Battery pack and electrical apparatus using the same

Abstract

The present application relates to a battery pack and an electrical apparatus using the same, and detects a precursory abnormal phenomenon in the battery pack before power blocking by a fuse is performed to prevent use of the battery pack. In a battery pack including a battery cell, a connection portion electrically connected to the battery cell and connected to an electrical apparatus main body outside, and a control portion that controls the battery cell, when an abnormal state such as contact vibration is detected by the control portion, the control portion continuously outputs a charge prohibition signal (LS) and a discharge prohibition signal (LD), so that charging and discharging of the battery pack cannot be performed (steps 226 to 228). The continuous output of these prohibition signals is configured so as not to be released by a user's operation, and the battery pack cannot be used by control of software.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a battery pack and / or an electric appliance capable of switching between low output and high output, and a battery cell of different capacity is combined to achieve miniaturization. BACKGROUND

[0002] As a power source of an electric appliance such as a power tool, a battery pack using a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery is widely used. The battery pack is configured to be detachable with respect to the electric appliance main body, and when the voltage is lowered due to discharge, the battery pack is detached from the electric appliance main body and charged using an external charging device. In the existing battery pack, a safety mechanism that stops the continuous use of the battery pack when an abnormality such as a short circuit occurs is provided. As a representative safety mechanism, a fuse (power fuse) provided in the power transmission path is provided. The fuse is an electronic component that prevents damage to the load portion, the power source portion, and the like caused by excessive current by blocking the metal component interposed in the power path when excessive current flows through the power path. In the existing battery pack, when a current exceeding the rated value flows in the power path, the alloy component contained in the fuse is fused due to Joule heat. The power blockage using the fuse is an irreversible phenomenon that cannot be restored by electrical control.

[0003] As one of the slight abnormalities that can normally occur in the battery pack, there are so-called "over-discharge" and "over-charge" states. "Over-discharge" is a state in which the battery pack is discharged to a prescribed lower limit voltage or lower limit capacity or less when the battery pack is used in the power tool main body that is the electric appliance main body. In the case where this state is reached, the state in which the battery pack cannot be used (discharged) (discharge prohibition state) is made by the control of the circuit built in the battery pack. In order to perform this control, exchange of an LD signal (abnormality signal) is performed between the battery pack and the electric appliance main body, for example. In the discharge prohibition state, the voltage of the battery cell is restored by charging using an external charging device that is the electric appliance main body, and thus the discharge prohibition state is automatically released by the microcomputer of the control portion of the battery pack.

[0004] "Over-charge" means a state in which a prescribed upper limit voltage or upper limit charge capacity is reached when the battery pack is charged using an external charging device that is the electric appliance main body. In the case where this state is reached, the state in which charging of the battery pack cannot be performed (charge prohibition state) is made by the control of the circuit built in the battery pack. In order to perform this control, exchange of an LS signal (abnormality signal) is performed between the battery pack and the electric appliance main body, for example. In the charge prohibition state, when the battery pack is mounted to the power tool main body that is the electric appliance main body and used, and the voltage of the battery cell is lowered from the full charge state, the charge prohibition state is automatically released by the microcomputer of the control portion of the battery pack.

[0005] PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

[0006] Patent Literature

[0007] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2019-004631 SUMMARY

[0008] Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0009] In the existing battery pack, two kinds of blockage, irreversible power blockage (blockage using a fuse) by electric control and reversible power blockage (blockage control using LD signal, LS signal) by electric control, are performed. According to the research of the inventors and the like, it is known that, before reaching an abnormal state in which irreversible power blockage is performed, a transitional phenomenon occurs before a fatal short-circuit phenomenon occurs at a short-circuit site, such as a so-called contact vibration in which two sites as short-circuit objects slightly contact and separate. Therefore, the inventors and the like detect the occurrence of such a precursor phenomenon, and consider that if the battery pack is made into a non-use state by a method different from the fuse means before irreversible power blockage using a fuse is performed, the damage to the battery pack or the electrical equipment body can be further suppressed.

[0010] The present application was made in view of the background described above, and aims to provide a battery pack in which a precursor abnormal phenomenon is detected as early as possible before irreversible power blockage is performed, thereby preventing the use of the battery pack, and an electrical equipment using the same. Another object of the present application is to provide a battery pack in which a function of detecting the occurrence of a precursor abnormal phenomenon is added while suppressing the increase in the manufacturing cost of the battery pack, and an electrical equipment using the same. Another object of the present application is to provide a battery pack in which a short-circuit state in a connection terminal portion can be detected with high accuracy in a battery pack including a plurality of connection terminals, and an electrical equipment using the same.

[0011] Technical Means for Solving the Problem

[0012] The following describes representative features in the inventions disclosed in the present application. According to one feature of the present application, a battery pack includes a battery cell, a connection portion electrically connected to the battery cell and connected to an external electrical device main body, and a control portion that controls discharge or charge of the battery cell, the control portion stopping or prohibiting discharge or charge of the battery cell when a prescribed abnormal state related to the battery pack is present. Further, even after it is determined that the prescribed abnormal state is no longer present, the control portion maintains the stop or prohibition of discharge or charge of the battery cell. The prescribed abnormal state is a case where one or more physical quantities related to at least any one of a voltage of the battery cell, a current flowing through the battery cell, and a temperature of the battery cell satisfy a prescribed condition. Further, the prescribed condition is a case where a state in which the voltage of the battery cell is lower than a prescribed value occurs a plurality of times within a prescribed time, or a case where a state in which the current flowing through the battery cell is equal to or higher than a prescribed value occurs a plurality of times within a prescribed time. In this way, the control portion stops or prohibits charge and discharge when the prescribed abnormal state is present in a state in which the electrical device main body is connected, and maintains the state of stopping or prohibiting charge and discharge even after the prescribed abnormal state is eliminated.

[0013] According to another feature of the present application, the control portion is configured to output a charge prohibition signal that prohibits charge of the battery cell, or a discharge prohibition signal that prohibits discharge of the battery cell, and prohibits charge of the battery cell even after being detached from the electrical device main body and connected to a charging device. The battery pack includes a charge prohibition signal output circuit that transmits the charge prohibition signal, or a discharge prohibition signal output circuit that transmits the discharge prohibition signal. Further, the connection portion (terminal portion) of the battery pack has a charge prohibition signal output terminal that outputs the charge prohibition signal transmitted via the charge prohibition signal output circuit to the charging device, or a discharge prohibition signal output terminal that outputs the discharge prohibition signal transmitted via the discharge prohibition signal output circuit to the electrical device main body. Furthermore, the control portion of the battery pack is configured to perform control of either one of (1) maintaining output of the charge prohibition signal when the charge prohibition signal is output once, or outputting the charge prohibition signal again when the charging device is connected, and (2) maintaining output of the discharge prohibition signal when the discharge prohibition signal is output once, or outputting the discharge prohibition signal again when the electrical device main body is connected.

[0014] According to still another feature of the present application, a fuse is provided between the battery cell and the connection portion (terminal portion), and a blocking function of two systems of blocking overcurrent by the fuse and inhibiting charging and discharging by electric control of the control portion is provided. Further, the connection portion includes a signal terminal from which a charging inhibition signal and a discharging inhibition signal are output from the control portion, and the control portion is capable of canceling the charging inhibition signal and the discharging inhibition signal when the abnormal state is in a temporary state, and is incapable of canceling the charging inhibition signal when the abnormal state is in a continuously occurring state. Further, a cell unit in which a plurality of battery cells are connected in series has at least a first cell unit and a second cell unit, and is configured to switch between a series connection state in which the first cell unit and the second cell unit are connected in series with each other and a parallel connection state in which the first cell unit and the second cell unit are connected in parallel with each other in a state in which the first cell unit is connected to a higher voltage side than the second cell unit, and either one of the series connection state or the parallel connection state is selected in accordance with a terminal shape of the electrical device main body.

