Extension type charging device

Abstract

An extension type charging device comprises an alternating current / direct current conversion unit which comprises an input end and an output end, the input end is coupled with an alternating current power supply, and the alternating current / direct current conversion unit is configured to convert alternating current of the alternating current power supply into first direct current; the at least one direct current / direct current conversion unit comprises an input end and an output end, the input end is coupled with the output end of the alternating current / direct current conversion unit, and the direct current / direct current conversion unit is configured to convert the first direct current into second direct current; the microcontroller is coupled with the DC / DC conversion unit; the plurality of charging units are coupled to the DC / DC conversion unit, each charging unit comprises a battery holder and a control switch, the battery holder is configured to be used for installing a corresponding battery, the control switch is coupled between the output end of the DC / DC conversion unit and the battery holder, and the control switch is configured to turn on the control switch and turn off the battery holder; introducing a second direct current to charge the battery; and turning off the control switch to stop charging the battery.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to a charging device, and more particularly to an extended charging device. Background Art

[0002] Battery chargers are commonly used in automotive, industrial, and household applications to charge batteries used as power sources for tools. However, traditional chargers include an AC / DC converter, requiring multiple DC / DC converters to charge individual batteries. This increases the cost of expansion. Furthermore, fully charged batteries continue to charge, resulting in high standby power consumption. Stopping charging at fully charged batteries requires complex control strategies, limiting the number of batteries that can be charged.

[0003] Therefore, in order to overcome the shortcomings and deficiencies in the prior art, it is necessary to provide an improved extendable charging device to solve the problems existing in the prior art. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of this, the main purpose of this application is to provide an extended charging device that uses a microcontroller to control the control switch of each charging unit so that the DC / DC conversion unit only charges a single battery. This can effectively avoid the situation where a fully charged battery is still being charged, thereby reducing unnecessary energy loss.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present application provides an extended charging device for charging multiple batteries. The extended charging device includes an AC / DC conversion unit, at least one DC / DC conversion unit, a microcontroller, and multiple charging units. The AC / DC conversion unit includes an input terminal and an output terminal, the input terminal being coupled to an AC power source, and the AC / DC conversion unit being configured to convert the AC power of the AC power source into a first DC power. The DC / DC conversion unit includes an input terminal and an output terminal, the input terminal being coupled to the output terminal of the AC / DC conversion unit, and the DC / DC conversion unit being configured to convert the first DC power into a second DC power. The microcontroller is coupled to the DC / DC conversion unit. The multiple charging units are coupled to the DC / DC conversion unit, each charging unit including a battery holder and a control switch. The battery holder is configured to receive a corresponding battery. The control switch is coupled between the output terminal of the DC / DC conversion unit and the battery holder. The control switch is configured to: turn on the control switch to introduce the second DC power to charge the battery; and turn off the control switch to stop charging the battery.

[0006] In one embodiment of the present application, the extended charging device further includes a battery voltage detection unit coupled between the battery holders of the plurality of charging units and the microcontroller. The battery voltage detection unit is configured to detect a voltage of a battery installed in the corresponding battery holder to obtain a voltage detection value, and transmit the voltage detection value to the microcontroller.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present application, the microcontroller coupled to the battery voltage detection unit is configured to determine different charging powers according to the magnitude of the voltage detection value.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present application, the extended charging device further includes a battery sorting unit coupled to the microcontroller. The battery sorting unit is configured to receive a plurality of voltage detection values from the microcontroller and sort the plurality of voltage detection values according to a sorting rule to generate a charging sequence list for the batteries corresponding to the battery holder.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present application, the extended charging device further includes a sorting setting unit coupled to the microcontroller. The sorting setting unit is configured for a user to set a sorting rule. The sorting rule includes: sorting the multiple voltage detection values from large to small or sorting the multiple voltage detection values from small to large.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present application, the extended charging device further includes a battery signal communication unit coupled between the plurality of battery holders and the microcontroller. The battery signal communication unit is configured to extract battery data of the battery corresponding to the battery holder, generate a current command based on the battery data, and transmit the current command to the microcontroller.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present application, the extended charging device further includes a main body and at least one extension portion, the main body is configured to be combined with the extension portion, the AC / DC conversion unit and the DC / DC conversion unit are arranged in the main body, and the multiple charging units are arranged in the extension portion.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present application, the extension portion has a control circuit, a power supply circuit and a data circuit, the control switches of the multiple charging units are coupled to the microcontroller via the control circuit, the control switches of the multiple charging units are coupled to the DC / DC conversion unit via the power supply circuit, and the battery holders of the multiple charging units are coupled to the microcontroller via the data circuit.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present application, the main body has a main engaging portion, the extending portion has a sub-engaging portion, and the main engaging portion is configured to be combined with the sub-engaging portion.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present application, the extended charging device further includes a main body and at least one extension portion, the main body is configured to be combined with the extension portion, the AC / DC conversion unit is disposed in the main body, and the DC / DC conversion unit and the plurality of charging units are disposed in the extension portion.

