JP3235082B2 - Storage battery unit and equipment with built-in storage battery - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a storage battery unit and a device with a built-in storage battery, and more particularly to a disadvantage of a storage battery unit or a device with a built-in storage battery, such as a NiCd battery, having a storage battery having a memory effect. For improvement.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art NiCd batteries are widely used in so-called camera-integrated VTRs and shavers because of their stable flatness in discharge voltage characteristics. For example, in the case of a camera-integrated VTR, it is used as a detachable storage battery unit (so-called battery pack) that is attached to the main body and used to discharge power by supplying power. It is mounted on a separate charger and charged.

[0003] For example, in a shaver, a storage battery is completely built in the main body of the apparatus, and power is supplied by operating a manual switch provided on the main body, and power is supplied through a plug also attached to the main body. Is charged. In this way, the secondary battery is used as a power source of a device to which power is supplied while repeating charging and discharging.

[0004]

As described above, NiCd
Batteries are widely used due to their excellent properties,
On the other hand, it has a so-called memory effect, and there is also an inconvenience that the battery capacity is gradually reduced when shallow discharge and charge are repeated. However, this decrease in capacity is not deterministic, and once discharged completely, the battery capacity is restored again. However, in a normal usage method, the battery is not used until the device becomes inoperable due to complete discharge giving priority to battery characteristics. If used in such a way, the operation of the device is stopped when it is not desired, so that a shooting chance is missed or a beard is left unshaved.

[0005] For these reasons, when used normally, there is a disadvantage that the battery capacity is reduced due to the memory effect and the operation time of the device is shortened. In addition, it is inconvenient and time-consuming for the user to perform a special use method in consideration of the memory effect of the storage battery and to separately use a charger having a special discharge function. An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem of the related art, and to provide a storage battery unit and a device with a built-in storage battery that can easily prevent a memory effect of a battery.

[0006]

A storage battery unit according to the present invention that achieves the above object is a storage battery unit that can be attached to and detached from a device to which power is supplied. A detection circuit that outputs a detection signal when the output voltage from
A discharge circuit connected in parallel to the storage battery, wherein the discharge circuit is a mechanical switch that conducts by mechanical operation when the storage battery unit is mounted on the device, and when the detection signal is not output. And a discharge resistor that consumes discharge power from the storage battery through the mechanical switch and the switch circuit.

In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a storage battery-equipped device having a storage battery capable of being repeatedly charged and discharged, and an output voltage from the storage battery being higher than a predetermined voltage.
And a discharging circuit connected in parallel to the storage battery, wherein the discharging circuit outputs the detection signal.
And a switch circuit that conducts when there is no
And a discharge resistor consuming power discharged from the storage battery via the storage battery.

[0008]

In the storage battery unit of the present invention having such a configuration, when the output voltage of the storage battery falls below a predetermined value when the storage battery unit is mounted on a device to which power is supplied, the detection signal is not output and the switch circuit is turned on. I do. Then, since the mechanical switch is also conducting at this time, the entire discharging circuit is conducting, and the surplus power remaining in the storage battery is consumed by the discharge resistor, and the storage battery is completely discharged. Also, it is not necessary to provide a mechanism for operating the mechanical switch when the storage battery unit is mounted on the charger, and since the mechanical switch does not conduct at the time of charging, the entire discharge circuit does not conduct. Regardless, it can be charged. Therefore, the battery can be charged by the charger, and when the battery is used as a battery, the battery is completely discharged automatically, so that the user does not need to pay special attention to the memory effect of the storage battery. It is possible to prevent a decrease in battery capacity due to a memory effect.

Further, in the storage battery built-in device of the present invention having such a configuration, the complete discharge can be easily performed at any time in a short time by operating the mechanical switch, so that the capacity of the storage battery can be reduced at the convenience of the user. The drop can be prevented or recovery can be easily achieved.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a storage battery unit according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the block diagram of FIG. Here, 11 is a storage battery combining NiCd batteries, 12 is a terminal for supplying one battery voltage + Vcc to the device when used as a battery, 13 is a terminal for supplying the other battery voltage GND to the device when used as a battery, 14 is a mechanical switch, 15 is a discharge resistor, 16 is a switch circuit, 1
7 is a detection circuit. In this example, the detection circuit 17 includes a Zener diode for providing a predetermined voltage, a resistor connected in series for detecting the output voltage of the storage battery 11 by voltage division, and a comparator for comparing these voltages. A detection signal is output to the switch circuit 16 when the output voltage from 11 is higher than a predetermined voltage.

In this example, the switch circuit 16 is a PNP
It is composed mainly of transistors. A resistor for receiving a detection signal and supplying a base current when there is no detection signal is provided at the base of this transistor.
1 and connected to the battery voltage GND side. And the collector of the transistor is the battery voltage G of the storage battery 11.
The transistor is connected to the ND side, and the emitter of the transistor is connected to one end of the discharge resistor 15. Further, the other end of the discharge resistor 15 is connected to one terminal of the mechanical switch 14, and the other terminal of the mechanical switch 14 is connected to the battery voltage + Vcc side of the storage battery 11.

