Charging and discharging device for secondary battery

Abstract

Provided is a charging and discharging device for a secondary battery and having improved internal airflow and arrangement, thereby being able to effectively cool the inside of the charging and discharging device. A charging and discharging device according to the present invention comprises: a mechanism unit in which a pin for charging and discharging comes into contact with a battery unit; a power supply unit provided adjacent to the mechanism unit, supplying power and controlling charging and discharging; and an airflow circulation unit that continuously circulates air to the mechanism unit through the power supply unit. According to the present invention, air can be circulated using a duct directly connected to a plant air conditioning device, and the inside of the charging and discharging device can be more effectively cooled, thereby being able to reduce temperature deviations between battery cells when the battery cells are charged and discharged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a charging and discharging device for a secondary battery, and more particularly, to a charging and discharging device improved so as to effectively cool the interior of the charging and discharging device. This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0137096, filed on October 13, 2023, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background Art

[0002] Secondary batteries, which have high applicability depending on the product group and electrical characteristics such as high energy density, are widely used not only in portable devices but also in electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) driven by power supplies. Such secondary batteries are attracting attention as a new energy source that improves eco-friendliness and energy efficiency because they have the major advantage of significantly reducing the use of fossil fuels and do not generate byproducts from the use of energy.

[0003] Lithium-ion batteries are typical secondary batteries, and the operating voltage of one such secondary battery cell, or battery unit, is approximately 2.5V to 4.5V. Therefore, when a higher output voltage is required, multiple battery cells can be connected in series to form a battery pack. Additionally, depending on the required charge and discharge capacity of the battery pack, multiple battery cells can also be connected in parallel to form a battery pack. Therefore, the number of battery cells included in the battery pack can be set differently depending on the required output voltage or charge and discharge capacity.

[0004] Secondary batteries are manufactured through an assembly process and an activation process. Since secondary batteries are assembled in a discharged state, they should be assembled and then charged to activate the secondary batteries so that they can be used as batteries. Therefore, after the secondary battery assembly process, a formation process is performed to charge and discharge the assembled secondary batteries to provide them with excellent charging and discharging characteristics, and an evaluation process is performed including a capacity test to check whether the charging and discharging capacity is sufficient. At this time, the activation process is usually performed by a charging and discharging device having positive and negative contact pins, thereby applying the required current to the battery cells to be charged and discharged.

[0005] Figure 1 is a diagram for describing a conventional charging and discharging device.

[0006] like Figure 1As shown, a conventional charging and discharging device 1 includes a mechanism unit 2 and a power supply unit 3. The mechanism unit 2 is used to make the pins contact the battery cells, and the power supply unit 3 is used to control the power and the charging and discharging, and conventionally, the mechanism unit 2 is provided in the formation chamber 4, and the power supply unit 3 is provided in the management chamber 5, so that the mechanism unit 2 and the power supply unit 3 are physically separated from each other in a separate space.

[0007] The heat generated during charging and discharging operations includes heat from the battery cells in the mechanism unit 2 and heat from charging and discharging in the power supply unit 3. When the battery cells are charged and discharged, heat is generated in the battery cells by charging and discharging. Furthermore, heat is also generated in the power supply unit 3, which supplies power and controls charging and discharging.

[0008] In conventional charging and discharging apparatus 1, mechanical unit 2 does not have a separate cooling device. Power supply unit 3 includes a fan for discharging heated air from within power supply unit 3 to the outside (the direction of air discharge is indicated by arrow A). The heated air discharged to the outside is sent to a factory air conditioning system to be discharged outside the factory or used to maintain the temperature inside the factory at a certain level.

[0009] However, depending on the factory air conditioning system or the facility layout of the charging and discharging apparatus 1, air circulation within the factory may be poor, and the temperature at certain locations within the factory may be higher than at other locations. Furthermore, because conventional charging and discharging apparatuses 1 do not actively manage airflow within the apparatus, the degree of cooling may vary depending on the position of the battery cells within the mechanical unit 2, causing temperature deviations. This can lead to variations in the capacity and voltage drop of the battery cells.

[0010] Meanwhile, the layout of a conventional charging and discharging apparatus 1 is a vertical stack of two boxes of mechanism units 2. Each box inserts a tray of battery cells, and the battery cells contact pins to perform charging and discharging. Therefore, conventionally, there is a limited facility layout in which the number of boxes that can be installed is determined by the design height of one box and the height of the facility that can be installed within the factory. Summary of the Invention

[0011] Technical issues

[0012] The present disclosure is intended to solve the problems of the related art, and thus the present disclosure is intended to provide a charging and discharging device for a secondary battery having improved internal airflow.

[0013] The present disclosure also aims to provide a charging and discharging device for a secondary battery having an improved layout.

