Charging apparatus, and power supply system for electric device

Abstract

The present application belongs to the technical field of batteries. Provided are a charging apparatus, and a power supply system for an electric device. The charging apparatus comprises a charging module, a heating module, and a controller. The charging module is configured to connect to positive and negative electrodes of a battery so as to charge the battery. The heating module is configured to connect to the positive and negative electrodes of the battery so as to heat the battery. The controller is in communication connection with both the heating module and the charging module. The controller is configured to control the charging module to connect to the positive and negative electrodes of the battery, such that the charging module charges the battery; and the controller is further configured to control the heating module to connect to the positive and negative electrodes of the battery, and to enable alternate charging and discharging between the heating module and the battery so as to heat the battery. The charging apparatus provided in the present application can improve the charging efficiency of batteries.

Description

Power supply system for charging devices and electrical equipment

[0001] Cross-references

[0002] This application incorporates Chinese Patent Application No. 202520137397.2, filed on January 21, 2025, entitled “Power Supply System for Charging Device and Electrical Equipment”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a power supply system for a charging device and an electrical appliance. Background Technology

[0004] Energy conservation and emission reduction are key to the sustainable development of the automotive industry, and electric vehicles, due to their energy-saving and environmentally friendly advantages, have become an important component of this sustainable development. For electric vehicles, battery technology is a crucial factor in their development.

[0005] When the temperature is low, the battery activity decreases and the resistance to electron transport inside the battery increases, resulting in lower charging efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application aims to at least address one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. Therefore, one objective of this application is to provide a power supply system for a charging device and an electrical appliance to solve the problem of low battery charging efficiency in the related art.

[0007] An embodiment of the first aspect of this application provides a charging device, comprising: a charging module for connecting to the positive and negative terminals of a battery to charge the battery; a heating module for connecting to the positive and negative terminals of the battery to heat the battery; and a controller communicatively connected to the heating module and the charging module, the controller controlling the charging module to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery so as to charge the battery, and controlling the heating module to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery, and causing the heating module and the battery to alternately charge and discharge to heat the battery.

[0008] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, a heating module is provided in the charging device. When the battery temperature is low, the controller can control the heating module to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery, and cause the heating module and the battery to alternately charge and discharge. The current generated during the alternating charging and discharging process can heat the battery, thereby increasing the battery temperature and improving the charging efficiency of the charging module. Furthermore, since the heating module and the battery alternately charge and discharge—that is, after the battery discharges to the heating module, the heating module recharges the battery—the existing charge in the battery is not lost while heating is achieved, which is beneficial to improving the charging efficiency. In addition, by placing the heating module in the charging device, all batteries charged by this device can be heated by the heating module in the charging device, eliminating the need for a separate heating device for each battery, thus reducing costs.

[0009] In some embodiments, the heating module includes: a first energy storage circuit; a first switching circuit, the first switching circuit being connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery, the first switching circuit also being connected to the first energy storage circuit, and a controller being used to control the first switching circuit to connect the first energy storage circuit to the positive and negative terminals of the battery, forming a charging circuit for the battery to charge the first energy storage circuit and a discharging circuit for the first energy storage circuit to discharge to the battery, so that the heating module and the battery alternately charge and discharge. The first energy storage circuit has the function of energy storage. The battery can release energy to the first energy storage circuit through the charging circuit, so that the first energy storage circuit temporarily stores the energy of the battery. In the discharging circuit, the first energy storage circuit can release energy to the battery, that is, recharge the energy back into the battery. Through the above process, not only can the battery be heated, but the existing charge of the battery is not lost after the battery is heated, thereby ensuring the improvement of the battery charging efficiency to a certain extent.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first switching circuit includes: a first switching branch, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery; the first switching branch includes a first switching element and a second switching element connected in series, and the midpoint between the first and second switching elements is connected to the first terminal of the first energy storage circuit; and a second switching branch, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the two ends of the first switching branch; the second switching branch includes a third switching element and a fourth switching element connected in series, and the midpoint between the third and fourth switching elements is connected to the second terminal of the first energy storage circuit. The first switching branch, the second switching branch, and the first energy storage circuit connected between the first and second switching branches form an H-bridge structure, which is simple and reliable. By controlling the different conduction sequences among the first, second, third, and fourth switching elements, the two ends of the first energy storage circuit can be connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery respectively, forming the aforementioned charging and discharging circuits to achieve battery heating.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first switching branch is a first bridge arm, which includes a first upper bridge arm and a first lower bridge arm connected in series. The switching element of the first upper bridge arm serves as a first switching element, and the switching element of the first lower bridge arm serves as a second switching element. The second switching branch is a second bridge arm, which includes a second upper bridge arm and a second lower bridge arm connected in series. The switching element of the second upper bridge arm serves as a third switching element, and the switching element of the second lower bridge arm serves as a fourth switching element. The first and second bridge arms have simple structures and are easy to control, which simplifies the circuitry of the heating module while improving the reliability of the controller's battery heating control.

[0012] In some embodiments, the heating module further includes: a second switching circuit, a first terminal of which is connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery, a second terminal of which is connected to the first switching circuit, and a controller for controlling the connection of the second switching circuit to the first switching circuit and the positive and negative terminals of the battery. The second switching circuit enables the switching of the first switching circuit and the first energy storage circuit with the battery. When the battery does not require heating, the connection between the battery and the heating module can be disconnected via the second switching circuit, improving the safety of the charging module when charging the battery.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first switching circuit includes: a first switching branch, the two ends of which are respectively connected to a second switching circuit to be connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery, respectively; the first switching branch includes a first switching element and a second switching element connected in series, the midpoint between the first and second switching elements being connected to a first terminal of the first energy storage circuit; and a second switching branch, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the two ends of the first switching branch, the second switching branch including a third switching element and a fourth switching element connected in series, the midpoint between the third and fourth switching elements being connected to a second terminal of the first energy storage circuit. In other words, the two ends of the second switching branch are respectively connected to the two ends of the first switching branch via the second switching circuit, thereby controlling the connection and disconnection between the first and second switching branches and the positive and negative terminals of the battery by switching the second switching circuit on and off, and thus controlling the connection and disconnection between the first energy storage circuit and the positive and negative terminals of the battery. This design is simple in structure and easy to control.

[0014] In some embodiments, the second switching circuit includes: a fifth switching element, the first end of which is connected to the first end of the first switching branch, and the second end of which is connected to either the positive or negative terminal of the battery; and a first connecting line, the first end of which is connected to the second end of the first switching branch, and the second end of which is connected to either the positive or negative terminal of the battery. When the fifth switching element is open, the first ends of the first and second switching branches are disconnected from either the positive or negative terminal of the battery, thereby preventing the first and second switching branches from forming a circuit with the battery and cutting off the connection with the battery. That is, by using only one fifth switching element, the connection between the heating module and the battery can be controlled, simplifying the circuit and reducing the cost of the charging device.

[0015] In some embodiments, the second switching circuit includes: a fifth switching element, the first end of which is connected to the first end of the first switching branch, and the second end of which is connected to either the positive or negative terminal of the battery; and a sixth switching element, the first end of which is connected to the second end of the first switching branch, and the second end of which is connected to either the positive or negative terminal of the battery. The fifth and sixth switching elements can control the connection and disconnection between the two ends of the first and second switching branches and the positive and negative terminals of the battery, respectively, allowing the battery to be completely disconnected from the heating module when heating is not required, greatly improving the safety of battery charging.

[0016] In some embodiments, the first energy storage circuit includes one or more inductors, wherein the inductors are connected in series and / or in parallel. Inductors have a large storage capacity, enabling them to store more energy, thereby improving the energy transfer efficiency between the battery and the first energy storage circuit, improving the heating efficiency of the battery, shortening the battery charging process, and increasing the battery charging efficiency.

