Charging and discharging device for secondary batteries

Abstract

The present invention provides a charging / discharging device for secondary batteries with improved internal airflow. The charging / discharging device includes a mechanism for contacting pins for charging / discharging with battery cells, a power supply unit that is installed adjacent to the mechanism and supplies power and controls charging / discharging, and an airflow circulation unit that circulates air continuously from the power supply unit to the mechanism unit.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a charge / discharge device for a secondary battery, and more particularly to a charge / discharge device that is improved so as to efficiently cool the inside of the charge / discharge device.

[0002] This application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0137096, filed on October 13, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety in the specification and drawings thereof. [Background technology]

[0003] Secondary batteries, which have high applicability across a range of products and electrical properties such as high energy density, are widely used not only in portable devices but also in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) powered by electrical sources. These secondary batteries not only have the temporary advantage of dramatically reducing the use of fossil fuels, but also have the advantage of producing no by-products associated with energy use, making them widely used as a new energy source that is friendly to the earth and the environment and improves energy efficiency.

[0004] A typical example of a secondary battery is a lithium-ion battery, and the operating voltage of such a unit secondary battery cell, i.e., a unit battery cell, is approximately 2.5V to 4.5V. Therefore, if a higher output voltage is required, a battery pack may be configured by connecting multiple battery cells in series. Furthermore, depending on the charge / discharge capacity required for the battery pack, a battery pack may be configured by connecting multiple battery cells in parallel. Therefore, the number of battery cells included in the battery pack may be variously set depending on the required output voltage or charge / discharge capacity.

[0005] Secondary batteries are manufactured through an assembly process and an activation process. Because secondary batteries are assembled in a discharged state, they can only function as batteries after they are assembled and then activated by charging. Therefore, after the secondary battery assembly process, a formation process is performed to charge and discharge the assembled secondary battery to provide it with excellent charge and discharge characteristics, and an evaluation process with a capacity test is performed to check whether the charge and discharge capacity is sufficient. In this case, the activation process is usually performed by applying a required current to the battery cell to be charged or discharged using a charge / discharge device having positive and negative contact pins.

[0006] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a conventional charging / discharging device.

[0007] As shown in Fig. 1, a conventional charging / discharging device 1 includes a mechanism unit 2 and a power supply unit 3. The mechanism unit 2 is for contacting pins with battery cells, and the power supply unit 3 is for controlling power and charging / discharging. Conventionally, the mechanism unit 2 has been placed in a chemical conversion room 4, and the power supply unit 3 has been placed in a control room 5, so that they are physically separated from each other in different spaces.

[0008] The heat generated during charging and discharging operations comes from the heat generated by the battery cells in the mechanism unit 2 and from heat generated by charging and discharging in the power supply unit 3. When the battery cells are charged and discharged, heat is generated in the battery cells. This also causes heat to be generated in the power supply unit 3, which supplies power and controls charging and discharging.

[0009] The mechanism unit 2 in the conventional charging / discharging device 1 does not have a separate cooling device. The power supply unit 3 includes a fan to exhaust the hot air inside the power supply unit 3 to the outside (the air exhaust direction is shown by arrow A). The hot air exhausted to the outside is sent to the factory's air conditioning system to be exhausted outside the factory, or is used to maintain a constant temperature inside the factory.

[0010] However, depending on the layout of the factory's air conditioning system and the charging / discharging device 1, it is possible that the air circulation in the factory will not be smooth, resulting in certain locations in the factory having a higher temperature than other locations. Furthermore, because the conventional charging / discharging device 1 does not actively manage the airflow within the device, there is a risk that the degree of cooling will differ depending on the location of the battery cells in the mechanism unit 2, resulting in temperature variations, which in turn leads to variations in the capacity and voltage drop of the battery cells.

[0011] On the other hand, the layout of a conventional charging / discharging device 1 is a vertical stack of two mechanical boxes 2. Battery cells are placed in one tray per box, and charging / discharging is carried out by bringing the battery cells into contact with the pins. As such, conventional equipment layouts are restrictive in that the number of boxes that can be installed is determined by the design height of one box, and the height at which the equipment can be installed in a factory. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a charge / discharge device for a secondary battery with improved internal airflow.

[0013] Another problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a charge / discharge device for a secondary battery with an improved layout. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] In order to solve the above problems, the charging / discharging device of the present invention includes a mechanism for contacting pins for charging / discharging with a battery cell, a power supply unit provided adjacent to the mechanism for supplying power and controlling charging / discharging, and an airflow circulation unit for circulating air continuously to the mechanism via the power supply unit.

