Switch box for potable storage battery

Abstract

To provide a low-cost emergency power supply facility.SOLUTION: A switch 14 in a switch box 1 which is used when mounting a portable storage battery 2 to a target branch switchgear 81 for power supply to a specific load 9 includes: a first selection terminal 141 which is connected to a terminal 100 for a main line connected to the target branch switchgear 81 by an intra-box main line 411; a second selection terminal 142 which is connected to a terminal 104 for storage battery output; and a common terminal 143 which is connected to a terminal 101 for a load. A branch wire 44 for power storage which is branched from the intra-box main line 41 is connected to an input terminal 103 for a storage battery. The switch 14 changes over a first state where the first selection terminal 141 is short-circuited to the common terminal 143 and the second selection terminal 142 is open-circuited from the common terminal 143 and a second state where the first selection terminal 141 is open-circuited from the common terminal 143 and the second selection terminal 142 is short-circuited to the common terminal 143.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for retrofitting countermeasures against power outages that may occur due to large-scale disasters. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there have been frequent cases of natural disasters such as major earthquakes and floods causing severe damage to local lifelines, making it an urgent issue to take thorough measures to deal with these. In particular, there have been an increasing number of cases of large-scale power outages caused by damage to power plants and power transmission and distribution networks, and the importance of taking measures to deal with these situations is being emphasized. When a power outage occurs due to a disaster, it is rare for it to take a long time to be restored, but in many cases it takes several days. During that time, people are forced to live an inconvenient life without electricity. Many people evacuate to evacuation shelters equipped with emergency power supply equipment, but many hesitate to do so for privacy reasons and end up staying in their homes without electricity. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-154257 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In consideration of the above issues, measures are being taken to install emergency power supply equipment in ordinary homes to prepare for power outages during disasters. However, the installation must be done when a new home is built, and the cost is in the hundreds of thousands of yen. Emergency power supply systems for residential buildings typically include solar panels and storage batteries. Under normal circumstances (when there are no power outages), the storage batteries are charged with grid power (power supplied by the power company) and solar power, and the battery power is used during emergencies (power outages). In addition, so-called V2H (Vehicle to Home) systems are sometimes installed, allowing electric vehicles or plug-in hybrid vehicles to be used as storage batteries. In any case, these conventional emergency power supply systems are expensive, require long construction periods, and are typically installed when new homes are constructed, making them less widely used. These same issues also exist in non-residential buildings, such as offices and government offices. The present invention has been made with such issues of emergency power supply measures in mind, and aims to provide a low-cost emergency power supply facility. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] To solve the above problems, this specification discloses a portable battery switch box for use when attaching a portable battery to a target branch switch, which is a branch switch in a distribution panel installed in a building and is installed to supply power to a specific load. This portable battery switch box has a built-in switch and is provided with a main line terminal connected to the target branch switch, a load terminal connected to a specific load, a battery input terminal connected to the input terminal of the portable battery, and a battery output terminal connected to the output terminal of the portable battery. The switch has a first selection terminal connected to the main line terminal by the main line inside the box, a second selection terminal connected to the storage battery output terminal, and a common terminal connected to the load terminal. A branch wiring for power storage is provided which branches off and extends from the main wiring inside the box, and the branch wiring for power storage is connected to a terminal for inputting the storage battery. The switch switches between a first state in which the first selection terminal is short-circuited to the common terminal and the second selection terminal is disconnected from the common terminal, and a second state in which the first selection terminal is disconnected from the common terminal and the second selection terminal is short-circuited to the common terminal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] As explained below, the portable battery switch box according to the disclosed invention allows the portable battery to store electricity during normal times (when there is no power outage), and allows the portable battery to supply power to a specific load during a power outage, so that electricity can be used by the specific load until the amount of electricity stored in the portable battery reaches zero. This makes it possible to use the minimum amount of electricity necessary during a disaster, etc. Furthermore, construction can be completed inexpensively and in a short period of time, and the cost of the hardware can be significantly reduced. This allows for low-cost measures to deal with power outages during disasters. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of a power outage prevention set that uses a portable battery switch box of the reference example. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the wiring state when the portable storage battery is removed. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram of a power outage prevention set that uses a portable battery switch box according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a configuration in which power is stored in a portable storage battery using both grid power from a target branch switch and a photovoltaic power generation panel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Next, a description will be given of a mode for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as an embodiment). Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a power outage countermeasure set using a portable battery switch box of a reference example. The power outage prevention kit shown in Figure 1 is a set that can be retrofitted with a function to secure power using a storage battery in the event of a power outage. "Retrofit" means that it can be installed and added after the building is completed, rather than when it is constructed. As shown in Figure 1, this power outage prevention kit is composed of a switch box 1, a portable storage battery 2, a solar power generation panel 3, main wiring 41, 42, etc. The switch box 1 is provided with a main line terminal 100 and a load terminal 101.

