Rapid-charging battery unit, indoor installable charging station capable of charging same, power supply unit and indoor installable charging station including the power supply unit

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a rapid-charging battery unit for use in an electric motorcycle, other electric light vehicles, and an electric robot, and an indoor installable charging station capable of charging the rapid-charging battery unit. [Solution] The rapid-charging battery unit comprises: a battery case inside which a plurality of rechargeable sheet-shaped battery cells is arranged side by side and sealed with positive and negative terminals thereof being connected in series / parallel by conductive busbars; and a plate-shaped heat absorption / dissipation means made of copper, aluminum, or graphite resin that is positioned to have heat absorption sections arranged in parallel and inserted in a layered configuration between the outer surfaces of the battery cells in a region on the charging side of each battery cell and / or arranged in parallel at the outer surfaces of the outermost battery cells, and a heat dissipation section connected to the edges of the heat absorption sections and exposed to the outside.

Description

Quick-charging battery unit and charging station that can be installed indoors and can charge the same, and power supply unit and charging station that can be installed indoors and includes the same

[0001] The present invention relates to a rapid charging battery unit used in electric motorcycles and other electric light vehicles and electric robots, a charging station that can be installed indoors and can charge the same, and a power supply unit and a charging station that can be installed indoors and includes the same.

[0002] In recent years, electric vehicles and the like have become popular, but one of the factors hindering their widespread use is the long time required for charging, which has led to a growing need for rapid charging. For example, in the case of electric vehicles, the power source at a rapid charging station is connected to the vehicle's charging inlet, and the supplied AC power is converted to DC by an AC-DC converter (rectifier) ​​to charge the charging unit inside the vehicle. Currently, such rapid charging stations are becoming increasingly powerful in order to further shorten charging times.

[0003] However, as the power output of such rapid charging stations increases, the charging current exceeds a predetermined value during rapid charging, causing the heat generated by the charging circuit and the rechargeable battery to exceed the allowable upper limit, creating safety issues that need to be addressed. Furthermore, rechargeable batteries, such as lithium-ion batteries, must be used within a temperature range to perform at their full potential. While limiting charging could be considered to reduce heat generation, this would result in limiting charging to the desired charging time and charging current while attempting rapid charging, potentially preventing the charging time from being significantly reduced. Therefore, cooling the charging circuit and the rechargeable battery is necessary to achieve rapid charging.

[0004] For example, there are technologies that provide cooling units in vehicle charging inlets and harnesses (Patent Document 1 (JP 2022-25813 A) and Patent Document 2 (JP 2019-115253 A)), but these are designed for cases where large-capacity rechargeable batteries, such as those used in electric vehicles, can be equipped with complex cooling structures and control configurations inside the vehicle, and are not immediately applicable to a wide variety of electrically driven vehicles, such as the electric motorcycles and light vehicles that have been developed in recent years.Furthermore, they cannot be applied when the built-in space for the charging unit and its peripheral devices is small, or when the charging unit needs to be removed and quickly charged separately at a charging station.

[0005] Another technology for achieving rapid charging on the charging device side rather than the vehicle side is, for example, a technology for charging by supplying power to a battery unit installed in a charging unit including an AC-DC converter (rectifier) ​​(e.g., Patent Document 3 (JP 2012-19602 A)). In such a technology, the charging unit includes an AC-DC converter, a transformer, a control device, a switch, a breaker, etc., and the battery unit to be cooled is, for example, a case containing multiple lithium-ion battery cells arranged horizontally, and is cooled by an air-cooling system using a cooling fan equipped on the charging unit side. However, improvements that take air convection into consideration (e.g., Patent Document 4 (JP 2014-123475 A)) have problems such as insufficient cooling of the battery cells or an increase in the size of the device.

[0006] Furthermore, there is a great potential need for cooling measures for small and medium-sized rechargeable battery units with small battery capacities used in recent years, such as the increasingly popular humanoid robots, agricultural robots, and in-factory transport vehicles, and a solution to the above problem is desired.

[0007] JP 2022-25813 A JP 2019-115253 A JP 2012-19602 A JP 2014-123475 A

[0008] The present invention was created in light of the above, and aims to provide a quick-charge battery unit that is small and has high cooling efficiency during charging and is used in electric motorcycles, other electric light vehicles, electric robots, etc., a charging station that can be installed indoors and can charge the battery unit, as well as a power supply unit for the quick-charge battery unit and a charging station that has the unit and can be installed indoors.

[0009] <<First Invention>> First, the first invention provides a quick-charge battery unit comprising: a battery case in which a plurality of rechargeable sheet-like battery cells are arranged in parallel, with the positive and negative terminals of each battery cell connected in series / parallel by a conductive bus bar and sealed inside; and heat absorption and dissipation means made of plate-like copper, aluminum, or graphite resin, positioned in the charging side area of ​​each battery cell, having heat absorption parts inserted in parallel in layers between the outer surfaces of the battery cells and / or arranged in parallel on the outer surface of the outermost battery cell, and heat dissipation parts connected to the edges of the heat absorption parts and exposed to the outside.

[0010] The first rapid-charging battery unit of the present invention is designed to increase the electromotive force of the rechargeable batteries while simultaneously miniaturizing them, and provides a specific configuration for such a battery unit that can withstand rapid charging. Specifically, the battery unit of the present invention uses flat, rectangular, pouch-shaped battery cells (see FIG. 2 ), which are commonly used to increase electromotive force, arranged in parallel and in layers within a battery case, with the positive and negative terminals of each battery cell connected in series / parallel by conductive bus bars made of copper or the like to form input / output terminals for the entire battery unit. When charging a rechargeable battery unit of this type, connecting it to a high-power charging unit for rapid charging increases its heat generation, and as mentioned above, requires cooling to prevent it from exceeding a safety limit.

[0011] The inventors have been working diligently to find a structure that makes it easy to cool the battery unit itself, which is the target of cooling, before attempting to cool it from the outside. In particular, the problem of increased heat generation during charging has been addressed mainly through development efforts focused on the cooling issues of battery units for electric vehicles (EVs), which have large capacity, are easy to install cooling equipment in the vehicle body, and have charging space available. However, the cooling issues of small and medium-sized battery units for light vehicles such as electric motorcycles, which are expected to develop in the future, and for humanoid robots, have not received much attention.

[0012] For example, in the process of developing and providing light vehicles such as electric motorcycles, the inventors have come to believe that the battery units for these vehicles must meet the following requirements when they are offered to the market: ease of driving, reduced charging time, easy installation and space-saving charging stations, and the ability to remove the battery for charging and adapt to adverse charging environments. In fact, in the case of battery units for light vehicles such as electric motorcycles, it is difficult to ensure that cool air reaches the spaces between each battery cell using a simple external air-cooling method, and cooling the entire charging station requires a larger charging station and a large cooling device, which is not in line with the requirements of the recent SDGs.

[0013] Meanwhile, the inventors have examined the temperature rise during charging, including during the high temperatures of summer, in battery units in which multiple battery cells are simply arranged in parallel, which have been used particularly in light vehicles such as the aforementioned electric motorcycles. They have found that it is in each battery cell near the connection with the charging unit (at least in the part on the charging side where significant heat generation is expected (hereinafter also referred to as the "expected heat generation part")) that the temperature rise approaches the allowable heat generation amount, while in parts away from the charging unit the temperature rise is significantly smaller. Based on this knowledge, the present invention provides a structure that directly absorbs heat only in parts of each battery cell within a battery unit where there is a possibility of a large amount of heat generation, and then conducts the absorbed heat to the outside and dissipates it by exposing it to the outside.

