JP3440899B2 - Battery pack - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a battery pack suitable for use as a DC power source for electric equipment and containing a plurality of batteries.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional battery pack will be described with reference to an example described in Japanese Patent Application No. 3-52555 filed by the same applicant as the present applicant. FIG. 8 shows such a battery pack 1.
0 indicates a state in which it is attached to the charger 12 and is being charged, and FIG. 9 shows an example of such a charger 12.

The charger 12 is a molded product made of plastic and has a hole 51 for receiving the battery pack 10. The charger 12 has a primary circuit section 52 having a power transformer and the like, and a secondary circuit section 53 having a rectifying circuit and the like,
Furthermore, with a plug A connected to such a primary circuit unit 52
It has a C code 54.

The secondary circuit portion 53 has an adapter plug 55 for supplying DC power and a first terminal 56 for supplying charging power.
Also, a second terminal 57 and a third terminal 58 for inputting a temperature detection signal are provided. The adapter plug 55 is provided so that an electric device can directly use a DC power source obtained from an AC power source without using the battery pack 10.

These three terminals 56 to 58 are formed, for example, as leaf springs so that they can be elastically deformed, and the spring constant of the third terminal 58 is the first and second terminals 56 and 57. The spring constant is about ⅔ of the spring constant. The first to third terminals 56 to 58 are molded plates 60.
The mold plate 60 has a color "blue" different from the color "black" of the case 59 of the battery pack 10 and the like.

Further, a control circuit is provided in the secondary circuit section 53, and the control circuit operates so as to control the charging of the battery in the battery pack 10, and when the charging is started, the first terminal 56 and the first terminal 56 are connected. The voltage between the second terminal 57 and the second terminal 57 gradually increases, and after reaching the peak value, the charging is terminated when the voltage is slightly decreased. Therefore, the control is performed based on the so-called -ΔV charging completion method. It is configured.

Incidentally, such a control circuit is used in the battery pack 10
The temperature of the battery being charged is detected based on the temperature detection signal from the temperature detection element provided on the bottom surface of the first terminal 56 and the second terminal 5 when the temperature exceeds a predetermined value.
The charging current supplied from 7 to the battery is cut off, and the charging by the charger 12 is interrupted.

The battery pack 10 has a case 18 composed of an upper case 14 and a bottom case 16, and is configured so that a plurality of batteries are housed inside the case 18.

FIG. 10 shows the battery pack 10 and the cylindrical batteries 21 to 25 accommodated therein.
FIG. 10A shows the inside of the battery pack 10 with the bottom case 16 removed, and FIG. 10B shows along the line AA of FIG. 10A.
1 shows a cross section of the battery pack 10 as seen.

The batteries 21 to 25 may be, for example, nickel hydrogen secondary batteries, and are arranged in parallel as shown. The electrodes of the batteries 21 to 25 are connected by the conductive plate 32, and thus the five batteries 21 to 25 are configured as an assembled battery 27 electrically connected to each other in series. still,
An insulating sheet 34 is arranged between the electrodes of the batteries 21 to 25 and the conductive plate 32.

The assembled battery 27 has a positive and negative first electrode 36 and a second electrode 38 for charging and discharging, respectively, and a thermistor or the like under the two electrodes 36 and 38. The temperature detecting element 42 and the breaker (not shown) are arranged. The first and second electrodes 36, 38, the temperature detecting element 42, a breaker (not shown), etc. are supported by a mold member 44 arranged between the two batteries 21, 22.

Below the battery 21, a third electrode 40 for outputting a temperature detection signal is further arranged. The third electrode 40 is formed in a thin plate shape so as to form a leaf spring, and may be directly adhered to the battery 21 with an adhesive or may be attached to the mold member 44.

The temperature detecting element 42 has two lead wires 42.
A and 42B are connected, the temperature detecting element 42 is connected to the first electrode 36 by the first lead wire 42A,
The second lead wire 42B causes the temperature detecting element 42 to move to the third position.
Of the electrode 40.

The assembled battery 27 and the three electrodes 36, 38 and 4
0 is arranged so as to contact the inner surface of the upper case 14.

FIG. 11 shows the bottom of the case 18, that is, the bottom case 1.
The structure of the outer surface of 6 is shown. The outer surface of the bottom case 16 has eleven recesses 16A to 16K and three holes 16a, 16b, 16
c are formed, and two holes 16a and 16b are formed in the recesses 16D and 16E, respectively.