[0009] As shown in FIG. 1 , this power outage countermeasure set is attached to one branch switch 81 in an existing distribution board 8 installed in a building. The power outage countermeasure set is installed by being interposed between the one branch switch 81 and a specific load 9 supplied with power from the one branch switch 81. Therefore, during installation, the power feeder to the specific load 9 is removed from the one branch switch 81, one end of the first main wiring 41 is connected to the branch switch 81, and the other end of the first main wiring 41 is connected to a main line terminal 100 on the switch box 1. In addition, one end of the second main wiring 42 is connected to a load terminal 101 on the switch box 1, and the other end is connected to the specific load 9.

[0010] In the following explanation, the branch switch 81 to which the power outage countermeasure set is attached is referred to as the target branch switch. The specific load 9 to which the target branch switch 81 supplies power is the load to which power is supplied by the portable storage battery 2 in the event of a power outage. In the building, power is distributed to each room by the distribution board 8, and the specific load 9 is selected to be a room with a high priority for power supply in the event of a power outage (for example, the living room). In other words, the target branch switch 81 that supplies power to a room with a high priority for power supply in the event of a power outage is disconnected and the power outage countermeasure set is installed.

[0011] As shown in Figure 1, this power outage countermeasure set is basically configured such that a portable storage battery 2 is interposed in series between a target branch switch 81 and a specific load 9. That is, the input terminal 21 of the portable storage battery 2 is connected to the target branch switch 81 by a first main wiring 41, and the output terminal 22 of the portable storage battery 2 is connected to the specific load 9 by a second main wiring 42. Therefore, the portable storage battery 2 and the specific load 9 are in series, with the portable storage battery 2 on the upstream side. The portable battery 2 used is one that has an AC 100V input terminal and an AC 100V output terminal and has a pass-through function. It has the same configuration as a so-called uninterruptible power supply. For example, the DELTA2 sold by EcoFlow Technology Japan Co., Ltd. can be used as the portable battery 2.

[0012] Two switches 11, 12 are arranged inside the switch box 1. One is a switch 11 (hereinafter referred to as the disconnection switch) for ensuring power supply to the specific load 9 when the portable storage battery 2 is removed. The other is a switch (hereinafter referred to as the panel switch) 12 for selecting whether or not to use power from the solar power generation panel 3 to store electricity in the portable storage battery 2.

[0013] The removal switch 11 will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the wire connection state when the portable storage battery 2 is removed. 1, the switch box 1 is provided with a battery input terminal 103 to which an input line (hereinafter referred to as a battery input line) 23 of the portable storage battery 2 is connected, and a battery output terminal 104 to which an output line (hereinafter referred to as a battery output line) 24 of the portable storage battery 2 is connected. The battery input line 23 and the battery output line 24 are bundled together as a cable with a dedicated socket 25 at the end.

[0014] 1 and 2, a line from the first main wiring 41 branches into an in-box main line 411, which is short-circuited to the storage battery input terminal 103, and a first bypass line 412 within the switch box 1. The in-box main line 411 is connected to the storage battery input terminal 103 via the panel switch 102. As described above, the switch box 1 is provided with a load terminal 101 to which the second main wiring 42 is connected, and the first bypass line 412 is connected to the load terminal 101 via the disconnection switch 11.

