Battery Charging Path Split to Prevent Fast-Charge Protector Heating

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Lithium-ion battery charging systems face safety issues due to severe heating of overcurrent protection elements during fast charging, which can lead to safety problems and inconvenience for users.

Innovation Solution

A battery and charging system design that includes a protection IC to detect current and voltage thresholds, controlling a control switch to enable or disable charging and discharging paths, and an overcurrent protection element to cut off paths when thresholds are exceeded, ensuring safe and fast charging without excessive heating.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a higher charging current is introduced into the charging circuit to implement fast charging, then the charging speed is improved, but the overcurrent protection element generates large heat losses resulting in severe heating

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecharging speedVSAvoidovercurrent protection element temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The charging circuit is segmented into two independent paths: a first charging path through the control switch for normal charging, and a second charging path through the bypass switch for fast charging. This segmentation allows the bypass switch to handle large charging currents separately, preventing the overcurrent protection element from overheating while maintaining fast charging capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bypass switch acts as an intermediary component that provides an alternative current path for fast charging. By introducing this intermediary element, large charging currents can flow through the bypass switch instead of the overcurrent protection element, thereby protecting the overcurrent protection element from severe heating while enabling fast charging.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Power

If a higher charging current is introduced into the charging circuit to implement fast charging, then the charging power is improved, but the heat losses in the overcurrent protection element increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecharging powerVSAvoidheat losses in overcurrent protection element
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The charging circuit is segmented into two independent paths: a first charging path through the control switch for normal charging, and a second charging path through the bypass switch for fast charging. This segmentation allows the bypass switch to handle large charging currents separately, preventing the overcurrent protection element from overheating while maintaining fast charging capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bypass switch acts as an intermediary component that provides an alternative current path for fast charging. By introducing this intermediary element, large charging currents can flow through the bypass switch instead of the overcurrent protection element, thereby protecting the overcurrent protection element from severe heating while enabling fast charging.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Enables safe and efficient large-current fast charging without overheating the overcurrent protection element, improving user experience and ensuring battery safety during both charging and discharging.

Implementation Method 1

detect a current value of a charging current and a voltage value of a charging voltage

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical Resistance: Electrical Resistance

Implementation Method 2

detect whether a current value of a discharging current exceeds a third current threshold

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical Resistance: Electrical Resistance

Implementation Method 3

an electrochemical cell; when the terminal is in a charging state, a charging current enters the terminal through the charging port of the terminal, and enters the electrochemical cell

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrochemical energy conversion: Battery (electricity)

Data Source

PatentEP3512067B1Battery, terminal, and charging system
Publication Date: 2023.09.06 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3512067B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3512067B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3512067B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b

AI summary

Technical solutions of the present invention provide a battery, a terminal, and a charging system. The battery includes a battery charging port, a battery discharging port, a battery negative port, an overcurrent protection element, a protection integrated circuit, a control switch, and an electrochemical cell. The battery charging port is connected to a positive electrode of the electrochemical cell, the control switch is connected in series between a negative electrode of the electrochemical cell and the battery negative port, the protection integrated circuit is connected in parallel to two ends of the electrochemical cell, and the protection integrated circuit is further connected to the control switch, so as to send a control signal to the control switch. In addition, the overcurrent protection element is connected in series between the battery discharging port and the positive electrode of the electrochemical cell. The battery provided in the present invention has both a charging path and a discharging path. Therefore, large-current charging may be performed on the battery without causing severe heating of the overcurrent protection element. Further, current overload detection may be further performed during discharging.