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US 2023/0402857 A1Published application
Battery adapter for power tools
AssigneeKyocera Senco Industrial Tools, Inc.
InventorsDerick C. Robinson, Anthony D. Kabbes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A battery adapter can be used with an off-brand battery manufacturer to energize a power tool. The battery adapter is configured to monitor the voltage, temperature, and power level of the battery. Monitoring these levels helps prevent the tool from overdischarging the battery, as well as to prevent overheating. The battery adapter has a visible battery power level indicator, actuated by a switch, which visibly displays to a user a general indication of power left in the battery. The battery adapter is able to electrically disconnect the battery if the monitored temperature reaches a certain threshold. The battery adapter is also able to electrically disconnect if the battery adapter and off-brand battery are connected to a recharge station.
Claims20
A battery adapter, comprising:
- (a) a housing having a first side and a second, opposite side;
- (b) an electronic control circuit, including:
- a computer processing circuit, a memory circuit including instructions executable by the processing circuit, an input/output interface circuit, a current shunt, a current sensing circuit, and a power switching semiconductor that switches a power current pathway;
- (c) said housing first side physically and electrically mounts to an external power tool;
- (d) said housing second side physically and electrically mates with an external battery pack, in which the external power tool and the external battery pack are incompatible;
- wherein:
- (e) said battery adapter is operable to provide electrical current flowing from said external battery pack to said external power tool, thereby electrically powering the external power tool;
- (f) said current sensing circuit is operable to receive a voltage signal from said current shunt, and if the voltage signal exhibits a correct polarity and permissible magnitude, said power switching semiconductor is operable to allow current to flow from said external battery pack to said external power tool, using the power current pathway;
- and
- (g) if said voltage signal from said current shunt exhibits an incorrect polarity, then said power switching semiconductor is operable to disconnect the power current pathway.
7 more elements
A battery adapter, comprising:
- (a) a housing having a first side and a second, opposite side;
- (b) an electronic control circuit, including:
- a computer processing circuit, a memory circuit including instructions executable by the processing circuit, an input/output interface circuit, a current shunt, a current sensing circuit, and a power switching semiconductor that switches a power current pathway;
- (c) said housing first side physically and electrically mounts to an external power tool;
- (d) said housing second side physically and electrically mates with an external battery pack, in which the external power tool and the external battery pack are incompatible;
- wherein:
- (e) said battery adapter provides electrical current flowing from said external battery pack to said external power tool, thereby electrically powering the external power tool;
- (f) said current sensing circuit receives a voltage signal from said current shunt, and if the voltage signal exhibits a predetermined overcurrent magnitude for less than a predetermined permissible time interval, said power switching semiconductor is operable to allow current to flow from said external battery pack to said external power tool, using the power current pathway;
- and
- (g) if said voltage signal from said current shunt exhibits an overcurrent magnitude that continues for a greater time duration than said predetermined permissible time interval, said power switching semiconductor is operable to disconnect the power current pathway.
7 more elements
A battery adapter, comprising:
- (a) a housing having a first side and a second, opposite side;
- (b) an electronic control circuit, including:
- a computer processing circuit, a memory circuit including instructions executable by the processing circuit, an input/output interface circuit, and a power switching semiconductor;
- (c) said housing first side physically and electrically mounts to an external power tool;
- and
- (d) said housing second side physically and electrically mates with an external battery pack, in which the external power tool and the external battery pack are incompatible;
- (e) a remote temperature sensing circuit that remotely senses an electrical characteristic of a component that is on-board said external battery pack;
- wherein:
- (f) said battery adapter provides electrical current flowing from said external battery pack to said external power tool, thereby electrically powering the external power tool;
- and
- (g) said power switching semiconductor is operable to disconnect the current flowing from said external battery pack if a predetermined temperature threshold value is exceeded, as determined by said remote temperature sensing circuit.
8 more elements
A battery adapter, comprising:
- (a) a housing having a first side and a second, opposite side;
- (b) an electronic control circuit, including:
- a computer processing circuit, a memory circuit including instructions executable by the processing circuit, an input/output interface circuit, a voltage sensing circuit, a power current pathway, and a plurality of colored LEDs (light emitting diodes) that exhibit at least two different colors;
- (c) a battery state switch;
- (d) said housing first side is operable to physically and electrically mount to an external power tool;
- (e) said housing second side is operable to physically and electrically mate with an external battery pack, in which the external power tool and the external battery pack are incompatible;
- wherein:
- (f) said battery adapter directs current flowing from said external battery pack to said tool using said power current pathway, thereby electrically powering the tool;
- (g) said voltage sensing circuit is connected to said power current pathway, and thereby detects a voltage magnitude that is output by said external battery pack;
- (h) said voltage sensing circuit is further connected to said input/output interface circuit;
- (i) at least one of said input/output interface circuit and said computer processing circuit includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that generates a digital signal for analysis by said processing circuit;
- (j) if said battery state switch is actuated, then said plurality of colored LEDs energize to visually display a state of said external battery pack's energy level;
- and
- (k) said processing circuit determines which of said plurality of colored LEDs should be illuminated, based upon the value of said digital signal, and generates at least one output signal that controls said plurality of colored LEDs.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.