[0014] Technical Solution

[0015] The charging and discharging device of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems includes: a mechanism unit that brings pins for charging and discharging into contact with a battery cell; a power supply unit that is arranged adjacent to the mechanism unit, supplies power and controls charging and discharging; and an airflow circulation unit that continuously circulates air through the power supply unit to the mechanism unit.

[0016] Preferably, the air in the air circulation unit can be connected to a factory air conditioning device and circulated.

[0017] In the charging and discharging device according to the present disclosure, the mechanism unit may include a pin box portion accommodating the pins, and the pin box portion may be provided with an air circulation passage along a direction in which air flows.

[0018] The mechanism unit may include a pin box portion that accommodates the pins, and in the pin box portion, the voltage conversion / charge / discharge control board, the interface board, the adapter board, and the pins may be directly connected by means of a connector.

[0019] Preferably, the pin box portion is provided with an air circulation channel along the direction of air flow, and the air circulation channel is located between the voltage conversion / charging / discharging control board, the interface board and the adapter board.

[0020] A tray on which the battery unit is seated may be loaded in the mechanism unit, and the tray may have a side open in a direction in which air flows.

[0021] In order to solve the above other problem, two or more trays may be loaded in the mechanism unit in the up-down direction.

[0022] The mechanism unit may include: an upper pin box part and a lower pin box part, which accommodate pins; an upper supporting part, which supports the upper pin box part; a lower supporting part, which supports the lower pin box part and has an upper tray seated on the lower supporting part; and a base part, on which the lower tray is seated.

[0023] At this time, the mechanism unit may further include: an upper lifting portion formed to extend upward from a lower supporting portion; and a lower lifting portion formed to extend upward from a base portion, wherein the upper supporting portion may be seated on top of the upper lifting portion, and the lower supporting portion may be seated on top of the lower lifting portion.

[0024] In an embodiment, a supply part and a return part of a factory air conditioning device are provided above the mechanism unit and the power supply unit, and the air flow circulation unit includes a pair of pipes, wherein an air intake port is installed at the upper side portion of the pipe on one side, the air intake port is used to introduce air supplied from the supply part of the factory air conditioning device, and an exhaust port is installed at the upper side portion of the pipe on the other side, the exhaust port is used to discharge air to the return part of the factory air conditioning device.

[0025] At this time, it is preferred that the power supply unit is located in the pipeline on the one side.

[0026] Air introduced from the intake port may be diffused in the mechanism unit and then discharged toward the exhaust port.

[0027] The charging and discharging device according to the present disclosure may further include an inlet fan for blowing air introduced from the intake port toward the mechanism unit and an outlet fan for blowing air diffused in the mechanism unit toward the exhaust port.

[0028] A tray may be loaded in the mechanism unit, and a vent hole may be installed in the tray so that air introduced from the air intake port may be discharged toward the air exhaust port through the vent hole.

[0029] The mechanism units may be stacked in multiple stages in the vertical direction.

[0030] The charging and discharging device may further include a heat exchanger, which is located in the pipe on the other side.

[0031] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the charging and discharging device may further include: an upper stopper mounted on the lower support portion; and a lower stopper mounted on the base portion.

[0032] Furthermore, the charging and discharging device may further include an upper stopper mounted on the lower support portion and a lower stopper mounted on the base portion.

[0033] When the upper pin box portion and the upper supporting portion are lowered by the upper elevating portion and contact the upper stopper, the pins of the upper pin box portion may come into contact with the battery cells in the upper tray.

[0034] And, when the upper pin box portion, the upper supporting portion, the upper tray and the lower supporting portion are lowered and contact the lower stopper, the pins of the lower pin box portion may contact the battery cells in the lower tray.

[0035] In addition, guide pins may be installed at the bottom of the upper pin box portion and the bottom of the lower pin box portion, respectively, and grooves suitable for the guide pins may be provided in the upper tray and the lower tray, respectively.

[0036] Beneficial effects

[0037] According to the present disclosure, the internal airflow and layout of the charging and discharging device can be improved.

[0038] According to one configuration of the present disclosure, by installing ducts at positions connected to the supply part and the return part of the factory air conditioning apparatus, there is an advantage that the internal temperature inside the factory can be stably maintained.

[0039] According to the present disclosure, air can be circulated through the duct directly connected to the factory air conditioning device, and specifically, downward airflow, upward airflow, and horizontal airflow are all used for circulation, thereby more effectively cooling the power supply unit and the mechanism unit.

[0040] As described above, according to the present disclosure, there is provided a charging and discharging device that is improved so as to be able to cool the inside of the charging and discharging device more efficiently using air.

[0041] According to the present disclosure, while charging and discharging the battery cells, air may be effectively circulated so as to reduce temperature deviation between the battery cells.

