JPH11242965A - Chargeable battery pack and charger therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prohibit charging by a charger other than a genuine one and to prevent short-circuiting between external connection terminals. SOLUTION: In a battery pack 1, a switch 3 is provided between a secondary battery 2 and an external connection terminal 5 for connection to a main body of a portable telephone, etc., or to a charger. The switch 3 comprises a reed switch operated by a magnetic field in a certain direction and other things, and the reed switch can not be intentionally operated from the exterior of the battery pack 1. By turning on/off this switch 3, the secondary battery 2 can be connected to, and released a from external connection terminal 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rechargeable battery pack and a battery charger therefor, and more particularly to a rechargeable battery pack used for a portable telephone or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, some portable telephones use a rechargeable battery pack as a power source. In charging the battery pack, a notice or the like is often given to use a genuine charger manufactured specifically for the battery pack.

In other words, this type of battery pack is designed to be charged only by a specially prepared charger. That is, a general-purpose charger does not guarantee safe and reliable charging.

[0004]

In the battery pack used in the above-mentioned conventional portable telephone, the battery may be charged by a charger other than a genuine charger. However, a charger other than the genuine charger cannot supply an appropriate charging current or voltage to the battery pack, which causes a problem such as deterioration of battery safety.

[0005] Further, the battery pack is provided on its surface with metal terminals for connection to the main body of a cellular phone or the like or a charger using the same, and there is a danger that a metal piece may contact the metal terminals and cause a short circuit. is there.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, to prohibit charging by means other than a genuine charger, and to prevent a short circuit between external connection terminals, and a rechargeable battery pack therefor. It is to provide a charger.

[0007]

A rechargeable battery pack according to the present invention is a rechargeable battery pack including a secondary battery charged by an external power supply, wherein the secondary battery is electrically connected to an external device. An external connection terminal, and a switch element disposed between the secondary battery and the external connection terminal and electrically connecting the secondary battery and the external connection terminal by an instruction signal from the outside. Have.

[0008] A charger for a rechargeable battery pack according to the present invention includes an external connection terminal for electrically connecting a secondary battery charged by an external power supply to an external device, and a connection between the secondary battery and the external connection terminal. A case member disposed between the case member and a rechargeable battery pack including a switch element for electrically connecting the secondary battery and the external connection terminal according to an instruction signal from the outside; A switch control element disposed in the vicinity and for providing the instruction signal to the switch element.

That is, the rechargeable battery pack of the present invention comprises:
When it is detected that the battery pack has been fitted to the main body of a mobile phone or the like or a charger, a switch provided in the battery pack is turned on to make the battery pack usable.

More specifically, the rechargeable battery pack of the present invention turns on / off a switch connected between the secondary battery and the external connection terminal, thereby connecting the secondary battery and the external connection terminal. Switch between conduction and non-conduction. The switch has a structure such as a reed switch operated by a magnetic field that cannot be intentionally operated from outside the battery pack. When the battery pack is fitted to a main body of a mobile phone or the like or a charger, the switch is turned on by a switch control element built in the main body or the charger.

As a result, unless the battery is fitted to the main body of a portable telephone or the like or a charger, the conduction between the secondary battery and the external connection terminal does not become conductive, so that charging by means other than the genuine charger can be prohibited. In addition, it is possible to prevent a short circuit between the external connection terminals.

[0012]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, a battery pack 1 includes a secondary battery 2, a switch 3, a thermistor 4, and external connection terminals 5 to 7.

In the battery pack 1, a switch 3 is provided between a secondary battery 2 and an external connection terminal 5 for connecting to a main body or a charger (not shown) of a portable telephone or the like. The switch 3 is composed of a reed switch or the like operated by a magnetic field in a certain direction, and the reed switch or the like cannot be intentionally operated from outside the battery pack 1.

By turning on / off the switch 3, it becomes possible to connect / disconnect the secondary battery 2 and the external connection terminal 5. In other words, in the battery pack 1, the switch 3 is off unless the battery pack 1 is fitted to the main body of a mobile phone or the like or a charger. 5-
There is no short circuit between the seven. In addition, since the switch 3 is not turned on except for the genuine charger, it is possible to prohibit charging by any other genuine charger.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing a connection structure of a battery pack to a charger according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, a battery pack 1 has a circuit board 14 attached to a secondary battery 13, and the secondary battery 13 and the circuit board 14 are electrically connected by terminals 17a and 17b. The switch element 15 and the external connection terminal 16 are mounted on the circuit board 14.

