Battery module for powering a small mobile electronic device

Abstract

Accumulator module (1) designed to supply power to a small mobile electronic device and comprising: - a battery cell (6), for storing electrical energy, - a rotary charging technique for charging the accumulator cell (6), with - a rotating element (15) which has a rotating weight (16) and forms a gravity eccentric which can be set into rotation by movement of the accumulator module (1), - a translation mechanism (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) which is connected to the rotating element (15) and is designed to absorb mechanical energy from the rotating element (15) set in motion, and - a generator (7) which is connected to the transmission mechanism (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) and is designed to absorb the mechanical energy from the transmission mechanism (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) and convert it into electrical energy, characterized in that the accumulator module (1) further - comprising charging, control and monitoring electronics (CU) electrically connected to the generator (7) and the accumulator cell (6), which includes a buffer capacitor and a controllable electronic switch and is designed to receive electrical energy from the generator (7) and store it in the buffer capacitor and, when a predetermined charging voltage of the buffer capacitor is reached, to release electrical energy to the accumulator cell (6) in a controlled manner by the electronic switch, and - a number of electrically connected contacts (2, 3, 4, 5) to the charging, control and monitoring electronics (CU), which are intended to establish an electronic connection between the accumulator module (1) and the small device, and that - the charging, control and monitoring electronics (CU) is additionally designed to output a signal representing a charging efficiency of the rotary charging technology via an extra contact different from the contacts (2, 3, 4, 5).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a battery module for supplying energy to a small mobile electronic device, according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] The possibility of generating electrical energy through mechanical movement has been known for many decades, and has been used for several decades to generate energy in small portable devices, such as automatic quartz watches and wristwatches. See also the section "Automatic quartz movement" under "Automatic watch" in de.wikipedia.org, http: / / de.wikipedia.orq / wiki / Automatikuhr. Since wristwatches, when worn on a person's wrist, are subject to involuntary, everyday mechanical movement caused by their daily movements, these movements are used to operate an electronic quartz movement using a rechargeable battery via a tiny rotating element or flywheel. This in turn drives a very small electrical generator, which then charges a rechargeable battery in the device.This small rotating mechanism allows the device's battery to be charged via the generator, which also serves as a buffer and charging battery within the device, allowing the watch and its electronic quartz movement to continue operating even after several days of inactivity, or without being worn or moved. This charging mechanism can therefore be manufactured very compactly.

[0003] This principle is used in known accumulators having the features of the preamble of claim 1 and in methods for recharging the accumulators of small mobile electronic devices, such as mobile phones, smartphones, laptops, small televisions and radios or other small electronic devices which have a rechargeable accumulator.

[0004] A disadvantage here is the higher power consumption of these devices, which likely cannot be kept operational continuously while the device is in motion and thus require occasional recharging via an external power supply. Another disadvantage is the increased cost of manufacturing such a micro-charging mechanism and installing it in a device. Furthermore, their use only makes sense if the devices are regularly moved by the user. If, for example, such a mechanism were installed in a device, such as a laptop, which the user only uses as a local desktop device, the increased cost of the device would not be justified.

[0005] WO 2011 / 113900 A2 describes a portable electronic communications device that functions even with a depleted battery, at least for a short time. A rechargeable backup battery is provided in addition to the main battery, which is charged by integrated electromechanical generators.

[0006] EP 1 239 567 A2 describes a mobile communication terminal with integrated electronic components and an energy cell for supplying power to the integrated electronic components.

[0007] US 2009 / 0085530 A1 describes a power generator. The power generator includes a movable part that moves due to kinetic energy applied to a power generator body, a conversion section that converts energy of the movable part into electrical energy, and a movement direction changing section that changes a direction in which the movable part moves to a direction in which the acceleration applied to the movable part is greater, regardless of a direction of the power generator body.

[0008] DE 20 2005 008 566 U1 describes a device for charging a mobile phone battery through movement.

[0009] According to the invention, a battery module is provided according to claim 1. Embodiments are specified in the dependent claims 2 to 10.

