Storage module

Details Storage module Storage module

2000-09-08

2003-10-14

Toatley, Jr., Gregory J. (Department: 2836)

Electrical transmission or interconnection systems

Plural supply circuits or sources

Load current control

C307S077000, C307S110000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06633091

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage module or capacitor module which incorporates a plurality of storage means and can transfer energy among the storage means.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a conventional apparatus which can transfer electric energy stored in a storage means, a transfer apparatus
31
disclosed in e.g. JP-A-7-322516 is well-known. As shown in
FIG. 8
, the transfer apparatus
31
is configured so that the energy stored in a plurality of capacitors C
1
-C
4
can be averaged by transferring the energy stored in an any one of these capacitors to the other capacitors. Specifically, the transfer apparatus
31
includes a series circuit of a choke coil L
1
and switch SW
1
which is connected in parallel to the capacitor C
1
; a switch
21
connected to the capacitor C
2
through the choke coil L
1
; a series circuit of a choke coil L
2
and a switch SW
22
which is connected in parallel to the capacitor C
2
; a series circuit of a choke coil L
3
and a switch SW
32
which is connected to the capacitor C
3
; a switch SW
32
connected to the capacitor C
3
through the choke coil L
2
; and a switch SW
4
connected to the capacitor C
4
through the choke coil L
3
.
In this transfer apparatus
31
, where the energy stored in the capacitor C
4
is transferred to the capacitor C
1
, first, the switch SW
4
is turned on. In this case, as seen from
FIG. 8
, a current I
31
flows to excite the choke coil L
3
. Next, the switch SW
4
and switch SW
31
are simultaneously turned on and off, respectively. Then, a current I
32
based on the excited energy of the choke coil L
3
flows to charge the capacitor C
3
. Further, after the switch SW
31
is turned off, the switch SW
32
is turned on. Then, a current I
33
flows to excite the choke coil L
2
. Subsequently, the switch SW
32
and switch SW
22
are turned on and off, respectively. Then, a current I
34
based on the excited energy of the choke coil L
2
flows to charge the capacitor C
2
. Next, after the switch SW
22
is turned off, the switch SW
21
is turned on. Then, a current I
35
flows to excite the choke coil L
1
. Finally, the switch SW
21
and switch SW
1
are simultaneously turned off. Then, a current I
36
based on the excited energy of the choke coil L
1
flows to charge the capacitor C
1
. In this way, the energy stored in the capacitor C
4
is transferred to the capacitor C
1
.
However, the conventional transfer apparatus
31
described above presents the following problem. Namely, in the transfer apparatus
31
, in order to average the stored energy in the capacitors C
1
-C
4
, the choke coils L
1
-L
3
and switches SW
1
-SW
4
must be connected. This is very troublesome.
Further, for example, in order to transfer the energy from the capacitor C
4
to the capacitor C
3
, the switch SW
4
and switch SW
3
must be simultaneously turned off and on, respectively. In this case, if the switch SW
31
is turned on prior to turn-off of the switch SW
4
, the capacitors C
3
and C
4
are short-circuited through the switches SW
4
and SW
31
so that the energy stored in both capacitors C
3
and C
4
is lost. On the other hand, if the switch SW
4
is turned off prior to the turn-on of the switch SW
31
, a very high voltage is generated across the switch SW
4
so that the switch SW
3
will be damaged. Thus, the conventional transfer apparatus
31
presents a problem that if the timing of the on/off control of the switches SW
1
-SW
4
becomes out of sync slightly, the short-circuiting or damage of the circuit component occurs, and the energy cannot be transferred.
Further, in order to transfer the energy from the capacitor C
4
to the capacitor C
1
, the switches SW
4
-SW
1
must be on/off controlled many times at accurate timings. Therefore, the transfer apparatus
31
also presents a problem that the control of switches is troublesome.
In addition, in the transfer apparatus
31
, in order to transfer the energy among the four capacitors C
1
-C
4
, six switches SW
1
-SW
4
must be employed. In this case, assuming that energy is transferred among a large number of capacitors, the number of the switches to be used is approximately twice as much as that of the capacitors. Therefore, the conventional transfer apparatus also presents the problem that it requires a large number of switches and hence is expensive and up-sized.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished in order to solve the problems described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a storage module which can transfer stored energy among a plurality of storage means without making troublesome connecting work. Another object of the present invention is to provide a storage module which can transfer stored energy reliably, surely and easily and can be made inexpensive and down-sized.
In order to attain the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage module comprising: a plurality of storage means for storing electric energy; and energy transfer means for transferring stored energy among the plurality of storage means so that the charging voltage across each of the storage means can be kept at a value according to a prescribed ratio.
According a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage module according to the first aspect, wherein the energy transfer means includes a plurality of series circuits each composed of at least a first winding and switching means connected in series, each of the plurality of series circuits is adapted to be connectable in parallel to each of the plurality of storage means, the first windings are magnetically coupled with one another, and the plurality of switching means are switching-controlled synchronously with one another. In this case, the switching means can be constructed of a field effect transistor or a bipolar transistor.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage module according to the first aspect or second aspect, wherein a second winding is incorporated or externally attached which is coupled with the first winding and serves to keep the charging voltage across the entire plurality of storage means in each of a plurality of storage modules at a value according to a predetermined ratio.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage module according to any one of the first to third aspect, further comprising coupling means for mechanically coupling itself with other storage means.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage module according to the fourth aspect, wherein the coupling means serves both mechanical coupling and electric connection.


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patent: 07322516 (1995-12-01), None
patent: 10-84627 (1998-03-01), None
Patent Abstracts of Japan, Publication No. 07-322516, Publication Date Dec. 1995, Machine translation of Japanese Patent Application from Japanese Patent Office, 7 pages.*
Patent Abstracts of Japan Publication No.: 10-084627 Publication Date Mar. 31, 1998 (2 pages).
Patent Abstracts of Japan Publication No.: 05-159755 Publication Date Jun. 25, 1993 (2 pages).
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