For Large Capacitance (e.g., "super" Capacitor, Memory Backup Capacitor, Etc.) Patents (Class 320/167)
  • Patent number: 12227086
    Abstract: An electric drive system for a vehicle includes an inverter having at least one phase leg, wherein a first of the phase legs includes a first power switch; an internal voltage supply configured to generate an internal supply voltage regulated with respect to a voltage on a rail and a second voltage, wherein the internal voltage supply is configured to reduce a voltage difference between the internal supply voltage and the second voltage in response to a signal indicating a shut-down or a fault; and a gate drive channel configured to drive the first power switch into conductance by applying the voltage difference between the internal supply voltage and the second voltage between a control terminal and a main terminal of the power switch, gate drive channel configured to continue the driving of the first power switch for a time duration after the signal indicating the shut-down or the fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: POWER INTEGRATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Andreas Volke, Christoph Dustert
  • Patent number: 12211648
    Abstract: An ultracapacitor assembly is provided. The ultracapacitor assembly includes a plurality of ultracapacitors. The ultracapacitor assembly further includes a first bus bar and a second bus bar. The second bus bar is spaced apart from the first bus bar. The ultracapacitor assembly includes a discharge resistor coupled between the first bus bar and the second bus bar. The ultracapacitor assembly further includes a first plurality of switching devices and a second plurality of switching devices. Each switching device in the first plurality of switching devices is coupled between the first bus bar and a corresponding ultracapacitor of the plurality of ultracapacitors to selectively couple the corresponding ultracapacitor the discharge resistor via the first bus bar. Each switching device in the second plurality of switching devices is coupled between the second bus bar and a corresponding ultracapacitor to selectively couple the corresponding ultracapacitor the discharge resistor via the second bus bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Kyocera AVX Components Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph M. Hock
  • Patent number: 12172543
    Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of determining, by a charging station, a grade associated with an operation of a transport allowing, by the charging station, a recharging level related to the grade and an pact of the recharging level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Norman Lu, Maximilian Parness
  • Patent number: 12125014
    Abstract: A merchant payment system designed for a high-traffic merchant. In an embodiment, the merchant payment system comprises a casing, a mobile computing device, a charging regulator, a payment receiver, and a docking station configured to charge the mobile computing device and payment receiver. The outer casing is configured to house the mobile computing device, a charging regulator, and payment receiver. Additionally, the docking station is configured to charge various mobile computing devices (e.g., a tablet or a mobile phone) housed within the casing. Moreover, the docking station is configured to supply a predetermined voltage and current to the charging regulator which in-turn supplies a first predetermined voltage and current to the payment receiver and a second predetermined voltage and current to the mobile computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: MTech Mobility, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony S. Fernandez
  • Patent number: 12113352
    Abstract: A protection apparatus for operating an electric machine at a converter comprises a first and second conductor of a DC link, a switching device having a first and second switch, a link capacitor, a load resistor as a precharge and braking resistor, a semiconductor switch and an electrical fuse for protecting the load resistor. The electrical fuse and the first switch are connected in series to the first conductor and to a first resistor connection of the load resistor and to a first power connection of the semiconductor switch. The second switch is connected to the electrical conductor and to a first capacitor connection of the link capacitor and to a second resistor connection of the load resistor. The semiconductor switch is connected by a second power connection to the second conductor and the link capacitor is connected by a second capacitor connection to the second conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Robert Lange, Marco Seja
  • Patent number: 12107223
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrolyte, an additive thereof, a secondary cell, and an application thereof. An organic electrolyte according to a first aspect of the invention comprises a salt, a phosphate ester and a fluoroether, and does not comprise a carbonate ester. The salt is a lithium salt or a sodium salt. The electrolyte according to a second aspect of the invention comprises a base electrolyte and an additive. The base electrolyte comprises a sodium salt and a flame retardant solvent. The flame retardant solvent comprises a phosphate ester and a fluoroether. The additive comprises a fluorine-containing additive. The electrolyte and the secondary cell of the present invention increase safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: SHANGHAI ZIJIAN CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Haiying Che, Yonghong Deng, Xinrong Yang, Zifeng Ma
  • Patent number: 12057735
