JP7364698B2 - power supply device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a power supply device capable of supplying power to an external device.

Patent Document 1 discloses a vending machine configured to supply power to the vending machine from an external power source.

Patent No. 6157867 specification

However, if the power supply is configured to hold a replacement battery and supply power from this battery to an external device, if all batteries are replaced and no batteries are available to supply power, it will not be able to supply power to the external device. There may be cases where this is not possible.

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a technology that can stably supply power to an external device.

A power supply device according to a first aspect of the present invention is a power supply device capable of supplying power to an external device, and includes:
a replacement slot to hold a replacement battery;
a fixing slot that holds a battery that is not replaced and supplies power to the external device;
a control means capable of controlling switching between charging of the battery held in the replacement slot and charging of the battery held in the fixing slot based on set time zone information; have

A power supply device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is a power supply device capable of supplying power to an external device, and includes:
a replacement slot to hold a replacement battery;
a fixing slot that holds a battery that is not replaced and supplies power to the external device;
a control means capable of controlling switching between charging of the battery held in the replacement slot and charging of the battery held in the fixing slot based on time information;
The battery held in the fixing slot is
has the same structure as the battery held in the replacement slot,
the full charge capacity is lower than the full charge capacity of the battery held in the replacement slot;
The battery has deteriorated compared to the battery held in the replacement slot .

In the power supply device according to the seventh aspect of the present invention,
further comprising a control means for controlling power supply to the external device,
The control means controls power supply to the external device using the battery held in the fixing slot, giving priority to the battery held in the replacement slot.

A power supply device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is a power supply device capable of supplying power to an external device, and includes:
a replacement slot to hold a replacement battery;
a fixing slot that holds a battery that is not replaced and supplies power to the external device;
a control means capable of controlling switching between charging of the battery held in the replacement slot and charging of the battery held in the fixing slot based on time information;
The control means may charge the battery held in the replacement slot by supplying power from the battery held in the fixing slot, and may charge the battery held in the fixing slot. Switch between .

In the power supply device according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the replacement slot is provided so that the battery can be replaced from a first opening formed in the power supply device,
The fixing slot is provided on a side opposite to the first opening with respect to the replacement slot.

In the power supply device according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the fixing slot is provided on the lower side of the power supply device, and the replacement slot is located at a position of the power supply device that is lower than the position of the fixing slot. It is provided above the supply device.

In the power supply device according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, the fixing slot is provided such that the battery held in the fixing slot can be replaced from a second opening formed in the power supply device. There is.

In the power supply device according to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, the external device supplies power to a vending machine that can operate based on power from an external power source.

The power supply device according to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention further includes a monitoring means for monitoring the necessary power required by the vending machine,
The control means controls to supply power to the vending machine from the battery held in the fixing slot when the required power in the vending machine becomes larger than a reference power.

The power supply device according to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention further includes a detection means for detecting whether or not the power from the external power supply is in a power outage state,
When the detection means detects the power outage state, the control means controls whether power is supplied to the vending machine or whether the battery is held in the replacement slot based on the power of the battery held in the fixing slot. Control is performed to supply power for charging the battery.

A power supply device according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is a power supply device capable of supplying power to an external device, and includes:
a replacement slot to hold a replacement battery;
a fixing slot that holds a battery that is not replaced and supplies power to the external device;
a control means capable of controlling switching between charging of the battery held in the replacement slot and charging of the battery held in the fixing slot based on time information;
The battery held in the fixing slot is held in a state where power can be supplied without inputting a start signal for starting the battery,
The battery held in the replacement slot is held in a state in which power cannot be supplied when the activation signal is not input.

According to the power supply device of the first aspect of the present invention, a battery that is not replaced and only supplies power to an external device can be held separately from a replacement battery in the power supply device. become. This makes it possible to avoid a situation where all the batteries are replaced and power cannot be supplied to the external device, and it becomes possible to stably supply power to the external device.

According to the power supply device of the fourth aspect of the present invention, a battery with a low full charge capacity that is no longer suitable for a method of use that requires a large full charge capacity, such as for use in an electric vehicle, as a replacement battery can be used as a replacement battery. , it becomes possible to utilize it as a battery that only supplies power to external devices.

According to the power supply device of the seventh aspect of the present invention, it becomes possible to supply power to an external device more stably.

According to the power supply device of the fifth aspect of the present invention, power consumption is reduced by controlling switching based on time information, such as a time period when electricity costs are low (nighttime) or a time period when electricity costs are high (daytime). This makes it possible to reduce electricity costs by shifting the peak of electricity.

