Portable power packs having a uniform DC environment
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A power supply module comprising:
- a housing;
a battery pack inside the housing, the battery pack comprising multiple battery units and a conductive assembly connecting the multiple battery units in parallel, the conductive assembly being adapted to passively prevent voltage divergence of the multiple battery units, wherein the conductive assembly comprises multiple conductive paths, each extending from a positive terminal of the battery pack to a positive terminal of a respective battery unit and each having a matched under-load resistance;
an inverter in the housing, operatively coupled to the conductive assembly and presenting an AC voltage output connection terminal of the power supply module; and
a charger in the housing, operatively coupled to the conductive assembly and operable to charge the multiple battery units from a power input.
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Abstract
A battery pack connection scheme is shown that provides an optimum DC environment for every cell in the pack, such that every cell in the same or similar voltage level in the pack sees exactly the same voltage and current environment. In some examples, a portable pack is provided having a positive load connection terminal and multiple batteries connected in parallel to the terminal. Connections are made with segments preferably have matching impedances, or have matching DC resistances, creating a uniform DC environment. Portable pack designs are provided including chargers and inverters connected in the uniform DC environment.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A power supply module comprising:
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a housing; a battery pack inside the housing, the battery pack comprising multiple battery units and a conductive assembly connecting the multiple battery units in parallel, the conductive assembly being adapted to passively prevent voltage divergence of the multiple battery units, wherein the conductive assembly comprises multiple conductive paths, each extending from a positive terminal of the battery pack to a positive terminal of a respective battery unit and each having a matched under-load resistance; an inverter in the housing, operatively coupled to the conductive assembly and presenting an AC voltage output connection terminal of the power supply module; and a charger in the housing, operatively coupled to the conductive assembly and operable to charge the multiple battery units from a power input. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A portable power pack comprising:
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a housing; multiple battery units in the housing, each having an anode and a cathode; a positive bus and a negative bus and a conductive assembly connecting the multiple battery units in parallel between the positive bus and the negative bus, the conductive assembly adapted to passively prevent voltage divergence of the multiple battery units and comprising multiple high-capacity cables having precision matched lengths, each connecting to a respective battery unit and each having an under-load resistance matched to an under-load resistance of each of the other high-capacity cables; an inverter in the housing, having a positive DC input terminal connected to the positive bus and a negative DC input terminal connected to the negative bus; and a charger in the housing, operatively coupled to the conductive assembly and operable to charge the multiple battery units from a power input; wherein the conductive assembly and positive bus comprise multiple conductive paths having matched DC electrical lengths from the battery cathodes to the inverter positive DC input terminal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of assembling a power pack enclosed in a housing, the method comprising:
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connecting multiple battery units in parallel with a conductive assembly to form a battery pack having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, the conductive assembly adapted to passively prevent voltage divergence of the multiple battery units, wherein the conductive assembly comprises multiple conductive paths, each extending from the positive terminal of the battery pack to a terminal of a respective battery unit and each having a matched under-load resistance; connecting an inverter in the housing to the conductive assembly, the inverter presenting an AC voltage at an output connection terminal of the power pack; and connecting a charger in the housing to the conductive assembly, the charger operable to charge the multiple battery units from a power input. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method of supplying electrical power from a battery pack enclosed in a housing, the battery pack comprising multiple batteries connected in parallel, the method comprising:
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discharging the multiple batteries simultaneously, the multiple batteries connected by a conductive assembly adapted to passively prevent voltage divergence of the multiple batteries, wherein the conductive assembly comprises multiple conductive paths, each extending from a positive terminal of the battery pack to a positive terminal of a respective battery and each having a matched under-load resistance; converting power produced from discharging the multiple batteries to AC power; and supplying the AC power to an AC output connector for power transfer from the power pack to an external load.
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Specification