BATTERY CHARGER

• US 20100060232A1
• Filed: 09/08/2009
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Techtronic Power Tools Technology Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Techtronic Power Tools Technology Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Tocco, Anthony Thomas, Hornick, Mike, Rajani, Umesh, Boyles, Samuel
• Granted Patent: US 8,378,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0019 using switched or multiplexed charge circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 with safety or protection devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

An energy-efficient and compact multi-port battery charger. The battery charger includes, among other things, a power supply module, a battery charger control module or controller, a power switching module, one or more power control safety modules, a plurality of battery charger switches, and a plurality of indicators. The controller, the power switching module, the power control safety modules, and the battery charger switches work in conjunction with each other to control the operation of the battery charger. The controller is configured to execute a charging control process which detects the insertion of a battery pack into a charging port, selects a charging port for charging, controls the power output from the power switching module, and controls the illumination or display of the indicators. The power switching module uses control signals from the controller to switch the power received from the power supply module such that a charging current is applied to a single charging port. Each of the power control safety modules includes a power control safety circuit that is configured to prevent the charging current and/or the charging voltage from damaging the battery charger or battery pack during a malfunction.

Claims

1. A battery charger comprising:

a housing including a plurality of charging ports, each of the plurality of charging ports configured to receive a battery pack;

a power supply module electrically connected to a power source and configured to supply power to the battery charger,

wherein the battery charger operates in a normal operational power mode and a low operational power mode;

a controller configured to

determine whether one or more of the plurality of charging ports is to receive a first charging current,

determine whether one or more of the plurality of charging ports is to receive a second charging current, wherein the first charging current is greater than the second charging current, and

operate the battery charger in the normal operational power mode when one or more of the plurality of charging ports is to receive the first charging current or the second charging current;

at least one protection circuit including at least one semiconductor switch, the at least one semiconductor switch configured to prevent a charging current from being supplied to a charging port when a defect condition related to the charging port is detected; and

a battery pack detection device positioned within at least one of the plurality of charging ports and electrically connected to the controller, the battery pack detection device configured to provide an indication to the controller of a presence of the battery pack in the at least one of the plurality of charging ports,

wherein the battery pack detection device provides an electrical connection between the at least one of the plurality of charging ports and the battery pack.

2. The battery charger of claim 1, further comprising a power switching module configured to provide either the first charging current or the second charging current to one of the plurality of charging ports.

3. The battery charger of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a charging signal to enable the power switching module to provide the charging current to the one of the plurality of charging ports.

4. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein the second charging current is a trickle charging current.

5. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to cycle through the plurality of charging ports in a serial manner to determine whether any of the plurality of charging ports is to receive the charging current.

6. A battery charger comprising:

a housing including one or more charging ports, each of the one or more charging ports configured to receive a battery pack;

a power supply module electrically connected to a power source and configured to supply power to the battery charger;

a controller configured to receive an indication of a presence of the battery pack in one of the one or more charging ports;

at least one protection circuit including at least one semiconductor switch, the at least one semiconductor switch configured to prevent a charging current from being supplied to a charging port when a defect condition related to the charging port is detected; and

a battery pack detection device positioned within at least one of the one or more charging ports and electrically connected to the controller, the battery pack detection device including a first conductive part, a second conductive part, a first terminal, and a second terminal,

wherein a voltage of the first terminal is a battery charger reference voltage, a voltage of the second terminal is a battery charger control voltage, and the first conductive part and the second conductive part are brought into electrical connection with one another when the battery pack is inserted into the at least one of the one or more charging ports, and

wherein the voltage of the second terminal is reduced from the battery charger control voltage to the battery charger reference voltage after being brought into electrical connection with the first terminal.

7. The battery charger of claim 6, further comprising a power switching module configured to provide the charging current to one of the one or more charging ports.

8. The battery charger of claim 6, wherein the battery pack detection device further includes an insulating part electrically isolating the first conductive part from the second conductive part.

9. The battery charger of claim 8, wherein the first conductive part and the second conductive part are separated from one another by a distance.

10. The battery charger of claim 9, wherein the distance between the first conductive part and the second conductive part is spanned when the battery pack is inserted into the at least one of the one or more charging ports.

11. A battery charger comprising:

a housing including a plurality of charging ports, each of the plurality of charging ports configured to receive a battery pack;

a power supply module electrically connected to a power source and configured to supply power to the battery charger;

a controller configured to

select one of the plurality of charging ports that is to receive a charging current, and

generate a charging signal to enable the selected one of the plurality of charging ports to receive the charging current; and

at least one protection circuit configured to receive the charging signal from the controller when the at least one protection circuit is in a normal operational mode, the at least one protection circuit including a first semiconductor switch and a second semiconductor switch,

wherein the first semiconductor switch allows the charging current to be supplied to the at least one of the plurality of charging ports when the at least one protection circuit is receiving the charging signal from the controller, and

wherein the second semiconductor switch prevents the charging current from being supplied to the at least one of the plurality of charging ports when the at least one protection circuit is not receiving the charging signal from the controller.

