System and method for limiting inrush current during robot charging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12095262-B2
Application number	US-202117924317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2021
Priority date	May 22, 2020
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

Features are disclosed for charging a battery using a power supply in series with a diode. A power supply can be connected in series with a diode to restrict an inrush current resulting from connection of the power supply with a battery. In some embodiments, the power supply can further include a plurality of power supplies to restrict the amount of inrush current a single power supply can provide. In other embodiments, the power supply can also include a bypass capacitor that the power supply charges before supplying current to the battery. The power supply can regulate the amount of current that is applied to the battery and prevent inrush current from damaging the battery. Multiple power supplies add to overall reliability.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for limiting inrush current during charging of a battery, the system comprising:
one or more power supplies configured to charge the battery;
a docking station configured to removably connect with the battery; and
at least one diode electronically coupled in series between a power supply of the one or more power supplies and an output of the docking station, the at least one diode configured to:
restrict a first current from flowing from the power supply to the battery via the output of the docking station during a first time period based at least in part on a voltage of the power supply and a voltage of the battery; and
enable a second current to flow from the power supply to the battery via the output of the docking station during a second time period based at least in part on the voltage of the power supply.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each power supply of the one or more power supplies is disabled prior to a connection of the docking station and the battery.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein:
a first power supply of the one or more power supplies is enabled during a third time period;
a second power supply of the one or more power supplies is enabled during a fourth time period; and
the third time period and the fourth time period occur after the connection of the docking station and the battery.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more power supplies are successively enabled based at least in part on the connection of the docking station and the battery.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein each power supply of the one or more power supplies comprises a respective capacitor configured to be charged prior to enablement of the second current.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one diode is further configured to restrict the first current further based at least in part on a difference between the voltage of the power supply and the voltage of the battery.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one diode is further configured to enable the second current further based at least in part on a difference between the voltage of the power supply and the voltage of the battery.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one diode is further configured to restrict a third current from flowing from the battery to the power supply during a third time period occurring after connection of the docking station and the battery.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the battery is housed within a mobile robot, the mobile robot configured to dock with the docking station.

10. A method for limiting inrush current during charging of a battery, the method comprising:
connecting the battery and a docking station, the docking station comprising one or more power supplies configured to charge the battery, at least a first diode electronically coupled in series between an output of the docking station and at least a first power supply of the one or more power supplies;
enabling the first power supply;
restricting, by the first diode, a first current from flowing from the first power supply to the battery via the output of the docking station during a first time period based at least in part on a voltage of the first power supply and a voltage of the battery; and
enabling, by the first diode, a second current to flow from the first power supply to the battery via the output of the docking station during a second time period based at least in part on the voltage of the first power supply.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein each power supply of the one or more power supplies is disabled prior to the connecting of the battery and the docking station.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first power supply is enabled during a third time period, the method further comprising:
enabling a second power supply of the one or more power supplies during a fourth time period, wherein the third time period and the fourth time period occur after the connecting of the battery and the docking station.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
successively enabling the one or more power supplies based at least in part on the connecting of the battery and the docking station.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein each power supply of the one or more power supplies comprises a respective capacitor, the method further comprising:
charging a first capacitor of the first power supply prior to providing the first current to the first diode.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the restricting of the first current is further based at least in part on a difference between the voltage of the first power supply and the voltage of the battery.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the enabling of the second current is further based at least in part on a difference between the voltage of the first power supply and the voltage of the battery.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
presenting the first power supply to the battery after the connecting of the battery and the docking station; and
restricting a third current from flowing from the battery to the first power supply based at least in part on the voltage of the battery.

18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining the battery is an acceptable battery for the docking station based at least in part on the voltage of the battery.

19. A charging apparatus comprising:
one or more power supplies, the one or more power supplies configured to charge a battery;
a docking station configured to removably connect with the battery; and
at least one diode electronically coupled in series between a power supply of the one or more power supplies and an output of the docking station, the at least one diode configured to:
restrict a first current from flowing from the power supply to the battery via the output of the docking station during a first time period based at least in part on a voltage of the power supply and a voltage of the battery; and
enable a second current to flow from the power supply to the battery during a second time period based at least in part on the voltage of the power supply.

20. The charging apparatus of claim 19 , wherein each power supply of the one or more power supplies is disabled prior to a connection of the docking station and the battery.

21. The charging apparatus of claim 20 , wherein:
a first power supply of the one or more power supplies is enabled during a third time period;
a second power supply of the one or more power supplies is enabled during a fourth time period; and
the third time period and the fourth time period occur after the connection of the docking station and the battery.

Assignees

• Omron Tateisi Electronics Co

Inventors

• Shruhan Andrew
• Kent Thomas

Classifications

• H02J7/751

  concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries · CPC title

• H02J7/96

  in response to battery voltage · CPC title

• H02J7/62

  against overcurrent · CPC title

• H02J7/345

  using capacitors as storage or buffering devices · CPC title

• H02H7/18

  for batteries; for accumulators · CPC title