Power bank with replaceable battery module

Abstract

A power bank with a replaceable battery module is disclosed. The power bank with a replaceable battery module, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, may comprise: a body unit which accommodates at least one battery module, and which has a structure enabling replacement of the battery module; a plurality of battery modules which can be attached / detached to / from the body unit, and which is used for a power source of the power bank; a plurality of power conversion modules which are provided on one side of the body unit so as to be connected in parallel to the plurality of battery modules, and which are designed to perform charging and discharging by using, without modification, a power connector and a communication connector provided in the plurality of battery modules; and a control unit for monitoring a state of charge (SOC) of each of the plurality of battery modules, and allowing the plurality of battery modules to be discharged according to the SOC of each of the plurality of battery modules.

Description

Power bank with replaceable battery module

[0001] The present invention relates to a power bank with a replaceable battery module.

[0002] The content described below merely provides background information related to one embodiment of the present invention and does not constitute prior art.

[0003] Demand for mobile power solutions is growing in the construction, mobile food truck, and camping markets, with alternatives including internal combustion engine generators and battery-powered power banks.

[0004] However, internal combustion engine generators cause noise and pollution and emit a lot of carbon dioxide. Power banks with built-in batteries have the disadvantage of requiring charging time when the battery is discharged, making continuous use in discharge mode impossible. In addition, the built-in battery is fixed, making capacity expansion difficult.

[0005] These existing solutions have problems such as noise and pollution, and limited battery capacity, which limits the duration of use, and thus require improvement.

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a power bank with a replaceable battery module.

[0007] In addition, the present invention aims to discharge a battery module according to the state of charge (SoC) of the battery module by using a plurality of replaceable battery modules.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object, a battery module-replaceable power bank may include a main body having a structure for accommodating at least one battery module and capable of replacing the battery module, a plurality of battery modules that are detachable from the main body and used as power for the power bank, a power conversion module provided in the main body and designed to perform charging and discharging, and a control unit that monitors a state of charge (SoC) of each of the plurality of battery modules and causes the plurality of battery modules to discharge according to the state of charge of each of the plurality of battery modules.

[0009] The above main body may include a replacement device having a structure capable of replacing the battery module.

[0010] The above control unit can monitor the charging status of each of the plurality of battery modules connected in parallel.

[0011] The control unit may, when the plurality of battery modules have different charging states, cause the first battery module with a higher charging state to be discharged first until the charging states of the plurality of battery modules become uniform.

[0012] The control unit may cause the plurality of battery modules to be discharged together when the charge status of each of the plurality of battery modules is within a preset range.

[0013] If the control unit determines that a fourth battery module among the plurality of battery modules, which has a low state of charge, needs to be replaced, the control unit can cause a fifth battery module, which is a battery module other than the fourth battery module, to be discharged.

[0014] The control unit may cause the sixth battery module to be discharged first when the state of charge of the replaced sixth battery module is higher than the state of charge of the fifth battery module after the replacement of the battery module is completed.

[0015] The power conversion module may be designed to be electrically connected to the plurality of battery modules when the plurality of battery modules are attached to the main body, and to perform charging and discharging by using the power connector and communication connector provided in the plurality of battery modules as they are.

[0016] According to the present invention, a power bank with a replaceable battery module can be provided.

[0017] Additionally, according to the present invention, a plurality of replaceable battery modules can be used to discharge the battery module according to the state of charge (SoC) of the battery module.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing the external appearance of a power bank with a replaceable battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a combined form of a battery module and a replaceable power bank according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing the configuration of a power bank with a replaceable battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 4 is a drawing showing a sequential discharge method using a switch of a battery module replaceable power bank according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing a sequential discharge method using a diode of a replaceable battery module power bank according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 6 is a drawing showing a connection form of a replaceable battery module power bank according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Herein, repetitive descriptions, well-known functions that may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, and detailed descriptions of configurations are omitted. The embodiments of the present invention are provided to more fully explain the present invention to those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, the shapes and sizes of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity.

