POWER SUPPLY UNIT

• US 20120062180A1
• Filed: 09/07/2011
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: MASATO, Tsuyoshi, NAKAMURA, Kazuo, UESAKA, Shinichi, OZAWA, Atsushi, HOTTA, Shin, MARUTANI, Kentaro
• Application Number:
  US13/226,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20120062180A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/134
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• 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 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• 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 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A power supply unit includes: (A) a housing having a shape like a polygonal column; (B) a secondary battery cell contained in the housing; (C) charge/discharge control means contained in the housing and connected to the secondary battery cell; (D) at least one power input section disposed on the housing and connected to the charge/discharge control means; and (E) at least one power output section disposed on the housing and connected to the charge/discharge control means.

Claims

1. A power supply unit comprising:

(A) a housing having a shape like a polygonal column;

(B) a secondary battery cell contained in the housing;

(C) charge/discharge control means contained in the housing and connected to the secondary battery cell;

(D) at least one power input section disposed on the housing and connected to the charge/discharge control means; and

(E) at least one power output section disposed on the housing and connected to the charge/discharge control means.

2. A power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the charge/discharge control means includes an integrated circuit for controlling charging and discharging and a DC-DC converter.

3. A power supply unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

(F) at least one information input section disposed on the housing and connected to the charge/discharge control means; and

(G) at least one information output section disposed on the housing and connected to the charge/discharge control means.

4. A power supply unit according to claim 3, wherein

the power input section also serves as the information input section;

and

the power output section also serves as the information output section.

5. A power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein

the power input section includes a USB terminal section;

and

the power output section includes a USB terminal section which is engageable with a power input section including a USB terminal section.

6. A power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the power input section and the power output section include a wireless power transmission circuit.

7. A power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing has such a shape that a plurality of the housings can be arranged side by side without a space between them.

8. A power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a shape like a regular hexagonal column.

9. A power supply unit according to claim 8, wherein

the power input section is provided on an odd-numbered lateral surface of the housing having a shape like a regular hexagonal column;

and

the power output section is provided on an even-numbered lateral surface of the housing having a shape like a regular hexagonal column.

10. A power supply unit according to claim 1, comprising:

input display means indicating whether power is input or not provided in the vicinity of the power input section and connected to the charge/discharge control means; and

output display means indicating whether power is output or not provided in the vicinity of the power output section and connected to the charge/discharge control means.

11. A power supply unit according to claim 10, wherein the input display means and output display means include a display portion including an arrow-like member transmitting light and a light-emitting element disposed inside the display portion.

12. A power supply unit according to claim 11, wherein the input display means and output display means are disposed on a top surface of the housing.