[0014] Specifically, heat is absorbed by inserting a plate-shaped heat absorption part in parallel with the battery pack in contact with or close to the expected heat generation points between each battery cell (on the outermost surface of the outermost battery cell). This is made of highly thermally conductive copper, aluminum, or graphite resin. This allows for concentrated heat absorption in the expected heat generation points of each battery cell, even in a small space, and heat absorption is achieved by conducting heat throughout the heat absorption part. Furthermore, by connecting each heat absorption part with an exposed member made of the same type of highly thermally conductive material, a point is created where the absorbed and conducted heat can be released to the outside, enabling concentrated cooling.

[0015] It is also preferable that the battery cells are rechargeable batteries capable of rapid charging at 1.0 C or more, and that the battery cells are connected in series / parallel within the battery case.

[0016] The first preferred rapid-charge battery unit of the present invention targets rechargeable batteries capable of rapid charging at 1.0 C or higher. The rapid-chargeable rechargeable batteries targeted here are rechargeable batteries that maintain their structure and do not break down even when subjected to high ion mobility (current). Because the structure does not break down even when subjected to high ion mobility (current), for example, the laminate thickness can be thin, or interactions between ions (typically Li ions) and constituent elements can be reduced. The unit C used here refers to the so-called charge / discharge rate, and represents the current value at which the storage battery charges and discharges, expressed as a multiple of its discharge capacity (Ah). For example, 1.0 C, 10.0 C, and 0.5 C represent currents 1.0, 10.0, and 0.5 times the discharge capacity of the storage battery, respectively.

[0017] Generally, when a large current flows suddenly into a battery cell, the temperature of the solution rises, causing the separator to deteriorate. When a high internal impedance load is applied, the current cannot be secured to resist this, causing the voltage to drop. When the voltage drops and the current cannot be secured, the charging time inevitably increases, hindering rapid charging. For this reason, when rapid charging is intended, it is necessary to reduce the impedance of the charging battery unit to prevent voltage drops.

[0018] For example, when lithium-ion batteries are used in electric vehicles, the required output current is large, so lithium-ion batteries with high energy density (nominal battery voltage (V) x rated battery capacity (Ah) / battery weight (kg)) are selected. At the same time, to prevent voltage drops, a method has been adopted in which each lithium-ion cell (corresponding to each battery cell mentioned above) is connected in parallel to reduce impedance. This parallel connection method was possible in electric vehicles because the volume that can accommodate a charging battery unit is relatively large. Specifically, NCA (nickel-cobalt-aluminum) lithium-ion batteries, NMC (nickel-manganese-cobalt) batteries, and iron phosphate lithium-ion batteries (LiFePO4 batteries) have been used.

[0019] In contrast, in the case of light vehicles such as electric motorcycles, the volume that can accommodate a charging battery unit is small, making it difficult to ensure output by connecting each battery cell in parallel as in conventional electric vehicles, and it is therefore desirable to ensure output by connecting them in series. However, series connection increases impedance and causes voltage drop, which creates the contradictory problem of extending the charging time as mentioned above. Therefore, when selecting batteries for light vehicles such as electric motorcycles, the inventors decided to use series connection, prioritizing ensuring output power and miniaturization, while also using batteries with low impedance themselves to reduce the impedance of the unit.

[0020] Furthermore, in a charging station that can be installed indoors and that can charge the above-mentioned quick-charge battery units, the quick-charge battery units are detachably mounted as a drive source for an electric light vehicle, and are connected to a bus bar that links the terminals of each battery cell so that they can be charged via a charging inlet from an external AC power source, and the charging inlet is equipped with a control board that has an AC / DC converter and controls the flow of current to the bus bar, the charging station is composed of an integrated housing that has a plurality of charging compartments, each of which has a charging outlet for the quick-charge battery unit that connects to an external AC power source, and each charging compartment can be positioned inside the quick-charge battery unit with an exposed portion to the outside, and a power supply unit that can cool each battery cell of the charging battery unit is mounted in each charging compartment, and the power supply unit is connected to the charging outlet for the quick-charge battery unit or separately to an external power source.

[0021] The rapid-charging battery unit described above is charged at a charging station that can be installed indoors. Conventionally, charging efficiency of charging batteries decreases when the battery cells become too hot, making rapid charging impossible. Therefore, means of cooling the battery cells during charging are generally provided. For charging batteries that are smaller or medium in size than those used in EVs, such as electric light vehicles, it is considered necessary to provide small charging stations that are suited to actual conditions in order to expand the market.

[0022] Based on this, the charging station for charging the rapid-charging battery unit provided here can be installed in indoor spaces where people are present, such as convenience stores and offices, and has high cooling performance, as it can utilize indoor temperatures at which people can be present. In other words, it has the advantage that it can withstand rapid charging by also using ambient temperature control at the level of indoor air conditioning, without the need for separate cooling equipment, and is ideal as a charging station for electric light vehicles.

[0023] In detail, this charging station has a plurality of charging compartments in its housing that can position the quick-charge battery unit inside with at least a portion exposed to the outside, such as charging compartments that are open to the indoor space and charging compartments that house the quick-charge battery unit with most of it exposed to the indoor space. Therefore, even in the summer, indoor air cooled by an air conditioner or the like can be used to supplement the cooling of the quick-charge battery unit while it is being charged. Furthermore, a major feature is that each charging compartment can supply power to the charging outlet of the quick-charge battery unit inserted into the charging compartment and to a power supply unit that can cool each quick-charge battery unit.

[0024] Furthermore, because the charging station can be installed indoors, charging can be performed in an environment with a reduced saturated vapor pressure, which also solves the problems of preventing condensation and rainy weather. As a result, it is advantageous in that it improves battery safety and promotes battery life extension.

[0025] Furthermore, it is preferable that each charging compartment of the housing is provided with a charging management means for monitoring the power supply from the charging outlet to the rapid charge battery unit, and that the charging management means has a locking means that closes or partially closes from an open state on the indoor space side when the charging inlet of the rapid charge battery unit is connected to the charging outlet in the charging compartment and power is supplied to the rapid charge battery unit from an external power source, and that when the supply of power to the rapid charge battery unit is completed, the charging completion display means displays charging completion and executes control to open the locking means.

[0026] The charging station monitors the power supply to the rapid-charge battery unit inserted in each charging compartment. Specifically, when the charging inlet of the rapid-charge battery unit is connected to the charging outlet in that charging compartment and power supply begins, the charging compartment is closed or partially closed to prevent the rapid-charge battery unit from being removed. When charging is complete, the compartment is released from the closed or partially closed state and reopened to allow the rapid-charge battery unit to be removed.

[0027] Furthermore, it is preferable that the rapid-charging battery unit in the charging station has a battery case as a housing having a battery mounting space on one side (upper side in the example of Figure 4) in which a plurality of battery cells arranged in parallel and connected to each other by bus bars are sealed and arranged inside, and extending to the other side (lower side in the example of Figure 4) of the battery mounting space and having a bottom part that is open to the outside at its other end (lower end in the example of Figure 4) and guides connection to an external power supply unit, and that the battery mounting space and the bottom part have a fixing part that separates them, and that the fixing part is fitted with a control board that connects to the bus bars and controls the flow of current to the battery cells, and a charging inlet that connects to the control board and receives a charging outlet from an external power source inside the bottom part to connect to the external power source.

[0028] In the example shown in Figure 4, a typical rapid-charge battery unit structure in this charging station is provided with a battery mounting space above the battery case as a housing, a bottom section below the battery case that guides connection to the charging outlet, and a partition (fixing section) between the two sections. The partition (fixing section) is fitted with a control board that connects to the bus bars of the battery cells to control the flow of current to the battery cells, and a charging inlet. The charging outlet of the power supply unit is then connected to the charging inlet housed in the bottom section to perform charging.