[0025] Throughout the specification, whenever a part is said to "include" a component, this does not mean that it excludes other components, but rather that it may include other components, unless otherwise stated.

[0026] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0027] Fig. 1 is a drawing showing the external appearance of a power bank with a replaceable battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a drawing showing the combined form of a power bank with a replaceable battery module and a battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a drawing showing the configuration of a power bank with a replaceable battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a battery module-replaceable power bank (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a main body (20, 310) that accommodates at least one battery module (10) and has a structure capable of replacing the battery module, a plurality of battery modules (10, 320) that are detachable from the main body and used as a power source for the power bank, a power conversion module (330) provided in the main body and designed to perform charging and discharging, and a control unit (340) that monitors the state of charge (SoC, State of Charge) of each of the plurality of battery modules and causes the plurality of battery modules to discharge according to the state of charge of each of the plurality of battery modules.

[0029] At this time, the main body may include a replacement device that is a structure capable of replacing the battery module.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the control unit can monitor the charging status of each of the plurality of battery modules connected in parallel.

[0031] According to one embodiment, when the plurality of battery modules have different charge states, the control unit may cause a first battery module having a higher charge state to be discharged first until the charge states of the plurality of battery modules become uniform.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the control unit may cause the plurality of battery modules to be discharged together when the state of charge of each of the plurality of battery modules is within a preset range.

[0033] For example, when multiple battery modules have different charge states, the control unit may cause the first battery module having the highest charge state to be discharged first, and when the charge state of the first battery module becomes within a preset range relative to the charge state of the second battery module having the second highest charge state, the first battery module and the second battery module may be discharged together. Furthermore, the control unit may cause the first to third battery modules to be discharged together when the charge states of the first and second battery modules become within a preset range relative to the charge state of the third battery module having the lowest charge state. In this way, the control unit may cause the battery modules to be discharged in the same manner even when there are three or more battery modules.

[0034] According to one embodiment, when the control unit determines that a fourth battery module among the plurality of battery modules, which has a low state of charge, needs to be replaced, the control unit may cause a fifth battery module, which is a battery module other than the fourth battery module, to be discharged.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the control unit may cause the sixth battery module to be discharged first when the state of charge of the replaced sixth battery module is higher than the state of charge of the fifth battery module after the replacement of the battery module is completed.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the power conversion module may be designed to be electrically connected to the plurality of battery modules when the plurality of battery modules are attached to the main body, and to perform charging and discharging by using the power connector and communication connector provided in the plurality of battery modules as they are.

[0037] As an optional embodiment, the control unit may control the battery modules to be discharged together, and if the state of charge of at least one battery module is below a first reference state of charge at which replacement is determined to be necessary, the control unit may control the battery modules with the lowest state of charge to be discharged sequentially one by one. At this time, the remaining battery modules, excluding the battery module being discharged, may be controlled not to be discharged.

[0038] Additionally, when multiple battery modules are discharged sequentially, a second reference state of charge can be set to change the battery module to be discharged. At this time, the second reference state of charge can be adjusted based on the current load (power) consumed. For example, the higher the load (power), the higher the second reference state of charge can be adjusted.

[0039] This allows you to continuously use the power bank by discharging the battery modules one by one and replacing them one by one starting from the battery modules that have completed discharging.

[0040] As an optional embodiment, the control unit may provide a warning message to the user when a reference state of charge is reached when the plurality of battery modules are discharged sequentially one by one.

[0041] Specifically, when the control unit controls the discharge of multiple battery modules together, if the state of charge of at least one battery module is below a first reference state of charge at which replacement is determined to be necessary, the control unit may provide a first warning message indicating that the first reference state of charge has been reached to the user. Furthermore, when any one of the multiple battery modules is below a second reference state of charge, the control unit may provide a second warning message indicating that the second reference state of charge has been reached to the user.