[0015] Preferably, the air in the air circulation section can be circulated by being connected to an air conditioning system in a factory.

[0016] In the charging / discharging device according to the present invention, the mechanism section may include a pin box section that houses the pin, and the pin box section may be provided with an air circulation passage in the direction in which the air flows.

[0017] The mechanism unit includes a pin box unit that houses the pins, and the pin box unit may include a voltage conversion / charge / discharge control board, an interface board, a riser board, and the pins directly connected by a connector.

[0018] Preferably, the pin box unit has an air circulation passage provided in a direction in which the air flows between the voltage conversion / charge / discharge control board, the interface board, and the riser board.

[0019] A tray on which battery cells are placed is mounted on the mechanism portion, and the tray may have an open side facing the air flow direction.

[0020] In order to achieve the above object, two or more trays can be stacked vertically on the mechanism unit.

[0021] The mechanism may include an upper pin box section and a lower pin box section that accommodate the pins, an upper support section that supports the upper pin box section, a lower support section that supports the lower pin box section and on which an upper tray is placed, and a receiving section on which the lower tray is placed.

[0022] In this case, the mechanism unit further includes an upper stage lifting unit extending upward from the lower stage support unit, and a lower stage lifting unit extending upward from the receiving unit, and the upper stage support unit is placed above the upper stage lifting unit, and the lower stage support unit can be placed above the lower stage lifting unit.

[0023] In one embodiment, a supply and return of a factory air conditioning system are provided above the mechanism unit and power supply unit, and the air flow circulation unit includes a pair of ducts, with an intake port provided on the upper side of one duct for allowing air supplied from the supply of the factory air conditioning system to flow in, and an exhaust port provided on the upper side of the other duct for discharging the air to the return of the factory air conditioning system.

[0024] In this case, it is preferable that the power supply unit is located in the duct on one side.

[0025] The air flowing in through the intake port can be diffused in the mechanism section and then discharged to the exhaust port side.

[0026] The charging / discharging device of the present invention may further include an inlet fan that blows the air that flows in from the intake port toward the mechanism unit, and an outlet fan that blows the air that has been diffused in the mechanism unit toward the exhaust port.

[0027] A tray is loaded on the mechanism section, and the tray is provided with an air vent so that air flowing in from the intake port can be discharged to the exhaust port side through the air vent.

[0028] The mechanism section can be stacked in multiple stages in the vertical direction.

[0029] The cooling system may further include a heat exchanger disposed in the other duct.

[0030] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the device may further include an upper stopper disposed on the lower support portion and a lower stopper disposed on the receiving portion.

[0031] The support member may further include an upper stopper disposed on the lower support portion and a lower stopper disposed on the receiving portion.

[0032] Then, when the upper pin box portion, the upper support portion, the upper tray, and the lower support portion descend and abut against the lower stopper, the pins of the lower pin box portion can be brought into contact with the battery cells in the lower tray.

[0033] In addition, guide pins may be provided at the lower ends of the upper pin box portion and the lower pin box portion, respectively, and grooves that fit snugly into the guide pins may be provided in the upper tray and the lower tray, respectively. [Effects of the Invention]

[0034] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the airflow and layout inside the charge / discharge device.

[0035] According to one configuration of the present invention, there is an advantage that the temperature inside the factory can be smoothly maintained by arranging a duct at a point where it is connected to the supply / return of the factory air conditioning system.

[0036] According to the present invention, air can be circulated through a duct directly connected to the factory's air conditioning system, and in particular, air is circulated using all of the downward airflow, upward airflow, and horizontal airflow, thereby making it possible to cool the power supply unit and mechanism unit even more efficiently.

[0037] Thus, according to the present invention, the inside of the charge / discharge device is cooled by air, and an improved charge / discharge device is provided that can be cooled more efficiently.

[0038] According to the present invention, air can be circulated efficiently so as to reduce temperature variations between battery cells while the battery cells are being charged and discharged.

[0039] According to the present invention, the air discharged from the mechanism through the air circulation unit can be reused by exchanging heat in the heat exchanger. For example, hot water can be produced through the heat exchanger and used in required locations in the factory.

[0040] According to another configuration of the present invention, the number of charge / discharge devices that can be installed within a given height is increased.

