JP2011200072A - Charger - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem of a conventional charger for a rechargeable battery having a curved drainage channel: if a large amount of liquid flows into a battery loading part, the inside of charger is entirely submerged to cause short-circuit.SOLUTION: A straight liquid discharge hole 3 is provided from an upper case 1a to a lower case 1b in a battery attaching part 2 of a charger. A liquid guide groove 4 is provided for guiding the liquid 7 toward the liquid discharge hole 3. Even if a large amount of liquid 7 flows into the battery attaching part 2, the liquid 7 is quickly discharged to the lower part of battery through the straight liquid discharge hole 3. Further, a liquid drain hole 9 provided on a printed board 8 quickly discharges water to the lower part of charger, even if a part of the liquid 7 enters the inside of charger.

Description

  The present invention relates to a charger for a rechargeable battery having a structure that significantly reduces the amount of liquid that enters the charger even when the liquid flows into the battery mounting portion of the charger.

  In recent years, rechargeable nickel metal hydride batteries that can be reused when charged in the same shape as general AA and AAA dry batteries are increasing. Many chargers for charging the rechargeable battery are also provided. These chargers are usually connected to a household outlet in a vertical position to charge the rechargeable battery, but in some cases, they can be connected to an extension cable or a desktop outlet while lying horizontally to charge. Sometimes done.

  On the other hand, when used in a state of being laid down horizontally, there is a possibility that liquids such as drinks may be accidentally spilled on the charger. A charger or charging stand equipped with a structure for discharging the liquid to the outside of the charger has been proposed in preparation for a short circuit inside the charger when the liquid is applied. Since it was not linear but tortuous and the discharge hole was small, the inside of the charger was completely submerged when the liquid volume was about a full glass. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

JP-A-10-174301

  However, even in the case of a charger equipped with a liquid discharge hole as in Patent Document 1, in the case of a configuration in which the discharge path is not linear, the function can be exhibited with a small amount of liquid. When a large amount of liquid, for example, a full cup of liquid is applied, the liquid cannot be discharged quickly, resulting in a state similar to that of submergence, which causes a short circuit inside the charger.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a charger that can discharge liquid linearly in order to prevent an internal circuit short-circuit even when a liquid that is about a full cup of liquid is applied.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises a battery mounting portion for mounting a plurality of rechargeable batteries, and a charger having a built-in charging circuit for supplying a charging current to the rechargeable battery mounted on the battery mounting portion. In the charger comprising the main body, a linear liquid discharge hole for discharging the liquid flowing into the battery mounting portion of the charger main body is provided.

  According to the present invention, even when a large amount of liquid flows into the battery mounting portion, the liquid is linearly discharged from the liquid discharge hole, so that the amount of liquid entering the charger is greatly reduced, and an internal circuit short circuit is prevented. can do.

1 is an external view of a charger according to an embodiment of the present invention. Cross section of the charger The perspective view which shows the printed circuit board of the charger

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a battery main body including a battery mounting portion for mounting a plurality of rechargeable batteries, and a charging circuit for supplying a charging current to the rechargeable battery mounted on the battery mounting portion. The charger is characterized in that a linear liquid discharge hole for discharging the liquid flowing into the battery mounting portion of the charger body is provided, and a large amount of liquid flows into the battery mounting portion. In addition, since the liquid discharge hole is formed linearly, it is possible to prevent the liquid from being quickly discharged and entering the charger to short-circuit the internal circuit.

  A second aspect of the present invention is a charger provided with a liquid guide groove that quickly guides the liquid flowing into the periphery of the liquid discharge hole to the liquid discharge hole, and efficiently converts the liquid into the liquid discharge hole by the liquid guide groove. Guidance and quick liquid discharge can be realized.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a charger in which the charger main body is composed of an upper case and a lower case, and a continuous through hole is provided in the upper case and the lower case to form a liquid discharge hole. Since the through hole that is continuous with the lower case serves as a liquid discharge hole, the liquid can be discharged quickly, and the infiltration of the liquid into the charger can be greatly reduced.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a charger in which a liquid drainage hole is provided also in a printed circuit board forming a charging circuit built in the charger main body, and the liquid drainage of the printed circuit board is prevented even if liquid enters the inside. It can flow down from the hole to the lower case, preventing a short circuit.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is an external view of a charger to which a plurality of rechargeable batteries according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention can be attached.

  In FIG. 1, 1 is a charger main body for a rechargeable battery, and 2 is a battery mounting portion for mounting a rechargeable battery. A rechargeable battery is attached to the battery attachment portion 2 and the outlet plug provided in the charger main body 1 is connected to a household outlet to charge the rechargeable battery.

  The case of the charger body 1 includes an upper case 1a and a lower case 1b. Note that this configuration is not particularly limited even if the upper case and the lower case are not concave in shape, and the lower case is a flat lid. Reference numeral 3 denotes a linear liquid discharge hole that leads from the upper case 1a to the lower case 1b. The liquid passing therethrough does not enter the charger main body 1 at all and is discharged to the lower part of the charger through the liquid discharge hole 3 having a straight tunnel shape. Reference numeral 4 denotes a liquid guide groove provided to guide the liquid to the liquid discharge hole 3 and has a structure that is lowered by one step from the battery mounting portion 2. Reference numeral 5 denotes a charge display unit including a charge display LED indicating a state of charge, and reference numeral 6 denotes a connection terminal provided in the battery mounting unit 2.

