# US 2013/0154549 A1 · Battery pack and cordless tool using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0154549 A1 - Document ID: US20130154549A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/770,727 - Filed: 2013-02-19 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2006-02-28 - Assignees: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hiroyuki Hanawa; Kiyoshi Kato; Kazuhiko Funabashi; Katsuhiro Oomori - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130154549A1 ## CPC - H02J 7/00: Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries - H01M 10/4207: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially} - H01M 10/441: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially} - H01M 10/482: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially} - H01M 50/213: adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic (H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence) - H01M 50/51: Connection only in series - H01M 50/522: Inorganic material - H01M 50/574: Devices or arrangements for the interruption of current - H01M 50/583: in response to current, e.g. fuses - H02J 7/62: against overcurrent - H02J 7/663: {using battery or load disconnect circuits (H02J9/002 takes precedence)} - H01M 10/052: Li-accumulators - H01M 50/512: Connection only in parallel - H02J 7/64: against overvoltage - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A battery device is constituted by connecting such cell assemblies in parallel as each includes: a first cell group having a plurality of cells connected in series; a housing container for housing the first cell group; current detector housed in the container for detecting a current to flow through the first cell group; a switching element connected with the first cell group for turning ON/OFF the current to flow through the first cell group; and a controller for controlling the ON/OFF of the switching element in response to the output signal of the current detector. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-13. (canceled) ### Claim 14 An electric device configured to be connectable to a first battery pack including plural battery cells, a positive terminal and a negative terminal, and connectable to a second battery pack including plural battery cells, a positive terminal and a negative terminal, the electric device comprising: a first positive terminal configured to be connected to the positive terminal of the first battery pack; a first negative terminal configured to be connected to the negative terminal of the first battery pack; a second positive terminal configured to be connected to the positive terminal of the second battery pack; a second negative terminal configured to be connected to the negative terminal of the second battery pack; a first control signal terminal configured to receive one of a signal indicative of the number of the plural battery cells of the first battery pack and a signal supplied from a first protection circuit for protecting the plural battery cells of the first battery pack; a second control signal terminal configured to receive one of a signal indicative of the number of the plural battery cells of the second battery pack and a signal supplied from a second protection circuit for protecting the plural battery cells of the second battery pack; a switching element connected to a current path between the first and second positive terminals and the first and second negative terminals; and a controller configured to control the switching element to be turned off based on the signal input to one of the first and second control signal terminal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The electric device according to claim 14, wherein the plural battery cells of the first and second battery packs are lithium cells. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The electric device according to claim 14, wherein the electric device includes one of a cordless electric tool and a battery charger. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The system according to claim 14, wherein when the first battery pack and the second battery pack are housed in the cell housing unit, the first battery pack is connected to the second battery pack in parallel. ### Claim 18 A system comprising: a first battery pack including plural battery cells, a positive terminal and a negative terminal; a second battery pack including plural battery cells, a positive terminal and a negative terminal; and an electric device configured to be connectable to the first and second battery packs, the electric device including: a first positive terminal configured to be connected to the positive terminal of the first battery pack; a first negative terminal configured to be connected to the negative terminal of the first battery pack; a second positive terminal configured to be connected to the positive terminal of the second battery pack; a second negative terminal configured to be connected to the negative terminal of the second battery pack; a first control signal terminal configured to receive one of a signal indicative of the number of the plural battery cells of the first battery pack and a signal supplied from a first protection circuit for protecting the plural battery cells of the first battery pack; a second control signal terminal configured to receive one of a signal indicative of the number of the plural battery cells of the second battery pack and a signal supplied from a second protection circuit for protecting the plural battery cells of the second battery pack; a switching element connected to a current path between the first and second positive terminals and the first and second negative terminals; and a controller configured to control the switching element to be turned off based on the signal input to one of the first and second control signal terminal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system according to claim 18, wherein the plural battery cells of the first and second battery packs are lithium cells. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The system according to claim 18, wherein the electric device includes one of a cordless electric tool and a battery charger. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The system according to claim 18, wherein when the first battery pack and the second battery pack are housed in the cell housing unit, the first battery pack is connected to the second battery pack in parallel. ### Claim 22 A system comprising: a first battery pack including at lease one battery cell, and a first protection circuit configured to protect the battery cell; a second battery pack including at least one battery cell, and a second protection circuit configured to protect the battery cell; and an electric device configured to be connectable to the first and second battery packs, the electric device including: a cell housing unit configured to house the first battery pack and the second battery pack; a first terminal configured to be electrically connected to the first battery pack, the first terminal being provided at the cell housing unit; a second terminal configured to be electrically connected to the first protection circuit, the second terminal being provided at the cell housing unit; a third terminal configured to be electrically connected to the second battery pack, the third terminal being provided at the cell housing unit; a fourth terminal configured to be electrically connected to the second protection circuit, the fourth terminal being provided at the cell housing unit; a switching element configured to control a current flowing through the first terminal and the third terminal; and a controller configured to control the switching element based on signals received by one of the second terminal and the fourth terminal. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The system according to claim 22, wherein the cell housing unit includes a first housing part configured to house the first battery pack, and a second housing part configured to house the second battery pack, the first terminal and the second terminal are provided at the first housing part, and the third terminal and the fourth terminal are provided at the second housing part. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The system according to claim 22, wherein when the first battery pack and the second battery pack are housed in the cell housing unit, the first battery pack is connected to the second battery pack in parallel. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The electric device according to claim 22, wherein the battery cell of the first and second battery packs is a lithium cell. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The electric device according to claim 22, wherein the electric device includes one of a cordless electric tool and a battery charger.