Battery Pack Chargers and Charging Methods
A method of charging a battery pack is provided. The method includes: providing a charger comprising a battery interface, a set of terminals, and a power supply circuit for providing a charging current scheme; providing a set of battery packs, each battery of the set of battery packs comprising a charger interface having a physical configuration to mate with the battery interface and a set of terminals having a physical configuration to mate with the set of charger terminals; and providing a charging scheme defined by a relationship between the set of battery terminals and the set of charger terminals.
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This continuing application derives priority to U.S. non-provisional patent application Ser. No. 12/213,060 filed Jun. 13, 2008, which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/945,187, titled “Battery Pack Charger” filed Jun. 20, 2007 and 60/949,603, titled “Battery Pack Chargers and Charging Methods” filed Jul. 13, 2007 the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND1. Field
Example embodiments relate in general to charging devices and methods for charging and/or recharging battery packs, for example, power tool battery packs having a variety of chemistries and plug configurations.
2. Description of Related Art
Portable power tools may rely on battery packs to supply power when used in remote or otherwise inaccessible areas. Battery packs for power tools may have a compact design to decrease overall tool size and bulk and may have higher energy storage capacity to facilitate longer remote tool use/discharge times. To achieve higher power, energy storage, and recharging capacity with minimum size and weight, conventional battery packs may include Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), Nickel-hydroxide/Cadmium (NiCad), and Nickel/Metal hydride (NiMH) chemistries. Battery packs may include a variety of other unique physical characteristics and shapes based upon their intended use.
Similarly, conventional battery pack chargers exist to recharge specific types of batteries with varying configurations based on the battery-based application. Conventional battery pack chargers are generally configured to be compatible with specific conventional battery packs, which, as stated above, have varying physical characteristics based upon their application. Conventional battery pack chargers may charge only battery packs with specific physical shape, chemistry, adaptor configuration, electronics, and/or other battery pack characteristics. Conventional battery pack chargers may not charge or may improperly charge battery packs not meeting the specific criteria required for the individual charger.
Accordingly, conventional battery pack chargers typically have features matching a specific battery pack to be charged and are incompatible with batteries not having these specific characteristics, in order to both reduce cost and complexity. The chargers may include only components capable of charging a specific battery pack; for example, chargers may be capable of providing a single electrical current type corresponding to the single type of battery intended to be used in the charger. Further, conventional battery packs may properly interact with only a single type of battery; for example, chargers may be capable of determining charge/recharge completion in only a single predetermined type of battery.
Because conventional battery pack chargers are designed to charge a single type of battery, undesirable results may occur if inappropriate battery types are electrically connected to conventional chargers. Thus conventional battery pack chargers often include mechanisms to determine if the connected battery is an appropriate type. If the battery pack does not have the specific set of appropriate characteristics, conventional battery chargers may not charge or otherwise interact with the inappropriate battery.
Similar lockout mechanism for incompatible chargers and batteries may be used with power tools, where multiple batteries are used with multiple remote tools; however, it may also be difficult to match multiple batteries having an exact set of appropriate characteristics with the proper conventional battery pack chargers.
SUMMARYExample embodiments may include battery pack chargers and methods capable of charging battery packs with varying physical characteristics and chemistries, including Li-Ion batteries with higher charge/weight ratios. Example battery pack chargers may include mechanisms for determining the characteristics of a battery pack to be charged and charging the battery pack based on those characteristics. Example battery pack type determination mechanisms include an electrical-characteristic sensor, specific terminal engagement, and/or battery-charger mating components.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a battery charger is provided. The charger may include: a first terminal for connecting to a battery pack; a second terminal for connecting to a battery pack; a microprocessor operatively connected to the terminals and configured to receive a signal from at least one terminal regarding a battery pack connected to the terminal and control the charger to select and apply a charging scheme to the battery pack according to the signal.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a method of charging a battery is provided. The method may include: applying a toggle signal to charging terminals; monitoring a terminal voltage at the maximum and minimum of the toggle signal; determining a difference in the terminal voltage at the maximum and minimum of the toggle signal; comparing the difference in terminal voltage to a predetermined threshold, if the difference in terminal voltage is below the predetermined threshold, then; detecting a type of battery pack connected to the terminals; and applying a charging scheme according to the type of battery pack detected.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention, a method of charging a battery is provided. The method may include: electronically connecting a battery pack to a charger; detecting information regarding the battery pack; determining an appropriate charging scheme based on the detected information; and applying the charging scheme to the battery pack.
Example battery packs chargers may also include features to prevent damage and wear when charging multiple types of battery packs. Example damage-reducing features include voltage decay sensors for determining battery presence.