[0029] In particular, the battery mounting space and the bottom portion are separated by the bottom portion, preventing the charging inlet and charging outlet 208 from being exposed to the outside, and the bottom portion also serves as a guide member for connection to the power supply unit. Note that the example in Figure 4 as an embodiment is described with the battery mounting space facing upward and the bottom portion facing downward, assuming that the device is placed vertically in the charging station, but in reality, other positions such as horizontal or diagonal placement are also envisioned.

[0030] <Second Invention> Next, the second invention provides a power supply unit for a charging battery unit, comprising: a charging outlet connectable to a charging inlet of a charging battery unit; a sheet-like heat absorption member made of copper or other material with high thermal conductivity, arranged in contact with or close to an externally exposed heat dissipation portion that transfers heat from a battery cell provided in the charging battery unit; and a Peltier element plate arranged in contact with and stacked on the heat absorption member, and which is energized so that the heat absorption surface faces the heat absorption member and the heat dissipation surface faces the opposite side.

[0031] The power supply unit can also be provided with a control means that reverses the current flowing through the Peltier element plate, making the heat absorption member side the heat dissipation surface and the opposite side the heat absorption surface, and when the temperature of the battery cell of the charging battery unit reaches or exceeds a preset threshold, again reverses the current flowing through the Peltier element plate, switching the heat absorption member side to the heat absorption surface and the opposite side to the heat dissipation surface.

[0032] The second power supply unit of the present invention employs a structure for cooling the battery unit by stacking a copper heat absorption plate and a Peltier element plate on the outside near the charging inlet of the battery unit. The inventors investigated cases where the allowable heat generation rate of the battery unit was exceeded or approached during charging and found that the battery cells closest to the charging inlet generated the most heat, while those further away generated less. Based on this finding, the power supply unit is designed to absorb heat and cool only the area near the charging inlet of the battery unit. Specifically, a copper plate with high thermal conductivity is placed in contact with or adjacent to the area generating the most heat during charging, conducting heat to the copper plate. The heat-absorbing surface of a Peltier element is placed on the back of the copper plate, dissipating the heat conducted to the copper plate from the heat-generating surface of the Peltier element to the outside. This configuration allows for concentrated heat absorption in the areas of the battery unit that require cooling. In addition, since a Peltier element is used, which can control heat absorption and dissipation according to the amount of current flowing through it, the amount of heat absorption can be controlled, which is advantageous in that reliable temperature control can be performed while responding to the allowable heat generation amount, which varies depending on the environmental atmosphere, etc.

[0033] Furthermore, this charging battery unit can also be used in cold climates. If the battery cells are too cold, the movement of lithium ions and other substances slows down, causing the electrode voltage to increase and reducing the charge / discharge capacity. In this case, the direction of the current flowing through the Peltier element plate can be reversed from that in the cooling mode, with the heat-dissipating surface of the Peltier element plate facing the charging battery unit, thereby warming the battery cells. If the battery cells subsequently exceed the allowable heat generation amount and reach the upper temperature threshold as current flows, the heat-absorbing surface of the Peltier element plate can be turned toward the charging battery unit again, and the unit can be controlled to switch to the cooling mode described above.

[0034] Preferably, the power supply unit further comprises: a supply current monitoring means for detecting the amount of current supplied per hour from the charging outlet to the charging battery unit; an ideal temperature calculation means for calculating the temperature of the charging battery unit in relation to the amount of supply current detected by the supply current monitoring means and setting the temperature as an ideal temperature; a temperature measurement means for measuring the actual temperature of the battery cells in the charging battery unit; and a current adjustment means for executing control to increase the amount of current supplied to the Peltier element plate when the difference between the actual temperature measured by the temperature measurement means and the ideal temperature preset by the ideal temperature calculation means becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0035] According to the preferred power supply unit described above, the amount of current supplied to the charging battery unit during charging is monitored in real time, and the ideal temperature of the battery cell is calculated from a preset calculation formula according to the amount of current supplied per unit time. At the same time, the actual temperature of the battery cell in the charging battery unit is measured, and a Peltier element that can control the amount of heat absorption or heating by controlling the amount of current flowing therethrough is used to control the amount of current flowing to the Peltier element plate to correct the difference between the ideal temperature and the actual measured value (actual temperature). This has the advantage of enabling precise temperature control only to the extent necessary, without being affected by differences in charging battery units, yields, or changes in the ambient temperature.

[0036] In addition, the power supply unit preferably includes a cooling fan disposed outside the heat dissipation surface of the Peltier element plate to blow air onto the heat dissipation surface.

[0037] In the power supply unit of the preferred rechargeable battery unit, in addition to the Peltier element plate as the cooling means for the rechargeable battery unit described above, a cooling fan is also provided on the heat dissipation side of the Peltier element plate, promoting cooling of the heat dissipation surface by airflow in addition to natural heat dissipation in the ambient atmosphere. In particular, since the temperature of the Peltier element plate is controlled by current flow, the cooling fan can be driven and controlled in synchronization with the current supply, which is advantageous in that it makes it easy to implement precise temperature control.

[0038] Furthermore, it is preferable that the rechargeable battery unit comprises: a battery case in which a plurality of rechargeable battery cells are arranged in parallel, with their positive and negative terminals connected in series by conductive bus bars; plate-shaped heat absorption and dissipation means made of copper, aluminum or graphite resin, positioned in the charging side area of ​​each battery cell, with heat absorption parts inserted in parallel in layers between the battery cells and / or arranged in parallel on the outer surface of the outermost battery cell, and heat dissipation parts connected to the edges of the heat absorption parts and exposed to the outside; and a charging inlet connected to the bus bars and for connection to an external power source, wherein when the rechargeable battery unit is received, the charging inlet is connected to the charging outlet of the power supply unit, and a power supply assembly is formed in which the heat dissipation part of the heat absorption and dissipation means of the rechargeable battery unit and the heat absorption plate part of the power supply unit are abutted or arranged closely opposite each other.

[0039] The rechargeable battery unit has a structure in which multiple battery cells are arranged in parallel within a battery case and connected in series by bus bars, and heat transferred from heat absorption sections interposed between the battery cells is released to the outside through exposed heat dissipation sections for cooling. The power supply unit of the present invention not only allows charging of the rechargeable battery unit into the charging inlet when the rechargeable battery unit is received, but also forms an assembly in which the heat absorption plate of the power supply unit can be positioned so that it abuts against the heat dissipation section of the rechargeable battery unit. Therefore, simply by receiving the rechargeable battery unit during charging, charging and temperature control (cooling or heating) can be achieved simultaneously.

[0040] A heat-conducting contact member that is brought into contact with the heat-dissipating portion of the rechargeable battery unit may be arranged on the heat-absorbing surface of the Peltier element plate, and the heat-conducting contact member may have a number of contact points that protrude toward the heat-dissipating portion.

[0041] Preferably, a heat-conducting contact member made of copper or other material with high thermal conductivity and flexibility, and with a contact surface that has multiple protruding contact points such as a corrugated or uneven shape, is disposed on the heat-absorbing surface of the Peltier element plate. When the contact surface of this heat-conducting contact member is brought into contact with the heat-dissipating part of the rechargeable battery unit, the multiple protruding contact points on the contact surface bend, expanding the contact surface and contact points with the heat-dissipating part and ensuring reliable contact. This ensures that heat from the battery cells in the rechargeable battery unit is conducted reliably to the heat-absorbing surface of the Peltier element plate, improving temperature control performance.

