Battery exchange station and method of operation

Abstract

A battery exchange station according to one embodiment disclosed in this document includes N slots into which a battery pack can be inserted, an electrode plate electrically connected to the battery packs inserted into M slots (less than N), and a power supply that charges the battery packs provided in the M slots via the electrode plate, wherein when viewed in a first direction, the center points of the N slots are equally spaced from a first point, the electrode plate is rotatable around an axis in the first direction, and the electrode plate may be electrically connected to the battery packs inserted into the M slots out of the N slots by the rotation.

Description

[Technical Field] 【0001】 The embodiments disclosed in this document claim the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0132753, filed on October 14, 2022, and all contents disclosed in the documents of this Korean patent application are incorporated herein by reference. 【0002】 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The embodiments disclosed herein relate to a battery exchange station and a method of operation thereof. [Background technology] 【0003】 Recently, battery exchange stations that allow discharged batteries to be exchanged for charged batteries have been developed and popularized. The battery exchange station may include a slot into which a battery can be inserted and a power supply that can charge the battery inserted in the slot. 【0004】 Since a battery exchange station is intended for users to exchange (or swap) batteries, one or more slots will be empty. However, a power supply will be connected to the empty slot so that users can insert a battery at any time. Therefore, a battery exchange station must be designed with a power capacity that corresponds to the total number of slots, regardless of the empty slots. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention] 【0005】 Thus, battery exchange stations may be designed with more power capacity than necessary, increasing production and maintenance costs. 【0006】 Therefore, there is a need for a method to provide optimal power capacity for battery exchange stations. 【0007】 The technical problems of the embodiments disclosed in this document are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Means for solving the problem] 【0008】 A battery exchange station according to one embodiment disclosed in this document includes N slots into which a battery pack can be inserted, an electrode plate electrically connected to the battery packs inserted into M slots (less than N), and a power supply that charges the battery packs provided in the M slots via the electrode plate, wherein when viewed in a first direction, the center points of the N slots are equally spaced from a first point, the electrode plate is rotatable around an axis in the first direction, and the electrode plate may be electrically connected to the battery packs inserted into the M slots out of the N slots by the rotation. 【0009】 In the battery exchange station according to one embodiment, when viewed in the first direction, angles between adjacent slots among the N slots may be the same with respect to the first point. 【0010】 In one embodiment of a battery exchange station, N is 4, M is 3, and the electrode plates may be arranged to contact the slots on their rear faces, which are opposite the front faces of the slots into which the battery packs are inserted. 【0011】 In one embodiment of a battery exchange station, the electrode plate rotates based on one rotation direction selected from a first rotation direction and a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction based on a previous empty slot and a current empty slot, and the current empty slot may be MN slots that are not electrically connected between the battery pack and the power supply via the electrode plate. 【0012】 In one embodiment of the battery exchange station, if the first index of the current empty slot is smaller than the second index of the previous empty slot, the electrode plate may rotate based on the first rotation direction, and if the first index is not smaller than the second index, the electrode plate may rotate based on the second rotation direction. 【0013】 In one embodiment, the first rotation direction may be clockwise and the second rotation direction may be counterclockwise. 【0014】 In one embodiment of the battery exchange station, the electrode plates may rotate when an exchange of the battery pack occurs. 【0015】 A method of operating a battery exchange station according to one embodiment disclosed herein may include an operation of identifying replacement of a battery pack in N slots into which a battery pack can be inserted, an operation of identifying an index of a currently empty slot among the N slots, an operation of identifying one of a first rotation direction of an electrode plate and a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction based on the index of the currently empty slot, and an operation of rotating the electrode plate based on the identified rotation direction to charge battery packs inserted in M ​​slots among the N slots excluding the currently empty slot. 