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus is proposed, which uses a battery unit integrally combined with a supercapacitor for supplying power to a load of the type that requires an initial instant large current for quick startup, such as the engine startup motor of an automobile. in operation, the invention uses both the battery unit and the supercapacitor to supply power to the load, characterized in that the supplied power contains an initial instant large current for quick startup of the load. When recharging is required, an external recharging power unit can be used to recharge both the battery unit and the supercapacitor, In the application on automobiles, the invention can replace traditional lead-acid batteries for supplying power with an initial instant large current to the engine startup motor of the automobile, thereby allowing the startup motor to produce a more powerful and rapid accelerating force for quick engine startup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Inventor: Yung-Sheng Huang
  • Patent number: 12046378
    Abstract: A sensor system for a fuel rod including a fuel pellet stack, the sensor system including a wireless interrogator disposed outside the fuel rod and a passive sensor component disposed within the fuel rod. The passive sensor component includes a receiver structured to receive an interrogation signal and output an excitation signal in response to receiving the interrogation signal, a reference transmitter structured to output a reference signal to the reference receiver in response to the excitation signal, a sensing transmitter structured to output a sensing signal to the sensing receiver in response to the excitation signal, and a core at least partially disposed within the sensing transmitter and coupled to move in conjunction with expansion or contraction of the fuel pellet stack, to move based on changes in pressure within the fuel rod, or to change temperature based on temperature changes within the fuel rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Arndt, Jorge V. Carvajal, Shawn C. Stafford
  • Patent number: 12032030
    Abstract: A power unit operable to power equipment, the power unit including an electric motor, multiple removable and rechargeable battery packs, multiple switching elements, and a control unit. Each of the switching elements is connected between one of the battery packs and the electric motor and operate in one of an open position or a closed position. The control unit is operable to manage the position of the switching elements. The control unit is configured to determine whether one or more battery packs are supplying power for the electric motor, measure a voltage of each of the battery packs, determine whether each of the voltage measurements is within a predetermined value to each other, calculate a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal for each of the switching elements, assign each PWM signal to one of the switching elements, and apply each of the PWM signals to the assigned switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventor: Numan Mohammad Jan
  • Patent number: 12011141
    Abstract: An electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include: a dust suction part; a body part including a motor for generating suction force of the electronic device and a battery module operable by a power source of the motor; and an extension pipe combined between the dust suction part and the body part and providing a passage for moving foreign substances absorbed through the dust suction part to the body part, wherein the extension pipe may include a pipe-type external case, a supercapacitor module disposed in an inner space of the pipe-type external case and including a hollow space used as the passage, and a first docking connector for transmitting electrical energy of the supercapacitor module to the motor when the body part is combined to the extension pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Inventor: Jaekwang Seo
  • Patent number: 11984718
    Abstract: A storage device includes a secondary power source, a charging circuit, a protection circuit and a main system. The secondary power source includes a plurality of capacitors, is charged based on a charging voltage, and generates an internal power supply voltage. The charging circuit generates the charging voltage based on an external power supply voltage. The protection circuit monitors whether at least one of the plurality of capacitors is defective, and blocks at least one defective capacitor. The main system operates based on the external or internal power supply voltage. The protection circuit includes a plurality of resistors, a plurality of transistors and a control circuit. The control circuit monitors whether the at least one of the plurality of capacitors is defective using the plurality of resistors and a plurality of currents associated with the plurality of capacitors, and blocks the at least one defective capacitor using the plurality of transistors and a plurality of control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kihyun Sung, Hyunwoo Jung
  • Patent number: 11901762
    Abstract: An energy storage system has a battery device, a first terminal, a second terminal, a capacitor device and a DC/DC converter. The first and second terminals are respectively connected two electrodes of the battery device, and the two electrodes have opposite polarities. The capacitor device is electrically connected to the first and second terminals in parallel. The DC/DC converter is electrically connected between the first terminal and the capacitor device. The battery device composed of at least one secondary battery and the capacitor device composed of at least one capacitor are electrically connected to each other in parallel, and by combining with the DC/DC converter, configuring the relation between the equivalent series resistor of the capacitor device and the internal resistor of the battery device, and/or configuring the upper current limit of the rated current of range the DC/DC converter, the battery cycle life is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: WAYS TECHNICAL CORP., LTD.