The above and other features of example embodiments including various and novel details of construction and combinations of parts will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will be understood that the details of the example embodiments are shown by way of illustration only and not as limitations of the example embodiments. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in varied and numerous embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
The following description presents example embodiments and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, in application or use. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.
As shown in
Multiple types and generations of battery packs 2 may be present at a single location where portable power tools are being used and charged, and multiple chargers 3 may exist for charging the individual battery packs 2. Example embodiments described below include features that allow multiple battery types and generations to be charged with a single charger.
I. Example Embodiments Depicted in
As shown in
One way for example chargers to determine the proper charging scheme for the battery inserted in the charger is to provide different charging paths for different types of batteries. Batteries with different chemistries, for example, Li-Ion batteries and Ni/MH batteries, may have different body shape and/or terminal configuration. An example charger 200 may thus provide different terminals that match only a particular battery type and provide a charging scheme matching that type.
As shown in
In particular, the terminals themselves may also be configured for particular battery types. Further, terminals 120 of the example battery 100 may be substantially different than terminals of other battery types requiring different charging schemes. Thus, example batteries can be screened by using a terminal combination that establishes an electrical connection with an appropriate battery.
While a tulip-style terminal arrangement is shown in the example embodiments, other types of terminal configurations may be used that are consistent with the invention.
As shown in
As shown in
By these different terminals 210 and 220 in the same example charger, different charging schemes may be provided to different types of batteries, based on which terminals the battery contacts. Thus batteries, even having a substantially similar overall shape, with different terminal configurations may be charged differently in the same example charger 200, based on the terminal shape and configuration.
For example, a Li-Ion battery may have shorter terminals than a Ni-Cad battery and an additional post terminal, but the two batteries may have substantially similar shape and be useable in the same tool. Example chargers may thus engage the Ni-Cad battery through a first set of terminals and determine charge completion based on typical Ni-Cad voltage variations at charge completion. A Li-Ion battery may be inserted in the same charger yet engage a different set of terminals and be charged in a different manner. Thus, Li-Ion batteries, with charging requirements vastly different than Ni-Cad batteries, may be successfully charged in the same example charger without damaging the battery.
II. Example Embodiments Depicted in
Other example chargers may include co-located terminals that provide alternate charging paths based on battery terminal length alone, without relying on additional or alternately-located terminals.
As shown in
Because co-located positive terminals 311 and 312 engage, in combination, different types of tool terminals, terminals 311 and 312 may provide different charging schemes and thus differently charge tools depending on terminal length. For example, if a tool having terminals 123′ and 121′ as shown in
Longer and shorter co-located terminals 311 and 312 may provide different charging schemes, and thus, different types of charge may be delivered to tools based on their terminal length. As previously stated, charging schemes may include voltage characteristics, maximum current, charging time, resistance detection, charge completion detection, and/or any other charging characteristics of individual battery packs. If both terminals 311 and 312 are engaged by a long battery terminal (such as 121′ in
For example, only long positive terminal 311 may engage Li-Ion batteries, because these types of batteries have shorter terminals than NiCad or NiMH batteries. When only the long positive terminal 311 is engaged, that terminal provides electric current, voltage, and other charge characteristics required by only Li-Ion batteries. Short terminal 312 may be engaged only to NiCad or NiMH batteries. Thus, if both terminals 311 and 312 are engaged, they provide, together or individually, charge characteristics required by only NiCad or NiMH battery packs.
Several variations of the above example configurations are possible while still achieving the same structural discrimination in example chargers. For example, any number of alternate terminal locations may be used to uniquely engage and charge any number of batteries, each having a distinct charging requirement and terminal configuration. Or, for example, some terminals may be shared among all battery types, with non-shared terminals determining charge scheme. For example, a common negative power terminal may be in example chargers and accessible to all connected batteries, while different positive terminals with alternate charging schemes may be accessible only to particular batteries matching the positive terminal's charging characteristics.
Similarly, any number of known variations may be used to achieve alternate terminal engagement between different types of batteries. For example, an example charger may have different shaped openings or blocking parts that enable one type of battery to engage one set of terminals but prevent other types of batteries with other shapes from engaging the same terminals. Further, any number of known terminal shapes and charging schemes may be used to successfully electrically connect example chargers to example batteries.
III. Example Embodiment Depicted in
A second example charger mechanism for determining battery pack configuration and applying a matching charging scheme may include determining electrical properties of an inserted battery by measuring electrical properties of the inserted battery. These example structures may be useable with a universal terminal engaged by all battery types, or with alternate terminals disclosed in previous example embodiments.
