Battery pack with integral non-contact discharging means and electronic device including the same

• US 9,041,359 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2012
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Ro, Hun-Tae
• Primary Examiner(s): Muralidar, Richard V
• Application Number:
  US13/396,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20120229092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 320/112, 320/108, 320/107, 320/135, 320/136
• US Class Current: 320/135
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery pack and an electronic device are disclosed. The battery pack includes a battery for storing electric energy, and a non-contacting discharging unit for receiving the stored electric energy from the battery and for transferring the stored electric energy to a power receiving unit in a non-electrically contacting manner. The electronic device includes a main body and the battery pack. The main body includes a power receiving unit. The battery pack is for mounting to and supplying power to the main body.

Claims

1. A battery pack for mounting to and supplying power to a main body of an electronic device, the battery pack comprising:

a battery for storing electric energy;

a non-contacting discharging unit for receiving the stored electric energy from the battery and for transferring the stored electric energy from the battery to a power receiving unit in the main body in a non-electrically contacting manner; and

a feedback receiving unit for receiving feedback from a feedback transmitting unit in the main body in a non-electrically contacting manner, the feedback being for controlling a rate of transfer of the stored electric energy from the battery to the power receiving unit in the main body.

2. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the feedback receiving unit comprises a light receiving sensor or a current inducing unit.

3. The battery pack of claim 1, further comprising a connection detecting unit for detecting a connection between the non-contacting discharging unit and the power receiving unit.

4. The battery pack of claim 3, wherein the connection detecting unit comprises a magnetic sensor, a pressure sensor, or a button.

5. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the non-contacting discharging unit comprises a magnetic field generating unit for generating a magnetic field.

6. The battery pack of claim 5, wherein the non-contacting discharging unit further comprises a pulse generating unit for controlling an intensity of the magnetic field by pulse width modulation.

7. The battery pack of claim 5, wherein the non-contacting discharging unit further comprises an alternating current (AC) generating unit for controlling an intensity of the magnetic field by AC frequency modulation.

8. The battery pack of claim 5, wherein

the non-contacting discharging unit is further configured to transfer electric energy from a charging device to the battery, and

the magnetic field generating unit is further configured to receive the electric energy from the charging device in a non-electrically contacting manner.

9. The battery pack of claim 8, wherein

the non-contacting discharging unit further comprises a refining unit and a filtering unit,

the magnetic field generating unit is further configured to induce an electric current,

the refining unit is configured to refine the induced current, and

the filtering unit is configured to filter the refined current and charge the battery with the filtered current.

10. The battery pack of claim 1, further comprising a non-contacting charging unit for transferring electric energy from a charging device to the battery, wherein the non-contacting charging unit is configured to receive the electric energy from the charging device in a non-electrically contacting manner.

11. The battery pack of claim 10, further comprising a refining unit and a filtering unit, wherein

the non-contacting charging unit is configured to generate an alternating current,

the refining unit is configured to refine the alternating current and convert the refined alternating current to a direct current, and

the filtering unit is configured to filter the direct current and charge the battery with the filtered direct current.

12. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the battery pack is electrically insulated from the power receiving unit when the battery pack is configured to transfer the stored electric energy to the power receiving unit.

13. An electronic device comprising:

a main body comprising;

a power receiving unit; and

a feedback transmitting unit; and

a battery pack for mounting to and supplying power to the main body, the battery pack comprising;

a battery for storing electric energy;

a non-contacting discharging unit for receiving the stored electric energy from the battery and transferring the stored electric energy from the battery to the power receiving unit in the main body in a non-electrically contacting manner; and

a feedback receiving unit for receiving feedback from the feedback transmitting unit in the main body in a non-electrically contacting manner, the feedback being for controlling a rate of transfer of the stored electric energy from the battery to the power receiving unit in the main body.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the battery pack further comprises a connection detecting unit for detecting a mounting of the battery pack to the main body.

15. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein

the battery pack further comprises a non-contacting charging unit for transferring electric energy from a charging device to the battery,

the non-contacting charging unit is configured to receive the electric energy from the charging device in a non-electrically contacting manner, and

the power receiving unit is configured to receive the electric energy from the charging device in a non-electrically contacting manner to power the main body.

16. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the non-contacting discharging unit is further configured

to receive electric energy from a charging device in a non-electrically contacting manner, and

to transfer the electric energy from the charging device to the battery.