IP Library Granted Patent US 10,498,146
Granted Patent B2
US 10,498,146 · App. 15/473,754 · Granted Dec 3, 2019

Charging device, system and method

Inventors: Tao Wu (ShangHai, CN); Fei Li (ShangHai, CN); Pengcheng Zhu (ShangHai, CN); Changjin Liu (ShangHai, CN)
Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
H02J7/0019H02J7/007H02J7/0013
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,498,146
App. No.
15/473,754
Granted
Dec 3, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A charging device for charging a battery pack includes a plurality of charging assemblies for charging a plurality of battery cells connected electrically in series, wherein the plurality of charging assemblies are configured to charge a first set of the plurality of battery cells in a first time period and a second set of the plurality of battery cells in a second time period, any two of the plurality of battery cells that neighbor with each other are from different sets of the plurality of battery cells, and each of the plurality of charging assemblies comprises: an AC/DC converter for converting an inputted AC voltage to a first DC voltage; and a DC/DC converter for converting the first DC voltage to a second DC voltage for charging the battery cell.

Claims (51)

1. A charging device for charging a battery pack, the battery pack including a plurality of batteries connected in series, the charging device comprising:

a plurality of charging assemblies, each charging assembly comprising:

a DC/DC converter for converting a first DC voltage to a second DC voltage for charging one or more batteries of the battery pack;

the plurality of batteries comprising a first set of at least two batteries and a second set of at least two batteries, the batteries of the first set being alternately connected in series with the batteries of the second set;

the plurality of charging assemblies being configured to charge the first set during a first time period and the second set during a second time period such that any two batteries that are adjacent to each other are charged during different time periods.

2. The charging device of claim 1 , wherein:

each of the plurality of charging assemblies is configured to connect with one battery;

the charging assemblies for connecting with the first set of the plurality of batteries are in a charging mode during the first time period and in a sleeping mode during the second time period; and

the charging assemblies for connecting with the second set of the plurality of batteries are in the sleeping mode during the first time period and in the charging mode during the second time period.

3. The charging device of claim 1 , wherein all of the plurality of charging assemblies are configured to connect with the first set of the plurality of batteries during the first time period and connect with the second set of the plurality of batteries during the second time period.

4. The charging device of claim 1 , wherein the DC/DC converter comprises:

a first converter for converting the first DC voltage to a first AC square wave;

a transform module for converting the first AC square wave to a second AC square wave electrically isolated from the first AC square wave; and

a second converter for converting the second AC square wave to the second DC voltage.

5. The charging device of claim 1 , wherein each charging assembly further comprises an AC/DC converter for converting an inputted AC voltage to the first DC voltage, the AC/DC converter comprising:

a plurality of bridge arms;

each of the plurality of bridge arms comprising a plurality of switching cells.

6. The charging device of claim 5 , further comprising a control assembly configured to generate drive signals for the plurality of switching cells.

7. The charging device of claim 6 , wherein the drive signals are generated based on an input voltage of the charging assemblies in a charging mode.

8. The charging device of claim 6 , wherein the drive signals are generated based on a quantity of charging assemblies in a charging mode and a pre-determined harmonic order.

9. A charging system, comprising:

a battery pack comprising a plurality of batteries connected in series, the plurality of batteries comprising a first set of at least two batteries and a second set of at least two batteries, the batteries of the first set being alternately connected in series with the batteries of the second set; and

a charging device for charging the battery pack comprising a DC/DC converter for converting a first DC voltage to a second DC voltage for charging one or more batteries of the battery pack;

the charging device being configured to charge the first set during a first time period and the second set during a second time period such that any two batteries that are adjacent to each other are charged during different time periods.

10. The charging system of claim 9 , wherein:

the charging device comprises a plurality of charging assemblies, each of the plurality of charging assemblies being configured to connect with one battery;

the charging assemblies for connecting with the first set of the plurality of batteries are in a charging mode during the first time period and in a sleeping mode during the second time period; and

the charging assemblies for connecting with the second set of the plurality of batteries are in the sleeping mode during the first time period and in the charging mode during the second time period.

11. The charging system of claim 9 , wherein:

the charging device comprises a plurality of charging assemblies; and

all of the plurality of charging assemblies are configured to connect with the first set of the plurality of batteries during the first time period and connect with the second set of the plurality of batteries during the second time period.

12. The charging system of claim 9 , wherein the DC/DC converter comprises:

a first converter for converting the first DC voltage to a first AC square wave;

a transform module for converting the first AC square wave to a second AC square wave electrically isolated from the first AC square wave; and

a second converter for converting the second AC square wave to the second DC voltage.

13. The charging system of claim 9 , wherein the charging device further comprises an AC/DC converter for converting an inputted AC voltage to the first DC voltage, the AC/DC converter comprising:

a plurality of bridge arms;

each of the plurality of bridge arms comprising a plurality of switching cells.

14. The charging system of claim 13 , further comprising a control assembly configured to generate drive signals for the plurality of switching cells.

15. The charging system of claim 14 , wherein the drive signals are generated based on an input voltage of the charging assemblies in a charging mode.

16. The charging system of claim 14 , wherein the drive signals are generated based on a quantity of charging assemblies in a charging mode and a pre-determined harmonic order.

17. A method for charging a plurality of batteries, the plurality of batteries including a first set of at least two batteries and a second set of at least two batteries, the batteries of the first set being alternately connected in series with the batteries of the second set, the method comprising:

charging the first set of the plurality of batteries by a first set of charging assemblies during a first time period; and

charging the second set of the plurality of batteries by a second set of charging assemblies during a second time period;

wherein any two batteries of the plurality of batteries that are adjacent to each other are charged during different time periods.

18. The charging method of claim 17 , further comprising:

setting the first set of charging assemblies in a charging mode during the first time period and in a sleeping mode during the second time period; and

setting the second set of charging assemblies in the sleeping mode during the first time period and in the charging mode during the second time period.

19. The charging method of claim 17 , further comprising:

connecting all of the first and second set of charging assemblies with the first set of the plurality of batteries during the first time period; and

connecting all of the first and second set of charging assemblies with the second set of the plurality of batteries during the second time period.

Assignments (5)
QUITCLAIM ASSIGNMENT Recorded Apr 9, 2026
From: EDISON INNOVATIONS LLC
To: BUNKER HILL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 074326/0549 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 26, 2025
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
To: GE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 070636/0815 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 26, 2025
From: GE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LICENSING, LLC
To: DOLBY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 070643/0907 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2025
From: DOLBY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LICENSING, LLC
To: EDISON INNOVATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 070293/0273 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2017
From: WU, TAO; LI, FEI; ZHU, PENGCHENG; LIU, CHANGJIN
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 041793/0909 →
Cited By (3)
US 12,308,673 US 12,549,107 US 12,665,435