Example batteries may include a non-charging terminal that provides battery information that may be read by example chargers. For example, terminal 122 in
As shown in
Through the example circuitry described in
Although example embodiments in
IV. Example Embodiment Depicted in
Example embodiments may further provide circuitry and charging methods for preventing damage to example battery chargers having low or no open circuit voltage. Example chargers may have no open circuit voltage; that is, the voltage potential when no battery pack is inserted is near zero between the charging terminals. As shown in
As also shown in
In order to prevent stressing components of example chargers, example chargers may include a further voltage detection mechanism, such as a microprocessor or voltage microcontroller, that senses voltage decrease instead of voltage at VOC. Charging may be terminated by the microcontroller when voltage first starts to decrease, shortly after TW, instead of near Ti2, which may be much later than TW.
For example, if a battery pack is charging in an example charger and voltage across the charging terminals is VB, then example chargers may continue delivering charging power while the voltage remains at VB. When the battery pack is removed at TW, voltage immediately begins decaying, and example chargers sense this decay and terminate the charging power. Thus example chargers may cease delivering charging power well before terminal voltage reaches near zero and before battery components are damaged.
V. Example Embodiment Depicted in
As discussed above in earlier example embodiments, example chargers may have no open circuit voltage; that is, the voltage potential when no battery pack is inserted may be near zero between the charging terminals.
Some battery types may have near-zero terminal voltage after fully discharging. For example, a Ni-Cad battery may have a very low voltage across its terminals after completely discharging, or a Lithium Ion battery may have a very low voltage across its terminals if damaged or in an inoperative state. Because of low terminal voltage in both discharged battery packs and example chargers, battery presence and charge scheme determination may require another mechanism to determine low-voltage battery presence.
Example chargers may include circuitry and associated charging methods that determine battery presence even if an inserted battery pack has low or no terminal voltage.
As shown in
For example, as shown in
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Example chargers may then determine the voltage difference across the terminals at Tmax and Tmin in step S140. This difference may then be compared against a no-pack threshold in step S150. The no-pack threshold may be, for example, a threshold corresponding to the voltage difference across the terminals when only air or a different non-battery material is between the terminals while a voltage pulse is applied from the charger across the charger terminals. Such a threshold will generally be much higher compared to voltage measured when a conductor or battery is connected between the terminals, due to the differing resistance. The threshold may be compared through any method known in the art, including analog circuitry or digitally through a microprocessor in example batteries.
If the voltage difference determined in step S140 is above the no-pack threshold compared in step S150, the charger may determine that no battery is present in step S160 and continue to apply to toggle signal until a battery is detected. That is, steps S100, S120, S140, S150, and S160 may be repeated as long as the measured voltage is above the threshold, and thus, no battery is detected.
If the voltage difference is below the no-pack voltage threshold, then example chargers may determine that a battery pack is present. Example methods may then include proceeding with battery pack type detection in step S170. The battery pack type detection may be performed by any example embodiment previously discussed; that is, example embodiment charger structures for discriminating based on pack type may be used in step S170. For example, differing terminal placement, characteristic battery resistance, and/or Hall sensor presence may be determined in step 170. Based on these determinations, the battery pack may be charged or pre-charged in step S190 based on their type.
Additionally, the charger may display an error message based on the results of step 150 and step S170 in step S190. For example, if other battery type detection mechanisms determine that the battery is a Lithium-Ion battery, but there is initially no voltage across the Li-Ion terminals, the charger may display an error message because correctly functioning Li-Ion chemistries may not have zero-voltage states.
In addition to the previously described structures and methods for determining pack type, step S175 illustrates another method for determining pack type in a low-voltage situation. Once the charger has proceeded through step S150 to determine that a pack is present but in a low-voltage state, the example chargers may apply a longer charging current to the battery in step S175. This precharge may be of lesser duration and/or magnitude than a full charge for specific pack types, but may be sufficient to power electronics within an inserted battery. For example, example chargers may apply full charging current to the battery for about 4 seconds and then stop for 6 seconds while determining a response from the battery.
Batteries may include, for example, microchips communicatively connected to example chargers. Such microchips may not be able to communicate with example chargers while in a low-voltage situation, and the precharge in step S175 may power those microchips such that the charger may determine the type of battery based on characteristics of the microchip. By the step S175, example chargers may thus determine pack type and appropriate charging scheme in packs in a low-voltage state before actual charging commences.
Once the battery pack has been determined in steps S170 and/or S175, example chargers may apply an appropriate charge, precharge, or error message based on the results of the battery type detection and the voltage state of the battery. For example, some types of batteries may be capable of being charged normally while in a low-voltage state, while other batteries may have special precharging schemes applicable to a low voltage state. The example method shown in
Each of the aforementioned embodiments may be used alone and in combination for allowing battery packs having different charging characteristics and requirements to be charged using the same example charger.
