JP2003331806A - Battery pack - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a battery pack with large flexibility for mounting, which can be easily mounted to battery using or charging devices while eliminating the possibility of a reverse connection. <P>SOLUTION: In the battery pack accommodating at least one cell, a plane of an opening of a battery pack-mounting portion is formed as a shape with point symmetry with respect to the center point other than regular polygons and circles, plural pairs of connectors being electrically connected respectively to plural connection circuits for external connection disposed within the battery pack, the each of the pair of connectors disposed on mounting surface of the battery pack at point symmetry positions with respect to the center point of the mounting surface. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a battery pack, and more particularly to a battery pack that can be easily mounted on a battery-using device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a device using a secondary battery as a power source such as a mobile phone, a single battery composed of at least one lithium ion secondary battery is housed together with a charge / discharge protection circuit or a battery protection element. A battery pack is used. Conductive connection terminals are provided on the surface of the battery pack for connection with devices using batteries.Installed on the battery pack when inserting the battery pack into the device using batteries from the opening of the battery mounting part. Many proposals have been made to prevent the accident that the conductive connection terminal is reversely connected to the connection terminal on the device side.

[0003] For example, as proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-505935 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-82111, the battery pack is formed in a normal orientation by forming unevenness for engaging a battery-using device. It has been carried out such that it can be mounted only, or that the conductive connection terminals are asymmetrically arranged in the battery pack so that they cannot be energized when mounted in the opposite direction. Preventing the reverse connection of the battery pack is extremely important for both the battery pack and the device using the battery, but in the case of a generally rectangular parallelepiped-shaped battery pack, it is If there are a total of three incorrect mounting directions that are reversed from the front or back or front and back, and you try to mount in a direction different from the normal mounting direction,
I had to change the direction and put it back on.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a battery pack that does not depend on the direction of a battery-using device or a battery pack mounting portion of a charging device as long as the shape matches the shape of the opening. This is an issue. Also,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a battery pack that does not require confirmation of the direction at the time of wearing and can be worn by a single operation even in a dark area or people with impaired eyesight.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack containing at least one unit cell, wherein the shape of the surface to be mounted in the opening of the battery pack mounting portion is a regular polygon or a circle. Except for the center, it has a point-symmetrical shape, and a pair of connection terminals are conductively connected to each of the plurality of external connection circuit parts in the battery pack. It can be solved by a battery pack arranged in a point-symmetrical position with respect to the center of. In a battery pack accommodating at least one unit cell, the shape of the surface to be mounted in the opening of the battery pack mounting portion has a shape that is point-symmetric with respect to the center excluding a regular polygon or a circle. Two pairs of connection terminals are conductively connected to each of the plurality of external connection circuit parts inside, the pair of connection terminals is located on the mounting surface of the battery pack, and the other pair is located on the side opposite to the mounting surface. The surface of each pair is arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the center of the surface, and is rotated by 180 degrees about a straight line passing through the center of the battery pack and equidistant from the surfaces facing each other of the battery pack. In the battery pack, the positions of the connection terminals overlap.

In a battery pack accommodating at least one unit cell, the shape of the surface to be mounted in the opening of the battery pack mounting portion has a shape that is point-symmetric with respect to the center other than a regular polygon or a circle, A pair of connection terminals is conductively connected to each of the plurality of external connection circuit parts inside the battery pack, and the connection terminals of each pair are located on the mounting surface of the battery pack or on surfaces opposite to each other except the mounting surface. The battery pack is arranged such that a line connecting each pair of connection terminals is parallel to the mounting surface and intersects a line that is perpendicular to the mounting surface and passes through the center of the mounting surface. The connection terminal is the above-mentioned battery pack in which the line connecting the connection terminals of each pair is arranged at a position where it intersects at its midpoint inside the battery pack.