[0017] In some embodiments, the heating module further includes a second energy storage circuit, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery. That is, the second energy storage circuit can be connected in parallel to the two ends of the battery, thereby forming a circuit with the battery to achieve energy exchange, improve the heating efficiency of the battery, and thus further shorten the charging process of the battery and improve the charging efficiency.

[0018] In some embodiments, the second energy storage circuit includes a capacitor. The capacitor has charging and discharging functions, and its small size allows for rapid charging and discharging, improving the heating efficiency of the battery while keeping the heating module small, thus keeping the overall size of the charging device small.

[0019] In some embodiments, the charging module includes: a third switching circuit, a first terminal of which is connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery; a power unit connected to the second terminal of the third switching circuit; and a controller for controlling the third switching circuit to connect the power unit and the positive and negative terminals of the battery, so that the power unit charges the battery. This allows the third switching circuit to disconnect the power unit from the battery when charging has not yet begun, improving safety.

[0020] In some embodiments, where the heating module further includes a second switching circuit, the controller is configured to switch the conduction of the second switching circuit and the third switching circuit. This allows for alternating battery charging and heating, ensuring that the charging module and heating module are not connected to each other during charging and heating processes, thus avoiding mutual interference and facilitating smooth battery charging and heating.

[0021] An embodiment of the second aspect of this application provides a power supply system for an electrical device, which includes a battery; and a charging device as described in the above embodiment, the charging device being used to charge the battery.

[0022] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0023] In the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals throughout the various drawings denote the same or similar parts or elements. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that these drawings depict only some embodiments disclosed in this application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application.

[0024] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the vehicle structure according to some embodiments of this application;

[0025] Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of the charging device and battery connection state in some embodiments of this application;

[0026] Figure 3 is a functional block diagram of one of the charging devices according to some embodiments of this application;

[0027] Figure 4 is a second functional block diagram of a charging device according to some embodiments of this application;

[0028] Figure 5 is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the charging device and battery connection state in some embodiments of this application;

[0029] Figure 6 is a current path diagram of the battery charging the first energy storage circuit according to some embodiments of this application;

[0030] Figure 7 is a current path diagram of the first energy storage circuit discharging to the battery in some embodiments of this application;

[0031] Figure 8 is a second schematic diagram of the charging device and battery connection state according to some embodiments of this application;

[0032] Figure 9 is a third of the structural schematic diagrams of the charging device and battery connection state in some embodiments of this application.

[0033] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: Vehicle 1000, third switching circuit 1021, power unit 1022, first energy storage circuit 1031, first switching circuit 1032, first switching branch 1032a, second switching branch 1032b, second switching circuit 1033, second energy storage circuit 1034; Battery 100, charging device 101, charging module 102, heating module 103, controller 104; Vehicle controller 200; Motor 300; Vehicle plug 11, vehicle socket 12; First switching element 21, second switching element 22, third switching element 23, fourth switching element 24; First bridge arm 31, second bridge arm 32, current sensor 33; Transformer 40; First freewheeling diode D1, second freewheeling diode D2, third freewheeling diode D3, fourth freewheeling diode D4, charging positive relay K1, charging negative relay K2, fifth switching element K5, sixth switching element K6, positive relay K11, negative relay K12, first upper bridge arm switch V1, first lower bridge arm switch V2, second upper bridge arm switch V3, second lower bridge arm switch V4. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The embodiments of the technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application and are therefore merely examples, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0036] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0037] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0038] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0039] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0040] Currently, judging from market trends, the application of power batteries is becoming increasingly widespread. Power batteries are not only used in energy storage systems such as hydropower, thermal power, wind power, and solar power plants, but also extensively used in electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric cars, as well as in military equipment and aerospace. With the continuous expansion of power battery applications, market demand is also constantly increasing.

[0041] The impact of temperature on battery charging efficiency should not be underestimated. At lower battery temperatures, battery activity decreases, leading to lower charging efficiency. For example, in lithium-ion batteries, lower temperatures slow down the internal chemical reactions, resulting in lower charging efficiency.

[0042] In related technologies, external heating devices are typically used to heat the battery, such as PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) thermistors. This heating method relies on heat transfer to achieve heat exchange between the external heating device and the battery, resulting in low heating efficiency and a tendency for uneven temperatures between the battery's exterior and interior. Furthermore, when the battery is used in electrical devices, these devices may not have external heating devices, preventing the battery from heating up during charging.

[0043] Based on the above considerations, a charging device is designed, including a charging module, a heating module, and a controller. The charging module is used to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery to charge the battery. The heating module is used to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery to heat the battery. The controller is communicatively connected to both the heating module and the charging module. The controller is used to control the charging module to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery so that the charging module charges the battery, and to control the heating module to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery so that the heating module and the battery alternately charge and discharge to heat the battery.

[0044] When the battery temperature is low, the controller can control the heating module to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery, allowing the heating module and the battery to alternately charge and discharge. The current generated during this alternating charging and discharging process heats the battery, raising its temperature and thus improving the charging efficiency of the charging module. Furthermore, because the heating module and battery alternate charging and discharging—meaning the heating module recharges the battery after the battery discharges—the battery is heated without losing its existing charge, further improving charging efficiency. In addition, by integrating the heating module into the charging device, all batteries charged using this device can be heated by the integrated heating module, eliminating the need for separate heating devices for each battery and reducing costs.

[0045] The battery heating method disclosed in this application can be used, but is not limited to, for heating batteries in electrical equipment such as vehicles, ships, or aircraft.

[0046] Electrical devices can include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, tablets, laptops, electric toys, power tools, electric vehicles, electric cars, ships, spacecraft, etc. Among them, electric toys can include stationary or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys, etc. Spacecraft can include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft, etc.

[0047] For ease of explanation, the following embodiments will be described using a vehicle 1000 as an example of an electrical device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0048] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a schematic diagram of the vehicle structure provided in some embodiments of this application. The vehicle 1000 can be a gasoline-powered vehicle, a natural gas-powered vehicle, or a new energy vehicle. The new energy vehicle can be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, or a range-extended electric vehicle, etc. A battery 100 is disposed inside the vehicle 1000, and the battery 100 can be located at the bottom, front, or rear of the vehicle 1000. The battery 100 can be used to power the vehicle 1000; for example, the battery 100 can serve as the operating power source for the vehicle 1000. The vehicle 1000 may also include a vehicle controller 200 and a motor 300. The vehicle controller 200 is used to control the battery 100 to supply power to the motor 300, for example, to meet the power needs of the vehicle 1000 during startup, navigation, and driving.

[0049] In some embodiments of this application, the battery 100 can not only serve as the operating power source for the vehicle 1000, but also as the driving power source for the vehicle 1000, replacing or partially replacing fuel or natural gas to provide driving power for the vehicle 1000.

[0050] Referring to FIG2, an embodiment of this application provides a charging device 101, including: a charging module 102, which is connected to the positive and negative terminals of a battery 100 to charge the battery 100; a heating module 103, which is connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100 to heat the battery 100; and a controller 104, which is communicatively connected to the heating module 103 and the charging module 102 respectively. The controller 104 is used to control the charging module 102 to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100 so that the charging module 102 charges the battery 100, and to control the heating module 103 to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100, and to cause the heating module 103 to alternately charge and discharge with the battery 100 to heat the battery 100.

[0051] Battery 100 can be used to power electrical devices, which can be referred to in the above description and will not be repeated below. The battery may include, but is not limited to, lithium batteries.

[0052] In this application, "connection" refers to connecting two or more electrical components by means of electrical connection in order to transmit electrical energy or signals. The connection can be a direct connection, that is, directly connecting two electrical components, or it can be an indirect connection, such as forming an electrical connection between two electrical components through other conductors.

[0053] The charging device 101 has a charging interface for connecting the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100. The charging module 102 and the heating module 103 are respectively connected to the charging interface to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100 through the charging interface.

[0054] In some embodiments, the battery 100 may be a battery 100 in a vehicle 1000, and the charging device 101 is used to charge the battery 100 in the vehicle 1000. The vehicle 1000 may include a vehicle interface, and the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100 are connected to the vehicle interface. During charging, the vehicle interface is connected to the charging interface of the charging device 101, so that the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100 are connected to the charging module 102 or the heating module 103 through the vehicle interface and the charging interface.

