Battery With an Integrated Voltage Converter Having a Bypass Circuit

Abstract

Disclosed is a battery having an internally integrated voltage converter module. The battery includes at least one electrochemical cell having an internal bore, a voltage converter module electrically coupled to the at least one electrochemical cell and disposed within a portion of the internal bore, the voltage converter configured to convert a first voltage produced by the at least one electrochemical cell into a second, different voltage, a set of terminals being electrically coupled to the voltage converter, and a bypass circuit coupled between one of the terminals of the set of terminals and the at least one electrochemical cell to direct charging current applied from an external source to the at least one electrochemical cell.

1 . A battery comprising:
 at least one electrochemical cell having an internal bore;   a voltage converter module electrically coupled to the at least one electrochemical cell and disposed within a substantial portion of the internal bore, the voltage converter configured to convert a first voltage produced by the at least one electrochemical cell into a second, different voltage;   a set of terminals being electrically coupled to the voltage converter to provide the second, different voltage at external electrodes of the battery; and   a bypass circuit coupled between one of the terminals of the set of terminals and the at least one electrochemical cell to direct charging current applied from an external source to the at least one electrochemical cell.   
     
     
         2 . The battery of  claim 1  wherein the bypass circuit is configured to direct substantially all the applied charging current to the electrodes. 
     
     
         3 . The battery of  claim 1  wherein the bypass circuit includes a diode connected to at least one of the set of terminals, the diode being further connected to at least one of the electrodes. 
     
     
         4 . The battery of  claim 3  wherein the diode is one of: a zener diode and a Schottky diode. 
     
     
         5 . The battery of  claim 1  wherein the voltage converter module includes an integrated circuit configured to become disabled when the charging current is applied to the set of terminals. 
     
     
         6 . The battery of  claim 5 , further comprising a mechanism configured to generate a signal to cause the integrated circuit to become disabled. 
     
     
         7 . The battery of  claim 1  wherein the at least one electrochemical cell is configured to be charged to a charge level of at least 90% capacity of the at least one electrochemical cell in fifteen minutes or less. 
     
     
         8 . The battery of  claim 1  wherein the at least one electrochemical cell includes a lithium-iron-phosphate cell. 
     
     
         9 . The battery of  claim 1  wherein the voltage converter module comprises:
 an electronic switching device; and 
 a controller electrically coupled to the electronic switching device, the controller configured to control the electronic switching device to cause one of: a voltage step-down conversion operation and a voltage step-up conversion operation. 
 
     
     
         10 . A battery comprising:
 at least one electrochemical cell having an anode and a cathode;   a voltage converter module electrically coupled to the at least one electrochemical cell and configured to convert a first voltage produced by the at least one electrochemical cell between the anode and cathode into a second, different voltage;   a battery case that houses the at least one electrochemical cell and the voltage converter;   a first set of terminals to electrically coupled inputs of the voltage converter to the anode and cathode of the electrochemical cell;   a second, different set of terminals to couple outputs of the voltage converter to external terminals of the battery; and   a bypass circuit coupled between one of the terminals of the set of terminals and the at least one electrochemical cell to direct charging current applied from an external source to the at least one electrochemical cell.   
     
     
         11 . The battery of  claim 10  wherein the bypass circuit is configured to direct substantially all the applied charging current to the at least one electrochemical cell. 
     
     
         12 . The battery of  claim 10  wherein the bypass circuit includes a diode connected to at least one of the set of terminals. 
     
     
         13 . The battery of  claim 12  wherein the diode is one of: a zener diode and a Schottky diode. 
     
     
         14 . The battery of  claim 10  wherein the voltage converter module includes an integrated circuit configured to become disabled when the charging current is applied to the set of terminals. 
     
     
         15 . The battery of  claim 14 , further comprising a mechanism configured to generate a signal to cause the integrated circuit to become disabled. 
     
     
         16 . The battery of  claim 10  wherein the at least one electrochemical cell is configured to be charged to a charge level of at least 90% capacity of the at least one electrochemical cell in fifteen minutes or less. 
     
     
         17 . The battery of  claim 10  wherein the at least one electrochemical cell includes a lithium-iron-phosphate cell. 
     
     
         18 . The battery of  claim 10  wherein the voltage converter module comprises:
 an electronic switching device; and 
 a controller electrically coupled to the electronic switching device, the controller configured to control the electronic switching device to cause one of: a voltage step-down conversion operation and a voltage step-up conversion operation. 
 
     
     
         19 . A method for charging a rechargeable battery having a battery case that houses at least one electrochemical cell, a voltage converter module electrically coupled to the at least one electrochemical cell and configured to convert a first voltage produced by the at least one electrochemical cell into a second, different voltage, and a set of terminals to which the second voltage is provided, the method comprising:
 applying from an external source a charging current through the set of terminals;   directing the applied charging current through a bypass circuit to electrodes coupled to the at least one electrochemical cell such that the charging current bypasses the voltage converter module; and   charging the at least one electrochemical cell with the charging current.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein directing the charging current through the bypass circuit to the electrodes includes directing substantially all the applied charging current to the electrodes.