JP2012200107A - Charge battery pack - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a charge battery pack which flexibly deals with operation situations and prevents the deterioration of the workability when dealing with the operation situation.SOLUTION: A charge battery pack 1 is used being attached to an electrically-driven device 2 and includes: multiple secondary battery blocks 5, connection routes electrically connecting the electrically-driven device 2 with the multiple secondary battery blocks 5, and switching means 9 switching the connection routes. The charge battery pack 1 is formed so that the switching means 9 automatically switches between the connection route where the multiple secondary battery blocks 5 are connected in parallel and the connection route where the multiple secondary battery blocks 5 are connected in series according to signals from the electrically-driven device 2.

Description

  The present invention relates to a rechargeable battery pack used by being mounted on an electric device.

  The rechargeable battery pack is used by being mounted on various electric devices such as electric tools, and supplies power to the electric device from the secondary battery block built in the rechargeable battery pack.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a battery pack that can be recharged for use. According to this, it is possible to change the battery capacity of the rechargeable battery pack according to the work situation or the like.

JP 2001-23589 A

  According to the conventional rechargeable battery pack disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is possible to increase the battery capacity according to work conditions and the like and to enable long-term use. However, it is difficult to cope with a scene that requires high output. Further, in order to perform work while adding the rechargeable battery pack, it is necessary for the worker to carry the add-on block separately and add the blocks sequentially. Therefore, there is also a problem that workability is greatly reduced.

  The present invention has been invented in view of the above-mentioned problems, and provides a rechargeable battery pack that can flexibly cope with work conditions and the like, and can also suppress deterioration in workability during this correspondence. It is a task to do.

  In order to solve the above problems, the rechargeable battery pack of the present invention has the following configuration.

  The rechargeable battery pack of the present invention is a rechargeable battery pack used by being mounted on an electric device, and a plurality of secondary battery blocks, a connection path for electrically connecting the electric device and the plurality of secondary battery blocks, Switching means for switching the connection path, and a connection path in which the plurality of secondary battery blocks are connected in parallel according to a signal from the electric device, and a connection in which the plurality of secondary battery blocks are connected in series The route is automatically switched by the switching means.

  In the rechargeable battery pack of the present invention, it is preferable that the signal is a signal related to a rated voltage of the electric device, and a connection path suitable for the rated voltage is automatically selected.

  The signal is a signal related to the rated capacity of the electric device, and it is also preferable that a connection path suitable for the rated capacity is automatically selected.

  In addition, when the signal is not detected, it is also preferable that the connection path on the side where the battery voltage is lowered is automatically selected.

  In addition, when the signal is not detected, it is also preferable that the connection path is cut off to disable discharge.

  The present invention can flexibly cope with a work situation and the like, and also has an effect that it is possible to suppress a decrease in workability during the correspondence.

It is explanatory drawing of the rechargeable battery pack of an example in embodiment of this invention, and the electrically powered apparatus which mounts this. It is explanatory drawing which shows the principal part of the connection path | route of a charging battery pack same as the above, (a) is a parallel connection state, (b) is a serial connection state.

  The present invention will be described based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 schematically shows an example of a rechargeable battery pack 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention and an electric device 2 that is used by mounting the rechargeable battery pack 1. Here, the hand-held power tool 20 is used as the electric device 2, but other devices may be used as long as the rechargeable battery pack 1 is attached to supply power.

  The electric power tool 20 includes a main body cylinder portion 21 and a handle portion 22 extending from the main body cylinder portion 21. The main body cylinder portion 21 accommodates a motor 23 and a power transmission mechanism 25 that transmits the rotational force of the motor 23 to the distal end side. The handle unit 22 includes a trigger switch 26 and a control unit 27 connected thereto. The trigger switch 26 is provided so as to be retractable at the base portion of the handle portion 22, and the control portion 27 is accommodated in the handle portion 22.

  A connection recess 28 is provided at the tip of the handle portion 22. The connection concave portion 28 is a portion into which a later-described connection convex portion 3 of the rechargeable battery pack 1 is inserted, and a pair of connection terminals 29 electrically connected to the control portion 27 are provided on the inner surface thereof. .

