JP2017208981A - Battery device and power supply system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem of the conventional batteries, which have a constant output voltage, where in the case of performing power supply using a battery, preparation of a battery having an output voltage suitable for a voltage (rated voltage) set at an electrically-driven apparatus to be a power supply target is required.SOLUTION: A power supply system includes: a housing unit 11 for housing a plurality of secondary batteries 13; and an output unit 12 for changing a connection state of the plurality of secondary batteries 13 housed in the housing unit 11 to output a voltage depending on the connection state. The power supply system includes a power supply target 40 that is driven by output power from a battery device 30, the power supply target including an information output unit 41 for outputting information on a drive voltage. A battery device 30 comprises an information acquisition unit 31 for acquiring the information output from the information output unit 41. The battery device, on the basis of an acquisition result of the information acquisition unit 31, supplies power corresponding to drive power for the power supply target 40 to the power supply target 40, from an output unit 12 of the battery device 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a battery device as a power supply source and a power supply system for supplying power, and particularly to a battery device that outputs different voltages and a power supply system that supplies power suitable for a power supply target.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, charging batteries that can be charged from a home alternating current (AC) power source and can be used repeatedly have become widespread. As such batteries, for example, a motor that applies torque to driving wheels, There is known a “electric vehicle that uses a battery pack as a power source” (see Patent Document 1), which includes a circuit unit that supplies power to a motor from a battery pack attached to a battery holder.
A battery as a power supply source, such as a rechargeable battery, supplies power to an electric device using a voltage (rated voltage) set in an electric device (for example, a motor) that is a power supply target of the battery as an output voltage.

JP 2011-235749 A

  However, since the output voltage of the conventional battery is constant, when power is supplied using the battery, the voltage that matches the voltage (rated voltage) set for the electric device to be supplied with power is used as the output voltage. It was necessary to prepare a battery. That is, for electric devices with different rated voltages, batteries having different output voltages for each electric device had to be prepared.

  An object of the present invention is to supply a power to a power supply target by changing the output voltage of the battery device, and changing the output voltage of the battery device to a set voltage (rated voltage) of the power supply target. It is to provide a power supply system capable of

In order to achieve the above object, a battery device according to the present invention includes a storage unit that stores a plurality of batteries, and a connection state between the plurality of batteries stored in the storage unit, and a voltage corresponding to the connection state. And an output unit for outputting.
By having the said structure, it can change and output an output voltage.
In the battery device according to the present invention, the output unit selects and outputs a contact arrangement part in which contacts connected to the electrodes of the plurality of batteries are arranged, and a connection combination between the electrodes in the contact arrangement part. It is preferable to have a circuit forming portion for forming a circuit. According to this configuration, the output voltage can be changed and output by selecting the connection combination between the electrodes and forming the output circuit.

In order to achieve the above object, a power supply system according to the present invention includes a battery device according to the present invention, and an information output unit that is driven by output power from the battery device and outputs information related to a drive voltage. The battery device includes an information acquisition unit that acquires information output from the information output unit, and the driving power of the power supply target based on the acquisition result of the information acquisition unit Is supplied to the power supply target from the output unit of the battery device.
By having the said structure, the output voltage of a battery apparatus can be changed into the setting voltage of electric power supply object, and electric power can be supplied to an electric power supply object.

  According to the present invention, the battery device that can output by changing the output voltage, and the power supply that can supply power to the power supply target by changing the output voltage of the battery device to the set voltage of the power supply target A system can be provided.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the battery apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the electric power supply system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the electric power supply system of FIG. 2 roughly. An example of a method for acquiring information from a power supply target via a data line is shown, (a) is an explanatory diagram of the data line, and (b) is an explanatory diagram of an IC chip in which a rating is written.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the battery device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the battery device 10 changes a connection state of a storage unit 11 that stores a plurality of batteries and a plurality of batteries stored in the storage unit 11, and outputs an output voltage corresponding to the connection state. And an output unit 12 for outputting.
For example, the storage unit 11 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape having an opening that can be closed, and a plurality of secondary batteries (or secondary battery cells) 13 are incorporated and stored therein. In the present embodiment, 3.6 (V) and 5 (A) rechargeable batteries are used as the small secondary battery 13, and for example, 16 batteries are stacked in a four-tiered manner, and 16 batteries are stored in the storage unit 11. Stored.

