D. C. Power packs, inter alia of the disposable king, for providing a predetermined rated voltage

• US 4,121,115 A
• Filed: 12/15/1976
• Issued: 10/17/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ishwar D. Jain
• Original Assignee: Bicosa Societe de Recherches
• Inventors: de Mere, Henri Courier
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, William M.
• Application Number:
  US05/750,648
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 307/150, 307/151, 331/112, 363/15, 363/16, 363/18, 363/19, 363/20, 363/21, 363/30, 363/97, 363/131
• US Class Current: 307/150
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/284 with incorporated circuit boards, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A power pack for a d.c. energized device, the power pack providing a predetermined d.c. voltage and being of given shape and dimensions, its output terminals having predetermined positions. This power pack includes a casing having the given external shape and dimensions and two output terminals in said predetermined positions. Inside the casing a d.c. power supply is provided adapted to deliver an on-load d.c. voltage lower than the said predetermined d.c. voltage, and a low consumption converter circuit for converting a signal from the d.c. power supply into a d.c. voltage signal of the predetermined value. The signal from the converter circuit is applied across the output terminals.

Claims

1. A power pack for a d.c. energized device, adapted to provide a predetermined d.c. voltage, said power pack having a casing of a given external shape and dimension, and supporting two output terminals located in predetermined positions, said casing including therein at least one d.c. power supply, such as a cell, adapted to output an on-load d.c. voltage lower than the said predetermined d.c. voltage and a low-consumption converter circuit for converting a signal from the d.c. power supply into a d.c. voltage signal of the predetermined value, the signal from the converter circuit being applied across the said output terminals, and control electrode type switching means, said switching means connected between one of said outpt terminals and said d.c. power supply and controlled by a load across said terminals such that in a no-load state said switching means inhibits operation of said converter circuit and the drain on the d.c. power supply.

2. A power pack according to claim 1, wherein the converter circuit is disposed on a printed circuit board in the casing.

3. A power pack according to claim 1 wherein the converter circuit includes:

oscillating means comprising a transistor and, disposed in the collector circuit thereof, a high-Q winding such oscillating means being energized by the d.c. power supply;

means for boosting the voltage of the oscillating means;

said boosting means comprising said winding; and

means for rectifying the signal output of the voltage-boosting means.

4. A power pack according to claim 3, wherein the oscillating means comprise a second transistor disposed in the base circuit of the first transistor.

5. A power pack according to claim 1 wherein the converter circuit includes:

oscillating means comprising a first and a second transistor, the second transistor being disposed in the base circuit of the first transistor, and, installed in the collector circuit of said first transistor, a high Q winding, said oscillating means being energized by the d.c. power supply;

means for boosting the voltage of the oscillating means, said boosting means comprising said winding; and

means for rectifying the signal output of the voltage boosting means; and

wherein the control electrode type switching means is disposed in the base circuit of the second transistor, the control electrode type switching means comprising a control transistor whose base is connected to said one output terminal such that, when a load is connected across the output terminals, a conductive path is provided between one terminal of the d.c. power supply and the control electrode.

6. A power pack according to claim 4 wherein the oscillating means comprise a capacitor connected between the collector of the first transistor and the base of the second transistor.

7. A power pack according to claim 4 wherein the rectifying means, comprise a capacitor chargeable by the voltage boosting means;

and the converter also comprises regulating means comprising a Zener diode whose cathode is connected to one side of the latter capacitor and whose anode is connected to the base of the second transistor of the oscillating means.

8. A power pack according to claim 7 wherein its output terminals are connected one to each side of the capacitor of the rectifying means.

9. A power pack according to claim 8 wherein the Zener diode voltage of the Zener diode is less than the rated off-load d.c. voltage of d.c. power supply but greater than the on-load voltage thereof.

10. A power pack for a d.c. energized device adapted to provide a predetermined d.c. voltage, said power pack having a casing of a given external shape and dimension, and supporting two output terminals located in predetermined positions, said casing including therein at least one d.c. power supply, such as a cell, adapted to output an on-load d.c. voltage lower than the said predetermined d.c. voltage and a low-consumption converter circuit for converting a signal from the d.c. power supply into a d.c. voltage signal of the predetermined value, said converter circuit including oscillating means comprising a transistor, a high Q winding disposed in the collector circuit of said transistor, and short circuiting means in the base circuit of said transistor adapted to inhibit operation of the converter circuit and any drain on the d.c. power supply, the short circuiting means being adapted to be removed when the power pack is in use, said oscillating means being energized by the d.c. power supply;

means for boosting the voltage of the oscillating means, said boosting means comprising said winding; and

means for rectifying the signal output of said converter circuit which is applied across said output terminals.

11. A power pack according to claim 10 wherein the short-circuiting means comprise a loop of conductive wire which can be pulled out when the power pack is used for the first time.

12. A power pack according to claim 10 wherein the oscillating means of the converter circuit comprise a second transistor and a capacitor, the same being disposed between the collector of the first transistor and the base of the second transistor, the collector of the second transistor being connected to the base of the first transistor, the winding of the voltage-boosting means being connected to the collector of the first transistor and the shortcircuiting means being so arranged in the base circuit of the second transistor as to render the same nonconductive.

13. A disposable power pack for providing a predetermined rated d.c. voltage and comprising a casing of a given external shape and dimension and having two output terminals in fixed positions, and the casing enclosing at least one cell element adapted to output an on-load d.c. voltage less than the said predetermined rated d.c. voltage;

a low-consumption converter circuit for converting a signal from the cell into a d.c. voltage signal of the predetermined rated value, the signal from the converter circuit being applied across the said output terminals; and

, means for inhibiting operation of the converter circuit, said inhibiting means being connected between one of said output terminals and said cell element and controlled by a load across said terminals, said inhibiting means connected to for controlling said converter circuit such that in a no-load state said converter circuit is inoperative and there is no drain on said cell element.