【0016】 In one embodiment, in a method for operating a battery exchange station, the act of identifying one rotation direction may include an act of selecting the first rotation direction if a first index of the current empty slot is less than a second index of the previous empty slot, and an act of selecting the second rotation direction if the first index is not less than the second index. 【0017】 In one embodiment, the first rotation direction may be a counterclockwise direction and the second rotation direction may be a clockwise direction. [Effects of the Invention] 【0018】 A battery exchange station according to various embodiments disclosed herein can be designed to have a power capacity that is reduced by the power capacity corresponding to the empty slots. 【0019】 The effects of the battery exchange station disclosed in this document are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the disclosure of this document. [Brief explanation of the drawings] 【0020】 [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a battery exchange station according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1 illustrates a power supply, electrode plates, and slots of a battery exchange station according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] 10A-10C illustrate the response of an electrode plate to rotation according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating a battery exchange station according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 【0021】 In connection with the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used to refer to the same or similar components. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 【0022】 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments, but includes various modifications, equivalents, and / or alternatives of the embodiments of the present invention. 【0023】 The embodiments and terms used in this document should not be understood to limit the technical features described in this document to a specific embodiment, but should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or alternatives to the embodiment. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar or related components may be designated by similar reference numerals. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the item, unless a clearly different meaning is indicated in the relevant context. 【0024】 In this document, each of the phrases such as "A or B," "at least one of A and B," "at least one of A or B," "A, B or C," "at least one of A, B and C," "at least one of A, B or C," etc., can include any one of the items listed together in the phrase, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," "first," "second," "A," "B," "(a)," "(b)," etc., can be used simply to distinguish a component from other components, and do not limit the component in other respects (e.g., importance or procedure) unless specifically stated to the contrary. 【0025】 In this document, when a (e.g., first) component is referred to as being "coupled," "coupled," or "connected" to another (e.g., second) component, with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicatively," or when a reference is made to being "coupled" or "connected," it means that the component can be coupled to the other component directly (e.g., by wire or wirelessly) or indirectly (e.g., via a third component). 【0026】 Methods according to various embodiments disclosed herein may be provided in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a commodity between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)) or may be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) via an application store or directly between two user devices. In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be at least temporarily stored or ad-hoc generated in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store server, or an intermediary server. 【0027】 According to the embodiments disclosed herein, each of the above components (e.g., modules or programs) may include one or more individuals, and some of the individuals may be located separately in other components. According to the embodiments disclosed herein, one or more of the aforementioned components or operations may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, multiple components (e.g., modules or programs) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the multiple components that are the same as or similar to those performed by the respective components of the multiple components before the integration. According to the embodiments disclosed herein, operations performed by modules, programs, or other components may be performed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, and one or more of the operations may be performed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added. 