Storage device

Abstract

The present invention may provide a storage device in which an inlet of a heating element cooling path is not exposed on a front surface or a side surface of a housing.　This storage device (1), in which power storage devices (19), a plurality of accommodation parts (20) respectively accommodating the power storage devices (19), and a power conversion device (109) for converting power input from an external power supply to the power storage devices (19) or power output from the power storage devices (19) to an external load are provided in a housing (10), comprises: a cooling passage (DK) for cooling the power conversion device (109); and an inlet (116) communicating with the cooling passage (DK). The inlet (116) is provided on the bottom surface of the housing (10).

Description

Storage device

[0001] The present invention relates to a storage device.

[0002] Conventionally, there are three problems in the electrification of mobility. These problems are "short cruising range", "long charging time", and "high battery cost". By the way, Patent Document 1 discloses a storage device that makes the battery replaceable and shares it to solve these three problems, contributing to the acceleration of the electrification of mobility and the expansion of the utilization of renewable energy. The storage device includes a heating element cooling path that sucks air from the front of the housing and exhausts it to the back in the cooling configuration of the heating element, and a louver is attached to the air intake on the front of the housing.

[0003] International Publication No. 2024 / 058242

[0004] However, in the battery storage device, the heating element may be arranged close to the floor surface. When an inlet is provided on the front / side surface of the housing, there is a risk that the intake air flow cannot be ensured when the inlet is blocked by an obstacle. An object of the present invention is to provide a storage device in which the inlet of the cooling path of the heating element is not exposed on the front or side surface of the housing.

[0005] This specification includes all the contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-168691 filed on September 27, 2024. The storage device of the present invention is a storage device provided with a housing, a power storage device, a storage portion for housing the power storage devices respectively, and a power conversion device for converting the power input from an external power source to the power storage device or the power output from the power storage device to an external load. The power conversion device is provided with a cooling passage for cooling the power conversion device and an inlet communicating with the cooling passage, and the inlet is provided on the lower surface of the housing.

[0006] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a storage device in which the inlet of the cooling path of the heating element is not exposed on the front or side surface of the housing.

[0007] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the storage device. Figure 2 is a front view of the same device. Figure 3 is a view equivalent to Figure 1 with the right side panel removed. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the storage compartment and the energy storage device. Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the power converter. Figure 6 is a front lower right perspective view of the electrical components room. Figure 7 is a view equivalent to Figure 6 with the power converter removed. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the bottom plate of the housing.

[0008] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description, directions such as front, back, left, right, and up and down refer to the same directions as those in Figure 1 relative to the storage device unless otherwise specified. In each figure, the symbol FR indicates the front of the storage device, the symbol UP indicates the top of the storage device, and the symbol LH indicates the left side of the storage device.

[0009] [Configuration of the Embodiment] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the storage device 1, Figure 2 is a front view thereof, and Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the state with the side panels of Figure 1 removed. The storage device 1 comprises a housing 10 that is roughly rectangular in shape. The housing 10 comprises a bottom plate 11, a top plate 12, a front plate 13, a back plate 14, a right side plate (one side plate) 15, and a left side plate (the other side plate) 16. For the convenience of transport and relocation by the user, the storage device 1 is provided with handles 18 on the side plates 15 and 16, respectively. In this embodiment, the storage device 1 will be referred to as the battery replacement station 1 below. Four adjuster bolts 17 are provided on the bottom plate 11. The adjuster bolts 17 are legs and are provided at the four corners of the bottom plate 11. The front adjuster bolts 17 are equipped with plate-shaped leg plates 17A. This makes it difficult for the housing 10 to tip forward.

[0010] The front panel 13 comprises an upper front panel 41 and a lower front panel 43. The upper front panel 41 has four openings 13a arranged in a 2x2 grid. The four openings 13a are arranged in pairs in the left-right direction and in the up-down direction. A housing section 20 is placed in the openings 13a, and a battery (not shown) is inserted and removed from the housing section 20. In this embodiment, the housing section 20 will be referred to as a slot 20, and an opening 20a is formed in the slot 20. The lower front panel 43, although not shown, is detachably attached to the lower edge of the upper front panel 41 by hooking its upper part onto it.

