BATTERY AND UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE WITH THE BATTERY

• US 20170136901A1
• Filed: 01/26/2017
• Published: 05/18/2017
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 10,625,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 control assembly, comprising:

a power supply adapted to power an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);

an input device configured to receive an input from a user of the UAV;

an electronic switch being electrically connected to the power supply for controlling a power-on or a power-off of the power supply;

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 in response to receipt a input by the input device, (1) without requiring the power supply to be connected to the UAV, and (2) without requiring the power supply to provide power to a propulsion unit of the UAV to set the propulsion unit in motion, wherein the level of the charge of the power supply is displayed with a plurality of LED lights.

2. The power supply control assembly of claim 1, wherein the power measurement device further comprises:

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.

3. The power supply control assembly of claim 2, wherein the current sampling device is configured to collect current during the discharging of the power supply.

4. The power supply control assembly of claim 2, further comprising:

an interface configured to provide access to the level of charge of the power supply and voltage of the power supply.

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

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

7. The power supply control assembly of claim 1, wherein the propulsion unit comprises one or more rotors with rotatable blades, and wherein the power supply causes rotation of the one or more rotors comprises the rotatable blades, therefor generating a lift for the UAV.

8. The power supply control assembly of claim 1, wherein the UAV is capable of flying for at least about 25 minutes without recharging.

9. The power supply control assembly of claim 1, comprising four LED lights.

10. The power supply control assembly of claim 9, wherein the number of simultaneously-lit LED lights corresponds to a percentage of the level of charge of the power supply.

11. The power supply control assembly of claim 10, wherein activation four LED lights represents that the power supply has 75-100% power remaining, activation three LED lights represents 50-75% of the power supply, activation two LED lights represents 25-50% of the power, and activation one LED lights represent 0-25% of capacity.

12. The power supply control assembly of claim 10, wherein activation of a first LED light indicates that the power supply has between about 0% and about 25% power remaining, activation of a second LED light indicates that the power supply has between about 25% and about 50% power remaining, activation of a third LED light indicates that the power supply has between about 50% and about 75% power remaining, activation of a fourth LED light indicates that the power supply has between about 75% and about 100% power remaining.

13. The power supply control assembly of claim 1, further comprising a microcontroller unit (MCU) in electrical communication with the power supply and capable of at least one of:

(i) controlling discharge of the power supply, (ii) protecting against a short circuit of the power supply, (iii) protecting against over-charge of the power supply, (iv) protecting against over-discharge of the power supply, (v) balancing a level of charge amongst one or more batteries comprising the power supply, (vi) preventing charging of the power supply at temperatures outside of a predefined temperature range, or (vii) communicating information with an external device.

15. The power supply control assembly of claim 1, wherein the indication device is configured to display the level of charge of the power supply in response to the receipt of the input by the input device, when (a) the power supply is not providing power to the propulsion unit of the UAV, and (b) the power supply is detached from the aerial vehicle.

16. The power supply control assembly of claim 1, wherein the indication device is configured to display the level of charge of the power supply when the power supply is detached from the UAV.

17. The power supply control assembly of claim 1, wherein the indication device is configured to display the level of charge of the power supply, when (a) the power supply is not providing power to the propulsion unit of the aerial vehicle, and (b) the power supply is detached from the aerial vehicle.

18. The power supply control assembly of claim 1, wherein the input is provided by the user pressing the input device at a first instance.

19. The power supply control assembly of claim 1, wherein the power supply and power supply circuit combined may weigh less than about 400 grams.

14. The power supply control assembly of claim 14, further comprising:

a power supply housing, wherein the power supply housing comprises a bottom member having an opening at a first end and a cover member, the cover member sealing the opening of the bottom member, wherein the power supply is disposed in the bottom member, and wherein the electronic switch, the input device, a power measurement device, and the indication device are all disposed on a circuit board.