ELECTRIC BATTERY RAPID RECHARGING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MILITARY AND OTHER APPLICATIONS

• US 20140292260A1
• Filed: 06/26/2012
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lightening Energy
• Original Assignee: Lightening Energy
• Inventors: Dyer, Christopher K., Epstein, Michael L., Culver, Duncan
• Granted Patent: US 10,340,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/46 Heat pumps, e.g. for cabin heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/53 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/55 Capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/64 Optimising energy costs, e.g. responding to electricity rates
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/443 : in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 : Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6561 : Gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6567 : Liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6568 : characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 : The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/40 : The network being an on-board power network, i.e. within a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 : Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 : Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 : with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 : acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 : characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 : with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using 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 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 : the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A method for rapidly recharging a military or a non-military device having an electric battery is provided. The method includes recharging the military or non-military device and the recharging includes delivering coolant to the military or non-military device to cool the electric battery. A military device, a non-military non-vehicular device, a mobile charging station and a stationary charging station are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for recharging a military device having an electric battery, the method comprising:

recharging the military device, the recharging including delivering coolant to the military device to cool the electric battery.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising moving a mobile charging station to a location of the military device before the recharging, the recharging being by the mobile charging station.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising bringing a military device to rapid recharging station before the recharging, the recharging being by the rapid charging station

4. The method as recited in claim 1wherein the battery includes a plurality of cells spaced apart by interconnectors, the delivering coolant to the military device to cool the electric battery including delivering coolant to the interconnectors.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the military device is a land combat or transportation vehicle.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the military device is a stationary artillery device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the military device is a device carried by military personnel.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the military device is a component of a command and station.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the recharging uses an electrical power that is more than 100 Watts.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the recharging takes less than an hour.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the battery is recharged to at least 50% capacity.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the coolant is gas supplied at 0.1 cubic ft/min or greater.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the coolant is liquid supplied at 0.01 liters/min or greater.

14. A mobile charging station comprising:

a charging source providing an electrical charge;

a coolant source providing coolant; and

a connector having both an electrical supply section delivering the electrical charge and a coolant supply section delivering the coolant, and capable of connecting to a military device.

15. A military device comprising:

an electric battery powering the military device;

a charging connector receptacle;

a coolant conduit between the electric battery and the receptacle; and

an electrical power connection between the electric battery and the receptacle.

16. The military device recited in claim 15 wherein the electric battery includes a plurality of cells spaced apart by interconnectors, the coolant conduit delivering coolant to the interconnectors.

17-20. -20. (canceled)