JPH0594953U - Battery pack - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] The purpose of this is to prevent a short circuit due to a contact made from a conductive metal object such as a key holder, necklace, or chain on both ends of the output terminal arranged on the outer surface of the battery pack. To do. [Structure] A hole is provided on an outer surface of a battery pack, and an output terminal is arranged inside the hole.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a battery pack suitable for being used as a DC power source of an electric device and containing a plurality of batteries.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 A conventional battery pack will be described with reference to an example described in Japanese Patent Application No. 3-525555 filed by the same applicant as the present applicant. FIG. 6 shows a state in which the battery pack 10 is attached to the charger 12 and is being charged, and FIG. 7 shows an example of the 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 unit 52 having a power transformer and the like and a secondary circuit unit 53 having a rectifying circuit and the like, and further has an AC cord 54 with a plug connected to the primary circuit unit 52. Have.

In the secondary circuit section 53, an adapter plug 55 for supplying DC power, a first terminal 56 and a second terminal 57 for supplying charging power, and a third terminal 5 for inputting a temperature detection signal. And 8 are provided. The adapter plug 55 is provided so that the electric device can directly use the DC power by rectifying the AC power 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 incorporated in the mold plate 60 and arranged on the bottom surface of the hole 51. The mold plate 60 has a color different from the color “black” of the case 59 of the battery pack 10. Has "blue" etc.

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. When the charging is started, the control circuit is connected to the first terminal 56. The control is performed based on the so-called -ΔV charge completion method in which the voltage between the second terminal 57 and the second terminal 57 gradually increases, reaches a peak value, and then slightly decreases, so that charging is terminated. Is configured.

It should be noted that such a control circuit detects the temperature of the battery being charged based on a temperature detection signal from a temperature detection element provided on the bottom surface of the battery pack 10, and the temperature exceeds a predetermined value. At this time, the charging current supplied to the battery from the first terminal 56 and the second terminal 57 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 to accommodate a plurality of batteries inside the case 18.

FIG. 8 shows a state in which the battery pack 10 and cylindrical batteries 21 to 25 are housed therein, FIG. 8A shows the inside of the battery pack 10 with the bottom case 16 removed, and FIG. FIG. 8 shows a cross section of the battery pack 10 taken along the line AA in FIG. 8A.

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 a conductive plate 32, and thus the five batteries 21 to 25 are configured as an assembled battery 27 electrically connected in series. 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 further has a thermistor below the two electrodes 36, 38. A temperature detecting element 42 and a 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.

The electrodes 36 and 38 of the assembled battery 27 form the output terminals of the battery pack 10, and are hereinafter referred to as the output terminals 36 and 38 in place of the electrodes 36 and 38, as occasion demands.

Below the battery 21, a third electrode 40 that outputs 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.

Two lead wires 42 A and 42 B are connected to the temperature detecting element 42. The temperature detecting element 42 is connected to the first electrode 36 by the first lead wire 42 A and the two lead wires 42 B are connected by the second lead wire 42 B. The temperature detecting element 42 is connected to the third electrode 40.

The assembled battery 27 and the three electrodes 36, 38, 40 are arranged so as to contact the inner surface of the upper case 14.

FIG. 9 shows the configuration of the bottom surface of the case 18, that is, the outer surface of the bottom case 16. Eleven recesses 16A to 16K and three holes 16a, 16b and 16c are formed on the outer surface of the bottom case 16, and two holes 16a and 16b are formed in the recesses 16D and 16E, respectively.

The three holes 16 a, 16 b, 16 c 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 and the case 18 is formed. When the batteries 21 to 25 are assembled in the inside of the battery, the three electrodes 36, 38, 40 are exposed through the corresponding three holes 16a, 16b, 16c.

The eight recesses 16C to 16J and the two holes 16a and 16b are arranged corresponding to the spaces 28A to 28D of the batteries 21 to 25.

As shown in the figure, the outer surface of the bottom case 16 is provided adjacent to the three electrodes with a symbol ○ and symbols +, −, and ┴ among them, which are used when molding a plastic. It is formed by providing irregularities on its surface.

The bottom case 16 is configured such that, for example, the entire 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. 7, convex portions 61 A, 61 B, 61 C are formed on the bottom surface of the hole 51 of the charger 12, and the convex portions 61 A, 61 B, 61 C correspond to the corresponding battery pack 10. Of the recesses 16I, 16G, and 16H.