[0042] Furthermore, there is provided a charging station that can be installed indoors and that includes a power supply unit for the above-mentioned battery unit. In this charging station, the battery unit is detachably mounted as a drive source for an electric light vehicle and is connected to a bus bar that links the terminals of each battery cell so that it can be charged via a charging inlet from an external AC power source, and the charging inlet is equipped with a control board that has an AC / DC converter and controls the flow of current to the bus bar. The charging station is composed of an integrated housing that includes multiple charging compartments, each of which has a charging outlet for the rapid-charge battery unit that connects to the external AC power source. Each charging compartment can be positioned with the battery unit exposed to the outside. The power supply unit, which can cool each battery cell of the battery unit, is installed in each charging compartment, and the power supply unit is connected to the charging outlet for the rapid-charge battery unit or a separate external power source.

[0043] The charging battery unit, which is powered and cooled by the above-described power supply unit, is charged in a charging station that can be installed indoors. Conventionally, charging batteries generally require cooling of the battery cells during charging because high battery cell temperatures reduce charging efficiency and prevent rapid charging. For smaller and medium-sized charging batteries than those in electric vehicles (EVs), such as those used in electric light vehicles, providing compact charging stations tailored to the actual conditions is considered a necessary requirement for market expansion. Based on this, the charging station for charging the charging battery unit provided here can be installed in indoor spaces where people are present, such as convenience stores and offices, and can utilize indoor temperatures at which people can occupy the space for cooling, resulting in high cooling performance. In other words, this charging station has the advantage of being able to withstand rapid charging by simply using ambient temperature control, similar to that of indoor air conditioning, without the need for additional cooling equipment, making it ideal as a charging station for electric light vehicles.

[0044] In detail, this charging station has a plurality of charging compartments in its housing that can position the quick-charge battery unit inside with at least a portion exposed to the outside, such as charging compartments that are open to the indoor space and charging compartments that house the quick-charge battery unit with most of it exposed to the indoor space. Therefore, even in the summer, indoor air cooled by an air conditioner or the like can be used to supplement the cooling of the quick-charge battery unit while it is being charged. Furthermore, a major feature is that each charging compartment can supply power to the charging outlet of the quick-charge battery unit inserted into the charging compartment and to a power supply unit that can cool each quick-charge battery unit.

[0045] Furthermore, because the charging station can be installed indoors, charging can be performed in an environment with a reduced saturated vapor pressure, which also solves the problems of preventing condensation and rainy weather. As a result, it is advantageous in that it improves battery safety and promotes battery life extension.

[0046] The first invention provides a structure that absorbs heat intensively and directly from areas of each battery cell within a battery unit that may generate large amounts of heat, conducts the absorbed heat to the outside, and exposes it to the outside for heat dissipation, thereby making it possible to provide a rapid charging battery unit that is small in size and has high cooling efficiency during charging and can be used in electric motorcycles, other electric light vehicles, electric robots, etc.

[0047] Furthermore, the charging station of the present invention can achieve sufficient rapid charging by utilizing the same ambient temperature control as indoor air conditioning without the need for a separate cooling facility.

[0048] The second power supply unit of the present invention employs a structure for cooling the charging battery unit by stacking a copper heat absorption plate and a Peltier element plate from the outside near the charging inlet of the charging battery unit, which has the advantage of being able to absorb heat intensively in areas of the charging battery unit that require cooling, and to perform reliable temperature control while responding to the allowable heat generation amount that varies depending on the amount of current flowing.

[0049] Furthermore, according to the charging station of the second aspect of the present invention, sufficient rapid charging can be achieved by utilizing the same ambient temperature control as indoor air conditioning without the need for a separate cooling facility.

[0050]

[0023] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a first rapid-charge battery unit of the present invention and a second power supply unit of the present invention that receives it and supplies current, where (a) is a schematic perspective view of the battery unit, and (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the battery unit received in the power supply unit.

[0024] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a specific example of a battery cell used in the first rapid-charge battery unit of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a specific example of a cooling structure for the power supply unit of the second invention, where (a) shows the first cooling structure example on the right side, the second cooling structure example on the left side, and (b) shows an example in which the second cooling structure example on the left side of (a) is arranged on both sides of the battery unit.

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a specific example of a rapid-charge battery unit of the first invention. (a) is a schematic diagram of a rapid-charge station seen from the front, and (b) is a schematic perspective view showing each charging compartment of the charging station and an image of a battery unit inserted in each compartment. (a) is a schematic bottom perspective view of the rapid-charge battery unit, showing the charging inlet attached to the bottom of the battery case; (b) is a perspective photograph (top), side view (bottom left), and connection side plan view (bottom right) of the charging outlet of the power supply unit; (c) is a perspective photograph (top), side view (bottom left), and connection side plan view (bottom right) of the charging inlet. This is a control flow diagram for connecting the rapid-charge battery unit to the power supply unit for charging. This figure illustrates details of a modified version of the left side schematic diagram of the cooling structure of the power supply unit shown in Figure 3, with (a) being a schematic perspective view and (b) being a schematic cross-sectional view of (a). A photograph of an example of an actual cooling fan shown in Figure 8 is shown, with (a) being a photograph viewed from the right diagonal side of Figure 8(b) and (b) being a photograph viewed from the left diagonal side. 10A and 10B are specific configuration examples showing how the rapid charge battery unit is cooled by the cooling structure of the power supply unit when placed in each charging compartment of a charging station, where (a) is a simplified oblique view showing the rapid charge battery unit in each charging compartment, and (b) is a simplified oblique view of an example of installation of the cooling structure of the power supply unit shown in FIG. 8 when charging the rapid charge battery unit in the state of (a).

[0051] An example of an embodiment of a power supply unit for a first rapid-charge battery unit of the present invention and a second rapid-charge battery unit of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 and 4. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a rapid-charge battery unit (hereinafter referred to as a "charging battery unit") 100 and a power supply unit 200 that receives it and supplies current, with Figure 1(a) being a schematic perspective view of the charging battery unit 100 and Figure 1(b) being a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the XY plane below the Z direction in Figure 1(a) with the charging battery unit 100 received in the power supply unit 200.

[0052] As shown in Figure 1, the rechargeable battery unit 100 contains multiple rechargeable battery cells 104 housed inside a hollow, rectangular battery case 102 made of insulating material. Each battery cell 104 used in this rechargeable battery is a lithium manganese oxide (LiMnO2) battery, as shown in the photograph in Figure 2. The lithium manganese oxide, separator, and electrolyte are enclosed in a rectangular pouch 104c made of insulating material such as laminate film, with strip-shaped anodes 104a and cathodes 104b protruding from one edge. The component compositions of the battery cells 104 suitable for use in this rechargeable battery unit 100 will be described later.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 1 , each of these battery cells 104 is inserted into a battery case 102 and stacked in parallel so that the respective anodes 104 a, 104 b face in the same direction. The respective anodes 104 a, 104 b are connected to each other by a single piece of conductive bus bar made of copper or the like, thereby connecting the battery cells 104 in series or in parallel.

[0054] The rechargeable battery unit 100 also includes a heat absorption / dissipation means 110 for absorbing heat generated in each battery cell 104 during charging and dissipating it to the outside. The heat absorption / dissipation means 110 is composed of a heat absorption section 106 and a heat dissipation section 108. The heat absorption section 106 is a plate-shaped member made of highly conductive copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), or graphite resin that is inserted into the gaps (between stacked battery cells 104) between the battery cells 104 stacked in parallel within the battery case 102, and abuts against the outer surface of each battery cell 104. Note that the outermost battery cells 104 do not have opposing battery cells 104, so the heat absorption section 106 is not inserted into the gaps between the battery cells 104, but is stacked to cover the exposed surface of each battery cell 104.

