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Power source apparatus formed by combining a plurality of modules

  • US 9,837,811 B2
  • Filed: 08/25/2011
  • Issued: 12/05/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A power source apparatus comprising:

  • a plurality of battery packs, each of the battery packs having battery blocks connected in series, and each of the battery blocks including a plurality of rechargeable battery cells connected to each other; and

    a protection unit that can electrically connect with the battery packs,wherein the plurality of battery packs are connected to each other to form battery units, each of the battery units includes at least two of the plurality of battery packs, and each of the battery units is electrically and directly connected to the protection unit,wherein a first equalizing circuit is provided to eliminate voltage imbalance between the battery units,wherein each of the battery packs can be charged with power supplied from an external charging power supply, and power stored in each of the battery packs can be output externally, andwherein each of the battery packs comprises;

    a battery monitoring circuit for detecting a voltage of the rechargeable battery cells;

    a battery pack control circuit connected to the battery monitoring circuit; and

    a current fuse connected in series with the battery blocks to cut-off current flow when it exceeds a given value;

    battery pack fault output terminals for sending battery pack error signals to other battery packs or to the protection unit when an abnormal condition develops; and

    a second equalizing circuit for eliminating voltage imbalance between the battery packs,wherein each of the battery blocks includes a third equalizing circuit for eliminating voltage imbalance between the battery blocks,wherein the protection unit is provided with protection unit input-output terminals to connect with the battery pack fault output terminals, and a protection circuit capable of cutting-off battery pack current,wherein if the battery monitoring circuit detects a voltage greater than or equal to a given battery cell threshold voltage in any of the rechargeable battery cells, a battery pack error signal is output from the battery pack fault output terminals of the affected battery pack to the protection unit input-output terminals of the protection unit,wherein when the protection unit detects the battery pack error signal, the protection circuit cuts-off current, andwherein an OR circuit is provided between the protection unit and each battery unit.

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