Battery pack

• US 6,157,309 A
• Filed: 01/05/1999
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mitsui, Hidero, Koyama, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/225,391
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 340/635, 340/636, 429/90, 429/97, 429/98, 429/96, 429/99, 320/106, 320/114, 320/136, 320/112, 320/DIG. 18, 320/DIG. 21
• US Class Current: 340/636.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• 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 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: H01M 50/597 Protection against reversal of polarity
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5066 Type recognition
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

In a battery pack, it is difficult that information on a contained battery of the battery pack, such as the accurate state of charge of the battery, is detected at an external equipment. A communication terminal which can communicate the state of charge of the contained battery to the external equipment is provided on the installation surface on which power supply terminals of the battery pack are provided or on the surface adjacent to the installation surface. This allows the corresponding electrodes or the like of the external equipment to be concentrated at one place, so that the space required to arrange the corresponding electrodes or the like is reduced, thus downsizing the equipment.

Claims

1. A rechargeable battery, comprising:

a case;

a positive and a negative terminal located on the case;

a communication terminal located on the case for communicating information on a state of charge of the recharge battery to an external equipment, said communication terminal being located near the negative terminal and between the positive terminal and the negative terminal,

wherein, said positive terminal, said negative terminal and one portion of said communication terminal are located on a first surface of the case;

a second portion of said communication terminal is located on a second surface of the case, and

said first surface is located adjacent to said second surface.

2. A rechargeable battery according to claim 1, further comprising:

a microcomputer and means of communicating the information through said communication terminal, said microcomputer outputting the information indicated on the state of charge of the rechargeable battery.

3. A recharge battery according to claim 2, wherein said case is provided with a groove on a third surface thereof, the groove indicating that the rechargeable battery contains the microcomputer.

4. A recharge battery according to claim 3, wherein said case is located four concave portions and a groove on a center line of the second surface of the case, and

the second surface is opposite from the first surface.

5. A recharge battery according to claim 1, wherein said positive terminal and said negative terminal are located in recesses on the first surface.

6. A recharge battery according to claim 1, wherein said case is located four concave portions and a groove on a center line of the second surface of the case, and

said second portion of said communication terminal is adjacent to one of the four concave portions.

7. A rechargeable battery, comprising:

a case;

a positive and a negative terminal located on the case;

a communication terminal located on the case for communicating information on a state of charge of the recharge battery to an external equipment, and

wherein said positive terminal, said negative terminal and one portion of said communication terminal are located on a first surface of the case,

a second portion of said communication terminal is located on a second surface of the case, and

said first surface is located adjacent to said second surface.