12. The battery charger of claim 11, further comprising a power switching module configured to provide the charging current to one of the plurality of charging ports.

13. The battery charger of claim 11, wherein the at least one protection circuit further includes a fuse.

14. The battery charger of claim 13, wherein the second semiconductor switch causes the fuse to open when the charging current is being supplied to the at least one of the plurality of charging ports and the at least one protection circuit is not receiving the charging signal from the controller.

15. The battery charger of claim 11, wherein the charging current flows through the first semiconductor switch.

16. A battery charger comprising:

a housing including a plurality of charging ports, each of the plurality of charging ports configured to receive a battery pack;

a power supply module electrically connected to a power source and configured to supply power to the battery charger,

wherein the battery charger operates in a first operational power mode and a second operational power mode; and

a controller configured to execute a charging control process, the charging control process including

detecting an indication related to a presence of the battery pack in one of the plurality of charging ports,

determining whether one or more of the plurality of charging ports is to receive a first charging current,

determining whether one or more of the plurality of charging ports is to receive a second charging current, wherein the first charging current is greater than the second charging current,

operating the battery charger in the first operational power mode when at least one of the plurality of charging ports is to receive the first charging current or the second charging current,

generating a charging signal to enable one of the plurality of charging ports to receive the first charging current or the second charging current when the one of the plurality of charging ports is to receive the first charging current or the second charging current, and

operating the battery charger in the second operational power mode when none of the plurality of charging ports is to receive the first charging current or the second charging current.

17. The battery charger of claim 16, further comprising a power switching module configured to provide either the first charging current or the second charging current to one of the plurality of charging ports.

18. The battery charger of claim 16, wherein the second charging current is a trickle charging current.

19. The battery charger of claim 16, wherein the charging control process further includes cycling through the plurality of charging ports in a serial manner to determine whether one or more of the plurality of charging ports is to receive the first charging current or the second charging current.

20. The battery charger of claim 16, wherein the second operational power mode is a low-power mode.

21. A battery charger comprising:

a housing including one or more charging ports, each of the one or more charging ports configured to receive a battery pack;

a power supply module electrically connected to a power source and configured to supply power to the battery charger;

a controller configured to receive an indication of a presence of the battery pack in one of the one or more charging ports, select one of the one or more charging ports that is to receive a charging current, and generate a charging signal to enable the selected one of the one or more charging ports to receive the charging current; and

a battery pack detection device positioned within at least one of the one or more charging ports and electrically connected to the controller, the battery pack detection device including a

a first conductive part coupled to a negative terminal of the power supply module,

a second conductive part coupled to the controller, and

an insulating part electrically isolating the first conductive part from the second conductive part;

wherein the first conductive part is bent toward the second conductive part when the battery pack is inserted into the at least one of the one or more charging ports.

22. The battery charger of claim 21, wherein the battery pack detection device provides, to the controller, the indication of the presence of the battery pack in one of the one or more charging ports.

23. The battery charger of claim 21, wherein the battery pack detection device provides an electrical connection between the at least one of the one or more charging ports and the battery pack.

24. The battery charger of claim 21, wherein a voltage of the first conductive part is a battery charger reference voltage and a voltage of the second conductive part is the battery charger control voltage.

25. The battery charger of claim 24, wherein the voltage of the second conductive part is reduced from the battery charger control voltage to the battery charger reference voltage when the battery pack is inserted into the at least one of the one or more charging ports.

26. A battery charger comprising:

a housing including one or more charging ports, each of the one or more charging ports configured to receive a battery pack;

a power supply module electrically connected to a power source and configured to supply power to the battery charger;

a controller configured to receive an indication of a presence of the battery pack in one of the one or more charging ports, select one of the one or more charging ports that is to receive a charging current, and generate a charging signal to enable the selected one of the one or more charging ports to receive the charging current; and

a battery pack detection device positioned within at least one of the one or more charging ports and electrically connected to the controller, the battery pack detection device including a

a first conductive part coupled to a negative terminal of the power supply module,

a second conductive part coupled to the controller,

wherein the first conductive part and the second conductive part are separated from one another by a fixed distance, and

an insulating part electrically insulating the first conductive part from the second conductive part;

wherein the fixed distance between the first conductive part and the second conductive part is bridged by a terminal of the battery pack when the battery pack is inserted into the at least one of the one or more charging ports.

27. The battery charger of claim 26, wherein the battery pack detection device provides the indication of the presence of the battery pack in one of the one or more charging ports to the controller.

28. The battery charger of claim 26, wherein the battery pack detection device provides an electrical connection between the at least one of the one or more charging ports and the battery pack.

29. The battery charger of claim 26, wherein a voltage of the first conductive part is a battery charger reference voltage and a voltage of the second conductive part is the battery charger control voltage.

30. The battery charger of claim 29, wherein the voltage of the second conductive part is reduced from the battery charger control voltage to the battery charger reference voltage when the battery pack is inserted into the at least one of the one or more charging ports.