Charging state display apparatus

• US 5,726,556 A
• Filed: 11/23/1994
• Issued: 03/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Churei, Kiyokazu, Kawabata, Takashi, Yoshihara, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Law, Patrick B.
• Application Number:
  US08/346,936
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 320/48, 324/426, 324/427, 324/428, 324/435, 354/289.1, 354/468, 354/484, 396/279
• US Class Current: 320/106
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3646 for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5044 Cells or batteries structurally combined with cell condition indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A charging state display apparatus has a first means for indicating a charging amount and a second means for causing the first means to indicate a charging amount from a restart of charging.

Claims

1. A charging state indication apparatus comprising:

a first display for indicating a remaining charged amount of a battery; and

a second display for indicating an accumulated amount of charge from a restart of charging of the battery.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said indication device comprises a display portion which displays the remaining charged amount.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said indication device comprises means for determining the restart of charging.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said indication device further comprises means for indicating an amount charged by a solar battery from the restart of charging.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said indication device comprises a detector for detecting the restart of charging.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said indication device comprises means for indicating an amount charged by a solar battery from the restart of charging.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said indication device comprises means for displaying the accumulated amount on an enlarged scale.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said battery comprises a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said indication device comprises means for displaying an operational duration of a camera as the accumulated amount.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said indication device is arranged in a camera.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, said indication device comprises means for maintaining an indication state even if a charging operation of the battery is temporarily interrupted.

12. An apparatus adapted for using a charging source, comprising:

a first display for indicating a remaining charged amount of a battery; and

a second display for indicating an accumulated amount of charge of the battery from a restart of charging of the battery.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said indication device comprises a display portion which displays the remaining charged amount.

14. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said indication device comprises a detector for detecting the restart of charging.

15. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said indication device comprises means for indicating an amount charged by a solar battery from the restart of charging.

16. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said indication device comprises means for displaying the accumulated amount on an enlarged scale.

17. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said battery comprises a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

18. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said apparatus comprises a camera.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said indication device comprises means for displaying an operational duration of the camera as the accumulated amount.

20. An apparatus according to claim 12, said indication device comprises means for maintaining an indication state even if a charging operation of the battery is temporarily interrupted.

21. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the charging source charges the battery.

22. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the charging source comprises a solar battery for charging the battery.

23. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said indication device comprises means for determining the restart of charging.

24. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said indication device further comprises means for indicating an amount charged by a solar battery from the restart of charging.

25. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the charging source charges the battery.

26. An apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising a lithium-ion secondary battery charged by said charging source.

27. An apparatus according to claim 26, further comprising a solar battery serving as said charging source.