The three holes 16a, 16b, 16c are formed at positions corresponding to the three electrodes 36, 38, 40 of the battery pack 10. Therefore, the upper case 14 is covered with the bottom case 16 to assemble the case 18. , The battery 2 inside
When arranging 1 to 25, three electrodes 36, 38, 40
Are exposed from the corresponding three holes 16a, 16b, 16c.

Eight concave portions 16C to 16J and two holes 16
a and 16b are arranged corresponding to the gaps 28A to 28D of the batteries 21 to 25.

Incidentally, on the outer surface of the bottom case 16, as shown in FIG. It is formed by providing irregularities on its surface.

The bottom case 16 is constructed, for example, so that the overall color is "black" and the inside of the dotted line 20 surrounding the three holes 16a, 16b, 16c is another color "blue".

As shown in FIG. 9, convex portions 61A, 61B, 61C are formed on the bottom surface of the hole 51 of the charger 12, and the convex portions 61A, 61B, 61C are formed on the corresponding battery pack 10. It is arranged so as to engage with the recesses 16I, 16G, 16H.

Out of the recesses 16I, 16G, 16H, the outer recesses 16I, 16G are referred to as detection holes, and the larger inner recess 16H is referred to as a lock hole. The battery pack 10 has the detection holes 16I and 16G for the charger 1
It functions to detect whether or not it conforms to 2.

In the battery pack suitable for the charger 12, the two convex portions 61A and 61B have the corresponding detection holes 1
6I and 16G are respectively inserted suitably, and the bottom surface of the battery pack 10 contacts the bottom surface of the hole 51 of the charger 12, but in the battery pack 10 that is not compatible with this charger 12, the two convex portions 61A and 61B correspond to each other. Recess 16
I, 16G is not inserted and the bottom surface of the battery pack 10 is in a state of being floated above the bottom surface of the hole 51 of the charger 12.

The lock hole 16H functions to support the battery pack 10 mounted on the charger 12 so that the battery pack 10 does not move during charging.

Battery pack 10 compatible with charger 12
Is attached, the holes 16a, 16b, 1 of the bottom case 16 are attached.
The three electrodes 36, 38 of the assembled battery 27 exposed from 6c,
40 is the three terminals 56, 57, 5 of the charger 12, respectively.
Contact 8.

As mentioned above, the three electrodes 36, 38, 4
0 and at least one of the three terminals 56, 57, 58 are made of elastically deformable members such as leaf springs,
The contact between the two can be ensured by the biasing force of such members. As described above, the spring constant of the third terminal 58 is smaller than that of the other terminals, so that even if the battery pack 10 having no third electrode is attached to the charger 12, The bottom surface of the battery pack 10 is not damaged.

In the example described here, the battery pack 1
The bottom case 16 of 0 is provided with detection holes 16I and 16G, and depending on whether or not the convex portions 61A and 61B of the bottom surface of the hole 51 of the charger 12 are suitably engaged with the detection holes 16I and 16G,
It is detected whether or not this battery pack 10 is suitable for the charger 12. Such a configuration is used not only between the battery pack 10 and the charger 12, but also between the battery pack 10 and an electric device that uses the battery pack 10 as a power source.

[0027]

When the battery pack 10 does not fit the charger 12, the battery pack 10 floats up from the charger 12 by the height of the convex portions 61A and 61B and is inclined. If this inclination angle is large, the mismatch between the battery pack 10 and the charger 12 can be easily detected, and conversely, if this inclination angle is small, the mismatch between the battery pack 10 and the charger 12 can be detected. It becomes more difficult to detect.

To increase the tilt angle, the charger 1
The heights of the two convex portions 61A and 61B may be increased and the depths of the detection holes 16I and 16G of the battery pack 10 may be increased, but this makes molding of the charger 12 and the bottom case 16 difficult.

In order to increase the inclination angle of the battery pack 10 without changing the height of the protrusions 61A and 61B of the charger 12, the protrusions 61A and 61B of the charger 12 and the detection hole 16I of the battery pack 10 are required. , 16G may be arranged at a more central position.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, as shown in FIG. 11, the detection holes 16I and 16G are provided in the battery pack 1.
The bottom case 16 of No. 0 is provided adjacent to one side portion, and is not provided in the central portion.