[0041] According to yet another configuration of the present invention, when the layout is improved and two or more trays are stacked vertically within the mechanism section, it becomes easier to adjust the distance between the pin box section and the tray, and there is also the advantage that it becomes easier to align the trays.

[0042] The drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further understand the technical concepts of the present invention as well as the content of the invention, and therefore the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to only the matters depicted in the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0043] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a conventional charging / discharging device. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating a charge / discharge device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a front view of a charge / discharge device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 4 is a front view of a pin box portion that can be included in the charge / discharge device in FIG. 3. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a side view of the pin box portion shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is a top view of the pin box portion shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a front view of a charge / discharge device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a front view of a charging / discharging device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a charge / discharge device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a charge / discharge device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a charge / discharge device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a charge / discharge device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0044] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to this, the terms and words used in the specification and claims are not to be construed as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but are to be construed as having meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical ideas of the present invention in accordance with the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concepts of terms himself in order to best describe the invention.

[0045] Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical idea of ​​the present invention, and that there may be various equivalent and modified embodiments that can be substituted for them at the time of this application.

[0046] In the drawings, the size of each component or specific parts constituting the component may be slightly exaggerated, omitted, or illustrated schematically for ease of explanation and clarity. Therefore, the size of each component does not entirely reflect the actual size. Detailed descriptions of known technologies or configurations related to the present invention will be omitted if it is deemed that such descriptions may obscure the gist of this disclosure. Furthermore, since the same reference numerals indicate the same components, overlapping or repeated descriptions across various embodiments will be omitted.

[0047] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the charge / discharge device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 2, the charge / discharge device 10 includes a mechanism unit 100, a power supply unit 200, and an airflow circulation unit 300.

[0049] The mechanism unit 100 is a component for contacting pins for charging and discharging the battery cells. The power supply unit 200 is a component provided adjacent to the mechanism unit 100, supplies power, and controls charging and discharging.

[0050] Unlike conventional devices, the mechanism 100 and the power supply 200 of the charging / discharging device 10 are not physically separated into separate spaces, but are integrated into one. The mechanism 100 and the power supply 200 of the charging / discharging device 10 are integrated into one unit in order to minimize the number of connection points. Only by minimizing the number of connection points can air circulation be promoted more effectively.

[0051] The air circulation unit 300 circulates air continuously 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 an air conditioning unit 400 in the factory for circulation.

[0052] The pair of ducts 310, 320 may be arranged, for example, in series in the Y-axis direction and spaced apart from each other in the X-axis direction. The space between the pair of ducts 310, 320 may be formed by a housing. Such a housing may be box-shaped with an internal space capable of accommodating the mechanism unit 100. Although the present invention is not limited to such a housing, the housing may include a ceiling portion (upper end in the Y-axis direction), a bottom portion (lower end in the Y-axis direction), side portions (left and right in the X-axis direction), and front and rear portions (front and rear in the Z-axis direction), and the side portions may have an open structure connected to the ducts 310, 320. Openings may also be formed in the front and rear portions. Trays carrying battery cells can be loaded into and unloaded from the housing through such openings. An openable door may be provided in the opening.

[0053] In the figure, the airflow directions are indicated by arrows B, C, and D. The factory air conditioning unit 400 may be located in the ceiling of the housing. Air flows from the factory air conditioning unit 400 into one side of the airflow circulation unit 300 (airflow in direction B, downward airflow due to the -Y-axis direction). At this time, the power supply unit 200 is disposed within the airflow circulation unit 300, and the air flows through the power supply unit 200 into the mechanical unit 100 (airflow in direction C, horizontal airflow due to the -X-axis direction). The air that has cooled the power supply unit 200 is then supplied to the mechanical unit 100 and cools the battery cells therein. The air inside the mechanical unit 100 is then discharged to the factory air conditioning unit 400 via the other side of the airflow circulation unit 300 (airflow in direction D, upward airflow due to the Y-axis direction). By configuring the airflow circulation section 300 in this manner, the inside of the charge / discharge device 10 is cooled by air, and it becomes possible to cool the inside of the charge / discharge device 10 more efficiently.

[0054] As shown in the figure, the airflow configuration of the airflow circulation section 300 includes B, which is a downward airflow, C, which is a horizontal airflow, and D, which is an upward airflow, and by connecting the air within the airflow circulation section 300 to the factory's air conditioning system 400, it becomes possible for the air to be continuously circulated using movements such as downward, horizontal movement, upward, horizontal movement, and downward (it is noted here that the example shown in the figure shows that the airflow circulates in a clockwise direction).