[0011] Figure 3 shows the right side panel (one side panel) 15 removed. On the right side of the enclosure 10, the front frame 121 and rear frame 123 run vertically. Although not shown in the figure, these frames are also provided on the left side of the enclosure 10, and the pair of left and right frames are connected by beam members (not shown) that extend to the left and right. In addition, a central frame 125 (see Figure 2) runs vertically through the center in the width direction.

[0012] Inside the enclosure 10, two base plates 50 are arranged in layers. Each base plate 50 extends in the width direction of the enclosure 10 and slopes downward towards the rear. Both ends of the base plates 50 are supported by a pair of front frames 121 and rear frames 123. The slot 20 is supported on top of the base plates 50.

[0013] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the slot 20. The slot 20 comprises a rectangular cylindrical body portion 21 having an opening 20a, and a connector unit 22 having electrodes and a fan 24 for blowing air into the body portion 21 are arranged at the bottom 21a of the body portion 21. The energy storage device 19 is inserted into and removed from the slot 20. In this embodiment, the energy storage device 19 will be referred to as the battery 19 below.

[0014] The battery 19 is portable by the user and is configured to be detachable from, for example, electric vehicles (four-wheeled vehicles, three-wheeled vehicles, two-wheeled vehicles), lawnmowers, agricultural machinery, and other work machines. The battery 19 is an MPP (Mobile Power Pack) and has battery terminals (not shown) on the opposite side of the handle 19a. When the battery 19 is inserted into the slot 20, the battery terminals (not shown) are electrically connected to the connector unit 22 and the battery 19 is charged.

[0015] As shown in Figure 1, the battery exchange station 1 has four slots 20 arranged in two pairs in the left-right and up-down directions. Compared to conventional stations, it is smaller, highly portable by hand, and easy to move and install at the customer's location. Due to the size required to accommodate the four slots 20, the front width W is approximately 63% and the depth width W1 is approximately 47% of the height H, which will be described later. The top plate 12 consists of a front top plate 141 and a rear top plate 143, and is triangular in side view, forming a so-called mountain shape. The height H1 of the back portion 144 is approximately 76% of the height H of the ridge portion 142 of the top plate 12. The ridge portion 142 of the top plate 12 corresponds to the top of the housing 10.

[0016] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the battery replacement station 1 has an electrical component compartment 100 at the bottom and a communication component compartment 101 at the top. The electrical component compartment 100 is separated from the space where each slot 20 is arranged by a middle plate 101a. The upper communication component compartment 101 houses, in order from the front left, a Wi-Fi® module 102, an NFC (Near-field communication) antenna 103, an indicator 104, etc. The front top panel 141 has a UI (User Interface) such as a user authentication 105 and a user operation unit 106. The inclination angle θ1 of the front top panel 141 is formed to be between 20° and 50°. This brings the UI and the user's line of sight E closer to vertical, improving visibility and operability. The front top panel 141 corresponds to an example of an inclined surface that tilts forward.

[0017] The battery exchange station 1 is formed such that the height H1 of the back portion 144 is lower than the height H of the ridge portion 142 of the top portion 12. Therefore, the rear top portion 143 is inclined rearward and downward, and furthermore, the rear edge 143a of the rear top portion 143 has an R shape. This lowers the point of force from external loads, making it less likely to tip over.

[0018] In the lower electrical component compartment 100, the control board 107A, the electrical box 107 housing the AC / DC converter 107B, and the power converter 109 are housed in order from the front left side, and a backup power battery (not shown) is also located there. The backup power battery is used as a power source to continue at least some of the functions of the battery exchange station 1 when the power supply from the power grid to the battery exchange station 1 is interrupted due to a power outage or the like.

[0019] The backup power supply battery may be a lead-acid battery, a lithium-ion battery, or any other type of battery. These are heavy objects, which helps to lower the center of gravity of the battery exchange station 1. As a result, even if the battery exchange station 1 is made smaller and lighter, its stability can be ensured.