According to the power supply device of the eighth aspect and the ninth aspect of the present invention, since the battery that only supplies power to an external device is not subject to replacement by the user of the electric vehicle, the user of the electric vehicle approaches By holding the battery in a position that is difficult to access and holding a replacement battery in a position that is easy for the user of the electric vehicle to access, it is possible to improve convenience for the user.

According to the power supply device of the tenth aspect of the present invention, an opening is formed on the side surface of the device and the battery that supplies power to an external device is held replaceably, thereby improving maintainability of the battery. becomes possible.

According to the power supply device of the eleventh aspect and the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, control is performed to supply power from the battery to the vending machine based on the monitoring result of the required power required by the vending machine. It becomes possible to do so.

According to the power supply device of the 16th aspect of the present invention, power is supplied to the vending machine or a replacement battery is charged based on the detection result of whether or not the power from the external power supply is in a power outage state. It becomes possible to control the power supply for

According to the power supply device of the sixth aspect of the present invention, the battery to be replaced by the user of the electric vehicle is held in a state in which power cannot be supplied in a state in which a start signal is not input, and the electrical state at the time of holding is By changing this, it becomes possible to prevent unauthorized discharge, etc.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, in the accompanying drawings, the same or similar structures are given the same reference numerals.

The accompanying drawings are included in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a terminal device. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a vending machine. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a power control unit. The figure which shows the processing example in the vending machine concerning 1st Embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of a system according to a second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vending machine including a power supply device according to a third embodiment.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The components described in this embodiment are merely examples, and are not limited to the following embodiments.

[First embodiment]
(System configuration)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system 10 (hereinafter, the system is also referred to as a "charge/discharge control system") according to an embodiment. In FIG. 1, a system 10 includes a plurality of vending machines 100A and 100B, and a terminal device 150 capable of wireless communication with these vending machines 100A and 100B. The server 170 can manage information about the vending machines 100A and 100B acquired via the network 160. The server 170 can send the generated information to the terminal device 150 and set control information for controlling the operation of the vending machines 100A and 100B. The plurality of vending machines 100A and 100B are configured to be electrically connectable via a connecting part 120, and can share operating power. A plurality of vending machines 100A and 100B are represented as a vending machine 100.

The vending machine 100 sells drinks and food products and provides batteries for electric vehicles. A display 110 for displaying products and buttons 115 for selecting and purchasing products are arranged on the front (front) of the vending machine 100. The front of the vending machine 100 is further provided with a payment section 116 for inserting coins and bills, returning change, etc., and a takeout section 117 for taking out purchased drinks and food.

The vending machine 100 cools or heats (warms) products such as canned beverages and plastic bottled beverages and sells them as beverages. Further, the vending machine 100 provides (hereinafter also referred to as "sales") the charged battery 180 in a replaceable manner. The battery 180 is a battery that supplies power to the electric vehicle, and is configured to be replaceable. The electric vehicle includes, for example, an electric saddle type vehicle or a four-wheeled vehicle, and the battery 180 is, for example, a lithium ion battery.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vending machine 100 has a first area 1A where beverage products are sold and a second area 2A where a battery 180 is provided. In the first area 1A, a first temperature control is performed for cooling or heating the beverage and food, and in the second area 2A, a second temperature control is performed for managing the battery 180 in a state suitable for charging. ing. With the battery 180 held in the second area 2A, power control regarding charging of the battery 180 or power supply from the battery 180 to the vending machine 100 is performed.

The vending machine 100 is equipped with a refrigerant device having a heat pump function, and uses the refrigerant device to transfer the heat obtained when cooling the products in the cooling chamber (cooling area) in the first area to the inside of the first area. It has a heat utilization method that heats the product inside the heating chamber by moving it to the heating chamber (heating area) side. In addition, the refrigerant device is equipped with a heat exchanger, and when cooling is no longer required, it can be switched to a heat utilization method that uses the atmospheric heat source obtained from the heat exchanger to heat (heat) the heating chamber. It is configured.

The temperature adjustment section (refrigerant device, heat exchanger) may be configured in common with the first area 1A and the second area 2A, or the temperature adjustment section (refrigerant device, heat exchanger) of the first area 1A may be configured in common with the first area 1A and the second area 2A. A configuration similar to that of the exchanger) may be provided to control the temperature of the second area 2A.