Out of the recesses 16I, 16G, 16H, the outer recesses 16I, 16G are referred to as detection holes, and the larger inner recesses 16H are referred to as lock holes. The detection holes 16I, 16G function to detect whether the battery pack 10 is compatible or not compatible with this charger 12.

In the battery pack suitable for this charger 12, the two convex portions 61 A, 61 B are preferably inserted into the corresponding detection holes 16 I, 16 G, respectively, and the bottom surface of the battery pack 10 is the hole 51 of the charger 12. In the battery pack 10 that is in contact with the bottom surface but is not compatible with the charger 12, the two convex portions 61A and 61B are not inserted into the corresponding concave portions 16I and 16G, and the bottom surface of the battery pack 10 is the hole of the charger 12. It will be in a state of being lifted from the bottom surface of 51.

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.

When the battery pack 10 that fits the charger 12 is mounted, the three electrodes 36, 38, 40 of the battery pack 27 exposed through the holes 16 a, 16 b, 16 c of the bottom case 16 respectively have the three electrodes 3 of the charger 12. The two terminals 56, 57 and 58 are contacted.

As described above, at least one of the three electrodes 36, 38, 40 and the three terminals 56, 57, 58 is composed of an elastically deformable member such as a leaf spring, and the contact between them is such. It can be ensured by the biasing force of the crow member. 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 bottom case 16 of the battery pack 10 is provided with the detection holes 16I, 16G, and the projections 61A, 61B on the bottom surface of the hole 51 of the charger 12 are suitable for the detection holes 16I, 16G. Whether or not the battery pack 10 is suitable for the charger 12 is detected depending on whether or not the battery pack 10 is engaged with. 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.

[0028]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 In the battery pack 10 described above, as shown in FIG. 9, the electrodes 36, 38 of the battery pack 10, that is, the output terminals are arranged so as to be exposed from the holes 16a, 16b.

10 and 11 show another example of the battery pack 10. In these examples of the battery pack 10, the electrodes 36 and 38, that is, the output terminals are arranged at a position different from that of the example shown in FIG. However, the electrodes 36, 38, that is, the output terminals are exposed and mounted on the outer surface of the case.

Therefore, there is a possibility that an article made of a conductive metal, such as a key holder, a necklace, or a chain, may come into contact with the electrodes 36, 38, that is, the output terminals to cause a short circuit, and the battery in the battery pack 10 may be damaged. there were.

In view of the above, the present invention provides a battery pack in which the electrodes 36, 38, that is, the output terminals, are prevented from being short-circuited by the contact of a metal object such as a key holder, a necklace, or a chain. To aim.

[0032]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 According to the battery pack of the present invention, the output terminals 36, 38 are provided inside the holes 84, 86, 102, 104 formed on the outer surface of the case.

[0033]

[Action]

 Since the output terminals 36, 38 are arranged inside the holes 84, 86, 102, 104, it is possible to prevent an object made of a conductive metal such as a key holder, a necklace or a chain from coming into contact with the output terminals 36, 38. To be done.

[0034]

【Example】

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, the corresponding parts in FIGS. 6 to 11 are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of an example of a battery pack 10 of the present invention. The battery pack 10 includes a case 18 composed of an upper case 14 and a bottom case 16. In this example, cylindrical batteries are arranged in two rows in the battery pack 10, and a total of four batteries are accommodated. Such four batteries may be electrically connected in series to each other to form an assembled battery.

Holes 120, 122, 124, 126 (only holes 124, 126 are shown) having ribs are formed around the bottom surface, and the holes 120 to 126 are used to connect the battery pack 10 to a battery of an electric device. It is configured to receive a corresponding protrusion formed on the battery storage portion when mounted in the storage portion.

Recesses 80 and 82 are formed in the front end portion 16-1 of the bottom case 16, and the first and second electrodes 36 and 38 of the assembled battery are arranged on the bottom surfaces of the recesses 80 and 82. Has been done.

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

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the front end portion of the battery pack 10 of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, showing an example of the configuration of the first electrode 36 disposed in the recess 80. 2A is a partial cross-sectional view of the front end portion 16-1 of the bottom case 16, and FIG. 2B is a front view thereof.

