Patents by Inventor Tadahiko Kobayakawa

Tadahiko Kobayakawa has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240106012
    Abstract: A battery pack in one aspect of the present disclosure includes a battery and a controller provided with a counter value. During discharge of the battery pack, the controller calculates an addition value in accordance with a total number of use of the battery pack under a specified condition. The controller updates the counter value by adding the addition value. The controller prohibits the discharge of the battery pack in response to the counter value reaching a protection threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiko KOBAYAKAWA, Hiroki UESUGI, Hayato KANO
  • Patent number: 11925307
    Abstract: A rechargeable cleaner includes a body, a rechargeable battery, a charger, and a body controller. The body is configured to generate suction power capable of sucking dust together with air using a motor. The rechargeable battery is configured to supply electric power to the motor. The charger is configured to charge the battery. The body controller is disposed in the body. The body controller controls at least one of a charging current and a charging voltage based on cell voltage information indicating a cell voltage, cell temperature information indicating a cell temperature, and battery identification information for identifying the battery that are acquired from the battery, and based on charger identification information for identifying the charger acquired from the charger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryuji Mitsui, Tadahiko Kobayakawa, Takuya Umemura, Toru Yamada, Mamoru Sakai
  • Patent number: 11876190
    Abstract: A battery pack in one aspect of the present disclosure includes a battery and a controller provided with a counter value. During discharge of the battery pack, the controller calculates an addition value in accordance with a total number of use of the battery pack under a specified condition. The controller updates the counter value by adding the addition value. The controller prohibits the discharge of the battery pack in response to the counter value reaching a protection threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiko Kobayakawa, Hiroki Uesugi, Hayato Kano
  • Publication number: 20230318314
    Abstract: A system in one aspect of the present disclosure includes a battery pack and an electric work machine. The battery pack includes a battery, a first interface, a first memory and a first controller. The first controller is configured to transmit battery data identifying a type of the battery pack. The electric work machine includes a motor, a second interface, a switching element, a manual switch, a second memory and a second controller. The second controller is configured to transmit electric apparatus data identifying a type of the electric work machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Applicant: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiko KOBAYAKAWA, Hayato KANO, Yoshitaka ICHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20220115892
    Abstract: An electric work machine (1), such as a power tool, comprises a motor (50), a manipulatable part (12) such as a trigger switch, and a control part (36). The motor is energized with electric current supplied by a battery pack (22). By manipulating the manipulatable part, the control part energizes the motor. The control part also acquires information concerning the state of the battery from the battery pack, and, if appropriate based on the information obtained from the battery pack, takes measures (such as limiting a discharge current) to restrain, delay and possibly avert the performance of a protection (discharge-prohibited) operation by the battery pack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Yoshitaka ICHIKAWA, Tadahiko KOBAYAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20210274990
    Abstract: A rechargeable cleaner includes a body, a rechargeable battery, and a charger. The body is configured to generate suction power capable of sucking dust together with air using a motor. The rechargeable battery is configured to supply electric power to the motor. The charger is configured to charge the battery at a charging rate of 3 C or higher and lower than 10 C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryuji MITSUI, Tadahiko KOBAYAKAWA, Takuya UMEMURA, Toru YAMADA, Mamoru SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20210228040
    Abstract: A rechargeable cleaner includes a body, a rechargeable battery, a charger, and a body controller. The body is configured to generate suction power capable of sucking dust together with air using a motor. The rechargeable battery is configured to supply electric power to the motor. The charger is configured to charge the battery. The body controller is disposed in the body. The body controller controls at least one of a charging current and a charging voltage based on cell voltage information indicating a cell voltage, cell temperature information indicating a cell temperature, and battery identification information for identifying the battery that are acquired from the battery, and based on charger identification information for identifying the charger acquired from the charger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryuji MITSUI, Tadahiko KOBAYAKAWA, Takuya UMEMURA, Toru YAMADA, Mamoru SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20210098832
    Abstract: A battery pack in one aspect of the present disclosure includes a battery and a controller provided with a counter value. During discharge of the battery pack, the controller calculates an addition value in accordance with a total number of use of the battery pack under a specified condition. The controller updates the counter value by adding the addition value. The controller prohibits the discharge of the battery pack in response to the counter value reaching a protection threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiko KOBAYAKAWA, Hiroki UESUGI, Hayato KANO
  • Patent number: 10855089
    Abstract: A charging control device includes a detector detecting a temperature of a battery; a controller causing the charger to stop charging the battery in response to the temperature of the battery falling outside a first range during the charging of the battery; an obtainer obtaining, from the charger, information that is capable of identifying a charging characteristic of the charger; a range setter setting the first range to be a temperature range that corresponds to the charging characteristic of the charger based on the information obtained in the obtainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiko Kobayakawa, Junichi Katayama
  • Patent number: 10418826
    Abstract: A battery device having a chargeable and dischargeable battery; a detection unit that detects a state of the battery; and a control unit. The control unit calculates a value of a maximum charging current that can be supplied to the battery during charging of the battery on the basis of the state of the battery detected by the detection unit, and notifies a result of such calculation to a charging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichi Katayama, Masafumi Noda, Tadahiko Kobayakawa
  • Publication number: 20190123569
    Abstract: A charging control device includes a detector detecting a temperature of a battery; a controller causing the charger to stop charging the battery in response to the temperature of the battery falling outside a first range during the charging of the battery; an obtainer obtaining, from the charger, information that is capable of identifying a charging characteristic of the charger; a range setter setting the first range to be a temperature range that corresponds to the charging characteristic of the charger based on the information obtained in the obtainer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiko KOBAYAKAWA, Junichi KATAYAMA
  • Patent number: 10222424
