Battery and unmanned aerial vehicle with the battery

• US 10,525,832 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2018
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Inventors: Zhao, Tao
• Primary Examiner(s): Henze-Gongola, David V
• Application Number:
  US16/044,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20190061540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 320136
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

The disclosure provides a battery which can include a power supply and power supply circuit, the power supply circuit connected to the power supply. The power supply can discharge through the power supply circuit. An electronic switch can control the power-on or off of the power supply, thereby avoiding the generation of sparks during the power on process and allowing for the normal use of the battery and the safety of the aircraft. The disclosure also provides an aircraft having the battery.

Claims

1. A power supply assembly, comprising:

a power supply configured to power an aerial vehicle;

a power supply circuit connected to the power supply and carried by the power supply, wherein the power supply is configured to discharge through the power supply circuit to power the aerial vehicle, and wherein the power supply circuit includes—

an electronic switch in electrical communication with the power supply and having (a) a switch-on state that permits discharge of power from the power supply to the aerial vehicle and (b) a switch-off state that prevents discharge of power from the power supply to the aerial vehicle;

a power measurement device in electrical communication with the power supply; and

an indication device in electrical communication with the power measurement device, wherein the indication device is configured to display a level of charge of the power supply (a) without requiring the power supply to be connected to the aerial vehicle and (b) without requiring the electronic switch to be in the switch-on state; and

a single input device carried by the power supply and in electrical communication with the electronic switch and the indication device, wherein the input device is configured to receive at least (a) a first input from a user of the aerial vehicle for changing at least one of the switch-on or the switch-off state of the switch and (b) a second input from the user of the aerial vehicle for displaying the level of charge of the power supply via the indication device.

2. The power supply assembly of claim 1 wherein the input device is configured to receive the first input for changing the switch-on state of the electronic switch to the switch-off state.

3. The power supply assembly of claim 1 wherein the power measurement device includes a current sampling device configured to detect a current signal during charging or discharging of the power supply, and wherein the power measurement device is configured to calculate the level of charge of the power supply by sampling and integrating the current signal over a period of time at a predetermined frequency.

4. The power supply assembly of claim 3 wherein the current sampling device is configured to collect current during the discharging of the power supply.

5. The power supply assembly of claim 3 further comprising an interface configured to provide access to the level of charge of the power supply and voltage of the power supply.

6. The power supply assembly of claim 1 wherein the input device is selected from the group consisting of a key switch, a mechanical switch, a potentiometer, a pressure sensor, and a touch sensor.

7. The power supply assembly of claim 6 wherein the first input includes an actuation of the input device for a first time, and wherein the second input includes an actuation of the input device for a second time, different than the first time.

8. The power supply assembly of claim 7 wherein the first time is longer than the second time.

9. The power supply assembly of claim 1 wherein the input device includes a button, wherein the first input includes a depression of the button for a first time, and wherein the second input includes a depression of the button for a second time, different than the first time.

10. The power supply assembly of claim 9 wherein the first time is longer than the second time.

11. The power supply assembly of claim 1 wherein the electronic switch includes one of a power MOSFET, a solid state relay, a power transistor, or an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).

12. The power supply assembly of claim 1 wherein the electronic switch is a power MOSFET.

13. The power supply assembly of claim 1 wherein the power supply and power supply circuit weigh less than about 450 grams.

14. The power supply assembly of claim 1, wherein the aerial vehicle is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

15. A power supply assembly for an aerial vehicle, comprising:

a housing including a bottom casing and a cover member, wherein the cover member is positioned to cover an opening of the bottom casing, wherein the bottom casing is configured to be inserted into the aerial vehicle, wherein the cover member forms a portion of an exterior surface of the aerial vehicle when the bottom casing is inserted into the aerial vehicle, and wherein the bottom casing is not exposed at the exterior surface of the aerial vehicle when the bottom casing is inserted into the aerial vehicle;

a power supply configured to power the aerial vehicle, wherein the power supply is disposed in the bottom casing;

an indication device carried by the cover member; and

a single input device carried by the power-cover member and configured to—

receive input signals from a user of the aerial vehicle, wherein the input signals include at least (a) a first input signal indicative of a first operational mode and (b) a second input signal indicative of a second operational mode; and

enable switching between a plurality of operational modes based on the received input signals, wherein the operational modes include at least the first operational mode and the second operational mode, wherein the first operational mode includes activating display of a level of charge of the power supply on the indication device, and wherein the second operational mode includes at least one of (a) connecting the power supply from the aerial vehicle by turning on an electronic switch in electrical communication with the power supply, or (b) disconnecting the power supply from the aerial vehicle by turning off the electronic switch in electrical communication with the power supply,

wherein the indication device is configured to display the level of charge of the power supply in response to receipt of the first input signal, (a) without requiring the power supply to be connected to the aerial vehicle and (b) without requiring the electronic switch to be turned on.

16. The power supply assembly of claim 15 wherein the plurality of operational modes further includes a third operational mode that includes communicating with an external device.

17. The power supply assembly of claim 15 wherein the first input signal has a first characteristic, and wherein the second input signal has a second characteristic, different than the first characteristic.

18. The power supply assembly of claim 17 wherein the first and second characteristics are different lengths of time of the input signal.

19. The power supply assembly of claim 17 wherein the first and second characteristics are different patterns provided in the input signals.

20. A system, comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle having a propulsion unit including at least one rotatable blade;

a power supply assembly including—

a housing including a bottom casing and a cover member, wherein the cover member is positioned to cover an opening of the bottom casing, wherein the bottom casing is configured to be inserted into the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the cover member forms a portion of an exterior surface of the unmanned aerial vehicle when the bottom casing is inserted into the unmanned aerial vehicle, and wherein the bottom casing is not exposed at the exterior surface of the unmanned aerial vehicle when the bottom casing is inserted into the unmanned aerial vehicle;

a power supply configured to power the propulsion unit of the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the power supply is disposed in the bottom casing;

a power supply circuit connected to the power supply, wherein the power supply is configured to discharge through the power supply circuit to power the propulsion unit of the unmanned aerial vehicle to rotate the at least one rotatable blade to generate lift for the unmanned aerial vehicle, and wherein the power supply circuit includes—

a power MOSFET in electrical communication with the power supply and having (a) a switch-on state that permits discharge of power from the power supply to the propulsion unit of the aerial vehicle and (b) a switch-off state that prevents discharge of power from the power supply to the propulsion unit of the aerial vehicle;

a power measurement device in electrical communication with the power supply; and

a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) carried by the cover member and in electrical communication with the power measurement device, wherein the LED lights are configured to display a level of charge of the power supply (a) without requiring the power supply to be connected to the aerial vehicle and (b) without requiring the power MOSFET to be in the switch-on state; and

a single button carried by the cover member and in electrical communication with the power MOSFET and the LED lights, wherein the button is configured to be depressed (a) for a first length of time for changing at least one of the switch-on or the switch-off state of the power MOSFET and (b) for a second length of time, different than the first length of time, for displaying the level of charge of the power supply via the LED lights.