[0015] According to still another feature of the present application, in a battery pack including a battery cell, a connection portion (terminal portion) that is electrically connected to the battery cell and is connected to an electrical device main body outside, and a control portion that controls the battery cell, when a short circuit due to a short time of contact vibration of the connection portion is detected, the control portion inhibits charging and discharging of the battery cell and maintains the inhibited state even when connected to a charging device that is the electrical device main body. Further, in the battery pack, when an abnormal state occurs in a state in which the connection portion is connected to the electrical device main body outside, the control portion inhibits charging and discharging of the battery cell and is incapable of canceling the inhibited state by a user's operation. Further, in a battery pack in which a cell unit in which a plurality of battery cells are connected in series has at least a first cell unit and a second cell unit, when a short circuit occurs between the cell units, a discharge path or a charging path is blocked under a predetermined condition before the discharge path or the charging path is completely blocked. The battery pack has a control portion and a fuse provided in the discharge path or the charging path. Further, when a short circuit occurs between the cell units, the discharge path or the charging path is blocked by the control portion before the discharge path or the charging path is completely blocked by the fuse. The blocking by the control portion is incapable of being canceled by a user's operation. Such a battery pack constitutes an electrical device by being mounted to an electrical device main body that has a battery pack mounting portion in which the battery pack is detachably mounted, a device side terminal portion that is connected to the connection portion, and a load portion that is driven by power supplied from the battery pack.

[0016] Effects of the Invention

[0017] According to the present invention, by detecting early warning signs such as contact vibration occurring near the connection portion (terminal portion) of the battery pack, the battery pack can be put into an unusable state by control of the control unit at a stage earlier than the power interruption by a fuse. As a result, a complete short circuit at the terminals of the battery pack can be prevented. Furthermore, by implementing the detection and control of the warning signs using software executed by the control unit of the battery pack, the present invention can be implemented without changing the structure of the electrical equipment itself. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a power tool body 1 equipped with a battery pack 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a battery pack 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A three-dimensional view of the battery pack 100 unfolded.

[0021] Figure 4 (A) is a partial perspective view showing the shapes of the positive terminals (162 and 172) and the negative terminals (167 and 177), and a diagram showing the connection circuit during high-voltage output. Figure 4 (B) is a partial perspective view showing the connection status between the terminal part 30 of the high-voltage electrical equipment and the terminals on the battery pack 100 side.

[0022] Figure 5 (A) is a partial perspective view showing the shapes of the positive terminals (162 and 172) and the negative terminals (167 and 177), and a diagram showing the connection circuit during low-voltage output. Figure 5 (B) is a partial perspective view showing the connection status of the terminal section 80 of the low-voltage electrical equipment to the terminals on the battery pack 100 side.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a circuit diagram of the battery pack 100 in this embodiment.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a circuit diagram showing the connection between the battery pack 100 and the high-voltage electrical equipment body (power tool body 1) in this embodiment.

[0025] Figure 8 This is a circuit diagram showing the connection between the battery pack 100 and the external charging device 300 in this embodiment.

[0026] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing the waveforms of various signals when contact vibration occurs in the battery pack 100 of this embodiment.

[0027] Figure 10 is a flowchart showing a detection program of the contact vibration phenomenon in the battery pack 100 of the present embodiment.

[0028] Figure 11 is a flowchart showing a control program after the detection of the contact vibration phenomenon in the battery pack 100 of the present embodiment.

[0029] Figure 12 is a circuit diagram of the battery pack 100A of the second embodiment of the present application.

[0030] Figure 13 is a waveform chart for explaining the power blocking state based on the existing fuse.

[0031] [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 1: Electric tool body (electrical equipment body)

[0033] 2: Housing

[0034] 2a: Main body portion

[0035] 2b: Handle portion

[0036] 2c: Battery pack mounting portion

[0037] 3: Motor

[0038] 4: Trigger switch (trigger SW)

[0039] 5: Forward / reverse switching lever

[0040] 8: Front tool holding portion

[0041] 9: Front tool

[0042] 11a, 11b: Rail portions

[0043] 12: Bending portion

[0044] 14: Protrusion portion

[0045] 20: Control portion

[0046] 21: Power supply circuit

[0047] 22: Voltage detection circuit

[0048] 23: Switch state detection circuit

[0049] 24: Current detection circuit

[0050] 25: Switching element

[0051] 26: Shunt resistor

[0052] 27, 28: Resistors

[0053] 30: Terminal Department

[0054] 30a: Vertical plane

[0055] 30b: Horizontal plane

[0056] 31: Base

[0057] 31a, 31b: concave portion

[0058] 32: Positive input terminal

[0059] 37: Negative input terminal

[0060] 38: LD terminal

[0061] 39: Short-circuit circuit

[0062] 39a, 39b: Short-circuit terminals

[0063] 40: Load device

[0064] 53: Motor

[0065] 80: Terminal Department

[0066] 81: Base

[0067] 82: Positive input terminal

[0068] 87: Negative input terminal

[0069] 90: Load device

[0070] 100, 100A: Battery pack

[0071] 101: Lower Shell

[0072] 104: Slit

[0073] 110: Upper shell

[0074] 111: Lower section noodles

[0075] 112: Step Difference Part

[0076] 113: Upper Noodles

[0077] 115: Elevated area

[0078] 116a, 116b: Latch

[0079] 117a, 117b: Locking part

[0080] 118a, 118b: Track section

[0081] 119: Stop section

[0082] 120: slot group arrangement region

[0083] 121-128: slots

[0084] 130: upper-side battery cell unit

[0085] 134: slit

[0086] 140: lower-side battery cell unit

[0087] 145: partition

[0088] 146, 147: screw post

[0089] 150: circuit substrate

[0090] 151: protection IC (for upper-side battery cell unit)

[0091] 152: fuse

[0092] 153: blocking member

[0093] 155: overcharge signal

[0094] 156: overdischarge signal

[0095] 157: upper-side voltage detection circuit

[0096] 160: slot group arrangement region

[0097] 162: upper-side positive electrode terminal

[0098] 162a, 162b: arm portion (of upper-side positive electrode terminal)

[0099] 164: T terminal

[0100] 165: V terminal

[0101] 166: LS terminal

[0102] 167: upper-side negative electrode terminal

[0103] 167a, 167b: arm portion (of upper-side negative electrode terminal)

[0104] 168: LD terminal

[0105] 172: lower-side positive electrode terminal

[0106] 172a, 172b: arm portion (of lower-side positive electrode terminal)

[0107] 177: lower-side negative electrode terminal

[0108] 177a, 177b: arm portion (of lower-side negative electrode terminal)

[0109] 180: power supply circuit

[0110] 181: protection IC (for lower cell unit)

[0111] 182: fuse

[0112] 183: blocking member

[0113] 184: current detection circuit

[0114] 185: overcharge signal

[0115] 186: overdischarge signal

[0116] 187: discharge prohibition signal

[0117] 188: charge prohibition signal

[0118] 189: shunt resistor

[0119] 190: control section

[0120] 191: switching element

[0121] 193: cell temperature detection member

[0122] 230: current value

[0123] 231 to 233: pulsed current

[0124] 235: current value

[0125] 240: voltage value

[0126] 241: pulse

[0127] 250: LD signal

[0128] 255: LS signal

[0129] 261, 262, 266: lead tab

[0130] 270: lead plate

[0131] 271, 276: lead tab

[0132] 272: narrow portion

[0133] 294, 296 to 299: end portion (of lead wire)

[0134] 300: external charging device

[0135] 301: commercial AC power supply

[0136] 310: power supply circuit

[0137] 311: shunt resistor

[0138] 315: current detection circuit

[0139] 317: battery voltage detection circuit

[0140] 320: control section

[0141] 332: positive terminal

[0142] 336: LS terminal

[0143] 337: negative terminal

[0144] I1: threshold current (for contact bounce phenomenon determination)

[0145] I2: blocking threshold current (based on fuse)

[0146] T2: threshold value

[0147] V1: voltage threshold value

[0148] VDD, VDD1, VDD2: reference voltage DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0149] Embodiment 1

[0150] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present application will be described based on the drawings. In the following drawings, the same parts are denoted by the same symbols, and overlapping description will be omitted. In the present specification, an electric power tool using a battery pack is used as an example of an electric device.

[0151] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electric power tool body 1 of a battery pack 100 to which the embodiment of the present application is attached. Electric power tools as one form of electric devices have various kinds, and in addition to widely used electric power tools using a battery pack of a rated voltage of 18 V, electric power tools using a battery pack 100 of a rated voltage of 36 V, which can obtain higher output, are commercially available. In addition, according to the applicant, a battery pack of a plurality of voltages compatible with either of an electric power tool body of a rated voltage of 18 V and an electric power tool body 1 of a rated voltage of 36 V is commercially available.