  The rechargeable battery pack 1 has a plurality of secondary battery blocks 5 (a pair in this example) accommodated in a case 4 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. Each secondary battery block 5 is composed of one or more secondary batteries. A connection convex portion 3 is provided on the upper surface of the case 4, and a discharge terminal 6 that makes a pair on the positive electrode side and the negative electrode side is disposed at the tip of the connection convex portion 3. Locking means 8 for preventing the rechargeable battery pack 1 from dropping from the electric tool 20 is provided on both side surfaces of the case 4.

  Further, the case 4 includes a switching unit 9 (see FIG. 2) that can switch the connection path, and a control unit 7 that controls the switching unit 9. As will be described later, the control unit 7 of the rechargeable battery pack 1 determines an appropriate connection path in the rechargeable battery pack 1 by receiving a signal from the electric device 2 side.

  The connection path in the case 4 is to electrically connect the discharge terminals 6 on the positive electrode side and the discharge side and the plurality of secondary battery blocks 5, and the switching means 9 allows the parallel connection as shown in FIG. The series connection as shown in FIG. 2B can be switched freely. In FIG. 2A, a connection path in a state where the secondary battery blocks 5 are connected in parallel is indicated by a thick line, and in FIG. 2B, the secondary battery blocks 5 are connected in series. The connection path in the state is indicated by a bold line.

  The switching means 9 is configured to electronically switch paths using a switching element 10 made of FET. Each switching element 10 is connected to the control unit 7, and is controlled by the control unit 7 so as to switch between parallel connection and series connection.

  In the connection path of FIG. 2A, the positive electrode side of the secondary battery blocks 5 connected in parallel is connected to the positive-side discharge terminal 6 arranged on the connection convex portion 3. Further, the negative electrode side of the secondary battery blocks 5 connected in parallel is connected to the discharge terminal 6 on the negative electrode side arranged on the connection convex portion 3.

  In the connection path of FIG. 2B, the positive electrode side of the secondary battery blocks 5 connected in series is connected to the discharge terminal 6 on the positive electrode side arranged on the connection protrusion 3. Further, the negative electrode side of the secondary battery blocks 5 connected in series is connected to the discharge terminal 6 on the negative electrode side arranged on the connection convex portion 3.

  In order to attach the rechargeable battery pack 1 of this example having the above configuration to the electric power tool 20 that is the electric device 2, the connecting convex portion 3 of the rechargeable battery pack 1 is connected to the connecting concave portion of the handle portion 22 of the electric power tool 20. What is necessary is just to insert in 28. The rechargeable battery pack 1 is locked by the locking means 8 at a position where the pair of discharge terminals 6 arranged on the connection convex portion 3 is in elastic contact with the corresponding connection terminal 29 in the connection concave portion 28.

  Then, electric power is supplied from the pair of secondary battery blocks 5 in the rechargeable battery pack 1 in the mounted state to the control unit 27 and the motor 23 in the electric tool 20 through the discharge terminals 6 and the connection terminals 29 elastically contacting the discharge terminals 6. Supplied.

  The signal is output from the electric tool 20 side to the control unit 7 of the rechargeable battery pack 1 in a state where the rechargeable battery pack 1 is mounted on the electric tool 20. The control unit 7 determines an appropriate connection path based on this signal and controls the switching unit 9.

  A signal from the power tool 20 side may be input to the rechargeable battery pack 1 side through the discharge terminal 6, or may be input to the rechargeable battery pack 1 side through a communication terminal provided separately from the discharge terminal 6. Moreover, the signal input here may be a signal related to the working status of the power tool 20, a signal related to the rated voltage or the rated capacity of the power tool 20, or a signal obtained by combining these information. It may be.

  For example, when a signal related to a work situation is input, the control unit 7 selects the parallel connection path in FIG. 2A when the work does not require a high output. Then, when it is detected by a signal that the operation has been switched to a work requiring high output, the switching means 9 is automatically operated to switch to the serial connection path of FIG.