    Inventors: Wen-Hsien Ho, Shao-Wei Chieh
  • Patent number: 11806471
    Abstract: A control body is coupled or coupleable with a cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device, with the cartridge being equipped with a heating element. The control body includes a power source and a microprocessor. The power source is connected to an electrical load that includes the heater when the control body is coupled with the cartridge, and includes a supercapacitor configured to provide power to the electrical load. The microprocessor is configured to operate in an active mode in which the control body is coupled with the cartridge. In the active mode, the microprocessor is configured to direct power from the supercapacitor to the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh Sur, Stephen B. Sears
  • Patent number: 11735946
    Abstract: A voltage stabilizing system of a switching direct current (DC) power supply equipment is provided. DC power outputted by battery modules and a rectifier is boosted, bucked, or boosted and bucked by a voltage stabilizer circuit, and is then distributed to a plurality of external electronic devices or the battery modules. The voltage stabilizer circuit includes a main voltage stabilizer circuit and one or more slave voltage stabilizer circuits. The main voltage stabilizer circuit controls the slave voltage stabilizer circuits, and distributes the DC power respectively to the main voltage stabilizer circuit and the slave voltage stabilizer circuits. Circuit boards of the main voltage stabilizer circuit and the slave voltage stabilizer circuits are pluggably installed in a machine cabinet of the switching direct current power supply equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: C-TECH UNITED CORPORATION
    Inventor: Feng-Wen Fu
  • Patent number: 11689046
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device (10) for powering a rotating electrical machine (13) of a motor vehicle, comprising: —an amplifier (15) capable of being electrically powered by the first electrical energy storage unit (11) and capable of electrically powering the second electrical energy storage unit (12), characterised in that the amplifier (15) comprises an oscillating circuit (16), the oscillating circuit (16) comprising a capacitance (C) of value C? and an inductive assembly comprising an inductance (L) of value L? and a resistance (R) of value R?, —the oscillating circuit (16) having a specific angular frequency ? such that ?=I/?(L?×C?) and a natural frequency f such that f=?(2?), and in that the value of the inductance (L) is variable in a predetermined manner, in particular so as to increase an electric current, supplied by the first electrical energy storage unit (11) to the oscillating circuit (16), into an amplified current supplied by the oscillating circuit (16) to the second electrical
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur
    Inventor: Nicolas Labbe
  • Patent number: 11685291
    Abstract: An electrical storage system comprises a first energy storage system and a second energy storage system having a lower electrical energy density and a higher rated electrical power output capability than the first energy storage system, at least one electrical power sensor configured to sense over a plurality of time intervals, electrical power usage information for a load electrically coupled to the first energy storage system and the second energy storage system, and at least one computer processor programmed to determine based, at least in part, on the sensed electrical power usage information and a power requirement of the load in a current time interval, charging/discharging parameters for each of the first energy storage system and the second energy storage system, and control charging/discharging of each of the first and second energy storage systems in accordance with the determined charging/discharging parameters during the current time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Electra Vehicles, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas James Couture, Akhilesh Bakshi, Jacob M. Berliner, Nicolo Michele Brambilla, Fabrizio Martini
  • Patent number: 11658350
    Abstract: Various implementations of a smart battery management system are provided. An example method includes identifying sensor data of a cell in a battery system; predicting, based on the sensor data, a failure event of the cell; and preventing the failure event by activating a control circuit connected to the cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Vikas Tomar, Thomas Edward Adams, Jonathan E. Alvarado, James Eric Dietz, Bing Li, Christian T. Neal
  • Patent number: 11623540
    Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of determining, by a charging station, a grade associated with an operation of a transport and allowing, by the charging station, a recharging level related to the grade and an environmental impact of the recharging level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Norman Lu, Maximilian Parness
  • Patent number: 11592497