[0055] The air discharged from the mechanism unit 100 through the air circulation unit 300 can be collected by the factory's air conditioning unit 400 and discharged outside the factory, or can be used to maintain the temperature inside the factory at a constant level through heat exchange. For example, when the outside temperature is lower than the inside temperature, the hot air discharged from the mechanism unit 100 is reused in the factory's air conditioning unit 400. When the outside temperature is higher than the inside temperature, the hot air discharged from the mechanism unit 100 is discharged outside the factory.

[0056] As described above, the charging / discharging device 10 is characterized in that it connects the factory air conditioning device 400 and the airflow circulation unit 300 to eliminate heat generation from the charging / discharging device 10. In particular, by directly connecting the factory air conditioning device 400 and the ducts 310 and 320, the airflow inside the charging / discharging device 10 can be improved.

[0057] Furthermore, the present invention has the advantage of being able to smoothly maintain the temperature inside the factory. Conventionally, the supply / return of the factory's air conditioning system and the installation of the equipment have prevented smooth air circulation within the factory, which could result in certain locations having a higher temperature than other locations. However, the present invention ensures smooth air circulation regardless of the supply / return of the factory's air conditioning system 400 and the installation of the equipment, eliminating the concern that certain locations within the factory may have a higher temperature than other locations.

[0058] FIG. 3 is a front view of a charge / discharge device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] 3, the charging / discharging device 20 is similar to the charging / discharging device 10 described above in that it includes a mechanism unit 100, a power supply unit 200, and an airflow circulation unit 300. The following description will focus on the differences from the charging / discharging device 10, and will not be repeated.

[0060] The power supply unit 200 is used to charge or discharge the battery cells and can be configured in a variety of ways. The power supply unit 200 can be configured to be electrically connected to an external power supply (not shown). The power supply unit 200 serves to transmit power supplied from the external power supply to the pins. The power supply unit 200 can be configured to include a power supply case, electronic circuits, a control unit board, a drive output board, a system auxiliary power supply, an inverter power supply with a function for controlling and converting the flow in both directions between AC and DC, and the like.

[0061] The mechanism section 100 includes a pin box section 110 that houses pins. The pin box section 110 is provided below the support section SM and can be configured in a variety of ways.

[0062] Fig. 4 is a front view of a pin box unit that can be included in the charge / discharge device in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a side view of the pin box unit shown in Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a top view of the pin box unit shown in Fig. 4.

[0063] 4 to 6, the pin box unit 110 includes pins 112 that come into contact with the battery cells. The pin box unit 110 is provided in the form of a rectangular cover that generally corresponds to the shape of the tray 120, and a board 114 can be attached inside the pin box unit 110.

[0064] The pins 112 electrically contact the electrode terminals of the battery cell to apply a current to the battery cell, thereby allowing the battery cell to store electrical energy. The battery cell may be a secondary battery with a wide variety of structures. For example, the battery cell may be a cylindrical secondary battery.

[0065] The pins 112 may be multiple, and one or more pins may contact each battery cell. For example, three pins may contact one battery cell to apply current to the battery cell.

[0066] The pins 112 of the pin box unit 110 are connected to the power supply unit 200 and come into contact with the battery cells. To connect the pins 112 to the power supply unit 200, the pin box unit 110 may include a board 114. The pins 112 may be arranged and mounted on the board 114 to correspond to the battery cells. The pin box unit 110 controls the charging and discharging of each battery cell, and a DC / DC voltage conversion circuit and a charging and discharging control circuit are mounted on the board 114. The number of battery cells that can be controlled per board 114 is adjustable.

[0067] For example, the board 114 may include a voltage conversion / charge / discharge control board 114a, an interface board 114b, and a riser board 114c. The voltage conversion / charge / discharge control board 114a, the interface board 114b, the riser board 114c, and the pins 112 may be directly connected by a connector. Using a direct connection method reduces the number of electrical wires.

[0068] An air circulation passage 116 may be provided in the pin box section 110 in the direction of air flow. The air circulation passage 116 may be defined as a rectangular bar-shaped flow path having a length corresponding to the length or width of the pin box section 110.

