JP2000333379A - Apparatus and method for charging battery - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accomplish reduction in the size of equipment by arranging battery housing portions in a grid pattern, connecting chargers with adjacent battery housing portions in pairs, and selecting a battery housing portion to charge batteries. SOLUTION: A battery supplying device is provided with battery housing portions for housing batteries 12 (B1 to B20). The battery housing portions contain a locking mechanism engaged with the locking holes 22 in the batteries 12 (B1 to B20). The battery housing portions are provided with an indicating portion which lights up when the batteries 12 (B1 to B20) are charged enough to be available. The battery housing portions are arranged in a grid pattern. The batteries B1 to B20 are supplied with power from a power supply portion for the batteries by a charger through changers. Thus, the number of chargers is reduced to a minimum required, and reduction in the size and cost of equipment is accomplished.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a battery charging device and a charging method for charging a plurality of batteries.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in an electric assist cycle in which electric power travels as a part of a driving source, the available traveling distance of a mounted battery is limited. is there. However, such a battery requires a considerable amount of time before being fully charged. On the other hand, it is not practical to carry a plurality of batteries in terms of weight or cost.

Therefore, it is easy to provide a battery supply device, such as a gas station, which stocks a large number of fully charged batteries at predetermined points and supply the batteries as needed. Is assumed.

[0004]

When a large number of batteries are charged in a battery supply device, a battery charger can be connected to each battery and a plurality of batteries can be charged at the same time. Can be reliably supplied.

However, in the case of such a configuration,
A charger is required for each battery, which causes a problem that the device becomes large. In addition, when charging all the batteries at the same time, it is necessary to provide a cooling means in consideration of heat generation and to arrange the battery storage units separately from each other. It is feared that it will become.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a battery charging apparatus and a charging method which can be configured to be small and simple, and can efficiently charge a battery. And

[0007]

According to the battery charging apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of battery housings are arranged in a grid, and a pair of adjacent battery housings are paired to connect a single charger. The battery is charged by selecting one of the storage sections. In this case, the number of the chargers is half of the number of the battery storage sections, thereby achieving the miniaturization of the device.

In the battery charging device and the charging method according to the present invention, the switching device is controlled to perform charging by the charger so that the batteries stored in the adjacent battery storage portions are not simultaneously charged. In addition, heat generation due to charging can be suppressed, and charging can be performed efficiently.

[0009] The detection of the state of charge of each battery and the display of the battery in the usable state of charge on the display means facilitate the selection of the battery by the user.

[0010]

FIG. 1 shows a battery supply apparatus 10 to which a battery charging apparatus and a charging method according to the present invention are applied. In the battery supply device 10, supply and return of the batteries 12 (B1 to B20) having the shape shown in FIG. 2 are performed.

That is, the battery 12 (B1 to B20)
Has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is mounted on the electric assist cycle 14 shown in FIG. At the upper end of the battery 12 (B1 to B20), a handle portion 16, a display portion 18 for displaying the remaining power of the power using an LED or the like, and a switch 20 for activating the display portion 18 are provided. Also, battery 1
A lock hole 22 for locking the battery 12 (B1 to B20) in the battery supply device 10 is provided at the lower end of the side of 2 (B1 to B20). Battery 1
2 (B1 to B20), the battery 12
2 for charging (B1 to B20) or supplying power to the electric assist cycle 14;
Two electrodes are provided. Further, on the side where the locking hole 22 is formed, a readable and writable memory element 23 storing the unique identification number (battery ID) of the battery 12 (B1 to B20), the number of refreshes, the number of charges, and the like. Is provided.

In FIG. 1, a battery supply device 10 is provided with a plurality of battery storage portions 28 for storing batteries 12 (B1 to B20). Each battery storage unit 28
Has a lock mechanism (not shown) that is locked by engaging with the locking hole 22 of the battery 12 (B1 to B20). The batteries 12 (B1 to B1) stored in the battery storage units 28 are provided above the respective battery storage units 28.
20) L lights up when the available charging state is reached
A display unit 30 including an ED or the like is provided. Further, these battery storage sections 28 are arranged in four rows in the horizontal direction and five rows in the vertical direction.
They are arranged in a grid of rows.

A card reader 42 for confirming a user is provided on the side of the battery storage unit 28. In this case, the user has an IC (Integrated Circuit) card in which personal information is recorded in which the battery supply device 10 can be used.
, The appropriate user is confirmed by the battery supply device 10. Also, the card reader 42
Below, a display 44 for displaying guidance and the like for using the battery supply device 10 is provided.