[0055] Furthermore, in the present rechargeable battery unit 100, as described above, the amount of heat generated by the battery cells 104 during charging is particularly large, and in order to target and cool the areas prone to significant temperature increases, heat absorption sections 106 with an area sufficient to cover the area on the surface of each battery cell 104 on the charging terminal side (the "potential heat generation area"), i.e., the area near the charging inlet 116 (described in detail later in Figures 4 and 6), are positioned. The heat absorption sections 106 absorb the heat from the outer surface of each battery cell 104 and transfer it to the heat dissipation sections 108, which will be described later.

[0056] The width of the heat absorption portion 106 is greater than the width of each battery cell 104, and as shown in Figure 1(b) , both edges 106a of the heat absorption portion 106 protrude from each battery cell 104. The edge 106a of each heat absorption portion 106 is connected, by welding or the like, to a heat dissipation portion 108, which is a plate-shaped member made of copper (Cu) or aluminum (Al) and whose outer surface is exposed to the outside of the battery case 102, approximately perpendicular to the edge 106a. This heat dissipation portion 108 can collectively dissipate heat from each battery cell 104 that has been transferred from the heat absorption portion 106 to the outside.

[0057] Next, a specific structural example of the rechargeable battery unit 100 will be outlined. Figure 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a specific structural example of the rechargeable battery unit 100. In this example of the rechargeable battery unit 100, a battery mounting space 102a is provided above the battery case 102, and the above-mentioned stacked battery cells 104 (with heat absorption and dissipation means 110 interposed therein, not shown) are disposed within the space. The battery cells 104 are connected to one another by bus bars 114, and the bus bars 114 are connected to a control board 120 by conductive cables 118. The control board 118 is fixed to a fixing portion 102d, such as a partition, within the battery case 102 disposed below the battery mounting space 102a, and is positioned within the battery mounting space 102a to control the flow of current to the battery cells 104.

[0058] The battery case 102 also has a bottom 102b that extends continuously downward from its lower frame. This bottom 102b forms an opening that opens downward with the fixed part 102d as the ceiling, and the inside of this opening forms a connection space 102c that connects a charging inlet 116 to the battery cell 104 with a charging outlet 208 to an external power supply unit 200 (described later).

[0059] Therefore, the presence of the hem 102b prevents the charging inlet 116 and the charging outlet 208 from being exposed to the outside, and the hem 102b can also serve as a guide member for connection to the power supply unit 200 (described below). The rechargeable battery unit 100 can be charged with power from the power supply unit 200 via an electric cable 212 connected to the charging outlet 208, but it can also be guided by the hem 102b to a battery receiving section in a light vehicle such as an electric motorcycle and connected to an inlet (not shown) on the light vehicle to supply power.

[0060] In the specific structural example of the rechargeable battery unit 100 shown in Figure 4 above, the battery mounting space 102a is located at the top of the battery case 102 and the bottom portion 102b is located at the bottom, assuming that the rechargeable battery unit 100 will be placed upright in the charging station. However, the rechargeable battery unit 100 may also be placed horizontally or at an angle in the charging station, and the terms "upper," "lower," and "bottom end" mentioned above are merely illustrative descriptions of the relative positional relationships of the various components.

[0061] Next, the power supply unit 200 will be generally described with reference again to Figures 1, 3 to 5, 8, and 10(b) described above. As shown in the schematic cross-sectional view of Figure 1(b), the power supply unit 200 has a housing (not shown) that can receive the bottom portion 102b of the battery case 102 of the rechargeable battery unit 100 when the battery case 102 is placed upright with its bottom facing downward, as described above in Figure 4. As mentioned above, the battery case 102 of the rechargeable battery unit 100 can also be placed horizontally or at an angle, but the following description will exemplify the case where it is placed vertically.

[0062] 4 , the housing of the power supply unit 200 is provided with a charging outlet 208 that connects to the charging inlet 115 in the bottom portion 102b of the battery case 102 when the bottom portion 102b is received therein, as described above. Therefore, simply receiving the battery case 102 in the housing of the power supply unit 200, as described above, automatically enables current from the power source 210 to charge each battery cell 104 via the conductive cable 212, the charging outlet 208, the charging inlet 116, the control board 120, the conductive cable 118, and the bus bar 114. Note that the terminals that connect the charging inlet 116 and the charging outlet 208 when the battery unit 100 is received in the power supply unit 200 and enabled charging will be described later.

[0063] The power supply unit 200 also includes, from the battery case 102 side, a heat absorption member (heat conduction contact member) 202, a Peltier element plate 204, and a cooling fan 206 as a cooling structure for each battery cell 104 in the charging battery unit 100 during charging. Fig. 1(a) shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the cooling structure of the power supply unit 200 that cools the charging battery unit 100, and Fig. 3(a) and (b) show schematic cross-sectional views of specific examples of the cooling structure of the power supply unit 200, with a first cooling structure example on the right side of (a) and a second cooling structure example on the left side, and Fig. 3(b) shows an example in which the second cooling structure example on the left side of (a) is arranged on both sides of a charging battery unit 100 that is imagined to be placed in a charging compartment 304 of a charging station 300 (described later). 8 shows details of a modified example of the left-hand schematic diagram of the cooling structure of power supply unit 200 shown in Fig. 3, where (a) is a schematic perspective view and (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view. Furthermore, Fig. 9 shows photographs of an example of an actual cooling fan 206 shown in Fig. 8, where (a) is a photograph seen from the right diagonal side of Fig. 8(b) and (b) is a photograph seen from the left diagonal side.

[0064] 1, the heat absorption and dissipation means 110 of the rechargeable battery unit 100 has a heat absorption part 106 made of copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), or graphite resin inserted in the gap below each battery cell 104 at a location where heat is expected to be generated, and a heat dissipation part 108 made of copper (Cu) or aluminum (Al) connected to this is exposed to the outside of the battery case 102, and heat from each battery cell 104 is transferred from the heat absorption part 106 to the heat dissipation part 108. The cooling structure of the power supply unit 200 has a structure that absorbs and dissipates the heat transferred to this heat dissipation part 108.

[0065] Specifically, the heat absorption member 202 of the power supply unit 200 first contacts the heat dissipation section 108 of the rechargeable battery unit 100, thereby absorbing heat transferred from each battery cell 104 to the heat dissipation section 108. Like the heat absorption section 106 of the rechargeable battery unit 100, the heat absorption member 202 is generally made of copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), or graphite resin, which has high thermal conductivity and flexibility. Furthermore, in the example of FIG. 3 , the cooling structure of the power supply unit 200 is disposed on both sides of the heat dissipation section 108 of the rechargeable battery unit 100 to enhance cooling efficiency. The contact side portions 202 a of each cooling structure have contact points that protrude toward the heat dissipation section 108, and in the example of FIG. 3 , for example, are formed in a corrugated shape. By applying this surface treatment, the corrugated shape of the contact side portions 202 a of the flexible heat absorption member 202 deforms when in contact, ensuring a sufficient contact area and improving heat absorption. The heat absorbed from the contact side portion 202a is conducted to the opposite side within the heat absorbing member 202.

