Charging control device for suitably performing charging regardless of charger type

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10855089-B2
Application number	US-201816161507-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2018
Priority date	Oct 23, 2017
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

A charging control device includes a detector detecting a temperature of a battery; a controller causing the charger to stop charging the battery in response to the temperature of the battery falling outside a first range during the charging of the battery; an obtainer obtaining, from the charger, information that is capable of identifying a charging characteristic of the charger; a range setter setting the first range to be a temperature range that corresponds to the charging characteristic of the charger based on the information obtained in the obtainer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A charging control device, comprising:
a battery pack that contains a battery; and
a charger configured to charge the battery,
wherein the battery pack includes:
a detector configured to detect a temperature of the battery;
a determiner configured to determine, during the charging of the battery by the charger, whether the temperature of the battery detected in the detector falls outside a first range, the first range including a first temperature as a minimum value and a second temperature as a maximum value;
an obtainer configured to obtain, from the charger, identification information that is capable of identifying a charging characteristic of the charger; and
a range setter configured to set at least one of the first temperature and the second temperature such that the first range is a temperature range that corresponds to the charging characteristic of the charger, the charging characteristic of the charger being indicated by the identification information obtained in the obtainer,

wherein the charger includes a stopper configured to cause the charger to stop charging the battery in response to determining that the temperature of the battery falls outside the first range by the determiner.

2. The charging control device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the determiner is further configured to determine whether the temperature of the battery detected in the detector falls outside a second range in starting the charging of the battery by the charger,
wherein the stopper is further configured to cause the charger not to start charging the battery in response to determination by the determiner that the temperature of the battery falls outside the second range in starting the charging of the battery, and
wherein the range setter is further configured to set, based on the identification information obtained in the obtainer, the second range as a temperature range that corresponds to the charging characteristic of the charger.

3. The charging control device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the minimum value of the second range is equal to or greater than the minimum value of the first temperature of the first range, and the maximum value of the second range is equal to or smaller than the maximum value of the second temperature of the first range.

4. The charging control device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the determiner is configured to repeatedly determine, during the charging of the battery by the charger, whether the temperature of the battery detected in the detector falls outside the first range.

5. The charging control device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the charger further includes an outputter that is configured to output the identification information that is capable of identifying the charging characteristic of the charger in response to the charger being coupled to the battery, and
wherein the obtainer is configured to obtain the identification information that is outputted from the outputter and is capable of identifying the charging characteristic of the charger.

6. The charging control device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the charging characteristic is associated with a charging current or a charging voltage outputted from the charger.

7. The charging control device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the battery is used for a power equipment for working sites.

8. A charging control device comprising:
a battery pack that contains a battery; and
a charger configured to charge the battery,
wherein the battery pack includes:
a detector configured to detect a temperature of the battery;
an obtainer configured to obtain, from the charger, identification information that is capable of identifying a charging characteristic of the charger; and
a parameter setter configured to set, based on the charging characteristic of the charger being indicated by the identification information obtained in the obtainer, a setting parameter required for setting at least one of a first temperature, which is a minimum value of a first range, and a second temperature, which is a maximum value of the first range, the first range being a temperature range that enables charging of the battery;

wherein the charger includes:
a controller configured to obtain the temperature of the battery from the detector and to cause the charging of the battery to be stopped in response to the temperature falling outside the first range during the charging of the battery; and
a charger setter configured to obtain the setting parameter from the parameter setter, and to set at least one of the first temperature and the second temperature based on the setting parameter.

9. The charging control device according to claim 8 ,
wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether the temperature of the battery detected in the detector falls outside a second range in starting the charging of the battery by the charger and to cause, in response to a positive determination, the charger not to start charging the battery,
wherein the parameter setter is further configured to set, based on the identification information obtained in the obtainer, a setting parameter required for setting the second range as a temperature range that corresponds to the charging characteristic of the charger, and
wherein the charger setter is further configured to set the second range based on the setting parameter set in the parameter setter.

10. The charging control device according to claim 8 ,
wherein the controller is configured to repeatedly determine, during the charging of the battery by the charger, whether the temperature of the battery detected in the detector falls outside the first range.

11. The charging control device according to claim 8 , wherein the charging characteristic is associated with a charging current or a charging voltage outputted from the charger.

12. The charging control device according to claim 8 , wherein the battery is used for a power equipment for working sites.

13. A battery pack, comprising:
a battery;
a detector configured to detect a temperature of the battery;
a determiner configured to determine, during charging of the battery by a charger, whether the temperature of the battery detected in the detector falls outside a first range, the first range including a first temperature as a minimum value and a second temperature as a maximum value, the first range being used by the determiner for determination;
an obtainer configured to obtain, from the charger, identification information that is capable of identifying a charging characteristic of the charger; and
a range setter configured to set, at least one of the first temperature and the second temperature such that the first range is a temperature range that corresponds to the charging characteristic of the charger, the charging characteristic of the charger being indicated by the identification information obtained in the obtainer.

14. A charger configured to charge a battery contained in a battery pack,
wherein the battery pack includes:
a battery;
a detector configured to detect a temperature of the battery;
a determiner configured to determine, during charging of the battery by the charger, whether the temperature of the battery detected in the detector falls outside a first range, the first range including a first temperature as a minimum value and a second temperature as a maximum value, the first range being used by the determiner for determination;
an obtainer configured to obtain, from the charger, identification information that is capable of identifying a charging characteristic of the charger; and
a range setter c

Assignees

• Makita Corp

Inventors

• Kobayakawa Tadahiko
• Katayama Junichi

Classifications

• H02J7/977

  of the battery · CPC title

• H02J7/975

  in response to temperature · CPC title

• H02J7/92

  with prioritisation of loads or sources · CPC title

• H02J7/65

  against overtemperature · CPC title

• H02J7/64

  against overvoltage · CPC title