BATTERY CONNECTION METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 20150349569A1
• Filed: 06/03/2015
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Traxxas LP (Traxxas)
• Original Assignee: Traxxas LP (Traxxas)
• Inventors: Christensen, Casey Christen Jens, Schmitz, Scott Rollin Michael, Allmendinger, Otto Karl
• Granted Patent: US 10,027,146 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An improved electrical connector for electrically connecting a rechargeable battery with an electrically powered device as well as methods of operation for use of an electrically powered device comprising the improved connector are provided. The connector may comprise one or more features including: integration of both first terminals for transmitting charging or discharging signals to and from the battery as well as one or more signal terminals for transmitting one or more balancing signals to and from the battery; implementation of communication means allowing for one or more signals comprising battery specific information to be received by the electrically powered device upon making an electrical connection with the battery; and, one or more safety features for preventing unsupported electrical connections between incompatible connector configurations. An electrically powered implemented with the improved electrical connector may detect one or more characteristics of a battery upon electrically connecting with the battery and may reconfigure one or more operational settings of the electrically powered device in response to the detected characteristics to safely charge or discharge the battery.

Claims

1. An electrical connector of a battery, comprising:

a battery connector housing comprising an electrically insulating material, the battery connector housing comprising;

a first receptacle configured for at least partially enclosing an electrically conductive first terminal through which one or more power signals of the battery are transmittable, the first receptacle comprising a first receptacle opening for receiving an electrically conductive second terminal of a second electrical connector; and

a second receptacle at least partially disposed within a plug portion of the battery connector housing and configured for at least partially enclosing a radio frequency tag, the radio frequency tag storing one or more first parameter values of the battery and readable by a radio frequency reader disposed within the second electrical connector to communicate the at least one stored parameter values when the radio frequency tag is within a read range of the radio frequency reader;

the first terminal disposed at least partially within the first receptacle and directly electrically connected to at least a first cell of the battery via at least an electrically conductive first wire, the first terminal comprising a first terminal contact surface for contacting the second terminal for electrically connecting the first and second terminals, the first terminal contact surface at least partially disposed within the plug portion of the battery connector housing;

the radio frequency tag disposed at least partially within the second receptacle; and

wherein the radio frequency tag is disposed the read range of the radio frequency reader when an electrical connection is made between the first terminal of the electrical connector of the battery and the second terminal of the second electrical connector.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency tag comprises a memory for storing at least one parameter value of the battery and further comprises an antenna for transmitting one or more signals to the radio frequency reader of the second electrical connector when disposed within the read range of the radio frequency reader.

3. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency tag transmits at least a first response signal indicating at least one parameter value of the battery in response to receiving at least a first interrogator signal transmitted by the radio frequency reader of the second electrical connector.

4. The electrical connector of claim 3, wherein the radio frequency tag is configured for passive operation.

5. A battery, comprising:

at least one battery cell;

a battery connector comprising;

a connector housing comprising an insulating material and comprising at least one first receptacle having a first receptacle opening for receiving a first device terminal of an electrically powered device;

at least one electrically conductive first battery terminal, the at least one first battery terminal configured to electrically connect with the first device terminal of the electrically powered device for transmitting one or more power signals when the first device terminal is received within the at least one first receptacle;

a first tag for storing at least one parameter value of the battery, the first tag disposed at least partially within the connector housing;

at least a first battery wire directly electrically connecting the at least on battery cell with the at least one first battery terminal of the battery connector;

wherein the first tag is disposed within the connector housing such that the first tag is readable by a tag reader of the electrically powered device for communicating the at least one stored parameter value at all times when an electrical connection is made between the first battery terminal and the first device terminal.

6. The battery of claim 5, wherein the connector housing further comprises a plug portion insertable within a connector port of the electrically powered device;

wherein the at least one first battery terminal comprises a first battery terminal contact surface disposed at least partially within the plug portion of the connector housing;

wherein at least a portion of the at least one first receptacle is disposed within a plug portion of the battery connector; and

wherein the first device terminal is receivable within the at least one first receptacle of the battery connector to electrically connect the first battery terminal with the first device terminal when the plug portion of the battery connector is at least partially inserted within the connector port of the electrically powered device.