[0055] For example, the vehicle interface may include a vehicle socket 12, and the charging interface may include a vehicle plug 11. The vehicle socket 12 has a first positive terminal and a first negative terminal. The first positive terminal is used to connect to the positive terminal of the battery 100, and the first negative terminal is used to connect to the negative terminal of the battery 100. Correspondingly, the vehicle plug 11 has a second positive terminal and a second negative terminal. When the vehicle socket 12 is connected to the vehicle plug 11, the first positive terminal is connected to the second positive terminal, and the first negative terminal is connected to the second negative terminal. When the charging module 102 transmits DC power to the battery 100, the first positive terminal and the second positive terminal are the positive input of DC power, and the first negative terminal and the second negative terminal are the negative output of DC power. In FIG2, DC+ represents the positive input of DC power, and DC- represents the negative output of DC power.

[0056] In some embodiments, the vehicle 1000 may have a positive charging relay K1 and a negative charging relay K2. The positive charging relay K1 is used to connect the positive terminal of the battery 100 to the first positive terminal of the vehicle socket 12, and the negative charging relay K2 is used to connect the negative terminal of the battery 100 to the first negative terminal of the vehicle socket 12. When charging or heating is required, the vehicle controller 200 controls the positive charging relay K1 and the negative charging relay K2 to close; when charging and heating are not required, the vehicle controller 200 controls the positive charging relay K1 and the negative charging relay K2 to close to ensure safety.

[0057] The charging device 101 may include, but is not limited to, a charging pile. Taking the charging device 101 as a charging pile as an example, the vehicle plug 11 can be the charging gun of the charging pile.

[0058] The charging module 102 may include an output terminal and an input terminal. The output terminal is used to connect to the positive terminal of the battery 100, and the input terminal is used to connect to the negative terminal of the battery 100. The charging current of the charging module 102 is output from the output terminal to the positive terminal of the battery 100 and then flows back to the charging module 102 from the output terminal.

[0059] For example, the output terminal of the charging module 102 can be connected to the second positive terminal of the vehicle plug 11, and the input terminal can be connected to the second negative terminal of the vehicle plug 11, so that the output terminal and the input terminal of the charging module 102 can be connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100 through the vehicle plug 11 and the vehicle socket 12.

[0060] The charging module 102 may include, but is not limited to, one or a combination of multiple of the following: a unidirectional AC / DC (Alternating Current / Direct Current) switching power supply module, a three-phase AC / DC switching power supply module, and a DC / DC (Direct Current / Direct Current) switching power supply module.

[0061] The controller 104 controls the alternating charging and discharging between the heating module 103 and the battery 100, which means controlling the connection between the heating module 103 and the battery 100 to perform at least one operation of the battery 100 charging the heating module 103 and the heating module 103 discharging the battery 100.

[0062] In some embodiments, the controller 104 can control the charging module 102 and the heating module 103 to be simultaneously connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100, so as to simultaneously perform the operation of the charging module 102 charging the battery 100 and the heating module 103 heating the battery 100.

[0063] In other embodiments, the controller 104 may also control the charging module 102 and the heating module 103 to not be connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100 at the same time. That is, while the charging module 102 is charging the battery 100, the heating module 103 disconnects from the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100 and does not heat the battery 100. While the heating module 103 is heating the battery 100, the charging module 102 disconnects from the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100 and does not charge the battery 100.

[0064] In some embodiments, the controller 104 can be a non-vehicle charger controller. After the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100 are physically connected to the charging interface of the charging device 101, the controller 104 can control the charging module 102 and / or the heating module 103 to connect to the charging interface of the charging device 101, so that the charging module 102 and / or the heating module 103 can be connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100 through the charging interface.

[0065] For example, battery 100 is the battery 100 in vehicle 1000. After the vehicle interface is physically connected to the vehicle socket 12 of charging device 101, vehicle 1000 and controller 104 of charging device 101 establish communication and perform a handshake to determine whether the charging device 101 has a heating module 103. After the handshake is successful, if vehicle 1000 detects that the temperature of battery 100 is higher than or equal to a preset value, it means that battery 100 does not need to be heated. Vehicle controller 200 sends a charging message to controller 104 of charging device 101. Controller 104 of charging device 101 controls charging module 102 to connect to vehicle socket 12, establishing a charging circuit between charging module 102 and battery 100 to charge battery 100.

[0066] If, before or during charging of battery 100, vehicle 1000 detects that the temperature of battery 100 is lower than a preset value, vehicle controller 200 sends a heating request to controller 104 of charging device 101. Controller 104 of charging device 101 responds to the vehicle 1000's request by disconnecting charging module 102 from battery 100 and sending a heating message to vehicle 1000. After receiving the heating message, vehicle controller 200 sends a request for heating current frequency and amplitude to controller 104 of charging device 101. Controller 104 of charging device 101 responds to the vehicle 1000's request and compares the heating current frequency and amplitude with those allowed by heating module 103. If the heating current frequency and amplitude are within the allowed range, it sends an instruction to vehicle controller 200 to allow heating with that current.

[0067] After receiving the instruction that heating with the current is permitted, the vehicle controller 200 controls the charging positive relay K1 and the charging negative relay K2 to close, and the controller 104 of the charging device 101 controls the heating module 103 to connect to the vehicle socket 12 to establish a heating circuit between the heating module 103 and the battery 100, thereby realizing the alternating charging and discharging between the heating module 103 and the battery 100.

[0068] If the frequency and amplitude of the heating current requested by vehicle 1000 are not within the allowable range, the controller 104 of charging device 101 sends a command to vehicle controller 200 that heating is not allowed. The positive charging relay K1 and negative charging relay K2 of vehicle controller 200 are closed, and the controller 104 of charging device 101 controls the charging module 102 to connect to vehicle socket 12, establishing a charging circuit between charging module 102 and battery 100 to charge battery 100.

[0069] During the heating process of the charging device 101's heating module 103 on the battery 100, the vehicle controller 200 can monitor the temperature of the battery 100 in real time. If the detected temperature of the battery 100 is higher than or equal to a preset value, it indicates that the heating has reached the end condition. The vehicle controller 200 sends a command to end heating to the controller 104 of the charging device 101. The controller 104 of the charging device 101 controls the heating module 103 to disconnect from the vehicle socket 12, thereby disconnecting from the battery 100.

[0070] After heating is completed, the vehicle controller 200 sends a message to the controller 104 of the charging device 101 to continue charging. The controller 104 of the charging device 101 controls the charging module 102 to connect to the vehicle socket 12, establishing a charging circuit between the charging module 102 and the battery 100 to continue charging the battery 100.

[0071] In the above technical solution, a heating module 103 is provided in the charging device 101. When the temperature of the battery 100 is low, the controller 104 can control the heating module 103 to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100, and make the heating module 103 and the battery 100 alternately charge and discharge. The current generated during the alternating charging and discharging process can heat the battery 100, thereby increasing the temperature of the battery 100. In this way, the charging efficiency of the charging module 102 for the battery 100 can be improved.

[0072] Furthermore, since the heating module 103 and the battery 100 alternately charge and discharge, that is, after the battery 100 discharges to the heating module 103, the heating module 103 will recharge the battery 100. Thus, while heating the battery 100, the existing power in the battery 100 will not be lost, which is beneficial to improving the charging efficiency of the battery 100.

[0073] Furthermore, by incorporating the heating module 103 into the charging device 101, all batteries 100 charged using this device can be heated by the heating module 103 within the charging device 101, eliminating the need for separate heating devices for each battery 100 and reducing costs. For example, even without a dedicated heating device for the battery 100 in the vehicle 1000, the battery 100 can be heated during charging to rapidly increase its temperature, improve charging speed, and save user waiting time. Simultaneously, since no heating device is required in the vehicle 1000, the vehicle's drive motor is not used to heat the battery 100, thus avoiding risks such as motor lifespan degradation, reduced reliability, or even rotor demagnetization caused by motor overheating.

