Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging – Battery or cell discharging – With charging
Reexamination Certificate
2003-01-14
2004-12-21
Tso, Edward H. (Department: 2838)
Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging
Battery or cell discharging
With charging
Reexamination Certificate
active
06833685
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to battery chargers and more particularly to battery chargers with standby mode.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The battery packs for portable power tools, outdoor tools and certain kitchen and domestic appliances may include rechargeable batteries, such as lithium, nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride and lead-acid batteries, so that they can be recharged rather than be replaced. Thereby a substantial cost saving is achieved.
A typical battery pack and charger are shown in FIG.
1
. In such figure, a battery pack
10
is connected to a charger
20
. Battery pack
10
may comprise a plurality of battery cells
11
connected in series and/or parallel, which dictate the voltage and storage capacity for battery pack
10
. Battery pack
10
may include three battery contacts: first battery contact
12
, second battery contact
13
, and third battery contact
14
. Battery contact
12
is the B+ (positive) terminal for battery pack
10
. Battery contact
14
is the B− or negative/common terminal. Battery contact
13
is the S or sensing terminal. Battery contacts
12
and
14
receive the charging current sent from the charger
20
(preferably from current source
22
, as discussed below) for charging the battery pack
10
.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, the battery cells
11
are connected between the battery contacts
12
and
14
. In addition, preferably connected between battery contacts
13
and
14
is a temperature sensing device
15
, such as a negative temperature co-efficient (NTC) resistor, or thermistor, RT. The temperature sensing device is preferably in closer proximity to the cells
11
for monitoring of the battery temperature. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that other components, such as capacitors, etc., or circuits can be used to provide a signal representative of the battery temperature.
Battery pack
10
may also comprise an identifier as known in the prior art, so that charger
20
can identify the type and capacity of the battery pack, and charge accordingly.
The charger
20
preferably comprises a controller
21
, which in turn includes positive terminal (B+)
16
and negative (B−) terminal
17
, which are coupled to battery pack
10
via battery contacts
12
and
14
, respectively. The positive terminal may also act as an input, preferably an analog/digital input, in order for the controller
21
to detect the battery pack voltage. In addition, the controller
21
may include another input TC, preferably an analog/digital input, which is coupled to the temperature sensing device
15
via the third battery contact
13
(S). This allows the controller
21
to monitor the battery temperature. Controller
21
may include a microprocessor
23
for controlling the charging and monitoring operations. Controller
21
may control a charging power source for providing power to the battery pack
10
, such as current source
22
that provides current to battery pack
10
. This current may be a fast charging current and/or an equalization current. Current source
22
may be integrated within controller
21
.
The charger
20
, and its elements within, including controller
21
, microprocessor
23
, and current source
22
, receive the necessary power from a power supply
24
, which may be connected to a vehicle battery, a generator, or an AC outlet. Power supply
24
may convert the power received from the vehicle battery, the generator, or the AC outlet to the necessary power requirements of the different elements, as is well known in the art.
When the battery pack
10
is not connected to the charger
20
, the typical charger
20
consumes energy, as full power is still provided to the elements the charger
20
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, an improved battery pack charger is employed. The charger includes a controller, a battery power source connected to the controller, at least one terminal connected to at least one of the controller and the battery power source, a power supply connectable to an outside power source, the power supply providing power to at least one of the controller and the battery power source, and a switch connected between the outside power supply and the power supply, the switch being activated when a battery pack is connected to the at least one terminal.
The charger includes a controller, a battery power source connected to the controller, at least one terminal connected to at least one of the controller and the battery power source, a power supply connectable to an outside power source, the power supply providing power to at least one of the controller and the battery power source, and a switch connected between the power supply and at least one of the controller and the battery power source, the switch being activated when a battery pack is connected to the at least one terminal.
Additional features and benefits of the present invention are described, and will be apparent from, the accompanying drawings and the detailed description below.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4672228 (1987-06-01), Swoboda
patent: 5952814 (1999-09-01), Van Lerberghe
patent: 6356054 (2002-03-01), Herrmann
Cruise Nathan J.
Garland Thomas J.
Harrison Edward A.
Held Christopher R.
Howard Geoffrey S.
Ayala Adan
Black & Decker Inc.
Tso Edward H.
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