[0152] Figure 1The power tool body 1 shown is called an impact tool. A front-end tool 9, such as a drill bit, is mounted on the output shaft, and a tightening operation is performed by applying rotational force or axial impact force to the front-end tool. The power tool body 1 includes a housing 2 forming the outer frame. The housing 2 has a generally cylindrical main body 2a and a handle 2b extending orthogonally (downward) from near the axial center of the main body 2a. An anvil (not shown) serving as the output shaft is provided on the front side of the housing 2. A hexagonal hole (not shown) with a hexagonal cross-section is formed on the output shaft. A one-touch front-end tool holder 8 for mounting the front-end tool 9 is provided at the front end of the output shaft. Here, a Phillips head screwdriver bit is mounted as the front-end tool 9. A trigger-like trigger switch 4 is provided on a part of the handle 2b near where the operator's index finger touches when gripping the tool. A forward / reverse switch lever 5 for switching the rotation direction of the output shaft is provided near the trigger switch 4. A battery pack mounting portion 2c for mounting the battery pack 100 is formed below the handle 2b.

[0153] In the battery pack mounting section 2c, track sections 11a and 11b, extending parallel to each other in the front-rear direction and containing grooves, are formed on the inner walls of the left and right sides, and a terminal section 30 is provided between them. The terminal section 30 is manufactured by integral molding of a non-conductive material such as synthetic resin, and multiple metal terminals, such as a positive input terminal 32, a negative input terminal 37, and an LD terminal (abnormal signal terminal) 38, are cast therein. Furthermore, a terminal for casting the lower positive terminal 172 of the battery pack 100 ( Figure 4 (described later) and the lower negative extreme 177 ( Figure 4 (To be described later) A U-shaped shorting bar is used for shorting, with one end becoming shorting terminal 39a and the other end becoming shorting terminal 39b. Here, shorting terminal 39a is configured to be separate from the lower side of positive input terminal 32, and shorting terminal 39b is configured to be separate from the lower side of negative input terminal 37. Furthermore, other signal connection terminals described later are omitted here and are not shown.

[0154] The terminal portion 30 has a vertical surface 30a and a horizontal surface 30b that serve as a contact surface in the installation direction (front-back direction). The horizontal surface 30b is positioned to contact the upper section surface 113 during the installation of the battery pack 100. Figure 2 (To be described later) Adjacent and facing surfaces. A curved portion 12 is formed on the front side of the horizontal plane 30b, abutting against the raised portion 115 of the battery pack 100. A protrusion 14 is formed near the center of the left and right sides of the curved portion 12. The protrusion 14 also serves as a boss for fastening the housing of the power tool body 1, which is formed in a bipartite manner in the left and right direction, and also functions as a stop to restrict the relative movement of the battery pack 100 in the installation direction.

[0155] Figure 2is a perspective view of a battery pack 100 which is an embodiment of the present application. The battery pack 100 houses 10 lithium ion battery cells each having a nominal voltage of 3.6 V in a case including an upper case 110 and a lower case 101. A portion of the battery pack 100 in which a step portion 112 extends toward the rear side from an upper step surface 113 becomes a slot group arrangement region 120. The lower step surface 111 and the upper step surface 113 of the upper case 110 are formed in a stepped shape, and a plurality of slots 121 to 128 extending toward the rear side from the connecting portion thereof are formed. The slots 121 to 128 are portions obtained by cutting out the upper case 110 in the battery pack mounting direction to have a prescribed length, and a plurality of connection terminals capable of fitting with device-side terminals of the power tool body 1 or an external charging device (not shown) are arranged inside the cut-out portions. With respect to the slots 121 to 128, the slot 121 on the right side surface side of the battery pack 100 becomes a slot into which a charging positive terminal (C+ terminal) is inserted, and the slot 122 becomes a slot into which a discharging positive terminal (+ terminal) is inserted. In addition, the slot 127 on the left side surface side becomes a slot into which a negative terminal (- terminal) is inserted. A plurality of signal terminals for transmitting signals to the battery pack 100 and the power tool body 1 or the external charging device (not shown) are arranged between the positive terminal and the negative terminal (power terminal group), and four slots 123 to 126 for the signal terminals are provided between the power terminal group. In addition, the slot 123 is a spare terminal insertion slot, and no terminal is provided in this embodiment.

[0156] The slot 124 is a slot for a T terminal for outputting a signal which is identification information of the battery pack 100 to the power tool body or the charging device. The slot 125 is a slot for a V terminal for inputting a control signal from the external charging device (not shown). The slot 126 is a slot for an LS terminal for outputting temperature information of the battery based on a thermistor (temperature sensing element) not shown which is arranged in contact with the battery cell. Further, a slot 128 for an LD terminal which outputs an abnormal stop signal generated by a battery protection circuit (not shown) included in the battery pack 100 is arranged on the left side of the slot 127 which is a slot into which the negative terminal (- terminal) is inserted.

[0157] Two rail portions (rail grooves) 118a, 118b are formed on the side surface of the upper step surface 113 of the battery pack 100. The rail portions 118a, 118b are formed in a manner that the longitudinal direction is parallel to the mounting direction of the battery pack 100. The front side end portion of the groove portion of the rail portions 118a, 118b is an open end, and the rear side end portion is a closed end connected to the front side wall surface of the raised portion 115. A raised portion 115 is formed on the rear side of the upper step surface 113 in a raised manner. A recessed stop portion 119 is formed near the center of the raised portion 115. The stop portion 119 becomes the abutting surface of the protrusion portion 14 (refer to FIG. 6) when the battery pack 100 is mounted to the battery pack mounting portion 2c. When the battery pack 100 is mounted to the prescribed position of the power tool body 1, a plurality of terminals (device side terminals) provided to the power tool body 1 come into contact with a plurality of connection terminals provided to the battery pack 100 and become in a conduction state. When the battery pack 100 is detached from the power tool body 1, by pressing the latches 116a, 116b on the left and right sides, the claw-shaped stop portions 117a (not visible in the figure), 117b move inward and release the stop state, and thus the battery pack 100 is moved to the side opposite to the mounting direction in this state. Figure 1 ) of the protrusion portion 14. When the battery pack 100 is mounted to the prescribed position of the power tool body 1, a plurality of terminals (device side terminals) provided to the power tool body 1 come into contact with a plurality of connection terminals provided to the battery pack 100 and become in a conduction state. When the battery pack 100 is detached from the power tool body 1, by pressing the latches 116a, 116b on the left and right sides, the claw-shaped stop portions 117a (not visible in the figure), 117b move inward and release the stop state, and thus the battery pack 100 is moved to the side opposite to the mounting direction in this state.

[0158] The battery pack 100 of the present embodiment can be mounted to both the existing power tool body for 18 V and the power tool body 1 for 36 V by focusing on the terminal structure on the battery pack 100 side and the terminal structure of the terminal portion 30 on the device side of the power tool body 1 for 36 V. When the mounting is performed, the output of the battery pack 100 automatically becomes 18 V when the battery pack 100 is mounted to the power tool body for 18 V, and the output of the battery pack 100 automatically becomes 36 V when the battery pack 100 is mounted to the power tool body 1 for 36 V. Normally, the output voltage of the battery pack is fixed, but in the battery pack 100, by providing a plurality of cell units in the housing that accommodates the battery cells, and being able to select whether to output them in a series connection or in a parallel connection using the connection member, it is possible to cope with devices of different voltages. With regard to the battery pack, when a plurality of electrical devices are used, it is not necessary to prepare different kinds of battery packs separately. Further, no special operation is necessary at the time of voltage switching, and thus there is no risk of an operation error.

[0159] Figure 3 is Figure 2An expanded perspective view of the battery pack 100. The frame of the battery pack 100 is formed by an upper case 110 and a lower case 101 that can be separated in the up-down direction, and 10 battery cells are housed in the internal space of the lower case 101. The 10 battery cells are provided with two groups of 5 cells each connected in series. By setting the two cell groups in a series connection state, a rated output of 36 V (high voltage output) is obtained, and by setting them in a parallel connection state, a rated output of 18 V (low voltage output) is obtained. To achieve automatic switching of the output voltage, two positive terminals (162, 172) are provided that are connected to the positive electrodes of the first and second cell groups, respectively, and two negative terminals (167, 177) are provided that are connected to the negative electrodes of the first and second cell groups, respectively, and when the battery pack 100 is mounted to an electrical equipment body for low voltage use, the parallel connection output (low voltage) of the first and second cell groups is output from the battery pack. Likewise, when the battery pack 100 is mounted to an electrical equipment body for high voltage use (for example, the power tool body 1), the series connection output (high voltage) of the first and second cell groups is output from the battery pack 100.

