Cascadable multi-charger and method for the operation thereof

A method for the operation of a multi-charger, the method comprising the steps of:

• connecting a plurality of charging devices to one another electrically conductively for charging at least one battery pack, each charging device comprising an input-side contact element configured as a power cable connection or an additional charging device connection or both as a power cable connection and an additional charging device connection, an output-side contact element configured to be connected electrically conductively to an input-side contact element of an additional charging device, internal conductors configured to provide an electrically conductive connection of the input-side contact element to the output-side contact element and for passing through a power supply voltage in contact with the input-side contact element, a charging device circuit internally connected to the power supply voltage, the charging device circuit comprising a voltage converter on a charging device circuit input side and a charging controller for charging the at least one battery pack, wherein the power supply voltage can be converted by means of the voltage converter into a supply voltage for feeding the charging controller, a device positioning configuration transmitting a signal, which codes a position of the respective charging device in a series of charging devices comprising the plurality of charging devices and a comparison device comparing the position coded by the signal with a predefined or predefinable limit value and for a deactivation of the respective charging device upon reaching the limit value;
• with each said charging device, transmitting the signal, which codes the position of each charging device in the line of charging devices comprising the plurality of charging devices, to the charging devices connected on the output side, wherein the plurality of charging devices only communicate with each other;
• with the comparison device of each charging device, comparing the position coded by the signal with the predefined or predefinable limit value and deactivating the respective charging device upon reaching the limit value.

A multi-charger comprising a plurality of charging devices for charging a plurality of battery packs, the plurality of charging devices only communicating with one another, each charging device comprising:

• an input-side contact element configured as a power cable connection or an additional charging device connection or both as a power cable connection and an additional charging device connection;
• an output-side contact element configured to be connected electrically conductively to an input-side contact element of an additional charging device for charging another one of the plurality of battery packs;
• internal conductors configured to provide an electrically conductive connection of the input-side contact element to the output-side contact element and for passing through a power supply voltage in contact with the input-side contact element;
• a charging device circuit internally connected to the power supply voltage, the charging device circuit comprising a voltage converter on a charging device circuit input side and a charging controller for charging at least one battery pack, wherein the power supply voltage can be converted by means of the voltage converter into a supply voltage for feeding the charging controller;
• a device positioning configuration configured to transmit a signal, which codes a position of the charging device in a series of charging devices comprising a plurality of charging devices;
• and
• a comparison device configured to compare the position coded by the signal with a predefined or predefinable limit value and for a deactivation of the charging device upon reaching the limit value.