[0066] Specifically, in the example of the first cooling structure on the right side of FIG. 3( a), the contact side portion 202a of the heat absorption member 202 is arranged in parallel with the heat dissipation portion 108, and the opposite side portion 202b is arranged connected in the vertical and horizontal direction, and the corrugated shape of the contact side portion 202a is brought into contact with the heat dissipation portion 108 while the opposite side portion 202b presses the contact side portion 202a, thereby elastically deforming the corrugated shape and ensuring a sufficient contact area.

[0067] Furthermore, in the example of the second cooling structure shown on the left side of FIG. 3(a) and in FIG. 3(b), the contact side 202a of the heat absorption member 202 has a corrugated shape and is arranged in parallel to the heat dissipation section 108, as in the example of (a), but the opposite side 202b is arranged stacked on the contact side 202a as in FIG. 1(b), and a pressing member 203 is separately provided that presses the contact side 202 in the vertical and lateral directions, and this pressing member 203 elastically deforms the corrugated shape of the contact side 202a to ensure a sufficient contact area, while sufficient heat conduction is achieved by the opposite side 202b and heat is conducted to a Peltier element plate 204 described below.

[0068] 8, a conductive heat transfer sheet member is laminated (attached) to the copper plate main body 202c as the contact side portion 202a, and this conductive heat transfer sheet member 202a bends when in contact to ensure a sufficient contact area with the heat dissipation portion 108, allowing heat to be conducted to the opposite side within the heat absorption member 202. Also, in the example of Fig. 8, a graphite resin sheet member is laminated (attached) to the copper plate main body 202c as the opposite side portion 202b, and this graphite resin sheet member 202b elastically deforms when in contact to ensure a sufficient contact area, allowing heat from the heat dissipation portion 108 that has been conducted within the copper plate main body 202c to be thermally conducted to the Peltier element plate 204, which will be described later.

[0069] 3 , a Peltier element plate 204 is stacked on the opposite side 202b of the heat absorption member 202. A Peltier element is a type of semiconductor used for electronic cooling and heating, and is an electronic cooling element that has the property that when a direct current is passed through it in a certain direction, it absorbs heat (cools) on one side of the element and generates heat (heats) on the opposite side, making it possible to control the amount of heat absorption (or heat generation) by the magnitude of the current. Here, as the cooling structure of the power supply unit 200, the heat absorption surface 204a of the Peltier element plate 204 is stacked and abuts on the opposite side 202b of the heat absorption member 202, and absorbs heat that has been conducted within the heat absorption member 202 and releases that heat from the heat release surface 204b.

[0070] The current flowing through Peltier element plate 204 is supplied from conductive cable 212 from power source 210, or is supplied by shunting the power to charging outlet 200. When the current flowing through this Peltier element plate 204 is reversed, heat absorption surface 204a becomes a heat dissipation surface (and conversely, heat dissipation surface 204b becomes a heat absorption surface), and it can also be used as an electronic heating element, for example, for heating at the beginning of charging in cold regions or to ensure electromotive force.

[0071] Furthermore, a cooling fan 206 that blows air onto the heat dissipation surface 204b is provided on the heat dissipation surface 204b side of the Peltier element plate 204. By providing the cooling fan 206 on the heat dissipation side of the Peltier element plate 204, cooling performance is improved over natural heat dissipation in the ambient atmosphere, and the driving of the cooling fan is controlled in synchronization with the current supply in order to control the temperature using the power supplied to the Peltier element plate 204, which will be described later.

[0072] 8 and 9, a heat sink 205 for heat dissipation and exhaust is disposed between the heat dissipation surface 204b of the Peltier element plate 204 and the cooling fan 206. The heat sink 205 is made of a metal such as copper (Cu) or aluminum (Al) that has good heat transfer properties, and is provided with fins or the like to increase the surface area so that heat can be easily released into the outside air.

[0073] Next, a charging station 300 equipped with the cooling structure for the power supply unit 200 will be described with reference to the examples of FIGS. 5 and 10 . First, FIG. 5( a) is a schematic diagram of the charging station 300 as seen from the front, and is intended to be installed indoors in a facility equipped with heating and cooling equipment, such as a convenience store. This example illustrates the cooling structure for the power supply unit 200, employing the schematic examples shown on the left side of FIG. 3( a) and FIG. 3( b). Also, FIG. 5( b) is a schematic perspective view showing each charging compartment 304 of the charging station 300 and an image of a rechargeable battery unit 100 placed therein, with the cooling structure for the power supply unit 200 shown as the example on the right side of FIG. 3( a) (the heat dissipation portion 108 of the rechargeable battery unit 100 and the contact side portion 202 a of the heat absorption member 202 of the cooling structure for the power supply unit 200 are not shown).

[0074] 10 shows a specific example of a configuration in which the charging battery unit 100 is cooled by the cooling structure of the power supply unit 200 when placed in each charging section 304 of the charging station 300 shown schematically in FIG. 5(b), where (a) is a schematic oblique view showing the charging battery unit 100 in each charging section 304, and (b) is a schematic oblique view of an example of installation of the cooling structure of the power supply unit 20 shown in FIG. 8 when charging the charging battery unit 100 in the state shown in (a).

[0075] First, the charging station 300 illustrated in the schematic diagram of Figure 5 is an integrated housing 302 having multiple charging compartments 304 in which each charging battery unit 100 can be placed horizontally (the upper part of Figure 4 is the front side of Figure 5(b)) and charged, and the charging compartments 304 are arranged in a vertical row of three columns, and are supported on the indoor floor by lower legs 303. The legs 303 may be caster-type with stoppers so that the installation location can be easily moved indoors.

[0076] Each charging compartment 304 is open at the front to allow cool air to enter the room, and may also be open at the rear, particularly when the charging compartment 304 is fully occupied by the rechargeable battery units 100 as shown in Figure 5(b). To charge the rechargeable battery units 100, they are inserted into the front of each charging compartment 304, and the charging outlets 208 located at the rear of each charging compartment 304 are connected to the charging inlets 116 of the rechargeable battery units 100, and charging begins.

[0077] When charging begins, the locking mechanism 306 slides sideways and protrudes toward the front insertion port of the housing 302 of each charging section 304, preventing the rechargeable battery unit 100 from jumping out during charging, and when charging is complete, it slides back out toward the housing 302, allowing the rechargeable battery unit 100 to be removed.

[0078] 5(a) and 5(b), the heat absorption member 202, Peltier element plate 204, and cooling fan 206 constituting the cooling structure of the power supply unit 200 are inserted through the side of the housing 302 of each charging section 304, with the heat absorption member 202 on the inside and the cooling fan 206 on the outside, and are cooled by abutting the heat absorption member 202 against the heat dissipation section 108 of the charging battery unit 100. Note that the current supplied to the Peltier element 204 and the cooling fan 206 may be supplied directly from a separate, independent external power source, but in practice, as will be described later with reference to FIG. 7, power is supplied to the locking mechanism, Peltier element plate 204, etc. in synchronization with the start of charging by diverting it from the power supply path from the external power source to the charging outlet 208.

[0079] Furthermore, as an example of an actual configuration of the cooling structure for the rechargeable battery unit 100 and the power supply unit 200 in each charging compartment 304 described above, as shown in Figure 10(a), a sliding guide 308 having a frame 308a at its bottom with an open battery insertion side is disposed in each charging compartment 304. When the rechargeable battery unit 100 is inserted horizontally into the charging compartment 304 from the front, the lower sides of the rechargeable battery unit 100 engage with the frame 308a (not shown) and slide back and forth (see arrow A in Figure 10(b)). A grip member 102f is attached to the front side of the rechargeable battery unit 100 (top surface in Figure 4) to make it easy to hold the rechargeable battery unit 100 and insert it into the sliding cover 308.