[0160] The upper case 110 and the lower case 101 are fixed by four screws (not shown). The plurality of battery cells (not shown) are fixed in a state of 5 stacked in 2 segments, using separators 145 containing a non-conductor such as synthetic resin. The separators 145 hold the plurality of battery cells in a manner that only the left and right sides of the two end portions of the battery cells are open.

[0161] A circuit board 150 is fixed on the upper side of the separators 145. A slot group arrangement region 160 is provided slightly forward of the center in the front-rear direction of the circuit board 150, a plurality of connection terminals (161, 162, 164-168, 171, 172, 177) are arranged horizontally and fixed to the slot group arrangement region 160 by soldering, and electrical connection of these connection terminals to a circuit pattern not shown is performed. Various electronic components (not shown here) such as a battery protection integrated circuit (IC), a microcomputer, a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistor, a resistor, a capacitor, a fuse, a light emitting diode, and the like are further mounted on the circuit board 150. The material of the circuit board 150 is a printed board in which a pattern wiring is printed on a board in which a resin having insulating properties with respect to the raw material is impregnated, using a conductor such as a copper foil, and a single-layer board, a double-sided board, a multi-layer board can be used. In the present embodiment, a double-sided board is used to form a wiring pattern on the upper surface (front surface and the surface visible from the Figure 3 upper side) and the lower surface (back surface) of the circuit board 150.

[0162] In the connection terminal group of the battery pack 100 of this embodiment, only the positive terminal and the negative terminal are each provided with two. The number of connection terminals other than these, that is, the number of the slots 124 to 126, the T terminal, the V terminal, the LS terminal, and the LD terminal (all not shown) of the slot 128 is one each, and they are in the same terminal shape as the voltage-fixed battery pack used in the past. The positive terminals (161, 162, 171, 172) and the negative terminals (167, 177) are arranged at positions largely apart in the left-right direction, and three signal terminals (the T terminal 164, the V terminal 165, and the LS terminal 166) are provided between them. In this embodiment, as the parts for the power terminals, parts in which one group is provided on the left and right on the upper side and one group is provided on the left and right on the lower side, for a total of two groups, are used. Also, the signal terminals (164 to 166, 168) have two arm portions on the upper and lower sides, but they are formed of the same member and are electrically at the same potential.

[0163] The LD terminal 168 is provided on the left side of the negative terminal pair (167, 177). The LD terminal 168 is also formed to have two groups of arm portions on the upper and lower sides. All of the signal terminals (164 to 166, 168) have their respective leg portions penetrate the plurality of mounting holes formed on the circuit board 150 from the surface to the back surface, and are fixed on the back surface side by soldering. As described above, after the plurality of connection terminals are fixed by soldering, the electronic components not shown are mounted on the circuit board 150, and the plurality of connection terminals are fixed to the partition 145 by the screws not shown.

[0164] The lower case 101 is in the shape of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped with an open upper surface, and includes a bottom surface, a front surface wall, a rear surface wall, a right side wall, and a left side wall extending in the vertical direction with respect to the bottom surface. The internal space of the lower case 101 is formed in a shape suitable for housing the partition 145. A slit 104 is provided in the substantially center of the front surface wall of the lower case. The slit 134 of the upper case 110 is used as an inflow port for sucking external air into the internal space of the battery pack 100 from the slit 104 of the lower case 101 when charging is performed using a charging device, and for causing cooling air to flow into the charging device through the slit 134 of the upper case 110 after cooling the inside of the battery pack 100, and the slit 104 of the lower case 101 is used as an air intake port for the cooling air. In addition, the flow of the cooling air can also be reversed.

[0165] The connection of the output from the battery cell side to the circuit board 150 (connection of the battery cell to the circuit board 150) is made via the connection-use lead-out tabs 261, 266, 271, 276 which extend in a plate shape in the upward direction. Further, the end portions 294, 296 to 299 of the wires from the intermediate connection points of the series-connected battery cells are arranged in a manner extending in the upward direction, and are soldered to the circuit board 150. Furthermore, the intermediate lead-out tabs 262, 263 from the intermediate connection points of the series-connected battery cells are arranged in a manner extending in the upward direction so as to be connected to the circuit board 150. The screw posts 146, 147 for fixing the circuit board 150 are formed on the upper side of the partition 145.

[0166] The partition 145 stacks 10 battery cells each by 5 in two sections of upper and lower. The battery cells are inserted into the cylindrical spaces of the partition 145. The 10 battery cells use lithium ion battery cells of 18 mm in diameter and 65 mm in length, which are called so-called 18650 size, which can be charged and discharged multiple times. The axis of each battery cell is stacked in a manner to be parallel respectively, and the orientation of the adjacent cells is arranged in an alternating reverse manner, and the positive and negative terminals of the adjacent battery cells are connected using a metal-made connection plate (not visible in the drawing). In this way, 5 battery cells are connected to each other to constitute a cell unit. Two sets of cell units are accommodated here.

[0167] The positive electrode of the upper cell unit 130 is connected to the circuit board 150 using the lead-out plate formed with the lead-out tab 261, and the negative electrode of the upper cell unit 130 is connected to the circuit board 150 using the lead-out plate formed with the lead-out tab 266. Similarly, the positive electrode of the lower cell unit 140 is connected to the circuit board 150 using the lead-out plate 270 formed with the lead-out tab 271, and the negative electrode of the lower cell unit 140 is connected to the circuit board 150 using the lead-out plate formed with the lead-out tab 276. Here, a narrow portion 272 which functions as a fuse 182 (to be described later) is formed between the lead-out plate 270 and the lead-out tab 271. The narrow portion 272 becomes a cut-off state by melting when a large current of the threshold value I1 or more continues for a prescribed time or more, thereby eliminating the electrical connection state of the lead-out plate 270 and the lead-out tab 271. Further, although not visible in Figure 6 , a function of a fuse 152 (to be described later) is exerted by forming a narrow portion in the lead-out tab 261 for the upper cell unit 130 as well. Figure 3 Figure 6

[0168] Figure 4 ​​(A) is a partial perspective view showing the shapes of the positive terminal (162 and 172) and the negative terminal (167 and 177) of the present embodiment, and a view showing the connection circuit at the time of high-voltage output, Figure 4 (B) is a partial perspective view for showing the connection state of the terminal portion 30 of the high-voltage electrical equipment body and the terminals of the battery pack 100. As shown in (A), Figure 4 (A), of the present embodiment, of the connection terminal group of the battery pack 100, only two of the positive terminals and two of the negative terminals are provided. In the slot 122 (see Figure 3 ), the upper positive terminal 162 and the lower positive terminal 172 are arranged. The upper positive terminal 162 and the lower positive terminal 172 are formed by punching a metal plate, have the foot portions penetrating the circuit board 150, and are fixed to the side penetrated by welding or the like. The upper positive terminal 162 and the lower positive terminal 172 are arranged at a distance and in a physically non-contacting state, and are in an electrically non-conducting state within the battery pack 100. Similarly, in the slot 127 (see Figure 3 ), the upper negative terminal 167 and the lower negative terminal 177 are arranged. The upper negative terminal 167 and the lower negative terminal 177 are also arranged at a distance and in a physically non-contacting state, and are in an electrically non-conducting state within the battery pack 100. The upper positive terminal 162 and the upper negative terminal 167, and the lower positive terminal 172 and the lower negative terminal 177 are identical metal parts.

[0169] The lower cell unit 140 in which five lithium-ion battery cells are connected in series and the upper cell unit 130 in which battery cells are connected in series are housed inside the battery pack 100. The positive electrode of the upper cell unit 130 is connected to the upper positive terminal 162 corresponding to the first positive terminal, and the negative electrode of the upper cell unit 130 is connected to the lower negative terminal 177 corresponding to the first negative terminal. Similarly, the positive electrode of the lower cell unit 140 is connected to the lower positive terminal 172 corresponding to the second positive terminal, and the negative electrode of the lower cell unit 140 is connected to the upper negative terminal 167 corresponding to the second negative terminal. In addition, the upper side and the lower side of the cell unit described herein do not mean the physical position of the battery cell in the upper section or the lower section within the lower case 101, but the cell unit on the ground side is referred to as the "lower cell unit" when two cell units are connected in series, and the cell unit on the high-voltage side when connected in series is referred to as the "upper cell unit", and is based on the electrical potential.

