Battery protection circuit and electronic device

• US 6,172,482 B1
• Filed: 08/23/1999
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Eguchi, Yasuhito
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US09/379,499
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 320/127, 320/128, 320/134, 320/136
• US Class Current: 320/134
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/466 with remote controlled forced fusing
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/46 Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the protective device
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/18 for batteries; for accumulators

Abstract

A secondary battery needs to be protected by an inexpensive structure having a small number of components. To this end, the structure includes a fuse 41 with a heater, connected to a positive electrode side of a battery cell 2, as a secondary battery, a driving FET 42 for driving the heater of the fuse 41 and a detection control IC 3 which, on detecting at least the over-charging state of the battery cell 2, drives the driving FET 42 to fuse the heater of the fuse 41.

Claims

1. A battery protection circuit comprising:

first over-charging detection means for detecting at least a first over-charging state of a secondary battery;

fuse means connected to a current path of said secondary battery and fitted with a heater;

heater driving means for driving said heater of said fuse means, said heater driving means driving the heater of said fuse means to blow off the fuse when the first over-charging state is detected;

a discharging controlling switching element connected to the current path of said secondary battery;

switching controlling means for controlling the switching operation of said discharging controlling switching element;

second over-charging/excess current detection means for detecting a second over-charging state or the excess discharging current state of said secondary battery; and

said switching controlling means controlling said discharging controlling switching element to its off-state to break the discharging current when detection of the second over-charging state or the excess discharging current is established.

2. The battery protection circuit according to claim 1 wherein said discharging controlling switching element is a field effect transistor having a parasitic diode.

3. The battery protection circuit according to claim 1 wherein said excess charging detection means detects the over-charging state of said secondary battery, using a first over-charging detection voltage value and a second over-charging detection voltage higher than said first over-charging detection voltage value;

when the over-charging detection by said first over-charging detection voltage value is established, said discharging controlling switching element is controlled to its off-state by said switching controlling means to break the charging current; and

wherein

when the over-charging detection by said second over-charging detection voltage value is established, said heater of said fuse means is driven by said heater driving means to blow off the fuse.

4. The battery protection circuit according to claim 3 further comprising:

bypass means connected to the current path of said secondary battery for bypassing the charging of said secondary battery; and

bypass control means for controlling said bypass means;

wherein if overcharging is detected by said first over-charging detection means to be a value higher than said first overcharging detection voltage value and lower than said second over-charging detection voltage value then a by-pass current smaller than the charging current and in excess of a pre-set current is caused to flow by said bypass control means.

5. An electronic device operated by the current supplied from a secondary battery and adapted to charge said secondary battery, comprising:

a battery pack including;

over-charging detection means for detecting at least a first over-charging state of a secondary battery;

fuse means fitted with a heater, said fuse means fitted with the heater being connected to a current path of said secondary battery; and

heater driving means for driving the heater of said fuse means;

said heater driving means driving the heater of said fuse means to blow off the fuse when the first over-charging state is detected;

a discharging controlling switching element connected to the current path of said secondary battery;

switching controlling means for controlling the switching operation of said discharging controlling switching element;

second over-charging/excess current detection means for detecting a second over-charging state or the excess discharging current state of said secondary battery; and

said switching controlling means controlling said discharging controlling switching element to its off-state to break the discharging current when detection of the second over-charging state or the excess discharging current is established.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5 further comprising:

a loading unit for detachably mounting said battery pack; and

an electrical connecting portion for said battery pack.