JP2008043088A - Low-profile charger - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a charger for AA batteries or AAA batteries that is thinner than the batteries and is conveniently portable and makes it possible to cool a battery under charging from above and below to reduce temperature rise in the battery. <P>SOLUTION: The low-profile charger includes: a case 2 having battery pockets 3 in which cylindrical batteries 1 are detachably set; first and second charging terminals 4 electrically connected to the end electrodes of the batteries 1; and a charging power supply 5. The case 2 is thinner than the outside diameter of each battery 1, and is provided with the battery pockets 3 penetrating the case 2 from one side to the other side. In the case, the charging terminals 4 are disposed at both ends of the battery pockets 3 so that the following is implemented: when the end electrodes at both ends of the batteries are brought into contact with the charging terminals 4 in the battery pockets 3, the batteries 1 are protruded from both sides of the case 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a charger for charging a battery that is an AA or AAA battery, and more particularly, to a charger that is thin and convenient to carry.

A secondary battery, which is an AA or AAA battery, is provided with positive and negative electrodes at both ends, and is charged by being set in a battery pocket having charging terminals at both ends. Various types of chargers of this type have been developed. For example, the charger described in Patent Document 1 includes a battery pocket 93 on the upper surface of the case 92 as shown in FIG. In this charger, a charging power source is built in a case 92, and the charging power source is connected to charging terminals 94 at both ends of the battery pocket to charge an AA battery or the like.
JP-A-10-275636

  The charger shown in FIG. 1 is provided with a battery pocket 93 for detaching AA batteries. This charger is provided with a battery pocket 93 that opens upward in a case 92. In order to arrange the charging terminals 94 at both ends of the battery pocket 93, a circuit board 99 is accommodated in the case 92 below the battery pocket 93. Charging terminals 94 are fixed to the circuit board 99 and exposed at both ends of the battery pocket 93. Since the charger case having this structure is provided with a portion for housing the circuit board below the battery pocket, the entire case becomes thick. For this reason, when carrying with a battery, there exists a fault which is heavy and bulky. In addition, since the battery to be charged is opened only at the top, there is a disadvantage that charging cannot be performed while the lower surface of the battery is efficiently cooled. When a battery is rapidly charged with a large current, the battery temperature becomes high. The rise in the temperature of the battery not only adversely affects the battery, but also has problems such as being hot when touched by the user's hand.

The present invention has been developed for the purpose of solving this drawback. An important object of the present invention is to provide a thin charger that can be conveniently carried while being thinner than a battery while charging a battery made of AA or AAA batteries.
Furthermore, another important object of the present invention is that the charged battery can be charged from both the upper and lower sides while reducing the temperature rise of the battery, and the battery set in the battery pocket can be easily removed. It is in providing the thin charger which can be used for.

The thin charger of the present invention has the following configuration in order to achieve the above-described object.
The thin charger is provided with a case 2 having a battery pocket 3 for setting a cylindrical battery 1, which is an AA or AAA battery, so that it can be detached and attached to both ends of the battery pocket 3 of the case 2. First and second charging terminals 4 that are electrically connected to the end electrodes of the battery 1 set in the pocket 3, and a charging power source 5 that is connected to the charging terminals 4 and built in the case 2 are provided. The case 2 is thinner than the outer diameter of the battery 1 and is provided with battery pockets 3 penetrating on both sides of the case 2. Further, the case 2 has the charging terminal 4 so that the battery 1 protrudes from both sides of the case 2 in a state where the end electrodes at both ends of the battery are in contact with the charging terminals 4 disposed at both ends of the battery pocket 3. Are disposed at both ends of the battery pocket 3.

  In the thin charger of the present invention, the lead wire of the power line connecting the first charging terminal 4A and the charging power source 5 by connecting the temperature sensor 20 for detecting the temperature of the battery 1 to the first charging terminal 4A. 6A can be used in combination with the lead wire that connects the temperature sensor 20 to the charging power source 5.

  In the thin battery charger of the present invention, the battery pocket 3 has an inner shape that accommodates a plurality of batteries 1 arranged in parallel, and is positioned between the valleys of cylindrical batteries that are disposed adjacent to each other. A storage rod 7 for storing the battery can be provided in the case 2.