[0074] Referring to FIG3, according to some embodiments of this application, the heating module 103 includes: a first energy storage circuit 1031; a first switching circuit 1032, the first switching circuit 1032 being connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100, the first switching circuit 1032 also being connected to the first energy storage circuit 1031, and a controller 104 being used to control the first switching circuit 1032 to connect the first energy storage circuit 1031 to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100, forming a charging circuit in which the battery 100 charges the first energy storage circuit 1031 and a discharging circuit in which the first energy storage circuit 1031 discharges to the battery 100, so that the heating module and the battery 100 alternately charge and discharge.

[0075] In the charging circuit, the battery 100 discharges to the first energy storage circuit 1031, which stores energy. In the discharging circuit, the first energy storage circuit 1031 releases energy to the battery 100.

[0076] The first energy storage circuit 1031 may include a first terminal and a second terminal. The controller 104 may control the first switching circuit 1032 to connect the first terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031 to the positive terminal of the battery 100 and connect the second terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031 to the negative terminal of the battery 100 to form a charging circuit. The current of the battery 100 flows out from the positive terminal and flows through the first terminal and the second terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031 in sequence, and then flows back from the negative terminal of the battery 100 to charge the first energy storage circuit 1031. The current direction in the first energy storage circuit 1031 is from the first terminal to the second terminal.

[0077] During the charging process of the first energy storage circuit 1031 by the battery 100, the controller 104 controls the first switching circuit 1032 to connect the first terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031 to the negative terminal of the battery 100 and the second terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031 to the positive terminal of the battery 100, thereby forming a discharge circuit. Since the current in the first energy storage circuit 1031 flows from the first terminal to the second terminal, the current in the first energy storage circuit 1031 flows out from the second terminal and then sequentially through the positive terminal and the negative terminal of the battery 100, finally flowing back from the first terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031, thus realizing the discharge of the battery 100 by the first energy storage circuit 1031.

[0078] In some embodiments, the charging device 101 includes a charging interface, a first interface end of which is connected to the positive terminal of the battery 100, and a second interface end of which is connected to the negative terminal of the battery 100. For example, when the charging interface is a vehicle plug 11, the first interface end serves as the first positive terminal, and the second interface end serves as the first negative terminal. The first switching circuit 1032 can be connected to the first interface end and the second interface end of the charging interface, and the controller 104 can control the first switching circuit 1032 to connect the first terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031 to one of the first interface end or the second interface end of the charging interface, and to connect the second terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031 to the other of the first interface end or the second interface end of the charging interface.

[0079] The first energy storage circuit 1031 includes, but is not limited to, energy storage elements such as inductors or capacitors.

[0080] In the above technical solution, the first energy storage circuit 1031 has the function of energy storage. The battery 100 can release energy to the first energy storage circuit 1031 through the charging circuit, so that the first energy storage circuit 1031 temporarily stores the energy of the battery 100. In the discharge circuit, the first energy storage circuit 1031 can release energy to the battery 100, that is, recharge the energy back into the battery 100. Through the above process, not only can the battery 100 be heated, but also the existing power of the battery 100 is not lost after the battery 100 is heated, thereby ensuring the improvement of the charging efficiency of the battery 100 to a certain extent.

[0081] Referring to FIG4, according to some embodiments of the present application, the first switching circuit 1032 includes: a first switching branch 1032a, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100, the first switching branch 1032a including a first switching element 21 and a second switching element 22 connected in series, the midpoint between the first switching element 21 and the second switching element 22 being connected to the first terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031; and a second switching branch 1032b, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the two ends of the first switching branch 1032a, the second switching branch 1032b including a third switching element 23 and a fourth switching element 24 connected in series, the midpoint between the third switching element 23 and the fourth switching element 24 being connected to the second terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031.

[0082] The end of the first switching element 21 away from the second switching element 22 can be connected to the positive terminal of the battery 100, and the end of the second switching element 22 away from the first switching element 21 can be connected to the negative terminal of the battery 100. The end of the third switching element 23 away from the fourth switching element 24 can be connected to the end of the first switching element 21 away from the second switching element 22, and the end of the fourth switching element 24 away from the third switching element 23 can be connected to the end of the second switching element 22 away from the first switching element 21. For example, the end of the first switching element 21 away from the second switching element 22 can be connected to the first interface terminal of the charging interface, and the end of the second switching element 22 away from the first switching element 21 can be connected to the second interface terminal of the charging interface.

[0083] When the two ends of the first switch branch 1032a are connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100, the connection between the first terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031 and the positive terminal of the battery 100 can be controlled by controlling the on / off state of the first switch element 21; the connection between the first terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031 and the negative terminal of the battery 100 can be controlled by controlling the on / off state of the second switch element 22; the connection between the second terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031 and the positive terminal of the battery 100 can be controlled by controlling the on / off state of the third switch element 23; and the connection between the second terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031 and the negative terminal of the battery 100 can be controlled by controlling the on / off state of the fourth switch element 24.

[0084] In some embodiments, in order to form the above-mentioned charging circuit, the controller 104 can control the first switching element 21 and the fourth switching element 24 to be turned on, and the second switching element 22 and the third switching element 23 to be turned off, so that the first terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031 is connected to the positive terminal of the battery 100 through the first switching element 21, and the second terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031 is connected to the negative terminal of the battery 100 through the fourth switching element 24, and the battery 100 charges the first energy storage circuit 1031.

[0085] In order to form the above-mentioned discharge circuit, the controller 104 can control the second switching element 22 and the third switching element 23 to be turned on and the first switching element 21 and the fourth switching element 24 to be turned off during the charging of the first energy storage circuit 1031 by the battery 100, so that the first terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031 is connected to the negative terminal of the battery 100 through the second switching element 22, and the second terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031 is connected to the positive terminal of the battery 100 through the third switching element 23, and the first energy storage circuit 1031 discharges the battery 100.

[0086] The principle of the battery 100 charging the first energy storage circuit 1031 through the above-mentioned charging circuit and the principle of the first energy storage circuit 1031 discharging to the battery 100 through the above-mentioned discharging circuit can be referred to the relevant descriptions in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0087] In some embodiments, the first switching element 21, the second switching element 22, the third switching element 23, and the fourth switching element 24 can all be components capable of controlling the on / off state of a circuit, including but not limited to relays, MOS transistors (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors) or IGBT transistors (Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistors).

[0088] In the above technical solution, the first switch branch 1032a, the second switch branch 1032b, and the first energy storage circuit 1031 connected between the first switch branch 1032a and the second switch branch 1032b form an H-bridge structure, which is simple and reliable. By controlling the different conduction sequences between the first switch element 21, the second switch element 22, the third switch element 23, and the fourth switch element 24, the two ends of the first energy storage circuit 1031 can be connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100 respectively, forming the above-mentioned charging circuit and discharging circuit to achieve heating of the battery 100.

[0089] Referring to Figure 5, according to some embodiments of this application, the first switch branch is a first bridge arm 31, which includes a first upper bridge arm and a first lower bridge arm connected in series. The switching element of the first upper bridge arm serves as a first switching element, and the switching element of the first lower bridge arm serves as a second switching element. The second switch branch is a second bridge arm 32, which includes a second upper bridge arm and a second lower bridge arm connected in series. The switching element of the second upper bridge arm serves as a third switching element, and the switching element of the second lower bridge arm serves as a fourth switching element.

[0090] The first upper bridge arm may include a first upper bridge arm switch V1, and the first lower bridge arm may include a first lower bridge arm switch V2. The first upper bridge arm switch V1 serves as a first switching element, and the first lower bridge arm switch V2 serves as a second switching element. By turning the first upper bridge arm switch V1 and the first lower bridge arm switch V2 on or off, the first upper bridge arm and the first lower bridge arm can be turned on or off. The types of the first upper bridge arm switch V1 and the first lower bridge arm switch V2 include, but are not limited to, MOSFETs or IGBTs.