[0042] According to the present disclosure, the air exhausted from the mechanism unit through the airflow circulation unit can be recycled through heat exchange in the heat exchanger. For example, hot water can be generated through the heat exchanger and utilized at a necessary place in the factory.

[0043] According to another configuration of the present disclosure, the number of charging and discharging devices that can be installed within a given height increases.

[0044] According to another configuration of the present disclosure, when two or more pallets are loaded in the upper and lower directions inside the mechanism unit by improving the layout, it also has the advantages of easily adjusting the interval between the pin box part and the pallet and easily performing alignment between the pallets. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the following disclosure, are used to provide further understanding of the technical features of the present disclosure, and therefore, the present disclosure is not to be construed as being limited to the accompanying drawings.

[0046] Figure 1 is a diagram for describing a conventional charging and discharging device.

[0047] Figure 2 2 is a diagram for describing a charging and discharging device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] Figure 3 is a front view of a charging and discharging device according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] Figure 4 Can be included in Figure 3 Front view of the pin box portion of the charging and discharging device.

[0050] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Side view of the pin box portion shown.

[0051] Figure 6 yes Figure 4 A top view of the pin box portion is shown.

[0052] Figure 7 is a front view of a charging and discharging device according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0053] Figure 8 is a front view of a charging and discharging device according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0054] Figures 9 to 12 2 is a diagram for describing a charging and discharging device according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Before the description, it should be understood that the terms used in the specification and the appended claims should not be interpreted as limited to the general meaning and dictionary meaning, but should be interpreted based on the meaning and concept corresponding to the technical aspects of the present disclosure on the basis of the principle that the inventor is allowed to appropriately define the terms for the best description.

[0056] Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only the most preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, but are not intended to fully represent the technical aspects of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that when submitting this application, the present application can be subjected to respective equivalent replacements and modifications.

[0057] In the accompanying drawings, the dimensions of each component or specific portions of a component are exaggerated, omitted, or schematically illustrated for ease of description and clarity. Therefore, the dimensions of each component do not fully reflect the actual dimensions. If it is determined that a detailed description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the main purpose of this disclosure, such description will be omitted. In addition, since the same reference numerals refer to the same components, any redundant or repetitive descriptions in various embodiments will be omitted.

[0058] Figure 2 2 is a diagram for describing a charging and discharging device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0059] Reference Figure 2 The charging and discharging device 10 includes a mechanism unit 100 , a power supply unit 200 , and an airflow circulation unit 300 .

[0060] The mechanism unit 100 is configured to bring pins for charging and discharging into contact with the battery cell. The power supply unit 200 is provided adjacent to the mechanism unit 100 and is configured to supply power and control charging and discharging.

[0061] Unlike conventional charging and discharging devices, the charging and discharging device 10 integrates the mechanism unit 100 and the power supply unit 200, rather than being physically separated in separate spaces. To minimize the number of connection points, the mechanism unit 100 and the power supply unit 200 of the charging and discharging device 10 are integrated and mounted. Only by minimizing the number of connection points can airflow circulation be performed more efficiently.

[0062] The air circulation unit 300 continuously circulates air through the power supply unit 200 to the mechanism unit 100. The air circulation unit 300 may include a pair of ducts 310 and 320. Preferably, the air in the air circulation unit 300 is connected to the factory air conditioning device 400 and circulated.

[0063] For example, a pair of pipes 310 and 320 can be spaced apart from each other in the X-axis direction and installed upright in the Y-axis direction. The space between a pair of pipes 310 and 320 can be constructed as a shell. The shell can be in the form of a box with an internal space that can accommodate the mechanism unit 100. Although the present disclosure is not limited to such a shell, the shell may include a top plate (top in the Y-axis direction), a bottom (bottom in the Y-axis direction), a side portion (left and right sides in the X-axis direction) and a front portion and a rear portion (front and rear in the Z-axis direction), wherein the side portion may have an open structure connected to the pipes 310 and 320. Openings may also be formed in the front portion and the rear portion. Through these openings, a tray with a battery cell mounted thereon can be placed in or taken out of the shell. The opening may be provided with a retractable door.

[0064] In the accompanying drawings, the direction of airflow is shown by arrows B, C, and D. The factory air conditioning device 400 can be located on the top plate of the shell. Air is introduced from the factory air conditioning device 400 to one side of the airflow circulation unit 300 (airflow in the B direction, -Y axis direction, so it is a downward airflow), and at this time, the power supply unit 200 is installed in the airflow circulation unit 300, so that air is introduced into the mechanism unit 100 through the power supply unit 200 (airflow in the C direction, -X axis direction, so it is a horizontal airflow). The air that cools the power supply unit 200 is continuously supplied to the mechanism unit 100 and cools the battery cells in the mechanism unit 100. Thereafter, the air in the mechanism unit 100 is discharged to the factory air conditioning device 400 through the other side of the airflow circulation unit 300 (airflow in the D direction, Y axis direction, so it is an upward airflow). In this way, by utilizing air to cool the interior of the charging and discharging device 10 and constructing the airflow circulation unit 300, the interior of the charging and discharging device 10 can be cooled more effectively.

