DE102007057552A1 - Battery e.g. lithium-ion-battery, charging station for e.g. power drill, has identification unit identifying each battery to be loaded, and storage unit storing information of batteries, which are electrically attached at charging spaces - Google Patents

Abstract

The station (1) has an identification unit identifying each of batteries (8, 9) to be loaded, where the batteries are electrically attached at charging spaces (3-6). A recognition/selecting unit recognizes and/or selects a transponder i.e. radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder, of the batteries. A storage unit stores information of the batteries. A display unit (19) displays the information of the batteries. A control device automatically selects an optimal charging process of the batteries depending on a number of occurred charging cycles. An independent claim is also included for a method for charging batteries of a hand operated and electrically operated tool.

Description

The The invention relates to a charging station for charging accumulators, in particular of accumulators of hand-held and electrically operated tools, with loading places, to which the batteries to be charged are electrically connected can. Furthermore, the invention relates to a charging system with a charging station and with at least one accumulator, in particular with at least an accumulator handgeführter and electrically operated tools. In addition, the invention relates a method for charging accumulators, in particular accumulators hand-held and electrically operated tools, in which the accumulators at loading places can be charged electrically.

charging stations for charging accumulators are from the prior art since long varied known and have proven many times since then. Both the charging stations as well as the hereby electrically rechargeable accumulators are continuous has been further developed, so that the benefit amount and the duration of the power delivery of a rechargeable battery could be steadily improved.

This is particularly important for accumulators, which in connection with hand-held Tools are used, such as drills, grinding machines or cordless screwdrivers, in particular with tools, which by Accumulators are operated with a power duration increase, essential independent who can work. This results in a straightforward Handling of such a tool.

For example Cordless screwdrivers are advantageous during assembly work without wire connection too a power source used. In addition, their use is relatively inexpensive because they can be operated with rechargeable batteries that can be recharged multiple times are. For this reason, cordless screwdrivers are also common in used in industrial production in a larger number, with corresponding charging stations with a plurality of charging sockets for Charging a plurality of rechargeable batteries in use Cordless screwdrivers are used can.

It The object of the invention is, in particular, a charging station for accumulators to provide, by means of which the quality of charging of accumulators can be further improved.

The The object of the invention is a charging station for charging accumulators, in particular of accumulators hand-guided and electrically operated Tools, with loading places, to which the batteries to be charged are electrically connected can be solved, the charging station being characterized by means for identifying each Accumulator distinguishes.

Of the The term "charging station" describes any device which suitably an accumulator with electrical energy supply and recharge the accumulator. This plays It does not matter if it's the charging station, or a stationary charging base or a mobile charger. A charging station can have one or almost any number loading places be equipped.

at it is an "accumulator" around any structures that are for rechargeable energy storage are suitable. In a simple case, this may be a simple galvanic cell acting on which chemical energy into electrical energy and during Charging electric energy into chemical energy is convertible.

present however, these are primarily high capacity batteries, the reliable and permanently a maximum of electrical Deliver energy to operate a mobile tool evenly have to. An unforeseen failure or performance degradation can be fast too sensitive delays in a production, for example with regard to a production line to lead.

Favorable Way succeeds by the means of identification, each one Accumulator uniquely identify who at the charging station should be charged. This can be information about the Accurately determine accumulator over the previously determined Information content, which greatly reduces the risk of such a sudden failure becomes.

Especially As a result, the present charging station differs from known Charging stations, since the known charging stations only the type can recognize a rechargeable battery, however, do not identify each individual accumulator qualified can, as is the case in the present case.

In In this context, the invention of a method for charging accumulators, in particular handheld and accumulators electrically operated tools, solved, in which the accumulators at loading places can be charged electrically, and in which the identity a battery to be charged is determined.

Known charging stations have about the Disadvantage that they receive no further information from the battery to be charged in order to provide a suitably matched to the battery charging cycle, for example, in connection with the number of already completed charging cycles available. In this case, it may already be sufficient if only at least one additional charging information of an accumulator is present, which goes beyond the information of a still available energy at the accumulator in order to detect an imminent failure in time and to prevent failure of a tool operated with this accumulator.

Therefore provides an advantageous variant of the method that the number charging cycles of a battery to be charged is determined. through the number of charge cycles can Conclusions on a expected life expectancy of the accumulator to be pulled.