    Abstract: A method for monitoring one or more characteristics of an ultracapacitor is provided. The method includes obtaining a plurality of voltage measurements. Each of the voltage measurements can be obtained sequentially at one of a plurality of intervals. Furthermore, each of the voltage measurements can be indicative of a voltage across the ultracapacitor. The method can include determining an actual voltage step of the ultracapacitor based on two consecutive voltage measurements of the plurality of voltage measurements. The method can further include determining whether the actual voltage step exceeds a threshold voltage step of the ultracapacitor. Furthermore, in response to determining the actual voltage step exceeds the threshold voltage, the method can include providing a notification associated with performing a maintenance action on the ultracapacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA AVX COMPONENTS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Joseph M. Hock
  • Patent number: 11552495
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for temperature-dependent charging of supercapacitor energy storage units of asset tracking devices are provided. An example method for temperature-dependent charging involves obtaining a temperature reading measured at an asset tracking device, the asset tracking device located at an asset to monitor travel of the asset, determining a target voltage for a supercapacitor energy storage unit of the asset tracking device based on the temperature reading to balance utilization of a capacity of the supercapacitor energy storage unit against temperature-dependent deterioration of the supercapacitor energy storage unit, and controlling a charging interface of the asset tracking device to charge the supercapacitor energy storage unit to the target voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Geotab Inc.
    Inventors: James Patrick Howell, Thomas Arthur Walli, Irene Wong, Neil Charles Cawse
  • Patent number: 11524587
    Abstract: The vehicle can have an engine and a moveable lift gate, a power unit driving the movement of the lift gate, the power unit including an electric motor and a capacitor pack, the capacitor pack being connected for powering the electrical motor, and being connectable to a DC alternator source of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: HYDRAULIQUE EAGLE INC.
    Inventor: Feng Wang
  • Patent number: 11527910
    Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for a three-phase alternating current network, in particular a medium-voltage network, includes an energy storage system, a switch, an LC resonant circuit, which is a series circuit of an inductance and a capacitance, and a control unit for controlling the switch. The switch and the LC resonant circuit are connected in series, and the series circuit of the switch and the LC resonant is arranged between a network feed and the energy storage system which is connected to a load. There is also described a method for operating such a UPS and a corresponding computer program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Fluence Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Reimann, Johannes Reinschke
  • Patent number: 11387732
    Abstract: A system may include a power converter having a maximum allowable input power drawn from a power source, an energy storage element coupled to an output of the power converter at a top plate of the energy storage element, wherein the energy storage element is configured to store excess energy, and control circuity configured to, when an input power of the power converter exceeds the maximum allowable input power, cause excess energy stored in the energy storage element to be consumed by circuitry coupled to the output of the power converter, and in order to maintain positive voltage headroom for the circuitry coupled to the output of the power converter, selectively couple a bottom plate of the energy storage element to the power source such that excess energy stored by the circuitry coupled to the output of the power converter is consumed from the energy storage device when the input power of the power converter exceeds the maximum allowable input power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric J. King, Ajit Sharma, Lingli Zhang, Christian Larsen, Graeme G. Mackay
  • Patent number: 11311754
    Abstract: The invention relates to an avalanche airbag system (10) comprising an airbag (14) and a filling device (20) for introducing ambient air into the airbag (14). The filling device (20) comprises a fan (16) with an electric motor (18), a first electric energy storage (22, 40) for providing electric energy to the electric motor (18), a second electric energy storage (24) and a control device (26) for actuating the electric motor (18). By means of the control device (26) depending on at least one parameter both a supplying of the electric motor (18) with electric energy originating from both energy storages (22, 40, 24) as well as with electric energy originating from only one of the two energy storages (22, 40, 24) can be effected. Moreover, the invention relates to a backpack comprising such an avalanche airbag system (10) and a method for operating such an avalanche airbag system (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Inventor: Christian Bier
  • Patent number: 11275122