When a rechargeable battery is used as the secondary battery 13, the battery device 10 may be provided with a charging unit (not shown) that charges the rechargeable battery with electric power input from the outside of the battery device 10. By providing the charging unit, the battery device 10 can be charged only by itself.
The output unit 12 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape that is integrated with the storage unit 11 so as to close the opening of the storage unit 11 and has a connection end 12a, and also has a contact arrangement unit 14 and a circuit formation unit 15. In addition, the connection state of the plurality of secondary batteries 13 can be arbitrarily changed by the circuit forming unit 15 via the contact placement unit 14. The output unit 12 of the present embodiment stores 16 rechargeable batteries in the storage unit 11, and can output a maximum of 57.6 (V) as an output voltage.

  The connection end portion 12a functions as a connection means for detachably attaching and fixing the battery device 10 to a power supply target to which electric power is supplied from the battery device 10 and making it possible to energize when fixed. The connection end portion 12a is formed as an external protruding end in the present embodiment, but corresponds to an attachment method in the power supply target so that the battery device 10 can be attached to the power supply target that is the attachment target. It can be formed in various shapes and sizes.

  The contact placement unit 14 includes a plurality of terminal connection contacts 14 a corresponding to the positive (+) electrode terminal and the negative (−) electrode terminal of the plurality of secondary batteries 13 stored in the storage unit 11. All the positive (+) electrode terminals and the negative (−) electrode terminals of the plurality of stored secondary batteries 13 are respectively connected to the terminal connection contacts 14a. All the terminal connection contacts 14a are arranged in a matrix, and any number of terminal connection contacts 14a can be selected to be connected in series connection, parallel connection, or series / parallel combination connection. .

In the case of the present embodiment, the contact placement unit 14 makes any number of terminal connection contacts 14a of 2 to 16 in series connection, parallel connection, or series / parallel combination connection [3. 6 × n (V), 5 (A)] to [3.6 (V), 5 × n (A)], with [3.6 (V), 5 (A)] as an arbitrary unit An output voltage value and an output current value can be selected. That is, the battery device 10 can change and output the output voltage and output current.
The circuit forming unit 15 has an output setting unit (not shown) for setting an output voltage value and an output current value, and is formed by setting the output voltage value and the output current value by the output setting unit. Based on the voltage value information and the output current value information, the connection state of the terminal connection contact 14a in the contact placement unit 14 is selected and controlled.

For setting the output voltage value and output current value in the output setting unit, a plurality of output voltage values and output current values that can be set as output values can be individually selected. For example, an output value selection means such as a rotary switch is provided. The output value selection means is switched. Further, the selection control of the connection state of the terminal connection contact 14a is performed based on the output voltage value information and the output current value information in order to form the set output voltage value and output current value. A plurality of contacts selected from 14a are connected to one of a series connection, a parallel connection, and a combination of a series and a parallel connection.

In this embodiment, which connection state of serial connection, parallel connection, or series / parallel combination connection is selected in advance is an output voltage value obtained by each of series connection, parallel connection, or series / parallel combination connection, A list of output current values is stored as a database, and the connection state corresponding to the required output voltage value and output current value is detected by referring to the database.
The battery device 10 has a standard shape whose appearance shape is similar to the number of secondary batteries 13 stored in the storage unit 11, for example. Therefore, if the power supply target to which the battery device 10 is attached is provided with a battery device storage portion having a shape corresponding to the standard shape of the battery device 10, the power capacity is reduced to that which is satisfied. The battery device 10 can be freely replaced and used.

