Battery with integrated power inverter
First Claim
1. An integrated DC and AC power supply constructed to fit into a space provided in a vehicle for an existing battery, comprising:
- an outer housing having a positive terminal and a negative terminal located exterior to the outer housing;
a partition inside the outer housing defining a battery compartment and a second compartment, the partition constructed to at least one of conductively and thermally isolate the battery compartment from the second compartment;
a battery located in the battery compartment of the outer housing, the battery having a positive output and a negative output that together output a DC current, wherein the positive output is coupled to the positive terminal and the negative output is coupled to the negative terminal;
a power inverter located in the second compartment of the outer housing, the power inverter having a DC input coupled to the positive and negative outputs of the battery, and an AC output accessible from an exterior of the outer housing; and
an AC socket coupled to the AC output;
wherein the outer housing of the integrated DC and AC power supply has dimensions to fit in the space provided for the existing battery so that the integrated power system comprises a drop-in replacement for the existing battery.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle battery having an integrated power inverter includes an outer housing having a positive terminal and a negative terminal located exterior to the outer housing; a battery located in the outer housing, the battery having a positive output and a negative output that together output a DC current, wherein the positive output is coupled to the positive terminal and the negative output is coupled to the negative terminal; a power inverter located in the outer housing, the power inverter having a DC input coupled to the positive and negative outputs of the battery, and an AC output; and an AC socket coupled to the AC output. A shell for a vehicle battery having an integrated power inverter, and a method of making a vehicle battery having an integrated power inverter are also described.
17 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An integrated DC and AC power supply constructed to fit into a space provided in a vehicle for an existing battery, comprising:
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an outer housing having a positive terminal and a negative terminal located exterior to the outer housing; a partition inside the outer housing defining a battery compartment and a second compartment, the partition constructed to at least one of conductively and thermally isolate the battery compartment from the second compartment; a battery located in the battery compartment of the outer housing, the battery having a positive output and a negative output that together output a DC current, wherein the positive output is coupled to the positive terminal and the negative output is coupled to the negative terminal; a power inverter located in the second compartment of the outer housing, the power inverter having a DC input coupled to the positive and negative outputs of the battery, and an AC output accessible from an exterior of the outer housing; and an AC socket coupled to the AC output; wherein the outer housing of the integrated DC and AC power supply has dimensions to fit in the space provided for the existing battery so that the integrated power system comprises a drop-in replacement for the existing battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 23, 24)
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11. A shell for use with a vehicle battery and a power inverter to form an integrated DC and AC power supply, the shell comprising:
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an outer housing; a partition inside the outer housing defining a battery compartment adapted to hold a battery and a second compartment, the partition constructed to at least one of conductively and thermally isolate the battery compartment from the second compartment; a positive terminal and a negative terminal located exterior to the outer housing, the positive and negative terminals extending into the battery compartment and adapted to couple to a positive output and a negative output of the battery, respectively; a power inverter located in the second compartment of the outer housing, the power inverter having a DC input adapted to couple to the positive and negative outputs of the battery, the power inverter also having an AC output; and an AC socket connected to the AC output; wherein the outer housing has dimensions to fit in a space of a vehicle provided for an existing battery so that the integrated DC and AC power supply comprises a drop-in replacement for the existing battery. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 25)
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18. A method of making an integrated DC and AC power supply for a vehicle, the method comprising:
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providing an outer housing having a hollow interior region and outer dimensions to fit in a space of a vehicle provided for an existing battery so that the integrated DC and AC power supply comprises a drop-in replacement for the existing battery; inserting a battery into a first portion of the hollow interior region, the battery having a positive output and a negative output and providing DC power suitable for powering DC systems of the vehicle; separating the first portion of the hollow interior region containing the battery with a partition to at least one of conductively and thermally separate the hollow interior region containing the battery from a second portion of the hollow interior region of the outer housing; installing a power inverter in the second portion of the outer housing; coupling a DC input of the power inverter to the positive and negative outputs of the battery, wherein the power inverter has an AC output; coupling the positive output of the battery to a positive terminal located exterior to the outer housing; coupling the negative output of the battery to a negative terminal located exterior to the outer housing; and coupling an AC socket of the power inverter to the AC output of the power inverter. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 26)
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Specification