[0091] The second upper bridge arm may include a second upper bridge arm switch V3, and the second lower bridge arm may include a second lower bridge arm switch V4. The second upper bridge arm switch V3 serves as a third switching element, and the second lower bridge arm switch V4 serves as a fourth switching element. By turning the second upper bridge arm switch V3 and the second lower bridge arm switch V4 on or off, the second upper bridge arm and the second lower bridge arm can be switched on or off. The types of the second upper bridge arm switch V3 and the second lower bridge arm switch V4 include, but are not limited to, MOSFETs or IGBTs.

[0092] When the two ends of the first switch branch 1032a are respectively connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100, the controller 104 can sequentially and alternately perform the first operation and the second operation to sequentially and alternately form a charging circuit of the battery 100 to the first energy storage circuit 1031 and a discharging circuit of the first energy storage circuit 1031 to the battery 100.

[0093] The first operation includes: controlling the first upper bridge arm and the second lower bridge arm to be turned on and the first lower bridge arm and the second upper bridge arm to be turned off. The second operation includes: controlling the first lower bridge arm and the second upper bridge arm to be turned on and the first upper bridge arm and the second lower bridge arm to be turned off, forming a discharge circuit of the first energy storage circuit 1031 to the battery 100.

[0094] As shown in Figure 6, the controller 104 performs a first operation, forming a charging circuit with the first upper bridge arm, the first energy storage circuit 1031, the second lower bridge arm, and the battery 100. The first terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031 is connected to the positive terminal of the battery 100 via the first upper bridge arm, and the second terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031 is connected to the negative terminal of the battery 100 via the second lower bridge arm. Current flows from the positive terminal of the battery 100, sequentially through the first upper bridge arm, the first energy storage circuit 1031, and the second lower bridge arm, before flowing back to the negative terminal of the battery 100, thus charging the first energy storage circuit 1031. The solid lines with arrows in Figure 6 show the current path of the battery 100 charging the first energy storage circuit 1031.

[0095] As shown in Figure 7, before the first energy storage circuit 1031 is saturated, the controller 104 performs a second operation. The first lower bridge arm, the first energy storage circuit 1031, the second upper bridge arm, and the battery 100 form a discharge circuit. The first terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031 is connected to the negative terminal of the battery 100 via the first lower bridge arm, and the second terminal of the first energy storage circuit 1031 is connected to the positive terminal of the battery 100 via the second upper bridge arm. The current in the first energy storage circuit 1031 flows into the positive terminal of the battery 100, maintaining a flow direction from the first terminal to the second terminal, and then flows back to the first energy storage circuit 1031 from the negative terminal of the battery 100, thus discharging the first energy storage circuit 1031 into the battery 100. The solid lines with arrows in Figure 7 show the current path of the first energy storage circuit 1031 discharging into the battery 100.

[0096] It is easy to see that during the first operation and the second operation, the current flowing through the battery 100 is in the opposite direction. That is, the rate of change of the current flowing through the battery 100 is large, which enables high-frequency heating of the battery 100 and improves charging efficiency.

[0097] In some embodiments, the first upper bridge arm switch V1 is provided with a first freewheeling diode D1, the first lower bridge arm switch V2 is provided with a second freewheeling diode D2, the second upper bridge arm switch V3 is provided with a third freewheeling diode D3, and the second lower bridge arm switch V4 is provided with a fourth freewheeling diode D4. Thus, at the instant the first operation switches to the second operation, current can flow through the first freewheeling diode D1 and the fourth freewheeling diode D4, or at the instant the second operation switches to the first operation, current can flow through the second freewheeling diode D2 and the third freewheeling diode D3, thereby maintaining the current flow direction in the first energy storage circuit 1031.

[0098] The controller 104 can regulate the current flowing through the first upper arm switch V1 and the second lower arm switch V4 by controlling the control voltage applied to the control terminals of the first upper arm switch V1 and the second lower arm switch V4, thereby controlling the frequency and amplitude of the current in the charging circuit. Similarly, the controller 104 can regulate the current flowing through the first lower arm switch V2 and the second upper arm switch V3 by controlling the control voltage applied to the control terminals of the first lower arm switch V2 and the second upper arm switch V3, thereby controlling the frequency and amplitude of the current in the discharging circuit.

[0099] In some embodiments, the heating module 103 further includes a current sensor 33, which is connected between the midpoint of the first bridge arm 31 and the first end of the first energy storage circuit 1031, for detecting the magnitude of the current in the discharge circuit and the charging circuit, so that the current meets the current frequency and amplitude required for heating the battery 100.

[0100] In the above technical solution, the structure of the first bridge arm 31 and the second bridge arm 32 is simple and easy to control. While simplifying the circuit of the heating module 103, it can improve the reliability of the controller 104 in heating the battery 100.

[0101] Referring to Figure 5, according to some embodiments of this application, the heating module 103 further includes: a second switching circuit 1033, a first end of the second switching circuit 1033 for connecting to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100, a second end of the second switching circuit 1033 for connecting to the first switching circuit 1032, and a controller 104 for controlling the second switching circuit 1033 to connect to the first switching circuit 1032 and the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100.

[0102] The first end of the second switch circuit 1033 can be connected to the charging interface to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100. In this way, the first switch circuit 1032 can be connected to the charging interface through the second switch circuit 1033, and then connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100.

[0103] When heating of the battery 100 is not required, the controller 104 can control the second switching circuit 1033 to turn off, thereby disconnecting the entire heating module 103 from the battery 100 and ensuring safety. For example, during charging of the battery 100 by the charging module 102, the second switching circuit 1033 can be turned off to ensure normal charging. When heating of the battery 100 is required, the controller 104 can control the second switching circuit 1033 to close, allowing the first switching circuit 1032 to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100, thereby enabling the controller 104 to control the first switching circuit 1032 to form the aforementioned charging and discharging circuits.

[0104] In the above technical solution, the second switch circuit 1033 can realize the connection and disconnection between the first switch circuit 1032 and the first energy storage circuit 1031 and the battery 100. When the battery 100 does not need to be heated, the connection between the battery 100 and the heating module 103 can be cut off through the second switch circuit 1033, thereby improving the safety of the charging module 102 charging the battery 100.

[0105] It is understood that in some other embodiments, the heating module 103 may not be provided with the second switch circuit 1033. That is, the first switch circuit 1032 can be directly connected to the charging interface. By turning off the connection between the first switch circuit 1032 and the charging interface, the entire heating module 103 can be disconnected from the battery 100.

[0106] According to some embodiments of this application, the first switching circuit includes: a first switching branch, the two ends of which are respectively connected to a second switching circuit to be connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery respectively through the second switching circuit; the first switching branch includes a first switching element and a second switching element connected in series, and the midpoint between the first switching element and the second switching element is connected to the first terminal of the first energy storage circuit; and a second switching branch, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the two ends of the first switching branch; the second switching branch includes a third switching element and a fourth switching element connected in series, and the midpoint between the third switching element and the fourth switching element is connected to the second terminal of the first energy storage circuit.

[0107] The structure of the first and second switch branches, as well as the principles for forming the charging and discharging circuits, can be found in the descriptions in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0108] The two ends of the first switch branch and the second switch branch can be connected to the first interface end and the second interface end of the charging interface respectively through the second switch circuit, and thus can be connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery respectively.

[0109] When the battery needs to be heated, the controller can first close the second switching circuit, so that the two ends of the first and second switching branches are connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery, respectively. Then, the controller controls the conduction sequence of the first and second switching elements of the first switching branch, and the third and fourth switching elements of the second switching branch, to form the aforementioned charging and discharging circuits, respectively.

[0110] When heating the battery is not required, the controller can first control the second switch circuit to turn off. This disconnects the first switch branch, the second switch branch, and the first energy storage circuit from the battery, thereby ensuring the safety of the charging module when charging the battery.