[0010] The problems described can be solved by incorporating the charging mechanism directly into a rechargeable battery or a rechargeable battery module for such a device, so that only users who also operate their device portable would have to bear the increased costs for a special rechargeable battery, which is then inserted into the device. Accordingly, special rechargeable batteries would have to be manufactured which contain this charging mechanism. With the advent of modern manufacturing technology for electronic components and integrated circuits, the power consumption of the components and circuits is becoming increasingly lower, which more than justifies the use of this technology. For example, if a user of a cell phone which is almost always operated in power-saving mode or "standby" mode or is used to check and send text messages, and is sufficiently active throughout the day by carrying it with them, occasional recharging via an external power supply would probably no longer be necessary.In power-saving mode, for example, the cell phone would have a power consumption of 1 milliampere and would be operational for 100 hours. With average use, with occasional phone calls, for example, the maximum operating time would drop to 40 hours. With the charging mechanism described here, occasional recharging of the device's battery would no longer be necessary if only receiving or sending a few text messages per day, and with average use, the operating time would increase to, for example, 60 hours. This would also justify the slightly higher cost of a device or battery into which the charging technology is built. The charging technology is also very useful when a battery is exhausted and the device switches itself off. By carrying the device around for a few hours, it can be used again briefly.

[0011] Reference is made to the figures below. Fig. 1 shows a top view of a mobile phone battery. Fig. 2 shows a side view of the mobile phone battery of the Fig. 1.

[0012] Based on Fig. 1 and Fig. Section 2 provides a detailed description using an example where the charging technology was integrated directly into the battery module [1] of a mobile phone. However, the entire technology can also be built or integrated directly into a device during manufacturing.

[0013] Fig. 1 shows a top view of a mobile phone battery or a replaceable mobile phone battery module, e.g. a lithium polymer battery module with 1600 milliampere hours, with a height of 50 millimeters and a width of 40 millimeters.

[0014] Fig. Figure 2 shows the side view from the left side, and the total depth is represented by [d1] and [d2], which is therefore composed of d1 + d1, and can, for example, be a total of 4 millimeters. The identifiers [1] to

[16] as well as [CU] are in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 used together for better clarity. [1] refers to the accumulator module housing, [2] to [5] the electrical contacts of the accumulator module for contacting after insertion into a mobile phone, [6] the accumulator cell or accumulator cells with e.g. 3.7 volts, [7] the microgenerator, [8] to

[14] a transmission mechanism made of very flat, small, overlapping gears or plastic discs,

[15] the rotating element in the form of a thin round disc, hollow cylinder or hollow drum made of light metal or plastic,

[16] a rotating weight made of heavy material, e.g. copper metal, [CU] the charging, control and monitoring electronics integrated in the accumulator module and [R] the two-way direction of rotation of the rotating element

[15] .

[0015] It will be in Fig. 2 shows that mechanical components [8] to

[16] can be located at a very shallow depth [dl] of, for example, 1 millimeter, and the battery cells [6] at less than 3 millimeters [d2], whereby the total depth dl + d2 of [1], as described above, is, for example, 4 millimeters. The round microgenerator [7] can have a diameter of, for example, 5 millimeters and a height of 35 millimeters and should consist of as many very fine wire windings as possible, e.g. round copper winding wire with a diameter of 0.1 millimeters, in order to be able to deliver the highest possible electrical voltage to charge the battery cells [6] even with small rotations of its magnetic core. A voltage output that is too low would make charging of [6] more difficult, and in the electronics [CU] an additional voltage converter in the form of a small switching power supply would be required to convert an insufficiently generated voltage into a higher voltage.

[0016] In practice, the rotating element

[15] with the rotating weight

[16] is rotated by the device support in any direction [R], to the left or to the right, when the accumulator [1] is moved in the device, whereby

[16] forms a gravity eccentric with

[15] . Via the transmission mechanism [8] to

[14] , the rotary movement of

[15] is transferred to the microgenerator [7], which then transfers its electrical energy to the battery cells [6] via the electronics [CU]. If [6] rotates in both directions [R], a wire winding with a center tap and center point rectification in [CU] would be required for [6] in a DC generator, and a bridge rectifier would be required for an AC generator to transfer the positive and negative voltage generated by [6] to the correct potential for charging [7] via [CU].For example, a very small buffer capacitor of 100 microfarads in [CU] can be charged by [7] via one of the two previously mentioned rectifiers to a voltage of 5 volts. Then, via an electronic switch, e.g. a field-effect transistor in [CU], which is also controlled by [CU], when the charging voltage of 5 volts is reached, this buffer capacitor can release its stored energy to [6]. A short-term energy transfer from the buffer capacitor to [6] via [CU] is almost always possible when the charging voltage or a certain charging energy is reached, which repeatedly recharges it, albeit to a very small extent, via energy bursts from the buffer capacitor. A second possibility is also conceivable, but this would be less advantageous due to micromechanical complexity and cost reasons. For this reason, the rotating element