【0028】 Figure 1 is a block diagram of a battery exchange station 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 illustrates power supplies 121, 122, 123, electrode plate 111, and slots 131, 132, 133, 134 of the battery exchange station 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 illustrates the electrode plate 111 in response to rotation according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 【0029】 1 , the battery exchange station 100 may include a connection device 110, power supplies 121, 122, and 123, slots 131, 132, 133, and 134, and a controller 140. In one embodiment, the connection device 110 may include an electrode plate 111 and a motor 115. 【0030】 1 shows three power supplies 121, 122, 123 and four slots 131, 132, 133, 134, but this is for illustrative purposes only. In some embodiments, battery exchange station 100 may include N slots and M less than N power supplies, where N M may be 1. 【0031】 A battery pack can be inserted into each of the slots 131, 132, 133, and 134. The battery pack may be inserted into the front of each of the slots 131, 132, 133, and 134, and the rear of each of the slots may be in contact with the electrode plate 111 of the connection device 110. 【0032】 2, the slots 131, 132, 133, and 134 may have a rectangular parallelepiped structure. In other embodiments, the slots 131, 132, 133, and 134 may have a structure other than a rectangular parallelepiped (e.g., a structure in which the front and back surfaces are polygonal and the sides are rectangular, or a cylindrical structure). 【0033】 When a battery pack is inserted into the slot 131, 132, 133, or 134, the battery pack can be charged by the power supplies 121, 122, or 123. The power supplies 121, 122, or 123 can charge the battery pack inserted into the slot 131, 132, 133, or 134 that are connected via the electrode plate 111 of the connection device 110. 【0034】 The number of power supplies 121, 122, and 123 may be less than the number of slots 131, 132, 133, and 134. In this way, the electrode plate 111 can electrically connect battery packs inserted into slots that are less than the number of slots 131, 132, 133, and 134 to the power supplies 121, 122, and 123. 【0035】 The total number of battery packs inserted into slots 131, 132, 133, and 134 may be the same as the number of power supplies 121, 122, and 123. For example, if the number of slots 131, 132, 133, and 134 is N and the number of power supplies 121, 122, and 123 is M, the total number of battery packs inserted into the N slots 131, 132, 133, and 134 may be M, where N M may be 1. In some embodiments, N may be 4 and M may be 3. 【0036】 2, the electrode plate 111 can prevent at least one of the slots 131, 132, 133, and 134 from being electrically connected to the power supplies 121, 122, and 123. The electrode plate 111 may be disposed so as to contact the slots 131, 132, 133, and 134 on a rear surface that is opposite the front surface of each of the slots 131, 132, 133, and 134. 【0037】 In one embodiment, when viewed in the first direction (-x direction), the center points of the slots 131, 132, 133, and 134 may be equally spaced apart from the first point 112. For example, the distance between the center point of the slot 131 and the first point 112 may be the same as the distance between the center point of the slot 132 and the first point 112. 【0038】 In one embodiment, when viewed in the first direction (-x direction), the angles between adjacent slots among slots 131, 132, 133, and 134 may be the same with respect to first point 112. For example, the angle formed by slot 131, first point 112, and slot 132 may be the same as the angle formed by slot 134, first point 112, and slot 133. 【0039】 2, it can be seen that slots 131, 133, and 134 are electrically connected to power supplies 121, 122, and 123 via electrode plate 111, and slot 132 is not electrically connected to power supplies 121, 122, and 123. Hereinafter, slots electrically connected to power supplies 121, 122, and 123 will be referred to as "connected slots," and slots not electrically connected to power supplies 121, 122, and 123 will be referred to as "unconnected slots." 【0040】 In one embodiment, the connecting slots and the non-connecting slots can be changed by rotating the electrode plate 111. In one embodiment, the battery packs inserted into the connecting slots can be electrically connected to the power supplies 121, 122, and 123 by rotating the electrode plate 111. 【0041】 In one embodiment, the motor 115 can rotate the electrode plate 111 around an axis in the first direction (-x direction). In one embodiment, the motor 115 can rotate the electrode plate 111 in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction around a first point 112 of the electrode plate 111. 【0042】 The controller 140 can control the motor 115 to rotate the electrode plate 111 in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. 【0043】 The controller 140 can identify the replacement of the battery packs. For example, the controller 140 can identify the replacement of the battery packs based on signals from sensors (not shown) in each of the slots 131, 132, 133, and 134. Here, the sensors (not shown) can detect the removal and / or insertion of the battery packs. 