Portable battery pack charging system, method for recharging a battery pack, and adapter therefor

• US 10,396,573 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2017
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Makita Corporation
• Original Assignee: Makita Corporation
• Inventors: Furui, Nobuyasu, Suzuki, Hitoshi, Fukumoto, Masaaki, Umemura, Takuya, Ito, Kosuke, Sengiku, Hitoshi, Yoshikawa, Shuji, Nagahama, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US15/689,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20180076639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 320112
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 3/00 Associations of tools for different working operations with one portable power-drive means; Adapters therefor
• 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: G05B 13/024 in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method for recharging a battery pack (40; 40′) includes attaching a portable charger (120) to a user, which portable charger comprises or is attached to a self-contained power supply (130, 140) and wherein a first charging port (132, 146) of the portable charger is disposed, e.g., on a belt (144) worn by the user, hanging the battery pack on the belt while the battery pack is physically engaged and in electrical communication with a power tool (10; 10′), and initiating a transfer of power from the charger to the battery pack when the first charging port is at least proximal to a second charging port (85, 148) that is in electrical communication with at least one battery cell (50) of the battery pack. A portable charging system capable of performing this method, as well as an adapter for use in performing this method, are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An adapter for a power tool powered by a detachable battery pack, comprising:

an adapter housing,

a power tool interface disposed on the adapter housing and configured to be detachably attached to the power tool;

a battery pack interface disposed on the adapter housing and configured to be detachably attached to the battery pack while the power tool interface is attached to the power tool;

a power line disposed within the adapter housing and configured to electrically connect a current generated by the battery pack at the battery pack interface to the power tool interface when the adapter is attached to both the power tool and the battery pack;

an adapter controller disposed within the adapter housing and configured to communicate with a power tool controller of the power tool, a battery pack controller of the battery pack or both the power tool controller and the battery pack controller; and

a communicator disposed within the adapter housing and configured to receive and/or transmit data, wirelessly or via a wired connection, between the adapter controller and an external device.

2. The adapter according to claim 1, further comprising a first communication port disposed on the power tool interface,

wherein, when the power tool interface is attached to the power tool, the first communication port is electrically connected with the power tool controller such that the adapter controller is in communication with the power tool controller via the first communication port.

3. The adapter according to claim 1, further comprising a second communication port disposed on the battery pack interface,

wherein, when the battery pack interface is attached to the battery pack, the second communication port is electrically connected with the battery pack controller such that the adapter controller is in communication with the battery pack controller via the second communication port.

4. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the adapter controller is configured to communicate with both the power tool controller and the battery pack controller.

5. The adapter according to claim 4, further comprising a first communication port disposed on the power tool interface and a second communication port disposed on the battery pack interface,

wherein, when the power tool interface is attached to the power tool, the first communication port is electrically connected with the power tool controller such that the adapter controller is in communication with the power tool controller via the first communication port, and

wherein, when the battery pack interface is attached to the battery pack, the second communication port is electrically connected with the battery pack controller such that the adapter controller is in communication with the battery pack controller via the second communication port.

6. The adapter according to claim 1, further comprising a display configured to visually provide information to a user.

7. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the adapter controller is configured to transmit data obtained from the at least one of the power tool controller and the battery pack controller to the external device.

8. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the adapter controller is configured to transmit data obtained from the external device to the at least one of the power tool controller and the battery pack controller.

9. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the communicator comprises a wireless communication device configured to enable the adapter controller to wirelessly communicate with the external device.

10. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured to receive instructions concerning one or more changed operating parameters from the external device.

11. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured to store maintenance information concerning the power tool and/or the battery pack and to transmit the maintenance information to the external device.