[0020] In front of the electrical box 107, an electrical component fan 108 is provided, which is fixed to the top surface of the electrical component room 100. From the electrical box 107, a harness 150 is routed to connect to electrical components related to communication, such as the Wi-Fi module 102 and the NFC antenna 103. The harness 150 is routed on the left side of the housing 10. Since the electrical box 107 and the electrical components related to communication connected to its contents are located on the same side of the housing 10, the harness 150 can be routed in a concentrated manner, and the harness 150 can be shortened.

[0021] A circuit breaker 151 and a LAN (Local Area Network) port 152 are located to the left and in front of the electrical box 107 in the electrical components room 100. Because the circuit breaker 151 and LAN port 152 are located on the front side of the enclosure 10, they are easily accessible when installing the battery replacement station 1 or during inspections.

[0022] Figure 5 shows the power converter 109. In Figure 5, the front panel 13 of the housing 10 is located on the left, and the back panel 14 of the housing 10 is located on the right. The power converter 109 includes an air filter 110, an intake fan 111, four circuit boards 112 that supply power to multiple batteries 19 via the connector unit 22 of the slot 20 as described later, and an exhaust port 113, where a fan blade 113a is placed.

[0023] Multiple blades 113a are arranged vertically in the discharge port 113. Slit-shaped gaps are formed between adjacent blades 113a. The multiple blades 113a and the gaps between them are configured to function as a discharge port 113 as a whole.

[0024] The four circuit boards 112 are placed on an L-shaped lower wall 114, and an inverted L-shaped upper wall 115 covers the lower wall 114. The power converter 109 is enclosed by the lower wall 114 and the upper wall 115 in all aspects except for the front intake fan 111 and the rear exhaust port 113, thereby creating a component. The power converter 109 is in a so-called enclosure configuration. The lower wall 114 and the upper wall 115 are examples of coverings that surround the power converter 109.

[0025] The circuit board 112 of the power conversion device 109 is controlled by the control board 107A and converts power input from an external power source to multiple batteries 19, or power output from multiple batteries 19 to an external load (not shown), using an AC / DC converter 107B and a DC / DC converter (not shown).

[0026] [Cooling Path Configuration] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the front lower right of the electrical component room 100. The electrical component room 100 is enclosed at the front by a lower front plate 43, at the top by the lowest base plate 50, and at the bottom by a bottom plate 11. A componentized power converter 109 is located at the front lower right of the electrical component room 100.

[0027] The lower part of the lower front plate 43 is bent backward to form an air intake 116. The air intake 116 is located between the front surface of the lower front plate 43 of the housing 10 and the air filter 110 of the power converter 109.

[0028] The air intake port 116 is an example of an inlet for introducing outside air into the housing 10. The air intake port 116 is formed in the lower part of the lower front plate 43 in a slit shape. Alternatively, the air intake port 116 may be formed as a gap between the lower part of the lower front plate 43, which is flat, and the bottom plate 11, without the lower part of the lower front plate 43 being bent backward. The air intake port 116 only needs to be formed over at least the width direction of the power converter 109, and may be formed over the entire width direction of the lower front plate 43.

[0029] There is an opening on the lower right front of the back panel 14, and the outlet 113 of the power converter 109 is located in the opening. The vane 113a faces the opening.

[0030] Arrow A indicates the power supply cooling path DK of the power converter 109. Driven by the intake fan 111, outside air flows along the power supply cooling path DK. That is, outside air is drawn in from the intake port 116, flows through the air filter 110, the intake fan 111, and the circuit board 112 in that order, cools the circuit board 112, and is exhausted from the exhaust port 113.

[0031] In the power supply cooling path DK, some of the outside air does not flow inside the power converter 109, but instead flows into the housing 10 where the slot 20 is located, and is drawn in by the fan 24 located at the rear of the slot 20. This air flows along the battery cooling path BK indicated by arrow B.

[0032] In the battery cooling path BK, air flows through the housing 10 towards the back plate 14, reflects off the back plate 14, and flows upward through the housing 10. The air is then drawn in by the fans 24 at the bottom 21a of each slot 20, enters each rectangular body section 21 almost evenly, cools the battery 19, and is exhausted from the opening 20a of the body section 21.