It It is understood that with the technology available today Possibilities one Such accurate identification of a battery to various Way can be done. So could an accumulator when connecting at the loading point of the charging station via suitable contacts information to the charging station. However, it is necessary for the contacts to work properly and are not affected by impurities.

Especially It is therefore advantageous if an identification of a rechargeable battery can be done wirelessly. So can the number of charge cycles of a battery to be charged advantageously independent of an electrical charging contact of the battery to be charged determined become.

For example has the charging station via optical Reading means capable of applying one to a rechargeable battery Detect barcode. But other wireless transmission techniques can be successful be used. For example, desired information can also by means of be transmitted to a Bluetooth technology. So it is advantageous if the charger means for wireless communication having the accumulator.

There Already the means for wireless communication known charging stations can develop advantageously, are the relevant features even without the rest Features advantageous.

A preferred embodiment, Which also existing charging stations without the other features can further develop the present invention, provides that The charger with means for recognizing and / or reading out a transponder, in particular an RFID transponder, a battery is equipped.

facilities or devices to recognize and / or read transponder are out of the state The technique is well known, so they can be used very inexpensively. Even existing charging stations can be easily equipped with such facilities or equipment later. About that In addition, suitable transponders, in particular RFID transponders also well known in the art. That is why on their Mode of operation also not discussed here.

In any case could be provided, for example, information on a Transponder associated Chip by means of a suitable device to write and save and when required by the charging station when inserting the accumulator in the loading place of the charging station before a to be carried out Load out.

at a structurally simple charging station, the means for identifying, the means of wireless communication and the means of recognition and / or reading out in a structural unit.

Further Process variants can Provide that the number of previously completed charge cycles of to be charged accumulator and / or the number of still realizable Charging cycles of a battery to be charged are determined.

hereby can be found particularly reliable at the respective accumulator when the likelihood of a failure becomes critical Value reached or exceeded. As a result of the resulting result may preferably the charging station automatically sorting out the accumulator due to its limited durability recommend.

Around Information of a rechargeable battery not only for direct reading an RFID transponder to be able to have the accumulator at the charging station, is It is advantageous if the charging station has means for storing information a rechargeable battery. In the present case, it is already sufficient if the storage means at least information on the identity of a Save accumulator. Based on this information can be sufficient To determine how many times an accumulator is already at the charging station was loaded.

In addition, after reading out information by a corresponding reading device of the charging station an assignment of currently read out information on other existing information. Optionally, by means of the storage means each loading space may be associated with a corresponding memory device. For example, within the storage means of the charging station, the number of already completed charging cycles of the respective accumulator can be stored.

Of Further, an automated display of such information take place at the charging station, in particular if the maximum allowable number already reached or exceeded charging cycles in the respective accumulator has been.

In such an embodiment It is advantageous if the charging station has means for displaying Information of an accumulator includes. The display of information can preferably be done visually, but also acoustically. hereby can be signaled sufficiently clear that the accumulator since its maximum durability limit is imminent, has already been achieved, or a reliable operation of this Accumulator no longer ensured by a new charge cycle can be.

Further At the charging station, a control device for automatic Choose optimal charging depending on a number so far be completed charging cycles provided. This has the advantage that an accumulator always optimally according to its service life can be charged, which further extends the life of the battery increase can.

Provided determined by the controller that not yet one maximum number allowed has been reached at charging cycles at the respective accumulator, an operator, for example by means of a display the charging station, be prompted to indicate what kind of Charging desired is.

such Charge transaction types can for example, a faster, a medium, a slower and / or also be a pulsed charge to the accumulator, for example a lithium-ion battery or a nickel-cadmium battery represents different speeds, but also with different Quality, to be able to load.

In addition, can in each of these charging modes by the controller being checked, whether an optionally manually selected type of charging principle is included the accumulator with a previously read in specific identification number possible is without the accumulator by the manually selected charging mode Suffers damage or for the for intended operating mode ensure no reliable operation would.

Provided such a test could come to a positive result, the accumulator the corresponding Power supply with a desired amperage and / or with a desired one Voltage be supplied. Unless this test becomes negative Result would come For example, an indication can be made in the charging station, which the operator notifies that this type of charging is not is possible and the operator may select another type of charging. If any none of the loading With one of this specific type is possible, an ad can with the request that the operator sort out the accumulator should.

Provided Charging still performed To be able to, the operator can be asked to supply the power with a desired amperage and / or Release voltage manually.

In addition, can that a certain amount of loading is still possible, which, for example, based on previously stored load cycle number information can be determined for example by means of a statistics analysis.