[0015] As described above, since the charging units are all connected in parallel to the output terminals of the DC / DC converter units, the number of DC / DC converter units can be effectively reduced, thereby saving circuit component installation costs. Furthermore, by controlling the control switch of each charging unit through a microcontroller, the DC / DC converter unit can charge only a single battery. In standby mode, when the control switch is turned off, there is no additional power loss, effectively preventing the situation where a fully charged battery continues to charge, thereby reducing unnecessary energy loss. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a circuit of an embodiment of a current sensing device of the present application.

[0017] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of a current sensing device of the present application.

[0018] Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a current sensing device of the present application provided with first-order and second-order extension modules.

[0019] Figure 4 FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a circuit of another embodiment of a current sensing device of the present application.

[0020] Description of Reference Numerals

[0021] 101: AC power supply,

[0022] 2: AC / DC conversion unit,

[0023] 3: DC / DC conversion unit,

[0024] 4: Microcontroller,

[0025] 5: Charging unit,

[0026] 51: Battery holder,

[0027] 52: Control switch,

[0028] 61: Battery voltage detection unit,

[0029] 62: Battery sorting unit,

[0030] 63: sorting setting unit,

[0031] 65: Battery signal communication unit,

[0032] 7: Main body,

[0033] 71: Main locking part,

[0034] 8: Extension,

[0035] 81: Sub-clamping part,

[0036] 82: control circuit,

[0037] 83: Power supply lines,

[0038] 84: data line,

[0039] 91: First-order extension module,

[0040] 92: Second-order extension module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] The following descriptions of the embodiments are made with reference to the accompanying drawings to illustrate specific embodiments that may be implemented in the present application. Furthermore, directional terms used in this application, such as up, down, top, bottom, front, back, left, right, inside, outside, side, periphery, center, horizontal, transverse, vertical, longitudinal, axial, radial, topmost, or bottommost, are merely references to the directions in the accompanying drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used are for the purpose of illustrating and understanding this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0042] Please refer to Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the circuitry of one embodiment of the current sensing device of the present application. The extended charging device is used to charge multiple batteries. The extended charging device includes an AC / DC conversion unit 2, at least one DC / DC conversion unit 3, a microcontroller 4, multiple charging units 5, a battery voltage detection unit 61, a battery sequencing unit 62, a sequencing setting unit 63, and a battery signal communication unit 65. The detailed structure, relationships, and principles of each component are described in detail below.

[0043] Specifically, the AC / DC converter unit 2 includes an input terminal and an output terminal, wherein the input terminal of the AC / DC converter unit 2 is coupled to an AC power source 101. The AC / DC converter unit 2 is configured to convert the AC power from the AC power source 101 into a first DC power. The DC / DC converter unit 3 includes an input terminal and an output terminal, wherein the input terminal of the DC / DC converter unit 3 is coupled to the output terminal of the AC / DC converter unit 2, and the DC / DC converter unit 3 is configured to convert the first DC power into a second DC power. In addition, a microcontroller 4 (MCU) is coupled to the DC / DC converter unit 3 and is configured to control the second DC power output by the DC / DC converter unit 3, for example, controlling the second DC power output by the DC / DC converter unit 3 to be 5 amperes or 10 amperes.

[0044] The multiple charging units 5 are coupled to the DC / DC converter unit 3. Each charging unit 5 includes a battery holder 51 and a control switch 52. The battery holder 51 is configured to receive a corresponding battery. The control switch 52, such as a relay, is coupled between the output terminal of the DC / DC converter unit 3 and the battery holder 51. The microcontroller 4 is also coupled to the control switch 52 of each charging unit 5. In this embodiment, the microcontroller 4 can operate the control switch 52 to open and close. When the control switch 52 is opened, it introduces the second DC power from the DC / DC converter unit 3 to charge the battery. When the control switch 52 is closed, the battery is not charged.

[0045] The battery voltage detection unit 61 is coupled between the battery holders 51 of the plurality of charging units 5 and the microcontroller 4. The battery voltage detection unit 61 is configured to detect a voltage of a battery installed in the corresponding battery holder 51 to obtain a voltage detection value, and transmit the voltage detection value to the microcontroller 4. For example, when the battery voltage detection unit 61 detects a depleted battery, the voltage detection value is 0V, and when the battery voltage detection unit 61 detects a battery that is not depleted, the voltage detection value is 5V.