Further, the battery pack 10 is provided with an identification marker (not shown) for indicating whether the battery pack 10 has been used or charged, and the identification marker is a front end portion 16-1 of the bottom case 16 of the battery pack 10 (see FIG. 10B)). Therefore, the dimension of the battery pack 10 in the longitudinal direction is increased by the protrusion of the identification marker.

In view of the above, the present invention makes it possible to easily detect a battery pack that is not compatible with the charger used, and a battery provided with an identification marker without sacrificing the internal volume of the case. Intended to provide packs.

[0033]

According to the present invention, in a battery pack containing a battery inside, ribs for engaging an electronic device are provided at the corners of the bottom surface and the side surfaces of the battery pack, and the battery pack is connected. and engaging portions engage formed in the connecting portion of the charger or electrical device is
Therefore, a detection unit for detecting the type of the battery pack is provided on the center line of the battery pack, and the ribs are provided at two locations on one side of the battery pack that face each other. Above between the two ribs on the side
It is provided at a position on the center line .

According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 7, for example, in the battery pack, the detection hole 110 is located closer to the center line XX than the lock hole 108 provided adjacent to the detection hole.
The width in the direction perpendicular to is small.

According to the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, in a battery pack, cylindrical batteries are arranged in two rows, and the detection holes are arranged in two rows along the center line XX on the bottom surface. It is located between the batteries.

According to the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, in the battery pack, the information elements 130 and 132 are mounted along the center line XX.

According to the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, in a battery pack, the information element includes a temperature detector and a voltage detector for detecting the remaining capacity of the battery.

According to the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, in the battery pack, the identification marker for indicating the used or charged state of the battery is attached along the center line XX on the bottom surface.

According to the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, in a battery pack, the identification marker includes a slidable slider 118, and the slider 118 has a protrusion 118.
B is configured.

According to the invention, in the battery pack, the ribs respectively provided at two positions of one opposing sides of the battery pack, the detection unit of two positions of said one side ribs
Between the battery pack and the charger or the electric device, it is possible to reliably prevent the ribs of the battery pack that are not compatible with the charger or the electric device from being accidentally engaged with each other. Incompatibilities with equipment can be easily detected.

[0041]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7, corresponding parts in FIGS. 8 to 11 are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a battery pack 10 of the present invention. The battery pack 10 is an upper case 1.
It includes a case 18 consisting of four and a bottom case 16.

FIG. 2 shows the details of the case 18, FIG. 2A is a plan view, FIG. 2B is a side view, and FIG. 2C is a bottom view. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the battery pack 10 taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, FIG. 4A is an end view showing the front end portion of the battery pack 10, and FIG. 4B is a view taken along the line BB in FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a battery pack 10 that has

As shown in FIG. 4B, in the present example, cylindrical batteries are arranged in two rows in the battery pack 10, and a total of four batteries are accommodated. The four batteries may be electrically connected in series to each other to form an assembled battery, as in the case of the conventional example.

Referring to FIG. 2C and FIG. 3, the bottom case 16 of the battery pack 10 has recesses 102, 104, 10 on the bottom surface thereof along the center line XX.
8 and 112 are provided, and the concave portion 106 is provided along the side portion. The recesses 102, 104 and 106 are detection holes, and the recesses 108 and 112 are lock holes.

That is, the detection holes 102, 104, 106 detect the conformity or non-conformance between the battery pack 10 and the charger, and the lock holes 108, 112 support the battery pack 10 mounted on the charger at that position. .

Hole 12 with ribs 134 around the bottom
0, 122, 124, 126 are formed so that when the battery pack 10 is mounted in the battery storage portion of the electric device, the holes 120 to 126 receive the corresponding protrusions formed in the battery storage portion. It is configured.
The ribs 134 are respectively provided at two locations on the open side of the battery pack 10, and the ribs at the two locations on one side thereof.
A concave portion 106 serving as a detection hole is provided at a position between 134 and 134 .

A recess 8 is formed in the front end 16-1 of the bottom case 16.
0, 82 are formed on the bottom surface of the recesses 80, 82, as shown in FIG. 4A.
The electrodes 36 and 38 of are arranged.

The electrodes 36 and 38 function as charging electrodes when the battery pack 10 is mounted in a charger and charged, and function as power supply electrodes when the battery pack 10 is mounted in an electric device to supply power. To do.