    Abstract: A control unit in a battery management apparatus discharges constant direct current from a battery for a predetermined time period or charges the battery with the constant direct current for the predetermined time period to diagnose a state of the battery. A change point is identified where a rise in voltage given by subtracting open circuit voltage of the battery from measured voltage of the battery is varied from a curved line shape to a straight line shape with respect to transition of an increase of a value in which an elapsed time since start of charge-discharge is defined as a square root of time. A rise in voltage from the voltage when the charge-discharge is started to the change point is identified as a rise in voltage caused by resistance components of electrolyte, a negative electrode, and a positive electrode of the battery and a rise in voltage after the change point is identified as a rise in voltage caused by a diffusion resistance component of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomokazu Sada
  • Patent number: 11215680
    Abstract: A system for monitoring the charging performance of a capacitor in an electric circuit in a manufacturing machine installed in a production line includes a charging voltage detecting section for detecting the charging voltage of the capacitor. A control device of the production machine measures, as the charging time, a time from starting charging to a time when a specified charging complete determination voltage that can be used to determine when the charging voltage of the capacitor has reached full charge is reached based on the charging voltage of the capacitor detected by charging voltage detecting section, determines whether the capacitor has deteriorated by determining whether the measured charging time is equal to or less than a specified deterioration threshold value, and upon determining that the capacitor has deteriorated, issues a warning to an operator via a display or sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: FUJI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideaki Oki, Satoshi Osaki
  • Patent number: 11135893
    Abstract: A transport refrigeration unit (TRU) direct current (DC) architecture includes a communications bus (41), a DC power bus (42), first and second voltage control units (VCUs 43,44) respectively comprising a DC/DC converter (430) coupled to the DC power bus and a local controller (431,441) coupled to the communications bus and to the DC/DC converter, an energy storage unit (45) and a DC powered load. The energy storage unit is configured to provide to the DC power bus (42) a quantity of DC power via the DC/DC converter (430) of the first VCU in accordance with control exerted thereon by the local controller (431) of the first VCU and a DC powered load. The DC powered load is configured to receive from the DC power bus a quantity of DC power via the DC/DC converter of the second VCU in accordance with control exerted thereon by the local controller of the second VCU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ivan Rydkin, Ciara Nichole Poolman, Robert A. Chopko
  • Patent number: 11004529
    Abstract: The present technology includes a memory controller that controls auxiliary power cells of which the charge counts is small to be preferentially charged, based on charge count information of each of a plurality of auxiliary power cells included in an auxiliary power device that supplies power to a memory device and a memory controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Jin, Yoon Jin Kim, Joong Hyun An
  • Patent number: 10814809
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: a plurality of electric loads that consume the dark current during parking of the vehicle and modulate the dark current; a battery sensor that senses the dark current output from a battery, demodulates the dark current modulated by the plurality of electric loads, identifies the dark current consumed by each of the plurality of electric loads based on the demodulated dark current, and identifies an electric load, which consumes excess dark current, based on the dark current consumed by each of the plurality of electric loads; and an integrated control device to alert a driver of consumption of the excess dark current of the identified electric load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: EunSang Lee
  • Patent number: 10700547
    Abstract: An improved D.C. power supply for an emergency locator transmitter ELT mounted on an aircraft that does not require lithium batteries but instead uses conventional alkaline batteries in conjunction with a supercapacitor network to provide a reliable power source even when the ELT that is airborne is subjected to extreme cold temperatures that can affect the alkaline battery operation. Alkaline battery pack with a 12 V output is connected to a supercapacitor network board. The supercapacitors are charged when the ELT is activated ON using the comparator network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: ACR ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: William Cox, Isaac Johnson, Irek Gora
  • Patent number: 10051718
    Abstract: Provided are a mobile X-ray apparatus configured to control an operation of a protection circuit for protecting the lithium ion battery during X-ray emission and a method of operating the mobile X-ray apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Myeong-je Kim
  • Patent number: 10023065
    Abstract: An electrical system enhancer for an electrical system; the electrical system including a chemical storage battery; the, enhancer including an array of ultra capacitors arid an intelligent trickle charge circuit; the array of ultra capacitors controllably, switchably, electrically connectable to the chemical, storage battery under the control of the trickle charge circuit. Also disclosed is a method of enhancing performance of a vehicle electrical system by interconnecting a storage battery of the vehicle with an array of ultra capacitors; the array of ultra capacitors controllably, switchably electrically connected to the vehicle electric chemical storage battery by means of an intelligent trickle charge circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: SMART START TECHNOLOGY PTY LTD