[0080] When the rechargeable battery unit 100 is inserted, it is guided along the slide cover 308 to the back of the charging compartment 304, and the frame 308a at the back acts as a stopper to position it in the front-to-rear direction, enabling charging. At this time, the cooling window 102f of the opening penetrating the bottom of the battery case 102 (the bottom side in FIG. 4 ) is positioned at the installation location of the cooling structure of the power supply unit 200 so that the heat dissipation section 108 of the rechargeable battery unit 100 is exposed (see FIG. 10(b)). As a result, charging begins, and at the same time, the cooling structure and heat dissipation section 108 begin cooling each battery cell 104.

[0081] 10(b), the cooling structure of the power supply unit 200 has clampers 309 disposed on both left and right ends of the cooling structure, across the vicinity of the top surface of the rechargeable battery unit 100 placed horizontally in the charging compartment 304. These clampers 309 clamp the cooling structure on both ends in a direction that sandwiches the rechargeable battery unit 100 from both sides (the direction of arrow B in FIG. 10(b)), and bring the heat absorption member 202 into contact with the heat dissipation portion 108 exposed from the cooling window portion 102f, enabling highly efficient conduction of heat from each battery cell 104.

[0082] Next, the connection between the charging inlet 116 of the rechargeable battery unit 100 and the charging outlet 208 of the power supply unit 200 will be illustrated with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6(a) is a schematic perspective view of the rechargeable battery unit 100 seen from below (the bottom of Fig. 4) showing the charging inlet 116 attached to the bottom portion 102b of the battery case 102 shown in Fig. 4, Fig. 6(b) is a perspective photograph (upper), side view (lower left), and connection side plan view (lower right) of the charging outlet 208 of the power supply unit 200, and Fig. 6(c) is a perspective photograph (upper), side view (lower left), and connection side plan view (lower right) of the charging inlet 116 of the rechargeable battery unit 100 (a).

[0083] The charging inlet 116 of the rechargeable battery unit 100 has a casing 116d mounted within the bottom portion 102b of the battery case 102, and the connection side to the power supply unit 200 forms two cylindrical members protruding in parallel. Each cylindrical member of the casing 116d is hollow, with a flexible, hollow connection terminal 116a provided on the inner wall. The surface of each connection terminal 116a is coated with copper (Cu) for electrical connection to an electrical cable (not shown). Furthermore, as shown in the lower left of Figure 6(c), the tip of each terminal protrudes from the casing 116d and connects to an electrical cable 118 (see Figure 4) that connects to each battery cell 104. Furthermore, the casing 116d has four through-holes between the bases of the two cylindrical members, and signal terminals 116c for transmitting and receiving control signals are provided on the inner wall of each through-hole. Like the connection terminal 116a, this signal terminal 116 is coated with copper (Cu) to electrically connect to the control board 120 (see Figure 4), and its tip protrudes from the casing 116d as shown in the lower left part of Figure 6(c).

[0084] Furthermore, charging outlet 208 of power supply unit 200 has a connection-side casing 208b that forms an opening, and connection terminals 208a that form cylindrical protrusions that can be inserted into holes 116b that have connection terminals 116a of charging inlet 116 are arranged in parallel inside the opening. Therefore, when the opening side of casing 208b of charging outlet 208 is placed over the cylindrical member of casing 116a of charging inlet 116, connection terminals 208a of charging outlet 208 are guided into connection terminals 116a of charging inlet 116 and electrically connected. To ensure a firm contact between connection terminals 208a and 116a and an electrical connection, various methods are used, such as tapering connection terminals 208 to elastically deform within connection terminals 116a to ensure contact, or fixing the connection between connection terminals 208a and 116a using a separate detachable means such as a hinge toggle.

[0085] Furthermore, a signal terminal 208c is provided between the two connection terminals 208a inside the opening of casing 208b for transmitting and receiving signals to signal terminal 116c of charging inlet 116. Note that connection terminal 208a and signal terminal 208c are also coated with a copper (Cu) film, similar to connection terminal 116a and signal terminal 116c of charging inlet 116 described above.

[0086] Next, a control flow when the charging battery unit 100 is connected to the power supply unit 200 and charged in the charging station 300 shown in FIGS. 5 and 10 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0087] The charging station 300 monitors in real time the amount of current supplied to the charging battery unit 100 by the power supply unit 200 during charging, and monitors the current flow and charge amount to the cooling structures of the charging battery unit 100 and the power supply unit 200 (STEP 10). Note that this monitoring utilizes CAN network (Controller Area Network) communication.

[0088] First, when the rechargeable battery unit 100 is inserted into the charging section 304 of the charging station 300 and the charging inlet 116 of the rechargeable battery unit 100 is connected to the charging outlet 208 of the power supply unit 200, if the power supplied to the rechargeable battery unit 100 is monitored in STEP 10 and it is determined that the connection between the charging inlet 116 and the charging outlet 208 is good, the locking mechanism 306 closes the charging section 304. The opening and closing of this locking mechanism 306 is also monitored by the above-mentioned CAN network communication (STEP 10), but the closing method may be manual by the user as described above, with closure as a condition for starting charging, or automatic closure may be performed when a good connection is confirmed.

[0089] When it is confirmed that the charging section 304 is closed by the locking mechanism 306 (STEP 14), charging from the power supply unit 200 to the charging battery unit 100 begins, power is supplied, and at the same time, a charging indicator lamp (charging completion indicator means) not shown is turned on (STEP 16).

[0090] Although power may be supplied to the Peltier element plate 204 and cooling fan 206 to cool the heat-generating locations of each battery cell 104 from the heat dissipation section 106 of the charging battery unit 100 simultaneously when charging is started, Fig. 7 illustrates a control configuration in which cooling is performed when the actual measured temperature t of the heat-generating location becomes a predetermined temperature higher than the ideal temperature ta (step 18). Specifically, the ideal temperature ta of the heat-generating location is first calculated (step 18). The ideal temperature ta may be set (calculated) from an upper threshold value of a predetermined temperature set by the manufacturer of each battery cell 104, or the current temperature ta may be calculated so as not to reach the upper threshold value based on the heat generation profile over time calculated from the supplied power amount monitored in step 10.

[0091] Once the ideal temperature ta is calculated (STEP 18), the temperature of the assumed heat generating location of the battery cell 104 is measured and set as the actual temperature t (STEP 20). If the calculated ideal temperature ta is higher than the actual temperature t by a predetermined value or more, the Peltier element plate 204 is energized and the cooling fan 206 is operated to cool the assumed heat generating location of the battery cell 104 (STEPs 22 to 24). If the assumed heat generating location is cooled and the ideal temperature ta is lower than the actual temperature t by the predetermined value, the energization of the Peltier element plate 204 and the operation of the cooling fan 206 are stopped (STEPs 22 to 26).

[0092] When charging of the rechargeable battery unit 100 is completed, the power supply is stopped, charging ends, and at the same time, the charging indicator lamp (charging completion indicator) is turned off or the charging completion indicator is turned on (STEPs 28 to 30). At the same time, the locking mechanism 306 releases the closure of the charging section 304 (STEP 32), and the charging inlet 116 is removed from the charging outlet 208, allowing the charged rechargeable battery unit 100 to be removed from the charging section 304.

[0093] Various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the embodiments shown in this specification and the drawings are merely examples of the present invention, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other improvements and modifications exist from the concept and teachings of the claims.