[0033] In this embodiment, there is no air intake on the lower front plate 43, and the vanes do not face the lower front plate 43, thus improving the design. Furthermore, the lower front plate 43 is removable, and when the lower front plate 43 is removed, the air filter 110 is exposed. As a result, the air filter 110 can be easily replaced simply by removing the lower front plate 43.

[0034] In this embodiment, the intake fan 111 may be rotated in reverse at a predetermined timing. This makes it possible to discharge foreign matter accumulated in the air filter 110 to the bottom of the housing 10. Foreign matter includes, for example, dirt, dust, and insects. Figure 5 illustrates a configuration in which the air filter 110 is positioned in front of the intake port 110, but it is not limited to this and may be provided over the entire width of the lower front plate 43.

[0035] [Configuration of the discharge path] Figure 7 shows the state with the power converter 109 of Figure 6 removed. In Figure 7, for the sake of explanation, the rear frame 123 is not shown. Arrow C indicates the first discharge path HK1. The slot 20 is provided with a drain hole (not shown) at the bottom 21a. Rainwater and dust that enter the opening 20a of the slot 20 are drained and discharged onto the base plate 50 through the drain hole (not shown) at the bottom 21a of the main body 21. Drain holes (not shown) are formed in all four slots 20, and rainwater, etc. from the drain holes (not shown) of the four slots 20 are all collected on the upper and lower two-tiered base plate 50.

[0036] The two upper and lower base plates 50 are both inclined downward and to the rear, and a ridge 51 extending in the width direction of the housing 10 is formed on the lower edge of the base plate 50.

[0037] Rainwater and dust collect along the embankment 51 around the rear frame 123. The rear frame 123 is a hollow square pipe, and holes (not shown) are formed in the rear frame 123. Rainwater and other debris that collect around the rear frame 123 enter the hollow part of the rear frame 123 through these holes (not shown), fall through the rear frame 123, and are drained to the outside.

[0038] Arrow D indicates the second discharge route HK2. Rainwater flowing in from slot 20 is discharged along the first discharge route HK1, using the rear frame 123 as a gutter, as described above. However, condensation water from the housing 10 flows directly onto the bottom plate 11 through the second discharge route HK2.

[0039] As shown in Figure 8, the bottom plate 11 of the housing 10 has a central groove 11a that extends in the width direction of the housing 10 and is lower, with a drain opening 131 formed at the lowest point of the central groove 11a. The bottom plate 11 is a so-called tray. The bottom plate 11 is formed in a direction inclined with respect to the horizontal plane and has an inclined surface 140 that is inclined toward the drain opening 131. Water flowing through the second discharge path HK2 is guided in one direction toward the drain opening 131 by the inclined surface 140. A mesh filter 133 is placed in the drain opening 131. The central groove 11a formed in the bottom plate 11 is an example of a drainage channel that guides water entering the housing 10 from above to the drain opening 131 at the bottom.

[0040] In this embodiment, rainwater and the like are drained to the outside through the first discharge path HK1 and the second discharge path HK2, so they do not remain on the bottom plate 11, preventing corrosion and the formation of holes in the bottom plate 11. Furthermore, a central groove 11a is formed in the bottom plate 11, and a single drain opening 131 is formed at the lowest point of the central groove 11a, eliminating the need for multiple drain openings and reducing costs. In addition, a mesh filter 133 is placed in the drain opening 131, preventing the intrusion of small animals and the like.

[0041] [Water Level Sensor] The housing 10 is equipped with a water level sensor 120 at its lower part. The water level sensor 120 is located on the side of the power converter 109. The water level sensor 120 detects water levels lower than the control board 107A and AC / DC converter 107B housed in the electrical box 107, and the circuit board 112 housed in the power converter 109. The height of the battery exchange station 1 is adjusted using four adjuster bolts 17. The adjuster bolts 17 are an example of legs that can be freely adjusted in height. Nevertheless, if a flood occurs due to heavy rain at the location where the battery exchange station 1 is installed, the water level sensor 120 will detect the water level and stop all operations of the power converter 109. This ensures safety.