[0170] In this battery pack 100, the positive input terminal 32 on the power tool body 1 side is connected to the upper positive terminal 162, and the negative input terminal 37 is connected to the upper negative terminal 167, and as shown by the broken line 39, if the lower positive terminal 172 and the lower negative terminal 177 are electrically connected by the short-circuit bar included in the terminal portion 30 on the power tool body 1 side, the output of the series connection of the lower cell unit 140 and the upper cell unit 130, that is, the output of the rated voltage 36 V from the battery pack 100 to the load device 40 of the power tool body 1 is achieved.

[0171] Figure 4 (B) is a view showing the connection relationship of the terminal portion 30 of the power tool body 1 and the connection terminals (162, 167, 172, 177) on the battery pack 100 side of the rated voltage 36 V. The terminal portion 30 is provided to the battery pack mounting portion 2c of the power tool body 1. The device-side terminals (32, 39a, 34 to 36, 37, 39b, 38) corresponding to the slots 121 to 128 (refer to Figure 2 ) of the battery pack 100 are fixed in a manner of being cast to the base 31 made of synthetic resin. The short-circuit circuit 39 is a short-circuit bar made of a metal plate, and as shown in Figure 4 , can be constituted by casting the metal plate bent in a U shape to the base 31 made of synthetic resin together with the positive input terminal 32 or the negative input terminal 37 or other device-side terminals. One side end portion of the metal plate bent in a U shape becomes the short-circuit terminal 39a, and the other side end portion becomes the short-circuit terminal 39b. The connection terminal portion on the upper side of the base 31 and the plate-shaped terminal portion on the lower side include the metal plate through which electricity is conducted. Here, no device-side terminal is provided at a position corresponding to the slot 123 (refer to Figure 3 ). As the input terminals for power, the positive input terminal 32 for receiving power and the negative input terminal 37 are constituted in a smaller size than the other terminals, and are provided on the upper side of the short-circuit terminal 39a and the short-circuit terminal 39b, respectively. The positive input terminal 32 is not conducted with the short-circuit terminal 39a. In addition, the negative input terminal 37 is not conducted with the short-circuit terminal 39b.

[0172] When the battery pack 100 is mounted, only the positive input terminal 32 is fitted to the upper positive terminal 162, and only the negative input terminal 37 is fitted to the upper negative terminal 167. In addition, the small short-circuit terminals 39a and 39b for short-circuiting the lower positive terminal 172 and the lower negative terminal 177 are provided to the terminal portion 30 of the power tool body 1, and therefore, when the battery pack 100 is mounted, the lower positive terminal 172 and the lower negative terminal 177 are electrically connected by the short-circuit circuit 39.

[0173] The positive input terminal 32 includes a terminal portion that is fitted with the upper positive terminal 162 and is formed in a flat plate shape, and a terminal portion that makes a wiring with the circuit board side of the power tool body 1 and protrudes upward of the base 31. The positive input terminal 32 is cast to the base 31 made of synthetic resin. The negative input terminal 37 is also the same as the positive input terminal 32, and the height of the terminal plate is set to a height that is slightly smaller than half of the height of the other terminal (34 to 36, 38) plates. The other terminals (34 to 36, 38) are terminals for signal transmission. A recess 31a and a recess 31b for being gripped by the housing are provided on the front side and the rear side of the base 31 made of synthetic resin of the terminal portion 30.

[0174] In Figure 4 (B), when the battery pack 100 is mounted, the positive input terminal 32 is inserted into the inside by passing through the same insertion slot 122 (see Figure 4 ) as the short-circuit terminal 39a, so that the upper positive terminal 162 and the lower positive terminal 172 are fitted, respectively. At this time, the positive input terminal 32 is pressed between the arm portions 162a and 162b of the upper positive terminal 162 in a manner of expanding the fitting portions therebetween, and the short-circuit terminal 39a is pressed between the arm portions 172a and 172b of the lower positive terminal 172 in a manner of expanding therebetween. Similarly, the negative input terminal 37 is inserted into the inside by passing through the same insertion slot 127 (see Figure 2 ) as the short-circuit terminal 39b, and is fitted with the upper negative terminal 167 and the lower negative terminal 177, respectively. At this time, the negative input terminal 37 is pressed between the arm portions 167a and 167b of the upper negative terminal 167 in a manner of expanding the fitting portions therebetween. Further, the short-circuit terminal 39b is pressed between the arm portions 177a and 177b of the lower negative terminal 177 in a manner of expanding therebetween. Thus, by the connection form of (B) of Figure 4 , the series connection of the lower cell unit 140 and the upper cell unit 130 is achieved, and the output of the rated voltage 36 V from the battery pack 100 is achieved.

[0175] Figure 5 (A) of and (B) of Figure 5 are diagrams showing the connection state when the battery pack 100 of the present embodiment is mounted to the existing power tool body (not shown) of the rated voltage 18 V. The terminal portion 80 is provided to the battery pack mounting portion of the power tool body. The connection terminals such as the positive input terminal 82 and the negative input terminal 87 are fixed to the terminal portion 80 in a manner of being cast to the base 81 made of synthetic resin. The other device side terminals (84 to 86, 88) are fixed to the terminal portion 80 in a manner of being cast to the base 81 made of synthetic resin. Figure 4The terminal portions 30 of the terminals (34 to 36, 38) of the device side are the same. When the battery pack 100 is attached to the power tool body, the terminal portion of the positive input terminal 82 is press-fitted in a manner that both the open end portions of the upper positive terminal 162 and the lower positive terminal 172 are expanded, so that the area of the upper portion of the terminal portion of the positive input terminal 82 is in contact with the upper positive terminal 162, and the area of the lower portion is in contact with the lower positive terminal 172. In this way, by press-fitting the terminal portion of the positive input terminal 82 to the arm portions 162a, 162b of the upper positive terminal 162 and the arm portions 172a, 172b of the lower positive terminal 172, the two positive terminals (162 and 172) are brought into a short-circuit state. Similarly, the terminal portion of the negative input terminal 87 is press-fitted in a manner that both the open end portions of the upper negative terminal 167 and the lower negative terminal 177 are expanded, so that the area of the upper portion of the terminal portion of the negative input terminal 87 is in contact with the upper negative terminal 167, and the area of the lower portion is in contact with the lower negative terminal 177. In this way, by press-fitting the terminal portion of the negative input terminal 87 to the arm portions 167a, 167b of the upper negative terminal 167 and the arm portions 177a, 177b of the lower negative terminal 177, the two negative terminals (167 and 177) are brought into a short-circuit state, and the power tool body is outputted in a parallel connection of the lower cell unit 140 and the upper cell unit 130, that is, an output of 18 V. Further, the terminal portion corresponds to the connection portion.

[0176] As described above, by attaching the battery pack 100 of the present embodiment to either of the 18 V power tool body or the 36 V power tool body 1, the output of the battery pack 100 is automatically switched. Since this voltage switching is automatically performed in accordance with the shape of the terminal portion of the power tool body side, there is no risk of a voltage setting error.

[0177] When the battery pack 100 is charged using an external charging device (not shown), it can be charged using the same charging device as the existing 18 V battery pack. Since the charging positive terminals 161, 171 of the same shape as the upper positive terminal 162 and the lower positive terminal 172 are provided in the slot 121 of the battery pack 100 (refer to Figure 3 ), instead of the discharging positive terminals (162, 172), the charging positive terminals 161, 171 are connected to the positive terminals of the external charging device (not shown). In this way, for the battery pack 100, the charging device for 18 V can be used in a state in which the lower cell unit 140 and the upper cell unit 130 are connected in parallel.

[0178] Figure 6is a block diagram showing the internal circuit of the battery pack 100 of the present embodiment. Here, only the basic components for explaining the connection state of the control section 190 with respect to the protection IC 151, the protection IC 181, the upper-side cell unit 130, and the lower-side cell unit 140 are shown, and other related circuits, particularly, circuits for performing exchange with the signal terminals of the device body side, etc., are omitted. As shown in Figure 4 the battery pack 100 is configured with an upper-side positive terminal (UP+) 162, a lower-side positive terminal (DOWN+) 172, an upper-side negative terminal (UP-) 167, a lower-side negative terminal (DOWN-) 177, and an LS terminal 166 and an LD terminal 168. In the battery pack 100, in addition to these, an upper-side positive terminal (UP C+) 161 and a lower-side positive terminal (DOWN C+) 171 for charging, and other signal terminal groups (T terminal, V terminal) are provided, but the illustration of these is omitted here. The output of the upper-side cell unit 130 is connected to the upper-side positive terminal 162 and the lower-side negative terminal 177. That is, the positive (+ output) of the upper-side cell unit 130 is connected to the upper-side positive terminal 162, and the negative (- output) of the upper-side cell unit 130 is connected to the lower-side negative terminal 177. Similarly, the positive (+ output) of the lower-side cell unit 140 is connected to the lower-side positive terminal 172, and the negative (- output) of the lower-side cell unit 140 is connected to the upper-side negative terminal 167.

