Portable Power Supply Battery Isolation and Over-Discharge Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable power supplies lack effective mechanisms to prevent over-discharging of lithium-ion battery packs and parasitic loads when not in use, leading to potential battery damage and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
A portable power supply apparatus featuring a lithium-ion battery unit with automatic shut-off mechanisms for the charging and inverter units, along with switching units that isolate the battery from the inverter when not in use, and a balancing system to prevent over-discharging, utilizing a three-way switch and light emitting diodes for charge indication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the inverter remains connected to the battery unit when not in use, then the device is ready for immediate operation, but the battery unit experiences parasitic discharge and potential over-discharging
Solution Approach 1:
The switching unit is pre-configured to automatically isolate the battery unit from the inverter when the system transitions to standby mode, preventing parasitic discharge before it can occur. This preliminary action maintains battery charge levels without requiring manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system monitors its own operational state and automatically controls the switching unit based on whether the inverter is actively drawing power. When the inverter shuts off, the system self-manages the isolation process, eliminating the need for external control or manual switching.
2Duration of action of moving object
If automatic shut-off mechanisms are implemented, then battery life is extended and over-discharging is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inverter's shutdown status serves as feedback signal that automatically triggers the switching unit to isolate the battery. This feedback mechanism enables intelligent control without requiring complex microcontrollers or additional sensing circuits.
Solution Approach 2:
The switching unit acts as an intermediary component between the battery unit and inverter, managing their connection based on operational needs. This single intermediary component handles both the isolation function and the protection logic, minimizing overall system complexity.
3Duration of action of moving object
If the battery unit capacity is increased to provide longer operation, then runtime is extended, but weight and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic isolation mechanism ensures continuous protection of the battery unit, preventing energy waste through parasitic discharge. This continuity of useful action maximizes the effective runtime from the battery capacity without requiring additional capacity margins.
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
The solution effectively protects the lithium-ion battery pack from over-discharging and parasitic loads, ensuring efficient energy use and extending battery life by automatically shutting off the inverter and isolating the battery when not in use, while providing a visual indication of charge levels.
Implementation Method 1
two or more light emitting diodes presented in series. A relative number of activated light emitting diodes of the two or more light emitting diodes may correlate to an approximate percentage of charge of the battery unit.
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, the present disclosure describes an apparatus that may include a battery unit including one or more lithium-ion battery cells, and a charging unit configured with a first automatic shut-off, where the automatic shut-off is responsive to detection of an upper threshold voltage level of the battery unit. The apparatus may include an inverter configured with a second automatic shut-off, where the second automatic shut-off is responsive to detection of a lower threshold voltage level of the battery unit, and an input connection functionally connected to the charging unit. The apparatus may be configured to isolate the battery unit from the inverter responsive to detecting both (a) the input connection is disconnected from an input voltage source, and (b) the inverter is shut off.