[0065] As shown, the airflow configuration of the airflow circulation unit 300 includes a downward airflow B, a horizontal airflow C and an upward airflow D, and the air in the airflow circulation unit 300 can be continuously circulated through movements such as descent, horizontal movement, ascent, horizontal movement and descent by connecting to the factory air conditioning device 400 (here, the airflow circulation can be considered to be clockwise, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings).

[0066] The air exhausted from the mechanism unit 100 through the air circulation unit 300 can be recovered by the factory air conditioning device 400 and exhausted to the outside of the factory, or can be used to maintain the temperature inside the factory at a certain level through heat exchange. For example, when the outside temperature is lower than the inside temperature, the heated air exhausted from the mechanism unit 100 is recirculated in the factory air conditioning device 400. When the outside temperature is higher than the inside temperature, the heated air exhausted from the mechanism unit 100 is exhausted to the outside of the factory.

[0067] In this manner, the charging and discharging apparatus 10 is characterized in that it connects the factory air conditioning apparatus 400 and the airflow circulation unit 300 to dissipate heat generated by the charging and discharging apparatus 10. In particular, by directly connecting the factory air conditioning apparatus 400 and the ducts 310 and 320, the airflow inside the charging and discharging apparatus 10 can be improved.

[0068] Furthermore, the present disclosure provides the advantage of maintaining a stable internal temperature within the factory. In the past, depending on the supply / return section and equipment layout of the factory air conditioning system, air circulation within the factory could be poor, and one location within the factory could have a higher temperature than another. According to the present disclosure, regardless of the supply / return section and equipment layout of the factory air conditioning system 400, air circulation is excellent, and there is no concern that one location within the factory could have a higher temperature than another.

[0069] Figure 3 is a front view of a charging and discharging device according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0070] Reference Figure 3 The charging and discharging device 20 is similar to the charging and discharging device 10 described above in that it includes a mechanism unit 100, a power supply unit 200, and an airflow circulation unit 300. Hereinafter, the charging and discharging device 20 will be described mainly focusing on the differences from the charging and discharging device 10, and repeated descriptions will be omitted.

[0071] The power supply unit 200 is used to charge or discharge the battery unit, and various configurations are possible. The power supply unit 200 can be configured to be electrically connected to an external power source (not shown). The power supply unit 200 performs the function of transmitting power received from the external power source to the pin. The power supply unit 200 can be configured to include a power supply shell, an electronic circuit, a control unit board, a drive output board, a system auxiliary power supply, an inverter power supply with a bidirectional flow and conversion function between AC and DC, etc.

[0072] The mechanism unit 100 includes a pin box portion 110 that accommodates pins. The pin box portion 110 is provided at the bottom of the support portion SM and may have various configurations.

[0073] Figure 4 Can be included in Figure 3 Front view of the pin box portion of the charging and discharging device. Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A side view of the pin box portion is shown, and Figure 6 yes Figure 4 A top view of the pin box portion is shown.

[0074] Reference Figures 4 to 6 The pin box portion 110 includes pins 112 that contact the battery cells. The pin box portion 110 may be provided in the form of a rectangular cover substantially corresponding to the tray 120 , and the plate 114 may be installed in the pin box portion 110 .

[0075] The pin 112 electrically contacts the electrode terminal of the battery cell to apply current to the battery cell, thereby allowing the battery cell to store electrical energy. Here, the battery cell can be a secondary battery of various structures. For example, the battery cell can be a cylindrical secondary battery.

[0076] The pin 112 may be plural, and one or more pins may contact one battery cell. For example, three pins may contact one battery cell to apply current to the battery cell.

[0077] Pins 112 of pin box 110 are connected to power supply unit 200 and contact the battery cells. To connect pins 112 and power supply unit 200, pin box 110 may include a plate 114. Pins 112 may be arranged and mounted on plate 114 corresponding to the battery cells. Pin box 110 controls the charging and discharging of each battery cell, and DC / DC voltage conversion and charge / discharge control circuitry are mounted on plate 114. The number of battery cells that each plate 114 can control is adjustable.

[0078] For example, board 114 may include a voltage conversion / charge / discharge control board 114a, an interface board 114b, and an adapter board 114c. Furthermore, voltage conversion / charge / discharge control board 114a, interface board 114b, adapter board 114c, and pin 112 may be directly connected via connectors. This direct connection can reduce wire connections.