[0179] The LS terminal 166 corresponds to a charge prohibition signal output terminal, and the LD terminal 168 corresponds to a discharge prohibition signal output terminal. In addition, there is a discharge prohibition signal output circuit that electrically connects the control section 190 and the LD terminal 168. In Figure 6 the discharge prohibition signal output circuit includes the control section 190, a line (second circuit section) that connects the control section 190 and a switching element 191, a line (third circuit section) that connects the switching element 191 and the LS terminal 166, the switching element 191, and the LD terminal 168. As described later, the discharge prohibition signal output circuit outputs a discharge prohibition signal 187 (LD signal 250) to stop (prohibit) discharge of the battery pack 100 when the contact vibration phenomenon occurs, and thereafter, maintains the discharge prohibition state in such a manner that discharge of the battery pack 100 cannot be performed even if connected to other electrical device bodies. In addition, there is a charge prohibition signal output circuit that electrically connects the control section 190 and the LS terminal 166. In Figure 6The charge prohibition signal output circuit includes the control section 190, a line (first circuit section) connecting the control section 190 and the LS terminal 166, and the LS terminal. As described later, when the contact bounce phenomenon occurs in the discharge state with the battery pack 100 connected to the electrical equipment main body, the charge prohibition signal output circuit outputs the charge prohibition signal 188 so that the charge cannot be performed even if the battery pack 100 is connected to the charging device 300. That is, the control section 190 is configured to output the discharge prohibition signal 187 (LD signal 250) and also output the charge prohibition signal 188 (LS signal 255) when the contact bounce phenomenon is detected.

[0180] The protection IC 151 monitors the voltage of each battery cell in the upper side cell unit 130 and outputs the overdischarge signal 156 (high signal) to the control section 190 when the voltage of any of the battery cells in the upper side cell unit 130 is detected to be decreased to a prescribed lower limit value (overdischarge state). Further, when the battery pack 100 is charged by an external charging device not shown, the protection IC 151 outputs the overcharge signal 155 (high signal) to the control section 190 when the voltage of any of the battery cells in the upper side cell unit 130 is detected to exceed a prescribed upper limit value (overcharge state).

[0181] The protection IC 181 monitors the voltage of each battery cell in the lower side cell unit 140 and outputs the overdischarge signal 186 (high signal) to the control section 190 when the voltage of any of the battery cells in the lower side cell unit 140 is detected to be decreased to a prescribed lower limit value (overdischarge state). Further, when the battery pack 100 is charged by an external charging device not shown, the protection IC 181 outputs the overcharge signal 185 (high signal) to the control section 190 when the voltage of any of the battery cells in the lower side cell unit 140 is detected to exceed a prescribed upper limit value (overcharge state).

[0182] In the circuit of the lower-side battery cell unit 140, that is, in the circuit between the lower-side positive electrode terminal 172 and the upper-side negative electrode terminal 167, a control section 190 is further provided. That is, in the circuit provided in parallel with the upper-side battery cell unit 130, a protection IC 151 is provided, and in the circuit provided in parallel with the lower-side battery cell unit 140, a control section 190 having a protection IC 181 and a microcomputer (Micro Controller Unit) is provided. The control section 190 is input with the output from the protection IC 151 (overdischarge signal 156, overcharge signal 155) and the output from the protection IC 181 (overdischarge signal 186, overcharge signal 185). The control section 190 monitors the voltage of the upper-side battery cell unit 130 and the lower-side battery cell unit 140. The voltage adjustment of each battery cell included in the upper-side battery cell unit 130 and the lower-side battery cell unit 140 is performed by each protection IC 151, 181. The control section 190 performs monitoring of the current value or the battery cell temperature and monitors the state of the upper-side battery cell unit 130 and the lower-side battery cell unit 140 to comprehensively control the operation state of both, for example, performs adjustment of voltage balance between the battery cell units.

[0183] A shunt resistor 189 for measuring the current value is provided on the ground side of the lower-side battery cell unit 140, and a current detection circuit 184 detects the current value by measuring the voltage across the shunt resistor 189. The output of the current detection circuit 184 is input to the control section 190. In the case where the power tool body 1 needs to be urgently stopped, the control section 190 transmits a discharge prohibition signal 187 to the power tool body side via the LD terminal 168. In addition, the control section 190 outputs a charge prohibition signal 188 to a not-illustrated charging device via the LS terminal 166.

[0184] A not-illustrated storage device is provided in the control section 190, and appropriately stores software or parameters, etc. that are run by a not-illustrated microcomputer. In addition, a battery cell temperature detection section 193 is connected to the control section 190. The output of a plurality of temperature sensors, not illustrated, is connected to the battery cell temperature detection section 193. As the temperature sensor, a thermistor can be used, and one or more thermistors are provided at a position in contact with or close to the upper-side battery cell unit 130, and other thermistors are provided at a position in contact with or close to the lower-side battery cell unit 140. The battery cell temperature detection section 193 measures the temperature of each of the upper-side battery cell unit 130 and the lower-side battery cell unit 140 using the change in resistance of the thermistor with respect to temperature change, and outputs it to the control section 190.

[0185] The drive power supply of the control section 190 is generated by the power supply circuit (power supply section) 180 connected to the lower cell unit 140, and supplies the reference voltage VDD to the control section 190. The battery pack 100 of the present embodiment is of the voltage switching type of 18 V and 36 V, and therefore, when the control section 190 (microcomputer) is mounted on the protection circuit on the upper cell unit 130 side, the ground potential of the control section 190 changes between the series connection and the parallel connection of the two cell units. Therefore, the power supply circuit 180 is provided on the lower stage side (ground side) to prevent the ground potential of the power supply circuit 180 from changing. With the configuration of the control section 190, even if the output voltage is set to the switching type of the rated values of 18 V and 36 V, the control section 190 can be made to operate stably. The control section 190 can switch the retention and release of the power supply voltage (VDD) applied thereto, and has a normal operation state (normal mode), an operation function limited state (so-called sleep mode), and an operation stop state (so-called power-off).

[0186] The output of the upper voltage detection circuit 157 connected to the upper positive terminal 162 is input to the control section 190. The output indicates the potential of the upper cell unit 130 when the battery pack 100 is not mounted on the power tool body 1 or an external charging device (not shown). On the other hand, when mounted on the power tool body 1 for low voltage (18 V), the positive terminals of the upper cell unit 130 and the lower cell unit 140 are at the same potential, and the negative terminals thereof are at the same potential, because the upper positive terminal 162 is connected to the lower positive terminal 172. Accordingly, the control section 190 can discriminate whether the battery pack 100 is in a state of not being mounted, or mounted on a low voltage device body or a high voltage device body, by comparing the potential of the upper positive terminal 162 with the potential of the lower positive terminal 172. Further, in order to detect the potential of the lower positive terminal 172, it is preferable that the control section 190 can acquire the positive potential of the uppermost battery cell in the battery cells in the lower cell unit 140. In a situation where the supply of power from the battery pack 100 must be stopped, such as when an excessive current occurs during discharging, the decrease in the cell voltage during discharging (overdischarge), the abnormal rise in the cell temperature (over temperature), and the like, the discharge prohibition signal 187 is transmitted to the power tool body side via the control section 190, whereby the operation of the power tool body is rapidly stopped. The transmission of the discharge prohibition signal 187 is performed by making the switching element 191 conductive by outputting a high signal from the input / output (I / O) port of the control section 190, whereby the LD terminal 168 is lowered to the ground potential.

