EQUIPMENT SYSTEM COMPRISING A BATTERY-OPERATED ELECTRICAL DEVICE, A RECHARGEABLE BATTERY UNIT, AND A BATTERY CHARGER

• US 20100085013A1
• Filed: 03/30/2009
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Bosch, Volker, Baur, Hans-Joachim, Lohr, Guenther, Roepke, Stefan, FIEBIG, Arnim, Glauning, Rainer
• Granted Patent: US 8,148,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/134
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery

Abstract

An equipment system includes a battery unit (10) having a monitoring circuit (14), which detects at least one operating parameter of the battery unit (10) and furnishes a control signal, dependent on the operating parameter, for switching means (25, 31). The switching means control the charging and discharging process of the battery unit (10) and are located in the electrical device (20) and in the charger (30), respectively. From the battery unit (10), the control signal is transmitted to the switching means (25, 31) in the electrical device (20) and in the charger (30), respectively. By this provision of shifting the switching means (25, 31) out of the battery unit (10) into the electrical device (20) and into the charger (30), respectively, the heat development in the battery unit (10) and also its structure size are reduced.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A system, comprising

at least one battery-operated electrical device,

a rechargeable battery unit, and

a battery charger,

wherein said battery unit comprises a monitoring circuit configured to detect at least one operating parameter of said battery unit and to provide a control signal to a switching device,

said control signal being dependent on said at least one operating parameter,

wherein said switching device is provided in said electrical device,

said switching device being controlled by said control signal output by said monitoring circuit of said battery unit,

said switching device being configured to control a capacity of said electrical device and to control a discharging process of said battery unit,

wherein a further switching device is provided in said battery charger,

said further switching device being controlled by said control signal output by said monitoring circuit of said battery unit, and

said further switching device being configured to control a charging current transmitted from said battery charger to said battery unit.

10. They system of claim 9, wherein

said at least one operating parameter detected by said monitoring circuit is a current flowing into or out of said battery unit and/or a terminal voltage of said battery unit and/or a temperature of said battery unit and/or a temperature dependent parameter of said battery unit.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising

an information unit configured to exchange information between said battery unit, said electrical device and said battery charger.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein

said information unit is configured to exchange information unidirectionally.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein

said information unit is configured to exchange information bidirectionally.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein

said information unit is configured to exchange information via bus lines.

15. A battery unit, being electrically connectable with an electrical device to supply energy to said electrical device and being electrically connectable with a battery charger to recharge said battery unit, comprising

a monitoring circuit that detects at least one operating parameter of said battery unit and from said at least one operating parameter, derives a control signal for controlling a charging and discharging process of said battery unit,

further comprising transmit unit configured to transmit said control signal to a switch system located in an electrical device and a charger, respectively,

wherein said switch system in the electrical device is configured to control a capacity of the electrical device as a function of said control signal of said battery unit, and

wherein said switch system in the charger is configured to control a charging current transmitted from the charger to said battery unit as a function of said control signal of said battery unit.

16. The battery unit of claim 15, wherein

said at least one operating parameter detected by said monitoring circuit is a current flowing into or out of said battery unit and/or a terminal voltage of said battery unit and/or a temperature of said battery unit and/or a temperature dependent parameter of said battery unit.

17. The battery unit of claim 15, wherein

a temperature sensor is arranged in the vicinity of the at least one battery cell in said battery unit.

18. The battery unit of claim 15, wherein

said control signal serves to interrupt or reduce a current flow from said battery unit to an electrical device when the battery unit reaches a given minimum discharge threshold.

19. The battery unit of claim 15, wherein

said control signal serves to interrupt or reduce a charging current from the battery charger to said battery unit when said battery unit reaches a given upper charging threshold or an upper temperature threshold.

20. The battery unit of claim 15, wherein

said transmit unit is configured to transmit information unidirectionally.

21. The battery unit of claim 15, wherein

said transmit unit is configured to transmit information bidirectionally.

22. A battery charger for charging a battery unit, comprising

a switch system configured to control a charging current transmitted from said charger to the battery unit,

further comprising a receive unit configured to receive a control signal from a monitoring circuit of the battery unit,

wherein said switch system is controlled by said control signal output by the monitoring circuit of the battery unit, and

wherein the monitoring circuit is configured to detect at least one operating parameter of the battery unit and from said at least one operating parameter, derives a control signal for controlling the charging process.

23. The battery charger of claim 22, wherein

said at least one operating parameter detected by said monitoring circuit is a current flowing into or out of said battery unit and/or a terminal voltage of said battery unit and/or a temperature of said battery unit and/or a temperature dependent parameter of said battery unit.

24. The battery charger of claim 22, wherein

said receive unit is configured to transmit information unidirectionally.

25. The battery charger of claim 22, wherein

said receive unit is configured to transmit information bidirectionally.

26. An electrical device, being electrically connectable to a battery unit for energy supply, comprising

a switch system configured to control a capacity of said electrical device,

further comprising a receive unit configured to receive a control signal from a monitoring circuit of the battery unit,

wherein said switch system is controlled by said control signal output by the monitoring circuit of the battery unit, and

wherein the monitoring circuit is configured to detect at least one operating parameter of the battery unit, and from said at least one operating parameter, derives a control signal for controlling a discharging process of the battery unit.

27. The electrical device of claim 26, wherein

said at least one operating parameter detected by said monitoring circuit is a current flowing into or out of said battery unit and/or a terminal voltage of said battery unit and/or a temperature of said battery unit and/or a temperature dependent parameter of said battery unit.

28. The electrical device of claim 26, wherein

said switch system is configured to control the power consumption of said electrical device such that the maximum power consumption of said electrical device is constantly adapted to the actual charging state of the battery unit.

29. The electrical device of claim 26, wherein

said receive unit is configured to transmit information unidirectionally.

30. The electrical device of claim 26, wherein

said receive unit is configured to transmit information bidirectionally.

31. A system, comprising

an electrical device, comprising means configured to exchange information about an actual operating state of said electrical device,

a battery unit, comprising means configured to exchange information about an actual operating state of said battery unit and being connectable to said means of said electrical device.

32. A system, comprising

a battery charger, comprising means configured to exchange information about an actual operating state of said battery charger,

a battery unit, comprising means configured to exchange information about an actual operating state of said battery unit and being connectable to said means of said battery charger.