[15] has been shown wider in depth here or, as above, declared as a hollow drum.A spiral spring in

[15] can be mechanically tensioned by the rotational movement of

[15] via a gear or disc mechanism in

[15] . When a certain tensioning strength is reached, the wound-up mechanical energy of the spiral spring is transferred in the form of rotational movements via [8] to

[14] to [7] via a separate rotation axis above that of

[15] with a gear or disc until the spiral spring has been relaxed. The electrical energy generated by [7] can be transferred directly to [6] via a diode. It would be advantageous that no additional electronic components would be required in [CU], e.g. a buffer capacitor or voltage monitoring on the buffer capacitor, but the mechanical complexity would make this impossible. The tensioning process of the spiral spring for the functionality of this sequence would have to be carried out after discharge orRelaxation of these would begin again, which would also require a mechanical discharge tensioner and the mechanical vulnerability would be considerably greater than that of the electronic recharging variant, or the electronic recharging of [6] via a buffer capacitor in [CU] would be preferable. Such a spiral spring tensioning mechanism does not have to be located in

[15] , but can also be located in [1] via [d1] by the rotating element

[15] . To symbolically designate the functionality of the mechanical transmission of the rotary movements from

[15] to [7], the example in . Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, an exemplary transmission ratio with the gears or disks [8] to

[14] between [7] and

[15] was chosen, because a meaningful drive of the microgenerator

[15] would only function correctly or be meaningful with a suitable transmission ratio. If the rotational or rotary motion generated by

[15] were to be transmitted directly via [8] to [7], the rotation scenario from

[15] to [7] could be jeopardized because the stiffness of [7] and

[15] might prevent any rotary motion via

[15] from being possible. For this reason, three mechanical rotary transmissions with [9],

[10] , and

[11] ,

[12] as well as

[13] ,

[14] were included in the example here, but these are not absolutely necessary and are intended only as an example. It is only intended to show that the transmission ratio from

[15] to [7] would possibly not be sufficient in the case of a direct transmission of the rotary motion from

[15] to [8] due to the excessive force transmission, and that is why three or four transmissions were used in this example.six additional gears or rotary disks, [9] and

[10] ,

[11] and

[12] ,

[13] and

[14] , are inserted. These can be omitted if [7] and

[15] move freely enough, and the rotary motion would be transferred from

[15] to a gear [8] on the axis of rotation from [7] to [7]. Any number of intermediate rotary elements [9] to

[14] can be present to adjust the gear ratio between

[15] and [8], whereby the gear ratio adjustment between

[15] and [8] ensures correct rotary motion of [7] if [7] and

[15] move sluggishly.

[0017] The micro gears or micro disks [9] and

[10] ,

[11] and

[12] as well as

[13] and

[14] are each located on a single axis, and the smaller disks

[10] ,

[12] and

[14] represent a simple gear ratio which, with a low rotational force from

[15] , can easily drive the micro generator [7]. The disadvantage of a gear ratio that is too high is that a multiple of

[15] 's revolutions would be required to enable one revolution of [7]. If the total gear ratio of

[15] to [7] were, for example, 20 to 1 (20:1),

[15] would have to complete 20 revolutions in one of the two directions of rotation [R], e.g., to the left, to enable the micro generator [7] to complete one complete revolution. In this example, the rotational movement from

[15] is transferred or translated via

[14] ,

[13] ,

[12] ,

[11] ,

[10] , [9] and [8] to [7]. As already mentioned, it may be possible.The rotary motion from

[15] can be transferred directly to [8] if a certain degree of smoothness of the rotary motion of [7] and

[15] is enabled. The rotary axes from [7] to

[15] could possibly be supported by micro-magnetic bearings or very precise and stable plastic bearings made of microstructures, such as carbon nanostructures. If [7] and