[0094] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Charging battery unit (rapid charging battery unit) 102 Battery case 102a Battery mounting space 102b Bottom portion 102c Connection space 102d Fixing portion 102e Cooling window portion 102d Grip member 104 Battery cell 104a Anode 104b Cathode 104c Bag body 106 Heat absorption portion 106a Edge portion 108 Heat dissipation portion 110 Heat absorption and dissipation means 114 Bus bar 116 Charging inlet 116a Connection terminal 116b Hole portion 116c Signal terminal 116d Casing 118 Conducting cable (connection portion) 120 Control board 200 Power supply unit 202 Heat absorption member (heat conduction contact portion) 202a Contact side portion (battery unit side surface (heat-conductive sheet member)) 202b Opposite side portion (Peltier element plate side surface (graphite resin sheet member)) 202c Copper plate main body 203 Pressing member 204 Peltier element plate 204a Heat absorption surface 204b Heat dissipation surface 205 Heat sink 205a Ventilation hole 206 Cooling fan 207 Heat insulation / condensation prevention cover 208 Charging outlet 208a Connection terminal 208b Casing 208c Signal terminal 210 Power supply 212 Conductive cable 300 Charging station 302 Housing 303 Legs 304 Charging section 306 Locking mechanism (locking means) 308 Slide guide 308a Frame 309 Clamp

Claims

a battery case in which a plurality of rechargeable sheet-shaped battery cells are arranged in parallel, with their positive and negative terminals connected in series / parallel with conductive bus bars, and which is then sealed inside; heat absorption and dissipation means made of plate-like copper, aluminum, or graphite resin, positioned in the charging-side region of each battery cell, the heat absorption means having heat absorption sections interposed in parallel in layers between the outer surfaces of the battery cells and / or arranged in parallel on the outer surface of the outermost battery cell, and heat dissipation sections connected to the edges of the heat absorption sections and exposed to the outside; A fast charging battery unit comprising:

2. The rapid charge battery unit according to claim 1, wherein each of the battery cells is a rechargeable battery capable of rapid charge of 1.0 C or more, and the battery cells are connected in series / parallel within the battery case. 　 A charging station that can be installed indoors and that can charge the rapid charge battery unit according to claim 1 or 2, the quick-charging battery unit is detachably mounted on the electric light vehicle as a drive source, and is connected to bus bars that link terminals of the battery cells so as to be chargeable via a charging inlet from an external AC power source, the charging inlet having an AC / DC converter and a control board that controls the flow of current to the bus bars; The charging station comprises: a single unitary housing having a plurality of charging compartments each having a charging outlet therein for connecting said rapid charging battery units to an external AC power source; each charging compartment is positionable therein with the fast-charging battery unit exposed to the exterior; A charging station in which a power supply unit capable of cooling each battery cell of the charging battery unit is mounted in each charging compartment, and the power supply unit is connected to a charging outlet for the fast-charging battery unit or separately to an external power source.

4. The charging station according to claim 3, wherein each charging compartment of the housing includes a charging management means that monitors the supply of power from the charging outlet to the rapid-charge battery unit, and the charging management means has a locking means that closes or partially closes the locking means from an open state on the indoor space side when the charging inlet of the rapid-charge battery unit is connected to the charging outlet in the charging compartment and power is supplied to the rapid-charge battery unit from an external power source, and when the supply of power to the rapid-charge battery unit is completed, the charging completion display means displays charging completion and the charging management means executes control to open the locking means. 　 the rapid-charge battery unit has a battery case as a housing that has a battery mounting space on one side in which a plurality of the battery cells arranged in parallel and connected to each other by bus bars are sealed and disposed, and that extends to the other side of the battery mounting space and has a bottom portion that is open to the outside at its other end and guides connection to an external power supply unit; the battery mounting space and the bottom portion have a fixing portion that separates them, 5. The charging station according to claim 3, wherein a control board connected to the bus bar and controlling the flow of current to the battery cells, and a charging inlet connected to the control board and receiving a charging outlet from an external power source inside the bottom portion to conduct electricity to the external power source are attached to the fixing portion. 　 a charging outlet connectable to a charging inlet of the rechargeable battery unit; a sheet-like heat-absorbing member made of copper or other material with high thermal conductivity, which is disposed in contact with or in close proximity to an externally exposed heat dissipation portion that transfers heat from the battery cells of the rechargeable battery unit; a Peltier element plate that is stacked on and abuts against the heat absorption member and is energized so that the heat absorption surface faces the heat absorption member and the heat dissipation surface faces the opposite side; and 　 a control means for reversing the current flowing through the Peltier element plate to make the heat absorption member side the heat dissipation surface and the opposite side the heat absorption surface, and when the temperature of the battery cell of the rechargeable battery unit reaches or exceeds a preset threshold, reversing the current flowing through the Peltier element plate again to switch the heat absorption member side to the heat absorption surface and the opposite side to the heat dissipation surface; 7. A power supply unit for a rechargeable battery unit according to claim 6. 　 a supply current monitoring means for detecting the amount of current supplied per hour from the charging outlet to the rechargeable battery unit; an ideal temperature calculation means for calculating a temperature of the charging battery unit in relation to the amount of supply current detected by the supply current monitoring means and setting the calculated temperature as an ideal temperature; a temperature measuring means for measuring the actual temperature of the battery cells in the charging battery unit; 8. The power supply unit of a rechargeable battery unit according to claim 6, further comprising: a current adjusting means for executing control to increase the amount of current supplied to the Peltier element plate when a difference between the actual temperature measured by the temperature measuring means and the ideal temperature preset by the ideal temperature calculating means becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

9. The power supply unit for a rechargeable battery unit according to claim 6, further comprising a cooling fan provided outside the heat dissipation surface of said Peltier element plate for blowing air onto said heat dissipation surface. 　 The rechargeable battery unit a battery case in which a plurality of rechargeable battery cells are arranged in parallel and the positive and negative terminals of the cells are connected in series by a conductive bus bar; heat absorption and dissipation means made of plate-like copper, aluminum, or graphite resin, positioned in the charging-side region of each of the battery cells, the heat absorption means having heat absorption sections that are interposed in parallel in layers between the battery cells and / or arranged in parallel on the outer surface of the outermost battery cell, and heat dissipation sections that are connected to the edges of the heat absorption sections and exposed to the outside; a charging inlet connected to the bus bar and connected to an external power source; When the rechargeable battery unit is received The charging inlet is connected to the charging outlet of the power supply unit; A power supply unit for a rechargeable battery unit according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein a heat dissipation portion of the heat absorption and dissipation means of the rechargeable battery unit and a heat absorption plate portion of the power supply unit are arranged in contact or close proximity to each other to form a power supply assembly. 　 a heat-conducting contact member that is brought into contact with a heat-dissipating portion of the rechargeable battery unit is disposed on the heat-absorbing surface of the Peltier element plate, and the heat-conducting contact member has a number of contact points that protrude toward the heat-dissipating portion; 11. A power supply unit for a rechargeable battery unit according to claim 10. 　 A charging station that can be installed indoors and includes a power supply unit for a rechargeable battery unit according to any one of claims 6 to 11, the charging battery unit is detachably mounted on the electric light vehicle as a drive source, and is connected to a bus bar that links the terminals of each battery cell so as to be chargeable via a charging inlet from an external AC power source, the charging inlet having an AC / DC converter and a control board that controls the flow of current to the bus bar; The charging station comprises: a single unitary housing having a plurality of charging compartments each having a charging outlet therein for connecting said rapid charging battery units to an external AC power source; each charging compartment being positionable therein with the charging battery unit exposed to the exterior; A charging station, wherein the power supply units capable of cooling each battery cell of the charging battery units are mounted in each charging compartment, and the power supply units are connected to a charging outlet for the fast-charging battery units or separately to an external power source.

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