Battery packs having a charging mode and a discharging mode

• US 7,737,658 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2004
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Kazuhiko, Aita, Takayuki, Misawa, Daiki, Sato, Bunya, Sennami, Hiromitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US10/972,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20050162131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,062 Days
• Field of Search: 320/111, 320/112, 320/113, 320/153, 320/118, 320/125, 320/140, 320/127, 320/128, 320/130, 320/160, 136/291, 136/293, 324/421, 324/433
• US Class Current: 320/128
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/202 Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/269 Mechanical means for varying the arrangement of batteries or cells for different uses, e.g. for changing the number of batteries or for switching between series and parallel wiring methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance H01M6/50, H01M10/42
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent 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 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery pack having a secondary battery is disclosed. The battery pack comprises at least one voltage converter; and switching means for switching an operation mode of the voltage converter to one of a charging mode and a discharging mode, in the charging mode, a charging voltage being output to the secondary battery, in the discharging mode, a voltage of the secondary battery being converted into a predetermined discharging voltage and the converted voltage being output.

Claims

1. A battery pack having a secondary battery, the battery pack comprising:

a voltage converter configured to provide a discharging voltage or a charging voltage based on an operational mode of the battery pack;

a switching unit which switches the operation mode of the voltage converter between a charging mode in which the voltage converter is electrically coupled between the secondary battery and a power input terminal and a discharging mode in which the voltage converter is operatively electrically coupled between the secondary battery and a power output terminal;

a power controlling unit configured to turn the voltage converter on or off;

a voltage converter sensing unit configured to send a signal indicative of a temperature of the voltage converter to the power controlling unit;

a secondary battery sensing unit coupled to the secondary battery and configured to send a signal indicative of the temperature of the secondary battery to the power controlling unit;

a case housing the secondary battery, voltage converter, and the switching unit;

and

a plug having blades for reception into a power receptacle, the plug rotatably coupled to the case and having a first state when rotated to a first position and effecting the switching unit to switch the operation mode of the voltage converter to the charging mode and a second stated when rotated to a second position and effecting the switching unit to switch the operation mode of the voltage converter to the discharging mode,

wherein,

the power controlling unit is configured to turn off the voltage converter when the temperature of the voltage converter or secondary battery exceeds a predetermined threshold,

in the charging mode, a charging voltage is output to the secondary battery, and

in the discharging mode, a voltage of the secondary battery is converted into a predetermined discharging voltage and the converted voltage is output.

2. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a detecting unit which detects a state of which a charger has been connected, wherein the switching unit is configured to switch the operation mode of the voltage converter to the charging mode when the detected result of the detecting unit represents that the charger has been connected.

3. The battery pack as set forth in claim 2, wherein the detecting unit is configured to detect an identification resistance of the charger.

4. The battery pack as set forth in claim 2, wherein the detecting unit is configured to perform digital communication with the charger.

5. The battery pack as set forth in claim 2, wherein the detecting unit is configured to detect a state of which the charger has been connected.

6. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1, wherein the switching unit is configured to switch an output voltage of the voltage converter to one of a voltage of the charging mode and a voltage of the discharging mode.

7. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1, wherein the switching unit has a first switching unit which switches an input voltage of the voltage converter;

and a second switching unit for switching an output voltage of the voltage converter.

8. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a protecting circuit for protecting the secondary battery.

9. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1, wherein along with the secondary battery, the voltage converter is housed in a case.

10. The battery pack as set forth in claim 1, wherein the voltage converter is a bi-directional type.

11. A battery pack having a secondary battery, the battery pack comprising:

a voltage converter configured to provide a discharging voltage or a charging voltage based on an operational mode of the battery pack;

a plurality of output terminals for at least two different voltages;

a power controlling unit which determines whether the secondary battery is operating normally and turning on and off power of the voltage converter in accordance with the determined result;

a voltage converter sensing unit configured to send a signal indicative of a temperature of the voltage converter to the power controlling unit;

a secondary battery sensing unit configured to send a signal indicative of the temperature of the secondary battery to the power controlling unit;

a case housing the secondary battery, voltage converter, and power controlling unit; and

a plug having blades for reception into a power receptacle, the plug rotatably coupled to the case and having a first state when rotated to a first position and effecting the power controlling unit to turn on power of the voltage converter and a second stated when rotated to a second position and effecting the power controlling unit to turn off power of the voltage converter.

12. The battery pack as set forth in claim 11, wherein along with the secondary battery, the voltage converter is housed in a case.

13. The battery pack as set forth in claim 11, further comprising a protecting circuit for protecting the secondary battery.

14. The battery pack as set forth in claim 11, wherein the power controlling unit is configured to determine that the secondary battery is normally operating when the voltage of the secondary battery is a preset voltage or higher.

15. The battery pack as set forth in claim 11, wherein the power controlling unit is configured to determine that the secondary battery is normally operating when the voltage of the secondary battery is a preset voltage or lower.

16. The battery pack as set forth in claim 11, wherein the power controlling unit is configured to determine that the secondary battery is normally operating when the temperature of the secondary battery or the temperature in the vicinity thereof is a preset temperature or lower.

17. A battery pack having a secondary battery, the battery pack comprising:

a voltage converter configured to provide a discharging voltage or a charging voltage based on an operational mode of the battery pack;

a plurality of output terminals for at least two different voltages;

an input terminal for a start signal that represents whether or not an output of the voltage converter is required;

a power controlling unit which turns on/off the power of the voltage converter in accordance with the start signal;

a voltage converter sensing unit configured to send a signal indicative of a temperature of the voltage converter to the power controlling unit;

a secondary battery sensing unit configured to send a signal indicative of the temperature of the secondary battery to the power controlling unit;

a case housing the secondary battery, voltage converter, and power controlling unit;

and

a plug having blades for reception into a power receptacle, the plug rotatably coupled to the case and having a first state when rotated to a first position and coupling power from the power receptacle to the input terminal and a second stated when rotated to a second position and decoupling power from the power receptacle to the input terminal.

18. The battery pack as set forth in claim 17, wherein along with the secondary battery, the voltage converter is housed in a case.

19. The battery pack as set forth in claim 17, further comprising a protecting circuit for protecting the secondary battery.

20. The battery pack as set forth in claim 17, wherein the start signal is supplied from an electronic device and that is varied depending on whether the power of the electronic device has been turned on/off, and wherein the power controlling unit is configured to turn on the power of the voltage converter when the power of the electronic device has been turned on.