DESC:SYSTEM FOR CONVERTING HOME INVERTER IN SWAPPABLE BATTERY CHARGING MODULE
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims priority from Indian Provisional Patent Application No. 202321007589 filed on 06/02/2022, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by a reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure generally relates to swappable battery pack charging systems. The present disclosure particularly relates to a system for converting home inverter in swappable battery charging module.
BACKGROUND
Recently, there has been a rapid development in the battery technology as the batteries are being used in the energy storage solutions for storing clean energy. The battery packs are utilized in stationary applications such as energy storage stations or uninterrupted power supplies for power backups and in mobility applications such as powering electric vehicles.
Generally, the domestic uninterrupted power supply systems have battery pack specifically designed for providing power backup to the domestic load. The swappable battery packs are generally charged at large battery swapping stations where a lot of batteries are charged simultaneously. However, the such battery swapping stations are not available at most of the locations, thus, the users using the swappable battery pack for mobility application face challenges in charging the swappable battery packs.
To overcome the issue of unavailability of battery swapping stations, external chargers are available to charge the swappable battery packs. The user has to buy separate charger for charging the swappable battery packs despite having a home inverter system to provide power backup. The swappable battery is removed from the vehicle and connected to the external charger for charging. Such external charger for charging the swappable battery packs add additional cost for the user. Moreover, there is no integration and interoperability between the home inverter and the mobility energy storage of the user. In other words, the home inverter system owned by the user cannot be utilised for charging swappable battery packs.
Therefore, there exists a need for a system that overcomes one or more problems associated as set forth above.
SUMMARY
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a system for converting home inverter in swappable battery charging module.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a system for converting home inverter in swappable battery charging module. The system comprises an input connector configured to connect the system with a DC output of the home inverter, a bidirectional DC-DC converter, an output selector configured to select an output parameter, a control unit configured to control operation of the bidirectional DC-DC converter, and at least one output connector configured to removably connect at least one swappable battery pack with the system.
The present disclosure provides a system for converting home inverter in swappable battery charging module. The system of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of charging the external swappable battery pack using the existing home inverter system. Beneficially, the system of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of eliminating the requirement of external charger for charging swappable battery packs. Beneficially, the system of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of enabling charging of different types of swappable battery packs. Beneficially, the system of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of simplicity of connection with the existing home inverter. The system of the present disclosure is a cost effective replacement of costly domestic swappable battery charging stations.
Additional aspects, advantages, features, and objects of the present disclosure would be made apparent from the drawings and the detailed description of the illustrative embodiments constructed in conjunction with the appended claims that follow.
It will be appreciated that features of the present disclosure are susceptible to being combined in various combinations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The summary above, as well as the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the present disclosure, exemplary constructions of the disclosure are shown in the drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed herein. Moreover, those in the art will understand that the drawings are not to scale. Wherever possible, like elements have been indicated by identical numbers.
Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following diagrams wherein:
Figure 1 illustrates a block diagram of a system for converting home inverter in swappable battery charging module, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.
In the accompanying drawings, an underlined number is employed to represent an item over which the underlined number is positioned or an item to which the underlined number is adjacent. A non-underlined number relates to an item identified by a line linking the non-underlined number to the item. When a number is non-underlined and accompanied by an associated arrow, the non-underlined number is used to identify a general item at which the arrow is pointing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The following detailed description illustrates embodiments of the present disclosure and ways in which they can be implemented. Although some modes of carrying out the present disclosure have been disclosed, those skilled in the art would recognize that other embodiments for carrying out or practicing the present disclosure are also possible.
The description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of certain embodiments of a system for converting home inverter in swappable battery charging module and is not intended to represent the only forms that may be developed or utilized. The description sets forth the various structures and/or functions in connection with the illustrated embodiments; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiment thereof has been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.
The terms “comprise”, “comprises”, “comprising”, “include(s)”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a setup, or system that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or system. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus preceded by “comprises... a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or apparatus.
In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which are shown by way of illustration-specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.
The present disclosure will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the description with unnecessary detail.
As used herein, the terms “battery pack”, “battery”, and “power pack” are used interchangeably and refer to multiple individual battery cells connected to provide a higher combined voltage or capacity than what a single battery can offer. The battery pack is designed to store electrical energy and supply it as needed to various devices or systems. Battery packs, as referred herein may be used for various purposes such as power electric vehicles and other energy storage applications. Furthermore, the battery pack may include additional circuitry, such as a battery management system (BMS), to ensure the safe and efficient charging and discharging of the battery cells. The battery pack comprises a plurality of cell arrays which in turn comprises a plurality of battery cells. It is to be understood that the battery pack is a swappable battery pack.
