Battery pack

• US 10,027,140 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2017
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cunanan, Regina G. C., Delose, Frank J., Gorti, Bhanuprasad V., Howard, Geoffrey S., Iqbal, Aziz, Velderman, Matthew J., White, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US15/424,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20170149258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 320112
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/00 Details or components of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operations performed and not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/02 Construction of casings, bodies or handles B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/021 with guiding devices guiding devices for hand tools on stands or supports B25H1/0078
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3646 for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/374 with means for correcting the measurement for temperature or ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3835 involving only voltage measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/385 Arrangements for measuring battery or accumulator variables for monitoring G01R31/382
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2009/065 Battery operated hand tools in which the battery and the switch are directly connected
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/061 enclosing a continuously variable impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/448 End of discharge regulating measures
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/569 Constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements G01R31/364
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7005 Guiding, mounting, polarizing or locking means; Extractors for printed circuit boards H05K
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/112 forked sockets having two legs
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00041 in response to measured battery parameters, e.g. voltage, current or temperature profile
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0019 : using switched or multiplexed charge circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0025 : Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 : with safety or protection devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 : Overdischarge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 : using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 : concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 : Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 : with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00714 : in response to battery charging or discharging current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 : in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 3/08 : for stopping or slowing a dc motor
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 31/00 : Arrangements for regulating or controlling electric motors not provided for in groups H02P1/00 - H02P5/00, H02P7/00 or H02P21/00 - H02P29/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 7/285 : controlling armature supply only
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 7/29 : using pulse modulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A method is provided for identifying a battery pack that is operably coupled to a battery charger. The method comprises: measuring voltage at a plurality of designated terminals of a first battery pack while the battery pack is coupled to the battery charger; determining how many of the designated terminals are connected to a reference voltage, such as battery positive; and identifying an attribute of the battery pack based on how many of the designated terminals are connected to the reference voltage.

Claims

1. A battery pack configured to operably couple via a plurality of electrical terminals to a battery charger, the plurality of electrical terminals including a positive voltage terminal and a negative voltage terminal, the battery pack comprising:

a plurality of designated terminals configured to operably couple to the battery charger, such that the plurality of designated terminals exclude the positive voltage terminal and the negative voltage terminal and wherein a number of the designated terminals are connected to a reference voltage and the number of designated terminals connected to the reference voltage determines an attribute of the battery pack.

2. The battery pack, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of battery cells connected in series between the positive voltage terminal and the negative voltage terminal such that at least one of the designated terminals is connected to a node disposed between two of the plurality of battery cells.

3. The battery pack, as recited in claim 1, wherein a given terminal of the designated terminals has a specific location and wherein the specific location of the given terminal amongst the designated terminals determines an attribute of the battery pack.

4. The battery pack, as recited in claim 3, further comprising a plurality of battery cells connected in series between the positive voltage terminal and the negative voltage terminal and wherein the given terminal is coupled to a node disposed between a first battery cell of the plurality of battery cells and a remainder of the battery cells of the plurality of battery cells and wherein the first battery cell is coupled between the node and the negative battery terminal.

5. The battery pack, as recited in claim 1, wherein the positive voltage terminal provides the reference voltage.

6. The battery pack, as recited in claim 1, wherein the attribute is a nominal voltage rating of the battery pack.

7. The battery pack, as recited in claim 1, wherein the attribute is a configuration of a plurality of battery cells in the battery pack.

8. A battery pack configured to operably couple to a battery charger, the battery pack having a positive voltage terminal and a negative voltage terminal, the battery pack comprising:

a plurality of designated terminals configured to operably couple to the battery charger, such that the plurality of designated terminals exclude the positive voltage terminal and the negative voltage terminal and wherein a given terminal of the designated terminals has a specific location and wherein the specific location of the given terminal amongst the designated terminals determines an attribute of the battery pack.

9. The battery pack, as recited in claim 8, further comprising a plurality of battery cells and wherein the given terminal is coupled to a node disposed between a first battery cell of the plurality of battery cells and a remainder of the battery cells of the plurality of battery cells and wherein the first battery cell is coupled between the node and the negative battery terminal.

10. The battery pack, as recited in claim 8, wherein a number of the designated terminals are connected to a reference voltage and the number of designated terminals connected to the reference voltage determines an attribute of the battery pack.

11. The battery pack, as recited in claim 10, wherein the positive voltage terminal provides the reference voltage.

12. The battery pack, as recited in claim 8, wherein the attribute is a nominal voltage rating of the battery pack.

13. The battery pack, as recited in claim 8, wherein the attribute is a configuration of a plurality of battery cells in the battery pack.

14. The battery pack, as recited in claim 8, further comprising a plurality of battery cells and wherein the given terminal is coupled to a positive node of a most negative battery cell of the plurality of battery cells.