[0079] The air circulation passage 116 may be provided in the pin box portion 110 along a direction of air flow. The air circulation passage 116 may be defined as a rectangular strip-shaped flow path having a length corresponding to the length or width of the pin box portion 110.

[0080] In particular, air circulation ducts 116 may be provided between the voltage conversion / charging and discharging control board 114a, the interface board 114b, and the adapter board 114c. Air circulation ducts 116 are multiple empty spaces formed to correspond to the length or width of the pin box portion 110, creating a flow path for air to flow through. This increases the amount of cooling air flowing into the pin box portion 110 and effectively transfers heat generated during charging and discharging of the battery cells to the air. In particular, by arranging components that generate a lot of heat toward the air circulation ducts 116, cooling can be improved.

[0081] When the air in the air flow circulation unit 300 passes through the pin box portion 110, it passes through the air circulation channel 116 and then passes through the interior of the pin box portion 110 to form a horizontal airflow (C direction), and can also flow into the battery cells located at the bottom of the pin box portion 110, thereby cooling the heat of the pin box portion 110 and the battery cells.

[0082] Refer again Figure 3 , the tray 120 on which the battery cells are seated is inserted and loaded into the mechanism unit 100 .

[0083] The mechanism unit 100 may include a supporting portion SM for supporting the pin box portion 110. Also, the tray 120 may have a side portion that is open in the direction of air flow. The opening may be in the form of a vent that penetrates a portion of the outer wall of the tray 120, or may be in the form of an outer wall itself that is substantially perforated in the center and has only an edge skeleton. As air flows in and out through the open side of the tray 120, the battery cells that may generate heat during charging and discharging can be smoothly cooled. In this way, according to the present disclosure, sufficient air can be introduced to cool the heat of the battery cells so that the battery cells can be properly cooled. In addition, when charging and discharging the battery cells, the air can be effectively circulated so as to reduce the temperature deviation between the battery cells.

[0084] The tray 120 may include a bottom surface on which the battery cells are mounted and an outer wall surrounding the bottom surface. The bottom surface may be approximately rectangular in shape. A plurality of battery cells may be arranged and mounted on the tray 120 in rows and columns. The top end of the tray 120 is open so that the electrode terminals of the battery cells can be exposed and the pins 112 of the pin box portion 110 can contact them.

[0085] At the same time, two or more trays 120 can be loaded in the vertical direction (Y-axis direction) on the mechanism unit 100. Therefore, the pin box part 110 can be constructed in two stages. This corresponds to a configuration for improving the layout.

[0086] Unlike conventional methods, this system can be constructed by combining two boxes for operation, thereby reducing the height of the equipment. Two boxes, previously stacked vertically, are combined into a single box, each containing two trays of battery cells for charging and discharging. This disclosure increases the number of charging and discharging devices that can be installed within a given height.

[0087] To this end, the support portion SM of the mechanism unit 100 of the charging and discharging device 20 may include a lower support portion 140 and an upper support portion 150. The support portion SM may have various shapes, for example, a plate shape.

[0088] The upper pin box portion 110a may be supported by the upper support portion 150. The lower pin box portion 110b may be supported by the lower support portion 140. The upper support portion 150 may define a top end portion of the mechanism of the mechanism unit 100.

[0089] The upper support portion 150 is configured to be coupled to the upper pin box portion 110a to support the upper pin box portion 110a. The lower surface of the upper support portion 150 can be coupled to the upper pin box portion 110a along the upper surface circumference direction of the upper pin box portion 110a, and for example, the upper support portion 150 and the upper pin box portion 110a can be coupled by bolts.

[0090] Likewise, the lower support portion 140 is configured to be coupled to the lower pin box portion 110b to support the lower pin box portion 110b. The lower surface of the lower support portion 140 may be coupled to the lower pin box portion 110b along the circumferential direction of the upper surface of the lower pin box portion 110b, and, for example, the lower support portion 140 and the lower pin box portion 110b may be coupled by bolts.

[0091] The upper tray 120a is seated on an upper surface of the lower support portion 140. The lower support portion 140 may define an upper tray portion.

[0092] In order to place the lower tray 120b, the mechanism unit 100 may further include a base portion 130. The base portion 130 may define a lower tray portion and simultaneously define a bottom end portion of the mechanism of the mechanism unit 100.

[0093] The mechanism unit 100 may further include a lifting portion 160. The lifting portion 160 may further be included to elevate and lower the pin box portion 110 relative to the battery unit so that the battery unit can be charged or discharged through the pin box portion 110.