As used herein, the terms “home inverter”, “uninterrupted power supply system”, “power supply”, and “uninterrupted power supply” are used interchangeably and refer to an electronic device that provides backup power to domestic appliances and electronics in the event of a power outage from the grid.
As used herein, the term “input connector” refers to a specialized electro-mechanical connector for connecting the system with DC output terminals of the home inverter.
As used herein, the terms “output connector”, and “battery pack connector” are used interchangeably and refer to an electro-mechanical connector that establishes electrical and mechanical contact with the swappable battery packs. The output connector may receive the terminals of the swappable battery pack to establish electrical connection with the swappable battery pack.
As used herein, the terms “bidirectional DC-DC converter” and “DC-DC converter” are used interchangeably and refer to an electronic device that converts direct current (DC) from one voltage level to another. The DC-DC converter is responsible for converting the DC power from the DC output of the home inverter to DC power that is required to charge the swappable battery packs. Preferably, the DC-DC converter is a switching converter that offers the best combination of efficiency, cost, and performance.
As used herein, the term “gate drivers” refers to electronic components responsible for controlling the switching of switches including Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFET), Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT) that may be used as switches in the system. It is to be understood that the gate drivers convert the control signal into precise voltage and current pulses required to turn the power electronics switches on and off rapidly.
As used herein, the term “switches” and “plurality of switch” are used interchangeably and refers to power electronics devices that control the flow of electrical current. The switches are responsible for converting the DC voltage. The switches may be at least one of MOSFETs, IGBTs, transistors, or a combination thereof.
As used herein, the terms “control unit”, “microcontroller” and ‘processor’ are used interchangeably and refer to a computational element that is operable to respond to and process instructions that operationalize the system for converting home inverter in swappable battery charging module. Optionally, the control unit may be a micro-controller, a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, a reduced instruction set (RISC) microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, or any other type of processing unit. Furthermore, the term “processor” may refer to one or more individual processors, processing devices, and various elements associated with a processing device that may be shared by other processing devices. Furthermore, the control unit comprises a software module residing in the control unit and executed by the microcontroller to control the operation of the active bridge modules of the bidirectional DC-DC converter. It is to be understood that the software module may comprise algorithms and control instructions to control the operation of the active bridge modules of the bidirectional DC-DC converter.
As used herein, the term “state of charge” refers to an amount of available charge in the swappable battery pack relative to its total capacity of holding the charge. The state of charge is represented as a percentage.
As used herein, the term “output selector” refers to an input mechanism present on the system to receive user selection on the type of swappable battery being connected with the output connector. The output selector may comprise a multipole switch, which can be selected to different positions to select different output connectors for charging the swappable battery packs.
As used herein, the term “communicably coupled” refers to a bi-directional connection between the various components of the system. The bi-directional connection between the various components of the system enables exchange of data between two or more components of the system. Similarly, bi-directional connection between the system and other elements/modules enables exchange of data between system and the other elements/modules.
As used herein, the term “communication unit” relates to an arrangement of interconnected programmable and/or non-programmable components that are configured to facilitate data communication between one or more electronic devices and/or databases, whether available or known at the time of filing or as later developed. Furthermore, the communication unit may utilise, but is not limited to, a public network such as the global computer network known as the Internet, a private network, Wi-Fi, a cellular network including 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G LTE etc. and any other communication system or systems at one or more locations. Additionally, the communication unit may utilise wired or wireless communication that can be carried out via any number of known protocols, including, but not limited to, Internet Protocol (IP), Wireless Access Protocol (WAP), Frame Relay, or Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM). Moreover, any other suitable protocols using voice, video, data, or combinations thereof, can also be employed. Moreover, although the communication unit described herein as being implemented with TCP/IP communications protocols, the communication unit may also be implemented using IPX, Appletalk, IP-6, NetBIOS, OSI, any tunnelling protocol (e.g., IPsec, SSH), or any number of existing or future protocols. It would be appreciated that internal components of the home inverter would utilise communication methods including Controller Area Network, Local Interconnect Network, FlexRay, Ethernet, Modbus, Profibus, DeviceNet, Ethernet/IP, Modbus TCP/IP, Profinet and so forth, via the communication unit. Similarly, it would be appreciated that the home inverter would utilise communication methods including Wi-Fi, cellular network, Bluetooth for communication with external modules/units/components, via the communication unit.