    Inventors: Ricky Zhong Huang, Jing K. Tan
  • Patent number: 9882410
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a capacitor, a power supply device, a discharger and a capacitance detector. The capacitor is used as a backup power supply. The power supply device charges the capacitor. The discharger discharges the capacitor. The capacitance detector maintains a terminal voltage of the capacitor at a given level for a predetermined time, by controlling an operating time of the power supply device. The capacitance detector allows the discharger to start the discharge the predetermined time later. The capacitance detector detects a capacitance of the capacitor based on a transient response characteristic of the discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Erika Ikeda, Hiroki Matsushita, Takehiko Katou, Osamu Kawashima
  • Patent number: 9793063
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a high-capacity slurry electrode for use in a flow energy storage system, comprising: an electrolyte; electrode active particles, distributed in the electrolyte, functioning as an electrode active material in an electrochemical flow capacitor storage system; and a redox active material, dissolved in the electrolyte, behaving as a pseudo-capacitor through a redox reaction on a surface of the electrode active material, wherein the high-capacity slurry electrode exhibits both capacitor properties based on the electrode active particles and pseudo-capacitor properties based on the redox active material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF ENERGY RESEARCH
    Inventors: Hana Yoon, Jung Joon Yoo
  • Patent number: 9774202
    Abstract: A monitoring system for charging of a super capacitor, comprising three parts, i.e. a power line, monomer super capacitor monitoring subsystems and a master monitoring system, wherein the master monitoring system comprises a charging circuit (2), a power supply unit (7), a master single chip microcomputer (4), a carrier communication module (3), a human-machine interface module (5), a storage unit (6) and an RS-232 module (8); and each of the monomer super capacitor monitoring subsystems comprises a monomer super capacitor (1), a power supply unit (7), a slave single chip microcomputer (11), a carrier communication module (3), a voltage, current and temperature detection unit (9) and a storage unit (6). The master monitoring system charges a super capacitor group through the power line and the charging circuit. The monitoring system can control the charge states of various monomer super capacitors, thereby avoiding the occurrence of an over-charging phenomenon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: CHINA UNIVERSITY OF MINING AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Gongbo Zhou, Zhencai Zhu, Houlian Wang, Yang Li, Wei Li, Guohua Cao
  • Patent number: 9772421
    Abstract: A circuit having a first, second, and third capacitor. Capacitor plates of the capacitors are connected to a first circuit node. The circuit supplies a first time-dependent voltage to the first capacitor, a second time-dependent voltage to the second capacitor, and a third time-dependent voltage to the third capacitor. The first and second voltages are clocked in antiphase. The second and third voltages are clocked in phase. The circuit has an amplifier, a synchronous demodulator, and a comparator. Inputs of the amplifier are connected to the first circuit node and ground. The synchronous demodulator alternately applies an output signal of the amplifier to inputs of the comparator, synchronously with the clock frequency of the first voltage. The circuit generates a control value dependent on an output of the comparator. The circuit changes amplitudes of the first and third voltage and/or the second voltage dependent on the control value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Andrej Albrecht, Tobias Zibold
  • Patent number: 9774201
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery charger is provided and is characterized by comprising a supercapacitor comprised of one or more sheets of graphene or a graphene-containing material, a power module adapted to provide a current up to 40 amps to the supercapacitor from a source of alternating current rated at 100 volts or above, an output converter adapted to deliver direct current power from the supercapacitor to an output port for connecting to a battery-powered electrical device, and a control module adapted to control various functions of the rechargeable battery charger automatically and/or for managing and regulating a variable output from the supercapacitor. The rechargeable battery charger is especially useful for recharging portable electrical devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops or similar hand-held or worn items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: ZapGo Ltd
    Inventors: Stephen Voller, Jonathan R. Tuck, Marappa Rajendran, Ana Trindade, Madhuri Dutta, Nazanin Rashidi, Tim Walder, Quentin Lemarié
  • Patent number: 9729002
