Ventilation Apparatus Cooling Battery Charging Time

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Solution Overview

Problem

Respirator energy storage devices, such as batteries, heat up during operation and charging, requiring slow charging currents to prevent temperature increases, leading to lengthy charging times and user inconvenience.

Innovation Solution

A ventilation device with a thermally conductive wall and cooling air flow to dissipate heat from the energy storage device, allowing higher charging currents and faster charging times, utilizing a blower device to generate both respiratory and cooling air flows.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If the battery is charged with small charging currents to avoid temperature increase, then the battery temperature remains within permissible limits, but the charging time becomes very long

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery temperatureVSAvoidcharging time
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

A cooling device is introduced as an intermediary between the battery and the charging process. This cooling device actively removes heat generated during charging, enabling the use of higher charging currents without exceeding temperature limits. The cooling device acts as a mediator that allows the charging process to proceed faster while maintaining safe operating temperatures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the thermal management parameters by introducing active cooling. Instead of relying on passive heat dissipation, the cooling device actively controls the temperature parameters, allowing the charging current parameter to be increased while keeping temperature within acceptable ranges. This parameter change enables faster charging without compromising safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of time

If the battery is charged with higher charging currents to reduce charging time, then the charging process becomes faster, but the battery temperature increases unfavorably

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecharging timeVSAvoidbattery temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling device serves as a mediator that enables higher charging currents by actively managing the thermal load. It intercepts and removes excess heat, allowing the charging process to operate at higher power levels without causing unacceptable temperature increases in the battery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention converts the harmful effect of heat generation during fast charging into a beneficial situation. By using the cooling device to actively manage thermal energy, the heat that would normally be a limiting factor becomes a manageable parameter, enabling faster charging rates while maintaining safe operating conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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

Significantly reduces charging time and enhances user convenience by maintaining low battery temperatures, enabling faster and more efficient charging of energy storage devices.

Implementation Method 1

at least one cooling device (4) for generating a cooling air flow for transporting heat away from the energy storage device (2)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

at least one thermally conductive wall (22) coupled to the cell unit (12)... heat can be dissipated from the wall by means of the cooling air flow

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP3391924B1Ventilation apparatus
Publication Date: 2020.12.30 LOWENSTEIN MEDICAL TECH SA
  • EP3391924B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The present invention relates to a ventilator (100) comprising a ventilator (1) with a ventilation unit (11) for generating a breathing airflow for respiratory therapy, a rechargeable energy storage unit (2) for providing the energy required for operation, and a charging unit (3) for charging the energy storage unit (2). The ventilator (100) includes a cooling unit (4) with a blower unit (14) for generating at least one cooling airflow, such that heat can be dissipated from the energy storage unit (2) by means of the cooling airflow.