[0069] In particular, an air circulation path 116 may be provided between the voltage conversion / charge / discharge control board 114a, the interface board 114b, and the riser board 114c. The air circulation path 116 is a plurality of empty spaces formed to correspond to the length or width of the pin box unit 110, and has the outstanding effect of forming a flow path for air to flow, thereby increasing the amount of cooling air flowing into the pin box unit 110 and transferring heat generated during charging and discharging of the battery cells to the air. In particular, elements that generate a large amount of heat may be arranged on the side of the air circulation path 116 to enable smoother cooling.

[0070] When the air in the airflow circulation section 300 passes through the pin box section 110, it passes through the air circulation passage 116 and the inside of the pin box section 110, forming a horizontal airflow (direction C), which allows the air to flow into the battery cell side at the lower end of the pin box section 110, thereby cooling the heat of the pin box section 110 and the battery cell.

[0071] Returning to FIG. 3, the trays 120 on which the battery cells are placed are carried in and stacked on the mechanism section 100.

[0072] The mechanism unit 100 may include a support member SM for supporting the pin box unit 110. The tray 120 may have an open side in the direction of air flow. The open shape may be in the form of a vent hole penetrating a portion of the outer wall of the tray 120, or the outer wall itself may have a central portion perforated and only a peripheral framework. Air can flow in and out through the open side of the tray 120, smoothly cooling the battery cells that may generate heat during charging and discharging. Thus, according to the present invention, sufficient air can be introduced to cool the battery cells, enabling proper cooling of the battery cells. Furthermore, air can be efficiently circulated to reduce temperature variations between the battery cells during charging and discharging.

[0073] 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 generally rectangular in shape. A plurality of battery cells may be mounted in the tray 120, arranged in rows and columns. The top end of the tray 120 is open, allowing the electrode terminals of the battery cells to be exposed and contacted by the pins 112 of the pin box portion 110.

[0074] Meanwhile, two or more trays 120 can be stacked in the vertical direction (Y-axis direction) on the mechanism unit 100. This allows the pin box unit 110 to be configured in two stages. This corresponds to a component for improving the layout.

[0075] Unlike conventional systems, the height of the equipment can be reduced by combining the mechanical parts of two boxes into one and operating them together. The two boxes that were previously stacked vertically are now combined into one box, allowing two trays of battery cells to be loaded into each box for charging and discharging. This invention increases the number of charging and discharging devices that can be installed within a given height.

[0076] For this purpose, the support portion SM of the mechanism portion 100 of the charging / discharging device 20 may include a lower support portion 140 and an upper support portion 150. The support portion SM may have a variety of shapes, for example, a plate shape.

[0077] The upper pin box section 110a may be supported by an upper support section 150. The lower pin box section 110b may be supported by a lower support section 140. The upper support section 150 may define an upper section of the mechanism of the mechanism section 100.

[0078] The upper support part 150 is a component that is coupled to the upper pin box part 110a to support the upper pin box part 110a. The lower surface of the upper support part 150 may be coupled to the upper pin box part 110a along the circumferential direction of the upper surface of the upper pin box part 110a. For example, the upper support part 150 and the upper pin box part 110a may be coupled by bolting.

[0079] Similarly, the lower support part 140 is a component that is coupled to the lower pin box part 110b and supports the lower pin box part 110b. The lower surface of the lower support part 140 may be coupled to the lower pin box part 110b along the circumferential direction of the upper surface of the lower pin box part 110b, and for example, the lower support part 140 and the lower pin box part 110b may be coupled by bolting.

[0080] The upper tray 120a is placed on the upper surface of the lower support portion 140. The lower support portion 140 may define an upper tray portion.

[0081] To place the lower tray 120b, the mechanism unit 100 may further include a receiving portion 130. The receiving portion 130 may define a lower tray portion and may also define a lower portion of the mechanism of the mechanism unit 100.

[0082] The mechanism unit 100 may further include a lifting unit 160. The mechanism unit 100 may further include the lifting unit 160 to lift and lower the pin box unit 110 relative to the battery cells so that the battery cells can be charged or discharged by the pin box unit 110.

