Battery pack chargers and charging method

• US 20080315834A1
• Filed: 06/13/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Daniel J., Cruise, Nathan J., Choksi, Snehal S., Howard, Geoffrey S., Trinh, Danh T., Johnson, Alexis W., Bowers, Michelle L., Seman, Andrew E., Bailey, R. Roby JR., Cunanan, Regina Gracia
• Granted Patent: US 9,281,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/113
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/30 Nickel accumulators H01M10/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00038 using passive battery identification means, e.g. resistors or capacitors identification by mechanical connections H02J7/0045
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00041 in response to measured battery parameters, e.g. voltage, current or temperature profile
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• 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 method of charging a battery pack is provided. The method includes: electronically connecting a battery pack to a charger; detecting information regarding the battery pack; determining an appropriate charging regime based on the detected information; and applying the charging regime to the battery pack. A battery charger may also provided. The battery charger includes: a first terminal for connecting to a battery pack; a second terminal for connecting to a battery pack, a microprocessor operatively connected to the terminals and configured to receive a signal from at least one terminal regarding a battery pack connected to the terminal and control the charger to select and apply a charging regime to the battery pack according to the signal.

Claims

1. A battery charger comprising:

a first terminal for connecting to a battery pack;

a second terminal for connecting to a battery pack;

a microprocessor operatively connected to the terminals and configured to receive a signal from at least one terminal regarding a battery pack connected to the terminal and control the charger to select and apply a charging regime to the battery pack according to the signal.

2. The battery charger of claim 1, comprising a non-charging terminal operatively connected to the microprocessor and configured to receive a signal from the battery pack wherein the non-charging terminal does not provide power to the battery pack to charge the battery pack.

3. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein the signal is at least one of any of the following:

a digital signal, an analog signal, a voltage, and current.

4. The battery charger of claim 1, further comprising a validation circuit operatively connected to the microprocessor wherein the validation circuit reads a voltage associated with the battery pack and the microprocessor is programmed to control the charger to apply the charging regime to a battery pack based on the read voltage.

5. The battery charger of claim 4, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to control the charger to apply a charging regime for a Li-Ion battery pack if the read voltage is about 2.2 to about 2.4 volts, a charging regime for a NiCad battery pack if the read voltage is about 0.5 to about 1.8 volts and a no charge regime if the read voltage is other than about 2.2 to about 2.4 volts and about 0.5 to about 1.8 volts.

6. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein the signal includes data regarding any of the following:

a maximum current to apply to the battery pack, a length of time to apply current to the battery pack, charge completion indicators, current variations to apply to the battery pack, and voltage variations to apply to the battery pack.

7. The battery charger of claim 1, further comprising a voltage detection mechanism operatively connected to the first terminal and second terminal and configured to sense voltage between the terminals wherein the charger is configured to stop supplying current to the battery pack when the sensed voltage decreases.

8. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is configured control the charger to send a toggle signal to a battery pack attached to the charger.

9. The battery charger of claim 8, wherein the toggle signal is one of a voltage pulse and a current pulse.

10. The battery charger of claim 9, wherein the toggle signal is substantially a square voltage pulse having a maximum voltage of about 3 volts and a minimum of about 0 volts and cycles at a rate of about 1 cycle per second.

11. The battery charger of claim 8, further comprising a sensor for sensing terminal voltage at a maximum and minimum voltage of the signal.

12. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is configured to control the charger to apply a precharging current to the terminals, then stop applying the precharging current and monitor feedback from a battery pack and apply a charging regime to the terminals based on the feedback from the battery pack.

13. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein the charging regime includes a first charging regime if the battery pack is in a low voltage condition and changes to second charging regime when the battery pack becomes partially charged.

14. The battery charger of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional terminal and the signal includes information including which terminals are engaged by a battery pack and the charging regime is based, at least in part by which terminals are engaged by the battery pack.

15. A method of charging a battery including:

applying a toggle signal to charging terminals;

monitoring a terminal voltage at the maximum and minimum of the toggle signal;

determining a difference in the terminal voltage at the maximum and minimum of the toggle signal;

comparing the difference in terminal voltage to a predetermined threshold, if the difference in terminal voltage is below the predetermined threshold, then;

detecting a type of battery pack connected to the terminals; and

applying a charging regime according to the type of battery pack detected.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising repeating the applying, monitoring, determining, and comparing steps when the terminal voltage is above the predetermined threshold until the difference in the terminal voltage is below the predetermined threshold.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the detecting step includes applying a current to the terminals and then stopping applying the current to the terminals and processing a signal from the battery pack to determine if the battery pack has a microchip.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the current is applied for about 4 seconds and then stopped for about 6 seconds.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising displaying an error message if it is not appropriate to charge the battery pack.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining a condition of the battery pack and changing the charge regime applied to the battery pack as a condition of the battery pack changes.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the toggle signal has a maximum of about 3 volts between terminals and a minimum of about 0 volts between terminals and cycles about one time per second.

22. A method of charging a battery comprising:

electronically connecting a battery pack to a charger;

detecting information regarding the battery pack;

determining an appropriate charging regime based on the detected information; and

applying the charging regime to the battery pack.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising determining a type of battery pack connected to the charger by determining which terminals are engaged with the charger.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the detecting step is done by receiving a signal from the battery pack via a terminal on the charger connected with the battery pack that is not used for providing a current to the battery pack to charge the battery pack.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the information is detected by detecting a voltage between terminals on the charger.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the information is detected by detecting a change in voltage between terminals on the charger.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the information is detected by processing a signal sent from a microchip in the battery pack.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising sending a toggle signal to the battery pack and detecting a signal sent from the battery pack in response to the toggle signal.