[0094] The upper support portion 150 and the lower support portion 140 can be seated on the upper side of the lifting portion 160. Specifically, the upper support portion 150 can be seated on top of the upper lifting portion 160a, and the lower support portion 140 can be seated on top of the lower lifting portion 160b. The upper support portion 150 and the upper pin box portion 110a connected to the upper support portion 150 can be moved up and down by the upper lifting portion 160a, and the spacing from the upper tray 120a can be adjusted. The upper lifting portion 160a is formed to extend upward from the lower support portion 140. Similarly, the lower support portion 140 and the lower pin box portion 110b connected to the lower support portion 140 can be moved up and down by the lower lifting portion 160b, and the spacing from the lower tray 120b can be adjusted. The lower lifting portion 160b is formed to extend upward from the base portion 130. The lifting portion 160 can be driven, for example, by a cylinder 160c. For example, it can be driven by a pneumatic actuator or a hydraulic actuator. Of course, the lifting part 160 can also be driven by a motor.

[0095] The lower support portion 140 and the base portion 130 have an empty space therein, in which a driving unit (not shown) that controls the moving speed, moving distance, etc. of the upper support portion 150 and the lower support portion 140 can be accommodated. Here, the driving unit may include a motor, an encoder, etc.

[0096] The support portion SM may be moved up and down by the elevating portion 160. When the support portion SM moves up and down along the elevating portion 160, the support portion SM and the pin box portion 110 connected to the support portion SM may move toward the tray 120 (descending, -Y-axis direction) or in the opposite direction to the tray 120 (ascending, Y-axis direction).

[0097] In this manner, according to the present disclosure, when two or more trays 120 are loaded in the upper and lower directions in the mechanism unit 100 by improving the layout, there is an advantage in that the interval between the pin box portion 110 and the tray 120 is easily adjusted.

[0098] At the same time, if Figure 7 As shown, Figure 7 3 is a front view of a charging and discharging apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure, the mechanism units 100 may be stacked in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction. Figure 3 The depicted charging and discharging device 20 may be stacked in two or more stages to form a charging and discharging device 30 .

[0099] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 3 and Figure 7 The airflow circulation unit 300 will be described in more detail.

[0100] As described above, the air in the airflow circulation unit 300 is connected to the factory air conditioning device 400 and circulated.

[0101] The supply part 410a and the return part 410b of the factory air conditioner 400 may be provided above the mechanism unit 100 and the power supply unit 200. The ducts 310 and 320 are provided at positions connected to the supply part 410a and the return part 410b of the factory air conditioner 400.

[0102] An air intake port 315 is installed at the upper side of the pipe 310 on one side of a pair of pipes 310 and pipes 320 included in the air flow circulation unit 300, and the air intake port 315 is used to introduce air supplied from the supply part 410a of the factory air conditioning device 400, and an exhaust port 325 is installed at the upper side of the pipe 320 on the other side, and the exhaust port 325 is used to discharge air to the return part 410b of the factory air conditioning device 400.

[0103] A filter for filtering or diffusing air supplied from the supply portion 410a of the factory air conditioning device 400 may also be installed in the air intake port 315. The air introduced from the air intake port 315 circulates in a downward airflow, diffuses in the mechanism unit 100, and then circulates in an upward airflow and is discharged toward the exhaust port 325. The charging and discharging device may further include an inlet fan 340 for blowing the air introduced from the air intake port 315 toward the mechanism unit 100, and an outlet fan 350 for blowing the air diffused in the mechanism unit 100 toward the exhaust port 325. The inlet fan 340 supplies air supplied from the supply portion 410a of the factory air conditioning device 400 toward the mechanism unit 100. Conventional charging and discharging devices do not have a separate cooling device in the mechanism unit, but according to the present disclosure, by using the inlet fan 340, cooling air from the air intake port 315 can be more smoothly introduced into the mechanism unit 100. The outlet fan 350 helps to discharge the heated air inside the mechanism unit 100 to the outside.

[0104] The inlet fan 340 and the outlet fan 350 may have a structure and arrangement that allows them to uniformly or consistently blow and exhaust air inside the mechanism unit 100. Additionally, the airflow may be controlled as desired by providing a control structure capable of controlling the amount of air in each of the inlet fan 340 and the outlet fan 350. In order to control the airflow, for example, to send a larger amount of air to a location with a higher temperature than other locations, the internal airflow may be further controlled by further including a temperature sensor in communication with the control structure.

[0105] The power supply unit 200 is positioned in the duct 310 connected to the supply part 410a of the factory air conditioner 400. Only the duct 320 is provided in the position connected to the return part 410b of the factory air conditioner 400 without the power supply unit 200 to make air circulation smooth.

[0106] Preferably, if a vent hole is installed in the tray 120 , the air introduced from the air intake port 315 may be discharged toward the air exhaust port 325 through the vent hole.