The terminal device 150 is, for example, a portable information processing device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal. The wireless communication between the terminal device 150 and the vending machine 100 is short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), and the distance between the terminal device 150 and the vending machine 100 is such that the terminal device 150 is Communication is possible if the user is located near the vending machine 100 and is at a distance that allows him or her to operate the vending machine 100.

(Device configuration)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the terminal device 150. The terminal device 150 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 210 for controlling the entire device, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 211 for storing programs to be executed by the CPU 210, and a ROM (Read Only Memory) 211 for storing programs executed by the CPU 210. It also includes a RAM (Random Access Memory) 212 that serves as an area and stores various information. The terminal device 150 can store information acquired through communication with other devices or the vending machine 100 in the RAM 212.

Terminal device 150 also includes a wireless communication section 213 for performing wireless communication with vending machine 100, a display 214, and an operation section 215. The display 214 and the operation unit 215 may be touch panels. Terminal device 150 further includes a network controller 216 for communicating with other devices (eg, server 170) via network 160, such as the Internet.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the vending machine 100. The vending machine 100 includes a CPU 310 for controlling the entire device, a ROM 311 for storing programs executed by the CPU 310, a RAM 312 serving as a work area when the CPU 310 executes programs, and storing various information. storage unit 313 (HDD) for storage. The vending machine 100 also includes a display control section 314 that controls the display on the display 110, an operation section 315 that includes the payment section 116, a wireless communication section 316 that performs wireless communication with the terminal device 150, and a battery 180. Includes a charger that controls charging and discharging.

Furthermore, the charger/discharger in the vending machine 100 includes a temperature control section 320 to control the temperature of the first area 1A and the second area 2A. The first area 1A and the second area 2A each have a detection section 340 for detecting the temperature within the area (the detection section provided in each area is referred to as a "first area temperature detection section (sensor SN1)", a "second area temperature detection section (sensor SN1)" Based on the detection results of each sensor (SN1, SN2), the temperature control unit 320 controls the temperature adjustment unit 330 (refrigerant device 330A, heat exchanger 330B) to control the temperatures of the first area and the second area, respectively. Further, the vending machine 100 includes an outside temperature detection section 340B that detects outside temperature. The temperature control section 320 of the charger/discharger controls the temperature adjustment section 330 (refrigerant device 330A, heat exchanger 330B) based on the detection result of the outside temperature detection section 340B.

The charger/discharger of the vending machine 100 also includes a power control unit 350 that generates operating power for the vending machine 100 based on external power. Further, the power control unit 350 performs power control regarding charging of the battery 180 held in the charger/discharger (in the second area 2A of the vending machine 100) or power supply from the battery 180 to the vending machine 100. The charger/discharger of this embodiment is a charger/discharger that charges/discharges a battery, and operates based on the power of an external power source (for example, 400 or 401 in FIG. 4), and connects the battery 180 via the charger/discharger. It has a power control unit 350 that controls the power supply to the vending machine 100 electrically connected to the vending machine 100 and the charging and discharging of the battery 180 held in the charger/discharger. The charger/discharger also includes a detection unit (sensor 413) that detects the state of charge of the battery 180. The power control unit 350 switches to power from an external power source or power from a battery based on the detection result of the detection unit (sensor 413), and supplies power to operate the vending machine.

Further, the power control unit 350 controls switching of power supply based on the temperature detected by the outside temperature detection unit 340B or the first area temperature detection unit. That is, when supplying power to operate the vending machine 100, the power control section 350 supplies power from the external power source or from the battery 180 based on the temperature detected by the outside temperature detection section 340B or the first area temperature detection section SN1. Controls switching to electric power.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the power control section 350. The power control unit 350 includes a power line 402 to which AC power is supplied from a power system 400 that is power supply equipment of a power company or the like. Power line 402 is connected to output control circuit 407. A load 490 for operating the vending machine 100 is connected to the output control circuit 407 via a cable 410, and AC power from the power line 402 is supplied to the load 490 via the output control circuit 407. Further, a cable 408 is connected to the power line 402 via an output control circuit 407. Cable 408 and cable 410 include power lines that transmit AC power, and output control circuit 407 controls connection/disconnection between cable 408 , cable 410 , and power line 402 based on control of control unit 403 . When the output control circuit 407 connects the power line 402 and the cable 408, the battery 180 is charged by external power (400, 401). When the output control circuit 407 connects the power line 402 and the cable 410, external power (400, 401) is supplied to the load 490 side. Further, when the output control circuit 407 connects the cable 408 and the cable 410, the power output from the battery 180 via the charging/discharging interface 412 is supplied to the load 490 side. When using both external power and power from the battery 180, the output control circuit 407 uses the external power P1 (400, 401) out of the power required by the load 490 based on the control of the control unit 403. It is also possible to arbitrarily set the ratio between the power P2 and the power P2 supplied from the battery 180. For example, it is possible to set the external power P1 to N%, the power P2 supplied from the battery 180 to (100-N)%, etc.