The secondary battery 13 and the circuit board 14 are assembled between the upper case 11 and the lower case 12 to constitute the battery pack 1. The lower case 12 does not have the resin at the external connection terminals 16 and has a structure that allows connection to the outside.

The charger is a case 1 fitted to the battery pack 1.
9, a switch control element 18 for operating the switch element 15 of the battery pack 1, and a circuit board 20.

In FIG. 2, when the battery pack 1 is not fitted in the case 19 of the charger, the switch element 1
5, the secondary battery 13 and the external connection terminal 16
Is in a state of being separated from.

When the battery pack 1 is fitted into the case 19 of the charger, the switch element 15 is turned on by the switch control element 18 and the battery pack 1 can be charged by the charger. In a main body such as a mobile phone, a case 19 fitted to the battery pack 1 and a switch control element 1 for operating the switch element 15 of the battery pack 1 are provided.
The use of the battery pack 8 makes it possible to use the battery pack 1.

For example, if the switch element 15 is a reed switch and the switch control element 18 is a magnet, the switch element 15 is turned on by the magnetic field of the switch control element 18 so that it can be used by the main body or charged by a charger. Become. In the above description, the case where the switch element 15 of the switch 3 is a reed switch has been described. However, similar effects can be obtained with other switch elements.

As described above, the secondary battery 2 and the external connection terminal 5
By disposing the switch 3 which is turned on by the switch control element 18 provided in the main body or the charger between the main body and the charger, it becomes difficult to charge the battery other than the genuine charger, and the deterioration of the battery safety is reduced. It can be suppressed.

Further, when the battery pack 1 alone is carried, the external connection terminals 5 to 7 are separated from the secondary battery 2 so that short-circuiting between the external connection terminals 5 to 7 can be prevented.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a rechargeable battery pack including a secondary battery charged by an external power source, an external connection terminal for electrically connecting the secondary battery to an external device is provided. Prohibit charging other than the genuine charger by installing a switch element that electrically connects the secondary battery and the external connection terminal by an external instruction signal between the secondary battery and the secondary battery. Therefore, there is an effect that a short circuit between the external connection terminals can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a battery pack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing a connection structure of a battery pack to a charger according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Battery pack 2 Secondary battery 3 Switch 4 Thermistor 5-7 External connection terminal 11 Upper case 12 Lower case 13 Secondary battery 14 Circuit board 15 Switch element 16 External connection terminal 17a, 17b terminal 18 Switch control element 19 Case 20 Circuit board

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A rechargeable battery pack including a secondary battery charged by an external power supply, comprising: an external connection terminal for electrically connecting the secondary battery to an external device; A rechargeable battery pack, comprising: a switch element disposed between the connection terminal and an electrical connection between the secondary battery and the external connection terminal in response to an instruction signal from the outside. 2. The rechargeable battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the instruction signal instructs the secondary battery and the external connection terminal to be electrically connected by magnetic force. 3. The switch element according to claim 1, wherein the switch element is configured to electrically disconnect the secondary battery and the external connection terminal when the instruction signal is not input. Item 7. A rechargeable battery pack according to Item 2. 4. An external connection terminal for electrically connecting a secondary battery charged by an external power supply to an external device, and an externally provided instruction signal disposed between the secondary battery and the external connection terminal. A rechargeable battery pack including a switch element that electrically connects the secondary battery and the external connection terminal to the case member, and a rechargeable battery pack that can be fitted therein. A switch control element for supplying the instruction signal. 5. The rechargeable battery according to claim 4, wherein the switch control element gives the instruction signal by magnetic force to electrically connect the secondary battery and the external connection terminal. Pack charger. 6. The switch device according to claim 4, wherein the switch element is configured to electrically disconnect the secondary battery and the external connection terminal when the instruction signal is not input. Item 6. A charger for a rechargeable battery pack according to item 5.