[0042] [Effects, etc.] According to the battery replacement station 1 (storage device) in the present embodiment, the housing 10 includes a plurality of batteries 19 (power storage devices), a plurality of slots 20 (accommodation portions) for accommodating the plurality of batteries 19 respectively, and a power conversion device 109 for converting the power input from an external power source to the plurality of batteries 19 or the power output from the batteries 19 to an external load. The power conversion device 109 is provided with a power supply cooling path DK (cooling passage) for cooling the power conversion device 109, and an intake port 116 (introduction port) communicating with the power supply cooling path DK. The intake port 116 is provided on the lower surface of the housing 10. According to this configuration, the intake port 116 is not exposed on the front or side surface of the housing 10, and the design property is excellent. Further, when an object is placed around the battery replacement station 1 or when a user is present around the battery replacement station, it is possible to suppress the intake port 116 from being blocked. Also, it is possible to suppress the intrusion of water from the intake port 116.

[0043] Further, the battery replacement station 1 is provided with an exhaust port 113 communicating with the power supply cooling path DK. The plurality of slots 20 have an opening 20a through which the battery 19 can be inserted and removed. The exhaust port 113 is provided on a surface of the housing 10 opposite to the surface on which the opening 20a is disposed. According to this configuration, when an object is placed around the battery replacement station 1 or when a user is present around the battery replacement station 1, it is possible to suppress the exhaust port 113 from being blocked.

[0044] Also, the power conversion device 109 is provided below the plurality of slots 20. According to this configuration, by arranging the power conversion device 109 using the space below the plurality of slots 20, while suppressing the enlargement of the battery replacement station 1, since the plurality of slots 20 are arranged above the power conversion device 109, it is possible to suppress the insertion and removal height of the power storage device with respect to the installation surface of the battery replacement station 1 from becoming low, which would make it difficult for the user to insert and remove the power storage device.

[0045] Further, the intake port 116 communicates with the inside of the plurality of slots 20. According to this configuration, the intake port 116 for the air required for cooling the battery 19 inside the slot 20 can be shared with the power supply cooling path DK.

[0046] Further, a lower wall 114 and an upper wall 115 that cover at least a part of the periphery of the power conversion device 109 are provided. According to this configuration, the waterproof property of the power conversion device 109 is improved.

[0047] The front plate 13 of the housing 10 is divided and includes a lower front plate 43. The lower front plate 43 is detachable. When the lower front plate 43 is removed, the air filter 110 is exposed. The power conversion device 109 includes an intake fan 111 downstream of the air filter 110. The intake fan 111 rotates reversely at a predetermined timing to discharge the foreign matter staying on the air filter 110 below the housing 10. According to this configuration, by periodically flowing air in the opposite direction to the intake direction through the air filter 110, the staying foreign matter can be removed, and the air filter 110 can be made to have a long life.

[0048] [Other Embodiments] The above-described embodiments merely show one aspect of the present invention, and arbitrary deformation and application are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention. In the above-described embodiments, the drainage from the first discharge path HK1 is directly drained below the bottom plate 11, but it is not limited to this. The drainage of the first discharge path HK1 and the second discharge path HK2 may be joined above the bottom plate 11 and drained together from the drain port 131 of the bottom plate 11.

[0049] [Configurations Supported by the Above Embodiments] The above embodiments support the following configurations.

[0050] (Configuration 1) A storage device comprising a housing, a power storage device, a housing for housing the power storage device, and a power converter for converting power input from an external power source to the power storage device, or power output from the power storage device (19) to an external load, wherein the storage device is provided with a cooling passage for cooling the power converter and an inlet communicating with the cooling passage, the inlet being located on the lower surface of the housing. According to Configuration 1, the inlet of the cooling path for the heat-generating element is not exposed on the front or side of the housing. When an object is placed around the storage device, or when a user is present around the storage device, the inlet is not blocked. In addition, water ingress from the inlet is suppressed.

[0051] (Configuration 2) The storage device according to Configuration 1, characterized in that it is provided with an outlet that communicates with the cooling passage, the housing has an opening into which the energy storage device can be inserted and removed, and the outlet is provided on the side of the housing opposite to the side in which the opening is located. According to Configuration 2, it is possible to prevent the outlet from being blocked when an object is placed around the storage device or when a user is present around the storage device.