Charge/discharge interface 412 includes an AC/DC converter 412a and a current control circuit 412b. AC/DC converter 412a converts AC power supplied via cable 408 into DC power. The current control circuit 412b is a circuit that controls the direct current output from the AC/DC converter 412a and supplies it to the battery 180, and controls the charging current to the battery 180 by, for example, PWM control.

A solar power generation device 401 is connected to the power control unit 350 as external power. The solar power generation device 401 includes a solar panel and generates DC power. Power control section 350 includes a DC/AC converter 405. The DC/AC converter 405 converts the DC power generated by the solar power generation device 401 into AC power and outputs it to the power line 402.

The power control unit 350 includes a control unit 403 that executes the processing of the power control unit 350. The control unit 403 includes a processor represented by a CPU, a storage device such as a semiconductor memory, an input/output interface with an external device, a communication interface, and the like. The storage device stores programs executed by the processor, data used by the processor for processing, and the like.

The control unit 403 controls the DC/AC converter 405, the output control circuit 407, and the charge/discharge interface 412. Further, the control unit 403 acquires the detection results of the sensor 404, the sensor 406, and the sensor 413. The sensor 404 is a sensor that detects a physical quantity related to the power of the power line 402, and in the case of this embodiment, it is a sensor that measures AC voltage. The sensor 406 is a sensor that detects a physical quantity related to the power generated by the solar power generation device 401, and in the case of this embodiment, measures the DC voltage generated by the solar power generation device 401. Further, the sensor 413 is a sensor that measures the DC current supplied to the battery 180 from the charging/discharging interface 412. The DC current output from current control circuit 412b is supplied to battery 180 via cable 409. The control unit 403 of the charger/discharger can control discharging in the reverse process of charging, and by controlling the DC/AC converter 405, the output control circuit 407, and the charge/discharge interface 412, Charging of the battery 180 and power supply to the vending machine 100 electrically connected to the battery 180 (discharging of the battery 180) can be controlled.

Note that the supply of direct current to the battery 180 is not limited to the connection of the electrical cable 409, and may be supplied via a mechanical adapter or a non-contact type power supply method.

<Processing example>
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of processing in the vending machine 100 according to the first embodiment. The vending machine 100 can operate based on the power of external power sources (400, 401), and when the battery 180 is held in the charger/discharger in the second area 2A, the power control unit 350 starts charging the battery 180. (ST501).

Control unit 403 of power control unit 350 monitors the state of charge of battery 180 based on the detection result of sensor 413 (ST502).

The power control unit 350 switches to power from an external power source or power from the battery 180 based on the detection result of the sensor 413, and supplies power to operate the vending machine 100.

In ST503, power control section 350 determines whether the state of charge of battery 180 is less than a reference charge level. If the detection result of sensor 413 is less than the reference charging level (ST503-YES), power control unit 350 supplies power to operate the vending machine based on the power of the external power source (ST504).

On the other hand, in the determination in ST503, if the detection result of the sensor 413 is equal to or higher than the reference charge level (ST503-NO), the power control unit 350 advances the process to ST505 and uses the power from the battery 180. Based on this, power is supplied to operate the vending machine 100 (ST505). Note that when using both external power and power from the battery 180, the output control circuit 407 uses the external power P1 (400, 401) and the power P2 supplied from the battery 180.

In ST505, when supplying power from battery 180, power control section 350 can control power supply based on various conditions. For example, the power control unit 350 can control switching based on time information set from the operation unit 315. Depending on the time of day, it is possible to switch between power supply from the battery 180 and power supply from an external power source. Specifically, the vending machine 100 is operated by an external power source and electricity is stored in the battery 180 during times when electricity costs are low (nighttime), and power is supplied from the battery 180 during times when electricity costs are high (daytime). It is also possible to do so.

Further, the power control unit 350 can obtain a demand forecast for the battery 180 by communicating with the terminal device 150 via the wireless communication unit 316, and the power control unit 350 can obtain a demand forecast for the battery 180 based on the obtained demand forecast. It is possible to control the switching of power supply. Information regarding the demand forecast for the battery 180 includes, for example, information regarding machine learning regarding past usage history, weather information, indices set for each season or month, and information about the neighborhood based on the location where the vending machine 100 is installed. At least one of information such as event information, an index indicating demand trends set for each day of the week, etc. is included.

