Battery connection method and apparatus

• US 10,075,001 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2015
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Traxxas LP (Traxxas)
• Original Assignee: Traxxas LP (Traxxas)
• Inventors: Christensen, Casey Christen Jens, Schmitz, Scott Rollin Michael, Allmendinger, Otto Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhou, Zixuan
• Application Number:
  US14/730,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20150349566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 320162
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An improved electrical connector for electrically connecting a rechargeable battery with an electrically powered device as well as methods of operation are provided. The connector may comprise one or more features including: integration of both first terminals for transmitting charging or discharging signals to and from the battery as well as one or more signal terminals for transmitting one or more balancing signals to and from the battery; implementation of communication signals comprising battery specific information to be received by the electrically powered device upon making an electrical connection with the battery; and, one or more safety features for preventing unsupported electrical connections between incompatible connector configurations. An electrically powered device implemented with the improved electrical connector may detect one or more characteristics of a battery upon electrically connecting with the battery and may reconfigure one or more operational settings of the device in response to the such characteristics.

Claims

1. An electrically powered device, comprising:

a controller operable to set at least a first operational parameter value in response to at least one detected condition of the electrically powered device;

a signal generator circuit for generating one or more power signals, the signal generator operably electrically connected to the controller for switching the signal generator circuit between at least energized and de-energized states;

a device connector for electrically connecting the electrically powered device to a battery connector of a battery, the device connector comprising;

a connector port for at least partially receiving a plug portion of the battery connector;

at least two electrically conductive first device terminals, each of the at least two first device terminals disposed at least partially within the connector port and configured to electrically connect to a first battery terminal disposed within the battery connector of the battery;

at least one electrically conductive second device terminal, the at least one second device terminal disposed at least partially within the connector port and configured to transmit one or more first balance signals when electrically connected with a second battery terminal disposed within the battery connector;

wherein the controller is operatively electrically connected to receive the one or more first balance signals transmitted by the at least one second device terminal when electrically connected to the second battery terminal of the battery for detecting whether an electrical connection is made at the at least one second device terminal;

wherein, if an electrical connection is detected at the at least one second device terminal, the controller generates a first control signal for at least setting the first operational parameter to a first value; and

wherein, if no electrical connection is detected at the at least one second device terminal, the controller generates the first control signal for at least setting the first operational parameter of the electrically powered device to a second value.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the connector port is configured to accommodate electrical connection with all of the respective first and second battery terminals comprising the battery connector, and wherein the battery comprises a Lithium polymer chemistry.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the connector port is configured to accommodate electrical connection with all of the respective first and second battery terminals comprising the battery connector, and wherein the battery comprises a Nickel metal hydride chemistry.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the electrically powered device comprises an Electronic Speed Controller (ESC), and wherein the first operational parameter comprises a low voltage cutoff value.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the controller generates a second control signal for at least de-energizing the signal generator circuit when the remaining charge on the battery reaches the low voltage cutoff value.

6. The device of claim 2, wherein the electrically powered device comprises a battery charger, and wherein the first operational parameter comprises a charge mode setting.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein the electrically powered device comprises a battery charger, and wherein the first operational parameter comprises an amperage value of a charge current.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the battery comprises a Lithium polymer chemistry and wherein the connector port is configured to accommodate electrical connection with all of the respective first and second battery terminals of the battery.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller determines an electrical connection is made at the at least one second device terminal when at least one of the one or more first balance signals is received by the controller.

10. A method for operating an Electronic Speed Controller (ESC), comprising:

receiving, at a connection port of the ESC, a battery plug of a battery for electrically connecting each of at least two electrically conductive first device terminals disposed within the connector port with an electrically conductive first battery terminal disposed within the battery plug and for electrically connecting at least one electrically conductive second device terminal disposed within the connector port with an electrically conductive second battery terminal disposed within the battery plug;

determining, using a controller, whether an electrical connection is made at the at least one second device terminal while the battery plug is received within the connection port, the controller operatively electrically connected to receive one or more first balance signals transmitted by the at least one second device terminal when the at least one second device terminal is electrically connected to the second battery terminal of the battery for detecting an electrical connection made at the at least one second device terminal;

generating, using the controller, a first control signal for at least setting a first operational parameter to in response to at least one detected condition of the electrically powered device, wherein the controller sets the first operational parameter to a first value if an electrical connection is detected at the at least one second device terminal, and wherein the controller sets the first operational parameter to a second value if no electrical connection is detected at the at least one second device terminal;

wherein a signal generator circuit is operated in a first mode when the first operational parameter is set to the first value and is operated in a second mode when the first operational parameter is set to the second value, the signal generator circuit configured to generate one or more power signals and operably electrically connected to the controller for switching the signal generator circuit between at least energized and de-energized states.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the connector port is configured to accommodate electrical connection with all of the respective first and second battery terminals comprising the battery connector, and wherein the battery comprises a Lithium polymer chemistry.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the connector port is configured to accommodate electrical connection with all of the respective first and second battery terminals comprising the battery connector, and wherein the battery comprises a Nickel metal hydride chemistry.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first operational parameter comprises a low voltage cutoff value.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

generating, using the controller, a second control signal for at least de-energizing the signal generator circuit when the remaining charge on the battery reaches the low voltage cutoff value.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the battery comprises a Lithium polymer chemistry and wherein the connector port is configured to accommodate direct electrical connection with all of the respective first and second battery terminals of the battery.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the controller determines an electrical connection is made at the at least one second device terminal when at least one of the one or more first balance signals is received by the controller.

17. A method for operating a battery charger, comprising:

receiving, at a connection port of the battery charger, a battery plug of a battery for electrically connecting each of at least two electrically conductive first device terminals disposed within the connector port with an electrically conductive first battery terminal disposed within the battery plug and for electrically connecting at least one electrically conductive second device terminal disposed within the connector port with an electrically conductive second battery terminal disposed within the battery plug;

determining, using a controller, whether an electrical connection is made at the at least one second device terminal while the battery plug is received within the connection port, the controller operatively electrically connected to receive one or more first balance signals transmitted by the at least one second device terminal when the at least one second device terminal is electrically connected to the second battery terminal of the battery for detecting an electrical connection made at the at least one second device terminal;

generating, using the controller, a first control signal for at least setting a first operational parameter to in response to at least one detected condition of the electrically powered device, wherein the controller sets the first operational parameter to a first value if an electrical connection is detected at the at least one second device terminal, and wherein the controller sets the first operational parameter to a second value if no electrical connection is detected at the at least one second device terminal;

wherein a signal generator circuit is operated in a first mode when the first operational parameter is set to the first value and is operated in a second mode when the first operational parameter is set to the second value, the signal generator circuit configured to generate one or more power signals and operably electrically connected to the controller for switching the signal generator circuit between at least energized and de-energized states.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the connector port is configured to accommodate electrical connection with all of the respective first and second battery terminals comprising the battery connector, and wherein the battery comprises a Lithium polymer chemistry.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the connector port is configured to accommodate electrical connection with all of the respective first and second battery terminals comprising the battery connector, and wherein the battery comprises a Nickel metal hydride chemistry.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the first operational parameter comprises a charge mode setting.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the first operational parameter comprises an amperage value of a charge current.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the battery comprises a Lithium polymer chemistry and wherein the connector port is configured to accommodate direct electrical connection with all of the respective first and second battery terminals of the battery.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the controller determines an electrical connection is made at the at least one second device terminal when at least one of the one or more first balance signals is received by the controller.