[0015] As shown in Fig. 1, when the portable storage battery 2 is attached to the switch box 1, the removal switch 11 opens the first bypass line 412 from the load terminal 101. As shown in Fig. 2, when the portable storage battery 2 is removed, the removal switch 11 short-circuits the first bypass line 412 to the load terminal 101. For convenience of explanation, the removal switch 11 will be referred to as ON when the first bypass line 412 is short-circuited to the load terminal 101 and OFF when the first bypass line 412 is open.

[0016] The removal switch 11 may be a manual switch such as a push button switch, but is preferably an automatic switch that operates automatically when the portable storage battery 2 is removed. For example, a spring member may be provided for the removal switch 11, and when the portable storage battery 2 is removed, the spring action shifts the shorting plate, shorting (turning on) the first bypass wire 412 to the load terminal 101. When the portable storage battery 2 is attached, the removal switch 11 is pressed in against the elasticity of the spring member, and the first bypass wire 412 is disconnected (turned off) from the load terminal 101.

[0017] Next, the panel switch 12 will be described. As shown in Fig. 1, the switch box 1 is provided with a panel terminal 102. In this example, the solar power generation panel 3 is equipped with an inverter 31, which is provided on the power supply line from the solar power generation panel 3. The output of the inverter 31 is connected to the panel terminal 102, and the DC voltage from the solar power generation panel 3 is converted to AC 100V and supplied to the panel terminal 102.

[0018] Panel switch 12 switches between a state in which battery input terminal 103 is shorted to in-box main wiring 411 and a state in which it is shorted to panel terminal 102. For convenience of explanation, panel switch 12 will be referred to as ON when it disconnects battery input terminal 103 from in-box main wiring 411 and shorts it to panel terminal 102, and OFF when it disconnects battery input terminal 103 from panel terminal 102 and shorts it to in-box main wiring 411. A manual rotary switch is used for the panel switch 12. However, a socket-like device into which a cable extending from the inverter 31 is inserted may be used as the panel terminal, and an automatic switch that automatically turns on when the cable is connected may be used as the panel switch 12.

[0019] 1, a second bypass line 43 is provided as a line branching off from a line connected to the first main line 41 within the switch box 1. The second bypass line 43 bypasses the portable storage battery 2 and the removal switch 11 and is connected to the second main line 42, and an interlocking switch 13 is provided on the second bypass line 43. The interlocking switch 13 is a switch that is interlocked with the panel switch 12 and is normally off (open), but when the panel switch 12 is turned on, it is interlocked and turns on (short-circuited).

[0020] The operation of such a power outage prevention set will be described below. The power outage countermeasure kit is retrofitted to a building after construction as described above. The portable storage battery 2 is attached to the switch box 1, and the disconnection switch is turned off. The portable storage battery 2 is connected to the specific load 9 via the second main wiring 42. Furthermore, the panel switch 12 is turned off, and the solar power generation panel 3 is not connected to the portable storage battery 2. In this wiring state, power is stored in the portable storage battery 2 while being supplied to the specific load 9. Because the portable storage battery 2 has a pass-through function, when it is fully charged, power from the target branch switch 81 is supplied to the specific load 9, bypassing the portable storage battery 2.

[0021] In this state, if a power outage occurs due to a large-scale disaster or the like, the power supply from the grid power to the distribution board 8 will be cut off, and power will no longer be supplied from the target branch switch 81. The portable storage battery 2 will detect this and start supplying power using its internal circuitry. That is, power from the portable storage battery 2 will be supplied to the specific load 9, and power supply to the specific load 9 will continue. When the power outage is resolved, the internal circuitry of the portable storage battery 2 will detect the restoration of power and will return to a state in which it stores power and shorts out the specific load 9.

