Battery pack detection and battery discharge mode selection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12148956-B2
Application number	US-202318301423-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2023
Priority date	Nov 26, 2019
Publication date	Nov 19, 2024
Grant date	Nov 19, 2024

Abstract

A power tool including a battery pack interface configured to receive a battery pack. The battery pack interface includes one or more power terminals and one or more communication terminals. The power tool further includes a controller having an electronic processor. The controller is configured to receive, via the one or more communication terminals, a plurality of signals indicating a plurality of temperatures of the battery pack. The controller is further configured to determine, based on the signals, a battery pack type. The controller is further configured to control discharge of the battery pack based on the battery pack type.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power tool comprising:
a controller including an electronic processor and a memory, the controller configured to:
receive a plurality of signals indicating a plurality of temperatures of a battery pack,
determine, based on the plurality of signals, a battery pack type, and
control discharge of the battery pack based on the battery pack type.

2. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the discharge of the battery pack includes a constant power.

3. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the discharge of the battery pack includes a step function of decreasing power.

4. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the discharge of the battery pack includes a series of decreasing ramp functions.

5. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the battery pack is configured to be discharged at a first power for a first period of time, the discharge is configured to be decreased from the first power to a second power over a second period of time, and the battery pack is configured to discharge at a third power over a third period of time.

6. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of signals indicating the plurality of temperatures of the battery pack are based on a thermistor of the battery pack.

7. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of signals indicating the plurality of temperatures of the battery pack are equal in value.

8. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive a first signal of the plurality of signals indicating a first temperature of the battery pack;
receive a second signal of the plurality of signals indicating a second temperature of the battery pack; and
determine a slope of the plurality of signals by subtracting the second temperature from the first temperature to determine the battery pack type.

9. The power tool of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
compare the slope of the plurality of signals to a predetermined slope to determine the battery pack type.

10. A battery pack comprising:
at least one battery cell;
a discharge circuit configured to discharge current from the battery cells to an electronic device; and
a thermistor configured to provide a plurality of signals indicating a plurality of temperatures of the battery pack to the electronic device,
wherein the plurality of signals is provided to the electronic device to determine a type of the battery pack for controlling the discharge current of the battery pack based on the type of the battery pack.

11. The battery pack of claim 10 , wherein the discharge current of the battery pack includes a constant power.

12. The battery pack of claim 10 , wherein the discharge current of the battery pack includes a ramp function of decreasing power.

13. The battery pack of claim 10 , wherein the discharge current of the battery pack includes a step function of decreasing power.

14. The battery pack of claim 10 , wherein the battery pack is configured to discharge at a first power for a first period of time, the discharge is configured to be decreased from the first power to a second power over a second period of time, and the battery pack is configured to discharge at a third power over a third period of time.

15. The battery pack of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of signals indicating the plurality of temperatures of the battery pack are equal in value.

16. A method of determining a battery pack type, the method comprising:
receiving a plurality of signals indicating a plurality of temperatures of a battery pack;
determining, based on the plurality of signals, the battery pack type; and
controlling, based on the battery pack type, a discharge cycle of the battery pack.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of signals indicating the plurality of temperatures of the battery pack is provided by a thermistor of the battery pack.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of signals indicating the plurality temperatures of the battery pack are equal in value.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising comparing a slope of the plurality of signals to a predetermined slope.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising discharging at a first power for a first period of time, decreasing discharging from the first power to a second power over a second period of time, and discharging at a third power over a third period of time.

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Rosenbecker Jay
• Mchugh Randolph
• Reiland Fraizier

Classifications

• H02J7/585

  Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries · CPC title

• H02J2105/44

  Portable electronic devices · CPC title

• H02J7/855

  with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery · CPC title

• H02J7/92

  with prioritisation of loads or sources · CPC title

• H02J7/80

  including monitoring or indicating arrangements · CPC title