Plug-and-expand battery module

• US 7,433,182 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2005
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitac Technology Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Mitac Technology Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Fan, Yung-Kang
• Primary Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US11/125,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20060133021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 361/683
• US Class Current: 361/679.55
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

A plug-and-expand battery module includes at least one battery cell therein, which is provided with a plug member adapted to insert into a power input of a portable electronic apparatus, and a socket member adapted to receive the plug member of another battery module. The battery module is internally provided with a battery connecting circuit for connecting the battery cells to one another, and to the plug and socket members. Thus, when the plug member of the battery module is inserted into the power input of the portable electronic apparatus, power is supplied from all the battery modules connected via the plug and the socket members thereof. The battery module is also internally provided with a battery protection to prevent discharge of a battery module having a higher voltage to another battery module having a lower voltage when several battery modules are parallelly connected to supply power.

Claims

1. A plug-and-expand battery module, comprising:

a first expandable battery module including at least one battery cell therein;

a first plug member provided on the first expandable battery module, adapted to be selectively inserted into a power input of a portable electronic apparatus or a second socket member of a second expandable battery module;

a first socket member provided on the first expandable battery module, adapted to be inserted by a second plug member of the second expandable battery module;

a battery connecting circuit for connecting the battery cells in the first expandable battery module to the first plug member and the first socket member;

wherein the first plug member of the first expandable battery module has a dimension substantially same to the second plug member of the second expandable battery module, and the first socket member of the first expandable battery module has a dimension substantially same to the second socket member of the second expandable battery module;

whereby when the first socket member of the first expandable battery module is inserted by the second plug member of the second expandable battery module, a power energy supplied by the first expandable battery module and the second expandable battery module is supplied to the first plug member of the first expandable battery module.

2. The plug-and-expand battery module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first plug member and the first socket member are provided at two diametrically opposite positions on the first expandable battery module to locate in a horizontal plane.

3. The plug-and-expand battery module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first plug member further comprises:

a third plug member provided on the first expandable battery module and connected to the battery cells in the first expandable battery module via the battery connecting circuit; and

a third socket member provided on the first expandable battery module and connected to the battery cells in the first expandable battery module via the battery connecting circuit.

4. The plug-and-expand battery module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the battery connecting circuit further includes a battery protection unit therein.

5. The plug-and-expand battery module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the battery cells in the first expandable battery module are connected in series via the battery connecting circuit.

6. The plug-and-expand battery module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the portable electronic apparatus is a notebook computer.

7. The plug-and-expand battery module as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a speaker module having a plug member adapted to insert into the first socket member of the expandable battery module.

8. A plug-and-expand battery module, comprising:

a first expandable battery module, comprising;

at least one battery cell therein;

a first plug member provided on the expandable battery module for inserting into a power input of a portable electronic apparatus;

a first socket member provided on the first expandable battery module;

a battery connecting circuit for connecting the battery cells in the first expandable battery module to the first plug member and the first socket member;

whereby when the first plug member of the expandable battery module is inserted into the power input of the portable electronic apparatus, a power energy is supplied from the first expandable battery module to the portable electronic apparatus via the first plug member;

at least one second expandable battery module, each comprising;

at least one battery cell therein;

a second plug member provided on the second expandable battery module;

a second socket member provided on the second expandable battery module; and

a battery connecting circuit for connecting the battery cells in the second expandable battery module to the second plug member and the second socket member of the second expandable battery module;

wherein the first plug member of the first expandable battery module has a dimension substantially same to the second plug member of the second expandable battery module, and the first socket member of the first expandable battery module has a dimension substantially same to the second socket member of the second expandable battery module;

whereby when the first socket member of the first expandable battery module is inserted by the second plug member of the second expandable battery module, a power energy supplied by the first expandable battery module and the second expandable battery module is supplied from the first expandable battery module to the portable electronic apparatus via the first plug member of the first expandable battery module.

9. The plug-and-expand battery module as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first plug member and the first socket member of the first expandable battery module are provided at two diametrically opposite positions on the first expandable battery module to locate in a horizontal plane, and the second plug member and the first socket member of the second expandable battery module are provided at two diametrically opposite positions on the second expandable battery module to locate in the same horizontal plane.

10. The plug-and-expand battery module as claimed in claim 8, the first expandable battery module further comprising:

a third plug member provided on the first expandable battery module and connected to the battery cells in the first expandable battery module via the battery connecting circuit of the first expandable battery module; and

a third socket member provided on the first expandable battery module and connected to the battery cells in the first expandable battery module via the battery connecting circuit of the first expandable battery module;

the second expandable battery module further comprising;

a fourth plug member provided on the second expandable battery module and connected to the battery cells in the second expandable battery module via the battery connecting circuit of the second expandable battery module; and

a fourth socket member provided on the second expandable battery module and connected to the battery cells in the second expandable battery module via the battery connecting circuit of the second expandable battery module.

11. The plug-and-expand battery module as claimed in claim 8, wherein each the battery connecting circuits of the first expandable battery module and the second expandable battery module further includes a battery protection unit therein respectively.

12. The plug-and-expand battery module as claimed in claim 8, wherein the battery cells in the first expandable battery module and the second expandable battery module are connected in series via the battery connecting circuit respectively.

13. The plug-and-expand battery module as claimed in claim 8, wherein the portable electronic apparatus is a notebook computer.

14. The plug-and-expand battery module as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a speaker module having a plug member adapted to insert into the first socket member of the second expandable battery module.

15. A portable electronic apparatus, comprising:

a battery seat formed on the portable electronic apparatus, the battery seat being provided with a power input;

a first expandable battery module including at least one battery cell therein, mounted in the battery seat, comprising;

a first plug member provided on the first expandable battery module for inserting into the power input of the portable electronic apparatus;

a first socket member provided on the first expandable battery module, adapted to be inserted by a second plug member of a second expandable battery module with a second socket member;

a battery connecting circuit for connecting the battery cells in the first expandable battery module to the first plug member and the first socket member;

wherein the first plug member of the first expandable battery module has a dimension substantially same to the second plug member of the second expandable battery module, and the first socket member of the first expandable battery module has a dimension substantially same to the second socket member of the second expandable battery module;

whereby when the first socket member of the first expandable battery module is inserted by the second plug member of the second expandable battery module, a power energy supplied by the first expandable battery module and the second expandable battery module is supplied from the first expandable battery module to the portable electronic apparatus via the first plug member of the first expandable battery module.

16. The plug-and-expand battery module as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

a third plug member provided on the first expandable battery module and connected to the battery cells in the first expandable battery module via the battery connecting circuit; and

a third socket member provided on the first expandable battery module and connected to the battery cells in the first expandable battery module via the battery connecting circuit.

17. The plug-and-expand battery module as claimed in claim 15, wherein each of the battery connecting circuits of the first expandable battery module and the second expandable battery module further includes a battery protection unit therein respectively.

18. The plug-and-expand battery module as claimed in claim 15, wherein the portable electronic apparatus is a notebook computer.