Claims
1. A combination of a battery charger and a set of battery packs, comprising:
- a charger comprising a battery interface, a set of terminals, and a power supply circuit for providing a charging current scheme;
- a set of battery packs, each battery of the set of battery packs comprising a charger interface having a physical configuration to mate with the battery interface and a set of terminals having a physical configuration to mate with the set of charger terminals;
- wherein the power supply circuit provided charging scheme is defined by a relationship between the set of battery terminals and the set of charger terminals.
2. The combination, as recited in claim 1, wherein the charging scheme is defined by which of the battery terminals electrically mate with which of the charger terminals when the battery pack is physically mated with the charger.
3. The combination, as recited in claim 1, wherein the set of charger terminals has a predefined configuration and each set of battery terminals has a predetermined configuration and the charging scheme is defined by a number of battery terminals that electrically mate with the charger terminals.
4. The combination, as recited in claim 1, wherein the power supply circuit provides a first charging scheme when a first charging path is established between the battery charger and a first battery pack of the set of battery packs and a second charging scheme when a second charging path is established between the battery charger and a second battery pack of the set of battery packs.
5. The combination, as recited in claim 1, wherein the power supply circuit provides a first charging scheme for a first configuration of the set of battery terminals and a second charging scheme for a second configuration of the set of battery terminals.
6. The combination, as recited in claim 1, wherein the set of charger terminals comprises a first subset of charger terminals and a second subset of charger terminals and wherein the power supply circuit provides a first charging scheme when a first set of battery terminals electrically mates with the first subset of charger terminals and a second charging scheme when a second set of battery terminals electrically mates with the second subset of charger terminals.
7. The combination, as recited in claim 1, wherein a first battery pack has a first chemistry and a first set of battery terminals having a first configuration and a second battery pack has a second chemistry and a second set of battery terminals having a second configuration and wherein the first set of battery terminals electrically mates with a first subset of charger terminals when the first battery pack is physically mated to the charger and the second set of battery terminals electrically mates with a second subset of charger terminals when the second battery pack is physically mated to the charger.
8. The combination, as recited in claim 7, wherein the power supply circuit provides a charging scheme defined by which subset of charger terminals electrically mates with the set of battery terminals.
9. A method of charging a battery pack, comprising the steps of:
- providing a charger comprising a battery interface, a set of terminals, and a power supply circuit for providing a charging current scheme;
- providing a set of battery packs, each battery of the set of battery packs comprising a charger interface having a physical configuration to mate with the battery interface and a set of terminals having a physical configuration to mate with the set of charger terminals; and
- providing a charging scheme defined by a relationship between the set of battery terminals and the set of charger terminals.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the charging scheme is defined by which of the battery terminals electrically mate with which of the charger terminals when the battery pack is physically mated with the charger.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the set of charger terminals has a predefined configuration and each set of battery terminals has a predetermined configuration and the charging scheme is defined by a number of battery terminals that electrically mate with the charger terminals.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the power supply circuit provides a first charging scheme when a first charging path is established between the battery charger and a first battery pack of the set of battery packs and a second charging scheme when a second charging path is established between the battery charger and a second battery pack of the set of battery packs.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the power supply circuit provides a first charging scheme for a first configuration of the set of battery terminals and a second charging scheme for a second configuration of the set of battery terminals.
14. The method of claim 9, wherein the set of charger terminals comprises a first subset of charger terminals and a second subset of charger terminals and wherein the power supply circuit provides a first charging scheme when a first set of battery terminals electrically mates with the first subset of charger terminals and a second charging scheme when a second set of battery terminals electrically mates with the second subset of charger terminals.
15. The method of claim 9, wherein a first battery pack has a first chemistry and a first set of battery terminals having a first configuration and a second battery pack has a second chemistry and a second set of battery terminals having a second configuration and wherein the first set of battery terminals electrically mates with a first subset of charger terminals when the first battery pack is physically mated to the charger and the second set of battery terminals electrically mates with a second subset of charger terminals when the second battery pack is physically mated to the charger.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the power supply circuit provides a charging scheme defined by which subset of charger terminals electrically mates with the set of battery terminals.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 22, 2016
Publication Date: May 19, 2016
Applicant: Black & Decker Inc. (New Britain, CT)
Inventors: Nathan J. Cruise (Phoenix, MD), Rouse Roby Bailey, JR. (New Park, PA), Snehal S. Choksi (Owings Mills, MD), Regina C. Cunanan (Baltimore, MD), Geoffrey S. Howard (Columbia, MD), Alexis W. Johnson (Warren, PA), Andrew E. Seman (Pylesville, MD), Danh T. Trinh (Towson, MD), Daniel J. White (Baltimore, MD), Michelle L. Miller (Westminster, MD)
Application Number: 15/003,932