According to this embodiment, the detection holes 102 and 104 are provided along the center line XX and substantially in the center thereof, and the protrusions provided on the charger when the battery pack 10 is not compatible with the charger. Thereby, the battery pack 10 is greatly inclined. Therefore, there is an advantage that the conformity or nonconformity between the battery pack 10 and the charger can be easily detected.

Further, since the detection holes 102 and 104 are formed between the two rows of batteries, it is not necessary to increase the size of the battery pack 10 by forming the detection holes 102 and 104.

The front end portion 16-1 of the bottom case 16 is further provided with
Markers are provided along the center line XX. The marker functions to identify, for example, whether or not the battery pack 10 has been charged, whether or not the battery pack 10 has been used, and the like.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the structure of such a marker. As shown, the marker includes a recess 114 formed along the center line XX, a slider 118 slidably arranged in the recess 114, and a hole provided adjacent to the recess 114. And 116.

The slider 118 has a substantially rectangular plate portion 1.
18A and a protruding portion 118B disposed at the tip thereof, both sides of the plate portion 118A engage with a groove 114A formed along the wall surface of the recess 114, whereby the slider 118 is placed in the recess 114. Can be slid along the centerline XX.

A hole 114B for receiving the plate portion 118A of the slider 118 is formed behind the recess 114, and when the slider 118 moves inward along the center line XX, the plate portion 118A receives the hole. 114B
Housed inside.

Since a part of the lower side surface of the plate portion 118A of the slider 118 is exposed by the hole 116, an appropriate symbol or color is attached to the lower side surface of the plate portion 118A, and the slider 118 is aligned with the center line XX. It may be configured such that its symbol or color is visible through such hole 116 as it is moved along.

Even if the hole 116 is not provided, when the slider 118 is moved outward along the center line XX, the plate portion 118A comes out of the hole 114B of the recess 114 and its lower surface is exposed. Such symbols or colors can be observed.

In this way, the marker as in this example can observe the identification mark attached to the slider 118 by sliding the slider 118, whereby the battery of the battery pack 10 is charged or used, for example. Is configured to be notified to the user.

FIG. 6 shows an example of using the marker attached to the battery pack 10 of this example. FIG. 6A shows the battery pack 1.
0 shows a case where 0 is mounted in the battery storage portion 90 of the electric device, and FIG. 6B shows a case where the battery pack 10 is mounted in the charger 92.

In the example shown in FIG. 6A, a projection 90A is provided on the battery storage portion 90 of the electric device, and when the battery pack 10 is attached in the direction of arrow L while contacting the bottom surface of the battery storage portion 90. , The protrusion 90A engages with the protrusion 118B of the slider 118, whereby the slider 118 is pushed inward. Therefore, when the slider 118 moves inward, the identification mark formed on the lower surface of the plate portion 118A, for example, an appropriate identification mark indicating the used state can be read.

In the example shown in FIG. 6B, an engaging member 94 to which an upward biasing force is applied by, for example, a spring 94A is provided on the bottom surface of the charger 92, and the tip of the engaging member 94 is inclined. The surface is formed.

When the battery pack 10 is mounted in the direction of the arrow L while contacting the bottom surface of the charger 92, the protrusion 118B of the slider 118 engages with the engaging member 94, which moves the engaging member 94 downward. To do.

However, when charging is completed and the battery pack 10 is pulled out from the charger 9 in the direction of arrow R, the projection 118B of the slider 118 is caught by the engaging member 94, and therefore the slider 118 is pulled out. Therefore, when the slider 118 moves outward, the identification mark formed on the lower surface of the plate portion 118A, for example, an appropriate identification mark indicating that the battery has been charged can be read.

It should be noted that the slider 118 may be configured so that it can be manually moved by the user, and in such a case, moving the slider 118 with a finger indicates that the battery is used or / and is charged. You can

In this way, the marker for identifying used or charged is provided on the bottom case 16, so that the dimension of the battery pack 10 in the longitudinal direction is not increased.

FIG. 7 shows another example of the battery pack 10 of the present invention. In this example, the detection hole 110 is further formed along the center line XX. The detection hole 110 has a smaller width than the adjacent lock hole 108. That is, the width of the detection hole 110 in the direction perpendicular to the center line XX is the lock hole 1
Less than 08.