[0111] In the above technical solution, the two ends of the second switch branch are respectively connected to the two ends of the first switch branch, thereby controlling the connection and disconnection between the first switch branch and the positive and negative terminals of the battery by switching the second switch circuit on and off, and thus controlling the connection and disconnection between the first energy storage circuit and the positive and negative terminals of the battery. The structure is simple and easy to control.

[0112] Referring to FIG8, according to some embodiments of the present application, the second switch circuit 1033 may include: a fifth switch element K5, the first end of the fifth switch element K5 being connected to the first end of the first switch branch, and the second end of the fifth switch element K5 being used to connect to one of the positive or negative terminals of the battery 100; and a first connecting line, the first end of the first connecting line being connected to the second end of the first switch branch, and the second end of the first connecting line being used to connect to the other of the positive or negative terminals of the battery 100.

[0113] In some embodiments, the second end of the fifth switching element K5 can be connected to the first interface end of the charging interface to connect to the positive terminal of the battery 100, and the second end of the first connecting line can be connected to the second interface end of the charging interface to connect to the negative terminal of the battery 100. Thus, the first end of the first switching branch and the first end of the second switching branch can both be switched on and off with the positive terminal of the battery 100 through the fifth switching element K5, and the second end of the first switching branch and the second end of the second switching branch can both be connected to the negative terminal of the battery 100 through the first connecting line. Specifically, the end of the first switching element furthest from the second switching element is designated as the first end of the first switching branch, the end of the second switching element furthest from the first switching element is designated as the second end of the first switching branch, the end of the third switching element furthest from the fourth switching element is designated as the first end of the second switching branch, and the end of the fourth switching element furthest from the third switching element is designated as the second end of the second switching branch.

[0114] In other embodiments, the second end of the fifth switching element K5 can be connected to the second interface end of the charging interface to connect to the negative terminal of the battery 100, and the second end of the first connecting line can be connected to the first interface end of the charging interface to connect to the positive terminal of the battery 100. Thus, the first end of the first switching branch and the first end of the second switching branch can both be switched on and off with the negative terminal of the battery 100 through the fifth switching element K5, and the second end of the first switching branch and the second end of the second switching branch can both be connected to the positive terminal of the battery 100 through the first connecting line. Specifically, the end of the second switching element furthest from the first switching element serves as the first end of the first switching branch, the end of the first switching element furthest from the second switching element serves as the second end of the first switching branch, the end of the fourth switching element furthest from the third switching element serves as the first end of the second switching branch, and the end of the third switching element furthest from the fourth switching element serves as the second end of the second switching branch. The first and second switching elements can each be switching elements of the first bridge arm, and the third and fourth switching elements can each be switching elements of the second bridge arm.

[0115] When the fifth switching element K5 is disconnected, the first end of the first switching branch and the second switching branch is disconnected from the other of the positive or negative terminal of the battery 100, thereby preventing the first switching branch and the second switching branch from forming a circuit with the battery 100 and cutting off the connection with the battery 100.

[0116] In some embodiments, the fifth switching element K5 may include, but is not limited to, a switching element such as a relay.

[0117] In the above technical solution, the connection between the heating module 103 and the battery 100 can be controlled by setting only a fifth switching element K5, which simplifies the circuit and reduces the cost of the charging device 101.

[0118] Referring to Figure 5, according to some embodiments of this application, the second switch circuit 1033 may also include: a fifth switch element K5, the first end of which is connected to the first end of the first switch branch, and the second end of which is used to connect to either the positive or negative terminal of the battery 100; and a sixth switch element K6, the first end of which is connected to the second end of the first switch branch, and the second end of which is used to connect to either the positive or negative terminal of the battery 100.

[0119] In some embodiments, the second end of the fifth switching element K5 can be connected to the first interface end of the charging interface to connect to the positive terminal of the battery 100, and the second end of the sixth switching element K6 can be connected to the second interface end of the charging interface to connect to the negative terminal of the battery 100. Thus, the first end of the first switching branch and the first end of the second switching branch can both be switched on and off with the positive terminal of the battery 100 through the fifth switching element K5, and the second end of the first switching branch and the second end of the second switching branch can both be switched on and off with the negative terminal of the battery 100 through the sixth switching element K6. Specifically, the end of the first switching element furthest from the second switching element is the first end of the first switching branch, the end of the second switching element furthest from the first switching element is the second end of the first switching branch, the end of the third switching element furthest from the fourth switching element is the first end of the second switching branch, and the end of the fourth switching element furthest from the third switching element is the second end of the second switching branch.

[0120] In other embodiments, the second end of the fifth switching element K5 can be connected to the second interface end of the charging interface to connect to the negative terminal of the battery 100, and the second end of the sixth switching element K6 can be connected to the first interface end of the charging interface to connect to the positive terminal of the battery 100. Thus, the first end of the first switching branch and the first end of the second switching branch can both be switched on and off with the negative terminal of the battery 100 through the fifth switching element K5, and the second end of the first switching branch and the second end of the second switching branch can both be switched on and off with the positive terminal of the battery 100 through the sixth switching element K6. Specifically, the end of the second switching element furthest from the first switching element serves as the first end of the first switching branch, the end of the first switching element furthest from the second switching element serves as the second end of the first switching branch, the end of the fourth switching element furthest from the third switching element serves as the first end of the second switching branch, and the end of the third switching element furthest from the fourth switching element serves as the second end of the second switching branch.

[0121] The controller 104 controls the fifth switch element K5 and the sixth switch element K6 to turn off, so that both ends of the first switch branch and the second switch branch are disconnected from the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100, thereby cutting off the connection between the heating module 103 and the battery 100.

[0122] The controller 104 controls the fifth switch element K5 and the sixth switch element K6 to close, so that the two ends of the first switch branch and the second switch branch are respectively connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100. In this way, the heating module 103 can be connected to the battery 100, and the charging circuit and the discharging circuit can be formed by controlling the first switch branch and the second switch branch.

[0123] In some embodiments, the fifth switching element K5 and the sixth switching element K6 may be switching elements including, but not limited to, relays.

[0124] In the above technical solution, the fifth switch element K5 and the sixth switch element K6 can respectively control the connection and disconnection between the two ends of the first switch branch 1032a and the second switch branch 1032b and the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100, so that the battery 100 can be completely disconnected from the heating module 103 when heating is not required, which greatly improves the safety of charging the battery 100.

[0125] Referring to FIG5, according to some embodiments of the present application, the first energy storage circuit 1031 includes one or more inductors, wherein the plurality of inductors are connected in series and / or in parallel.

[0126] For example, the first switch branch can be the first bridge arm 31, and the second switch branch can be the second bridge arm 32.

[0127] In the case where the first energy storage circuit 1031 includes an inductor, the first end of the inductor is connected to the midpoint of the first bridge arm 31, and the second end of the inductor is connected to the midpoint of the second bridge arm 32.

[0128] The first energy storage circuit 1031 includes multiple inductors, and when the multiple inductors are connected in parallel, the first end of each inductor can be connected to the midpoint of the first bridge arm 31, and the second end of each inductor can be connected to the midpoint of the second bridge arm 32.

[0129] When multiple inductors are connected in series, the series-connected inductors are connected between the midpoint of the first bridge arm 31 and the midpoint of the second bridge arm 32.

[0130] The midpoint of the first bridge arm 31 refers to the node between the first upper bridge arm and the first lower bridge arm, and the midpoint of the second bridge arm 32 refers to the node between the second upper bridge arm and the second lower bridge arm.

[0131] In the above technical solution, the inductor has a large storage space and can store more energy, thereby improving the energy transfer efficiency between the battery 100 and the first energy storage circuit 1031, improving the heating efficiency of the battery 100, shortening the charging process of the battery 100, and improving the charging efficiency of the battery 100.

[0132] Referring again to FIG5, according to some embodiments of this application, the heating module 103 further includes a second energy storage circuit 1034, the two ends of which are respectively used to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100.

