Ultracapacitor and battery combination with electronic management system

• US 9,627,908 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UCAP Power, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Maxwell Technologies Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaminsky, Ilya, Lynds, Robert Shaw, Setterberg, Mikael, Bendale, Priya, Hung, Ha Q., Dougherty, Thomas J., Miller, John, Cowperthwaite, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Kitov, Zeev V
• Application Number:
  US13/797,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20130264875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/08 Structural combinations, e.g. assembly or connection, of hybrid or EDL capacitors with other electric components, at least one hybrid or EDL capacitor being the main component
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/28 Structural combinations of electrolytic capacitors, rectifiers, detectors, switching devices with other electric components not covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/00 Structural combinations of different types of electrochemical generators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/253 adapted for specific cells, e.g. electrochemical cells operating at high temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/435 Solid dielectric type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for a combined battery/capacitor energy storage device. The device includes a first device terminal, a second device terminal, a battery connected between the first terminal and the second terminal, and a capacitor connected in parallel with the battery. In one aspect, a rectifier is connected between the first terminal and the capacitor, the rectifier configured to allow substantially unidirectional current flow from the first terminal to the capacitor. In another aspect, a switch is between the capacitor and the first terminal. In another aspect, a current limiter extends between the first terminal and the capacitor.

Claims

1. An energy storage device, comprising:

a first device terminal and a second device terminal;

a battery connected between the first device terminal and the second device terminal;

a capacitor connected in parallel with the battery;

a first switch between the capacitor and the first device terminal, the first switch configured to selectively control electrical communication between the capacitor and the first device terminal; and

a controller configured to;

close the first switch in response to detection of a loss of external power to the first device terminal, and

open the first switch after the first switch has been closed for a predetermined period of time.

2. The energy storage device of claim 1, further comprising a rectifier connected between the first device terminal and the capacitor, the rectifier configured to allow substantially unidirectional current flow from the first device terminal to the capacitor.

3. The energy storage device of claim 2, wherein the rectifier comprises a diode.

4. The energy storage device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to open the first switch when an output voltage of the battery drops below a threshold.

5. The energy storage device of claim 1, further comprising a second switch between the battery and the first device terminal, the second switch configured to selectively control electrical communication between the battery and the first device terminal.

6. The energy storage device of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to close the first switch and open the second switch when a voltage of the first device terminal increases above a first threshold.

7. The energy storage device of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to close the second switch when an output voltage of the capacitor is above a second threshold.

8. The energy storage device of claim 1, wherein the first switch is parallel with a rectifier.

9. The energy storage device of claim 8, further comprising:

a third device terminal between the rectifier and the capacitor;

wherein the first switch is positioned between the first device terminal and the third device terminal.

10. The energy storage device of claim 1, further comprising a third device terminal configured to provide power from the capacitor to an external device, wherein a current limiter extends between the first device terminal and the third device terminal.

11. The energy storage device of claim 10, wherein the current limiter comprises at least one of a positive-temperature-coefficient resistor and a resistive bridge.

12. The energy storage device of claim 8, further comprising a current limiter connected in series between the rectifier and the capacitor.

13. The energy storage device of claim 12, wherein the current limiter comprises a positive-temperature-coefficient resistor.

14. The energy storage device of claim 1, further comprising a DC/DC converter connected between the first device terminal and a third device terminal positioned between the first device terminal and the capacitor, the DC/DC converter comprising:

a rectifier;

a switch connected between the second device terminal and the rectifier;

a boost controller configured to control the switch; and

an inductor connected in series with the rectifier between the first device terminal and the rectifier.

15. The energy storage device of claim 14, wherein the rectifier comprises a first rectifier, further comprising a second rectifier connected between the first device terminal and the third device terminal, and in parallel with the first rectifier and the inductor.

16. The energy storage device of claim 14, wherein the inductor comprises a saturable inductor.

17. The energy storage device of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing comprising an integrated battery housing portion, a capacitor housing portion, and a housing lid, wherein the battery is contained within the integrated battery housing portion, wherein the capacitor is connected in parallel with the battery and contained within the capacitor housing portion, and wherein the first device terminal and the second device terminal extend through the housing.

24. The energy storage device of claim 15, wherein the inductor comprises a saturable inductor.

18. An energy storage device, comprising:

a first device terminal and a second device terminal;

a battery connected between the first device terminal and the second device terminal;

a capacitor connected in parallel with the battery;

a first switch between the capacitor and the first device terminal, the first switch configured to selectively control electrical communication between the capacitor and the first device terminal;

a second switch between the battery and the first device terminal, the second switch configured to selectively control electrical communication between the battery and the first device terminal; and

a controller configured to;

close the first switch and open the second switch when a voltage of the first device terminal increases above a first threshold, and

close the second switch when an output voltage of the capacitor is above a second threshold.

19. The energy storage device of claim 18, further comprising a rectifier connected between the first device terminal and the capacitor, the rectifier configured to allow substantially unidirectional current flow from the first device terminal to the capacitor.

20. The energy storage device of claim 19, wherein the rectifier comprises a diode.

21. The energy storage device of claim 18, wherein the first switch is parallel with a rectifier.

22. The energy storage device of claim 21, further comprising:

a third device terminal between the rectifier and the capacitor;

wherein the first switch is positioned between the first device terminal and the third device terminal.

23. An energy storage device, comprising:

a first device terminal and a second device terminal;

a battery connected between the first terminal and the second terminal;

a capacitor connected in parallel with the battery;

a first switch between the capacitor and the first terminal, the first switch configured to selectively control electrical communication between the capacitor and the first terminal; and

a DC/DC converter connected between the first device terminal and a third device terminal positioned between the first device terminal and the capacitor, the DC/DC converter comprising;

a first rectifier;

a second switch connected between the second device terminal and the first rectifier;

a boost controller configured to control the switch;

an inductor connected in series with the first rectifier between the first device terminal and the first rectifier; and

a second rectifier connected between the first device terminal and the third device terminal and in parallel with the first rectifier and the inductor.

25. The energy storage device of claim 23, wherein the second rectifier is connected between the first device terminal and the capacitor and is configured to allow substantially unidirectional current flow from the first device terminal to the capacitor.

26. The energy storage device of claim 23, wherein at least one of the first rectifier and the second rectifier comprises a diode.

27. The energy storage device of claim 23, wherein the first switch is parallel with the second rectifier.

28. The energy storage device of claim 23, wherein the first switch is positioned between the first device terminal and the third device terminal.