  The thin charger of the present invention uses the first charging terminal 4A connected to the temperature sensor 20 as a negative charging terminal, and brings the charging power source 5 closer to the second charging terminal 4B than the first charging terminal 4A. The storage rod 7 of the case 2 is provided with a lead wire 6A for a power line for connecting the first charging terminal 4A to the charging power source 5 and a lead wire 6B for a signal line connected to the temperature sensor 20. Can be stored.

  In the thin charger according to the present invention, the first charging terminal 4 </ b> A can be provided with the elastic deformation portions 15 on both sides of the portion in contact with the end electrode.

  In the thin charger of the present invention, the first charging terminal 4A is an elastic metal plate that is elastically deformed by being pushed by the battery 1 set in the battery pocket 3, and the second charging terminal 4B is set in the battery pocket 3. As a metal plate that is pushed by the battery 1 and does not elastically deform, the case 2 can be reinforced by incorporating the metal plate in the case 2.

  The thin charger of the present invention has a feature that it is thinner than a battery and can be conveniently carried while charging a battery made of AA or AAA batteries. The charger of the present invention has a case that is thinner than the outer diameter of the battery, has battery pockets that penetrate both sides of the case, and has charging terminals at both ends of the battery pocket. This is because the charging terminal is in a state in which the battery is protruded from both sides of the case while the end electrodes at both ends of the battery are in contact with each other. Furthermore, since the thin battery charger of the present invention can attach batteries to battery pockets penetrating both sides of the case and project the batteries on both sides of the case, the charged battery is cooled from both the upper and lower sides. The temperature rise can be reduced, and the battery set in the battery pocket can be easily removed for convenient use.

  Furthermore, the thin charger according to claim 2 of the present invention is such that a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the battery is connected to the first charging terminal, and the power line connecting the first charging terminal and the charging power source is connected. Since the lead wire is used together with the lead wire for connecting the temperature sensor to the charging power source, the first charging terminal and the temperature sensor are mounted on the substrate disposed on the lower surface of the battery pocket as in the conventional charger. Without fixing, the board can be omitted, the wiring by the lead wire can be simplified, and the charger can be thinned.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment described below exemplifies a charger for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the present invention does not specify the charger as follows.

  Further, in this specification, in order to facilitate understanding of the scope of claims, numbers corresponding to the members shown in the examples are indicated in the “claims” and “means for solving problems” sections. It is added to the members. However, the members shown in the claims are not limited to the members in the embodiments.

  The charger shown in FIGS. 2 to 7 charges a cylindrical secondary battery which is an AA or AAA battery. The battery 1 to be charged is a nickel-hydrogen battery or a nickel cadmium battery. However, the battery charger of the present invention does not specify a battery to be charged as a nickel-hydrogen battery or a nickel cadmium battery. The charger has a case 2 having a battery pocket 3 for setting the battery 1 so that the battery 1 can be attached and detached, and end portions of both ends of the battery set in the battery pocket 3 provided at both ends of the battery pocket 3 of the case 2. First and second charging terminals 4 that are electrically connected to the electrodes, and a charging power source 5 that is connected to the charging terminals 4 and built in the case 2 are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the case 2 is thinner than the outer diameter of the battery 1. The thin case 2 has a battery pocket 3 penetrating both sides. The case 2 in the figure has a thickness about half the diameter of the cylindrical battery 1. The case 2 shown in the figure has a plate shape thinner than that of the battery 1 having a rectangular shape as a whole. 2 to 4, a battery pocket 3 is provided on the right side of the case 2, and a charging power source 5 is incorporated on the left side of the case 2.

  The case 2 in the figure is provided with a battery pocket 3 in which two cylindrical batteries 1 can be set in parallel. The battery pocket 3 has an inner shape that can store two batteries 1 in parallel. Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the battery pocket 3 is located in a valley between two cylindrical batteries disposed adjacent to each other, and a storage rod 7 for storing the lead wire 6 is attached to the case 2. They are connected.

  Case 2 has upper case 2B fixed to lower case 2A, and charging power supply 5 is incorporated between lower case 2A and upper case 2B. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the lower case 2 </ b> A is integrally formed with plastic in a shape having a partition wall around the lower case 2 </ b> A. Further, the lower case 2A has two rows of battery pockets 3 opened. Between the two rows of battery pockets 3, a connecting line 8 for providing a storage rod 7 for the lead wire 6 is provided. In the upper case 2B, plastic is molded into a plate shape having an outer shape that closes the upper surface opening of the lower case 2A having a partition wall around it. Further, the upper case 2B is formed into a shape in which two rows of battery pockets 3 are provided, and the upper surface of the connecting line 8 of the lower case 2A is closed between the two rows of battery pockets 3 in a mountain shape. A connecting line 9 is provided. As shown in FIG. 5, a connecting line 9 of an upper case 2B formed in a mountain shape is connected to a connecting line 8 of the lower case 2A, and a storage rod 7 having a storage portion inside is provided. The storage rod 7 is provided with a power line lead 6A and a signal line lead 6B.