  When charging a rechargeable battery, if the charger is connected to an extension cable or a desktop outlet and laid horizontally, the charger will accidentally get liquid and the battery will flow into the battery compartment. Even in this case, most of the liquid passes through the linear liquid discharge hole 3 of the present invention and is discharged under the lower case 1b, so that the amount of liquid entering the inside of the charger main body 1 is greatly reduced. At this time, since the liquid guide groove 4 for guiding the liquid toward the liquid discharge hole 3 is positioned one step down from the battery mounting portion 2, the liquid is easily discharged even when the battery is inserted. It will be.

  Next, the liquid discharge path according to the first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a charger according to an embodiment of the present invention, 7 is a liquid flowing into the battery mounting portion, 8 is a printed circuit board on which a circuit is mounted, and 9 is a liquid accumulated on the printed circuit board 8. Are a plurality of liquid drain holes provided in the printed circuit board 8 for guiding the liquid to the lower case 1b, and 10 is a plurality of liquid drain holes provided in the lower case 1b. In FIG. 2, when the liquid 7 accidentally flows into the battery mounting portion 2 of the upper case 1a, most of the liquid 7 passes through the drain guide groove 4 that is lowered by one step from the battery mounting portion 2 provided in the upper case 1a. Then, the liquid 7 passes through the two left and right liquid discharge holes 3 of the battery mounting portion 2 and is directly discharged to the lower portion of the charger without entering the charger. Here, it is important for the liquid discharge hole 3 to be a straight through hole continuously formed by the upper case 1a and the lower case 1b in order to realize quick liquid discharge. On the other hand, the liquid that does not flow into the two liquid discharge holes 3 and enters the charger from the periphery of the connection terminal 6 of the battery mounting portion 2 is lowered by a plurality of liquid drain holes 9 provided in the printed circuit board 8. It flows down to the case 1b and is then discharged to the lower part of the charger through a plurality of liquid drain holes 10 provided in the lower case 1b.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the printed circuit board 8. A plurality of liquid drain holes 9 provided in the printed circuit board 8 are arranged in the vicinity of the connection terminals 6. For this reason, even if a part of the liquid 7 that has flowed into the charger mounting portion 2 enters the charger from the periphery of the connection terminal 6, the liquid 7 is lowered from the liquid drain hole 9 provided in the vicinity of the connection terminal 6. It flows down to the case 1b, and then is quickly discharged to the lower part of the charger by the plurality of liquid drain holes 10 provided in the lower case 1b. Thus, by providing the liquid drain hole 9 in the printed circuit board 8, even if a part of the liquid 7 enters the inside of the charger, it can be quickly discharged to the lower part of the charger, and a circuit short circuit can be prevented. Have

  As described above, in the present invention, by providing the linear liquid discharge hole 3 and the liquid guide groove 4 directed thereto, the linear liquid discharge hole 3 even when a large amount of liquid flows into the battery mounting portion 2. As a result, the liquid 7 can be discharged linearly and quickly to the lower portion of the charger, so that the amount of the liquid that enters the charger is greatly reduced, and it is possible to prevent a short circuit inside the charger.

  Even when a part of the liquid 7 enters the charger from the periphery of the connection terminal 6, the liquid 7 quickly flows down to the lower case 1 b through the liquid drain hole 9 provided in the printed circuit board 8, and then the lower case. Since the liquid drain hole 10 of 1b is discharged to the lower part of the charger, the liquid 7 does not remain in the upper part of the printed circuit board 8, and it becomes possible to prevent a short circuit inside the charger.

  Even if a large amount of liquid flows into the battery mounting portion, the charger according to the present invention is quickly discharged from the linear liquid discharge hole provided in the battery mounting portion to the lower portion of the charger and enters the charger. By significantly reducing the amount of liquid, a short circuit inside the charger can be prevented, and a safer and more reliable charger can be provided.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Charger main body 1a Upper case 1b Lower case 2 Battery mounting part 3 Liquid discharge hole 4 Liquid guide groove 5 Charge display part 6 Connection terminal 7 Liquid 8 Printed circuit board 9 Liquid drain hole 10 Liquid drain hole

Claims (4)

A charger comprising a battery body having a battery mounting portion for mounting a plurality of rechargeable batteries and having a charging circuit for supplying a charging current to the rechargeable battery mounted on the battery mounting portion. A charger having a linear liquid discharge hole for discharging the liquid flowing into the battery mounting portion. The charger according to claim 1, further comprising a liquid guide groove that guides the liquid flowing around the liquid discharge hole to the liquid discharge hole quickly. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the charger main body is composed of an upper case and a lower case, and a continuous through hole is provided in the upper case and the lower case to form a liquid discharge hole. The charger according to claim 1, wherein a liquid drain hole is also provided in a printed circuit board forming a charging circuit built in the charger main body.

Images