  Thereby, it is possible to flexibly cope with various scenes while achieving both necessary output and enabling long-term use. In addition, it is not necessary for the operator to carry a spare for the rechargeable battery pack 1 and to perform any operation manually. For this reason, a decrease in workability can be suppressed.

  Moreover, what is necessary is just to provide so that the control part 7 may select the connection path | route suitable for the rated voltage automatically as control when the signal regarding the rated voltage of the electric tool 20 is input. As a control when a signal related to the rated capacity of the power tool 20 is input, the control unit 5 may be provided so as to automatically select a connection path suitable for the rated capacity.

  Furthermore, as a control when the signal from the electric tool 20 is not detected (that is, when the type of the electric device 2 cannot be determined), the control unit 7 automatically selects the connection path on the side where the battery voltage is low. Should be provided. Further, as a control in such a case, it is also possible to perform a control in which all the switching elements 10 of the switching means 9 are turned off and the connection path is electrically cut off to disable the discharge.

  As described above, the rechargeable battery pack 1 of this example is the rechargeable battery pack 1 that is used by being mounted on the electric device 2, and includes a plurality of secondary battery blocks 5, the electric device 2, and a plurality of secondary battery blocks. 5 and a switching means 9 for switching the connection path. Then, according to a signal from the electric device 2, a connection path in which the plurality of secondary battery blocks 5 are connected in parallel and a connection path in which the plurality of secondary battery blocks 5 are connected in series are automatically switched by the switching unit 9. Can be switched automatically.

  Thereby, it is possible to flexibly cope with the status of work performed by the electric device 2, the type of the electric device 2, and the like. And since this response | compatibility is performed automatically, it is suppressed that workability | operativity falls.

  And when the said signal is a signal regarding the rated voltage of the electric equipment 2, and it provides so that the connection path | route suitable for the said rated voltage may be selected automatically, this charge battery pack 1 is various with different rated voltages. It becomes possible to easily attach to a simple electric device 2.

  Further, when the signal is a signal related to the rated capacity of the electric device 2 and the connection path suitable for the rated capacity is automatically selected, the rechargeable battery pack 1 can be used in various ways with different rated capacities. It becomes possible to easily attach to a simple electric device 2.

  In addition, when the signal is not detected, when the connection path on the side where the battery voltage is lowered is automatically selected, the electric device 2 can be used with priority given to safety. It becomes.

  Further, when the signal is not detected, if the connection path is cut off to make the discharge impossible, the safety is further maintained.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated based on embodiment shown to an accompanying drawing, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment. For example, the number of secondary battery blocks 5 that can be switched between parallel connection and series connection may be plural, and is not limited to a pair.

  Furthermore, a plurality of combinations of the secondary battery blocks 5 and switching means 9 for switching between these parallel connection and series connection may be provided in one rechargeable battery pack 1. In this case, when the control unit 7 operates the plurality of switching units 9, various output modes are realized using one rechargeable battery pack 1.

  In other configurations, appropriate design changes can be made within the range intended by the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Charging battery pack 2 Electric equipment 5 Secondary battery block 7 Control part 9 Switching means

Claims (5)

  A rechargeable battery pack that is used by being mounted on an electric device, wherein a plurality of secondary battery blocks, a connection path that electrically connects the electric device and the plurality of secondary battery blocks, and a switching unit that switches the connection path; In accordance with a signal from the electric device, a connection path in which the plurality of secondary battery blocks are connected in parallel and a connection path in which the plurality of secondary battery blocks are connected in series are provided by the switching unit. A rechargeable battery pack that is automatically switched.   The rechargeable battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the signal is a signal related to a rated voltage of the electric device, and a connection path suitable for the rated voltage is automatically selected.   The rechargeable battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the signal is a signal related to a rated capacity of the electric device, and a connection path suitable for the rated capacity is automatically selected.   The rechargeable battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when the signal is not detected, the connection path on the side where the battery voltage decreases is automatically selected.   The rechargeable battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when the signal is not detected, the connection path is cut off to disable discharge.

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