  The upper case 2B of FIGS. 5 and 7 is provided with a connection fitting portion 10 that is connected to the lower case 2A, and the connection fitting portion 10 is connected to the lower case 2A. The case 2 in the figure has a fitting recess 11 in the connecting fitting portion 10. The lower case 2 </ b> A is provided with a fitting convex portion 12 guided by the fitting concave portion 11. The case 2 is connected to each other by inserting the fitting convex portion 12 of the lower case 2A into the fitting concave portion 11 of the upper case 2B.

  Furthermore, the upper case 2B of FIG. 7 has an open sliding window 14 that allows the carriage 13 that fixes the second charging terminal 4B to enter and exit the battery 1 in the axial direction. The upper case 2 </ b> B in the figure has a slit-like sliding window 14 at the boundary with the battery pocket 3.

  In the charger shown in the figure, the battery pocket 3 is shaped to accommodate two batteries 1 in parallel, but the charger of the present invention is shaped so that one battery can be set or 4 It can also be set as the shape which can set the battery more than this.

  The battery pocket 3 is provided with a first charging terminal 4A and a second charging terminal 4B that are in contact with the end electrodes of the battery 1 set here at both ends. The chargers of FIGS. 2 to 7 use the first charging terminal 4A as a negative charging terminal and the second charging terminal 4B as a positive charging terminal. Further, a positive charging terminal, which is the second charging terminal 4B, is disposed on the charging power source 5 side, and a negative charging terminal, which is the first charging terminal 4A, is disposed on the end portion away from the charging power source 5. Has been established. In other words, the charger arranges the charging power source 5 closer to the second charging terminal 4B than to the first charging terminal 4A. The first charging terminal 4 </ b> A disposed away from the charging power source 5 is connected to the charging power source 5 via the lead wire 6. The lead wire 6 is wired to a storage rod 7 provided between the battery pockets 3.

  The negative charging terminal, which is the first charging terminal 4 </ b> A, is made of an elastic metal plate, and is provided with elastic deformation portions 15 on both sides of the portion that contacts the end electrode of the battery 1. In the illustrated charger, two batteries 1 are set in the battery pocket 3 for charging, so that two sets of first charging terminals 4A are provided in order to connect to the end electrodes of the two batteries 1. . The two sets of charging terminals 4 are made of a single elastic metal plate and connected to each other.

  The second charging terminal 4B is made of a metal plate that does not elastically deform even when pushed by the battery 1 set in the battery pocket 3. The second charging terminal 4 </ b> B shown in FIG. 7 is fixed to the inner surface of the carriage 13 by bending a metal plate into an L shape. The second charging terminal 4B is electrically connected to the charging power source 5 via the sliding terminal 16, as shown in the sectional view of FIG. The second charging terminal 4B is the charging terminal 4 connected to the positive side of the battery 1 and is in contact with each battery 1 independently. This charger can fully charge each battery 1 by independently controlling the charging current. For example, batteries with different remaining capacities and batteries with different full charge capacities can be fully charged in an optimal state for each battery.

  The carriage 13 that fixes the second charging terminal 4B is made of plastic, and is formed into a shape that connects the sliding plate 13B at a right angle to the end face plate 13A, as shown in FIG. The end face plate 13A is provided through the fitting window 13a into which the convex electrode of the battery 1 is inserted. The battery 1 set in the battery pocket 3 is held in place by inserting the convex electrode into the fitting window 13a. The second charging terminal 4B is fixed inside the end face plate 13A. Therefore, the convex electrode of the battery 1 inserted into the fitting window 13a contacts and is electrically connected to the second charging terminal 4B. The sliding plate 13B is disposed so as to be able to enter and exit the sliding window 14 provided in the upper case 2B.

