Charger, battery pack, and charging system using the charger and battery pack

• US 6,777,915 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2002
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Shinbara, Junichi, Komori, Masakage, Yoshizawa, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): TIBBITS, PIA FLORENCE
• Application Number:
  US10/312,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20030107347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 320/137, 320/133, 320/139, 320/150, 320/157, 320/158, 320/163
• US Class Current: 320/137
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007184 in response to battery voltage gradient
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

A charge control means (10) provided for a battery charging apparatus (1) conducts protection control for a battery pack (2) by transmitting a signal to an output control switch (14) for turning off an output when a rise rate of the temperature of the battery pack (2) detected based on information from a temperature detection terminal (8) is equal to or more than a predetermined value, or a rise rate of the voltage of the battery pack (2) detected based on information from a voltage detection terminal (9) is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

Claims

1. A battery pack to be charged by a battery charging apparatus including:

an AC/DC converter for converting commercial rower supply to DC;

a charge output terminal for Supplying the battery pack with an output from the AC/DC converter;

a GND terminal corresponding to the charge output terminal;

voltage/current detection means provided on a charge path;

over voltage protection means provided on the charge path;

a voltage detection terminal for detecting a voltage of the battery pack;

a temperature detection terminal for detecting a temperature of the battery pack;

charge control means conducting different types of charge control based on signals received from the voltage/current detection means, the voltage detection terminal, and the temperature detection terminal; and

an output control switch for conducting output control based on a signal received from the charge control means, the output control switch being provided in the charge path, wherein

the charge control means conducts protection control by transmitting a signal to the output control switch for turning off an output when a rise rate of the battery pack temperature is equal to or more than a predetermined value, the battery pack comprising;

a lithium rechargeable battery to be charged including an overcharge-inhibition additive which produces a temperature rise rate increase over that without the overcharge-inhibition additive at about 120% overcharge due to gas generation or film formation on electrodes;

a positive terminal and a negative terminal for electrically connecting the lithium rechargeable battery with the battery charging apparatus for charging the lithium rechargeable battery;

a thermistor for detecting a surface temperature of the lithium rechargeable battery; and

a battery-pack-side temperature detection terminal for supplying the battery charging apparatus with temperature information detected by the thermistor, wherein

charging of the battery pack is controlled by the battery charging apparatus by turning off an output supplied for the battery pack when a rise rate of the battery pack temperature detected based on the information from the battery-pack-side temperature detection terminal is equal to or more than a predetermined value corresponding to the 120% overcharge and the battery pack is devoid of a controller and controller controlled charge path switch.

5. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein the overcharge-inhibition additive begins to operate at a predetermined operation voltage of about 4.2 volts.

6. The battery pack of claim 5 wherein the overcharge-inhibition additive includes benzene rings which decompose by oxidation at the predetermined operation voltage to produce hydrogen and a polymer producing the film and increasing internal battery resistance.

7. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein the overcharge-inhibition additive includes benzene rings which decompose by oxidation at the predetermined operation voltage to produce hydrogen and a polymer producing the film and increasing internal battery resistance.

8. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein the overcharge-inhibition additive includes at least one of ortho-terphenyl, biphenyl, and diphenyl ether.

2. A battery pack to be charted by a battery charging apparatus including:

an AC/DC converter for converting commercial power supply to DC;

a charge output terminal for supplying the battery pack with an output from the AC/DC converter;

a GND terminal corresponding to the charge output terminal;

voltage/current detection means provided on a charge path;

over voltage protection means provided on the charge path;

a voltage detection terminal for detecting a voltage of the battery pack;

a temperature detection terminal for detecting a temperature of the battery pack;

charge control means for conducting different types of charge control based on signals received from the voltage/current detection means, the voltage detection terminal, and the temperature detection terminal; and

an output control switch for conducting output control based on a signal received from the charge control means, the output control switch being provided in the charge path, wherein

the charge control means conducts protection control by transmitting a signal to the output control switch for turning off an output when a rise rate of the battery pack voltage is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the battery pack comprising;

a lithium rechargeable battery to be charged including an overcharge-inhibition additive which produces a predetermined charge voltage rise rate which is greater than and then less than that without the overcharge-inhibition additive at about 120% overcharge due to gas generation or film formation on electrodes;

a positive terminal and a negative terminal for electrically connecting the lithium rechargeable battery with a battery charging apparatus for charging the lithium rechargeable battery;

battery voltage detection means for detecting a battery voltage of the lithium rechargeable battery; and

a battery-pack-side voltage detection terminal for supplying the battery charging apparatus with voltage information detected by the battery voltage detection means,

wherein the battery pack is controlled by the battery charging apparatus by turning off an output supplied for the battery pack when a rise rate of the battery pack voltage detected based on the information from the battery-pack-side voltage detection terminal is equal to or less than a predetermined value corresponding to the 120% overcharge and the battery pack is devoid of a controller and controller controlled charge path switch.

9. The battery pack of claim 2 wherein the overcharge-inhibition additive begins to operate at a predetermined operation voltage of about 4.2 volts.

10. The battery pack of claim 9 wherein the overcharge-inhibition additive includes benzene rings which decompose by oxidation at the predetermined operation voltage to produce hydrogen and a polymer producing the film and increasing internal battery resistance.

11. The battery pack of claim 2 wherein the overcharge-inhibition additive includes benzene rings which decompose by oxidation at the predetermined operation voltage to produce hydrogen and a polymer producing the film and increasing internal battery resistance.

