Battery charging device

• US 6,373,228 B1
• Filed: 11/09/2000
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Makita Corporation
• Original Assignee: Makita Corporation
• Inventors: Sakakibara, Kazuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): TOATLEY, GREGORY J
• Application Number:
  US09/710,741
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 324/431, 320/150, 320/151
• US Class Current: 320/150
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6235 Power tools
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/633 characterised by algorithms, flow charts, software details or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6551 Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/66 Heat-exchange relationships between the cells and other systems, e.g. central heating systems or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5044 Cells or batteries structurally combined with cell condition indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Rotation of an air-blowing motor is continued also upon completion of charge; by retrieving a presumed temperature for cooling and upon detecting that a measured temperature is higher than the presumed temperature for cooling by not less than a specified value, a LED lamp is switched ON for indicating that clogging of an airflow path of a battery package has occurred, and an abnormal condition is written to an EEPROM of the battery package.

Claims

1. A battery charging device provided with a cooling means for continuing cooling of batteries also upon completion of charge, comprising:

a judging portion for judging whether a battery temperature at the time of completion of charge is higher than a presumed temperature for cooling the batteries by not less than a specified value, and

an abnormality indicating portion for indicating an abnormal condition in case it is judged by the judging portion that the temperature is higher by the specified value.

2. A battery charging device provided with an air-blowing motor for continuing supply of air to batteries provided with an airflow path also upon completion of charge, comprising:

a judging portion for judging whether a battery temperature at the time of completion of charge is higher than a presumed temperature for cooling the batteries by not less than a specified value, and

an abnormality indicating portion for indicating an abnormal condition in case it is judged by the judging portion that the temperature is higher by the specified value and in case the air-blowing motor is continuing its operations.

3. The battery charging device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the abnormality indicating portion further indicates an abnormal condition when the air-blowing motor cannot be rotated.

4. A battery charging device provided with an air-blowing motor for continuing supply of air to batteries incorporating therein a memory means and being provided with an airflow path also upon completion of charge, comprising:

a charge current controlling portion for judging whether an abnormal condition is stored in the memory means incorporated in the batteries, and for performing charge at ordinary current in case no abnormal condition is stored, and for performing charge by decreasing the charge current in case an abnormal condition is stored,

a judging portion for judging whether a battery temperature at the time of completion of charge is higher than a presumed temperature for cooling the batteries by not less than a specified value, and

a memory portion for storing an abnormal condition to the memory means incorporated in the batteries in case it is judged by the judging portion that the temperature is higher by not less than the specified value.