Compact Multifunctional Battery Booster

• US 20160049819A1
• Filed: 08/14/2015
• Published: 02/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schumacher Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Schumacher Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Butler, Brian F., Zhu, Shenzhong, Chen, Xiao Ping, Nguyen, Linh, Clarke, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 9,397,513 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/25 by controlling the electric load
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/12 Starting of engines by means of mobile, e.g. portable, starting sets
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/155 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1557 Single ended primary inductor converters [SEPIC]

Abstract

A compact battery charger for charging a battery comprising: a microprocessor; a set of terminals operatively coupled to said microprocessor and configured to electrically couple with an automotive battery; and an internal lithium ion battery, wherein the internal lithium ion battery is a lithium ion battery, wherein a single-ended primary-inductor converter may be configured to receive an input voltage of 5 VDC to 20 VDC and output a predetermined DC charge voltage to said internal lithium ion battery.

Claims

1. A compact battery booster comprising:

a processor;

a display device operatively coupled to the processor, wherein the display device is configured to display a status of the compact battery booster;

a storage capacitor and an internal lithium ion battery, each of said storage capacitor and said internal lithium ion battery being rated to jump start a vehicle coupled to an external battery;

a direct current (DC) output terminal configured to electrically couple with the external battery;

a single-ended primary-inductor converter configured to receive a variable input voltage between 5 volts DC and 20 volts DC and to output a predetermined charge voltage to said storage capacitor and said internal lithium ion battery;

a reverse polarity sensor operatively coupled to the processor, the reverse polarity sensor configured to detect a polarity of said external battery,

a temperature sensor operatively coupled to the processor, the temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of said internal lithium ion battery;

a voltage sensor operatively coupled to the processor, the voltage sensor configured to detect a voltage of said internal lithium ion battery; and

a power management circuit operatively coupled to each of the processor, the storage capacitor, and the internal lithium ion battery, wherein the power management circuit is configured to provide a boosting energy to the vehicle via the DC output terminal.

2. The compact battery booster of claim 1, wherein the storage capacitor is a supercapacitor.

3. The compact battery booster of claim 1, wherein the storage capacitor draws a charging current from the external battery.

4. A compact battery charger comprising:

an internal lithium ion battery, said internal lithium ion battery being rated 3,000 mAh or more;

a processor operatively coupled with (1) a reverse polarity sensor configured to detect a polarity of the external batter, (2) a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of said internal lithium ion battery, and (3) a voltage sensor configured to detect a voltage of said internal lithium ion battery;

a display device operatively coupled to the processor, wherein the display device displays a status of the compact battery charger;

a direct current (DC) output terminal, wherein the DC output terminal is configured to couple with the external battery;

a single-ended primary-inductor converter configured to receive an input voltage within predetermined input voltage range and to output a predetermined charge voltage to said internal lithium ion battery; and

a power management circuit operatively coupled to the processor and the internal lithium ion battery, the power management circuit configured to provide a predetermined output energy to said external battery via the DC output terminal.

5. The compact battery charger of claim 4, further comprising a supercapacitor, wherein the single-ended primary-inductor converter charges the supercapacitor.

6. The compact battery charger of claim 4, further comprising a supercapacitor, wherein the supercapacitor draws current from the external battery to charge the supercapacitor.

7. The compact battery charger of claim 4, wherein the predetermined input voltage range is 5 volts to 20 volts.

8. The compact battery charger of claim 4, wherein the predetermined charge voltage is greater than the input voltage.

9. The compact battery charger of claim 4, wherein the predetermined output energy is a boosting energy for starting an engine coupled to the external battery.

10. The compact battery charger of claim 4, wherein the predetermined output energy is a charging energy for charging the external battery.

12. The compact battery charger of claim 4, further comprising a removable internal data storage device.

13. The compact battery charger of claim 4, further comprising an internal induction coil, wherein the internal induction coil receives energy from an electromagnetic field created by an external induction coil and converts the electromagnetic field to produce the input voltage.

14. The compact battery charger of claim 4, further comprising a second DC output terminal, wherein the DC output terminal provides a boosting energy for starting an engine coupled to the external battery, and wherein the second DC output terminal provides a charging energy to a portable electronic device.

15. The compact battery charger of claim 14, wherein said second DC output terminal is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port.

16. The compact battery charger of claim 4, wherein the display device enters into a sleep mode after a predetermined time period of inactivity.

17. The compact battery charger of claim 4, wherein the DC output terminal runs a predetermined current through the external battery to preheat the external battery.

18. The compact battery charger of claim 4, further comprising a DC to alternating current (AC) converter coupled between the internal lithium ion battery and an AC output terminal.

19. The compact battery charger of claim 4, further comprising an internal data storage device, wherein the internal data storage device backs up digital content stored to a portable electronic device via a USB port.

24. The compact battery charger of claim 17, wherein the DC output terminal runs the predetermined current through the external battery for a predetermined period of time.

25. The compact battery charger of claim 17, wherein the DC output terminal runs the predetermined current through the external battery until the external battery reaches a predetermined temperature.

26. The compact battery charger of claim 4, wherein the power management circuit selectively provides the boosting energy to the DC output terminal as a function of an output from at least one of the reverse polarity sensor, the temperature sensor, or the voltage sensor.

27. The compact battery charger of claim 4, wherein the internal lithium ion battery is rated between 3,000 mAh and 20,000 mAh.

11. (canceled)

20. A compact battery charger comprising:

an internal lithium ion battery;

a direct current (DC) output terminal, wherein the DC output terminal is configured to couple with an external battery;

an internal induction coil, wherein the internal induction coil receives energy from an electromagnetic field created by an external induction coil and converts the electromagnetic field to produce an input voltage;

a DC to DC converter that receives the input voltage and outputs a predetermined charge voltage to said internal lithium ion battery; and

a power management circuit operatively coupled to the internal lithium ion battery, a reverse polarity sensor;

a temperature sensor, and a voltage sensor configured to detect a voltage of said internal lithium ion battery,

wherein the power management circuit is configured to electrically couple the DC output terminal with said internal lithium ion battery, thereby providing a predetermined output energy from said internal lithium ion battery to said external battery.

21. The compact battery charger of claim 20, further comprising a removable data storage device.

22. The compact battery charger of claim 20, wherein the predetermined output energy is a boosting energy for starting an engine coupled to the external battery.

23. The compact battery charger of claim 20, wherein the predetermined output energy is a charging current for charging the external battery.

28. An apparatus for charging or starting a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a lithium ion battery;

a set of output terminals, wherein the set of output terminals is configured to couple with a vehicular battery;

a processor operatively coupled with a reverse polarity sensor configured to detect a polarity across said set of output terminals, a voltage sensor configured to detect a voltage of said lithium ion battery, and a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of said lithium ion battery; and

a power management circuit operatively coupled with the processor and with said lithium ion battery, the power management circuit being configured to provide a predetermined output energy to said set of output terminals.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a supercapacitor configured to jump start a vehicle, wherein the supercapacitor draws current from the external battery to charge the supercapacitor.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the lithium ion battery is rated between 10,000 mAh and 20,000 mAh.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a single-ended primary-inductor converter configured to receive an input voltage within predetermined input voltage range and to output a predetermined charge voltage to said lithium ion battery.