As a result, when a detection signal (significant at the output of HIGH level, hereinafter "H") is not generated, this transistor is turned on. In this way, the mechanical switch 14, the discharge resistor 15, and the switch circuit 16 are connected in series to form a discharge circuit, and this discharge circuit is connected to the storage battery 11 in parallel. The mechanical switch 14 is normally in the “OFF” state, and is in the “ON” state when the storage battery unit is mounted on the device for use as a battery. This switch is actuated by, for example, a projection provided on the device side and turned “OFF”, “ON”
I do.

Under such a configuration, first, the storage battery 11
When the battery is charged, the storage battery unit is mounted on the charger. Then, a voltage from the charger is applied to the terminals 12 and 13. At this time, since the mechanical switch 14 does not conduct, the discharge circuit does not discharge regardless of the state of the switch circuit 16 or the detection circuit 17. Therefore, since the discharge circuit does not operate at the time of charging, normal charging can be performed.

Next, in the case of being used by being mounted on a device to which power is supplied, such as a camera-integrated VTR, the mechanical switch 1 is pressed by a projection or the like provided on the device.
4 operates and conducts. At this time, if the storage battery 11 is sufficiently charged, the value obtained by dividing the resistance of the battery voltage + Vcc becomes a value larger than the reference voltage generated by the Zener diode. Output to the circuit 16.

When the detection signal "H" is present, the base potential of the transistor is raised and the voltage between the base and the emitter is reduced, so that the transistor is cut off and the switch circuit 16 does not conduct. Therefore, even if the mechanical switch 14 is conducting, if the storage battery 11 is sufficiently charged, power can be normally supplied to the mounted device without discharging from the discharge circuit.

When the state of charge of the storage battery 11 becomes insufficient with use, the value obtained by dividing the resistance of the battery voltage + Vcc becomes a value smaller than the reference voltage generated by the Zener diode. The output is not output from the comparator to the switch circuit 16. If the detection signal "H" is not output, the base potential of the transistor decreases and the voltage between the base and the emitter increases, so that the transistor is turned "ON" and the switch circuit 16 is turned on.

Then, since the mechanical switch 14 has already been turned on, the entire discharge circuit is turned on and discharge is automatically performed. Even if the discharge proceeds and the output voltage of the storage battery 11 decreases and the comparator becomes inoperable, the detection signal “H” is not output and the transistor is turned “ON”.
The discharge continues as long as the transistor is operable, so that almost complete discharge is possible. Therefore, since the complete discharge is automatically performed, a decrease in the battery capacity due to the memory effect can be prevented without the user being particularly aware of the memory effect of the storage battery.

Immediately after the unit is mounted on the device, a large discharge current flows temporarily, and the battery voltage temporarily drops, which may be detected and the discharge circuit may operate. However, since the discharge is performed via the discharge resistor, a voltage is generated at both ends of the discharge resistor. When the initial discharge is completed, the battery voltage recovers, and the operation of the discharge circuit stops. Thus, this discharge is only temporary. Also, by taking measures such as slowing down the response speed of the comparator, the switching time of the detection signal “H” is reduced to several hundred ms.
With this level, there is no waste due to temporary discharge.

[0019]

As can be understood from the above description,
The storage battery unit and the device with a built-in storage battery according to the invention
Use a special method that is aware of the memory effect of the storage battery.
Or use a charger with a special discharge function,
It can easily prevent the memory effect of the battery
effective.

The switches 22 and 23 are mechanical switches operated by manual operation. For example, as in a shaver shown in FIG. 3, a position where the switch 22 operates and conducts, a position where the switch 23 operates and conducts, and the switches 22 and 23. It is operated by a slide switch having three positions, both of which are not activated. When the switch 22 is turned on, the motor 25 is rotated by receiving power supply from the storage battery 21, and the beard can be shaved.

When the switch 23 is turned on by manual operation, complete discharge is performed via the discharge resistor 24. In such a configuration, by operating the switch, a complete discharge can be easily performed at any time in a short time and the memory effect can be suppressed, so that it is possible to prevent the storage battery capacity from decreasing at the convenience of the user or to recover the battery. It can be easily done.

[0022]

As can be understood from the above description, the storage battery unit and the device with a built-in storage battery according to the present invention can be used in a special manner with the memory effect of the storage battery in mind, or can be used for a charge having a special discharge function. Without using a container
There is an effect that the memory effect of the battery can be easily prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an embodiment of a storage battery unit having the configuration of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Storage battery 12, 13 terminal 14 Mechanical switch 15 Discharge resistance 16 Switch circuit 17 Detection circuit

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A storage battery unit detachable from a device to which power is supplied, comprising: a storage battery that can be repeatedly charged and discharged; and a detection circuit that outputs a detection signal when an output voltage from the storage battery is higher than a predetermined voltage. A discharge circuit connected in parallel to the storage battery, wherein the discharge circuit does not output the detection signal and a mechanical switch that is turned on by mechanical operation when the storage battery unit is mounted on the device. A storage battery unit comprising: a switch circuit that is turned on when the power is turned on; and a discharge resistor that consumes discharge power from the storage battery via the mechanical switch and the switch circuit. 2. A storage battery capable of being repeatedly charged and discharged, and said storage battery
When the output voltage from the pond is higher than
And a discharge circuit connected in parallel to the storage battery, wherein the discharge circuit conducts when the detection signal is not output.
And a discharge resistor that consumes discharge power from the storage battery through the switch circuit, which is connected in series.