    Abstract: A wireless response system and method of receiving user input selections at a base station includes distributing a plurality of response units to users. The response units wirelessly communicate with the base station in order to retrieve user responses received by the response units. Each of the response units has a user input device that is configured to receiving user input selections, a controller that is responsive to the user input device to process user inputs and to communicate responses wirelessly to the base station and a power supply having a super capacitor. The super capacitor is charged with a wireless-charging circuit and current is supplied from the super capacitor to the controller. Current supplied to the controller is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Fleetwood Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Emil J. Ureel, Kyle A. Israels
  • Patent number: 9501074
    Abstract: A circuit includes a comparator that monitors a transient with respect to a predetermined threshold at the output of a voltage regulator and generates a compensation signal if the transient exceeds the predetermined threshold. A dynamic current pull-down block is triggered from the compensation signal of the comparator and operative with an output stage of the voltage regulator to mitigate the transient at the output of the voltage regulator by concurrently activating a plurality of current pull-down switches during the transient and sequentially deactivating each current pull-down switch of the plurality of current pull-down switches after its predetermined deactivation delay for each current pull-down switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Donghwi Kim, Patrick Michael Teterud
  • Patent number: 9461483
    Abstract: An electrical energy storage device with damping function is a capacitor-cell battery formed of a plurality of capacitor cells connected in either series or parallel. Each of the capacitor cells includes a supercapacitor and a pseudocapacitor. The supercapacitor is a non-polarized capacitor internally having a separator, and the pseudocapacitor is a polarized electrochemical capacitor. The supercapacitor and the pseudocapacitor are electrically connected in parallel. The supercapacitor has a capacity close to or equal to that of the pseudocapacitor. When charging the capacitor-cell battery, the supercapacitor in every capacitor cell produces a polarization effect, so that electrical energy is charged thereinto as a result of voltage. And, due to a potential balance between the supercapacitor and the pseudocapacitor, the electrical energy charged into the supercapacitor is rapidly transformed into electric current that flows into and is stored in the pseudocapacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Inventors: Fu-Tzu Hsu, Chieh-Sen Tu
  • Patent number: 9272677
    Abstract: A method for operating an ultracapacitor system used in a mining excavator powered by an power source. The method includes detecting whether a power from the power source is present. Next, a voltage level of the ultracapacitor system is measured if the power is not present. The measured voltage level is then compared with a minimum voltage level for the ultracapacitor system. If the measured voltage level is more than the minimum voltage level, auxiliary power is supplied from the ultracapacitor system to operate mining excavator systems. The auxiliary power may be used to power electronic systems and components such as computers, displays, control systems, gas insulated switchgear and lighting systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS INDUSTRY, INC
    Inventor: Joy Mazumdar
  • Patent number: 9217765
    Abstract: A method for isolating voltage sensor errors from contactor errors in an electrical system includes measuring a voltage between ground and a voltage bus rail when a contactor is open, and comparing the measured voltage to a first threshold voltage corresponding to a calibrated voltage reading that is expected when the contactor is closed. A first diagnostic code is recorded with a stuck-in-range status for the sensor when the measured voltage is greater than 0 and less than the first threshold voltage. A second diagnostic code is recorded with a stuck-closed status for the contactor when the measured voltage is equal to the first threshold voltage. The measured voltage may be compared to a second threshold voltage that exceeds the first threshold voltage, with a third diagnostic code recorded with a shorted value for the sensor when the measured voltage exceeds the first threshold voltage or is less than 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Walter M. Lazar, II, Daniel P. Grenn
  • Patent number: 9190860
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for managing a capacitor system. In one aspect, an energy storage system includes a capacitor system, a charging circuit, and a controller. The capacitor system includes one or more capacitors. The charging circuit is configured to charge the capacitor system to a first target voltage. The controller is configured to detect a first condition and is programmed, in response to the first condition, to instruct the charging circuit to charge the capacitor system to a second target voltage that is less than the first target voltage. The controller is programmed to provide a notification that the capacitor system is operating in a degraded state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Maxwell Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl David Wright, Robert Shaw Lynds, John Michael Miller