In a battery pack accommodating at least one unit cell, the shape of the surface to be mounted in the opening of the battery pack mounting portion has a shape that is point-symmetrical with respect to the center excluding a regular polygon or a circle, A pair of connection terminals are conductively connected to each of the plurality of external connection circuit parts inside the battery pack, and the connection terminals of each pair are on the mounting surface of the battery pack or the surfaces on the opposite sides except the surface opposite to the mounting surface. The battery pack is located on opposite sides of the battery pack and is arranged at a position where lines connecting the pairs of connection terminals intersect at their midpoints. In the battery pack, some of the connection terminals are arranged at positions that do not change when rotated by 180 degrees. Further, in the above battery pack, the connection terminal is located inside the surface of the battery pack.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A battery pack according to the present invention has a shape in which a surface to be mounted in an opening of a battery pack mounting portion has a shape that is point-symmetrical with respect to a center other than a regular polygon or a circle. In the case where a pair of connection terminals for conductive connection with a battery-powered device or a charger connected to the same conductive connection point of the internal external connection circuit section is provided only on the same surface of the battery pack, the center of the surface Since it is placed in a symmetrical position with respect to the other side, and in the case where it is provided on a different surface, it is placed in a position symmetrical with respect to the point on the axis passing through the center of the battery pack or the center of the mounting surface. It is possible to make conductive connection with the battery pack by mounting from any direction with
It is possible to provide a battery pack having excellent handling characteristics.

In the present invention, the shape of the surface to be mounted in the opening of the battery pack mounting portion that is point-symmetrical with respect to the center other than a regular polygon or a circle means that one surface is mounted at one mounting position. This means a shape that allows the battery pack to be mounted only at a position rotated by 180 degrees, and means that the battery pack can also be mounted by rotating in the same plane, reversing the front and back. Further, a groove or an unevenness may be formed for the purpose of enhancing the fitting property between the battery pack and the device using the battery, or improving the designability, so that a part which is not point-symmetrical may be partially formed. . Specifically, it means a prism other than a cube such as a rectangular parallelepiped, an elliptic cylinder other than a cylinder, and the like.
The prismatic body includes chamfered corners and rounded corners. Further, in a battery pack in which the connection terminals are mounted only on one surface, one having a flat surface and the other surface having a curved shape that is asymmetric with respect to the center, Is also good.

The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 (A) is a perspective view in which a battery pack and a device using a battery are partially cut, and FIG. The battery pack has a pair of connection terminals on its surface. In the battery pack 1, the battery pack mounting surface 3 of the battery using device 2 has a rectangular shape, the opposite side surface 4 is a curved surface, and after the battery pack is mounted, the opposite side surface 4 is the battery using device. The second housing forms a part of the housing. And
The flat surface forming the mounting surface 3 of the battery pack 1 has connection terminals 6a, 6b, 6c for making conductive connection by making contact with the device-side connection terminal 5 of the battery-using device 2, and the connection terminals 6a, 6
On the mounting surface 3 provided with b and 6c, connecting terminals 8a, 8b and 8c are arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the connecting terminals 6a, 6b and 6c with respect to the center 7 of the mounting surface 3. Connection terminal 6a
And a connection terminal 8a, a connection terminal 6b and a connection terminal 8b, and a connection terminal 6c and a connection terminal 8c respectively form a "pair", and each pair is conductively connected to the corresponding corresponding external connection circuit portion inside the battery pack. Are formed.

Therefore, in the battery pack of the present invention, the connection terminal 6a and the connection terminal 8a, the connection terminal 6b and the connection terminal 8b, and the connection terminal 6c and the connection terminal are provided at the opposite position rotated by 180 degrees from the first mounting position. The positions of 8c are replaced respectively. Since these connection terminals form a pair and are conductively connected, a conductive connection can be formed without reverse connection when mounted in any of the possible mounting directions. Also, the connection point between each pair of connection terminals and the corresponding external connection circuit section is not limited to the same position on the lead wire, circuit board, etc. May be In addition, the contact portion of each connection terminal is not excluded from being located on the same surface as the surface of the battery pack, but from the viewpoint of preventing short-circuit accidents, it should be located inside the surface of the battery pack. It is preferably located.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention and is a view for explaining an example in which the arrangement of connection terminals is different,
It is a top view of a mounting surface. Battery pack 1 shown in FIG. 2 (A)
Arrange | positions the connection terminal 6a and the connection terminal 8a, and the connection terminal 6c and the connection terminal 8c so as to be point-symmetrical with respect to the center 7 of the mounting surface 3 of the battery pack 1, and to connect the connection terminal 6b to the center of the mounting surface 3. It was placed in. The connection terminal 6a and the connection terminal 8a, and the connection terminal 6c and the connection terminal 8c each form a "pair", and each pair is conductively connected to the corresponding external connection circuit portion inside the battery pack. Even at the position rotated by 180 degrees from the first mounting position, the positions of the connection terminal 6a and the connection terminal 8a and the positions of the connection terminal 6c and the connection terminal 8c are replaced with each other. Further, the connection terminal 6b is arranged at the center of the mounting surface, and forms a common connection terminal that can always form a conductive connection regardless of the mounting direction. As a result, it is possible to reduce the number of conductive connection terminals required for connection, and it is possible to form conductive connection without performing reverse connection regardless of the mounting direction.