A substantially circular hole 84 is formed in the bottom surface of the recess 80, and the first electrode 36 is arranged along the inner surface of the hole 84 and at a position inward of the entrance thereof. The configuration of the second electrode 38 arranged in the recess 82 may be the same as that shown in FIG. Therefore, an article made of a conductive metal such as a key holder, a necklace, or a chain does not come into contact with the output terminals 36, 38.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the connection terminal 90 for connecting to the electrodes 36, 38 of the battery pack 10. Such a connection terminal 90 is arranged in the battery storage portion of the charger or the electric device. The connection terminal 90 has a columnar shape corresponding to the hole of the battery pack 10, and two springs 92A and 92B are provided on the columnar surface.

4 and 5 show another example of the battery pack of the present invention. In this example, the electrodes 36, 38, that is, the output terminals are arranged at the front end 16-1 of the bottom case 16, and the recesses 80, 82 are not formed as in the examples shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

As shown in the figure, holes 102 and 104 are formed in the front end portion 16-1 of the bottom case 16, and the electrodes 36 and 38 are arranged slightly spaced inward from the holes 102 and 104. There is. The electrodes 36, 38 are appropriately shaped to receive and securely contact the connection terminals 90 of the battery compartment of the corresponding charger or electrical device.

In the example shown in FIG. 4, the holes 102 and 104 of the bottom case 16 are formed in a rectangular shape so that the connection terminals 90 having a rectangular cross section are received, and the electrodes 36 and 38 are thin and curved in a U shape. It is made of a plate material, and at its inlet, contact portions 36A, 38A having a reduced cross section are formed.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, the holes 102 and 104 of the bottom case 16 are formed in a circular shape so as to receive the connection terminals 90 having a circular cross section, and the electrodes 36 and 38 are formed of a cylindrical thin plate material. Slits 36B and 38B are formed on the side surface in the axial direction. Further, at the entrances of the cylindrical electrodes 36 and 38, contact portions 36A and 38A each having a smaller cross section are formed.

In this way, the output terminals or electrodes 36, 38 of the battery pack 10 are arranged inside the holes or recesses formed in the outer surface thereof. Therefore, an article made of a conductive metal such as a key holder, a necklace, or a chain does not come into contact with the two output terminals 36 and 38 to short them.

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 is apparent to those skilled in the art that various other configurations can be adopted without departing from the gist of the present invention. Easy to understand.

[0048]

[Effect of the device]

 According to the present invention, the output terminals, that is, the electrodes 36 and 38 are disposed inside the holes 84 or the holes 102 and 104 formed in the battery pack 10. Therefore, the output terminals or electrodes 36 and 38 are made of a conductive metal such as a key holder, neckless, or chain. There is an advantage in that the article is prevented from touching the output terminals or the electrodes 36 and 38.

According to the present invention, the output terminals of the battery pack 10, that is, the electrodes 36 and 38, are prevented from being brought into contact with an object made of a conductive metal such as a key holder, a necklace, or a chain. This has the advantage of preventing damage from short circuits.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a partial detail of the battery pack of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a connection terminal inserted into a hole of a battery pack.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing another configuration example of the battery pack of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing still another configuration example of the battery pack of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional battery pack mounted on a charger.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an example of a charger.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a conventional battery pack.

FIG. 9 is a bottom view showing an example of a conventional battery pack.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another example of a conventional battery pack.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing another 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 16-3 Bottom Bottom 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16E, 16F Recess 16G, 16H, 16I, 16J, 16K Recess ( Detection hole, lock hole) 16a, 16b, 16c hole 18 Case 20 Dotted line 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 Battery 27 Battery pack 28A, 28B, 28C, 28D Gap 32 Conductive plate 34 Insulation sheet 36 Electrode (output terminal) 36A Contact part 36B Slit 38 Electrode (output terminal) 38A Contact part 38B Slit 40 Electrode (output terminal) 42 Temperature detection element 42A, 42B Lead wire 44 Mold member 51 Hole 52 Primary circuit part 53 Secondary circuit part 54 AC code 56, 57, 58 terminals 59 case 60 mold plate 61A, 61B, 1C protrusions 80, 82 recesses 84, 86 hole 90 pin 92A, 92B springs 102, 104 holes 120, 122, 124, 126 hole

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A battery pack, wherein the output terminal is provided inside a hole formed on the outer surface of the case.