[15] are sufficiently smooth, the rotary motion from

[15] to [8] can be transferred directly. The transmission ratio to [7] would then be, for example, 1 to 3 (1:3). With just one rotation of

[15] , [7] would be able to complete three rotations, and considerably more electrical power could be generated, which would significantly increase efficiency.In this example, no direct information was provided regarding the diameters [8] to

[15] or the calculation of an exact gear ratio between them, as these also depend on the size of the accumulator module [1] or the device and the materials used. The aim is to demonstrate that, with modern manufacturing technology, it is now possible to easily accommodate the entire mechanism in an accumulator module or in small mobile devices such as cell phones or smartphones.

[0018] The round transmission elements [8] to

[14] can consist of tiny gears made of metal or hard plastics as well as tiny plastic or hard rubber discs that mesh with each other and have a thickness of 0.2 millimeters, for example. The rotating components [9] to

[15] are anchored by tiny axes in the housing [1] of the accumulator module, see also Fig. 2. The entire construction of the mechanical components [7] to

[16] can also be modular, which means that they are manufactured in a separate housing and inserted into a device during production, whereby in the event of a defect only the module needs to be replaced. The disadvantage is that if a battery is manufactured using this technology, it will probably have to be thrown away or disposed of if it is defective, because repair would not be worthwhile. It would also be conceivable that, for example, in a cell phone or laptop there would be a second reservoir behind or underneath the battery, into which a module with the components [7] to

[16] is inserted. When changing the battery, for example, the back cover of the device would have to be removed, then the battery removed and then a new one can be inserted after removing the defective module.For larger devices, such as laptops, this modular interchangeable technology does not pose a problem due to size reasons, but if such a module is sufficiently flat, e.g. less than 1 millimeter deep, it should also be possible for mobile phones.

[0019] Manufacturing is no problem these days, as can be seen, for example, in a modern, small mechanical wristwatch movement. Automated manufacturing techniques, such as those using robots, can also make this possible without any problems.

[0020] The rotating element

[15] can, as mentioned above, consist of a round hollow drum with a spiral spring mechanism inside, or of a complex gear or a disc made of the same materials as [8] to

[15] , and, for example, have a depth of 0.8 millimeters.

[15] is, as in [8] to

[14] , also anchored in [1] via a tiny axle, possibly also via micro-bearings in [1]. The rotating weight

[16] , as mentioned above, consists of a heavy metal, e.g., copper, or possibly also of a heavy plastic, and can, as in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, it can be incorporated into

[15] in a cuboid shape and, for example, have the dimensions 0.4 x 0.4 x 0.8 millimeters. The choice of size and shape, which also defines the weight of

[16] , can be freely chosen, e.g. a spherical shape. A higher weight of

[16] would produce more torque in

[15] , but would be larger in size and therefore limit the ability to rotate in the circular motion [R], whereby [1] would have to be moved more extensively. Smaller dimensions of

[16] in

[15] would require a smaller radius of movement of [1]. Weight anchor shapes of

[15] with

[16] , as in a mechanical automatic watch, are also conceivable. The design of

[15] and

[16] should be chosen depending on the size of the device or accumulator module as well as the transmission ratio to [7] and the size of [7].

[0021] There are therefore no limits to the design, but the goal is to generate as much electrical energy as possible from [1] or the device [7] to charge the battery cells [6]. The entire technology can also be designed larger in larger devices such as laptops, allowing for more energy to be generated. However, this is almost offset by the generally higher power consumption of these devices.

[0022] The transmission of the rotary movements from

[15] to [8] can also be carried out via a very small toothed or V-belt, which is certainly easily realizable on this scale today from a mechanical and manufacturing point of view.

[0023] Furthermore, the entire rotary loading technology can be Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 be housed in a small portable device with dimensions of, for example, 50 x 40 x 30 millimeters, which is constantly carried around by a cell phone user in a handbag or jacket pocket, for example, and which serves as an emergency charger when the cell phone's battery is exhausted. Via a special cable with two plugs and a socket each on the emergency charger and the cell phone or device, the battery of the device to be charged can be partially recharged by connecting the emergency charger via the cable. By carrying the emergency charger with the rotation charging technology, a battery is charged inside it, which can then recharge the battery when connected to a useful device, e.g. a cell phone. A battery with a higher capacity can also be used, e.g. 3500 milliampere hours, although this again depends on the design and size of the emergency rotation charger.Small devices can be manufactured, which then charge a small battery and thus can provide less energy for charging, or larger devices with a larger battery.