[0133] The first end of the second energy storage circuit 1034 can be connected to the first interface end of the charging interface to connect to the positive terminal of the battery 100, and the second end of the second energy storage circuit 1034 can be connected to the second interface end of the charging interface to connect to the negative terminal of the battery 100.

[0134] In some embodiments, the heating module further includes a second switching circuit 1033. The first end of the second switching circuit 1033 is connected to the charging interface, and the two ends of the second energy storage circuit 1034 can be connected to the second end of the second switching circuit 1033 to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100 connected through the second switching circuit 1033.

[0135] In some embodiments, the heating module 103 further includes a first switch branch 1032a and a second switch branch 1032b. The two ends of the second energy storage circuit 1034 can be connected to the two ends of the first switch branch 1032a, where the first switch branch 1032a is the first bridge arm 31 and the second switch branch 1032b is the second bridge arm 32. As shown in FIG5, the second switch circuit 1033 includes a fifth switch element K5 and a sixth switch element K6. The fifth switch element K5 is connected between the first interface end of the charging interface and the first upper bridge arm, and the sixth switch element K6 is connected between the second interface end and the first lower bridge arm. The first end of the second energy storage circuit 1034 is connected to the first upper bridge arm, and the second end of the second energy storage circuit 1034 is connected to the first lower bridge arm.

[0136] Thus, while the controller 104 controls the second switching circuit 1033, the first bridge arm 31 and the second bridge arm 32 to form a charging circuit and a discharging circuit, the second energy storage circuit 1034 can be connected in parallel across the two ends of the battery 100.

[0137] For example, during the period when the controller 104 controls the second switch circuit 1033 to close, the first upper bridge arm and the second lower bridge arm are turned on, and the first lower bridge arm and the second upper bridge arm are turned off, a charging circuit is formed between the battery 100 and the first energy storage circuit 1031. The second energy storage circuit 1034 is connected in parallel across the two ends of the battery 100. During the period when the battery 100 charges the first energy storage circuit 1031, it also charges the second energy storage circuit 1034, and the second energy storage circuit 1034 stores energy.

[0138] When the controller 104 controls the second switch circuit 1033 to close, the first lower bridge arm and the second upper bridge arm are turned on, and the first upper bridge arm and the second lower bridge arm are turned off, a discharge circuit of the first energy storage circuit 1031 to the battery 100 is formed. The second energy storage circuit 1034 is connected in parallel to the two ends of the battery 100. During the discharge of the battery 100 by the first energy storage circuit 1031, the second energy storage circuit 1034 discharges the battery 100.

[0139] In other words, the second energy storage circuit 1034 can also achieve energy exchange with the battery 100, thereby improving the heating efficiency of the battery 100.

[0140] In some embodiments, the second energy storage circuit 1034 may include, but is not limited to, energy storage elements such as capacitors or inductors.

[0141] In the above technical solution, the second energy storage circuit 1034 can be connected in parallel to both ends of the battery 100, thereby forming a circuit with the battery 100 to achieve energy exchange with the battery 100, improve the heating efficiency of the battery 100, and further shorten the charging process of the battery 100 and improve the charging efficiency.

[0142] According to some embodiments of this application, the second energy storage circuit 1034 includes a capacitor.

[0143] The first energy storage circuit 1031 may include an inductor. Both inductors and capacitors have charging and discharging functions. By configuring the first energy storage circuit 1031 to include an inductor and the second energy storage circuit 1034 to include a capacitor, the battery 100 can simultaneously charge the first energy storage circuit 1031 and the second energy storage circuit 1034, and simultaneously discharge the first energy storage circuit 1031 and the second energy storage circuit 1034 to the battery 100. Specific methods can be found in the descriptions of the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0144] In the above technical solution, the capacitor has the function of charging and discharging, and the capacitor is small in size. It can also achieve fast charging and discharging. While improving the heating efficiency of the battery 100, the heating module 103 is kept small in size, so that the overall size of the charging device 101 is kept small.

[0145] Referring to FIG9, according to some embodiments of this application, the charging module 102 includes: a third switching circuit 1021, the first end of which is used to connect the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100; a power unit 1022, which is connected to the second end of the third switching circuit 1021; and a controller 104 for controlling the third switching circuit 1021 to connect the power unit 1022 and the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100, so that the power unit 1022 charges the battery 100.

[0146] The first terminal of the third switching circuit 1021 can be connected to a charging interface to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100. The power unit 1022 can include a positive and a negative terminal, wherein the positive terminal of the power unit 1022 is used to connect to the positive terminal of the battery 100 via the third switching circuit 1021, and the negative terminal of the power unit 1022 is used to connect to the negative terminal of the battery 100 via the third switching circuit 1021. The power unit 1022 outputs a charging current from its positive terminal to the positive terminal of the battery 100, and the charging current flows from the negative terminal of the battery 100 to the negative terminal of the power unit 1022, and then flows back to the power unit 1022. The positive and negative terminals of the power unit 1022 can be connected to the first and second interface terminals of the charging interface, respectively, via the third switching circuit 1021, to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100, respectively.

[0147] In some embodiments, the third switching circuit 1021 may include a positive relay K11 and a negative relay K12. The positive relay K11 is connected to the positive terminal of the power unit 1022 and the first interface terminal of the charging interface, and the negative relay K12 is connected to the negative terminal of the power unit 1022 and the second interface terminal of the charging interface.

[0148] When the battery 100 needs to be charged, for example, when the controller 104 receives a charging message, the controller 104 controls the positive relay K11 and the negative relay K12 to close, so that the power unit 1022 is connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100 to form a charging circuit.

[0149] When charging of battery 100 is not required, for example, when controller 104 receives a message indicating that charging is complete or that battery 100 is being heated, controller 104 controls positive relay K11 and negative relay K12 to turn off, so that power unit 1022 is disconnected from battery 100.

[0150] In some embodiments, the power unit 1022 may include, but is not limited to, one or a combination of one or more of a unidirectional AC / DC power supply, a three-phase AC / DC power supply, and a DC / DC power supply.

[0151] For example, the power unit 1022 may include a combination of an AC / DC power supply and a DC / DC power supply. The input terminal of the AC / DC power supply is used to receive externally input alternating current and convert the alternating current into direct current before outputting it from the output terminal of the AC / DC power supply.

[0152] A transformer 40 is also installed between the AC / DC power supply and the DC / DC power supply. The DC power output from the AC / DC power supply is transformed by the transformer 40 and then input to the DC / DC power supply for further transformation to reach the voltage required for charging. This voltage is then used to charge the battery 100. The positive terminal of the DC / DC power supply serves as the positive terminal of the power unit, and the negative terminal serves as the negative terminal. The positive relay K11 connects the first interface terminal of the charging interface to the positive terminal of the DC / DC power supply, and the negative relay K12 connects the second interface terminal of the charging interface to the negative terminal of the DC / DC power supply.

[0153] In the above technical solution, when the battery 100 has not started charging, the connection between the power unit 1022 and the battery 100 can be disconnected through the third switch circuit 1021, thereby improving safety.

[0154] According to some embodiments of this application, when the heating module 103 further includes a second switching circuit 1033, the controller 104 is configured to switch the conduction of the second switching circuit 1033 and the third switching circuit 1021.

[0155] In other words, the controller 104 is configured not to simultaneously turn on the second switching circuit 1033 and the third switching circuit 1021. Specifically, when the controller 104 turns on the third switching circuit 1021 to enable the power unit 1022 to charge the battery 100, it also turns off the third switching circuit 1021 to disconnect the heating module 103 from the battery 100. Conversely, when the controller 104 turns on the second switching circuit 1033 to enable the heating module 103 to heat the battery 100, it also turns off the second switching circuit 1033 to disconnect the charging module 102 from the battery 100.

[0156] For example, the battery 100 is a vehicle battery. When the controller 104 of the charging device 101 receives a charging message sent by the vehicle controller, it controls the third switch circuit 1021 to be turned on and the second switch circuit 1033 to be turned off.

