US 2019/0097279 A1 · LITHIUM-BASED BATTERY PACK

Abstract

An electrical combination including a power tool and a battery pack. The power tool includes power tool terminals. The battery pack is configured to be interfaced with the power tool. The battery pack includes a battery pack housing, at least three terminals, and a plurality of battery cells. The battery pack terminals include a positive terminal, a negative terminal, and a sense terminal. The at least three terminals are configured to be interfaced with the power tool terminals. The plurality of battery cells are arranged within and supported by the battery pack housing. Each of the battery cells has a lithium-based chemistry and a respective state of charge, and power is transferable between the battery cells and the power tool. A circuit is configured to monitor the battery cells, detect a charge imbalance among the battery cells, and prevent the battery pack from operating when the charge imbalance is detected.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A battery pack configured to be interfaced with an electrical device, the battery pack comprising:

a battery pack housing;
a positive terminal, a negative terminal, and a sense terminal configured to be interfaced with corresponding terminals of the electrical device;
a plurality of battery cells arranged within the housing, each of the plurality of battery cells having a lithium-based chemistry and a respective state of charge, power being transferable between the plurality of battery cells and the electrical device;
means for monitoring the plurality of battery cells;
means for detecting a charge imbalance among the plurality of battery cells based on the respective state of charge of each of the plurality of battery cells;
and
a microprocessor programmed to disable the battery pack when the charge imbalance is detected;
wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to identify an imbalanced battery cell having a high state of charge relative to a state of charge of another battery cell of the plurality of battery cells;
wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to initiate a controlled discharging process to discharge the imbalanced battery cell when the charge imbalance is detected.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

16/200,171Filed 26 Nov 2018

Priority

22 Nov 2002

Published

28 Mar 2019

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification39 codes

H01M 10/0525
Li-accumulators: rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
B25F 5/00
Details or components of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the
H01M 4/505
Of manganese: of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing manganese for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiMn2O4 or LiMn2OxFy
H01M 4/525
Of nickel, cobalt or iron: of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing iron, cobalt or nickel for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g.…

Family

Application60/428,358Us provisional application · filed 22 Nov 2002

Application60/428,450Us provisional application · filed 22 Nov 2002

Application60/428,452Us provisional application · filed 22 Nov 2002

Application60/428,356Us provisional application · filed 22 Nov 2002

Application60/440,692Us provisional application · filed 17 Jan 2003

Application60/440,693Us provisional application · filed 17 Jan 2003

Application60/523,716Us provisional application · filed 19 Nov 2003

Application60/523,712Us provisional application · filed 19 Nov 2003

Application10/720,027Continuation in part · filed 20 Nov 2003

Application10/719,680Continuation in part · filed 20 Nov 2003

Application10/721,800Continuation in part · filed 24 Nov 2003