In the battery pack 1 shown in FIG. 2B, all the connection terminals are arranged in a straight line on the center line in the longitudinal direction, and the connection terminals 6a, 8a, and 6c are connected.
The connection terminals 8c are arranged so as to be point-symmetric with respect to the center of the mounting surface 3 of the battery pack 1. Connection terminal 6
a and the connection terminal 8a, and the connection terminal 6c and the connection terminal 8c each form a "pair", and each pair is conductively connected to the corresponding external connection circuit portion inside the battery pack. Even at a position rotated 180 degrees from the one mounting position, the connection terminal 6a, the connection terminal 8a, and the connection terminal 6c
And the positions of the connection terminals 8c are replaced. A connection terminal 6b is arranged at the center of the mounting surface 3 to form a common connection terminal that can always form a conductive connection regardless of the mounting direction. The battery pack 1 shown in FIG. 2 (C) is the same as that shown in FIG. 2 (A) except that all the connection terminals are arranged in a straight line on the center line perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

FIG. 3 is a view for explaining another embodiment of the battery pack of the present invention, which is a battery pack in which a pair of connection terminals are provided on different surfaces of the battery pack. 3A is a perspective view, FIG. 3B is a view of FIG. 3A viewed from the A direction, and FIG. 3C is a view of FIG. 3A viewed from the B direction. It is a figure explaining the straight line between connection terminals. In the battery pack 1, the battery pack mounting surface of the device using the battery has a rectangular shape, and the opposite side surface has a curved surface.
After mounting the battery pack, the opposite side surface forms a part of the housing of the device using the battery.

On the surface perpendicular to the mounting surface 2 of the battery pack 1, there are provided connection terminals 6a, 6b, 6c for conductively connecting to the equipment-side connection terminals of the battery-using device 3, and the connection terminals 6a,
The connection terminal 8 is provided on the surface opposite to the surface on which 6b and 6c are provided.
a, 8b, 8c are arranged. Then, the connection terminal 6a and the connection terminal 8a, the connection terminal 6b and the connection terminal 8b,
The straight lines 9 connecting the connection terminals 6c and 8c between the pair of connection terminals are parallel to the mounting surface and intersect each other at the midpoint 10, that is, on the axis 11 of the surface. A "pair" is formed, and a pair of connection terminals are conductively connected to the corresponding external connection circuit section inside the battery pack for each pair. Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, a straight line 12 connecting the connection terminals 6a, 6b, 6c
Are located at the same height from the mounting surface 3, and as shown in FIG. 3C, the straight line 9 between the pair of connection terminals is also located at the same height from the mounting surface. Therefore, in the battery pack of the present invention, at the position rotated by 180 degrees from the first mounting position, the connection terminal 6 formed by the connection terminal is formed.
The positions of a and connection terminal 8a, connection terminal 6b and connection terminal 8b, and connection terminal 6c and connection terminal 8c are replaced. As a result, it is possible to form a conductive connection without performing a reverse connection when mounted in any of the possible mounting directions.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4A is a perspective view, and FIG. 4B is a view of FIG. 4A viewed from the A direction. In the battery pack shown in FIG. 4, the mounting surface 3 has a rectangular shape, and the opposite side surface 4 has a curved surface as in FIG. 3, and after mounting the battery pack, the opposite surface is a battery It forms part of the housing of the device. In the battery pack shown in FIG. 3A, all connection terminals 6a and connection terminals 8a, connection terminals 6b and connection terminals 8b, and connection terminals 6c and connection terminals 8c are located at the same height from the mounting surface 3. On the other hand, in the battery pack shown in FIG. 4, the connection terminals 6a and the connection terminals 8a, the connection terminals 6b and the connection terminals 8b, and the connection terminals 6c that form a pair are connected.
The connection terminals 8c and 8c have the same height for each pair, but the connection terminals of different pairs have different heights. Then, the connection terminal 6a, the connection terminal 8a, and the connection terminal 6
Straight lines 9 connecting a pair of connection terminals connecting b and the connection terminal 8b and connecting the connection terminal 6c and the connection terminal 8c are parallel to the mounting surface, respectively, and the axis 11 of the surface passing through the center of the mounting surface 3 and the respective axes. They intersect at the midpoint 10 and are conductively connected to the corresponding external connection circuit section inside the battery pack for each pair.