[0083] The upper support unit 150 and the lower support unit 140 may be placed above the lifting unit 160. Specifically, the upper support unit 150 may be placed above the upper lifting unit 160a, and the lower support unit 140 may be placed above the lower lifting unit 160b. The upper support unit 150 and the upper pin box unit 110a coupled thereto may be moved up and down by the upper lifting unit 160a to adjust the distance between them and the upper tray 120a. The upper lifting unit 160a extends upward from the lower support unit 140. Similarly, the lower support unit 140 and the lower pin box unit 110b coupled thereto may be moved up and down by the lower lifting unit 160b to adjust the distance between them and the lower tray 120b. The lower lifting unit 160b extends upward from the receiving unit 130. The lifting unit 160 may be driven by, for example, a cylinder 160c. For example, it may be driven by a pneumatic actuator or a hydraulic actuator. Needless to say, the lifting unit 160 may also be driven by a motor.

[0084] The lower support part 140 and the receiving part 130 have an empty space formed therein, and a driving part (not shown) that controls the moving speed, moving distance, etc. of the upper support part 150 and the lower support part 140 may be accommodated in the empty space. Here, the driving part may include a motor, an encoder, etc.

[0085] The support unit SM can be moved up and down by the elevator unit 160. By moving the support unit SM up and down along with the elevator unit 160, the support unit SM and the pin box unit 110 connected thereto can move toward the tray 120 (downward, in the -Y-axis direction) or in the opposite direction from the tray 120 (upward, in the Y-axis direction).

[0086] Thus, according to the present invention, the layout is improved, which has the advantage that when two or more trays 120 are stacked vertically within the mechanism section 100, it becomes easier to adjust the distance between the pin box section 110 and the tray 120.

[0087] 7, which is a front view of a charging / discharging device according to a third embodiment of the present invention, the mechanism 100 can be stacked in multiple stages in the vertical direction. That is, the charging / discharging device 30 can be configured by stacking two or more stages of the charging / discharging devices 20 described with reference to FIG. 3.

[0088] The air circulation unit 300 will be described in more detail below with reference to FIGS.

[0089] As described above, the air in the air circulation unit 300 is connected to the air conditioning device 400 in the factory and circulated.

[0090] A supply 410a and a return 410b of an air conditioning device 400 for a factory may be provided above the mechanism unit 100 and the power supply unit 200. Ducts 310 and 320 are arranged at the points where the supply 410a and the return 410b of the air conditioning device 400 for the factory are connected.

[0091] An intake port 315 is provided on the upper side of one duct 310 of the pair of ducts 310, 320 included in the airflow circulation section 300 to allow air supplied from the supply 410a of the factory air conditioning unit 400 to flow in, and an exhaust port 325 is provided on the upper side of the other duct 320 to discharge air to the return 410b of the factory air conditioning unit 400.

[0092] The air intake 315 may further be provided with a filter for filtering and diffusing air supplied from the supply 410a of the factory air conditioner 400. The air flowing in from the air intake 315 is circulated downward and diffused in the mechanical unit 100, and then circulated upward and discharged toward the exhaust port 325. The charging / discharging device may further include an inlet fan 340 for blowing the air flowing in from the air intake 315 toward the mechanical unit 100, and an outlet fan 350 for blowing the air diffused in the mechanical unit 100 toward the exhaust port 325. The inlet fan 340 supplies the air supplied from the supply 410a of the factory air conditioner 400 toward the mechanical unit 100. While conventional charging / discharging devices do not have a separate cooling device in the mechanical unit, the present invention uses the inlet fan 340 to more smoothly introduce cooled air from the air intake 315 into the mechanical unit 100. The outlet fan 350 helps to expel the hot air inside the mechanism section 100 to the outside.

[0093] The inlet fan 340 and the outlet fan 350 may have a structure and arrangement that allows them to blow and discharge air evenly or uniformly within the mechanism unit 100. In addition, a control structure that allows each of the inlet fan 340 and the outlet fan 350 to adjust the air volume can be provided to adjust the air flow as needed. To adjust the air flow, for example, a temperature sensor linked to such a control structure can be further included to further adjust the internal airflow, so that a larger volume of air can be sent to areas where the temperature is higher than other areas.

[0094] The power supply unit 200 is located in the duct 310 connected to the supply 410a of the factory air conditioning system 400. At the point connected to the return 410b of the process air conditioning system 400, only the duct 320 is located without the power supply unit 200 to ensure smooth air circulation.

[0095] Preferably, if a vent hole is provided in the tray 120, the air flowing in from the intake port 315 can be discharged to the exhaust port 325 side through the vent hole.