Based on the acquired demand forecast, power control unit 350 stops supplying power from battery 180 during times when demand is expected to be high, and supplies power from battery 180 when demand is expected to be low. control to do so.

The output control circuit 407 of the power control unit 350 functions as an output control interface for the connection unit 120 that is electrically connected to another vending machine (for example, 100B in FIG. 1). When another vending machine 100B is connected to the output control circuit 407 (output control interface), the power control unit 350 can supply power to operate the other vending machine 100B via the output control circuit 407. It is possible.

Further, the power control unit 350 of the charger/discharger includes a monitoring unit (for example, sensors 404, 406, and sensor 413) that monitors the required power required by the vending machine 100. Based on the monitoring results of sensors 404, 406 and sensors 413), power control unit 350 controls charging power for charging battery 180. Further, the power control unit 350 controls the power supplied to the vending machine 100 by discharging from the battery 180. When the power required by the vending machine 100 is higher than the threshold value, the power control unit 350 can control the charging power to be lowered and charged based on the difference between the required power and the threshold value.

The vending machine 100 also includes a first area 1A that holds beverage products, and from when the beverage products are replenished to the first area 1A until the temperature of the beverage products or the first area 1A reaches a set temperature. , the power control unit 350 of the charger/discharger electrically connected to the vending machine 100 controls the power supply for temperature adjustment control based on the power of the external power source (400, 401) and the power of the battery 180. It is possible to do so. Based on the power supply from the power control section 350, the temperature control section 320 controls the temperature adjustment section 330 to perform temperature adjustment control.

In the block shown in FIG. 3, a configuration in which the power control unit 350 is single has been described, but the vending machine 100 may include a plurality of power control units 350 corresponding to the plurality of batteries held in the second area 2A. It is also possible to configure The plurality of power control units 350 may each control charging of the plurality of batteries held in the second area 2A, and each power control unit 350 may execute the processing flow of FIG. 5.

In order to contribute to extending the life of the battery, a lower limit value is usually set for batteries used in electric vehicles. The battery 180 that is charged and discharged under the control of the charger/discharger of this embodiment is used for driving an electric vehicle, and the battery 180 is provided with a lower discharge limit value during driving that defines the remaining battery level that allows discharge during driving. It is being The lower discharge limit value for the vending machine that defines the remaining battery level that allows discharging for the vending machine 100 is set to a value smaller than the lower discharge limit value during driving. When used to supply power to vending machines, the lower limit value can be set even lower because it requires only a constant output and can be charged instantly compared to when used in electric vehicles. This allows more power to be supplied from the battery to the vending machine 100.

[Second embodiment]
In the first embodiment, a configuration in which a charger/discharger (power control unit 350 and second area 2A) is provided in the vending machine 100 has been described. It is also possible to configure it as a separate charging/discharging station. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of a charging/discharging control system 20 according to the second embodiment. and has. The charging/discharging station 600 has a functional configuration that includes a temperature control section 320, a temperature adjustment section 330 (refrigerant device 330A, heat exchanger 330B), and a power control section 350 that controls charging and discharging of the battery 180 held in the second area. , and a sensor 610. Note that the temperature control section 320 and the temperature adjustment section 330 (refrigerant device 330A, heat exchanger 330B) are shared by the vending machine 100 and the charging/discharging station 600, as described later, so the vending machine 100 has them. Also good.

The temperature control section 320 controls the temperature adjustment section 330 to adjust the temperature of the first area 1A based on the temperature detected by the detection section 340 that detects the temperature of the first area 1A. The temperature control unit 320 controls the temperature adjustment unit 330 to adjust the temperature of the second area 2A.

The charging/discharging station 600 includes a sensor 610 that detects the temperature of the second area 2A or the temperature of the battery 180, and the detection result of the sensor 610 is input to the power control unit 350, and from the power control unit 350 to the temperature control unit 320. be done. The temperature control unit 320 determines whether or not to adjust the temperature of the second area 2A based on the temperature detected by the sensor 610. The sensor 610 detects the temperature of the plurality of batteries 180 held in the second area 2A, and the temperature control unit 320 detects the temperature of the plurality of batteries 180 when the average temperature of the plurality of batteries 180 exceeds the first threshold temperature (optimum temperature). If so, the temperature adjustment section 330 is controlled to cool down the temperature of the second area 2A. Note that the battery 180 may include a sensor that detects the temperature of the second area or the temperature of the battery. In this case, the sensor included in the battery 180 functions similarly to the sensor 610, and the temperature control unit 320 determines whether or not to adjust the temperature in the second area 2A based on the temperature detected by the sensor included in the battery 180. judge.