As used herein, the term “server arrangement, and “server”” are used interchangeably and refer to a remote computing unit with organization of one or more CPUs, memory, databases, network interfaces etc. to provide required information via network-based communication.
As used herein, the term “user” refers to an owner of the home inverter.
As used herein, the term “user device” refers to a handheld computing unit comprising processing, networking and storage capabilities. The user device may include a smartphone, a tablet, a handheld terminal and so forth. It would be appreciated that the user device is associated/owned by the user.
Figure 1, in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, describes a system 100 for converting home inverter in swappable battery charging module. The system 100 comprises an input connector 102 configured to connect the system 100 with a DC output of the home inverter, a bidirectional DC-DC converter 104, an output selector 106 configured to select an output parameter, a control unit 108 configured to control operation of the bidirectional DC-DC converter 104, and at least one output connector 110 configured to removably connect at least one swappable battery pack 112 with the system 100.
The system 100 of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of charging the external swappable battery pack 112 using the existing home inverter system. Beneficially, the system 100 of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of eliminating the requirement of external charger for charging swappable battery packs 112. Beneficially, the system 100 of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of enabling charging of different types of swappable battery packs 112. Beneficially, the system 100 of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of simplicity of connection with the existing home inverter. The system 100 of the present disclosure is a cost-effective replacement of costly domestic swappable battery charging stations. Beneficially, the system 100 is advantageous in terms of extending backup of the existing home inverter by utilizing power stored in the swappable battery packs 112.
In an embodiment, the bidirectional DC-DC converter 104 convert the DC output of the home inverter into DC voltage suitable for charging the at least one swappable battery pack 112. Beneficially, the DC voltage is generated according to charging capacity of the at least one swappable battery pack 112. It is to be understood that the DC voltage is provided to the at least one swappable battery pack 112 for charging the at least one swappable battery pack 112.
In an embodiment, the output selector 106 comprises a multipole switch configured to switch the output parameter, wherein the output parameter comprises at least one parameter associated with the at least one swappable battery pack 112. Beneficially, the multipole switch enables charging of the different types of swappable battery packs 112 using the system 100. It is to be understood that the multipole switch let the user select the output parameter to charge the particular type of swappable battery pack.
In an embodiment, the control unit 108 is communicably coupled with the output selector 106 to receive the output parameter and control operation of the bidirectional DC-DC converter 104 based on the received output parameter. Beneficially, the control unit 108 controls the bidirectional DC-DC converter 104 to provide the DC voltage suitable for charging the at least one swappable battery pack 112.
In an embodiment, the at least one parameter associated with the at least one swappable battery pack 112 comprises a voltage rating of the swappable battery pack 112 and a current rating of the swappable battery pack 112. Beneficially, the swappable battery packs 112 are charged by the system 100 according to the suitable voltage rating and the current rating.
In an embodiment, the control unit 108 is configured to electrically disconnect the at least one swappable battery pack 112 from the system 100, when the corresponding swappable battery pack 112 is fully charged. Beneficially, the control unit 108 prevents overcharging of the at least one swappable battery pack 112 by electrically disconnecting the corresponding swappable battery pack 112 after being fully charged.
In an embodiment, the bidirectional DC-DC converter 104 is configured to transfer power from the at least one swappable battery pack 112, when the DC output of the home inverter is unavailable. Beneficially, the power transfer from the at least one swappable battery pack 112 when the DC output of the home inverter is unavailable increases the power backup of the home inverter. Beneficially, the at least one swappable battery pack 112 is utilized by the system 100 to supply power backup to the domestic load via the home inverter.
In an embodiment, the control unit 108 is configured to control the power transfer from the at least one swappable battery pack 112, by controlling the operation of the bidirectional DC-DC converter 104. Beneficially, the bidirectional DC-DC converter 104 is used to discharge the at least one swappable battery pack 112 to provide power backup to the domestic loads.
In an embodiment, the system 100 comprises a display unit 114, wherein the display unit is configured to display a state of charge of the at least one swappable battery pack 112. Beneficially, the state of charge of the at least one swappable battery pack 112 is displayed to inform the user about the availability of the at least one swappable battery pack 112 for mobility application.
In an embodiment, the system 100 comprises a communication unit 116, configured to communicate the state of charge of the at least one swappable battery pack 112 to at least one of: a user device and a server arrangement. Beneficially, the state of charge of the at least one swappable battery pack 112 is communicated to at least one of: the user device and the server arrangement for informing the user about the availability of the at least one swappable battery pack 112 for mobility application.