[0157] After receiving the heating message, the controller 104 of the charging device 101 sends the heating current frequency and amplitude to the controller 104 of the charging device 101. If the heating current frequency and amplitude are within the range allowed by the heating module 103, the controller 104 of the charging device 101 controls the second switching circuit 1033 to be turned on and the third switching circuit 1021 to be turned off.

[0158] In the above technical solution, the charging and heating of the battery 100 can be carried out alternately, so that the charging module 102 and the heating module 103 are not connected to each other during the charging and heating processes, thus avoiding mutual interference and facilitating the smooth charging and heating of the battery 100.

[0159] This application provides a power supply system for an electrical device, which includes a battery 100; and a charging device 101 in the above embodiment, which is used to charge the battery 100.

[0160] The charging device 101 is used to connect the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100. The connection method can be referred to the relevant description in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated below.

[0161] The electrical equipment can be referred to the relevant descriptions in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated below.

[0162] The power supply system for the electrical equipment has the beneficial effects of the electrical equipment provided in the embodiments of this application. For details, please refer to the specific descriptions of the electrical equipment in the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0163] This application provides a charging device 101. Referring to Figures 2 and 9, the charging device 101 includes: a charging module 102, which is connected to the positive and negative terminals of a battery 100 to charge the battery 100; a heating module 103, which is connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100 to heat the battery 100; and a controller 104, which is communicatively connected to the heating module 103 and the charging module 102 respectively. The controller 104 is used to control the charging module 102 to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100 so that the charging module 102 charges the battery 100, and to control the heating module 103 to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery 100, and to cause the heating module 103 to alternately charge and discharge with the battery 100 to heat the battery 100.

[0164] The heating module 103 includes a first bridge arm 31, a second bridge arm 32, and a first energy storage circuit 1031. The first end of the first bridge arm 31 is connected to the first end of the second bridge arm 32, and the second end of the first bridge arm 31 is connected to the second end of the second bridge arm 32. The two ends of the first energy storage circuit 1031 are respectively connected to the midpoint of the first bridge arm 31 and the midpoint of the second bridge arm 32. The first energy storage circuit 1031 is an inductor.

[0165] The heating module 103 also includes a second switching circuit 1033, which includes a fifth switching element K5 and a sixth switching element K6. The fifth switching element K5 is connected to the first end of the first bridge arm 31 and the first interface end of the charging interface of the charging device 101, and the sixth switching element K6 is connected to the second end of the first bridge arm 31 and the second interface end of the charging interface of the charging device 101. The first interface end is used to connect to the positive terminal of the battery 100, and the second interface end is used to connect to the negative terminal of the battery 100.

[0166] The heating module 103 also includes a capacitor, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the first end and the second end of the first bridge arm 31.

[0167] The charging module 102 includes a third switching circuit 1021 and a power unit 1022. The power unit 1022 includes a combination of an AC / DC power supply and a DC / DC power supply. A transformer 40 is also provided between the AC / DC power supply and the DC power supply. The DC power output from the output terminal of the AC / DC power supply is transformed by the transformer 40 and then input to the DC / DC power supply for further transformation to reach the voltage required for charging. The voltage is then used to charge the battery 100.

[0168] The third switching circuit 1021 includes a positive relay K11 and a negative relay K12. The positive relay K11 is connected to the first interface terminal of the charging interface and the positive terminal of the DC / DC power supply, and the negative relay K12 is connected to the second interface terminal of the charging interface and the negative terminal of the DC / DC power supply.

[0169] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A charging device, comprising: A charging module, which is used to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery to charge the battery; A heating module, which is connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery to heat the battery; The controller is communicatively connected to both the heating module and the charging module. The controller is used to control the charging module to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery so that the charging module charges the battery. The controller is also used to control the heating module to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery so that the heating module and the battery alternately charge and discharge to heat the battery.

2. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein, The heating module includes: First energy storage circuit; A first switching circuit is connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery. The first switching circuit is also connected to the first energy storage circuit. The controller is used to control the first switching circuit to connect the first energy storage circuit to the positive and negative terminals of the battery, forming a charging circuit where the battery charges the first energy storage circuit and a discharging circuit where the first energy storage circuit discharges to the battery, so that the heating module and the battery alternately charge and discharge.

3. The charging device according to claim 2, wherein, The first switching circuit includes: The first switch branch has two ends for connecting to the positive and negative terminals of the battery, respectively. The first switch branch includes a first switch element and a second switch element connected in series. The midpoint between the first switch element and the second switch element is connected to the first terminal of the first energy storage circuit. The second switch branch has its two ends connected to the two ends of the first switch branch, and the second switch branch includes a third switch element and a fourth switch element connected in series. The midpoint between the third switch element and the fourth switch element is connected to the second end of the first energy storage circuit.

4. The charging device according to claim 3, wherein, The first switch branch is the first bridge arm, which includes a first upper bridge arm and a first lower bridge arm connected in series. The switch element of the first upper bridge arm serves as the first switch element, and the switch element of the first lower bridge arm serves as the second switch element. The second switch branch is the second bridge arm, which includes a second upper bridge arm and a second lower bridge arm connected in series. The switching element of the second upper bridge arm serves as the third switching element, and the switching element of the second lower bridge arm serves as the fourth switching element.

5. The charging device according to claim 2, wherein, The heating module also includes: A second switching circuit, wherein a first terminal of the second switching circuit is used to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery, and a second terminal of the second switching circuit is used to connect to the first switching circuit, and the controller is used to control the second switching circuit to connect to the first switching circuit and the positive and negative terminals of the battery.

6. The charging device according to claim 5, wherein, The first switching circuit includes: The first switch branch has its two ends connected to the second switch circuit, which in turn connects to the positive and negative terminals of the battery. The first switch branch includes a first switch element and a second switch element connected in series. The midpoint between the first switch element and the second switch element is connected to the first terminal of the first energy storage circuit. The second switch branch has its two ends connected to the two ends of the first switch branch, and the second switch branch includes a third switch element and a fourth switch element connected in series. The midpoint between the third switch element and the fourth switch element is connected to the second end of the first energy storage circuit.

7. The charging device according to claim 6, wherein, The second switching circuit includes: A fifth switching element, wherein the first end of the fifth switching element is connected to the first end of the first switching branch, and the second end of the fifth switching element is used to connect to either the positive or negative terminal of the battery. A first connecting line, the first end of which is connected to the second end of the first switch branch, and the second end of which is used to connect to the other of the positive or negative terminal of the battery.

8. The charging device according to claim 6, wherein, The second switching circuit includes: A fifth switching element, wherein the first end of the fifth switching element is connected to the first end of the first switching branch, and the second end of the fifth switching element is used to connect to either the positive or negative terminal of the battery; A sixth switching element, wherein the first end of the sixth switching element is connected to the second end of the first switching branch, and the second end of the sixth switching element is used to connect to the other of the positive or negative terminal of the battery.

9. The charging device according to any one of claims 2-8, wherein, The first energy storage circuit includes one or more inductors, wherein the multiple inductors are connected in series and / or in parallel.

10. The charging device according to any one of claims 2-9, wherein, The heating module also includes a second energy storage circuit, the two ends of which are respectively used to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery.

11. The charging device according to claim 10, wherein, The second energy storage circuit includes a capacitor.

12. The charging device according to any one of claims 1-11, wherein, The charging module includes: A third switching circuit, wherein the first terminal of the third switching circuit is used to connect the positive and negative terminals of the battery; A power unit is connected to the second terminal of the third switching circuit. The controller is used to control the third switching circuit to connect the power unit and the positive and negative terminals of the battery, so that the power unit charges the battery.

13. The charging device according to claim 12, wherein, In the case where the heating module further includes a second switching circuit, the controller is configured to switch the conduction of the second switching circuit and the third switching circuit.

14. A power supply system for electrical equipment, wherein, include: Battery; The charging device according to any one of claims 1-13 is used to charge the battery.

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