Furthermore, when the average temperature of the plurality of batteries exceeds a second threshold temperature (uncharging temperature), the temperature control unit 320 switches the control mode of the temperature adjustment unit 330 to a control mode that performs rapid cooling. to cool down the temperature of the second area 2A.

For example, the chargeable temperature can be set in the range of 0°C to 55°C, the dischargeable temperature can be set in the range of 0°C to 60°C, and the first threshold temperature (optimum temperature) The second threshold temperature (temperature at which charging is not possible) can be arbitrarily set based on settings from the terminal device 150. Considering the general discharge characteristics of batteries, for example, it is possible to set the first threshold temperature (optimal temperature) to a temperature around 20° C. while the battery is stored in the second area 2A.

The second area 2A is provided with a plurality of slots (replacement slot 180B: FIG. 1) that hold a plurality of batteries, and the temperature control unit 320 adjusts the temperature of each of the plurality of replacement slots 180B. Is possible.

Further, the temperature control unit 320 controls the temperature adjustment unit 330 to adjust the temperature of the first area 1A based on the time information set by the terminal device 150, and does not adjust the temperature of the first area 1A. It is possible to control the temperature adjustment unit 330 to adjust the temperature of the second area 2A at the same time.

While the battery 180 is being charged or discharged in the second area 2A under the control of the power control unit 350, the temperature control unit 320 adjusts the temperature in the second area 2A with priority over the first area 1A. 330.

The first area 1A is provided with a heating area that holds beverage products that need to be heated and a cooling area that holds beverage products that need to be cooled. In this case, the temperature control section 320 can also control the temperature adjustment section 330 to adjust the temperature of the first area 1A with priority over the second area 2A.

The temperature adjustment section 330 includes a refrigerant device 330A having a heat pump function, and the temperature control section 320 controls the refrigerant device 330A to control the heat obtained when cooling the products in the cooling area of the first area 1A. It is possible to move the product to the heating area of the first area 1A and the second area 2A to heat the product in the heating area of the first area 1A and the battery in the second area 2A.

The temperature adjustment unit 330 also includes a heat exchanger 330B, and uses the heat source obtained from the heat exchanger 330B to store the products in the heating area of the first area 1A without cooling by the refrigerant device 330A. It is also possible to heat the battery 180 in the second area.

The temperature control unit 320 controls the heat exchanger 330B to charge the battery 180 in the second area 2A by using the heat generated by the charging unit (for example, the power control unit 350) to charge the battery 180 in the first area. It is possible to control the heating of the product within the 1A heating area.

The vending machine 100 also includes an outside temperature detection section 340B that detects outside temperature, and the temperature control section 320 controls the temperature adjustment section 330 based on the temperature detected by the outside temperature detection section 340B. It is possible to adjust the temperature of the first area 1A and the second area.

[Third embodiment]
In the third embodiment, an example of the arrangement of a first area 1A where beverage products are sold and a second area 2A where a battery 180 is provided in a replaceable manner in a vending machine 100 will be described. The vending machine 100 in the third embodiment has, for example, the configuration of the charging/discharging station 600 described in FIG. 6 inside. The charging/discharging station 600 is a power supply device that can charge the battery 180 held in the charger/discharger based on external power and also supply power to an external device. A supply device) can supply power to the vending machine 100 as an external device.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vending machine 100 according to the third embodiment. The power supply device has a replacement slot 180B that holds a replacement battery, and a fixing slot 180C that holds a battery that is not replaced but only supplies power to an external device (vending machine 100). .

As shown in FIG. 7, in the first area 1A, beverage products are loaded into storage racks 701 according to the type of product, and the beverage products are held in the storage racks 701 with the holding part 702 closed. become a state. When a product is selected, the holding section 702 for the selected beverage product is controlled to open, and a predetermined amount of the beverage product is guided by the guide 703 to the take-out section 117 from which the beverage food is taken out.