In an embodiment, the system 100 comprises an input connector 102 configured to connect the system 100 with a DC output of the home inverter, a bidirectional DC-DC converter 104, an output selector 106 configured to select an output parameter, a control unit 108 configured to control operation of the bidirectional DC-DC converter 104, and at least one output connector 110 configured to removably connect at least one swappable battery pack 112 with the system 100. Furthermore, the bidirectional DC-DC converter 104 convert the DC output of the home inverter into DC voltage suitable for charging the at least one swappable battery pack 112. Furthermore, the output selector 106 comprises a multipole switch configured to switch the output parameter, wherein the output parameter comprises at least one parameter associated with the at least one swappable battery pack 112. Furthermore, the control unit 108 is communicably coupled with the output selector 106 to receive the output parameter and control operation of the bidirectional DC-DC converter 104 based on the received output parameter. Furthermore, the at least one parameter associated with the at least one swappable battery pack 112 comprises a voltage rating of the swappable battery pack 112 and a current rating of the swappable battery pack 112. Furthermore, the control unit 108 is configured to electrically disconnect the at least one swappable battery pack 112 from the system 100, when the corresponding swappable battery pack 112 is fully charged. Furthermore, the bidirectional DC-DC converter 104 is configured to transfer power from the at least one swappable battery pack 112, when the DC output of the home inverter is unavailable. Furthermore, the control unit 108 is configured to control the power transfer from the at least one swappable battery pack 112, by controlling the operation of the bidirectional DC-DC converter 104. Furthermore, the system 100 comprises a display unit 114, wherein the display unit is configured to display a state of charge of the at least one swappable battery pack 112. Furthermore, the system 100 comprises a communication unit 116, configured to communicate the state of charge of the at least one swappable battery pack 112 to at least one of: a user device and a server arrangement.
In the description of the present invention, it is also to be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited, the terms “disposed,” “mounted,” and “connected” are to be construed broadly, and may for example be fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally connected, either mechanically or electrically. They may be connected directly or indirectly through intervening media, or they may be interconnected between two elements. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention can be understood in specific cases to those skilled in the art.
Modifications to embodiments and combinations of different embodiments of the present disclosure described in the foregoing are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the accompanying claims. Expressions such as “including”, “comprising”, “incorporating”, “have”, and “is” used to describe and claim the present disclosure are intended to be construed in a non-exclusive manner, namely allowing for items, components or elements not explicitly described also to be present. Reference to the singular is also to be construed to relate to the plural where appropriate.
Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the present disclosure, the drawings, and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.

,CLAIMS:WE CLAIM:
1. A system (100) for converting home inverter in swappable battery charging module, wherein the system (100) comprises:
- an input connector (102) configured to connect the system (100) with a DC output of the home inverter;
- a bidirectional DC-DC converter (104);
- an output selector (106), configured to select an output parameter;
- a control unit (108) configured to control operation of the bidirectional DC-DC converter (104); and
- at least one output connector (110) configured to removably connect at least one swappable battery pack (112) with the system (100).
2. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bidirectional DC-DC converter (104) convert the DC output of the home inverter into DC voltage suitable for charging the at least one swappable battery pack (112).
3. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output selector (106) comprises a multipole switch configured to switch the output parameter, wherein the output parameter comprises at least one parameter associated with the at least one swappable battery pack (112).
4. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit (108) is communicably coupled with the output selector (106) to receive the output parameter and control operation of the bidirectional DC-DC converter (104) based on the received output parameter.
5. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter associated with the at least one swappable battery pack (112) comprises a voltage rating of the swappable battery pack (112) and a current rating of the swappable battery pack (112).
6. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit (108) is configured to electrically disconnect the at least one swappable battery pack (112) from the system (100), when the corresponding swappable battery pack (112) is fully charged.
7. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bidirectional DC-DC converter (104) is configured to transfer power from the at least one swappable battery pack (112), when the DC output of the home inverter is unavailable.
8. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit (108) is configured to control the power transfer from the at least one swappable battery pack (112), by controlling the operation of the bidirectional DC-DC converter (104).
9. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system (100) comprises a display unit (114), wherein the display unit is configured to display a state of charge of the at least one swappable battery pack (112).
10. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system (100) comprises a communication unit (116), configured to communicate the state of charge of the at least one swappable battery pack (112) to at least one of: a user device and a server arrangement.