[0046] Furthermore, the microcontroller 4 receives the voltage detection value detected by the battery voltage detection unit 61. The microcontroller 4 is configured to determine different charging powers for charging the battery based on the voltage detection value. Specifically, the microcontroller 4 can determine the battery charge level based on the voltage detection value. Based on the charge level, the user can use the microcontroller 4 to determine the DC current setting value required to charge the battery. For example, if the battery voltage detection value is low, the user can use the microcontroller 4 to set the second DC current to 10 amps, thereby increasing the charging power and shortening the charging time for fast charging. If the battery voltage detection value is high, the user can use the microcontroller 4 to set the second DC current to 5 amps, thereby reducing the charging power and slowing down the charging process with a low current. The aforementioned relationship between voltage and current can also be pre-programmed into the microcontroller 4 in firmware, eliminating the need for users to set the required settings.

[0047] The battery sorting unit 62 is coupled to the microcontroller 4 and is configured to receive multiple voltage detection values from the microcontroller 4 and sort the multiple voltage detection values according to a sorting rule to generate a charging order list for the batteries corresponding to the battery holders 51. In this embodiment, the sorting rule defaults to sorting the multiple voltage detection values from smallest to largest. The microcontroller 4 then activates the corresponding control switches 52 to charge the batteries according to the sorting rule. For example, the voltage detection values of the multiple batteries may be sorted as 9V, 10V, 11V, 11.5V, 11.7V, 12V, 12.1V, and 12.5V, and the batteries may then be charged according to the sorting rule.

[0048] The sorting setting unit 63 is coupled to the microcontroller 4 and is configured to allow the user to set specific sorting rules. Sorting rules include sorting the multiple voltage detection values from largest to smallest, sorting the multiple voltage detection values from smallest to largest, and random sorting. The user can use the sorting setting unit 63 to decide whether to start charging from the battery with the lowest or highest voltage detection value, thereby managing the order of the multiple batteries and charging the batteries sequentially. In one embodiment, if a voltage detection value is abnormal, it can be removed from the charging order list and the battery status is determined to be abnormal. In addition, if there is no battery installed in the battery holder 51, its detected voltage detection value will also be recorded.

[0049] The battery signal communication unit 65 is coupled between the multiple battery holders 51 and the microcontroller 4. The battery signal communication unit 65 is configured to extract battery data from the corresponding battery holder 51, generate a current command based on the battery data, and transmit the current command to the microcontroller 4. Specifically, the battery signal communication unit 65 detects real-time battery data and sends the current command to the microcontroller 4 based on the battery data. The microcontroller 4 then operates the second DC of the DC / DC converter unit 3 to charge the battery. In this embodiment, the battery data includes capacity (Ah ampere-hours), current, and temperature.

[0050] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of a current sensing device according to the present application. The extended charging device further includes a main body 7 and at least one extension 8. In this embodiment, the main body 7 is configured to be combined with the extension 8. The AC / DC converter unit 2, the DC / DC converter unit 3, the microcontroller 4, the battery voltage detection unit 61, the battery sorting unit 62, the sorting setting unit 63, and the battery signal communication unit 65 are disposed within the main body 7. The multiple charging units 5 are disposed within the extension 8. The main body 7 has a main engaging portion 71, and the extension 8 has a sub-engaging portion 81. The main engaging portion 71 is configured to be combined with the sub-engaging portion 81.

[0051] In addition, the extension portion 8 has a control circuit 82, a power supply circuit 83 and a data circuit 84. The control switches 52 of the multiple charging units 5 are coupled to the microcontroller 4 via the control circuit 82. The control switches 52 of the multiple charging units 5 are coupled to the DC / DC conversion unit 3 via the power supply circuit 83. The battery holders 51 of the multiple charging units 5 are coupled to the microcontroller 4 via the data circuit 84.

[0052] like Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the current sensing device of the present application, including first-order and second-order extension modules, is provided. In this embodiment, multiple extension portions 8 can be installed in the first-order extension module 91 and the second-order extension module 92. The first-order extension module 91 is assembled between the main body 7 and the second-order extension module 92. The control circuits 82 of the multiple extension portions 8 in the first-order extension module 91 and the second-order extension module 92 are all coupled to the microcontroller 4, the power supply circuits 83 are all coupled to the DC / DC converter unit 3, and the data circuits 84 are all coupled to the battery voltage detection unit 61 and the battery signal communication unit 65. This allows for easy expansion of the charging module and the number of rechargeable batteries. In addition, multiple battery holders 51 can accommodate batteries of different capacities, allowing the first-order extension module 91 and the second-order extension module 92 to provide a wide range of wattage applications for battery charging.

[0053] According to the above structure, the charging units 5 in the multiple extensions 8 are essentially connected in parallel to the output terminals of the DC / DC converter unit 3. The microcontroller 4 controls the opening and closing of the control switch 52 of each charging unit 5, and charges the batteries installed in the battery holder 51 starting from the lowest voltage (or highest voltage) according to their voltages. During each charge, the microcontroller 4 only opens one control switch 52, causing the DC / DC converter unit 3 to charge only one battery. After the battery is fully charged, the control switch 52 is closed, and the other control switch 52 is then opened, causing the DC / DC converter unit 3 to charge another battery. This provides a flexible and highly controllable battery charging control strategy.

