Battery pack chargers and charging method

• US 9,281,695 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2008
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cruise, Nathan J., Bowers, Michelle L., Choksi, Snehal S., Cunanan, Regina Gracia C., Howard, Geoffrey S., Johnson, Alexis W., Seman, Andrew E., Trinh, Danh T., White, Daniel J., Bailey, R. Roby Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, DANIEL R
• Application Number:
  US12/213,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20080315834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,825 Days
• Field of Search: 320/106, 320/110, 320162-164
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/30 Nickel accumulators H01M10/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00038 using passive battery identification means, e.g. resistors or capacitors identification by mechanical connections H02J7/0045
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00041 in response to measured battery parameters, e.g. voltage, current or temperature profile
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method of charging a battery pack is provided. The method includes: electronically connecting a battery pack to a charger; detecting information regarding the battery pack; determining an appropriate charging regime based on the detected information; and applying the charging regime to the battery pack. A battery charger may also provided. The battery charger includes: a first terminal for connecting to a battery pack; a second terminal for connecting to a battery pack, a microprocessor operatively connected to the terminals and configured to receive a signal from at least one terminal regarding a battery pack connected to the terminal and control the charger to select and apply a charging regime to the battery pack according to the signal.

Claims

1. A method of charging a battery including:

applying a toggle signal to charging terminals;

monitoring a terminal voltage at the maximum and minimum of the toggle signal;

determining a difference in the terminal voltage at the maximum and minimum of the toggle signal;

comparing the difference in terminal voltage to a predetermined threshold, and if the difference in terminal voltage is below the predetermined threshold, then;

detecting a type of battery pack connected to the terminals; and

applying a charging regime according to the type of battery pack detected.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the applying, monitoring, determining, and comparing steps when the terminal voltage is above the predetermined threshold until the difference in the terminal voltage is below the predetermined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting step includes applying a current to the terminals and then stopping applying the current to the terminals and processing a signal from the battery pack to determine whether the battery pack has a microchip.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the current is applied for about 4 seconds and then stopped for about 6 seconds.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an error message when it is not appropriate to charge the battery pack.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a condition of the battery pack and changing the charge regime applied to the battery pack as a condition of the battery pack changes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the toggle signal has a maximum of about 3 volts between terminals and a minimum of about 0 volts between terminals and cycles about one time per second.