Next the tasks described above, the control device or another control device if necessary to further functions the charging station influence. For example, the control unit recognized or read information of a battery already Assign information stored in the charging station. Or one Control device controls the automated reading on a Chip of an RFID transponder stored information as soon as the respective accumulator in the Charging station is plugged in or has been brought in the vicinity.

It it is understood that such a control device both directly integrated in the charging station as well as provided externally can. Also, the controller may be hardware or software the latter having the advantage of a very simple update function may include.

Ideally can by means of the present control device at a charging station existing or explained here other means and facilities are controlled or regulated.

A suitable control device could also be used with the charging station Control related external devices. For this purpose, it is advantageous if the charging station would have a wireless interface to a network, such as a LAN or a WLAN. It is understood that such a contact can also be produced by means of a cable connection.

Especially if several charging stations are used decentrally, it is advantageous if the charging stations have means for allocating an accumulator too have an original loading station. This can be ensured be that the used rechargeable batteries always their original intended applications can be assigned, too if individual accumulators short-term due to cross-departmental work have been removed from their source use area.

In order to the charging station, for example, a transponder of a battery Can transmit data, optionally stored on the transponder of the accumulator It is advantageous if the charging station has an emitter for sending data to the accumulator. The on the accumulator transponder stored data can in another charging with accordingly at the charging station stored information is compared and verified.

Also The object of the invention of a charging system with a charging station and with at least one accumulator, in particular with at least an accumulator handgeführter and electrically operated tools, in which the charging station first means for wirelessly communicating with an accumulator and the accumulator second means for wirelessly communicating with the charging station has. The charging system is particularly reliable work if there is a charging station after one of the previously explained Features and an accumulator with a transponder, in particular with an RFID transponder.

Further Advantages, objects and characteristics of the present invention explained with reference to the following description attached drawing in which exemplified a charging station for charging batteries is.

It shows:

1 schematically a perspective view of a charging station with four charging stations for batteries;

2 schematically a side view of the charging station;

3 schematically a front view of the charging station; and

4 schematically a longitudinal section of the charging station along the section line AA from the 3 ,

The in the 1 to 4 shown charging station 1 has a housing 2 and has a total of four loading places 3 . 4 . 5 and 6 at the front 7 the charging station 1 are arranged. In the first loading place 3 is a first accumulator to be charged 8th and in the second loading place 4 is another accumulator to be charged 9 plugged in to be ready for use again after a charge cycle, so that both accumulators 8th and 9 again an electrically operated tool (not shown here) can drive. The two accumulators 8th and 9 are used in conjunction with a cordless screwdriver. The other two loading places 5 and 6 are currently unoccupied.

In the schematic sectional view of the charging station 1 from the 4 you recognize inside 10 the charging station 1 medium 11 for identifying the two accumulators 8th and 9 , The means 11 for identification are in this embodiment as a charging station transponder 12 trained, which is able to wirelessly each with an RFID transponder 13 of the first accumulator 8th and with another RFID transponder 14 further accumulator 9 to communicate. In particular, by means of the charging station transponder 12 Identification characteristics of the two accumulators 8th and 9 be read and received and at the same time, for example, specific data of the charging station 1 to the respective RFID transponder 13 and 14 be transmitted. This allows the accumulators 8th and 9 clearly from the charging station 1 Identified and ideally at the same time information about a charge history of the accumulators 8th and 9 to a control device 15 the charging station 1 be transmitted. But also information about the current quality of the accumulators 8th and 9 can be detected and processed accordingly.

The charging station transponder 12 In this case, therefore, not only means for identifying the accumulators but also means for wireless communication with the accumulators to be charged 8th and 9 and means for detecting and / or reading the RFID transponder 13 and 14 the accumulators.

The control device 15 can be based on the RFID transponders 13 and 14 received information the type of charging of the accumulators 8th respectively. 9 set individually.

It can also be done by the controller 15 automatically determine if the accumulators 8th and 9 about a minimum limit for have the state of charge required for the operation.

It is also possible that the control device 15 by recognizing the read identification number automates the appropriate currents and voltages for this type of accumulator 8th or 9 , So for example, a voltage of 12 volts or 16 volts, selects and assigns the charging process.

To the charge history of the accumulators 8th and 9 in the charging station 1 not only temporarily by means of the control device 15 caching but also permanently in the charging station 1 to store, has the charging station 1 via appropriate means 16 to store the information.