[0054] In other embodiments, Figure 4 FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a circuit diagram of another embodiment of the current sensing device of the present application. The extended charging device further includes a main body 7 and at least one extension 8. The main body 7 is configured to be combined with the extension 8. The AC / DC converter unit 2, microcontroller 4, battery voltage detection unit 61, battery sorting unit 62, sorting setting unit 63, and battery signal communication unit 65 are disposed within the main body 7. The DC / DC converter unit 3 and the plurality of charging units 5 are disposed within the extension 8. This allows for more flexible configuration of the DC / DC converter unit 3 corresponding to the battery.

[0055] As shown above, since the charging units 5 are all connected in parallel to the output terminals of the DC / DC converter units 3, the number of DC / DC converter units 3 can be effectively reduced, thereby saving circuit component installation costs. Furthermore, by controlling the control switch 52 of each charging unit 5 via the microcontroller 4, only one battery is charged at a time. In standby mode, when the control switch 52 is turned off, no additional power consumption is lost. This effectively prevents the situation where a fully charged battery continues to charge, thereby reducing unnecessary energy loss.

[0056] Although the present application has been disclosed with reference to embodiments, they are not intended to limit the present application. Any person skilled in the art may make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application shall be determined by the scope of the appended patent application.

Claims

1. An extended charging device for charging multiple batteries, wherein: The extended charging device includes: an AC / DC conversion unit comprising an input terminal and an output terminal, wherein the input terminal is coupled to an AC power source, and the AC / DC conversion unit is configured to convert the AC power of the AC power source into a first DC power; At least one DC / DC conversion unit includes an input terminal and an output terminal, the input terminal is coupled to the output terminal of the AC / DC conversion unit, and the DC / DC conversion unit is configured to convert the first DC power into a second DC power; a microcontroller coupled to the DC / DC conversion unit; and Multiple charging units are coupled to the DC / DC conversion unit, each charging unit includes a battery holder and a control switch, the battery holder is configured to install a corresponding battery, the control switch is coupled between the output end of the DC / DC conversion unit and the battery holder, and the control switch is configured to: turn on the control switch to introduce the second DC power to charge the battery; and turn off the control switch to stop charging the battery.

2. The extended charging device according to claim 1, wherein: The extended charging device also includes a battery voltage detection unit coupled between the battery holders of the plurality of charging units and the microcontroller. The battery voltage detection unit is configured to detect a voltage of a battery installed in a corresponding battery holder to obtain a voltage detection value, and transmit the voltage detection value to the microcontroller.

3. The extended charging device according to claim 2, wherein: The microcontroller coupled to the battery voltage detection unit is configured to determine different charging powers according to the voltage detection value.

4. The extended charging device according to claim 2, wherein: The extended charging device also includes a battery sorting unit coupled to the microcontroller. The battery sorting unit is configured to receive multiple voltage detection values from the microcontroller and sort the multiple voltage detection values according to a sorting rule to generate a charging sequence list of batteries corresponding to the battery holders.

5. The extended charging device according to claim 4, wherein: The extended charging device further includes a sorting setting unit coupled to the microcontroller. The sorting setting unit is configured for a user to set a sorting rule. The sorting rule includes sorting the voltage detection values from large to small or sorting the voltage detection values from small to large.

6. The extended charging device according to claim 1, wherein: The extended charging device also includes a battery signal communication unit coupled between the plurality of battery holders and the microcontroller. The battery signal communication unit is configured to extract battery data of the battery corresponding to the battery holder, generate a current command based on the battery data, and transmit the current command to the microcontroller.

7. The extended charging device according to claim 1, wherein: The extended charging device also includes a main body and at least one extension. The main body is configured to be combined with the extension. The AC / DC conversion unit and the DC / DC conversion unit are arranged in the main body, and multiple charging units are arranged in the extension.

8. The extended charging device according to claim 7, wherein: The extension portion has a control circuit, a power supply circuit and a data circuit. The control switches of multiple charging units are coupled to the microcontroller via the control circuit, the control switches of multiple charging units are coupled to the DC / DC conversion unit via the power supply circuit, and the battery holders of multiple charging units are coupled to the microcontroller via the data circuit.

9. The extended charging device according to claim 7, wherein: The main body has a main engaging portion, the extending portion has a sub-engaging portion, and the main engaging portion is configured to be combined with the sub-engaging portion.

10. The extended charging device according to claim 1, wherein: The extended charging device also includes a main body and at least one extension. The main body is configured to be combined with the extension. The AC / DC conversion unit is disposed in the main body, and the DC / DC conversion unit and the plurality of charging units are disposed in the extension.

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