  The sliding plate 13 </ b> B has an arm 17 connected to both sides thereof, and a tension spring 18 is connected to the arm 17. The tension spring 18 elastically pulls the carriage 13 via the arm 17. This structure elastically presses the second charging terminal 4 </ b> B fixed to the carriage 13 against the convex electrode of the battery 1 set in the battery pocket 3. Therefore, the second charging terminal 4B is reliably and stably connected to the convex electrode of the battery 1. Moreover, the convex electrode of the battery 1 is put in the fitting window 13a of the end face plate 13A, and the battery 1 is held in the battery pocket 3 so as not to be displaced.

  The battery charger in which the second charging terminal 4B fixed to the carriage 13 is a metal plate that is not elastically deformed can make the second charging terminal 4B a thick and strong metal plate. The case 2 can be reinforced. Particularly, the structure in which the second charging terminal 4B is fixed to the carriage 13 can reinforce the case 2 with both the second charging terminal 4B and the carriage 13.

  The charging power source 5 fixes electronic components that realize a charging circuit to the circuit board 19. The circuit board 19 fixes the positive and negative sliding terminals 16 that are in contact with the second charging terminal 4B. As shown in FIG. 8, the sliding terminal 16 is elastically pressed against the inner surface of the second charging terminal 4B and electrically connected to the second charging terminal 4B. The second charging terminal 4B is in contact with the sliding terminal 16 at the plate portion 4b fixed to the inner surface of the sliding plate 13B. Further, the circuit board 19 is also connected to the first charging terminal 4A via the lead wire 6 which is a power supply line. The lead wire 6 </ b> A of the power supply line connected to the first charging terminal 4 </ b> A is built in the storage rod 7 of the case 2.

  Further, the first charging terminal 4 </ b> A is connected to a temperature sensor 20 that detects the temperature of the battery 1. The temperature sensor 20 is fixed in a state where it is thermally coupled to the first charging terminal 4A. The temperature sensor 20 has a pair of outputs. The temperature of the battery 1 is detected by a change in electrical resistance between the pair of outputs. The temperature sensor 20 has one output side connected to the first charging terminal 4A, and the other output side wired to the storage rod 7 together with the lead wire 6A of the power supply line. It is connected to 6B. In this structure, it is not necessary to provide the circuit board 19 for fixing the temperature sensor 20. In the conventional charger, the temperature sensor 20 is fixed to the circuit board, and the circuit board is disposed at the bottom of the battery pocket, so that the entire case cannot be thinned. On the other hand, the structure shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 does not require a circuit board on which the temperature sensor 20 is arranged, and the temperature sensor 20 can be arranged at a preferable position for detecting the battery temperature. Further, the wiring can be simplified by using one lead wire 6 for connecting the temperature sensor 20 and the circuit board 19. This is because the lead wire 6 </ b> A of the power supply line that connects the first charging terminal 4 </ b> A to the charging power supply 5 is used together with the signal line of the temperature sensor 20. Therefore, this structure can thin the case 2 while quickly detecting the temperature of the battery 1 by the temperature sensor 20. In the chargers of FIGS. 6 and 7, one output side of the temperature sensor 20 is connected to the first charging terminal 4A, but connected to the lead wire of the power supply line connected to the first charging terminal. You can also

  As shown in FIG. 9, the charger connects the AC adapter 21 to supply power. This charger is provided with a DC jack 22 for connecting the AC adapter 21, and this DC jack 22 is connected to the charging power source 5. This charger does not require a circuit for converting the commercial power source to the charging power of the battery 1 in the charging power source 5, and the circuit configuration of the charging power source 5 can be easily reduced. However, the charger of the present invention can also incorporate a circuit for converting the commercial power source into the charging voltage of the battery 1 in the charging power source 5. This charger is connected directly to a commercial power source to charge the battery 1. Further, instead of the AC adapter, a car adapter connected to a car cigarette lighter may be connected to supply power from the vehicle battery.

  Furthermore, the charger can be used for charging a built-in battery of a device connected to the USB terminal and also for charging a built-in battery of a mobile phone. As shown in FIG. 9, a charger that realizes this is provided with a general-purpose DC jack 22 in the charger, and dedicated attachments 23 and 26 are connected to the general-purpose DC jack 22. As the dedicated attachments 23 and 26, dedicated attachments are used for the devices to be connected. For example, the dedicated attachment 23 for charging a built-in battery of a device connected to the USB terminal is provided with a general-purpose plug 24 and a USB terminal 25 connected to a general-purpose DC jack 22 of the charger. Further, the dedicated attachment 26 for charging the built-in battery of the mobile phone is provided with a general-purpose plug 27 connected to the general-purpose DC jack 22 of the charger and a connection terminal 28 connected to the power terminal of the mobile phone. In this way, the dedicated attachments 23 and 26 can be exchanged and connected to the general-purpose DC jack 22 of the charger, so that batteries built in various devices can be charged.