In this embodiment, the means 16 for saving as RAM 17 executed so that stored information can also be deleted again, for example, if a previously used accumulator 8th respectively. 9 completely replaced.

To the information also outside the charging station 1 to use and evaluate, is the charging station 1 additionally with a wireless interface 18 equipped to a network not shown here. This is particularly advantageous for decentralized charging stations.

Important information, for example about the state of charge of a rechargeable battery 8th respectively. 9 , can also be directly at the charging station 1 are displayed. This includes the charger 1 suitable display means 19 on the top of the housing 20 (please refer 1 ) of the charging station 1 ,

For example, the control device 15 by means of the display means 19 indicate on the charging station that the accumulator 8th or 9 is still charged to 80% and therefore no recharging is required.

At the charging station 1 all electrical components shown are by means of a wire connection 21 , here only between the first loading place 3 and the controller 15 numbered, electrically interconnected. In another embodiment, a wireless connection could also be selected.

The with the charging station transponder 12 equipped charging station 1 and the ones with the RFID transponders 13 . 14 equipped accumulators 8th and 9 together form a charging system 22 , by means of which the charging quality of accumulators 8th and 9 can be further improved, as by the described information exchange, in particular by the exact identification of the battery to be charged 8th respectively. 9 , Charging cycles can be controlled much better, reducing the accumulators 8th and 9 can be reloaded individually. The charging station transponder 12 forms first means for wireless communication of the charging system 22 and the RFID transponder 13 and 14 form second means for wirelessly communicating the charging system 22 ,

All Features disclosed in the application documents are considered to be essential to the invention as long as they are individually or in combination with respect to State of the art are new.

1

charging station

2

casing

3

first loading bay

4

second loading bay

5

third loading bay

6

fourth loading bay

7

front

8th

first to be charged accumulator

9

Another to be charged accumulator

10

Interior of the charging station 1

11

medium to identify

12

Charging station transponder

13

first RFID transponder

14

Another RFID transponder

15

control device

16

medium to save

17

RAM

18

Wireless interface

19

display means

20

Housing top

21

wire connection

22

charging system

Claims (12)

Charging station ( 1 ) for charging accumulators ( 8th . 9 ), in particular of accumulators ( 8th . 9 ) hand-held and electrically operated tools, with loading places ( 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 ) to which the accumulators to be charged ( 8th . 9 ) can be connected electrically, characterized by means ( 11 ) for identifying each accumulator ( 8th . 9 ). Charging station ( 1 ) according to claim 1, characterized by means for wireless communication with an accumulator ( 8th . 9 ). Charging station ( 1 ) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by means for detecting and / or reading a transponder, in particular an RFID transponder ( 13 . 14 ), an accumulator ( 8th . 9 ). Charging station ( 1 ) according to claims 1 to 3, characterized by means for storing ( 16 ) of information of an accumulator ( 8th . 9 ). Charging station ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by means ( 19 ) for displaying information of an accumulator ( 8th . 9 ). Charging station ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by a control device ( 15 ) for automatically selecting an optimal charging process of an accumulator ( 8th . 9 ) depending on a number of previously completed charging cycles. Charging station according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by a wireless interface ( 18 ) to a network such as a LAN or a WLAN and / or an interface for connecting at least one wired connection to the network. Charging system ( 22 ) with a charging station ( 1 ) and at least one accumulator ( 8th . 9 ), in particular with at least one accumulator ( 8th . 9 ) hand-operated and electrically operated tools, characterized in that the charging station ( 1 ) first means for wirelessly communicating with an accumulator ( 8th . 9 ) and the accumulator ( 8th . 9 ) further means for wireless communication with the charging station ( 1 ) having. Method for charging accumulators ( 8th . 9 ), in particular of accumulators ( 8th . 9 ) hand-held and electrically operated tools, in which the accumulators ( 8th . 9 ) at loading places ( 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 ) can be electrically charged, characterized in that the identity of a battery to be charged ( 8th . 9 ) is determined. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that the number of charge cycles of a rechargeable battery ( 8th . 9 ) is determined. Method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the number of charge cycles of a rechargeable battery ( 8th . 9 ) independent of an electrical charging contact of the accumulator ( 8th . 9 ) is determined. Method according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the number of previously completed charging cycles of a rechargeable battery ( 8th . 9 ) and / or the number of rechargeable cycles of an accumulator ( 8th . 9 ) be determined.