Next, a power supply method by the battery device 10 according to the present invention will be described.
First, the output voltage value of the battery device 10 is set to a voltage value (matching voltage value or approximate voltage value) corresponding to the rated voltage value of the power supply target to which power is supplied from the battery device 10. When the power supply target from the battery device 10 is, for example, an electrically assisted bicycle that uses a battery pack as a power source and the battery device 10 is used as a battery pack, the rated voltage value of the electrically assisted bicycle to which the battery device 10 is attached is confirmed. The output voltage of the battery device 10 is changed so as to correspond to the rated voltage value, and the output voltage value of the battery device 10 is set to a voltage value (matching voltage value or approximate voltage value) corresponding to the rated voltage value. When setting the output voltage value, an output value setting unit such as a rotary switch provided in the battery device 10 is operated to output setting information to an output setting unit (not shown) of the circuit forming unit 15.

  Thereafter, the battery device 10 that has finished setting the output voltage value is attached to the electrically assisted bicycle as a battery pack. When the battery device 10 is mounted, the battery device 10 is mounted on the battery pack mounting portion of the electrically assisted bicycle via a battery pack compatible adapter (not shown). The battery pack compatible adapter has the same mounting and fixing structure as the battery pack used in the electric assist bicycle, and the battery device 10 can be attached to the electric assist bicycle in the same manner as the battery pack.

By attaching the battery device 10 to the electrically assisted bicycle, electric power can be supplied from the battery device 10 to the electrically assisted bicycle. At this time, since the output voltage value of the battery device 10 corresponds to the rated voltage value of the electrically assisted bicycle (matching voltage value or approximate voltage value), the power supply from the battery device 10 is appropriately and reliably performed. The battery device 10 functions as a power supply unit that replaces a dedicated battery pack provided in advance in the electrically assisted bicycle.
The battery device 10 may be provided with a voltage adjustment unit for adjusting the output voltage value from the battery device 10. By providing the voltage adjusting unit, the output voltage value from the battery device 10 is fed back and monitored, and output using a DC-DC converter, for example, so that a desired output voltage value can be obtained as necessary. The voltage value can be adjusted.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a power supply system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the power supply system 20 includes a battery device 30 and a power supply target 40 that is driven by output power from the battery device 30. As the power supply target 40, for example, there is an electric assist bicycle using a battery pack as a power source.
The battery device 30 has the same configuration and operation as the battery device 10 (see FIG. 1) of the first embodiment except that the battery device 30 includes an information acquisition unit 31.

  The information acquisition unit 31 acquires information output from an information output unit 41 (described later) of the power supply target 40. For example, the information acquisition unit 31 is transmitted when information is transmitted from the information output unit 41 by wireless communication. Formed by a wireless receiver capable of receiving the received information. Based on the acquisition result of the information acquisition unit 31, for example, based on information on the rated voltage value of the electrically assisted bicycle that is the power supply destination 40, the battery device 30 sends drive power corresponding to the rated voltage value from the output unit 12. Supply to electric assist bicycles.

The power supply target 40 includes an information output unit 41 that outputs information related to the drive voltage of the power supply target 40 itself, for example, information related to the rated voltage value so that the information can be acquired from the outside of the power supply target 40. The information output unit 41 includes, for example, a wireless transmission device, and outputs information related to the driving power of the power supply destination 40 itself as a transmission signal. The transmission signal may be output constantly, or may be output by an operation of a switch or the like that is activated when the battery device 30 is attached.
Next, a power supply method by the power supply system 20 according to the present invention will be described. Here, a case where the power supply target 40 is an electrically assisted bicycle, that is, a case where the power supply system 20 includes a battery device 30 and an electrically assisted bicycle is shown as an example.

  First, the output voltage value of the battery device 30 constituting the power supply system 20 is set so as to correspond to the rated voltage value of the electrically assisted bicycle that is the power supply target to which power is supplied from the battery device 30. At the time of setting, the battery device 30 is brought into a state where the information acquisition unit 31 can receive a transmission signal from the information output unit 41 of the electrically assisted bicycle, for example, the information acquisition unit 31 is brought close to the information output unit 41, and the battery The device 30 receives the transmission signal and acquires the rated voltage value of the electrically assisted bicycle. When the battery device 30 receives the transmission signal and acquires the rated voltage value information of the electrically assisted bicycle, the battery device 30 receives the rated voltage value information via an output setting unit (not shown) of the circuit forming unit 15. The output voltage value is changed so as to become a voltage value corresponding to (a matching voltage value or an approximate voltage value) and output.