[0187] The state of the control section 190 has three stages of normal, sleep, and power-off. The normal is a state in which the control section 190 is always activated. The sleep is a mode in which the function of the control section 190 itself or the function of the external circuit is limited to the minimum, and the control section 190 is activated intermittently, for example, repeatedly activated for 10 milliseconds and stopped for 240 milliseconds. The power-off is a state in which the reference voltage VDD is not supplied at all, and the control section 190 is completely stopped. The control section 190 can be operated not only when the battery pack 100 is mounted to the power tool body but also when it is not mounted to the power tool body. Among them, when the battery pack 100 is not mounted, or even when it is mounted, the power tool is not used for a certain time or more, for example, when the trigger operation is not performed for about 2 hours after the trigger operation of the power tool body is finished, the control section 190 shifts to the sleep state. When the trigger switch 4 of the power tool body is pulled up again and the current flows in the motor 3 (refer to Figure 7 ), the control section 190 detects the increase in the current value detected by the current detection circuit 184 and recovers to the normal state.

[0188] Figure 7 is a circuit diagram of the power tool body 1 (high-voltage electrical equipment) to which the battery pack 100 is mounted. The right side is the battery pack 100, and the specific circuit structure is the same as that shown in Figure 6 , so the repeated description is omitted. As shown in Figure 4 , in the terminal portion 30 (refer to Figure 4 ) of the power tool body 1 of the rated value 36V, the short circuit 39 that shorts the lower positive terminal 172 and the lower negative terminal 177 is included. In this way, by providing the terminal portion 30 (refer to Figure 4 ) of the power tool body 1 with the short circuit 39, only the battery pack 100 of the present embodiment having two positive terminals (162, 172) and two negative terminals (167, 177) can establish the series connection circuit of the upper cell unit 130 and the lower cell unit 140. That is, only the upper positive terminal 162 located on the upper side is connected to the positive input terminal 32 of the power tool body 1, and only the negative terminal 167 located on the upper side is connected to the negative input terminal 37. In addition, the lower positive terminal 172 located on the lower side and the lower negative terminal 177 located on the lower side are connected by the short circuit 39.

[0189] The electric power tool body 1 includes a control section 20 for performing rotation control of the motor 3. The control section 20 includes a microcomputer therein, and a reference voltage VDDl (5 V or 3.3 V) for driving is supplied to the control section 20. The reference voltage VDDl is supplied by a power supply circuit 21 which takes the voltage across the positive input terminal 32 and the negative input terminal 37 as input. A voltage detection circuit 22 measures the voltage between the positive input terminal 32 and the negative input terminal 37 (the voltage of the battery pack 100), and its output is output to the control section 20. The voltage (V+) of the positive input terminal 32 is input to the input port of the control section 20 from the voltage detection circuit 22. The control section 20 outputs a signal for turning on the switching element 25 via an output port (analog / digital (A / D) output terminal). The switching element 25 is a switch for stopping the motor 3 by the control of the microcomputer of the control section 20 when a discharge prohibition signal 187 (LD signal) is received. A switch (SW) state detection circuit 23 is a circuit for detecting whether the state of the trigger switch 4 is on or off, and outputs an on signal to the control section 20 as long as the lever of the trigger switch 4 is pulled slightly. The control section 20 performs input and output of various signals such as signals for various controls, input signals from sensors, control signals to the battery pack 100, and the like. A current detection circuit 24 outputs the magnitude of the current value flowing through the motor 3 to the control section 20 by measuring the voltage across a shunt resistor 26.

[0190] The LD terminal 38 is connected to the input and output port of the control section 20 via a resistor 28. The resistor 28 is connected to the reference voltage VDDl via a resistor 27 from the control section 20. When the discharge prohibition signal 187 (set to high level) is output from the control section 190 on the battery pack 100 side, the LD terminal 168, the LD terminal 38 (LD signal described later) are lowered to the ground potential by the conduction of the switching element 191. As a result, the input potential of the control section 20 connected to the resistor 28 changes to the divided potential of the reference voltage VDDl based on the resistor 27 and the resistor 28, and thus the control section 20 can detect that the discharge from the battery pack 100 is prohibited. The LD terminal 38 corresponds to the discharge prohibition signal input terminal.

[0191] Figure 8 is a circuit diagram of input and output when the battery pack 100 of the present embodiment is connected to the external charging device 300. The structure on the battery pack 100 side is the same as that shown in Figure 6 but the object side device (electric device body) to be installed is the charging device 300. The charging device 300 includes a control section 320 having a microcomputer or the like, and charges the battery pack 100 by the output of a power supply circuit 310 in the same manner as the battery pack of the rated value 18 V. The positive terminal 332 and the negative terminal 337 of the charging device 300 are connected to the positive terminal 132 and the negative terminal 137 of the battery pack 100 via the resistor 27 and the resistor 28. Figure 5The positive input terminal 82 and the negative input terminal 87 are of the same shape, and thus when the battery pack 100 is connected to the external charging device 300, the upper cell unit 130 and the lower cell unit 140 are connected in parallel. The power supply circuit 310 rectifies the commercial AC power supply 301 to obtain a prescribed DC voltage. Although not shown in the figure, a constant voltage power supply circuit that generates a reference voltage VDD2 for the operation of the control section 320 from the output of the power supply circuit 310 is also included. The magnitude of the current output from the power supply circuit 310 to the battery pack 100 is detected using a shunt resistor 311 and a current detection circuit 315, and is output to the microcomputer of the control section 320. In addition, a battery voltage detection circuit 317 is provided that measures the voltage between the positive terminal 332 and the negative terminal 337, and outputs to the microcomputer of the control section 320. An LS terminal 336 is provided in the charging device 300, and is connected to the LS terminal 166 on the battery pack 100 side. The LS terminal 336 corresponds to the charge inhibit signal input terminal.

[0192] The charge inhibit signal 188 is output from the microcomputer of the control section 190 of the battery pack 100, and in normal charging, the charge inhibit signal 188 is not output (Low signal state) until the battery voltage reaches the full charge, and is output (High signal state) when the battery voltage reaches the full charge. When the potential of the LS terminal 336 becomes high (High signal state), the microcomputer of the control section 320 stops the charging of the battery pack 100 by stopping the output of the power supply circuit 310. In the present embodiment, the charge inhibit signal 188 is continuously output when the microcomputer of the control section 190 determines that the battery pack 100 is in an abnormal state before the fuses 152, 182 are blown. By thus maintaining the charge inhibit signal 188 at the High level, the charging of the battery pack 100 is not performed. The operation of not performing the charging is the same as the state in which the fuses 152, 182 are blown, as viewed from the battery cell side. Furthermore, since the charging device 300 does not use the output signal of the LD terminal 168, an LD terminal that receives the discharge inhibit signal output from the charging device 300 side is not provided. However, the microcomputer of the control section 320 can be configured to receive the output signal of the LD terminal 168. Furthermore, the control can be performed in such a manner that the control section 320 monitors the voltage of the battery pack 100 via the battery voltage detection circuit 317, and stops the charging when the voltage of the battery pack 100 reaches the full charge.

[0193] Figure 9 is a graph showing the waveforms of the respective signals when the contact bounce phenomenon occurs in the battery pack 100 of the present embodiment. Figure 9 (A) to (D) of Figure 9The horizontal axis of (D) represents time (in milliseconds), and the time values ​​of the respective horizontal axes are combined to form a graph. Figure 9 (A) is a waveform diagram of the current value 230, with the vertical axis representing the current (unit: A). The current value 230 is detected using the current detection circuit 184 and the microcomputer of the control unit 190. When the operator turns on the trigger switch 4 of the power tool body 1 at time t1, the current rises sharply as shown by arrow 230a (starting current of motor 53), and then stabilizes to a current value corresponding to the load as shown by arrow 230b. Thus, when certain reasons occur during the flow of the current value 230, such as a short-circuit state at the power terminal for a short time, for example, a state of rapid current rise in a short period of time (e.g., multiple times) occurs as shown by arrows 231 to 233. These pulse currents 231 to 233 exceed the first threshold current I1, but do not exceed the second threshold current I2. Here, the first threshold current I1 is the current threshold (e.g., 200A) used to detect the occurrence of the pulse-like abnormal current in this embodiment, and the second threshold current I2 is the current threshold that affects the load. Figure 6 The circuit shown has fuses 152 and 182 with a rated breaking current (e.g., 250A) that melts. Here, the pulse current 231 flows from time t2 and exceeds the first threshold current I1 for a duration DT1. Similarly, from time t3 and time t4, pulse currents 232 and 233, caused by short-term short circuits, flow for durations DT2 and DT3, respectively. Furthermore, as described later, at time t6, an LD signal 250 is output from the battery pack 100, and the control unit 20 of the electrical equipment body (power tool body 1) stops (blocks) the discharge of the battery pack 100, thereby reducing the current value 230 to zero. Moreover, even if the operator disconnects the trigger switch 4 at time t6 or between time t5 and time t6, the current value 230 remains zero.