When the battery pack 10 is mounted in the battery pack storage portion of the charger or the electric device, the lock hole 108
A lock pin adapted to the size of the lock hole 108 is engaged therewith. If the detection hole 110
If the dimension of is larger than the dimension of the lock hole 108, such a lock pin will engage with the detection hole 110 before engaging with the lock hole 108.

Therefore, the size of the detection hole 110 is set to the lock hole 1
By making the size smaller than 08, the lock hole 10
It is prevented that the lock pin to be engaged with 8 accidentally engages with the detection hole 110.

In this example, as shown in FIG. 7, appropriate information elements 130 and 132 are mounted in the detection hole 102. The information elements 130 and 132 may include, for example, a detector that detects the temperature of the battery, a voltage detector that detects the remaining capacity of the battery, and a determination device that determines the type of the battery.

One of the information elements 130 and 132 may be the temperature detecting element 42 as described in the conventional example, and in such a case, the third terminal for outputting the temperature detecting signal from the temperature detecting element 42. 40 is arranged at an appropriate position.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other configurations can be adopted without departing from the gist of the present invention. Easy to understand.

[0072]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily detect whether the battery pack 10 is compatible with or not compatible with the charger.

According to the present invention, there is an advantage that it is possible to easily detect whether the battery pack 10 is suitable or not compatible with the battery accommodating portion of the electric device.

According to the present invention, there is an advantage that the detection hole can be provided on the bottom surface without increasing the size of the battery pack 10.

According to the present invention, there is an advantage that a marker for identifying used or charged can be provided without increasing the size of the battery pack 10.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a battery pack of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing details of an upper surface, a side surface, and a bottom surface of an example of a battery pack of the present invention.

3 is a cross-sectional view of the battery pack taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing details of an end surface of an example of the battery pack of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a marker formed on the battery pack of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a usage example of a marker formed in the battery pack of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing details of a bottom surface of another example of the battery pack of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional battery pack attached to a charger.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an example of a charger.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a conventional battery pack.

FIG. 11 is a bottom view showing an example of a conventional battery pack.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Battery Pack 12 Charger 14 Upper Case 16 Bottom Case 16-1 Front End 16-2 Rear End 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16E, 16F Recess 16G, 16H, 16I, 16J, 16K Recess (Detection Hole, Lock Holes 16a, 16b, 16c Holes 18 Case 20 Dotted lines 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 Battery 27 Battery packs 28A, 28B, 28C, 28D Gap 32 Conductive plate 34 Insulating sheets 36, 38, 40 Electrode 42 Temperature detecting element 42A , 42B Lead wire 44 Mold member 51 Hole 52 Primary circuit portion 53 Secondary circuit portion 54 AC cords 56, 57, 58 Terminal 59 Case 60 Mold plate 61A, 61B, 61C Convex portion 80, 82 Concave portion 90 Battery accommodating portion 90A Protrusion 92 Charger 94 Engagement member 94A Spring 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 11 Recess (hole) 114 recess 114A groove 114B hole 116 hole 118 slider 118A plate portion 118B protruding portions 120, 122, 124, 126 holes 130 and 132 information element

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── --Continued from the front page (56) References JP-A-3-295159 (JP, A) JP-A-3-249581 (JP, A) Actually open 2-108250 (JP, U) Actually open Sho-59- 194261 (JP, U) S. 64-2370 (JP, Y1) S. 62-17984 (JP, Y1) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01M 2/10 H01M 10 / 42-10/48

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A battery pack containing a battery inside, wherein ribs for engaging an electronic device are provided at corners of a bottom surface and a side surface of the battery pack, and a charger or an electric device to which the battery pack is connected is connected. A detection portion for detecting the type of the battery pack is provided on the center line of the battery pack so as to engage with the engagement portion formed on the battery pack, and the rib is one side facing the battery pack. respectively provided at two positions in, the detection unit of the two positions of the one side
A battery pack provided at a position on the center line between the ribs . 2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the detection portion has a width smaller than a lock hole provided adjacent to the detection portion in a direction perpendicular to the center line. . 3. A battery pack according to claim 1 or 2 of the battery pack of any 1, wherein the information element along the center line is mounted. 4. The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein the information element includes a temperature detector and a voltage detector that detects the remaining capacity of the battery. 5. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein an identification marker is attached along the center line of the bottom surface to indicate whether the battery is used or charged. Battery pack characterized by. 6. The battery pack according to claim 5, wherein the identification marker includes a slidable slider, and the slider has a protrusion.