[0107] According to this embodiment, air exhausted from the mechanism unit 100 through the air circulation unit 300 can be recovered by the factory air conditioning unit 400 and discharged to the exterior of the factory. If the outside temperature is higher than the inside temperature, the heated air exhausted from the mechanism unit 100 is discharged to the exterior of the factory. According to the present disclosure, air circulates in downward and upward airflow through the ducts 310 and 320 directly connected to the factory air conditioning unit 400, enabling more efficient cooling of the power supply unit 200 and the mechanism unit 100.

[0108] Figure 8 is a front view of a charging and discharging device according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0109] The description will focus mainly on the differences from the charging and discharging device 30 described above. Figure 8 The charging and discharging device 40 is shown in FIG. 4 , so that repeated description will be omitted.

[0110] The charging and discharging device 40 also includes a heat exchanger 330 located in the pipe 320, which is connected to the return part 410b of the factory air conditioning device 400. The air discharged from the mechanical unit 100 through the air circulation unit 300 can be used to maintain the internal temperature of the factory at a certain level by exchanging heat in the heat exchanger 330. For example, when the external temperature is lower than the internal temperature, the heated air discharged from the mechanical unit 100 is recirculated in the factory air conditioning device 400. The heat exchanger 330 recovers the heat generated during the charging and discharging operations and heats the cold water CW into hot water HW. The hot water HW generated in this way can be used in necessary places in the factory.

[0111] Figures 9 to 12 1 is a diagram for describing a charging and discharging device according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. For ease of illustration, the power supply unit 200 and the pipes 310 and 320 are omitted, and the mechanism unit 100 is mainly shown. Figure 9 and Figure 10 are a front view and a side view showing a state before the supporting portion of the charging and discharging device contacts the stopper, and Figure 11 and Figure 12 are a front view and a side view showing a state after a supporting portion of the charging and discharging device contacts a stopper.

[0112] The description will focus mainly on the differences from the charging and discharging device 20 described above. Figures 9 to 12 The charging and discharging device 50 is shown in FIG. 5 , so that repeated description will be omitted.

[0113] Reference Figures 9 to 12 , the mechanism unit 100 may further include a stopper 170 .

[0114] Specifically, the upper stopper 170 a may be mounted on the lower support portion 140 , and the lower stopper 170 b may be mounted on the base portion 130 .

[0115] When the upper pin box portion 110a and the upper support portion 150 above the upper pin box portion 110a are lowered (moved downward) by the upper lifting portion 160a and contact the upper stopper 170a, the pins 112 of the upper pin box portion 110a can contact the battery cells in the upper tray 120a. At this time, the upper pin box portion 110a, the upper support portion 150, the upper tray 120a, and the lower support portion 140 below the upper tray 120a are all lowered (moved downward) by the lifting portion 160, and when they contact the lower stopper 170b, the pins 112 of the lower pin box portion 110b can contact the battery cells in the lower tray 120b.

[0116] Guide pins 180a and 180b are mounted at the bottom of the upper pin box portion 110a and the bottom of the lower pin box portion 110b, respectively. Grooves 190a and 190b are provided in the upper tray 120a and the lower tray 120b, respectively, to accommodate the guide pins 180a and 180b. The upper tray 120a and the lower tray 120b can be aligned by the following configuration: as the upper pin box portion 110a descends, the guide pin 180a of the upper pin box portion 110a enters the groove 190a of the upper tray 120a, and as the lower pin box portion 110b descends, the guide pin 180b of the lower pin box portion 110b enters the groove 190b of the lower tray 120b.

[0117] Guide pins 180a and 180b may be cylindrical members, and grooves 190a and 190b may be cylindrical grooves. The diameters of grooves 190a and 190b may be larger than the diameters of guide pins 180a and 180b to ensure a clearance margin for alignment. By making guide pins 180a and 180b cylindrical members rather than members having corners, even if guide pins 180a and 180b are slightly deformed when inserted into grooves 190a and 190b, friction or impact can be prevented.

[0118] The guide pins 180a and 180b may be integrally formed or assembled into the tray 120 when the tray 120 is manufactured. For example, when the material of the tray 120 is polycarbonate (PC) resin or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resin, the guide pins 180a and 180b may also be formed of the same material to prevent stress concentration or deformation caused by different materials.

[0119] In this manner, according to the present disclosure, when two or more trays 120 are loaded in the upper and lower directions in the mechanism unit 100 by improving the layout, there is an advantage that alignment between the trays 120 becomes easy.

