SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR A HOMOPOLAR GENERATOR CHARGER WITH INTEGRAL RECHARGEABLE BATTERY

• US 20170163053A1
• Filed: 12/13/2016
• Published: 06/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Premergy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mechanical Energy Generating Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Botts, Richard Edward
• Granted Patent: US 10,673,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• 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 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/14 for charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/17 Stator cores with permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/27 Rotor cores with permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/2706 Inner rotors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 13/10 Arrangements of brushes or commutators specially adapted for improving commutation
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 31/02 with solid-contact collectors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/09 with magnetic bearings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus for providing a homopolar generator charger with an integral rechargeable battery. A method is provided for converting rotational kinetic energy to electrical energy for charging one or more battery cells. The method can include rotating, by a shaft, a rotor in a magnetic flux field to generate current, wherein the rotor comprises an electrically conductive portion having an inner diameter conductive connection surface and an outer diameter conductive connection surface, and wherein a voltage potential is induced between the inner and outer diameter connection surfaces upon rotation in the magnetic flux field. The method can also include selectively coupling the generated current from the rotating rotor to terminals of the one or more battery cells.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a shaft defining a longitudinal axis of rotation;

a rotor comprising one or more first magnets, one or more second magnets and one or more first conductive elements;

a plurality of one or more third magnets opposing at least a portion of the one or more-second magnets, wherein at least the one or more first magnets and the one or more third magnets generate a magnetic field that causes the rotor to float; and

a connection system comprising one or more second conductive elements in contact with at least a portion of the one or more first conductive elements wherein the connection system electrically connects the rotor to a battery; and

one or more magnet arrays that, at least in part, generate an electric flux field in which the rotor rotates.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more second conductive elements are one or more brushes.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first conductive element is a conductive pad.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more first magnets are arranged in an alternating north-south configuration.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shaft comprises a plurality of cups, wherein a first cup is coupled to an upper surface of the rotor and a second cup is coupled to a bottom surface of the rotor, and wherein the shaft further comprises a bushing that prevents horizontal movement of the rotor.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the shaft comprises a first shaft, the first shaft receiving a second shaft, wherein an outer edge of the bushing is coupled to an inner portion of the first shaft and an inner edge of the bushing is coupled to the second shaft.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second shaft is a ball screw shaft, wherein the ball screw shaft further passes through at least a portion of a plurality of surfaces of a housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein a first brush volume of the one or more brushes is the same as a second brush volume of the second one or more brushes.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more first conductive elements are located on an outer surface of the rotor.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, the apparatus further comprising:

at least one positive output electrode operable for selective electrical communication with at least one of a cell positive terminal of the battery, an inner diameter of the rotor, or an outer diameter of rotor; and

at least one negative output electrode operable for selective electrical communication with at least one of a cell negative terminal of the battery, the inner diameter of the rotor, or the outer diameter of the rotor.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one positive output electrode and the at least one negative output electrode are coupled to a respective one of the one or more first conductive elements or the one or more second conductive elements.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotor further comprises one or more third conductive elements located at an inner surface of the rotor and wherein the connection system further comprises one or more fourth conductive elements in contact with at least a portion of the third conductive element.

13. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein a first portion of the one or more brushes are located above a second portion of the one or more brushes, wherein the first portion and the second portion are located in non-opposing positions.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of shafts for securing at least a portion of a plurality of surfaces, wherein the plurality of shafts comprise a respective bushing for providing slidable movement of the plurality of shafts.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 the apparatus further comprising one or more second surfaces coupled to one or more first surfaces, wherein the one or more first surfaces comprise platens and the one or more second surfaces comprise soft iron plates.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a magnetic flux field inside the second housing is approximately 1.3 Tesla.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus further comprising:

at least one positive output electrode operable for selective electrical communication with at least one of a cell positive terminal of the battery, an inner diameter of the rotor, or an outer diameter of rotor; and

at least one negative output electrode operable for selective electrical communication with at least one of a cell negative terminal of the battery, the inner diameter of the rotor, or the outer diameter of the rotor.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a shaft defining a longitudinal axis of rotation;

a rotor comprising one or more first magnets one or more second magnets and one or more first conductive elements;

a plurality of one or more third magnets opposing at least a portion of the one or more-second magnets, wherein at least the one or more first magnets and the one or more third magnets generate a magnetic field that causes the rotor to float;

a connection system comprising one or more second conductive elements in contact with at least a portion of the one or more first conductive elements, wherein the one or more second conductive elements are at least in part coupled to an inner surface of the rotor to electrically connect the rotor to a battery; and

one or more magnet arrays comprising respective magnets for generating an electric flux field in which the rotor rotates.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the one or more first magnets, the one or more second magnets, and the one or more third magnets are at least partially enclosed within a first housing, and wherein the first housing is at least partially enclosed within a second housing, wherein the second housing comprises a plurality of surfaces coupled to a respective magnet array of the one or more magnet arrays.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a motor controller, wherein the motor controller causes rotation of the rotor, and wherein the motor controller is configured to receive performance data associated the rotor.

21. A method comprising:

providing current to a first portion of a battery comprising one or more first cells;

monitoring a first impedance of the first portion of the battery and a second impedance of a charging device electrically connected to the battery;

determining that the first impedance differs from the second impedance;

in response to the determination, modifying the first impedance to match the second impedance; and

wherein a second portion of the battery comprising second one or more plurality of cells, the second one or more plurality of cells being discharged while the one or more first cells are being charged.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising modifying a third impedance of the second portion of the battery to match the second impedance, wherein the modification of the first impedance and the third impedance are performed within a pre-specified time threshold.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein at least a portion of the one or more first cells are charged in parallel while at least a portion of the one or more second cells are discharged in series.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

responsive to receiving a first signal, changing a configuration of the first portion of the battery from a series connection to a parallel connection.