Protection Methods, Protection Circuits and Protection Devices for Secondary Batteries, a Power Tool, Charger and Battery Pack Adapted to Provide Protection Against Fault Conditions in the Battery Pack

• US 20090146614A1
• Filed: 02/10/2009
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carrier, David, Francis, Jeffrey J., Trinh, Danh Thanh, Brotto, Daniele C., Seman, Andrew E. Jr., Yahnker, Christopher R., Phillips, Steve, Bailey, R. Roby
• Application Number:
  US12/368,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20090146614A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/152
• 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: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• 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 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/443 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/00 Safety devices for primary or secondary batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/106 PTC
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/574 Devices or arrangements for the interruption of current
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/581 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/583 in response to current, e.g. fuses
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 Overdischarge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 : Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 : Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 : using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

In a cordless power tool system, protection methods, circuits and devices are provided to protect against fault conditions within a battery pack that is operatively attached to a power tool or charger, so as to prevent internal or external damage to the battery pack or attached tool or charger. The exemplary methods, circuits and devices address fault conditions such as over-charge, over-discharge, over-current, over-temperature, etc.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. A method of providing over-voltage protection in a battery pack removably attachable to a cordless power tool and a charger, the battery pack operatively attached to the charger charging the pack, comprising:

sensing an over-voltage fault condition in the pack; and

terminating charge current in the battery pack or charger based on the sensed fault condition.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein terminating includes generating a control signal in the pack to turn off a semiconductor device in the pack that is adapted to limit or interrupt current in a charge path of the pack.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein terminating further includes

generating a control signal in the pack, and

communicating the control signal to the charger to turn off a semiconductor device in the charger that is adapted to limit or interrupt current in a charge path of the charger to terminate current flow in the battery pack.

28. A watchdog circuit of a charger, the charger operatively attached to a battery pack for charging the battery pack, the watchdog circuit monitoring parameters in both the battery pack and the charger for one or more control signals from the battery pack or charger to terminate current flow in the battery pack.

29. The watchdog circuit of claim 28, wherein the parameters include one or more of battery pack temperature, individual cell voltages, battery stack voltage, a charge current reset pulse from the battery pack, and a clock reset pulse from the battery pack, and/or a charge current reset pulse from the charger.

30. In a charger adapted to charge a battery pack, the charger and battery pack part of a cordless power tool system, the charger comprising:

a charge current interruption circuit monitoring parameters in both the battery pack and the charger for one or more control signals from the battery pack or charger to terminate current flow in the battery pack.

31. The charge current interruption circuit of claim 30, wherein the parameters include one or more of battery pack temperature, individual cell voltages, battery stack voltage, a charge current reset pulse from the battery pack, a clock reset pulse from the battery pack, and/or a charge current reset pulse from the charger.

32-49. -49. (canceled)