Therefore, in the battery pack of the present invention, the connection terminal 6a and the connection terminal 8a, and the connection terminal 6b and the connection terminal 8 are rotated even at a position rotated 180 degrees from the first mounting position.
b, the positions of the connection terminal 6c and the connection terminal 8c are replaced with each other. As a result, it is possible to form a conductive connection without performing a reverse connection when mounted in any of the possible mounting directions.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a diagram for explaining another embodiment of the present invention. 5A is a perspective view, FIG. 5B is a plan view of the mounting surface, and FIG. 5C is a plan view of the opposite mounting surface. The battery pack 1 shown in FIG. 5 shows an example in which connection is possible not only when the front and back surfaces are rotated by 180 degrees but also when rotated by 180 degrees on a plane. On a plane forming the mounting surface 3 of the battery pack 1, a connection terminal 6 for conductively connecting with a device-side connection terminal of a battery-using device is formed.
a, 6b, 6c, connection terminals 8a, 8b, 8c are provided, and the opposite side mounting surface 4 located on the side opposite to the mounting surface 3
The connection terminals 13a, 13b, 13c and the connection terminals 14a, 14b, 14c are arranged in the.

Then, the battery pack connecting terminal 6a and the connecting terminal 8a, the connecting terminal 6b and the connecting terminal 8b, the connecting terminal 6c and the connecting terminal 8c, the connecting terminal 13a and the connecting terminal 14a, the connecting terminal 13b and the connecting terminal 14b, and the connecting terminal 13c. And the connection terminal 14c each form a "pair", and are arranged at positions symmetrical with respect to the center of each surface. The pair of the connection terminal 6a and the connection terminal 8a, the connection terminal 10a, and the connection terminal 1 are formed.
A pair of 1a, a pair of connecting terminal 6b and a connecting terminal 8b, a pair of connecting terminal 13b and a connecting terminal 14b, a pair of connecting terminal 6c and a connecting terminal 8c, a connecting terminal 10c and a connecting terminal 11c are two pairs each inside the battery pack. It is conductively connected to the same corresponding external connection circuit section.

Further, each pair of connection terminals connected to the same conductive connection point and arranged on the respective surfaces has a central axis of rotation which is a straight line passing through the center of the battery pack and equidistant from the opposite surfaces of the battery pack. When rotated by 180 ° about the axes of 15a and 15b, each pair of connection terminals arranged on the other surface is arranged at a position overlapping with the other.

Therefore, in the battery pack of the present invention, the connection terminal 6a and the connection terminal 13a, the connection terminal 6b and the connection terminal 13b, and the connection terminal are rotated from the first mounting position to the position rotated 180 degrees so as to reverse the front and back. 6c and connection terminal 1
When the positions of 3c are respectively replaced and they rotate in the same plane, the connection terminals 6a and the connection terminals 8a, the connection terminals 6b and the connection terminals 8b, the connection terminals 6c and the connection terminals 8c.
Will be replaced. In addition, when the front and back are reversed from the first mounting position and further rotated in the same plane, the connection terminal 6
a and the connection terminal 14a, the connection terminal 6b and the connection terminal 14b,
The connection terminal 6c and the connection terminal 14c are replaced. In this way, it is possible to form a conductive connection without performing reverse connection when rotating and mounting to any mountable position.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining another embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram for explaining an example in which the arrangement of connection terminals is different from that shown in FIG. Battery pack 1 shown in FIG. 6 (A)
Shows that the connection terminal 6b is arranged at the center of the mounting surface 3, the connection terminal 13b is also arranged at the center of the opposite side surface 4, and the connection terminal 6a is arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the center of each surface. And a pair of connection terminals 8a, a connection terminal 13a, and a connection terminal 1
The pair of 4a, the pair of connecting terminals 6c and 8c, and the connecting terminals 13c and 14c are arranged. The pair of connecting terminals 6a and 8a, the pair of connecting terminals 13a and 14a, the connecting terminals 6c and 8c, and the connecting terminals 13c and 14c. The pairs are connected to the same conductive connection point in the battery pack 1.

