Battery pack

Abstract

The battery pack of the present invention is provided with a current cut-off device connected in series with batteries, a tamper detector to detect tampering and issue a tamper signal, and a control circuit connected to the tamper detector. If the tamper detector detects tampering with the battery pack, the control circuit switches the current cut-off device off to shut off current to the batteries, or it issues a tamper signal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an abbreviated cross-section view of a battery pack related to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an abbreviated cross-section view showing the battery pack of FIG. 1 in a disassembled state.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a battery pack related to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an abbreviated cross-section view of a battery pack related to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an abbreviated cross-section view showing the battery pack of FIG. 4 in a disassembled state.

FIG. 6 is an abbreviated cross-section view of a battery pack related to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an abbreviated cross-section view showing the battery pack of FIG. 6 in a disassembled state.

FIG. 8 is an abbreviated cross-section view of a battery pack related to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an exploded cross-section view showing the battery pack of FIG. 8 in a disassembled state.

FIG. 10 is a cross-section view across the line A-A of the battery pack shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram of the battery pack shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 12 is an abbreviated cross-section view of a battery pack related to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an exploded cross-section view showing the battery pack of FIG. 12 in a disassembled state.

FIG. 14 is a circuit diagram of a battery pack related to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a circuit diagram of a battery pack related to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a graph showing the change in battery voltage for battery pack discharge.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged view of one part of the graph shown in FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a graph showing the change in battery voltage for battery pack charging.

FIG. 19 is an enlarged view of one part of the graph shown in FIG. 18.

FIG. 20 is a flow chart for an embodiment of control circuit detection of battery replacement.

FIG. 21 is a flow chart for another embodiment of control circuit detection of battery replacement.

FIG. 22 is a flow chart for another embodiment of control circuit detection of battery replacement.

FIG. 23 is a flow chart for another embodiment of control circuit detection of battery replacement.

FIG. 24 is a flow chart for another embodiment of control circuit detection of battery replacement.

FIG. 25 is a flow chart for another embodiment of control circuit detection of battery replacement.

FIG. 26 is a flow chart for another embodiment of control circuit detection of battery replacement.

FIG. 27 is a flow chart for another embodiment of control circuit detection of battery replacement.

FIG. 28 is a flow chart for another embodiment of control circuit detection of battery replacement.

Claims

1. A battery pack provided with a current cut-off device connected in series with batteries, a tamper detector to detect tampering and issue a tamper signal, and a control circuit connected to the tamper detector.

2. A battery pack as recited in claim 1 wherein the control circuit switches the current cut-off device off to cut-off battery current given a tamper signal output from the tamper detector.

3. A battery pack as recited in claim 2 wherein the tamper detector is a disassembly detection switch that detects disassembly of the case, which houses batteries; and the control circuit switches the current cut-off device off given a disassembly signal from the disassembly detection switch.

4. A battery pack as recited in claim 2 wherein the current cut-off device is the charging switch that controls battery charging.

5. A battery pack as recited in claim 2 wherein the current cut-off device is the discharge switch that controls battery discharge.

6. A battery pack as recited in claim 2 wherein the current cut-off device a fuse connected in series with the batteries.

7. A battery pack as recited in claim 2 wherein the control circuit is provided with memory to store the disassembly signal output from the disassembly detection switch.

8. A battery pack as recited in claim 3 wherein the disassembly detection switch is a light sensor that detects light and switches on and off.

9. A battery pack as recited in claim 8 wherein the light sensor is a photo-detector or a photo-coupler.

10. A battery pack as recited in claim 3 wherein the disassembly detection switch is made up of conducting material.

11. A battery pack as recited in claim 3 wherein the battery pack is provided with a plurality of mutually connected unit cases, and the disassembly detection switch detects unit case disassembly and outputs a disassembly signal.

12. A battery pack as recited in claim 11 wherein each unit case houses batteries and is provided with connectors that are mutually connected in the assembled state; and the batteries housed in the unit cases are connected by those connectors.

13. A battery pack as recited in claim 12 wherein the disassembly detection switch is made up of the connectors provided on the unit cases; and if the unit cases are disassembled and the connectors become separated, the disassembly detection switch is switched off.

14. A battery pack as recited in claim 11 wherein the current cut-off device is a fuse.

15. A battery pack as recited in claim 11 wherein the control circuit is provided with memory to store a cut-off ID to cut-off the current cut-off device given a disassembly signal from the disassembly detection switch.

16. A battery pack as recited in claim 11 wherein the control circuit is provided with memory to store a cut-off ID to cut-off the current cut-off device given a disassembly signal from the disassembly detection switch; this memory is memory in which the cut-off ID can be re-written; and the cut-off ID is re-written to this memory to prevent cut-off of the current cut-off device during authorized disassembly of the unit cases.

17. A battery pack as recited in claim 3 wherein the current cut-off device and the batteries are electrically connected; a plurality of interconnected circuit boards are provided; and the disassembly detection switch detects circuit board disassembly and outputs a disassembly signal.

18. A battery pack as recited in claim 1 wherein the control circuit is provided with a tamper detector that detects battery replacement from change in battery electrical characteristics.

19. A battery pack as recited in claim 18 wherein a plurality of batteries are provided, the control circuit detects electrical characteristics of each battery, and battery replacement is determined from change in the electrical characteristics of each battery.

20. A battery pack as recited in claim 19 wherein the control circuit detects the discharge voltage of each battery, and battery replacement is determined from change in the discharge voltage of each battery, or from the order of discharge voltages.

21. A battery pack as recited in claim 19 wherein the control circuit detects the charging voltage of each battery, and battery replacement is determined from change in the charging voltage of each battery, or from the order of charging voltages.

22. A battery pack as recited in claim 19 wherein the control circuit detects discharge voltage of each battery after reaching full charge, and determines battery replacement from change in discharge voltage of each battery or from the order of discharge voltages.

23. A battery pack as recited in claim 18 wherein the control circuit detects battery capacity, and determines battery replacement from change in capacity.

24. A battery pack as recited in claim 18 wherein the control circuit is provided with a memory section to store battery voltage before shutdown, and determines battery replacement from the voltage value stored in that memory section.

25. A battery pack as recited in claim 24 wherein the control circuit concludes battery replacement when it shuts down without storing battery voltage in the memory section.

26. A battery pack as recited in claim 24 wherein the control circuit compares the voltage value stored in the memory section before shutdown with the battery voltage after return to operation, and concludes battery replacement when the battery voltage after return to operation is larger than the voltage value stored in the memory section.

27. A battery pack as recited in claim 18 wherein the control circuit is provided with a designated area of main memory that is initialized after control circuit activation; when the control circuit activates after a shutdown and the initialized state of the designated area is retained, temporary power interruption, with no battery replacement is concluded.