【0044】 In one embodiment, the controller 140 can identify a battery pack change when a new battery pack is inserted into an empty slot and a battery pack is removed from a charging slot, where an empty slot refers to a slot without a battery pack inserted, and a charging slot refers to a slot with a battery pack inserted. 【0045】 In one embodiment, the controller 140 can identify the index of the currently empty slot among the slots 131, 132, 133, and 134. Here, each of the slots 131, 132, 133, and 134 may be assigned an index. For example, the slots 131, 132, 133, and 134 may be sequentially assigned indexes of 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. 【0046】 In one embodiment, the controller 140 can identify one of a first rotation direction (e.g., counterclockwise) and a second rotation direction (e.g., clockwise) that is opposite to the first rotation direction of the electrode plate 111 based on the index of the current empty slot. 【0047】 In one embodiment, the controller 140 may select the first rotation direction if the index of the current empty slot is less than the index of the previous empty slot. In one embodiment, the controller 140 may select the second rotation direction if the index of the current empty slot is not less than the index of the previous empty slot. 【0048】 For example, the controller 140 can identify one of the first rotation direction (e.g., counterclockwise) of the electrode plate 111 and the second rotation direction (e.g., clockwise) which is opposite to the first rotation direction, as shown in Table 1 below. 【0049】 [Table 1] 【0050】 Referring to Table 1, if the index of the previous empty slot is 2 to 4 and the index of the current empty slot is 1, the rotation direction of the electrode plate 111 may be counterclockwise. If the index of the previous empty slot is 3 or 4 and the index of the current empty slot is 2, the rotation direction of the electrode plate 111 may be counterclockwise. If the index of the previous empty slot is 4 and the index of the current empty slot is 3, the rotation direction of the electrode plate 111 may be counterclockwise. If the index of the previous empty slot is 1 and the index of the current empty slot is 2, the rotation direction of the electrode plate 111 may be clockwise. If the index of the previous empty slot is 1 or 2 and the index of the current empty slot is 3, the rotation direction of the electrode plate 111 may be clockwise. If the index of the previous empty slot is 1 to 3 and the index of the current empty slot is 4, the rotation direction of the electrode plate 111 may be clockwise. 【0051】 3, in state 310 where slot 131 is an empty slot, if a new battery pack is inserted into slot 131 and the battery pack inserted in slot 132 is removed, the currently empty slot can be changed to slot 132. In this case, electrode plate 111 can rotate clockwise to transition from state 310 to state 320. By transitioning from state 310 to state 320, the unconnected slot can be changed from slot 131 to slot 132. Furthermore, by changing slot 131 from an unconnected slot to a connected slot, one of power supplies 121, 122, and 123 that is connected to slot 131 can charge the battery pack inserted in slot 131. 【0052】 In state 320, when slot 132 is an empty slot, if a new battery pack is inserted into slot 132 and the battery pack inserted in slot 131 is removed, the currently empty slot can be changed to slot 131. In this case, electrode plate 111 can rotate counterclockwise to transition from state 320 to state 310. By transitioning from state 320 to state 310, the unconnected slot can be changed from slot 132 to slot 131. Furthermore, by changing slot 132 from an unconnected slot to a connected slot, one of power supplies 121, 122, and 123 that is connected to slot 132 can charge the battery pack inserted in slot 132. 【0053】 Similarly, when the empty slot is changed from slot 132 to slot 133, electrode plate 111 can rotate clockwise. When the empty slot is changed from slot 133 to slot 132, electrode plate 111 can rotate counterclockwise. Any of power supplies 121, 122, and 123 can charge a battery pack inserted in a slot that has been changed from an unconnected slot to a connected slot. 【0054】 Furthermore, when the empty slot is changed from slot 133 to slot 134, electrode plate 111 can rotate clockwise. When the empty slot is changed from slot 134 to slot 133, electrode plate 111 can rotate counterclockwise. Any of power supplies 121, 122, and 123 can charge a battery pack inserted in a slot that has been changed from a non-connected slot to a connected slot. 【0055】 Finally, when the empty slot is changed from slot 131 to slot 134, electrode plate 111 can rotate clockwise. However, in this case, the unconnected slots can be changed sequentially from slot 131 to slot 132, slot 133, and slot 134. Also, when the empty slot is changed from slot 134 to slot 131, electrode plate 111 can rotate counterclockwise. However, in this case, the unconnected slots can be changed sequentially from slot 134 to slot 133, slot 132, and slot 131. 