Therefore, for example, the battery device 30 can automatically acquire information on the rated voltage value of the electrically assisted bicycle by simply bringing the battery device 30 closer to the electrically assisted bicycle by the power supply system 20. An output voltage value (matching voltage value or approximate voltage value) corresponding to the rated voltage value based on the acquired information can be automatically output.
After that, by attaching the battery device 30 to the electrically assisted bicycle, electric power is supplied from the attached battery device 30 to the electrically assisted bicycle.

As described above, the power supply system 20 can automatically output the output voltage value corresponding to the rated voltage value of the battery-assisted bicycle from the battery device 30 to the battery-assisted bicycle. Can be performed easily and reliably without any special setting operation.
In the power supply system 20 according to the present invention described above, the information acquisition unit 31 of the battery device 30 may be formed by a camera incorporated in the battery device 30 instead of the wireless reception device.

  FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing an example of the power supply system of FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the battery device 30 incorporates a camera as the information acquisition unit 31, and the camera 31 exposes, for example, the imaging lens 31 a on one end surface of the cylindrical battery device 30. ing. Using this camera 31, an information display unit (not shown) on which at least the rated voltage value of the power supply target 40 is displayed is photographed via the imaging lens 31a. When the power supply target 40 is, for example, an electrically assisted bicycle, the information display unit is provided on the outer surface of the vehicle body such as a frame and can be captured by the camera 31. By shooting the information display unit with the camera 31, the battery device 30 can acquire the rated voltage value of the electric assist bicycle 40 from the shooting information of the information display unit.

When acquiring information on the power supply target 40 by the camera 31, the subject to be imaged may not be the information display unit. When the power supply target 40 is, for example, an electrically assisted bicycle, the entire body of the electrically assisted bicycle 40 is obtained. Alternatively, a part of the image may be taken.
After photographing the electrically assisted bicycle 40 with the camera 31, the battery device 30 acquires the rated voltage value of the electrically assisted bicycle 40 based on the photographed image data from a plurality of previously recorded database of electrically assisted bicycles. To do. In this database, a variety of information such as the rated voltage of a plurality of electrically assisted bicycles that can be supplied with power by the battery device 30, and information on the whole or a part of the body of each electrically assisted bicycle that serves as information for specifying the target. Contains image information.

Therefore, the battery device 30 can acquire the rated voltage value of the electrically assisted bicycle 40 from the captured image information by photographing the whole or a part of the body of the electrically assisted bicycle by the camera 31.
That is, when the power supply target 40 is, for example, an electrically assisted bicycle, the information display unit provided on the outer surface of the vehicle body or the whole or a part of the vehicle body functions as the information output unit 41.

  After acquiring the rated voltage value of the electric assist bicycle 40 from the shooting information of the camera 31, the battery device 30 changes the output voltage value from the acquired rated voltage value so as to be a voltage value corresponding to the rated voltage value. . The battery device 30 in which the output voltage value is set is attached to the electric assist bicycle 40 via, for example, an attachment adapter (not shown) instead of the battery pack 42 of the electric assist bicycle 40, so that the rating of the electric assist bicycle 40 is increased. Electric power can be supplied to the electrically assisted bicycle 40 by voltage.

Further, in the power supply system 20, the information acquisition unit 31 of the battery device 30 is replaced with a connection unit (for example, the connection end 12a) that is in an electrical connection state with the power supply target 40 of the battery device 30 instead of the wireless reception device. , See FIG. 1). In this case, when the battery device 30 is mounted on the power supply target 40, the rated voltage or the like related to the power supply target 40 is output from the information output unit 41 via the connection unit that is electrically connected to the power supply target 40. To be able to obtain various information.
When the connecting portion is formed by a connector such as a plug, for example, a data line is incorporated in the connector to directly connect the battery device 30 and the power supply target 40, and various information is acquired from the power supply target 40 via the data line. Anyway. Hereinafter, a method for acquiring information from the power supply target via the data line will be described.

