MULTI-BAY BATTERY CHARGER

• US 20150008879A1
• Filed: 02/18/2013
• Published: 01/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Schneider, Scott, Hull, James S., Rosenbecker, Jay, Conrad, Cole A.
• Granted Patent: US 11,095,138 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/110
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/527 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/20 using propulsion power generated by humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A battery charger includes a housing and a plurality of charging ports coupled to the housing. Each charging port is configured to connect a battery pack to the battery charger. The battery charger also includes a charging circuit positioned within the housing and electrically coupled to the plurality of charging ports. The charging circuit is operable to charge the battery packs connected to the plurality of charging ports in series. The battery charger further includes a skip switch coupled to the charging circuit. The skip switch is operable to skip a battery pack currently being charged and advance to another battery pack connected to the battery charger.

Claims

1. A battery charger comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of charging ports coupled to the housing, each charging port configured to connect a battery pack to the battery charger;

a charging circuit positioned within the housing and electrically coupled to the plurality of charging ports, the charging circuit operable to charge the battery packs connected to the plurality of charging ports in series; and

a skip switch coupled to the charging circuit, the skip switch operable to skip a battery pack currently being charged and advance to another battery pack connected to the battery charger.

2. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein, the skip switch is operable to stop charging of the battery pack currently being charged before charging is complete.

3. The battery charger of claim 2, wherein, the skip switch is operable to initiate charging of the next battery pack in series after the charging of the battery pack currently being charged is stopped.

4. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein the skip switch includes a manual actuator.

5. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein the skip switch is supported on the housing.

6. The battery charger of claim 5, further comprising a base coupled to a bottom portion of the housing, wherein the housing includes an upper surface spaced apart from the base, and wherein the skip switch is supported on the upper surface.

7. The battery charger of claim 5, wherein the skip switch extends outwardly from the housing.

8. A method of charging battery packs in series, the method comprising:

connecting a first battery pack and a second battery pack to a battery charger;

charging the first battery pack;

actuating a skip switch on the battery charger while the first battery pack is charging; and

stopping charging of the first battery pack and initiating charging of the second battery pack in response to actuating the skip switch.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second battery pack is not being charged while the first battery pack is charging.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein actuating the skip switch stops charging of the first battery pack before charging is complete.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein actuating the skip switch includes manually actuating the skip switch.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the battery pack includes a housing and the skip switch extends from the housing, and wherein manually actuating the skip switch includes moving the skip switch relative to the housing.

13. A battery charger comprising:

a housing including a handle to facilitate lifting and carrying the battery charger;

a plurality of charging ports coupled to the housing, each charging port configured to connect a battery pack to the battery charger; and

a charging circuit positioned within the housing and electrically coupled to the plurality of charging ports, the charging circuit operable to charge the battery packs connected to the plurality of charging ports;

wherein the plurality of charging ports is spaced apart on the housing such that, when a battery pack is connected to each charging port, the battery charger is balanced around the handle.

14. The battery charger of claim 13, wherein the housing defines a central axis that extends through the handle.

15. The battery charger of claim 14, wherein every charging port coupled to the housing is diametrically opposed from another charging port around a circle whose origin is the central axis.

16. The battery charger of claim 14, wherein each charging port includes guide rails, and wherein the guide rails extend generally parallel to the central axis to receive slide-on style battery packs.

17. The battery charger of claim 13, wherein the housing includes four side surfaces arranged in a generally rectangular pattern, and wherein at least one charging port is positioned on each side surface.

18. The battery charger of claim 17, further comprising an upper surface extending between and arranged generally perpendicular to the four side surfaces, wherein the handle extends from the upper surface.

19. The battery charger of claim 18, wherein the handle defines a longitudinal axis that is generally parallel to two of the four side surfaces and is generally perpendicular to two of the four side surfaces.

20. The battery charger of claim 18, further comprising an indicator light coupled to the charging circuit and associated with one of the plurality of charging ports, wherein the handle is spaced apart from the upper surface of the housing, and wherein the indicator light is supported on the upper surface beneath the handle.

21. The battery charger of claim 17, wherein the plurality of charging ports includes six charging ports, wherein two of the four side surfaces each support two charging ports, and wherein two of the four side surfaces each support one charging port.

22. A battery charger comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of charging ports coupled to the housing, each charging port configured to connect a battery pack to the battery charger; and

a charging circuit including a first circuit board and a second circuit board, the first and second circuit boards being mounted in parallel within the housing, the charging circuit being electrically coupled to the plurality of charging ports to charge the battery packs connected to the plurality of charging ports.

23. The battery charger of claim 22, wherein the housing includes four side surfaces arranged in a generally rectangular pattern, and wherein the first and second circuit boards extend between two opposing sides surfaces of the four side surfaces and face the other two opposing side surfaces of the four side surfaces.

24. The battery charger of claim 22, further comprising a base coupled to a bottom portion of the housing, wherein the housing includes an upper surface spaced apart from the base, and wherein the first and second circuit boards are oriented generally perpendicular to the upper surface.

25. The battery charger of claim 22, wherein the first and second circuit boards are generally the same shape and size.

26. The battery charger of claim 22, wherein a footprint area of the battery charger is less than 85 square inches.

27. A battery charger comprising:

a housing including four side surfaces arranged in a generally rectangular pattern, an upper surface extending between and arranged generally perpendicular to the four side surfaces, and a handle extending from the upper surface to facilitate lifting and carrying the battery charger;

a plurality of charging ports coupled to the housing, each charging port configured to connect a battery pack to the battery charger, the plurality of charging ports being spaced apart on the housing such that, when a battery pack is connected to each charging port, the battery charger is balanced around the handle;

a charging circuit including a first circuit board and a second circuit board, the first and second circuit boards being mounted in parallel within the housing, the charging circuit being electrically coupled to the plurality of charging ports to charge the battery packs connected to the plurality of charging ports in series; and

a skip switch coupled to the charging circuit, the skip switch operable to skip a battery pack currently being charged and advance to another battery pack connected to the battery charger.