[0024] The entire electronics [CU] for controlling the charge of [6] can be accommodated on a small printed circuit board and / or on an integrated circuit, and for example according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 at the designated location [CU] in the accumulator module [1], or in the case of a modular design of the rotation mechanism on the main board of the device itself. The contacts [2] to [5] represent Fig. 1 and Fig.2 shows the electronic connection from a battery module [1] after it has been inserted into a utility device to the electronics of a utility device. Here, for example, with 4 contacts, where, for example, contact [2] represents the negative operating voltage, contact [3] monitors the temperature of the battery module [1], contact [4] monitors the charge level of [6], and contact [5] represents the positive operating voltage. A separate extra contact could be provided at [1] to transmit, for example, the charging efficiency of the rotational charging to the utility device via [CU], or to switch the rotational charging technology in [1] on and off and to control it via [CU].

[0025] This process aims to demonstrate that, with today's advanced technology and high level of micromechanical manufacturing, it is possible to design and implement a mechanical charging technology for rechargeable batteries and small mobile devices. The design and size are also highly variable and can be varied in many ways depending on the energy requirements of a device and its size.

[0026] Below are some references from the online knowledge library "de.wikipedia.org" to adequately support the facts presented in the description. References or cited non-patent literature: http: / / de.wikipedia.org / wiki / Automatikuhr http: / / de.wikipedia.org / wiki / Exzenter http: / de.wikipedia.org / wiki / Translation_ratio

Claims

[1] Battery module (1) intended to supply energy to a small mobile electronic device and comprising: - an accumulator cell (6) for storing electrical energy, - a rotation charging technology for charging the accumulator cell (6), with - a rotation element (15) which has a rotation weight (16) and forms a gravity eccentric which can be set in rotation by movement of the accumulator module (1), - a transmission mechanism (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) connected to the rotation element (15) and intended to absorb mechanical energy from the rotation element (15) set in motion, and - a generator (7) connected to the transmission mechanism (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) and designed to absorb the mechanical energy from the transmission mechanism (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) and convert it into electrical energy, characterized bythat the accumulator module (1) continues - a charging, control and monitoring electronic unit (CU) electrically connected to the generator (7) and the accumulator cell (6), which comprises a buffer capacitor and a controllable electronic switch and is intended to receive electrical energy from the generator (7) and to store it in the buffer capacitor and, when a predetermined charging voltage of the buffer capacitor is reached, to deliver electrical energy to the accumulator cell (6) under the control of the electronic switch, and - a number of contacts (2, 3, 4, 5) electrically connected to the charging, control and monitoring electronics (CU), which are intended to establish an electronic connection between the accumulator module (1) and the small device, and that - the charging, control and monitoring electronics (CU) are additionally designed to output a signal representing a charging efficiency of the rotation charging technology via an extra contact different from the contacts (2, 3, 4, 5). [2] Accumulator module (1) according to claim 1, wherein the transmission mechanism (8, 9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14) comprises a number of intermeshing gears made of metal or plastic. [3] Accumulator module (1) according to claim 2, wherein the axes of rotation of the gears are mounted via micromagnetic bearings or plastic bearings made of microstructures such as carbon nanostructures. [4] Accumulator module (1) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the transmission ratio of intermeshing gears of the transmission mechanism (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) is 1 to 3. [5] Accumulator module (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the rotation element (15) is designed as a disc or as a gear or as a hollow cylinder or as a hollow drum. [6] Accumulator module according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the rotation weight is cuboid-shaped or spherical and is incorporated into the rotation element. [7] Accumulator module (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic switch is a field effect transistor. [8] Accumulator module (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein a voltage monitor is provided on the buffer capacitor for monitoring the charging voltage of the buffer capacitor. [9] Accumulator module (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the generator (7) is a DC generator with a wire winding with center tap and center point rectification. [10] Accumulator module (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the generator (7) is an alternating current generator with a bridge rectifier.

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