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US 8,008,890 B2Granted
Charge equalization apparatus
AssigneesSK Energy Co., Ltd., Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
InventorsJoong Hui Lee, Soo Yeup Jang, Jeon Keun Oh, Gun Woo Moon, Chong Eun Kim, Hong Sun Park, Chol Ho Kim
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a charge equalization apparatus, which can enable the primary windings and the secondary windings of transformers to be easily manufactured, can control the flow of charges into batteries depending on the charged states of series-connected batteries, and can prevent overcurrent from flowing into batteries that are currently being charged.
Claims21
A charge equalization apparatus, comprising:
- N transformers respectively connected in parallel with N series-connected batteries, and configured to store energy, discharged from overcharged batteries, among the N batteries, and to charge batteries other than the overcharged batteries with the stored energy;
- N charge/discharge control switching units respectively connected between first ends of primary windings of the N transformers and an anode of a first battery of the N batteries so as to supply a charge, supplied by the N series-connected batteries, to the primary windings of the N transformers;
- a redistribution switch connected between a common node of second ends of the primary windings of the N transformers and a ground so as to supply the charge, supplied by the N series-connected batteries, to the primary windings of the N transformers;
- N first semiconductor switching devices respectively connected between first ends of secondary windings of the N transformers and anodes of the batteries;
- and
- a voltage detection and drive signal generation unit configured to detect voltages of respective N series-connected batteries, to generate a drive signal, required to drive the charge/discharge control switching units and the redistribution switch, depending on detected voltages, and to control driving of the charge/discharge control switching units and the redistribution switch.
3 more elements
A charge equalization apparatus, comprising:
- N transformers, each having a single primary winding and two secondary windings, the N transformers being respectively connected in parallel with N series-connected batteries so as to charge batteries other than overcharged batteries with energy discharged from the overcharged batteries;
- first and second charging devices connected in parallel with the N series-connected batteries;
- first and second redistribution switches connected in parallel with the N series-connected batteries, and configured to supply a charge, supplied by the N series-connected batteries, to primary windings of the N transformers;
- N charge/discharge control switching units connected between a common node of the first and second redistribution switches and first ends of the primary windings of the transformers so as to supply the charge, supplied by the N series-connected batteries, to the primary windings of the N transformers;
- N first semiconductor switching devices respectively connected between first secondary windings of the N transformers and anodes of the batteries;
- N second semiconductor switching devices respectively connected between second secondary windings of the N transformers and the anodes of the batteries;
- and
- a voltage detection and drive signal generation unit configured to detect voltages of respective N series-connected batteries, to generate a drive signal, required to drive the charge/discharge control switching units and the redistribution switches, depending on detected voltages and to control driving of the charge/discharge control switching units and the redistribution switches.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.