【0056】 1 to 3 can be designed to have a power capacity that is reduced by the power capacity corresponding to the empty slots. Also, the battery exchange station 100 can be designed so that the wires do not twist beyond a specified degree even when the electrode plate 111 rotates. 【0057】 FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method of operation of the battery exchange station 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 【0058】 4, in operation 410, the battery exchange station 100 can identify a battery exchange. For example, the battery exchange station 100 can identify a battery pack exchange based on signals from sensors (not shown) in each of the slots 131, 132, 133, and 134. Here, the sensors (not shown) can detect the removal and / or insertion of a battery pack. 【0059】 In one embodiment, the battery exchange station 100 can identify a battery pack exchange when a new battery pack is inserted into an empty slot and a battery pack is removed from a charging slot, where an empty slot refers to a slot without a battery pack inserted, and a charging slot refers to a slot with a battery pack inserted. 【0060】 In operation 420, the battery exchange station 100 can identify a rotation direction based on the current empty slot. In one embodiment, the controller 140 can select a first rotation direction (e.g., counterclockwise) if the index of the current empty slot is less than the index of the previous empty slot. In one embodiment, the controller 140 can select a second rotation direction (e.g., clockwise) if the index of the current empty slot is not less than the index of the previous empty slot. Here, slots 131, 132, 133, and 134 can be sequentially assigned indexes of 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. 【0061】 In operation 430, the battery exchange station 100 can rotate the electrode plate 111 in the identified rotational direction. The battery exchange station 100 can rotate the electrode plate 111 so that the currently empty slot becomes an unconnected slot.

Claims

[Claim 1] N slots into which a battery pack can be inserted; an electrode plate electrically connected to a battery pack inserted into each of the M slots, the M slots being less than N; a power supply that charges the battery packs provided in the M slots via the electrode plates, When viewed in a first direction, the center points of the N slots are equally spaced apart from a first point; the electrode plate is rotatable about an axis in the first direction, The electrode plate is electrically connected to the battery packs inserted into the M slots out of the N slots by the rotation. [Claim 2] The battery exchange station according to claim 1 , wherein, when viewed in the first direction, angles between adjacent slots among the N slots are the same with respect to the first point. [Claim 3] N is 4, M is 3, 2. The battery exchange station according to claim 1, wherein the electrode plates are arranged to contact the slots on a rear surface opposite to a front surface of each of the slots into which the battery packs are inserted. [Claim 4] the electrode plate rotates in one rotation direction selected from a first rotation direction and a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction, based on the previous empty slot and the current empty slot; 2. The battery exchange station of claim 1, wherein the currently empty slots are M-N slots that are not electrically connected between the battery pack and the power supply via the electrode plate. [Claim 5] If the first index of the current empty slot is smaller than the second index of the previous empty slot, the electrode plate rotates based on the first rotation direction; The battery exchange station of claim 4 , wherein the electrode plate rotates based on the second rotation direction when the first index is not less than the second index. [Claim 6] the first rotation direction is clockwise; The battery exchange station of claim 4 , wherein the second rotational direction is counterclockwise. [Claim 7] The battery exchange station of claim 1 , wherein the electrode plate rotates when an exchange of the battery pack occurs. [Claim 8] An operation of identifying replacement of the battery packs in N slots each capable of receiving a battery pack; identifying an index of a currently empty slot among the N slots; identifying one of a first rotation direction of an electrode plate and a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction based on the index of the currently empty slot; and rotating the electrode plate based on the identified rotation direction to charge battery packs inserted in M ​​slots excluding the currently empty slot among the N slots. [Claim 9] The operation of identifying one rotation direction includes: selecting the first rotation direction if the first index of the current empty slot is less than the second index of the previous empty slot; and selecting the second direction of rotation if the first index is not less than the second index. [Claim 10] the first rotation direction is a counterclockwise direction, 9. The method of operating a battery exchange station of claim 8, wherein the second rotational direction is clockwise.

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