Battery pack and method of charging battery pack

• US 8,633,677 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2010
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Kim, Youn-Gu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): TORRES RUIZ, JOHALI ALEJANDRA
• Application Number:
  US12/979,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20110156655A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 320/134
• US Class Current: 320/134
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery pack and a method of charging the same are disclosed. The battery pack is chargeable by a variety of chargers which have different output voltages.

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising:

a chargeable battery cell;

a charging terminal part selectively connectable to the battery cell;

a protection circuit configured to control charging of the battery cell;

a first switching element connected to the battery cell and to the charging terminal part;

a converter circuit connected to the charging terminal part, the converter circuit configured to receive an input voltage applied to the charging terminal part and to output a voltage different from the input voltage; and

a second switching element connected between the converter circuit and the battery cell,

wherein the protection circuit determines the input voltage and a voltage for charging the battery cell, and

wherein, if the input voltage is substantially the same as a voltage corresponding to the voltage for charging the battery cell, the protection circuit switches on the first switching element to connect the charging terminal part to the battery cell.

2. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein, if the input voltage is lower than a voltage corresponding to the voltage for charging the battery cell, the protection circuit controls the converter circuit to increase the input voltage.

3. The battery pack of claim 2, wherein if the input voltage is lower than the voltage corresponding to the voltage for charging the battery cell, the protection circuit switches on the second switching element and switches off the first switching element.

4. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein, if the input voltage is higher than a voltage corresponding to the voltage for charging the battery cell, the protection circuit controls the converter circuit to decrease the input voltage.

5. The battery pack of claim 4, wherein if the input voltage is higher than the voltage corresponding to the voltage for charging the battery cell, the protection circuit switches on the second switching element and switches off the first switching element.

6. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the converter circuit comprises a first converter circuit for outputting a voltage greater than the input voltage and a second converter circuit for outputting a voltage less than the input voltage, wherein the battery pack further comprises a third switching element connected between the second converter circuit and the battery cell, and the second switching element is connected between the first converter circuit and the battery cell.

7. The battery pack of claim 6, wherein, if the input voltage is lower than a voltage corresponding to the voltage for charging the battery cell, the protection circuit switches on the second switching element and switches off the first and third switching elements.

8. The battery pack of claim 6, wherein, if the input voltage is higher than a voltage corresponding to the voltage for charging the battery cell, the protection circuit switches on the third switching element and switches off the first and second switching elements.

9. The battery pack of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of resistors for determining the input voltage and the voltage for charging the battery cell.

10. The battery pack of claim 9, wherein a resistance of at least one of the resistors corresponds to the voltage for charging the battery cell.

11. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the protection circuit stores information about the voltage for charging the battery cell.

12. A method of charging a battery pack comprising a battery cell and a charging control circuit for controlling charging of the battery cell, the method comprising:

determining that a charger is connected to the battery pack;

determining a first voltage applied by the charger;

determining a voltage for charging the battery cell;

comparing the first voltage with the charging voltage;

based on the comparing, charging the battery cell with the first voltage by closing a first switch connected to the battery pack or charging the battery with a second voltage by closing a second switch connected to the battery pack, wherein the second voltage is generated based on the first voltage.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, if the first voltage is substantially the same as the voltage for charging the battery cell, the battery cell is charged with the first voltage.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein, if the first voltage is lower than a voltage corresponding to the voltage for charging the battery cell, the battery cell is charged with a second voltage generated from the first voltage, wherein the second voltage is greater than the first voltage.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein, if the first voltage is higher than a voltage corresponding to the voltage for charging the battery cell, the battery cell is charged with a third voltage generated from the first voltage, wherein the third voltage is less than the first voltage.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein paths other than a path through which the battery cell is charged are blocked.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the first voltage and the voltage for charging the battery cell are determined by using one or more resistors connected to a charging control circuit.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein a charging control circuit stores information about the voltage for charging the battery cell.