    Abstract: A charge control device of one example of the present invention comprises a temperature detection unit, a storage unit, and an upper limit setting unit. The storage unit stores a reference current characteristic and at least one of a first current characteristic and a second current characteristic as a charging current characteristic, and stores a reference voltage characteristic and at least one of a first voltage characteristic and a second voltage characteristic as a charging voltage characteristic. The upper limit setting unit selects a characteristic used to set upper limits of a charging current and a charging voltage to the battery from among a plurality of the charging current characteristics and a plurality of the charging voltage characteristics stored in the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Umemura, Tadahiko Kobayakawa, Hitoshi Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20180003773
    Abstract: A charge control device of one example of the present invention comprises a temperature detection unit, a storage unit, and an upper limit setting unit. The storage unit stores a reference current characteristic and at least one of a first current characteristic and a second current characteristic as a charging current characteristic, and stores a reference voltage characteristic and at least one of a first voltage characteristic and a second voltage characteristic as a charging voltage characteristic. The upper limit setting unit selects a characteristic used to set upper limits of a charging current and a charging voltage to the battery from among a plurality of the charging current characteristics and a plurality of the charging voltage characteristics stored in the storage unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Applicant: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya UMEMURA, Tadahiko KOBAYAKAWA, Hitoshi SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 9784795
    Abstract: A charge control device of one example of the present invention comprises a temperature detection unit, a storage unit, and an upper limit setting unit. The storage unit stores a reference current characteristic and at least one of a first current characteristic and a second current characteristic as a charging current characteristic, and stores a reference voltage characteristic and at least one of a first voltage characteristic and a second voltage characteristic as a charging voltage characteristic. The upper limit setting unit selects a characteristic used to set upper limits of a charging current and a charging voltage to the battery from among a plurality of the charging current characteristics and a plurality of the charging voltage characteristics stored in the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Umemura, Tadahiko Kobayakawa, Hitoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9778321
    Abstract: A charge control device includes a voltage detector that detects a voltage of a battery, a temperature detector that detects a battery temperature, a voltage setting unit that sets at least one of a charge completion voltage and an abnormality determination voltage to a high temperature time voltage that is lower than a normal voltage when the battery temperature detected by the temperature detector is or is above a high temperature determination threshold set in advance, and a charging current limiting unit that reduces a charging current a charger supplies to the battery when the battery temperature is in a temperature range between a set temperature that is lower by a predetermined temperature than the high temperature determination threshold and the high temperature determination threshold and the battery voltage detected by the voltage detector is in a voltage range between the normal voltage and the high temperature time voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Umemura, Tadahiko Kobayakawa, Hiroki Uesugi, Hiroshi Hanai
  • Publication number: 20170155254
    Abstract: A battery device of one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a chargeable and dischargeable battery; a detection unit that detects a state of the battery; and a control unit. The control unit calculates a value of a maximum charging current that can be supplied to the battery during charging of the battery on the basis of the state of the battery detected by the detection unit, and notifies a result of such calculation to a charging device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Applicant: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichi KATAYAMA, Masafumi NODA, Tadahiko KOBAYAKAWA
  • Patent number: 9356464
    Abstract: A battery pack includes: a connecting portion connected to a battery charger; a battery chargeable by the battery charger connected to the connecting portion; an environment temperature detecting element detecting an environment temperature around the battery; and a control circuit. The control circuit periodically detects the environment temperature via the environment temperature detecting element and controls the battery charger to suspend starting of charging the battery or to temporarily discontinue charging the battery when a variation of the environment temperature detected exceeds a predetermined range, when the battery charger is connected to the connecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Miki Tomiyasu, Tadahiko Kobayakawa, Hiroshi Hanai
  • Patent number: 9341681
    Abstract: An electrical device system having a battery pack, an electrical device, and a charging device, includes: a current detecting unit that detects a battery current flowing through the battery during a charge to or a discharge from the battery; a battery state detecting unit that detects at least one of a battery voltage and a temperature of a heat generating unit; and a determining unit that estimates an amount of change in at least one of the battery voltage and the temperature of the heat generating unit, based on the battery current, and calculates an amount of actual change in at least one of the battery voltage and the temperature of the heat generating unit, wherein the determining unit determines that the current detecting unit is abnormal, when the difference between the calculated amount of actual change and the estimated amount of change is a default value or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiko Kobayakawa, Hitoshi Suzuki, Masaaki Fukumoto
  • Publication number: 20150372512
    Abstract: A charge control device of one example of the present invention comprises a temperature detection unit, a storage unit, and an upper limit setting unit. The storage unit stores a reference current characteristic and at least one of a first current characteristic and a second current characteristic as a charging current characteristic, and stores a reference voltage characteristic and at least one of a first voltage characteristic and a second voltage characteristic as a charging voltage characteristic. The upper limit setting unit selects a characteristic used to set upper limits of a charging current and a charging voltage to the battery from among a plurality of the charging current characteristics and a plurality of the charging voltage characteristics stored in the storage unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Applicant: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya UMEMURA, Tadahiko KOBAYAKAWA, Hitoshi SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 9186787
    Abstract: An internal temperature estimation unit, which reads a detected temperature of a cell of a battery for an electric power tool to estimate an internal temperature of the battery based on the detected temperature, includes: an initial-value setting device which reads, when a discharge/charge of the battery is started, the detected temperature and sets the detected temperature as an initial value; and a temperature increase amount calculation device which calculates a temperature increase amount of the cell of the battery based on a latest value of the detected temperature and the initial value set by the initial-value setting device; the internal temperature estimation unit outputs the temperature increase amount as an estimated value representing the internal temperature of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masafumi Noda, Hisakazu Okabayashi, Tadahiko Kobayakawa