual display and a rumbling.

8. The uninterruptible power supply according to claim 1, further comprising:

a cooling fan incorporated in a housing which integrally accommodates said electronic device, said power supply unit, and said rechargeable battery unit, and configured to cool down at least one of said electronic device, said power supply unit, and said rechargeable battery unit, and

wherein said power supply unit comprises a fan lifetime detecting function for determining one of a lifetime and a state of said cooling fan for notification of said electronic device.

9. The uninterruptible power supply according to claim 8, wherein:

said rechargeable battery unit is integrally incorporated and packed in a case which is mounted in a drive bay previously prepared for a peripheral device in said housing, and mounted in said drive bay of said housing for use therein.

10. The uninterruptible power supply according to claim 1, wherein:

said rechargeable battery unit comprises a cooling fan configured to cool down said rechargeable battery cells, and a fan controller configured to control the operation of said cooling fan.

11. The uninterruptible power supply according to claim 1, wherein:

said battery state monitoring unit comprises a function of calculating a lifetime of said rechargeable battery cells based on the number of discharges of said rechargeable battery cells.