7. The battery of claim 6, wherein the connector housing further comprises a second receptacle for at least partially enclosing the first tag, and wherein the second receptacle is at least partially disposed within the plug portion of the battery connector.

8. The battery of claim 6, wherein the first tag stores at least one parameter value of the battery and is disposed within the plug portion of the battery connector;

and

wherein the first tag is disposed the read range of the tag reader when an electrical connection is made between the first battery terminal and the first device terminal.

9. The battery of claim 6, wherein the read range of the tag reader comprises at least the area comprising the connector port of the electrically powered device.

10. An electrical connector of an electrically powered device, comprising:

a connector housing comprising an electrically insulating material, the connector housing comprising a socket configured for receiving a battery connector for making an electrical connection with at least a first battery terminal of the battery connector;

an electrically conductive first device terminal for receiving one or more power signals from the first battery terminal when electrically connected to the first battery terminal, the first device terminal at least partially disposed within the socket of the electrical connector of the electrically powered device;

a tag reader configured to transmit at least a first interrogator signal within a read range of the tag reader for reading stored information from at least a first tag disposed within the battery connector while the first tag is disposed within the read range of the tag reader;

wherein the tag reader is disposed such that the first tag of the battery connector is disposed at least partially within the read range of the tag reader at all times when an electrical connection is made between the first device terminal and the first battery terminal.

11. The electrical connector of claim 10, wherein the tag reader disposed within the connector housing proximal to the socket, whereby the read range of the tag reader comprises at least the area comprising the socket.

12. The electrical connector of claim 10, wherein the tag reader receives a first response signal from the first tag indicating one or more parameter values of a battery stored within the first tag when the first tag is within the read range of the radio frequency reader.

13. The electrical connector of claim 12, wherein the first response signal received by the tag reader indicates at least a first parameter value indicating the chemistry of the battery.

14. The electrical connector of claim 12, wherein the first response signal received by the tag reader indicates at least a first parameter value indicating the capacity of the battery.

15. The electrical connector of claim 10, wherein the tag reader is configured to transmit the first interrogator signal for prompting transmission of a first response signal of the first tag indicating one or more parameter values of a battery upon an electrical connection being made at the first device terminal.

16. An electrically powered device, comprising:

a electrical connector, comprising;

a connector port for at least partially receiving a plug portion of a battery connector for electrically connecting with a first battery terminal of the battery connector;

an electrically conductive first device terminal, the first device terminal configured to electrically connect with the first battery terminal to transmit one or more high current signals, the first device terminal disposed at least partially within the connector port; and

a tag reader configured to transmit an electromagnetic signal within a read range of the tag reader for reading stored information from at least a first tag of the battery connector when the first tag is disposed within the read range of the tag reader;

wherein the tag reader is disposed within the electrical connector of the electrically powered device such that the read range of the tag reader comprises at least the area comprising the connector port of the electrical connector; and

wherein the first tag of the battery connector is disposed at least partially within the read range of the tag reader at all times when an electrical connection is made between the first device terminal and the first battery terminal.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the connector port comprises an external component of the electrically powered device, the connector port comprising:

a connector port housing comprising an insulating material; and

wherein the first device terminal is disposed at least partially within the connector port housing.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the electrically powered device comprises an electronic speed controller (ESC).

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the electrically powered device comprises battery charger.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the tag reader receives a first response signal from the first tag indicating one or more parameter values of a battery stored within the first tag when the first tag is within the read range of the radio frequency reader.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the first response signal received by the tag reader indicates at least a first parameter value indicating the chemistry of the battery.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein the first response signal received by the tag reader indicates at least a first parameter value indicating the capacity of the battery.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein the tag reader is configured to transmit a first interrogator signal for prompting transmission of a first response signal from the first tag indicating one or more parameter values of a battery stored within the first tag upon an electrical connection being made at the first device terminal.