It is sectional drawing of the conventional charger. It is a perspective view which shows the use condition of the thin charger concerning one Example of this invention. It is a side view of the charger shown in FIG. It is a perspective view of the thin charger shown in FIG. It is a cross-sectional view of the thin charger shown in FIG. It is the perspective view which removed the upper case of the thin battery charger shown in FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view of the thin charger shown in FIG. It is a cross-sectional perspective view of a carriage and a 2nd charging terminal shown in FIG. It is a side view which shows the usage example of the thin charger concerning one Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 ... Battery
2 ... Case 2A ... Lower case
2B ... Upper case 3 ... Battery pocket 4 ... Charging terminal 4A ... First charging terminal
4B ... 2nd charge terminal 4b ... Plate part 5 ... Charging power supply 6 ... Lead wire 6A ... Lead wire of power supply line
6B ... Signal line lead wire 7 ... Storage rod 8 ... Connection line 9 ... Connection line 10 ... Connection fitting part 11 ... Fitting recess 12 ... Fitting protrusion 13 ... Round carriage 13A ... End plate 13a ... Fitting window
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 13B ... Sliding plate 14 ... Sliding window 15 ... Elastic deformation part 16 ... Sliding terminal 17 ... Arm 18 ... Tension spring 19 ... Circuit board 20 ... Temperature sensor 21 ... AC adapter 22 ... DC jack 23 ... Dedicated attachment 24 ... General purpose Plug 25 ... USB terminal 26 ... Dedicated attachment 27 ... General-purpose plug 28 ... Connection terminal 92 ... Case 93 ... Battery pocket 94 ... Charge terminal 99 ... Circuit board

Claims (6)

A cylindrical battery (1), which is an AA or AAA battery, and a case (2) with a battery pocket (3) set so that it can be attached and detached, and both ends of the battery pocket (3) of this case (2) The first and second charging terminals (4) electrically connected to the end electrodes of the battery (1) set in the battery pocket (3) and the case connected to the charging terminal (4) (2) a charger having a built-in charging power source (5),
The case (2) is thinner than the outer diameter of the battery (1), and the battery pocket (3) that penetrates both sides of the case (2) is provided, and the charging that is arranged at both ends of the battery pocket (3) The charging terminals (4) are arranged at both ends of the battery pocket (3) so that the battery (1) protrudes on both sides of the case (2) with the terminal (4) in contact with the end electrodes on both ends of the battery. A thin charger.   A temperature sensor (20) for detecting the temperature of the battery (1) is connected to the first charging terminal (4A), and a power line for connecting the first charging terminal (4A) and the charging power source (5) is connected. The thin charger according to claim 1, wherein the lead wire (6A) is used in combination with a lead wire for connecting the temperature sensor (20) to the charging power source (5).   The battery pocket (3) has an inner shape that accommodates a plurality of batteries (1) arranged in parallel, and is located in the valley of a cylindrical battery that is disposed adjacently to accommodate the lead wire (6). The thin charger according to claim 2, wherein the storage rod (7) is provided in the case (2).   The first charging terminal (4A) to which the temperature sensor (20) is connected is the negative charging terminal, and the charging power source (5) is closer to the second charging terminal (4B) than the first charging terminal (4A). The storage rod (7) of the case (2) has a lead wire (6A) for connecting the first charging terminal (4A) to the charging power source (5) and a temperature sensor. The thin charger according to claim 3, wherein the lead wire (6B) of the signal line connected to (20) is accommodated.   The thin charger according to claim 1, wherein the first charging terminal (4A) is provided with elastic deformation portions (15) on both sides of a portion in contact with the end electrode. The first charging terminal (4A) is an elastic metal plate that is elastically deformed by being pushed by the battery (1) set in the battery pocket (3), and the second charging terminal (4B) is the battery pocket (3). The thin battery charger according to claim 1, wherein the battery plate (1) is pressed against the battery (1) and is not elastically deformed, and the metal plate is built in the case (2) to reinforce the case (2). .

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