Battery charger

• US 20080061733A1
• Filed: 08/10/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Toya, Shoichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,633,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/103
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 Overdischarge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

High frequency power supplied to the primary coil from the high frequency power supply is transferred to the secondary coil by magnetic induction, and secondary coil AC is rectified to charge the battery pack housed in the portable electronic equipment. The battery charger is provided with internal batteries that are charged by input power and supply power to the high frequency power supply, and with a charging circuit to charge the internal batteries. The external case is provided with storage space between its top plate and bottom plate, and internal batteries, which are rectangular batteries, and a planar primary coil wound in a spiral shape are disposed in that storage space. The battery charger charges the internal batteries with input power, and when no power is input, internal battery power is converted to high frequency power and supplied to the primary coil to charge the battery pack.

Claims

1. A battery charger without electrical contacts comprising a primary coil magnetically coupled to a secondary coil housed in portable electronic equipment, a high frequency power supply that supplies high frequency power to the primary coil, and an external case that holds the primary coil and the high frequency power supply;

the high frequency power supply converts input power to high frequency power and supplies it to the primary coil, primary coil high frequency power is conveyed to the secondary coil by magnetic induction, and secondary coil AC is rectified to charge the battery pack contained in the portable electronic equipment;

the battery charger without electrical contacts is provided with internal batteries that are charged by input power and supply power to the high frequency power supply, and with a charging circuit that charges the internal batteries with input power;

the external case is formed as a flat panel of given thickness providing storage space for internal batteries between a top plate and a bottom plate, internal batteries housed in the external case storage space are rectangular batteries and these rectangular batteries are housed in the storage space with their two opposing flat surfaces oriented parallel to the top plate and bottom plate, and a planar primary coil wound in a spiral shape is disposed in the external case storage space or in the top plate;

wherein the internal batteries are charged by input power;

when no power is input, the high frequency power supply converts power supplied from the internal batteries to high frequency power and supplies it to the primary coil to charge the portable electronic equipment battery pack.

2. A battery charger without electrical contacts as recited in claim 1 wherein the internal batteries are lithium ion rechargeable batteries or lithium polymer batteries.

3. A battery charger without electrical contacts as recited in claim 2 wherein the internal batteries are rectangular batteries.

4. A battery charger without electrical contacts as recited in claim 1 wherein the high frequency power supply is provided with an electronic equipment detection circuit to detect when portable electronic equipment is set for charging.

5. A battery charger without electrical contacts as recited in claim 1 provided with a controller that detects an electronic equipment data signal induced in the primary coil to determine that portable electronic equipment is set for charging

6. A battery charger without electrical contacts as recited in claim 1 wherein the high frequency power supply contains a circuit to detect internal battery remaining capacity and supply DC power from the internal batteries to the high frequency power supply when remaining capacity is detected greater than a set capacity.

7. A battery charger without electrical contacts as recited in claim 1 wherein DC input terminals are provided in the external case, and the DC input terminals are connected to the high frequency power supply and charging circuit.

8. A battery charger without electrical contacts as recited in claim 7 wherein the DC input terminals are made up of AC adapter connection terminals and USB terminals, and the connection terminals and USB terminals are connected to the high frequency power supply and charging circuit.

9. A battery charger without electrical contacts as recited in claim 8 wherein the AC adapter connection terminals, USB terminals, and internal batteries are connected to the power supply circuit of the high frequency power supply via a series connected switch and diode.

10. A battery charger without electrical contacts as recited in claim 8 that detects when portable electronic equipment is set for charging, and when no DC power input from either the AC adapter connection terminals or USB terminals, to supply power from the internal batteries to the high frequency power supply.

11. A battery charger without electrical contacts as recited in claim 8 that detects when internal batteries are not fully charged, when portable electronic equipment is not set for charging, and when DC power is input from either the AC adapter connection terminals or USB terminals, to charge the internal batteries.

12. A battery charger without electrical contacts as recited in claim 7 wherein the DC input terminals are established on a sidewall of the external case.

13. A battery charger without electrical contacts as recited in claim 1 wherein the internal batteries, primary coil, high frequency power supply, and charging circuit are disposed in a single plane in the external case storage space.

14. A battery charger without electrical contacts as recited in claim 1 wherein a plurality of internal batteries are disposed in a single plane and held in the external case storage space.

15. A battery charger without electrical contacts as recited in claim 1 that has an overall thin, flat panel shape.

16. A battery charger without electrical contacts as recited in claim 14 wherein rectangular batteries, which are thinner than they are wide, are housed in the flat panel external case.

17. A battery charger without electrical contacts as recited in claim 1 that is provided with a display section to display internal battery remaining capacity.

18. A combination of battery charger without electrical contacts and portable electronic equipment wherein the battery pack housed in the portable electronic equipment is provided with a secondary coil, and a rectifying circuit that rectifies AC induced in the secondary coil;

and rectifying circuit output is input to the portable electronic equipment.

19. A combination of battery charger without electrical contacts and portable electronic equipment as recited in claim 18 wherein the battery pack housed in the portable electronic equipment contains a full charge detection circuit that detects full charge of the rechargeable battery, and the battery charger houses a charge termination circuit that detects a full charge signal issued from the full charge detection circuit and terminates charging.

20. A combination of battery charger without electrical contacts and portable electronic equipment as recited in claim 18 wherein the battery pack is provided with a rectangular battery having two opposing flat surfaces, and the secondary coil is disposed on a flat surface of the rectangular battery via an electromagnetic absorption layer.

21. A combination of battery charger without electrical contacts and portable electronic equipment as recited in claim 20 wherein the electromagnetic absorption layer is provided with a recessed region and the secondary coil is disposed in this recessed region.

22. A combination of battery charger without electrical contacts and portable electronic equipment as recited in claim 20 wherein the secondary coil is insertion molded in the electromagnetic absorption layer.

23. A combination of battery charger without electrical contacts and portable electronic equipment as recited in claim 20 wherein the secondary coil is sandwiched between the electromagnetic absorption layer and a laminate.

24. A combination of battery charger without electrical contacts and portable electronic equipment as recited in claim 18 wherein the battery charger is provided with a primary coil magnetically coupled to a secondary coil housed in portable electronic equipment, a high frequency power supply that supplies high frequency power to the primary coil, and an external case that holds the primary coil and the high frequency power supply;

the high frequency power supply converts input power to high frequency power and supplies it to the primary coil, primary coil high frequency power is conveyed to the secondary coil by magnetic induction, and secondary coil AC is rectified to charge the battery pack contained in the portable electronic equipment;

the battery charger without electrical contacts is provided with internal batteries that are charged by input power and supply power to the high frequency power supply, and with a charging circuit that charges the internal batteries with input power;

the external case is formed as a flat panel of given thickness providing storage space for internal batteries between a top plate and a bottom plate, internal batteries housed in the external case storage space are rectangular batteries and these rectangular batteries are housed in the storage space with their two opposing flat surfaces oriented parallel to the top plate and bottom plate, and a planar primary coil wound in a spiral shape is disposed in the external case storage space or in the top plate;

wherein the internal batteries are charged by input power;

when no power is input, the high frequency power supply converts power supplied from the internal batteries to high frequency power and supplies it to the primary coil to charge the portable electronic equipment battery pack.