Supercapacitor Power Buffering for Battery Dispenser Motor Start

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Solution Overview

Problem

Battery-powered electronic dispensers, such as motor-driven paper towel dispensers, experience significant current drain and current spikes upon motor start, leading to reduced battery lifespan due to high initial current demands.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a series combination of supercapacitors into the power supply circuit, allowing them to pre-charge from batteries or wall power and sharing the initial current demand with the batteries, thereby reducing the load on the batteries.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If batteries directly power the motor during start-up, then the motor can start immediately, but the initial stall current exceeds ten times the steady state operating current, causing huge draw requirements on batteries and shortening battery life span

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemotor start speedVSAvoidbattery life span

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The supercapacitors are pre-charged during idle periods when the motor is not running, storing energy in advance. When the motor needs to start, the pre-charged supercapacitors immediately supply the high stall current, preventing the batteries from experiencing the current spike that would otherwise shorten their lifespan.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The supercapacitors act as an intermediary energy storage device between the batteries and the motor. They buffer the current spikes during motor start-up by absorbing and releasing energy as needed, protecting the batteries from direct exposure to high current demands while ensuring the motor receives sufficient power for immediate startup.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Duration of action of stationary object

If supercapacitors are added to the power supply circuit, then battery life is extended by reducing current drain, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery life spanVSAvoidpower supply circuit complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The supercapacitors are integrated into the existing power supply circuit board, merging the energy storage function with the current circuit architecture. This combination approach allows the supercapacitors to work in tandem with the batteries without requiring a complete redesign of the power supply system, thus extending battery life while minimizing the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 extends the battery life by mitigating current spikes and allowing the batteries to replenish charge quickly, ensuring prolonged operation and increased product delivery.

Implementation Method 1

a series combination of supercapacitors is incorporated in a battery-powered power supply circuit

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapacitance: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentUS8860347B2Apparatus for reducing current drain and current spike impact on battery-powered electronic dispensers

Publication Date: 2014.10.14 DISPENSING DYNAMICS INT LLC

AI summary

Apparatus and method for reducing current drain and current spike impact on a dispenser electric motor by employing a series of supercapacitors in a power supply current to provide at least a portion of the energy requirement of the dispenser electric motor upon initial energization.