Fast charging device

Abstract

Fast charging device (1A, 1B, 1C) which features: a first battery module (11A) containing a plurality of first battery cells (11a) and a second battery module (11B) containing a plurality of second battery cells (11b) in which energy is stored; a first switch (21) having a first contact (21a) connected to a positive electrode of the first battery module (11A), a second contact (21b) connected to a negative electrode of the first battery module (11A), and a third contact (21c) connected to a positive electrode of the second battery module (11B), and switching such that the third contact (21c) is connected to the first contact (21a) or the second contact (21b); a second switch (22) having a fourth contact (22a) connected to the negative electrode of the first battery module (11A) and a fifth contact connected to a negative electrode of the second battery module (11B), and switching between a connected state in which the fifth contact is connected to the fourth contact (22a) and a disconnected state; and a control unit (30) that controls the connections of the first switch (21) and the second switch (22); and a voltage adjustment unit (40) which, when a potential difference exists between the first battery module (11A) and the second battery module (11B), adjusts the potential difference to a value equal to or less than a predetermined reference value, wherein The control unit (30) forms a parallel circuit of battery modules (Q) during a discharge process, in which the positive electrode of the first battery module (11A) is connected to the positive electrode of the second battery module (11B) and the negative electrode of the first battery module (11A) is connected to the negative electrode of the second battery module (11B) by connecting the third contact (21c) of the first switch (21) to the first contact (21a) of the first switch (21) and by connecting the fifth contact of the second switch (22) to the fourth contact (22a) of the second switch (22), thus enabling a load unit (5) to be connected to the parallel connection of the battery modules (Q), and characterized by the fact that During a charging process, the control unit (30) forms a series connection of battery modules (P) in which the negative electrode of the first battery module (11A) and the positive electrode of the second battery module (11B) are connected in series by connecting the third contact (21c) of the first switch (21) to the second contact (21b) of the first switch (21) and by switching the second switch (22) to the open state, thus enabling a charging device (3) for charging the first battery module (11A) and the second battery module (11B) to be connected to the series connection of the battery modules (P). The control unit (30), during a charging process, monitors the voltage of each of the first battery cells (11a) and the second battery cells (11b), and balances the voltages of the first battery cells (11a) and the second battery cells (11b) by causing the first battery cells (11a) and the second battery cells (11b) that have reached a higher voltage than that of the other first battery cells (11a) and second battery cells (11b) to discharge in order to transfer the energy to the other first battery cells (11a) and second battery cells (11b), and the voltage adjustment unit (40) includes an additional charging unit (42) that adjusts the potential difference to a value equal to or less than the reference value by additionally charging either the first battery module (11A) or the second battery module (11B), depending on which has a lower voltage, and a switching unit (50) comprising a first switch (51) having a sixth contact (51a) connected to the positive electrode of the first battery module (11A), a seventh contact (51b) connected to the positive electrode of the second battery module (11B), and an eighth contact (51c) connected to one side of the additional charging unit (42), and switching such that the eighth contact (51c) is connected to the sixth contact (51a) or the seventh contact (51b), and a second switch (52) comprising a ninth contact (52a) connected to the negative electrode of the first battery module (11A), a tenth contact (52b) connected to the negative electrode of the second battery module (11B), and an eleventh contact (52c) connected to the other side of the additional charging unit (42), and switching such thatthat the eleventh contact (52c) is connected to the ninth contact (52a) or the tenth contact (52b).

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