12. The adapter according to claim 11, wherein the maintenance information is one or more of:

(i) a date of a last maintenance check/inspection,

(ii) a result of the last maintenance check/inspection,

(iii) an accumulated or total usage (operation) time of the power tool and/or the battery pack,

(iv) an available charge or charge status (remaining battery capacity) of the battery pack,

(v) a number of charging cycles experienced by the battery pack,

(vi) a condition of one or more battery cells in the battery pack, as calculated from an internal impedance measurement of the battery cell(s),

(vii) an expected remaining service life of one or more replaceable parts in the power tool and/or the battery pack,

(viii) a maintenance schedule for the power tool and/or the adapter and/or the battery pack,

(ix) a usage history of the power tool and/or the adapter and/or the battery pack,

(x) a name of an administrator or responsible person for the tool,

(xi) a serial number of the battery pack and/or the power tool,

(xii) a voltage of one or more of the battery cells,

(xiii) a discharge current of one or more of the battery cells,

(xiv) a temperature of one or more of the battery cells,

(xv) a number of times that the battery pack and/or the power tool has been switched ON and/or OFF, and

(xvi) an amount of charging or discharging that has occurred within a predetermined time period.

13. The adapter according to claim 12, wherein the adapter is configured to enable the external device to access the maintenance information stored in the adapter.

14. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the data is selected from the group consisting of:

a) a control program for the power tool and/or the battery pack,

b) management information for the power tool and/or the battery pack,

c) information indicative of the status of the battery pack and/or power tool,

d) a value relating to an operational parameter of the battery pack and/or the power tool, and

e) maintenance information.

15. A power tool system comprising:

a hand-held power tool comprising a housing having a battery pack interface, a motor disposed within the housing and a trigger switch protruding from the housing and configured to electrically connect the battery pack interface to the motor when manipulated,

a battery pack comprising a housing, at least one battery cell disposed in the housing and a power tool interface disposed on a surface of the housing and electrically connected to the at least one battery cell; and

the adapter according to claim 1, wherein the power tool interface of the adapter is physically and electrically connected to the battery pack interface of the power tool and the battery pack interface of the adapter is physically and electrically connected to power tool interface of the battery pack.

16. A method for operating a power tool system comprising:

attaching the adapter according to claim 1 to a hand-held power tool comprising a housing having a battery pack interface, a motor disposed within the housing and a trigger switch protruding from the housing and configured to electrically connect the battery pack interface to the motor when manipulated, such that the power tool interface of the adapter is physically and electrically connected to the battery pack interface of the power tool,

attaching the adapter according to claim 1 to a battery pack comprising a housing, at least one battery cell disposed in the housing and a power tool interface disposed on a surface of the housing and electrically connected to the at least one battery cell, such that the battery pack interface of the adapter is physically and electrically connected to power tool interface of the battery pack; and

communicating data from the adapter to an external device.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the external device is a smart phone, a tablet computer, a personal computer or a server.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising transmitting an operating parameter from the external device to the adapter and storing the operating parameter in a controller of the power tool or in a controller of the battery pack.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising transmitting maintenance information concerning the power tool and/or the battery pack to the external device.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the maintenance information is one or more of:

(i) a date of a last maintenance check/inspection,

(ii) a result of the last maintenance check/inspection,

(iii) an accumulated or total usage (operation) time of the power tool and/or the battery pack,

(iv) an available charge or charge status (remaining battery capacity) of the battery pack,

(v) a number of charging cycles experienced by the battery pack,

(vi) a condition of one or more battery cells in the battery pack, as calculated from an internal impedance measurement of the battery cell(s),

(vii) an expected remaining service life of one or more replaceable parts in the power tool and/or the battery pack,

(viii) a maintenance schedule for the power tool and/or the adapter and/or the battery pack,

(ix) a usage history of the power tool and/or the adapter and/or the battery pack,

(x) a name of an administrator or responsible person for the tool,

(xi) a serial number of the battery pack and/or the power tool,

(xii) a voltage of one or more of the battery cells,

(xiii) a discharge current of one or more of the battery cells,

(xiv) a temperature of one or more of the battery cells,

(xv) a number of times that the battery pack and/or the power tool has been switched ON and/or OFF, and

(xvi) an amount of charging or discharging that has occurred within a predetermined time period.