4A and 4B show an example of a method for acquiring information from a power supply target via a data line. FIG. 4A is an explanatory diagram of the data line, and FIG. 4B is an explanatory diagram of an IC chip on which a rating is written.
As shown in FIG. 4, first, a data line DL is incorporated between the battery device 30 and the power supply target 40, and a resistor R <b> 1 is provided between the + side connection line and the data line DL of the battery device 30 and the power supply target 40. The resistor R2 is disposed between the negative connection line and the data line DL (see (a)). Then, assuming that the resistance value of the resistor R1 is 1 KΩ and the resistance value of the resistor R2 is 2 KΩ, this resistance value is defined as, for example, a 12V load.

Before supplying power to the power supply target 40, the battery device 30 measures the resistance values of the resistors R1 and R2, and sets a voltage corresponding to the measured resistance values as an output voltage.
Next, 5 V, for example, is applied from the battery device 30 to the IC chip 43 in which the rating of the power supply target 40 is written via the power line PL.
After the application, the power supply target 40 notifies the battery device 30 of information relating to the rating of the power supply target 40 by a method such as superimposing information on the data line DL or the power supply line PL. The battery device 30 sets the power to be supplied to the power supply target 40 according to the information about the rating of the power supply target 40 received via the data line DL or the power supply line PL.

  As described above, in the power supply system 20, when supplying power from the battery device 30 to the power supply target 40 in accordance with the request on the power supply target 40 side, the battery device 30 side via the connector such as the plug described above is provided. In addition to the contact power feeding method for directly connecting the power supply target 40 side and supplying power, a non-contact power feeding method for supplying power in a non-contact manner via a wireless power feeding system or the like may be used.

Here, the non-contact power feeding method will be described. The non-contact power supply method in the power supply system 20 of the present invention has no terminals on the battery device 30 and the power supply target 40 itself, and incorporates a wireless power supply system on each of the battery device 30 side and the power supply target 40 side. It transmits power. That is, since it is possible to supply power in accordance with the request of the power supply target 40 from the battery device 30 side via the wireless power supply system, the battery device 30 has no terminals, and the convenience of the power supply system can be improved. it can.
It should be noted that the battery device 30 obtains information on the rated voltage and the like when supplying power from the battery device 30 to the power supply target 40, such as direct connection via a connector such as a plug, wireless connection via wireless communication, or wired communication. You may carry out by the wired connection via.

  According to this invention, the battery device can change and output the output voltage, and the power supply system supplies the power to the power supply target by changing the output voltage of the battery device to the set voltage of the power supply target. Therefore, it is most suitable for a battery device that outputs different voltages and a power supply system that supplies power suitable for a power supply target.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10,30 Battery apparatus 11 Storage part 12 Output part 12a Connection end part 13 Secondary battery 14 Contact arrangement part 14a Terminal connection contact 15 Circuit formation part 20 Power supply system 31 Information acquisition part 31a Imaging lens 40 Power supply object 41 Information output part 42 Battery pack 43 IC chip DL Data line PL Power supply line

Claims (3)

A storage section for storing a plurality of batteries;
An output unit for changing a connection state of the plurality of batteries stored in the storage unit and outputting a voltage corresponding to the connection state;
A battery device. The output unit is
The contact arrangement part which arrange | positioned the contact connected to each electrode of the said some battery, and the circuit formation part which selects the connection combination between each electrode in the said contact arrangement part, and forms an output circuit. The battery device described in 1. The battery device according to claim 1 or 2,
A power supply target that is driven by the output power from the battery device and has an information output unit that outputs information about the drive voltage;
The battery device includes an information acquisition unit that acquires information output from the information output unit, and based on the acquisition result of the information acquisition unit, the power corresponding to the drive power of the power supply target is A power supply system that supplies power to the power supply target from an output unit.

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