Battery packs

• US 20050162131A1
• Filed: 10/22/2004
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Kazuhiko, Sato, Bunya, Sennami, Hiromitsu, Aita, Takayuki, Misawa, Daiki
• Granted Patent: US 7,737,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/128
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 Overdischarge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• 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: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery pack having a secondary battery is disclosed. The battery pack comprises at least one voltage converter; and switching means for switching an operation mode of the voltage converter to one of a charging mode and a discharging mode, in the charging mode, a charging voltage being output to the secondary battery, in the discharging mode, a voltage of the secondary battery being converted into a predetermined discharging voltage and the converted voltage being output.

Claims

1. A battery pack having a secondary battery, the battery pack comprising:

at least one voltage converter; and

switching means for switching an operation mode of the voltage converter to one of a charging mode and a discharging mode, in the charging mode, a charging voltage being output to the secondary battery, in the discharging mode, a voltage of the secondary battery being converted into a predetermined discharging voltage and the converted voltage being output.

2. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

detecting means for detecting a state of which a charger has been connected,

wherein the switching means is configured to switch the operation mode of the voltage converter to the charging mode when the detected result of the detecting means represents that the charger has been connected.

3. The battery pack as set forth in claim 2,

wherein the detecting means is configured to detect an identification resistance of the charger.

4. The battery pack as set forth in claim 2,

wherein the detecting means is configured to perform digital communication with the charger.

5. The battery pack as set forth in claim 2,

wherein the detecting means is configured to detect a state of which the charger has been connected.

6. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the switching means is configured to switch an output voltage of the voltage converter to one of a voltage of the charging mode and a voltage of the discharging mode.

7. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the switching means has:

first switching means for switching an input voltage of the voltage converter; and

second switching means for selecting an output voltage of the voltage converter.

8. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a protecting circuit for protecting the secondary battery.

9. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1,

wherein along with the secondary battery, the voltage converter is housed in a case.

10. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the voltage converter is housed in the secondary battery.

11. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the voltage converter is of bi-directional type.

12. A battery pack having a secondary battery, the battery pack comprising:

at least one voltage converter;

a plurality of output terminals for at least two different voltages; and

power controlling means for determining whether or not the secondary battery is normally operating and turning on and off the power of the voltage converter in accordance with the determined result.

13. The battery pack as set forth in claim 12,

wherein along with the secondary battery, the voltage converter is housed in a case.

14. The battery pack as set forth in claim 12,

wherein the voltage converter is housed in the secondary battery.

15. The battery pack as set forth in claim 12, further comprising:

a protecting circuit for protecting the secondary battery.

16. The battery pack as set forth in claim 12,

wherein the power controlling means is configured to determine that the secondary battery is normally operating when the voltage of the secondary battery is a preset voltage or higher.

17. The battery pack as set forth in claim 12,

wherein the power controlling means is configured to determine that the secondary battery is normally operating when the voltage of the secondary battery is a preset voltage or lower.

18. The battery pack as set forth in claim 12,

wherein the power controlling means is configured to determine that the secondary battery is normally operating when the temperature of the secondary battery or the temperature in the vicinity thereof is a preset temperature or lower.

19. A battery pack having a secondary battery, the battery pack comprising:

at least one voltage converter;

a plurality of output terminals for at least two different voltages; and

power controlling means for determining whether or not the voltage converter is normally operating and turning on and off the power of the voltage converter in accordance with the determined result.

20. The battery pack as set forth in claim 19,

wherein along with the secondary battery, the voltage converter is housed in a case.

21. The battery pack as set forth in claim 19,

wherein the voltage converter is housed in the secondary battery.

22. The battery pack as set forth in claim 19, further comprising:

a protecting circuit for protecting the secondary battery.

23. The battery pack as set forth in claim 19,

wherein the power controlling means is configured to determine that the voltage converter is normally operating when the temperature of the voltage converter or the temperature in the vicinity thereof is a preset temperature or lower.

24. A battery pack having a secondary battery, the battery pack comprising:

at least one voltage converter;

a plurality of output terminals for at least two different voltages;

an input terminal for a start signal that represents whether or not an output of the voltage converter is required; and

power controlling means for turning on/off the power of the voltage converter in accordance with the start signal.

25. The battery pack as set forth in claim 24,

wherein along with the secondary battery, the voltage converter is housed in a case.

26. The battery pack as set forth in claim 24,

wherein the voltage converter is housed in the secondary battery.

27. The battery pack as set forth in claim 24, further comprising:

a protecting circuit for protecting the secondary battery.

28. The battery pack as set forth in claim 24,

wherein the start signal is supplied from an electronic device and that is varied depending on whether the power of the electronic device has been turned on/off, and

wherein the power controlling means is configured to turn on the power of the voltage converter when the power of the electronic device has been turned on.