Battery charger and method of charging a battery

• US 10,283,817 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2016
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Barnett, Corey, Miller, David A., Dyer, Kelly E., Sergyeyenko, Oleksiy, Wenger, Kevin, Cruise, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Brian
• Application Number:
  US15/050,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20160248123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 320112, 320101, 320106, 320107, 320110, 320111, 320116, 320114, 320127, 320162
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/30 Fuel cells in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/107 having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/103, H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/202 Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/284 with incorporated circuit boards, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/519 comprising printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A battery pack including a battery cell assembly, the battery cell assembly having a battery cell with a first end and a second end. A circuit board is adjacent to the battery cell and extending from the first end to the second end. A first electrical connector is disposed at the first end and connects a first end of the circuit board to the first end of the battery cell. A second electrical connector is disposed at the second end and connects a second end of the circuit board to the second end of the battery cell. A third electrical connector is disposed at the first end of the circuit board, the third electrical connector can be electrically connected to a powered device so that power from the battery cell may be provided to the powered device through the third electrical connector. A housing houses the battery cell assembly.

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising:

a battery cell assembly, the battery cell assembly comprising;

a battery cell having a first end and a second end;

a circuit board adjacent to the battery cell and extending from the first end of the battery cell to the second end of the battery cell;

a first electrical connector disposed at the first end of the battery cell and connecting a first end of the circuit board to the first end of the battery cell;

a second electrical connector disposed at the second end of the battery cell and connecting a second end of the circuit board to the second end of the battery cell;

a third electrical connector disposed at the first end of the circuit board, the third electrical connector being configured to be electrically connected to a powered device so that power from the battery cell may be provided to the powered device through the third electrical connector; and

a housing which houses the battery cell assembly.

2. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the battery pack further comprises a fourth electrical connector disposed at the second end of the circuit board, the fourth electrical connector being configured to be connectable to a charging source so that a charge can be provided to the battery cell through the fourth electrical connector.

3. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the third electrical connector comprises a pair of adjacent electrical connectors which provide a positive and negative electrode.

4. The battery pack of claim 3, wherein the battery cell has one of a positive electrode and a negative electrode at the first end and the other of the positive electrode and the negative electrode at the second end.

5. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a first opening through which the third electrical connector is accessible and a second opening through which the fourth electrical connector is accessible.

6. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a first end portion adjacent to the first end of the battery cell and the first end of the circuit board.

7. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a circuit board side adjacent to the circuit board, the circuit board side of the housing having a rectangular shape and covering the circuit board.

8. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the circuit board has a width Y and the battery cell has a width D;

wherein the width Y is 120% or less of the width D.

9. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the housing has a primary width A;

and

wherein the primary width A is 130% or less of the width D and 130% or less of the width Y.

10. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the circuit board is flat.

11. The battery pack of claim 10, wherein the battery cell is cylindrical.

15. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a first opening through which the output electrical connector can be accessed and a second opening through which the input electrical connector can be accessed.

16. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the circuit board is flat and the battery cell is cylindrical.

12. A battery pack comprising:

a battery cell having a first end and a second end;

an input electrical connector disposed adjacent the first end, the input electrical connector being configured to be connectable to a charging source so that a charge can be provided to the battery cell through the input electrical connector so as to charge the battery cell;

an output electrical connector disposed at the second end and being configured to be electrically connected to a powered device so that power from the battery cell may be provided to a powered device through the output electrical connector; and

a housing which houses the battery cell;

wherein a width of the housing is 130% or less of a width of the battery cell.

13. The battery pack of claim 12, wherein the output electrical connector comprises a pair of adjacent electrical connectors which provide a positive and negative electrode.

14. The battery pack of claim 13, wherein the battery cell has one of a positive electrode and a negative electrode at the first end and the other of the positive electrode and the negative electrode at the second end.

17. A system comprising:

a battery pack;

at least one device selectively engaged with and powered by the battery pack;

wherein the battery pack comprises;

a battery cell assembly, the battery cell assembly comprising;

a battery cell having a first end and a second end;

a circuit board adjacent to the battery cell and extending from the first end to the second end;

a first electrical connector disposed at the first end and connecting a first end of the circuit board to the first end of the battery cell;

a second electrical connector disposed at the second end and connecting a second end of the circuit board to the second end of the battery cell;

a third electrical connector disposed at the first end of the circuit board, the third electrical connector being configured to be electrically connected to a powered device so that power from the battery cell may be provided to the powered device through the third electrical connector; and

a housing which houses the battery cell assembly.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the battery pack further comprises a fourth electrical connector disposed at the second end of the circuit board, the fourth electrical connector being configured to be connectable to a charging source so that a charge can be provided to the battery cell through the fourth electrical connector.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the housing comprises a first end portion adjacent to the first end of the battery cell and the first end of the circuit board and;

wherein the first end portion is configured to be inserted into the at least one device.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one device comprises at least three devices.