FIG. 4 shows a control block of the battery supply device 10. The battery supply device 10 includes the controller 5
The controller 52 includes a CPU 140 that performs overall control, a memory 142 that stores a control program and the like, a communication control unit 144, a solenoid control unit 146, a temperature control unit 148, a sensor control unit 150, a switch Control section 152, charge state detection section 153, speaker control section 154, display control section 156, input / output control section 158,
And an LED control unit 162.

A transmitter 166 is connected to the communication controller 144, and information such as the state of the battery supply device 10 is transmitted to the outside. The solenoid control unit 146 controls the solenoid 122 constituting a lock mechanism for locking the batteries 12 (B1 to B20). The temperature control unit 148 controls the heater 168 and the cooler 170 to optimize the temperature in the battery supply device 10 in order to efficiently charge the batteries 12 (B1 to B20).
The sensor control unit 150 controls each sensor provided in the battery supply device 10. In this case, the battery supply device 10 is provided with a battery peripheral temperature sensor 174 for detecting the temperature around the battery 12 (B1 to B20) and an outside air temperature sensor 176 for detecting the outside air temperature.
Battery ambient temperature sensor 174 and outside air temperature sensor 17
The heater 168 and the cooler 170 are controlled based on the temperature detected by the controller 6.

The switch control unit 152 is connected to ten switches D1 to D10. In this case, each switch D1
D10 includes batteries B1 and B2, B3 and B4, B5 and B6, B stored in the battery storage unit 28.
7 and B8, B9 and B10, B11 and B1
2, B13 and B14, B15 and B16, B17
And B18, B19 and B20 are connected two by two. The power from the battery power supply unit 56 is supplied to the batteries B1 to B20 from the chargers C1 to C10 via the switches D1 to D10.

The state-of-charge detection unit 153 is connected to each charger C
1 to C10, and detects the state of charge of each of the batteries B1 to B20.

The speaker control unit 154 includes a speaker 18
2 are connected. The speaker 182 can provide guidance such as a state of the battery supply device 10 and an operation method by voice or the like. The display controller 156 includes the display 44
Is connected, and the input / output control unit 158 includes a card reader 4
2 and the battery information reader / writer 110 are connected. Note that the battery information reader / writer 110 stores the battery 12 (B1 to B2) stored in the battery storage unit 28.
The information of the battery 12 (B1 to B20) is read and written via the memory element 23 disposed on the side of the area (0). L
The display unit 30 disposed above each battery storage unit 28 is connected to the ED control unit 162.

The battery supply device 10 of the present embodiment is basically configured as described above. Next, the operation will be described.

First, the process of returning and lending the battery 12 (B1 to B20) will be described.

When the user brings the IC card close to the card reader 42, the card reader 42 reads the recorded user ID number and the like, and determines whether or not the user is a legitimate user. Confirmation is made based on the information recorded in 142. If there is a problem with the ID number or the like, an appropriate message is displayed on the display 44,
A warning can be given by voice from the speaker 182 as necessary.

Next, the user places the used batteries 12 (B1 to B1) in the empty battery storage section 28.
B20) is returned. In this case, the user
When (B1 to B20) are inserted into the battery storage unit 28,
The CPU 140 controls the solenoid control unit 146, drives the solenoid 122, and drives the battery 12 (B1 to B2).
Lock 0).

When the battery 12 (B1 to B20) is returned, the battery information reader / writer 110 provided in the battery storage unit 28 is operated by the battery 12 (B1 to B20).
The unique identification number (battery ID) is read from the memory element 23 provided in. The CPU 140 determines whether or not the unique identification number has already been registered. If the unique identification number has not been registered, a message to that effect is displayed on the display 44.

On the other hand, the registered batteries 12 (B1 to B
20), the CPU 140 returns the battery 12 (B1 to B1) in an available charged state as described later.
B20), the LED control unit 162 is controlled, and the display unit 30 disposed above the battery storage unit 28 that stores the available batteries 12 (B1 to B20) is turned on.

Therefore, the user selects one of the battery storage sections 28 in which the display section 30 lights up. Note that this selection can be made using an instruction unit (not shown). When the battery storage unit 28 is selected, the CPU 140 controls the solenoid control unit 146 to drive the solenoid 122 to unlock the corresponding battery storage unit 28. The user extracts the batteries 12 (B1 to B20) stored in the unlocked battery storage unit 28,
It is mounted on the electric assist cycle 14. Thus, the return and lending process of the battery 12 (B1 to B20) is completed.

Next, the charging process for the batteries 12 (B1 to B20) stored in the respective battery storage sections 28 will be described.