[0042] At this time, the first warning message and the second warning message are different from each other, and the second warning message may indicate a greater urgency than the first warning message.

[0043] This has the effect of clearly informing the user that the battery module needs to be replaced.

[0044] Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating a sequential discharge method using a switch of a battery module-replaceable power bank according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating a sequential discharge method using a diode of a battery module-replaceable power bank according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 4, the control unit (340) can compare the charging states of multiple battery modules and control the switches (S1, S2, Sn) (410) connected to each battery module (310). Through this, when the charging states of multiple battery modules are different, the switch connected to the battery module with the lower charging state can be turned off, and the battery module with the higher charging state can be discharged first.

[0046] Referring to FIG. 5, even if the control unit (340) does not compare the charging states of multiple battery modules (310), the battery modules with higher output voltages can be discharged first by the diodes (D1, D2, 쪋 Dn) (510), which are unidirectional switches.

[0047] In one embodiment, the control unit can set the driving mode.

[0048] First, you can check if the power bank is working.

[0049] Next, if the power bank is not working or all battery modules have been removed, it can be stopped.

[0050] Next, if the power bank is running, you can switch to sequential discharge mode.

[0051] In one embodiment, the control unit may cause the battery module to discharge in a sequential discharge mode.

[0052] First, the charging status of multiple battery modules housed in the main body can be checked through the control unit.

[0053] Next, the battery modules with the highest state of charge can be discharged in order.

[0054] Next, it is possible to check whether the difference in the charge status of the currently discharging battery module and the next battery module is within a preset range.

[0055] Next, if the difference in the state of charge is within a preset range, the battery module currently being discharged and the next battery module can be discharged in parallel.

[0056] Next, the charging status can be continuously monitored while discharging in parallel, and if the charging status goes out of a preset range, it can be switched back to sequential discharge mode.

[0057] Next, if the charge status of all battery modules is below the minimum charge state for operation or has been completed, operation can be stopped.

[0058] In one embodiment, if it is determined that all battery modules are discharged or operation has stopped, the status of the power bank can be recorded and the operation mode can be stopped.

[0059] FIG. 6 is a drawing showing a connection form of a replaceable battery module power bank according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] Referring to FIG. 6, the battery module replaceable power bank may further include a power conversion module (60) provided in the main body and designed to perform charging and discharging.

[0061] Here, the power conversion module (60) is designed to be electrically connected to the plurality of battery modules when the plurality of battery modules are attached to the main body, and to perform charging and discharging by using the power connector and communication connector provided in the plurality of battery modules as they are, thereby supplying power to the plurality of battery modules.

[0062] At this time, multiple power conversion modules can be connected in parallel and connected to the grid. Furthermore, since additional power conversion modules are connected in parallel, they can be easily added. This provides the advantage of continued use even if one battery module is discharged.

[0063] In one embodiment, unlike conventional power banks that are integrated with the power conversion device, the battery module is separated from the power conversion module and can be easily attached and detached. This increases the portability of the power bank. Furthermore, the replaceable battery module allows for continuous power supply by exchanging a discharged battery module with a charged one. Furthermore, since additional battery modules can be purchased and sequentially replaced, capacity can be expanded.

[0064] In one embodiment, the battery modules can be directly connected to the grid via their respective corresponding individual power conversion modules.

[0065] As an optional embodiment, the power bank with a replaceable battery module may further include a battery diagnostic unit that diagnoses the remaining usable life of the battery module and a notification provision unit that provides a notification to the user.

[0066] Here, the battery diagnostic unit can diagnose the remaining service life of a plurality of battery modules combined with the main body, and if the remaining service life of a seventh battery module, which is one of the plurality of batteries, is less than a preset first service life, the battery diagnostic unit can transmit a first notification indicating that the seventh battery module needs to be replaced.