[0022] When the portable storage battery 2 is removed for outdoor use, the detachment switch 11 operates to short-circuit the first main wiring 41 and the second main wiring 42. This allows power supply to the specific load 9 to continue. Furthermore, when storing power in the portable storage battery 2 using the solar power generation panel 3 on a sunny day, the power feeder line extending from the inverter 31 is connected to the panel terminal 102 of the switch box 1, and the panel switch 12 is turned on. This turns off the power supply from the target branch switch 81, and instead turns on the power supply from the solar power generation panel 3. At this time, the interlocking switch 13 operates and turns on, and the power supply from the target branch switch 81 to the specific load 9 is ensured by the bypassing second bypass line 43. If it is sunny during the daytime when a power outage occurs, the panel switch 12 is turned on to concurrently store power in the portable storage battery 2. This postpones the time until the remaining power of the portable storage battery 2 becomes zero.

[0023] With this power outage countermeasure kit, power is supplied to the specific load 9 during a power outage from the portable storage battery 2 that has stored electricity during normal times (when there is no power outage), so electricity can be used by the specific load 9 until the amount of electricity stored in the portable storage battery 2 reaches zero. This makes it possible to use the minimum amount of electricity necessary during a disaster. Furthermore, since construction can be completed simply by attaching the switch box 1, to which the portable storage battery 2 and the solar power generation panel 3 are connected, to the target branch switch 81 via the first main wiring 41, construction can be completed extremely cheaply and in a short period of time. Furthermore, since the set combines the switch box 1, which has a relatively simple structure, with the portable storage battery 2 and the solar power generation panel 3, which are inexpensively available, the cost of the hardware can also be significantly reduced. This makes it possible to implement power outage countermeasures in the event of a disaster at low cost.

[0024] In addition, the portable battery 2 can be removed and used outdoors for leisure activities, killing two birds with one stone. The battery being portable also has another advantage: in the event of a power outage, it can be taken to another location in the building and used as needed. For example, if the toilet can only be flushed electrically and the power cable is plugged into an outlet, you can take the portable battery 2 to the toilet, connect the power cable to the portable battery 2, and flush the toilet. In other words, it kills three birds with one stone.

[0025] Furthermore, this power outage countermeasure set is equipped with a solar power generation panel 3 and is capable of storing electricity in the portable storage battery 2, so that the time until the remaining charge of the portable storage battery 2 becomes zero during a power outage can be extended, making it particularly suitable for long-term power outages. If the detachment switch 11 is configured to operate in conjunction with the panel switch 12, the second bypass line 43 and the interlocking switch 13 are not required. However, if the detachment switch 11 is configured to operate in conjunction with the removal of the portable charger 2, two interlocking operations are required, which has the disadvantage of making the structure complicated.

[0026] Next, a power outage preparation set using the portable battery switch box of the embodiment will be described. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of the power outage preparation set using the portable battery switch box of the embodiment. This power outage countermeasure set is also a set that is retrofitted and connected to a target branch switch 81 in a distribution board 8 installed in a building, and includes the switch box 1 of the embodiment, a portable storage battery 2, and a solar power generation panel 3. The power outage countermeasure set in Fig. 3 differs from that in Fig. 1 in that the portable storage battery 2 is connected in parallel to a specific load 9.

[0027] 3, in the switch box 1 of the embodiment, an in-box main line 411 and a power storage branch line 44 are provided in a manner that a line connected to the first main line 41 branches off. Similarly, the switch box 1 is also provided with a panel terminal 102 and a panel switch 12. The panel switch 12 switches whether the storage battery input terminal 103 is short-circuited to the power storage branch line 44 or to the panel terminal 102. Similarly, when the solar power generation panel 3 is used, the panel switch 12 is turned on, and the panel terminal 102 is short-circuited to the storage battery input terminal 103.

[0028] The in-box main line 411 extends from the branch point and is connected to the load terminal 101 via the switch 14. The storage battery output terminal 104 is also connected to the load terminal 101 via the switch 14. As shown in FIG. 3 , the switch 14 has a first selection terminal 141, a second selection terminal 142, and a common terminal 143. The in-box main line 411 connects the main line terminal 100 and the first selection terminal 141. The second selection terminal 142 is connected to the storage battery output terminal 104. The common terminal 143 is connected to the load terminal 101.

