BATTERY CHARGER WITH CHARGE INDICATOR

• US 20080174269A1
• Filed: 01/22/2007
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: DeRome, Raymond D., Rayner, Martin M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,843,167 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/110
• 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 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition

Abstract

A battery charger having an integrated battery charge indicator that is readily visible when a battery pack is connected for charging. The battery charge indicator is on a visible outer surface of the housing of the battery charger to indicate a state of charge of the battery pack. The indicator may include a series of light emitting diodes with one LED that is illuminated when the battery pack is charging and will flash if something is wrong with the battery pack. The housing can preferably accommodate more than one configuration of battery packs with the indicator being visible when various battery packs are attached for recharging.

Claims

1. A battery charger having a battery charge indicator that is readily visible when a battery pack is connected for charging, the battery charger comprising:

a housing;

a charge device in the housing that charges the battery pack;

the battery charge indicator on an outer surface of the housing to indicate a level of charge of the battery pack, and

the battery charge indicator coupled with battery charge indicator circuitry and having a plurality of light emitting diodes;

a first light emitting diode to indicate low charge of the battery pack, a second light emitting diode to indicate a partial charge of the battery pack, and a third light emitting diode to indicate a fully charged state of the battery pack;

wherein the first light emitting diode is illuminated when the battery pack is charging and will flash if there is something wrong with the battery pack.

2. The battery charger of claim 1 wherein the first light emitting diode is coupled to the circuitry in a manner such that the first light emitting diode will flash if the battery pack is incapable of being properly charged and will remain constant when the battery pack is charging.

3. The battery charger of claim 1 wherein the battery charge indicator includes a special temperature indicator wherein the first light emitting diode is coupled to the circuitry in a manner such that the circuitry will detect the temperature and will flash if the battery pack is too hot or too cold to charge.

4. The battery charger of claim 1 wherein the battery charger charges 9.6, 12.0, 14.4, 18.0 and 20.4 volts.

5. The battery charger of claim 1 wherein the housing accepts more than one configuration of battery packs.

6. The battery charger of claim 5 wherein the housing has a cavity to accept post-style battery packs and a mount for slide-on style battery packs.

7. The battery charger of claim 6 wherein the mount has a cambered alcove that forms part of the cavity, and the cambered alcove has an arch that allows for recesses on each side of the mount adjacent a part of the cavity.

8. The battery charger of claim 1 wherein the first light emitting diode is red, the second light emitting diode is yellow, and the third light emitting diode is green.

9. The battery charger of claim 8 further comprising a label on the housing that indicates the meaning of the light emitting diodes stating:

Green Light—

battery is fully charged;

Yellow Light—

battery is partially charged;

Red Flashing Light—

battery is hot, cold or faulty; and

Red Light—

battery is charging.

10. A battery charger having a battery charge indicator that is readily visible when a battery pack is connected for charging, the battery charger comprising:

a housing that accepts more than one configuration of battery packs;

the housing having a cavity with first terminals in a base of the cavity that can accept post-style battery packs and a mount on the housing with second terminals for slide-on style battery packs;

a charge device in the housing that charges the battery pack;

the battery charge indicator on an outer surface of the housing to indicate a level of charge of the battery pack, and

the battery charge indicator coupled with battery charge indicator circuitry and having a plurality of light emitting diodes;

a first light emitting diode to indicate low charge of the battery pack, a second light emitting diode to indicate a partial charge of the battery pack, and a third light emitting diode to indicate a fully charged state of the battery pack;

wherein the first light emitting diode is constantly illuminated when the battery pack is charging and will flash if the battery pack is incapable of being properly charged or if the battery pack is too hot or too cold to charge.

11. The battery charger of claim 10 wherein the first light emitting diode is red, the second light emitting diode is yellow, and the third light emitting diode is green.

12. The battery charger of claim 11 further comprising a label on the housing that indicates the meaning of the light emitting diodes stating:

Green Light—

battery is fully charged;

Yellow Light—

battery is partially charged;

Red Flashing Light—

battery is hot, cold or faulty; and

Red Light—

battery is charging.

13. The battery charger of claim 10 wherein the mount has a cambered alcove that forms part of the cavity and the cambered alcove has an arch that allows for recesses on each side of the mount adjacent a part of the cavity.

14. A battery charger comprising:

a voltage divider network configured to be coupled with a battery;

a controller coupled with the voltage divider network and operable to detect multiple voltage levels in the voltage divider network, wherein the controller is operable to detect a voltage level and voltage capacity of the battery based on the voltage divider network;

a charging circuit configured to provide a charging current to a battery, wherein the charging circuit is coupled with the controller;

a visual display coupled with the controller;

wherein the controller controls a charging current with which the charging circuit charges the battery; and

wherein the controller drives the visual display with a signal indicative a percentage level of battery charge level.

15. The battery charger of claim 14, wherein the controller is operable to store correlation data indicative of a battery charge level correlating to voltage levels detected in the voltage divider network and wherein the controller is operable to determine a charge level of the battery by looking up a battery charge level in the correlation data corresponding to voltage levels detected in the voltage divider network.

16. The battery charger of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to determine a type of battery by detecting a voltage drop across terminals of the battery.

17. The battery charger of claim 16, wherein the controller adjusts the charging current with which the charging circuit charges the battery based on the detected type of battery.

18. The battery charger of claim 17, further comprising a battery pack including a positive terminal, a negative terminal and a battery detection terminal, wherein the positive terminal and the negative terminal are configured to be coupled with the charging circuit, wherein the battery detection terminal is configured to be coupled with the controller, wherein the controller determines the type of battery based on a voltage level on the battery detection terminal.

19. The battery charger of claim 18, wherein the battery pack includes a battery portion coupled between the positive terminal and the negative terminal and a NTC resistor coupled between the battery detection terminal and the negative terminal.

20. The battery charger of claim 19, further comprising at least one diode coupled in parallel with the NTC resistor.