[0067] Additionally, the notification provider can provide visual and auditory notifications to the user based on the first notification. When providing notifications, the notification provider can also communicate with a remote program, such as a cloud web server, to display the notifications so that the remote administrator can also be aware of them.

[0068] As an optional embodiment, heterogeneous battery modules with different output voltages, capacities, and configurations can be connected to form a power bank. Since the power conversion modules are connected in parallel, connecting a power conversion module corresponding to the heterogeneous battery module in parallel allows the heterogeneous battery modules to be utilized as a power bank. This provides the advantage of optimal performance in a variety of environments and flexible expandability.

[0069] As an optional embodiment, the power conversion module can be used by selecting either a grid-connected inverter or a standalone inverter.

[0070] Specifically, the power conversion module can include an automatic or manual transfer switch, allowing it to be used as either a grid-tied inverter or a standalone inverter. This allows it to be used as a power bank as a standalone inverter outdoors, and as an energy storage device as a grid-tied inverter at home.

[0071] The specific implementations described in the present invention are merely exemplary embodiments and do not limit the scope of the present invention in any way. For the sake of brevity, descriptions of conventional electronic components, control systems, software, and other functional aspects of the systems may be omitted. In addition, the lines connecting or connecting members between components depicted in the drawings are merely exemplary functional connections and / or physical or circuit connections, and may be replaced or represented as various additional functional connections, physical connections, or circuit connections in an actual device. Furthermore, unless specifically mentioned as "essential," "important," etc., a component may not be absolutely necessary for the application of the present invention.

[0072] Therefore, the idea of ​​the present invention should not be limited to the embodiments described above, and not only the scope of the patent claims described below but also all scopes equivalent to or equivalently modified from the scope of the patent claims are considered to fall within the scope of the idea of ​​the present invention.

[0073] According to the present invention, in providing a power bank with replaceable battery modules, the battery efficiency can be maximized and user convenience can be improved by discharging the battery module according to the state of charge (SoC) of the battery module using a plurality of replaceable battery modules, so that the power bank has industrial applicability.

Claims

1. A main body having a structure that accommodates at least one battery module and allows the battery module to be replaced; A plurality of battery modules that can be attached or detached to the main body and used for powering the power bank; A power conversion module provided in the above main body and designed to perform charging and discharging; and A control unit provided in the main body to monitor the state of charge (SoC, State of Charge) of each of the plurality of battery modules and to discharge the plurality of battery modules according to the state of charge of each of the plurality of battery modules. A power bank with a replaceable battery module, including:

2. In paragraph 1, The above main body part, A power bank with a replaceable battery module, comprising a replacement device having a structure capable of replacing the above battery module.

3. In paragraph 2, The above control unit, A power bank with replaceable battery modules that monitors the charging status of each of the plurality of battery modules connected in parallel.

4. In paragraph 3, The above control unit, A power bank with replaceable battery modules, wherein when the plurality of battery modules have different charge states, the first battery module with a higher charge state is discharged first until the charge states of the plurality of battery modules become uniform.

5. In paragraph 4, The above control unit, A power bank with replaceable battery modules, which causes the plurality of battery modules to be discharged together when the charge status of each of the plurality of battery modules is within a preset range.

6. In paragraph 5, The above control unit, A battery module replacement power bank that discharges a fifth battery module, which is a battery module other than the fourth battery module, when it is determined that replacement of the fourth battery module among the plurality of battery modules is necessary.

7. In paragraph 6, The above control unit, A power bank with replaceable battery modules, wherein, after replacement of the battery modules is completed, if the state of charge of the replaced sixth battery module is higher than the state of charge of the fifth battery module, the sixth battery module is discharged first.

8. In paragraph 1, The above power conversion module, A power bank with replaceable battery modules, which is designed to be electrically connected to the plurality of battery modules when the plurality of battery modules are attached to the main body, and to perform charging and discharging using the power connector and communication connector provided in the plurality of battery modules as they are.

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