As shown in FIG. 7, the replacement slot 180B is provided so that the battery can be replaced from a first opening formed on the front side of the power supply device, and the fixing slot 180C is provided with respect to the replacement slot 180B. The first opening is provided on the opposite side (back side). As shown in FIG. 7, the fixing slot 180C is located at a position spaced apart from the front side of the power supply device or the vending machine 100 to the back side when the power supply device (charging/discharging station 600) or the vending machine 100 is viewed from the side. It is set in. An openable/closable door (not shown) is provided at the opening of the exchange slot 180B. Under normal conditions, the door is closed, and when the payment process is completed, one of the openings of the plurality of exchange slots 180B is closed. One of the doors will be open and the battery can be removed. When the battery is removed and an uncharged battery or a battery whose charge level is low due to use is newly loaded, charging of the loaded battery starts.

The fixing slot 180C is provided so that the battery held in the fixing slot 180C can be replaced through a second opening formed in the power supply device (charging/discharging station 600). A door (not shown) is also provided at the second opening of the fixing slot 180C, but this door is normally closed by a fastening member such as a screw. When maintenance of the battery is required, the fastening member is removed, the door is left open, and the battery can be replaced. Since the battery held in the fixing slot 180C is not subject to replacement by the user of the electric vehicle, the fixing slot 180C is formed in a position that is more difficult for the user to approach than the replacement slot 180B.

Note that the positional relationship between the replacement slot 180B and the fixing slot 180C is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. It is also possible to provide the slot 180B above the power supply device (charging/discharging station 600) compared to the position of the fixing slot 180C. Conversely, the fixing slot 180C may be provided near the bottom edge near the ground, and the replacement slot 180B may be provided above it. That is, it is desirable to provide the replacement slot 180B at a location where the user of the electric vehicle can easily replace the heavy battery. Further, the fixing slot 180C may be provided, for example, at the top of the vending machine 100, and the replacement slot 180B may be provided in the space below the storage rack 701. According to this, more replacement slots 180B can be provided at a location below the storage rack 701, which is easier for the user of the electric vehicle.

The battery held in the replacement slot 180B and the battery held in the fixing slot 180C have the same structure, but have different electrical states. Since the battery is not subject to replacement by the user of the electric vehicle, the battery held in the fixing slot 180C is held in a state where power can be supplied without inputting a start signal for starting the battery. Since the battery held in the replacement slot is subject to replacement by the user of the electric vehicle, it is held in a state in which no power can be supplied without receiving a start signal. In this way, by changing the electrical state during holding, it is possible to prevent unauthorized discharge, etc. As a method of changing the electrical state, the control program may be automatically changed when the battery is set in the fixing slot.

Furthermore, the battery held in the fixing slot 180C and the battery held in the replacement slot 180B have different electrical characteristics in terms of the degree of full charge capacity of the battery. For example, the battery held in the fixing slot 180C is a battery that is more deteriorated than the battery held in the replacement slot 180B. In other words, the full charge capacity of the battery held in the fixing slot is lower than the full charge capacity of the battery held in the replacement slot. As a result, batteries that have the same structure but differ in full charge capacity, etc. can be used for electric vehicles (batteries held in replacement slots) and batteries used only to supply power to external devices (batteries held in fixed slots). It is possible to make effective use of the battery by limiting its use to the battery (held in the battery).

The power control unit 350 in the power supply device (charging/discharging station 600) uses the battery held in the fixing slot 180C to supply power to an external device, giving priority to the battery held in the replacement slot 180B. It is possible to control. Further, the power control unit 350 switches control of charging of the battery held in the replacement slot 180B and power supply from the battery held in the fixing slot 180C based on time information set by the terminal device 150. Is possible. Further, the power control unit 350 charges the battery held in the replacement slot 180B by supplying power from the battery held in the fixed slot 180C based on the set time information; to charge the battery held in the storage slot 180C.

The power supply device (charging/discharging station 600) includes a monitoring unit (for example, sensors 404, 406, and sensor 413) that monitors the required power required by the vending machine 100, and the power control unit 350 automatically When the required power in the vending machine 100 becomes larger than the reference power, it is also possible to control the vending machine 100 to supply power from the battery held in the fixing slot 180C.

The power supply device (charging/discharging station 600) also includes a sensor 404 that detects whether or not the power from an external power source (for example, the power grid 400) is in a power outage state. When a power outage condition is detected, power is supplied to the vending machine 100 or to charge the battery held in the replacement slot 180B based on the power of the battery held in the fixing slot 180C. It is possible to control the In addition, in such a case, the temperature control unit 320 and the temperature adjustment unit 330, which adjust the temperature, supply power with priority to the functions of the holding unit 702 and the like that provide the beverage products stored in the vending machine. Power may not be supplied to. According to this, beverage products can be provided for a long time even in the event of a disaster such as a power outage.

