Battery pack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10950830-B2
Application number	US-201716072358-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2017
Priority date	Feb 26, 2016
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

A battery pack (20), which includes: a housing; a frame disposed inside the housing; and two or more cells (32) mounted to the frame. The two or more cells (32) are connected with each other through a configurable connector (52). The configurable connector (52) is suitable to connect or disconnect an electrical connection between the two or more cells (32). Wherein the configurable connector (52) includes a user contactable switch (22) located on an outer surface (21) of the housing. The user contactable switch (22) is configured to move within a plane parallel to the outer surface (21), such that the contactable connector (52) is switched between a first state and a second state. In the first state, the electrical connection exists between the two or more cells (32); in the second state, the electrical connection does not exist between the two or more cells (32). Therefore, the battery pack (20) may disconnect a connection of the internal circuit thereof in non-use state, such as shipping and storing, such that the battery pack (20) can disconnect its internal circuit in the non-use state such as transportation and storage, such that the loss caused by the self-discharging may be minimized and the safety hazard may be avoided at the same time.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A battery pack, comprising:
a housing;
a frame disposed inside the housing; and
two or more cells mounted to the frame, the two or more cells connected with each other through a configurable connector, and the configurable connector being suitable to connect or disconnect an electrical connection between the two or more cells, wherein the configurable connector comprises two terminals and an intermediate conductor simultaneously contacted with or separate from the two terminals;
wherein the configurable connector comprises a user contactable switch located on an outer surface of the housing; the user contactable switch configured to move within a plane parallel to the outer surface, such that the configurable connector is switched between a first state and a second state; in the first state, the electrical connection existing between the two or more cells; in the second state, the electrical connection not existing between the two or more cells; wherein the intermediate conductor is fixed to the user contactable switch; the terminals respectively connected to one of the two or more cells; when the intermediate conductor is not contacted with the terminals, the electrical connection not existing between the terminals, such that the configurable connector is at the second state; when the intermediate conductor is contacted with the terminals, the terminals being connected with each other through the intermediate conductor, such that the configurable connector is at the first state, and wherein switching between the first state and the second state elastically deforms a portion of the configurable connector.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the two terminals are two metal pins configured to be arranged parallel to each other; the metal pins being elastic; the intermediate conductor comprising a metal sheet capable of being removably inserted between the metal pins and simultaneously contacted with the metal pins.

3. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the user contactable switch further comprises an indicator; the indicator aligned with different signs on the outer surface with the movement of the user contactable switch, so as to indicate a connection state of the two or more cells.

4. The battery pack according to claim 1 , further comprising a circuit board; the two terminals of the configurable connector fixed on the circuit board.

5. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate conductor is biased to a position separated from the two terminals through a biasing element.

6. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the battery pack comprises a plurality of configurable connectors; the plurality of configurable connectors has a plurality of corresponding intermediate conductors, and the plurality of intermediate conductors is connected to the user contactable switch.

Assignees

• Tti Macao Commercial Offshore Ltd
• Techtronic Cordless Gp

Inventors

• Fauteux Denis Gaston
• Zhao Jiang
• Zhao Jian Guo
• Wu yuan bai

Classifications

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H01M50/103

  prismatic or rectangular (H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M10/425 Primary

  Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing (printed circuits H05K1/00) · CPC title

• H01M50/244

  Secondary casings; Racks; Suspension devices; Carrying devices; Holders characterised by their mounting method · CPC title

• H01M50/262

  with fastening means, e.g. locks · CPC title