[0029] Switch 14 is a switch that, under normal circumstances (when there is no power outage), shorts out the main wires 411 inside the box and the load terminal 101 (off state), and, when a power outage occurs, disconnects the main wires 411 inside the box from the load terminal 101 and shorts the storage battery output terminal 104 to the load terminal 101 (on state). Switch 14 is a manual switch such as a rotary switch, but it may also be a switch that is provided with a sensor that detects a power outage and that automatically turns on and off in response to a signal from this sensor.

[0030] In this power outage countermeasure set, the portable storage battery 2 also supplies power to the specific load 9 during a power outage, and by using the solar power generation panel 3 in combination, the time until the remaining charge becomes zero can be extended, making it suitable as a power outage countermeasure during disasters, etc. Furthermore, the portable storage battery 2 can be used for leisure activities, etc., or can be taken to a place where it is needed during a power outage.

[0031] In this power outage countermeasure set, portable storage battery 2 is also energized and stores electricity through power storage branch wiring 44 during normal operation (when there is no power outage). During a power outage, the voltage across power storage branch wiring 44 becomes zero, and an output voltage is generated at the output terminal by the internal circuit of portable storage battery 2. When switch 14 is turned on in this state, storage battery output terminal 104, which is connected to the output terminal of portable storage battery 2, is connected to load terminal 101, and power is supplied to specific load 9 by portable storage battery 2.

[0032] According to the switch box 1 of the embodiment, the portable storage battery 2 is connected in parallel to the specific load 9, so even when the portable storage battery 2 is removed, power supply to the specific load 9 continues without hindrance when there is no power outage. Therefore, a disconnection switch 11 is not provided. Instead, a switch 14 is provided, which must be operated in the event of a power outage. In the configuration of the reference example, the portable storage battery 2 is connected in series with the specific load 9, so power is automatically supplied by the portable storage battery 2 in the event of a power outage, and there is no need to operate the switch. However, if the switch 14 is set to an automatic switch in the embodiment as described above, it is possible to automatically start power supply to the specific load 9 from the portable storage battery 2 in the event of a power outage.

[0033] In each of the above configurations, the solar power generation panel 3 is preferably portable. This has several advantages, including the ease of retrofitting and ease of installation on a balcony. Another advantage is that solar power generation panels are readily available at low cost. Furthermore, depending on the output voltage of the solar power generation panel 3, it can be used for outdoor applications. For example, if the inverter 31 is used as is, it can be used with AC 100V. If the inverter 31 is removed and it can be used with DC voltage, it can be used for various purposes depending on the output voltage, such as charging a smartphone. Furthermore, if the portable storage battery 2 has a DC input terminal compatible with the DC output voltage of the solar power generation panel 3, when taking the portable storage battery 2 out for leisure activities, the solar power generation panel 3 can also be taken out and used, allowing the portable storage battery 2 to store electricity while being used outdoors. An example of such a portable solar power generation panel 3 is the EcoFlow 110W solar panel sold by EcoFlow Technology Japan Co., Ltd.

[0034] In each of the above configurations, the portable storage battery 3 is charged with electricity from either the grid power from the target branch switch 81 or the solar power generation panel 3, as selected by the panel switch 12, but it is also possible to charge electricity using both at the same time. An example of this configuration is shown in Figure 4. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a configuration in which the portable storage battery is charged with electricity from both the grid power from the target branch switch and the solar power generation panel. The example in Figure 4 is an example in which a dual-use configuration is adopted in the configuration in Figure 1. In this example, portable storage battery 2 is equipped with DC input terminal 26. No inverter is provided in solar power generation panel 3, and the output of solar power generation panel 3 is a DC output that is compatible with DC input terminal 26.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 4, this configuration example does not include a panel switch. Therefore, an interlocking switch interlocked with the panel switch and a second bypass line opened and closed by the interlocking switch are also not provided. The switch box 1 is provided with a panel DC input terminal 105 to which the DC cable 32 of the solar power generation panel 3 is connected, and a panel DC output terminal 106 to which the DC input terminal 26 of the portable storage battery 2 is connected. In Fig. 4, when the solar power generation panel 3 is connected to the panel DC input terminal 105 via the DC cable 32, the solar power generation panel 3 is connected to the DC input terminal 62 of the portable storage battery 2, and during sunny daytime hours, the portable storage battery 3 is charged with power from both the target branch switch 81 and the power from the solar power generation panel 3.