[0096] According to this embodiment, the air discharged from the mechanical unit 100 through the air circulation unit 300 can be collected by the factory air conditioning unit 400 and discharged outside the factory. If the outside temperature is higher than the inside temperature, the hot air discharged from the mechanical unit 100 is discharged outside the factory. According to the present invention, the air is circulated using the downward airflow and the upward airflow through the ducts 310 and 320 directly connected to the factory air conditioning unit 400, so that the power supply unit 200 and the mechanical unit 100 can be cooled more efficiently.

[0097] FIG. 8 is a front view of a charge / discharge device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0098] In the section of charging / discharging device 40 in FIG. 8, the explanation will focus on the points that are different from charging / discharging device 30 described above, and repeated explanations will be omitted.

[0099] The charging / discharging device 40 further includes a heat exchanger 330 disposed in a duct 320 connected to the return 410b of the process air conditioning device 400. The air discharged from the mechanism unit 100 via the air flow circulation unit 300 undergoes heat exchange in the heat exchanger 330 and can be used to maintain the temperature inside the factory at a constant level. For example, when the outside temperature is lower than the inside temperature, the heated air discharged from the mechanism unit 100 is reused in the factory air conditioning device 400. The heat exchanger 330 recovers heat generated during charging / discharging operations to warm the cold water CW to hot water HW. The hot water HW produced in this way can be used wherever necessary in the factory.

[0100] 9 to 12 are diagrams illustrating a charge / discharge device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. For ease of illustration, power supply unit 200 and ducts 310 and 320 are omitted, and the focus is on mechanism unit 100. Figs. 9 and 10 are front and side views showing the state before the support unit of the charge / discharge device abuts against the stopper, and Figs. 11 and 12 are front and side views showing the state after the support unit of the charge / discharge device abuts against the stopper.

[0101] In the section of the charging / discharging device 50 in FIGS. 9 to 12, the description will focus on the differences from the charging / discharging device 20 described above, and repeated description will be omitted.

[0102] 9 to 12, the mechanism portion 100 may further include a stopper 170. As shown in FIG.

[0103] Specifically, an upper stopper 170a may be disposed on the lower support portion 140, and a lower stopper 170b may be disposed on the receiving portion .

[0104] When the upper pin box section 110a and the upper support section 150 above the upper pin box section 110a are lowered (moved downward) by the upper lifting section 160a and come into contact with the upper stopper 170a, the pins 112 of the upper pin box section 110a can be brought into contact with the battery cells in the upper tray 120a. Then, when the upper pin box section 110a, the upper support section 150, the upper tray 120a, and the lower support section 140 below the upper tray 120a are all lowered (moved downward) by the lifting section 160 and come into contact with the lower stopper 170b, the pins 112 of the lower pin box section 110b can be brought into contact with the battery cells in the lower tray 120b.

[0105] Guide pins 180a and 180b are provided at the lower end of the upper pin box portion 110a and the lower pin box portion 110b, respectively, and grooves 190a and 190b that fit snugly into the guide pins 180a and 180b are provided in the upper tray 120a and the lower tray 120b, respectively. As the upper pin box portion 110a moves downward, the guide pin 180a of the upper pin box portion 110a is inserted into the groove 190a of the upper tray 120a, and as the lower pin box portion 110b moves downward, the guide pin 180b of the lower pin box portion 110b is inserted into the groove 190b of the lower tray 120b, thereby enabling the upper tray 120a and the lower tray 120b to be aligned.

[0106] The guide pins 180a, 180b can be cylindrical members, and the grooves 190a, 190b can be cylindrical grooves. The diameter of the grooves 190a, 190b can be larger than the diameter of the guide pins 180a, 180b to ensure a margin of error during alignment. By making the guide pins 180a, 180b cylindrical members rather than angular, friction and impact can be prevented even if a slight twist occurs when the guide pins 180a, 180b are inserted into the grooves 190a, 190b.

[0107] The guide pins 180a, 180b may be formed integrally with the tray 120 when the tray 120 is manufactured, or may be assembled to the tray 120. For example, if the tray 120 is made of polycarbonate (PC) resin or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resin, the guide pins 180a, 180b may be made of the same material to prevent stress concentration and distortion due to dissimilar materials.

[0108] As described above, the present invention has the advantage that the layout is improved and when two or more trays 120 are stacked vertically within the mechanism section 100, it becomes easier to align the trays 120 with each other.