Further, each pair of connection terminals connected to the same conductive connection point and arranged on each surface has a central axis of rotation which is a straight line passing through the center of the battery pack and equidistant from the opposite surfaces of the battery pack. When rotated by 180 ° about the axes of 15a and 15b, each pair of connection terminals arranged on the other surface is arranged at a position overlapping with the other. Therefore, rotation in the same plane, reverse front and back,
Anything rotated 0 degrees can form a conductive connection.

6B and 6C show connection terminals 6b.
Is arranged in the center of the mounting surface 3, and the opposite side 4
The connection terminals 13b are arranged at the center of the connection terminals, and the connection terminals 6a and 8a are arranged in a line symmetrically with respect to the center of each surface.
And the pair of connection terminals 13a and 14a are connected to the same conductive connection point in the battery pack 1.

Further, each pair of connection terminals connected to the same conductive connection point and arranged on their respective surfaces has a central axis of rotation composed of straight lines passing through the center of the battery pack and equidistant from the surfaces of the battery pack facing each other. When rotated by 180 ° about the axes of 15a and 15b, each pair of connection terminals arranged on the other surface is arranged at a position overlapping with the other. Therefore, it is possible to form the conductive connection by rotating in the same plane, reversing the front and back, or rotating 180 degrees. Further, the connecting terminals arranged at the centers of the mounting surface and the opposite side surface can be commonly used at any mounting position. As a result, it is possible to reduce the number of conductive connection terminals required for connection, and it is possible to form conductive connection without performing reverse connection regardless of the mounting direction.

[0026]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The battery pack of the present invention can be mounted on a battery-using device or a charger regardless of the direction in which the battery pack is mounted as a connection terminal for conductively connecting to the battery-using device or a charger. Since a conductive connection can be formed by mounting the battery pack, it is possible to provide a battery pack that can be mounted without causing problems such as reverse connection when mounting the battery pack.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, which is a battery pack in which a pair of connection terminals are provided on the same surface of the battery pack.

FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention, and is a plan view of a mounting surface, illustrating an example in which the arrangement of connection terminals is different.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining another embodiment of the battery pack of the present invention, which is a battery pack in which a pair of connection terminals are provided on different surfaces of the battery pack.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a diagram for explaining another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Battery pack, 2 ... Battery-using device, 3 ... Mounting surface, 4 ...
Opposite side surface 5, ... Device side connection terminal group, 6a, 6b, 6c ...
Connection terminal, 7 ... Center of mounting surface, 8a, 8b, 8c ... Connection terminal, 9 ... Straight line between connection terminals, 10 ... Midpoint, 11 ... Surface axis, 12 ... Straight line connecting connection terminals, 13a, 13b, Thirteen
c ... connection terminal, 14a, 14b, 14c ... connection terminal

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. In a battery pack accommodating at least one unit cell, the shape of the surface to be mounted in the opening of the battery pack mounting part is a regular polygon or a point-symmetrical shape with respect to the center other than a circle. A pair of connection terminals are conductively connected to each of the plurality of external connection circuit parts in the battery pack, and the connection terminals of each pair are located on the mounting surface of the battery pack at positions symmetrical with respect to the center of the mounting surface. A battery pack characterized by being arranged. 2. In a battery pack accommodating at least one unit cell, the shape of the surface to be mounted in the opening of the battery pack mounting portion is a point symmetry with respect to the center other than a regular polygon or a circle. Having two pairs of connection terminals conductively connected to each of the plurality of external connection circuit parts in the battery pack, the pair of connection terminals is located on the mounting surface of the battery pack, and the other pair is on the side opposite to the mounting surface. When they are located 180 degrees apart from each other on a straight line that is located symmetrically with respect to the center of the surface of each surface and passes through the center of the battery pack and is equidistant from the opposite surfaces of the battery pack. In the battery pack, the positions of the connection terminals of each pair are overlapped with each other.