[0036] In this example, when a power outage occurs, as described above, an output voltage is generated by the internal circuit of portable storage battery 2, and power is supplied to specific load 9 via second main wiring 42. In this case, if DC cable 32 is left connected, portable storage battery 2 is automatically charged with power from solar power generation panel 3 during sunny daytime hours, automatically achieving the effect of postponing the use up of power in portable storage battery 2. Note that in the example of Figure 4, simply connecting DC cable 32 does not enable portable storage battery 2 to charge power using solar power generation panel 3, and a separately operated panel switch may be further provided. Such a panel switch is provided in switch box 1, but portable storage battery 2 may also be equipped with such a switch. Furthermore, in the above-mentioned reference examples and embodiments, there are cases where the portable storage battery 2 is provided with a switch equivalent to the panel switch 12, and the switch box 1 is not provided with the panel switch 12. However, in this case, in the reference examples, it is necessary to configure the interlocking switch 13 to be interlocked with the switch on the portable storage battery 2, which has the disadvantage of making the configuration somewhat complicated.

[0037] The configuration in which the portable storage battery 3 stores power from both the target branch switch 81 and the solar panel 3 can also be adopted in the embodiment. In this case, the panel switch 12 can be omitted. Furthermore, the configuration in which portable storage battery 2 is charged with both the power from target branch switch 81 and the power from solar power generation panel 3 can also be achieved by a configuration in which the output of solar power generation panel 3 is converted to AC by inverter 31. For example, a configuration in which a circuit that superimposes the two AC powers is provided inside switch box 1 can be adopted.

[0038] The power outage countermeasure kits with the above configurations can be used not only in ordinary homes but also in offices and government offices. For example, government offices, which act as a command center for responding to disasters, need to ensure the minimum necessary power supply (such as a power supply for contacting relevant parties) even in the event of a power outage. Each power outage countermeasure kit can be used for this purpose. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 1 switch box 100 Main line terminal 101 Load terminal 102 Panel terminal 103 Battery input terminal 104 Battery output terminal 11. Withdrawal switch 12 Panel switch 13 Interlocking switch 14 Switch 141 First selection terminal 142 Second selection terminal 143 Common terminal 2 Portable storage batteries 3. Solar panels 31 Inverter 41 First main wiring 411 Main line inside the box 412 First Bypass Line 42 Second main wiring 43 Second Bypass Line 44 Branch wiring for power storage 8 Distribution board 81 Target branch switch 9 Specific load

Claims

[Claim 1] A portable battery switch box used when attaching a portable battery to a target branch switch, which is a branch switch in a distribution board installed in a building and is installed to supply power to a specific load, It has a built-in switch a main line terminal connected to the target branch switch, a load terminal connected to the specific load, a battery input terminal connected to the input terminal of the portable battery, and a battery output terminal connected to the output terminal of the portable battery, the switch has a first selection terminal connected to the main line terminal by the main line inside the box, a second selection terminal connected to the storage battery output terminal, and a common terminal connected to the load terminal; A branch wiring for power storage is provided, which branches off and extends from the main line inside the box, and the branch wiring for power storage is connected to a terminal for inputting a storage battery; A portable battery switch box characterized in that the switch switches between a first state in which a first selection terminal is short-circuited to a common terminal and a second selection terminal is disconnected from the common terminal, and a second state in which the first selection terminal is disconnected from the common terminal and a second selection terminal is short-circuited to the common terminal.

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