[0120] The present disclosure has been described above with respect to a limited number of embodiments and drawings, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and a person skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains will be able to make various modifications and changes within the technical aspects of the present disclosure and the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0121] [Explanation of Reference Signs]

[0122] 10, 20, 30, 40, 50: charging and discharging devices 100: mechanism unit

[0123] 110: Pin box part 112: Pin

[0124] 114: Plate 116: Air circulation channel

[0125] 120: Tray 130: Base

[0126] 140: Lower support part 150: Upper support part

[0127] 160: lifting part 170: stopper

[0128] 180a, 180b: Guide pins 190a, 190b: Grooves

[0129] 200: Power supply unit 300: Air circulation unit

[0130] 310, 320: Pipeline 315: Air intake port

[0131] 325: Exhaust port 330: Heat exchanger

[0132] 340: Inlet fan 350: Outlet fan

[0133] 400: Air conditioning unit

Claims

1. A charging and discharging device comprising: a mechanism unit that brings a pin for charging and discharging into contact with a battery cell; a power supply unit provided adjacent to the mechanism unit, supplying power and controlling charging and discharging; as well as An air circulation unit continuously circulates air through the power supply unit to the mechanism unit.

2. The charging and discharging device according to claim 1, in, The air in the air circulation unit is connected to a factory air conditioning device and circulated.

3. The charging and discharging device according to claim 1, in, The mechanism unit includes a pin box portion for accommodating the pin, and The pin box portion is provided with an air circulation channel along the direction of air flow.

4. The charging and discharging device according to claim 1, in, The mechanism unit includes a pin box portion for accommodating the pin, and In the pin box part, the voltage conversion / charge / discharge control board, the interface board, the adapter board and the pins are directly connected by means of connectors.

5. The charging and discharging device according to claim 4, in, The pin box portion is provided with an air circulation channel along the direction of air flow, and the air circulation channel is located between the voltage conversion / charging / discharging control board, the interface board and the adapter board.

6. The charging and discharging device according to claim 1, in, A tray is loaded in the mechanism unit, the battery unit is seated on the tray, and The tray has sides that are open in the direction of air flow.

7. The charging and discharging device according to claim 1, in, Two or more trays are loaded in the mechanism unit in an up-down direction.

8. The charging and discharging device according to claim 1, in, The organizational unit includes: an upper pin box portion and a lower pin box portion, the upper pin box portion and the lower pin box portion accommodating the pins; an upper supporting portion, the upper supporting portion supporting the upper pin box portion; a lower support portion that supports the lower pin box portion and on which an upper tray sits; and A base portion upon which the lower tray sits.

9. The charging and discharging device according to claim 8, in, The organizational unit further includes: an upper lifting portion formed to extend upward from the lower supporting portion; and a lower lifting portion formed to extend upward from the base portion, wherein the upper support portion sits on top of the upper lifting portion, and the lower support portion sits on top of the lower lifting portion.

10. The charging and discharging device according to claim 1, in, A supply part and a return part of a factory air conditioning device are provided above the mechanism unit and the power supply unit, and the airflow circulation unit includes a pair of ducts. An air intake port is installed at an upper side portion of the duct on one side, the air intake port being used to introduce air supplied from the supply portion of the factory air conditioning device, and An exhaust port for discharging the air to the return portion of the factory air conditioning device is installed at an upper side portion of the duct on the other side.

11. The charging and discharging device according to claim 10, in, The power supply unit is located in the pipeline on the one side.

12. The charging and discharging device according to claim 10, in, Air introduced from the air intake port is diffused in the mechanism unit and then discharged toward the air exhaust port.

13. The charging and discharging device according to claim 10, further comprising: an inlet fan configured to blow air introduced from the air inlet port toward the mechanism unit; as well as An outlet fan is configured to blow the air diffused in the mechanism unit toward the exhaust port.

14. The charging and discharging device according to claim 10, in, A tray is loaded in the mechanism unit, and a vent hole is installed in the tray so that air introduced from the air intake port is discharged toward the air exhaust port through the vent hole.

15. The charging and discharging device according to claim 1, in, The mechanism units are stacked in a plurality of stages in the up-down direction.

16. The charging and discharging device according to claim 10, further comprising: A heat exchanger is located in the pipeline on the other side.

17. The charging and discharging device according to claim 8, further comprising: an upper stopper mounted on the lower support portion; as well as A lower stop is mounted on the base portion.

18. The charging and discharging device according to claim 9, further comprising: an upper stopper mounted on the lower support portion; as well as a lower stopper mounted on the base portion, Wherein, when the upper pin box portion and the upper supporting portion are lowered by the upper lifting portion and contact the upper stopper, the pins of the upper pin box portion contact the battery cells in the upper tray.

19. The charging and discharging device according to claim 18, in, When the upper pin box portion, the upper support portion, the upper tray, and the lower support portion are lowered and contact the lower stopper, the pins of the lower pin box portion contact the battery cells in the lower tray.

20. The charging and discharging device according to claim 19, in, Guide pins are respectively installed at the bottom of the upper pin box part and the bottom of the lower pin box part, and grooves suitable for the guide pins are respectively provided in the upper tray and the lower tray.

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