[0052] (Configuration 3) The storage device according to Configuration 1 or 2, characterized in that the power converter is located below the storage section. According to Configuration 3, by arranging the power converter in the space below the storage section, the size of the storage device can be suppressed, and since the storage section is located above the power converter, the insertion / removal height relative to the installation surface of the storage device is reduced, which can prevent the user from having difficulty inserting or removing the power storage device.

[0053] (Configuration 4) The storage device according to any one of Configurations 1 to 3, characterized in that the inlet is in communication with the inside of the storage section. According to Configuration 4, the air inlet necessary for cooling the energy storage device inside the storage section can be shared with the cooling path.

[0054] (Configuration 5) The storage device according to any one of Configurations 1 to 4, further comprising a cover that covers at least a portion of the area surrounding the power converter. According to Configuration 5, the waterproofness of the power converter is improved.

[0055] (Configuration 6) The storage device according to any one of Configurations 1 to 5, characterized in that the front panel of the housing is divided and has a lower front panel, the lower front panel is removable, and when the lower front panel is removed an air filter is visible, the power conversion device has an intake fan downstream of the air filter, the intake fan rotates in reverse at a predetermined timing and discharges foreign matter accumulated in the air filter to the bottom of the housing. According to Configuration 6, by periodically flowing air in the opposite direction to the intake direction through the air filter, accumulated foreign matter can be removed and the lifespan of the air filter can be extended.

[0056] (Configuration 7) A storage device according to any one of Configurations 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of the energy storage devices and a plurality of storage units for each of the plurality of energy storage devices. With this configuration, each of the plurality of energy storage devices can be stored individually. Therefore, the convenience of the storage device for storing energy storage devices for sharing is improved.

[0057] 1 Battery exchange station (storage device) 10 Enclosure 11 Bottom plate 13 Front plate 14 Back plate 17 Adjuster bolts (legs) 19 Battery (energy storage device) 20 Slot (storage area) 22 Connector unit 24 Fan 41 Upper front plate 43 Lower front plate 50 Base plate 100 Electrical component compartment 101 Communication component compartment 102 Wi-Fi module (communication component) 103 NFC antenna (communication component) 104 Indicator 105 User authentication 106 User operation area 107 Electrical box 109 Power converter 110 Air filter 111 Intake fan 112 Circuit board 114 Lower wall (cover) 115 Upper wall (cover) 116 Intake port (inlet) 141 Front top plate 143 Rear side top plate

Claims

1. A storage device (1) comprising a housing (10) including a power storage device (19), a housing (20) for housing the power storage device (19), and a power converter (109) for converting power input to the power storage device (19) from an external power source, or power output from the power storage device (19) to an external load, wherein the storage device (1) is further provided with a cooling passage (DK) for cooling the power converter (109) and an inlet (116) communicating with the cooling passage (DK), the inlet (116) being provided on the lower surface of the housing (10).

2. The storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an outlet (113) communicating with the cooling passage (DK), the storage section (20) has an opening (20a) into which the energy storage device (19) can be inserted and removed, and the outlet (113) is provided on the side of the housing (10) opposite to the side on which the opening (20a) is located.

3. The storage device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the power converter (109) is located below the storage section (20).

4. The storage device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the inlet (116) is in communication with the inside of the storage section (20).

5. The storage device according to claim 3, further comprising a cover portion (114, 115) that covers at least a part of the periphery of the power converter (109).

6. The storage device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the front panel (13) of the housing is divided and includes a lower front panel (43), the lower front panel (43) is removable, and when the lower front panel (43) is removed, an air filter (110) is visible, the power converter (109) is equipped with an intake fan (111) downstream of the air filter (110), the intake fan (111) rotates in reverse at a predetermined timing to discharge foreign matter accumulated in the air filter (110) to the bottom of the housing (10).

7. The storage device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of the energy storage devices (19) and a plurality of the storage units (20) that house each of the plurality of energy storage devices (20).

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