Autonomous Hermetic Battery System for Vehicle Accessories

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Solution Overview

Problem

Industrial or commercial vehicle batteries are oversized and expensive due to their need to handle cyclic charging and discharging for cabin accessories, while also providing starting power, leading to inefficiencies and higher costs.

Innovation Solution

An autonomous power supply system using maintenance-free, cyclically suitable hermetic batteries that are recharged independently from primary batteries, utilizing a voltage divider and external solar panels to power cabin accessories, allowing smaller and lighter primary batteries for vehicle functions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If primary batteries are oversized to handle cyclic charging and discharging for cabin accessories, then power supply reliability for accessories is improved, but battery weight and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower supply reliabilityVSAvoidbattery weight
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The power supply system is divided into two independent parts: primary batteries for vehicle starting functions and additional hermetic batteries for cabin accessories. This segmentation allows each battery type to be optimized for its specific function, enabling the primary batteries to be smaller while the hermetic batteries handle the cyclic charging/discharging loads from accessories.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cyclic charging and discharging function is extracted from the primary battery system and assigned to a separate additional battery system with hermetic batteries. This extraction allows the primary batteries to be downsized since they no longer need to handle accessory power demands, directly reducing battery weight while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If primary batteries are oversized to handle cyclic charging and discharging for cabin accessories, then power supply reliability for accessories is improved, but battery cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower supply reliabilityVSAvoidbattery cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The power supply system is divided into two independent parts: primary batteries for vehicle starting functions and additional hermetic batteries for cabin accessories. This segmentation allows each battery type to be optimized for its specific function, enabling the primary batteries to be smaller and less expensive while the hermetic batteries handle the cyclic charging/discharging loads from accessories.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cyclic charging and discharging function is extracted from the primary battery system and assigned to a separate additional battery system with hermetic batteries. This extraction allows the primary batteries to be downsized, directly reducing battery cost since primary batteries are expensive when oversized.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If primary batteries are used for cyclic charging and discharging, then power supply for accessories is maintained, but battery damage risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower supply continuityVSAvoidbattery durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cyclic charging and discharging function is extracted from the primary battery system and assigned to a separate additional battery system with hermetic batteries. Hermetic batteries are specifically designed to withstand cyclic charging/discharging operations, while primary batteries remain dedicated to starting functions where they operate reliably without deep discharge cycles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

A control unit acts as an intermediary between the primary batteries and the additional hermetic batteries, managing power flow and charging/discharging cycles. The control unit ensures that primary batteries are protected from deep discharge by isolating them from accessory loads, while hermetic batteries handle the cyclic operations that would otherwise damage primary batteries.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Adaptability or versatility

If voltage conversion from 24V to 12V is implemented for accessory sockets, then compatibility with standard accessories is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccessory compatibilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The additional hermetic batteries are designed to provide both 24V and 12V outputs through integrated voltage conversion capability. This multi-functionality allows the same battery system to serve both heavy vehicle accessories requiring 24V and standard car accessories requiring 12V, maintaining versatility while managing system complexity through integrated design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution reduces the stress on primary batteries, lowers fuel consumption, and decreases the weight and cost of batteries, while enabling continuous power supply to cabin accessories even when the engine is stopped.

Implementation Method 1

recharging taken place by means of external systems, e.g. by means of one or more 12V solar panels (4)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSolar energy conversion: Photovoltaic Effect

Implementation Method 2

a device for reducing the voltage from 24 to 12 V is also needed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVoltage conversion: Electrical Resistance

Data Source

PatentEP2258579B1Additional autonomous power supply system for vehicle, especially for industrial or commercial vehicle
Publication Date: 2016.04.27 IVECO SPA
  • EP2258579B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The present invention relates to an additional autonomous power supply system for vehicle, especially for industrial or commercial vehicle, said vehicle being provided with primary batteries used only for power supplying the primary functions of the vehicle, said system comprising: an additional system of hermetic batteries (3), used for power supplying the accessories used in the vehicle; means for recharging (2, 4) said additional system of hermetic batteries (3); and means for controlling the recharging (5).