[0109] Although the present invention has been described above using limited embodiments and drawings, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited thereby and that those skilled in the art can implement the present invention by making various modifications and variations within the technical spirit of the present invention and the equivalent scope of the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0110] 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 charging / discharging equipment 100 Mechanism 110 Pin box section 112 pins 114 Board 116 Air circulation passage 120 trays 130 Receiving part 140 Lower support part 150 Upper support section 160 Lifting section 170 Stopper 180a, 180b guide pin 190a, 190b groove 200 Power supply section 300 Air circulation section 310, 320 duct 315 Air intake 325 exhaust port 330 heat exchanger 340 Inlet Fan 350 Outflow Fan 400 Air conditioner

Claims

1. a mechanism for contacting pins for charging and discharging with the battery cells; a power supply unit provided adjacent to the mechanism unit, for supplying power and controlling charging and discharging; an airflow circulation unit that circulates air continuously from the power supply unit to the mechanism unit; A charging and discharging device comprising:

2. The charging / discharging device according to claim 1 , wherein the air in the air circulation unit is circulated by being connected to an air conditioning system in a factory.

3. the mechanism portion includes a pin box portion that houses the pin, The charging / discharging device according to claim 1 , wherein the pin box portion is provided with an air circulation passage in a direction in which the air flows.

4. the mechanism portion includes a pin box portion that houses the pin, The charging / discharging device according to claim 1 , wherein the pin box unit includes a voltage conversion / charge / discharge control board, an interface board, a riser board, and the pins directly connected to each other by a connector system.

5. The charging / discharging device according to claim 4 , wherein the pin box unit has an air circulation passage in a direction in which the air flows between the voltage conversion / charge / discharge control board, the interface board, and the riser board.

6. The mechanism section is loaded with a tray on which battery cells are placed, The charging / discharging device according to claim 1 , wherein the tray has an open side facing the air flow direction.

7. The charging / discharging device according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanism section has two or more trays stacked vertically.

8. The mechanism includes an upper pin box portion and a lower pin box portion that accommodate the pins; an upper support portion that supports the upper pin box portion; a lower support portion that supports the lower pin box portion and on which an upper tray is placed; a receiving portion on which the lower tray is placed; The charging / discharging device according to claim 1 ,

9. The mechanism unit includes an upper lift unit extending upward from the lower support unit; a lower lifting section extending upward from the receiving section; further comprising The charging / discharging device according to claim 8 , wherein the upper support section is placed above the upper lifting section, and the lower support section is placed above the lower lifting section.

10. A supply and a return air conditioning unit for a factory are provided above the mechanism unit and the power supply unit, and the air circulation unit includes a pair of ducts; an air intake port for receiving air supplied from the supply of the air conditioning device of the factory is provided on an upper side of the duct on one side; The charging / discharging device according to claim 1 , wherein an exhaust port for discharging the air to the return of the air conditioning device of the factory is disposed above the other duct.

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

12. The charging / discharging device according to claim 10 , wherein the air flowing in through the intake port is diffused in the mechanism portion and then discharged to the exhaust port side.

13. The charging / discharging device according to claim 10, further comprising: an inlet fan that blows the air flowing in from the intake port toward the mechanism unit; and an outlet fan that blows the air diffused in the mechanism unit toward the exhaust port.

14. The charging / discharging device according to claim 10, wherein a tray is loaded on the mechanism unit, and a vent hole is arranged in the tray, and air flowing in from the intake port is discharged to the exhaust port side through the vent hole.

15. The charging / discharging device according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanism portion is stacked in multiple stages in the vertical direction.

16. The charging / discharging device according to claim 10 , further comprising a heat exchanger disposed in the other of the ducts.

17. an upper stopper disposed on the lower support portion; a lower stopper disposed in the receiving portion; The charging / discharging device according to claim 8 , further comprising:

18. an upper stopper disposed on the lower support portion; a lower stopper disposed in the receiving portion; further comprising 10. The charging / discharging device of claim 9, wherein when the upper pin box section and the upper support section are lowered by the upper lifting section and abut against the upper stopper, the pins of the upper pin box section are brought into contact with the battery cells in the upper tray.

19. 19. The charging / discharging device of claim 18, wherein when the upper pin box portion, the upper support portion, the upper tray, and the lower support portion descend and abut against the lower stopper, the pins of the lower pin box portion are brought into contact with the battery cells in the lower tray.

20. A charging / discharging device as described in claim 19, wherein guide pins are arranged at the lower ends of the upper pin box section and the lower pin box section, respectively, and grooves are provided in the upper tray and the lower tray, respectively, that fit snugly into the guide pins.

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