Converting an input DC voltage into an output dc voltage having a predetermined value using batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12506408-B2
Application number	US-202217704596-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2022
Priority date	Apr 9, 2021
Publication date	Dec 23, 2025
Grant date	Dec 23, 2025

Abstract

A device for converting an input DC voltage into an output DC voltage having a predetermined value, includes a set of elementary components comprising: an input voltage source; two output nodes; and a plurality of energy-storing elements, each consisting of one battery or of a plurality of batteries connected in series or in parallel. The converting device further comprises a switching matrix, configured to connect the elementary components to one another in a periodic cycle composed of a plurality of phases so that, for each cycle: Each phase is associated with one different connection configuration chosen so that, in each energy-storing element, the amount of charge at the start of the cycle is equal to the amount of charge at the end of the cycle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A device for converting an input DC voltage (Vin) into an output DC voltage (Vout) having a predetermined value, comprising: a set of elementary components comprising: a voltage source (Gin) for generating the input DC voltage (Vin); two output nodes (Vout+, Vout−); a plurality of energy-storing elements (Bij), each consisting of one battery or of a plurality of batteries connected in series or in parallel; a switching matrix (MC), configured to connect the elementary components to one another in a periodic cycle composed of a plurality of phases; each phase being associated with one different connection configuration chosen so that: in each energy-storage element, the amount of charge at the start of the cycle is equal to the amount of charge at the end of the cycle; the two output nodes (Vout+, Vout−) have a potential difference equal to the predetermined value of the output DC voltage (Vout) during all the phases, wherein: the switching matrix (MC) comprises a plurality of elementary switching cells (CEEij), each elementary switching cell (CEEij) being associated with one elementary component and comprising at least two commanded switches; each elementary component has two terminals, and for each elementary component: the first terminal is connected, via at least a first commanded switch, to any at least one terminal chosen from the terminals of the other elementary components or either one of the output nodes (Vout+, Vout−); the second terminal is connected, via at least a second commanded switch, to any at least one terminal chosen from the terminals of the other elementary components or either one of the output nodes (Vout+, Vout−).

2 . The device for converting an input DC voltage (V in ) into an output DC voltage (V out ) according to claim 1 , wherein the voltage across the terminals of each energy-storing element is kept in a predetermined voltage range corresponding to a voltage plateau during the variation in the amount of charge in the energy-storing element.

3 . The device for converting an input DC voltage (V in ) into an output DC voltage (V out ) according to claim 1 , wherein the duration of each phase is defined so that the relative variation in the amount of charge in the energy-storing element from one phase to the next is lower than a predetermined value.

4 . The device for converting an input DC voltage (V in ) into an output DC voltage (V out ) according to claim 1 , wherein the output nodes (V out+ , V out− ) are always connected to at least one energy-storing element (B 1,1 ) in each phase.

5 . The device for converting an input DC voltage (V in ) into an output DC voltage (V out ) according to claim 1 , wherein the switching matrix (MC) is configured so that, for each cycle:
for each chosen configuration, a number of elementary components are connected in series with one another; and the output voltage (V out ) is equal to the sum of the voltages across the terminals of the series-connected elementary components.

6 . The device for converting an input DC voltage (Vin) into an output DC voltage (Vout) according to claim 1 , wherein the commanded switches are produced with CMOS transistors.

7 . The device for converting an input DC voltage (V in ) into an output DC voltage (V out ) according to claim 1 , wherein the batteries are solid-state batteries.

8 . The device for converting an input DC voltage (V in ) into an output DC voltage (V out ) according to claim 7 , wherein the solid-state batteries are produced by stacking layers and comprise:
a positive electrode; a negative electrode; an inorganic solid electrolyte layer placed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode.

9 . The device for converting an input DC voltage (V in ) into an output DC voltage (V out ) according to claim 8 , wherein the solid-state batteries are lithium-ion microbatteries.

10 . The device for converting an input DC voltage (V in ) into an output DC voltage (V out ) according to claim 1 , wherein the variation in the voltage across the terminals of each energy-storing element is smaller than 10 mV.

11 . The device for converting an input DC voltage (V in ) into an output DC voltage (V out ) according to claim 1 , wherein the cycles have a frequency comprised between 1 Hz and 10 kHz.

12 . The device for converting an input DC voltage (V in ) into an output DC voltage (V out ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a circuit for controlling bias configured to reset the voltage across the terminals of each energy-storing element to a value corresponding to an optimum energy density after a predetermined number of cycles.

Assignees

• Commissariat Energie Atomique
• Inst Nat Sciences Appliquees Lyon
• Centre Nat Rech Scient
• Univ Claude Bernard Lyon
• Lyon Ecole Centrale

Inventors

• Pillonnet Gaël
• Allard Bruno
• Berlitz Carlos-Augusto
• Oukassi Sami

Classifications

• H02J7/933

  the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters · CPC title

• H02J7/50 Primary

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H02J7/855

  with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery · CPC title

• H01M10/4207

  for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H01M10/0585

  of accumulators having only flat construction elements, i.e. flat positive electrodes, flat negative electrodes and flat separators · CPC title