  • Patent number: 9114713
    Abstract: An energy management device includes an energy transfer unit, and a control unit that generates a control signal based at least on a residual electric quantity of each of high power and high energy storage devices of a vehicle, whether the energy transfer unit is coupled to an external energy source, and a position of the vehicle. The energy transfer unit performs, based on the control signal, energy transfer among the external energy source, the high power and high energy storage devices, and at least one energy load of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Automotive Research & Testing Center
    Inventors: Chien-An Chen, Kuo-Liang Weng, Yen-Ting Cheng, Deng-He Lin
  • Patent number: 9041361
    Abstract: A discharge device actively discharges a main capacitor in an electric-power system of an electric-drive vehicle and comprises a discharge branch of a circuit connected in parallel to the capacitor and including a discharge transistor biased to “conduction” mode when the capacitor must be discharged. A control device is connected to a “gate/base” terminal of and controls the transistor, biasing the transistor to the mode when the capacitor is required to fee discharged. A control transistor maintains the discharge transistor in a “non-conductive” state when the control transistor is in the mode. The control transistor is in the state for the discharge transistor to be in the mode. A safety capacitor is interposed between the terminal and a power supply and charges when the discharge transistor is in the mode, causing a progressive decrease of current at the terminal, until the discharge transistor is biased to the state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: MAGNETI MARELLI S.P.A.
    Inventors: Riccardo Viancino, Fabio Bernardi, Giovanni Giuffre'
  • Patent number: 9037424
    Abstract: A system for detecting a short-circuited ultracapacitor cell in a machine is disclosed. The system may have a memory that stores instructions and one or more processors capable of executing the instructions. The one or more processors may be configured to perform cell balancing among ultracapacitor cells arranged within two or more ultracapacitor modules, each ultracapacitor module including at least two ultracapacitor cells connected in series. The one or more processors may be further configured to measure a module voltage generated by each of the plurality of ultracapacitor modules after performing the cell balancing and before applying a load of the machine to the ultracapacitor modules, and determine whether an ultracapacitor cell among the plurality of ultracapacitor cells is short-circuited based on a comparison of the measured module voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Igor Dos Santos Ramos, Andrew A. Knitt, Wellington Ying-Wei Kwok, Kaiyu Wang
  • Patent number: 9037335
    Abstract: A method for operating a driverless, mobile assembly and/or material transport unit as a driverless transport system (DTS) with fixed assembly and/or warehousing stations. In this method, a system control device is used for the entire assembly process. The driverless, mobile assembly and/or material transport units comprises a travel device for the traveling movement of the unit, a drive device for the travel device, an energy storage device for providing the energy for the drive device and a control device for controlling the traveling movement in coordination with the system control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Inventor: Ralf Bär
  • Publication number: 20150130395
    Abstract: The problem of enabling a physical system to store and access a large amount of electrical energy while keeping the weight of the system as low as possible is solved by including graphene in the structure of the system. Supercapacitive graphene-in-structure electrical energy storage is applicable to a wide variety of electrical applications, including but not limited to electronics devices, power tools, vehicles, airplanes and buildings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: Kreg Rice
  • Publication number: 20150130425
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a power supply including a transformer comprising a single output terminal on a secondary side, a first output unit comprising a first capacitor and connected to the single output terminal to output a first output voltage, a second output unit comprising a second capacitor having a larger capacity than the first capacitor and connected to the single output terminal to output a second output voltage, and a controller configured to control the first output voltage to be output until power is applied and charging of the second capacitor is started.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gyu Min PARK, Nam Jin PARK, Sang Gab PARK, Kwang Seung CHO
  • Patent number: 9024592
    Abstract: Auxiliary power supplies include a capacitor (e.g., super capacitor) and a capacitor charging circuit, which is configured to provide a charging current to a first terminal of the capacitor. Enhanced failure detection is provided by a capacitor monitoring circuit, which may be electrically coupled to at least one terminal of the capacitor. The capacitor monitoring circuit is configured to detect when the capacitor is malfunctioning in an open condition as well as when the capacitor is malfunctioning in a short condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-hun Jeon, Ho-jun Shim