In this case, the connection relationship between the chargers C1 to C10 and the batteries B1 to B20 is set as shown in FIG. That is, the chargers C1 to C10 are:
One is assigned to a pair of battery storage units 28 adjacent to the left and right, and one of the battery storage units 28 is switched by the switches D1 to D10.
Connected to 0. Further, each of the switches D1 to D10 has a switch controller 152 so that the battery storage units 28 adjacent vertically and horizontally are not simultaneously connected to the chargers C1 to C10.
The switching is controlled as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG.

Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, batteries B1, B3, B6, B8, B9, B11, B14,
B16, B17, and B19 are connected to the chargers C1 to C10 by the switches D1 to D10, and are simultaneously charged by the electric power supplied from the battery power supply unit 56. When these charging processes are completed, the switches D1 to D1
0 are switched simultaneously, and the remaining batteries B2, B4,
B5, B7, B10, B12, B13, B15, B1
8. B20 is charged.

By performing the charging process in this manner, the heat generated by the charging is changed to another battery B being charged.
Problems affecting 1 to B20 are reduced. Therefore,
Charging can be performed efficiently. In addition, since the influence of heat on the adjacent batteries B1 to B20 is small, the battery storage unit 28 can be disposed close to the battery.
Since the cooling means can be minimized,
The size and cost of the device can be reduced.

Next, the optimal battery 1 to be lent to the user
2 (B1 to B20) will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

The state-of-charge detection unit 153 determines, for example, the relationship between the current value supplied from the chargers C1 to C10 to the batteries B1 to B20 and the charging time and the charging time of each of the batteries B1 to B20.
20 charging states are detected for each pair.

In this case, a pair of batteries B1 to B2
When it is detected that both of the battery B's 0 are fully charged (step S1), the CPU 140 selects the battery B1 to B20 having the longer charging time among them (step S1).
2) The display unit 30 of the battery storage unit 28 that stores the batteries B1 to B20 is turned on (step S3) to clearly indicate to the user that the battery can be used.

If it is detected that one of the paired batteries B1 to B20 is fully charged and the other is 80 to 99% charged (step S4), the CPU 1
40 is a battery B1 to B of which charging time is longer.
20 (step S2), and the batteries B1 to B
The display unit 30 of the battery storage unit 28 for storing the battery 20 is turned on (step S3) to clearly indicate to the user that it is available.

Further, a pair of batteries B1 to B20
If it is detected that one of the two is in the state of charge of 80 to 99% and the other is in the state of charge of less than 80% (step S5), the CPU 140 determines which of the batteries B1 to B1 is closer to full charge. B20 is selected (step S6), and the display unit 30 of the battery storage unit 28 that stores the batteries B1 to B20 is turned on (step S3) to clearly indicate to the user that it is available.

Further, batteries B1 to B
If any of the charging states 20 is less than 80% (step S5), the display unit 30 of the battery storage unit 28 is turned off (step S7), and the fact that lending of the batteries B1 to B20 is impossible is used. Inform others.

[0036]

As described above, according to the battery charging device and the charging method according to the present invention, the adjacent batteries are selectively charged by one charger, so that the number of chargers is reduced. As a minimum, the size and cost of the device can be reduced.

Further, by controlling the adjacent batteries not to be charged at the same time, the influence of heat generated by charging can be avoided, and the charging process can be performed efficiently. Further, since the influence of heat can be avoided in this manner, the distance between the adjacent battery storage sections can be set smaller, thereby further reducing the size of the device.

By displaying the charged and usable battery using the display means, the user can
A desired battery can be easily selected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front configuration diagram of a battery supply device.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a battery charged in the battery supply device.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the electric assist cycle driven by the battery shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a control configuration of the battery supply device.

FIG. 5 is a setting diagram of an on / off state of a battery by a charger.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an on / off state of a battery.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an available battery selection process.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Battery supply device 12 (B1 to B2
0) Battery 14 Electric assist cycle 28 Battery storage unit 30 Display unit 52 Controller 56 Battery power supply unit 140 CPU C1 to C10 Chargers D1 to D10 Switch

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A battery charging device for charging a plurality of batteries, wherein a plurality of battery storage units arranged in a grid and storing a plurality of the batteries are connected as a pair with a pair of adjacent battery storage units. A battery charger comprising: a charger for charging one of the batteries stored in the pair of battery storage units; and selecting means for selecting the battery to be charged by the charger. . 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said selection means includes a switch for switching and connecting said charger to one of said batteries, and an adjacent battery stored in said battery storage section. And a switch control unit that controls the switch so that both are not charged. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a charge state detection unit that detects a charge state of the battery, and a display unit that displays the battery determined to be usable by the charge state detection unit. A battery charging device comprising: 4. A battery charging method for charging a plurality of batteries arranged in a grid, wherein the charging is performed by selecting the battery to be charged so that the adjacent batteries are not charged. Battery charging method.