Power-Supplying Device

• US 20150340894A1
• Filed: 12/25/2013
• Published: 11/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koki Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi KOKI Company Limited (Koki Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: HORIE, Yuki, NAKANO, Yasushi, FUNABASHI, Kazuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 10,199,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge 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 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits

Abstract

A power-supplying device includes a terminal, a rechargeable battery, a first shutdown circuit, and a second shutdown circuit. The terminal is configured to be connected to a power tool. The rechargeable battery is configured to output electrical power to the power tool via the terminal. The first shutdown circuit is positioned at a plus side of the rechargeable battery, the first shutdown circuit being configured to shutdown output of the rechargeable battery. The second shutdown circuit is positioned at a minus side of the rechargeable battery. The second shutdown circuit is configured to shutdown output of the rechargeable battery.

Claims

1. A power-supplying device comprising:

a terminal configured to be connected to a power tool;

a rechargeable battery configured to output electrical power to the power tool via the terminal;

a first shutdown circuit positioned at a plus side of the rechargeable battery, the first shutdown circuit being configured to shutdown output of the rechargeable battery; and

a second shutdown circuit positioned at a minus side of the rechargeable battery, the second shutdown circuit being configured to shutdown output of the rechargeable battery.

2. The power-supplying device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detector configured to detect at least one of a voltage of the rechargeable battery and an output current of the rechargeable battery; and

a controller connected to the detector, the first shutdown circuit, and the second shutdown circuit,

wherein the controller controls at least one of the first shutdown circuit and the second shutdown circuit to shutdown the output of the rechargeable battery when the detector detects at least one of three conditions such that (i) the voltage of the rechargeable battery is higher than or equal to a prescribed first voltage, (ii) the voltage of the rechargeable battery is lower than or equal to a prescribed second voltage that is lower than the prescribed first voltage, and (iii) the output current is greater than or equal to a prescribed current.

3. The power-supplying device according to claim 2, wherein the controller has a first reference voltage and the second shutdown circuit has a second reference voltage, the second reference voltage being different from the first reference voltage, the first prescribed voltage being defined relative to the first reference voltage.

4. The power-supplying device according to claim 3, further comprising a control signal outputting unit connected to the controller and configured to output a control signal controlling the second shutdown circuit to shutdown the output of the rechargeable battery based on a signal from the controller while the control signal outputting unit electrically isolates the controller and the second shutdown circuit.

5. The power-supplying device according to claim 4, wherein the control signal outputting unit includes a photocoupler.

6. The power-supplying device according to claim 1, wherein the first shutdown circuit includes a shutdown portion configured to switch on and off the output of the rechargeable battery and a drive portion configured to drive the shutdown portion by a switching operation, the drive portion performs on/off switching action faster than the shutdown portion.

7. The power-supplying device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first path through which a first current flows from the rechargeable battery, the first path being positioned between the plus side of the rechargeable battery and the terminal;

a second path through which a second current larger than the first current flows from the rechargeable battery, the second path being positioned between the plus side of the rechargeable battery and the terminal, the second path being parallel to the first path; and

a selecting unit configured to select one of the first path and the second path;

wherein the shutdown circuit electrically connects the rechargeable battery and the selected one of the first path and the second path such that a current from the rechargeable battery flows through the selected one of the first path and the second path, and electrically disconnects the rechargeable battery from a remaining one of the first path and the second path.

8. The power-supplying device according to claim 7, wherein the second path includes a current limiter.

9. The power-supplying device according to claim 8, wherein the current limiter includes a resistor.

10. The power-supplying device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a monitoring unit having an output port and configured to be switched between a monitoring mode and a standby mode, wherein in the monitoring mode the monitoring unit monitors a voltage of at least one of the plurality of battery cells, and outputs a signal via the output port when the voltage of one of the plurality of battery cells is in a prescribed first range; and

a monitor shutdown circuit configured to interrupt the signal via the output port when the monitoring unit is in the standby mode.

11. The power-supplying device according to claim 10, further comprising a switch by which a user activates the monitoring unit,

wherein the terminal is further configured to be connected to the charging device,

wherein the monitoring unit shifts from the standby mode to the monitoring mode, (1) when the terminal is connected to the charging device, (2) when the user activates the monitoring unit by the switch, or (3) when the terminal outputs electric power to the power tool.

12. The power-supplying device according to claim 11, wherein the output port maintains a state when the output port outputs the signal, provided that the monitoring unit is in the standby mode.

13. A power-supplying device comprising:

a terminal configured to be connected to one of a power tool and a charging device;

a rechargeable battery including a plurality of battery cells, the rechargeable battery being configured to output electrical power to the power tool connected to the terminal and configured to be charged by the charging device connected to the terminal;

a monitoring unit having an output port and configured to be switched between a monitoring mode and a standby mode, wherein in the monitoring mode the monitoring unit monitors a voltage of at least one of the plurality of battery cells, and outputs a signal via the output port when the voltage of one of the plurality of battery cells is in a prescribed first range; and

a shutdown circuit configured to interrupt the signal via the output port when the monitoring unit is in the standby mode.

14. The power-supplying device according to claim 13, further comprising a switch by which a user activates the monitoring unit,

wherein the monitoring unit shifts from the standby mode to the monitoring mode, (i) when the terminal is connected to the charging device, (ii) when the user activates the monitoring unit by the switch, or (iii) when the terminal outputs electric power to the power tool.

15. The power-supplying device according to claim 13, wherein the output port maintains a state when the output port outputs the signal, provided that the monitoring unit is in the standby mode.

16. The power-supplying device according to claim 13, wherein the shutdown circuit allows the output port to output the signal when the monitoring unit shifts to the monitoring mode from the standby mode.

17. The power-supplying device according to claim 13, further comprising a temperature detector configured to detect own temperature,

wherein the temperature detector controls the monitoring unit to shift from the standby mode to the monitoring mode when the temperature detector detects the temperature higher than or equal to a prescribed temperature.

18. The power-supplying device according to claim 17, further comprising a notification unit configured to notify a user of information indicating that the temperature is higher than or equal to the prescribed temperature when the temperature detector detects the temperature higher than or equal to the prescribed temperature.

19. The power-supplying device according to claim 13, wherein the monitoring unit outputs the signal when the voltage of at least one of the plurality of battery cells is higher than or equal to a prescribed first voltage or when the voltage of at least one of the plurality of battery cells is lower than or equal to a prescribed second voltage that is lower than the first voltage.

20. The power-supplying device according to claim 13, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to monitor an output current of the rechargeable battery, and to output the signal when the output current is larger than or equal to a prescribed current.