Charger

• US 20070139004A1
• Filed: 09/26/2006
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Satsuma, Eiji
• Granted Patent: US 7,589,493 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/114
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries

Abstract

A charger comprises a first charging terminal that contacts one of positive and negative terminals of a rechargeable battery to charge the battery; and a second charging terminal that is opposite in polarity to the first charging terminal electrically connected to a charging circuit. The first charging terminal has a nip portion that is formed by bending a metal plate in a folding manner such that parts of the metal plate are opposed. A temperature sensor is disposed in the nip portion. The temperature sensor disposed in the nip portion detects the battery temperature through the intermediary of the metal plate of the first charging terminal in contact with the terminal of the rechargeable battery.

Claims

1. A charger comprising:

a case that has a battery mounting portion for detachably mounting a rechargeable battery to be charged;

a charging circuit that is disposed inside the case, and charges the rechargeable battery mounted to the battery mounting portion;

a first charging terminal that is electrically connected to the charging circuit, and contacts one of positive and negative terminals of the rechargeable battery mounted to the battery mounting portion to charge the battery; and

a second charging terminal that is opposite in polarity to the first charging terminal electrically connected to the charging circuit, wherein

the first charging terminal has a nip portion that is formed by bending a metal plate in a folding manner such that parts of the metal plate are opposed, and a temperature sensor is disposed in the nip portion, wherein

the temperature sensor disposed in the nip portion detects the battery temperature through the intermediary of the metal plate of the first charging terminal in contact with the terminal of the rechargeable battery.

2. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is a film-type temperature sensor.

3. The charger according to claim 2, wherein the film-type temperature sensor is composed of a temperature sensing element that is interposed between two sheets of plastic films.

4. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the first charging terminal with the temperature sensor disposed therein contacts the negative terminal of the rechargeable battery.

5. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the first charging terminal with the temperature sensor disposed therein contacts a flat terminal of the rechargeable battery.

6. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the nip portion of the first charging terminal is located on the back side of the first charging terminal with respect to the rechargeable battery.

7. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the first charging terminal includes a contact portion that contacts the rechargeable battery and is branched in two parts, wherein each of the branched parts is provided with a projection that protrudes toward the terminal at an edge surface of the battery.

8. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the first charging terminal includes an elastic arm portion, wherein the fore end of the elastic arm portion is folded toward the back side of the elastic arm portion to form the nip portion.

9. The charger according to claim 8, wherein the first charging terminal includes a contact portion that contacts the rechargeable battery, wherein the fore end of the contact portion is folded toward the back side of the contact portion by bending such that the fore end is arranged close to the back surface of the elastic arm portion to form the nip portion.

10. The charger according to claim 1, wherein a fan that forcedly blows cooling air on the battery mounting portion to cool the rechargeable battery is disposed inside the case.

11. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the bottom of the battery mounting portion has a ventilation opening that allows cooling air to pass, wherein a fan forcedly blows the cooling air on the rechargeable battery in the battery mounting portion through the ventilation opening.