[Other embodiments]
The present invention provides a system or device with a program that implements one or more functions of the embodiments described above via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or device reads and executes the program. This can also be achieved by processing. It can also be realized by a circuit (for example, ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, to set out the scope of the invention, the following claims are hereby appended.

100: Vending machine, 320: Temperature adjustment section, 330: Temperature adjustment section, 330A: Refrigerant device, 330B: Heat exchanger, 350: Power control section, 402: Power line, 403: Control section, 405: DC/AC converter , 412: Charge/discharge interface, 412a: AC/DC converter, 412b: Current control circuit

Claims (16)

A power supply device capable of supplying power to an external device,
a replacement slot to hold a replacement battery;
a fixing slot that holds a battery that is not replaced and supplies power to the external device;
a control means capable of controlling switching between charging of the battery held in the replacement slot and charging of the battery held in the fixation slot based on set time zone information;
A power supply device comprising: The power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the set time zone information is set based on an electricity bill. The power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the set time zone information is set based on a battery demand forecast. A power supply device capable of supplying power to an external device,
a replacement slot to hold a replacement battery;
a fixing slot that holds a battery that is not replaced and supplies power to the external device;
a control means capable of controlling switching between charging of the battery held in the replacement slot and charging of the battery held in the fixing slot based on time information;
The battery held in the fixing slot is
has the same structure as the battery held in the replacement slot,
the full charge capacity is lower than the full charge capacity of the battery held in the replacement slot;
A power supply device characterized in that the battery has deteriorated more than the battery held in the replacement slot . A power supply device capable of supplying power to an external device,
a replacement slot to hold a replacement battery;
a fixing slot that holds a battery that is not replaced and supplies power to the external device;
a control means capable of controlling switching between charging of the battery held in the replacement slot and charging of the battery held in the fixing slot based on time information;
The control means may charge the battery held in the replacement slot by supplying power from the battery held in the fixing slot, and may charge the battery held in the fixing slot. A power supply device characterized by switching between . A power supply device capable of supplying power to an external device,
a replacement slot to hold a replacement battery;
a fixing slot that holds a battery that is not replaced and supplies power to the external device;
a control means capable of controlling switching between charging of the battery held in the replacement slot and charging of the battery held in the fixing slot based on time information;
The battery held in the fixing slot is held in a state where power can be supplied without inputting a start signal for starting the battery,
A power supply device characterized in that the battery held in the replacement slot is held in a state in which power cannot be supplied when the activation signal is not input. The control means controls power supply to the external device,
Any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein power supply to the external device is controlled using the battery held in the fixing slot, giving priority to the battery held in the replacement slot. The power supply device according to item 1 . The replacement slot is provided so that the battery can be replaced from a first opening formed in the power supply device,
8. The power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the fixing slot is provided on a side opposite to the first opening with respect to the replacement slot. The fixing slot is provided below the power supply device, and the replacement slot is provided above the power supply device relative to the position of the fixation slot. The power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 . Any one of claims 1 to 9 , wherein the fixing slot is provided so that the battery held in the fixing slot can be replaced through a second opening formed in the power supply device. The power supply device according to item 1. The power supply device according to claim 7 , wherein the power supply device supplies power to a vending machine that can operate based on power from an external power source as the external device. The replacement slot is
The power supply device according to claim 11, wherein the power supply device is provided in a space below a product display of the vending machine. Further comprising a monitoring means for monitoring the necessary power required by the vending machine,
The control means controls to supply power to the vending machine from the battery held in the fixing slot when the required power in the vending machine becomes larger than a reference power. The power supply device according to claim 11 or 12 . The power supply device includes:
It has a temperature detection section and a temperature control section,
Based on the power supply from the external power source and the battery held in the fixing slot until the temperature of the product or the area holding the product in the vending machine detected by the temperature detection unit reaches a set temperature. The power supply device according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the temperature control unit performs temperature control.. The vending machine is
Equipped with a refrigerant device with heat pump function,
The temperature control unit controls the refrigerant device,
By the heat obtained when cooling beverage products that require cooling inside the vending machine,
The power supply device according to claim 14, wherein the power supply device heats a product that requires heating and the battery . Further comprising a detection means for detecting whether or not the power from the external power supply is in a power outage state,
When the detection means detects the power outage state, the control means controls whether power is supplied to the vending machine or whether the battery is held in the replacement slot based on the power of the battery held in the fixing slot. The power supply device according to claim 11 or 14 , wherein the power supply device is controlled to supply power for charging a battery.

Images