12. The battery pack of claim 2 wherein the overcharge-inhibition additive includes at least one of ortho-terphenyl, biphenyl, and diphenyl ether.

13. The battery pack of claim 2 wherein the predetermined value for the voltage rise rate is less than zero.

14. The battery pack of claim 13 wherein the overcharge-inhibition additive includes benzene rings which decompose by oxidation at the predetermined operation voltage to produce hydrogen and a polymer producing the film and increasing internal battery resistance.

3. A battery charging system comprising:

a battery charging apparatus; and

a battery pack,

the battery charging apparatus including an AC/DC converter for converting commercial power supply to DC, a charge output terminal for supplying the battery pack with an output from the AC/DC converter, a GND terminal corresponding to the charge output terminal, voltage/current detection means provided on a charge path, over voltage protection means provided on the charge path, a voltage detection terminal for detecting a voltage of the battery pack, a temperature detection terminal for detecting a temperature of the battery pack, charge control means conducting different types of charge control based on signals received from the voltage/current detection means, the voltage detection terminal, and the temperature detection terminal, and an output control switch for conducting output control based on a signal received from the charge control means, the output control switch being provided in the charge path,

the battery pack including a lithium rechargeable battery to be charged including an overcharge-inhibition additive which produces a temperature rise rate increase over that without the overcharge-inhibition additive at about 120% overcharge due to gas generation or film formation on electrodes, a positive terminal and a negative terminal for electrically connecting the lithium rechargeable battery with the battery charging apparatus for charging the lithium rechargeable battery, a thermistor for detecting a surface temperature of the lithium rechargeable battery, and a battery-pack-side temperature detection terminal for providing the battery charging apparatus with temperature information detected by the thermistor, wherein

the charge control means conducts protection control for the battery pack by transmitting a signal to the output control switch for turning off an output when a rise rate of the battery pack temperature detected based on the information supplied from the battery-pack-side temperature detection terminal and the temperature detection terminal is equal to or more than a predetermined value corresponding to the 120% overcharge and the battery pack is devoid of a controller and controller controlled charge path switch.

15. The battery pack of claim 3 wherein the overcharge-inhibition additive begins to operate at a predetermined operation voltage of about 4.2 volts.

16. The battery pack of claim 15 wherein the overcharge-inhibition additive includes benzene rings which decompose by oxidation at the predetermined operation voltage to produce hydrogen and a polymer producing the film and increasing internal battery resistance.

17. The battery pack of claim 3 wherein the overcharge-inhibition additive includes benzene rings which decompose by oxidation at the predetermined operation voltage to produce hydrogen and a polymer producing the film and increasing internal battery resistance.

18. The battery pack of claim 3 wherein the overcharge-inhibition additive includes at least one of ortho-terphenyl, biphenyl, and diphenyl ether.

4. A battery charging system comprising:

a battery charging apparatus; and

a battery pack,

the battery charging apparatus including an AC/DC converter for converting commercial power supply to DC, a charge output terminal for supplying the battery pack with an output from the AC/DC converter, a GND terminal corresponding to the charge output terminal, voltage/current detection means provided on a charge path, over voltage protection means provided on the charge path, a voltage detection terminal for detecting a voltage of the battery pack, a temperature detection terminal for detecting a temperature of the battery pack, charge control means for conducting different types of charge control based on signals received from the voltage/current detection means, the voltage detection terminal, and the temperature detection terminal, and an output control switch for conducting output control based on a signal received from the charge control means, the output control switch provided on the charge path,

the battery pack including a lithium rechargeable battery to be charged including an overcharge-inhibition additive which produces a predetermined charge voltage rise rate which is greater than and then less than that without the overcharge-inhibition additive at about 120% overcharge due to gas generation or film formation on electrodes, a positive terminal and a negative terminal for electrically connecting the lithium rechargeable battery with the battery charging apparatus for charging the lithium rechargeable battery, battery voltage detection means for detecting a battery voltage of the lithium rechargeable battery, and a battery-pack-side voltage detection terminal for providing the battery charging apparatus with voltage information detected by the battery voltage detection means, wherein

the charge control means conducts protection control for the battery pack by transmitting a signal to the output control switch for turning off an output when a rise rate of the battery pack voltage detected based on the information supplied from the battery-pack-side voltage detection terminal and the voltage detection terminal is equal to or less than a predetermined value corresponding to the 120% overcharge and the battery pack is devoid of a controller and controller controlled charge path switch.

19. The battery pack of claim 4 wherein the overcharge-inhibition additive begins to operate at a predetermined operation voltage of about 4.2 volts.

20. The battery pack of claim 19 wherein the overcharge-inhibition additive includes benzene rings which decompose by oxidation at the predetermined operation voltage to produce hydrogen and a polymer producing the film and increasing internal battery resistance.

21. The battery pack of claim 4 wherein the overcharge-inhibition additive includes benzene rings which decompose by oxidation at the predetermined operation voltage to produce hydrogen and a polymer producing the film and increasing internal battery resistance.

22. The battery pack of claim 4 wherein the overcharge-inhibition additive includes at least one of ortho-terphenyl, biphenyl, and diphenyl ether.

23. The battery pack of claim 4 wherein the predetermined value for the voltage rise rate is less than zero.

24. The battery pack of claim 23 wherein the overcharge-inhibition additive includes benzene rings which decompose by oxidation at the predetermined operation voltage to produce hydrogen and a polymer producing the film and increasing internal battery resistance.