[0194] Figure 9The (B) is a waveform chart of the voltage value 240 (unit: volt) between both terminals of the battery cell unit. Here, the terminal voltage measured by the upper terminal voltage detection circuit 157 is shown, and in the case where the battery pack 100 is connected to the 36V electrical equipment body, the total voltage of the upper battery cell unit 130 and the lower battery cell unit 140 is shown, and in the case where the battery pack 100 is connected to the 18V electrical equipment body, the voltage of the parallel connection state of the upper battery cell unit 130 and the lower battery cell unit 140 is shown. The voltage value 240 decreases as the voltage decreases according to the magnitude of the current value 230. When the operator turns on the trigger switch 4 of the power tool body 1 at time tl, the voltage first decreases greatly as shown by the arrow 240a, and thereafter decreases according to the current value 230 shown by the arrow 230b, and stabilizes to the voltage value 240 as shown by the arrow 240b. Further, the voltage value 240 in the state of the arrow 240b is not a full charge state in which the battery pack 100 cannot be charged (because the voltage or capacity is small with respect to the full charge state), and therefore if the battery pack 100 is connected to the charging device 300 in a normal state (for example, the temperature of the battery cell is in a normal range (temperature range in which charging is possible)), charging is started. Thus, sometimes when a short-circuit state of a short time interval corresponding to the arrows 231 to 233 occurs, the voltage value 240 also has a state of a sharp decrease for a short time as shown by the arrows 241 to 243. That is, the state in which the voltage value 240 decreases with respect to the voltage threshold value VI (first threshold voltage) continues for a prescribed time DT1 from time t2, and thereafter, at time t3 at which time IT1 has elapsed, decreases again with respect to the voltage threshold value VI. When the state in which the voltage value 240 decreases with respect to the voltage threshold value VI continues for a prescribed time DT2 from time t3, it returns to a state higher than the voltage threshold value VI. Thereafter, the voltage value 240 decreases again with respect to the voltage threshold value VI at time t4 at which time IT2 has elapsed. When the state in which the voltage value 240 decreases with respect to the voltage threshold value VI continues for a prescribed time DT3 from time t4, at time t5, it returns to a state higher than the voltage threshold value VI. Also, as described later, at time t6, the LD signal 250 is output from the battery pack 100, and the control section 20 of the electrical equipment body (power tool body 1) stops (blocks) the discharge of the battery pack 100, whereby the current value becomes zero, and returns to the battery voltage at the time of no load. Further, even if the operator turns off the trigger switch 4 at time t6 or between time t5 and time t6, it returns to the battery voltage at the time of no load. Here, the voltage threshold value VI can also be set to a voltage lower than the operating voltage (VDD) of the control section 190. Alternatively, a value (for example, 1.5 V) smaller than the threshold value of overdischarge (2.5 V per battery cell) can also be set as the voltage threshold value VI.

[0195] Figure 9(C) shows the output state of the LD signal in this embodiment. The LD signal is a signal used to cause the microcomputer of the control unit 190 to transmit the discharge prohibition signal 187 to the electrical equipment body side, and is connected to the LD terminal 38 or LD terminal 88 on the electrical equipment body side and the LD terminal 168 on the battery pack 100 side. Here, when the potential of the LD terminal (LD signal 250) is high, it is a state that allows discharge from the battery pack 100. The LD signal 250 is transmitted to the microcomputer of the control unit 20 on the connected electrical equipment body (power tool body 1) side, or connected to the gate signal of the switching element in the power path connected to the electrical equipment body side. At time t5, when the decrease of the third voltage value 240 (arrow 243) has passed for more than a predetermined time (for example, a predetermined time DT3 has passed from time t3), the microcomputer of the control unit 190 prohibits the subsequent use of the battery pack 100 by switching the LD signal 250 from high to low (switching the discharge prohibition signal 187 from low to high). Furthermore, once the use of battery pack 100 is prohibited, it cannot be used, for example, even if the temperature of battery pack 100 is within the normal range. The LD signal 250 is switched from high to low at time t5, and discharge is stopped at the subsequent time t6 (prohibiting the use of battery pack 100). The time between time t5 and time t6 is the time (delay time) from the output of LD signal 250 to the time when the control unit 20 of the electrical device body receives (recognizes) LD signal 250 and blocks (stops) the discharge (current). Alternatively, the discharge (current) can be blocked immediately at time t5.

[0196] Corresponding to the switching of LD signal 250, such as Figure 9 As shown in (D), at time t5, the LS signal 255 is changed from low to high. The LS signal 255 is a signal used to enable the charging operation of the charging device 300, and charging is possible when the LS signal 255 is low, and the charging operation of the charging device 300 is prohibited when the LS signal 255 is high. The LS signal 255 is the same signal as the charging prohibition signal 188. Furthermore, the manner in which the discharging prohibition signal and the charging prohibition signal are issued, and the allocation of high and low states, are arbitrary. It is arbitrary which signal prohibits the supply of power to the electrical equipment body with electrical load, and which signal blocks the power supply from the charging device. For example, it is also possible that once the use prohibition state is reached, when the LD signal 250 or the LS signal 255 is switched to the prohibition state, a signal indicating the prohibition state is continuously output (maintained). Figure 9 The output can be set to stop after a predetermined time following the start of the output prohibition signal, and then resume when connected to other electrical equipment (power tool body or charging device). Alternatively, it can be set to shut down the control unit 190 so that the user cannot deactivate the shutdown function.

[0197] When a large current rise and large voltage drop occur over a long time interval, exceeding the phenomenon of contact vibration, that is, when... Figure 13 In the short-circuit state shown, with Figure 10 The control is different; the power supply from the battery pack 100 is stopped (blocked) by melting fuse 152 or / and fuse 182. Figure 13 This is a waveform diagram illustrating the power interruption state of existing fuses 152 and 182. Fuses 152 and 182 are electrical components installed to prevent heating, damage, or fire of the power path and battery cells caused by large currents exceeding their rated values ​​flowing through the battery pack 100 and external electrical equipment. They generally operate as conductors with almost no resistance. When, due to certain anomalies, a current 235 exceeding the rated value I2 flows in the power path as shown by arrow 236a, at time t... 11 Previously, when a current exceeding the rated value I2 (235V) was continuously flowing, the built-in alloy components melted due to Joule heating, thereby blocking the power path and becoming non-conductive, thus protecting the battery pack 100 and the external electrical equipment. The fuse (power fuse) has a rated value, and its blocking characteristics vary according to the magnitude and duration of the current exceeding the second threshold I2, from time t... 10 Arrival time t 11 The time interval is not fixed. However, the characteristics of fuses 152 and 182 are not an essential part of this invention, so further description is omitted.

[0198] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating the detection procedure for contact vibration phenomena in the battery pack 100 of this embodiment. Figure 10 The series of procedures shown can be executed in software form by a program pre-stored in the microcomputer included in the control unit 190. The variables used here are as follows: DT: Duration of the state where the battery voltage is below the first threshold voltage (defined value V1); IT: Time from when the last voltage drop below the first threshold voltage disappeared; n: Number of voltage drops when the battery voltage is below the first voltage threshold V1.

[0199] First, the microcomputer determines whether the cell voltage of the upper cell unit 130 is lower than the first threshold voltage Vl using the output of the upper voltage circuit 157 (step 211). Here, in the case where the cell voltage exceeds the first threshold voltage Vl, the counter DT is cleared for measuring the duration of the drop (step 212), and in the case where the aggregate voltage does not reach the first threshold voltage Vl, the duration DT is counted by incrementing it by one unit time (step 213). Further, the aggregate voltage of the upper cell unit 130 and the lower cell unit 140 can be detected by the upper voltage circuit 157, and the processing of Figure 10 can be performed based on the aggregate voltage. In addition, a total voltage circuit different from the upper voltage circuit 157 can be provided, and a lower voltage circuit can be provided, and the processing of Figure 10 can be performed based on the detection result of the lower voltage circuit.

[0200] Next, it is determined whether the duration DT of the drop of the pulse-shaped voltage that becomes a prescribed time interval (refer to Figure 9 ) reaches a determination threshold DT max (step 214). Here, in the case where the duration DT does not reach the determination threshold DT max , it can be only a spike-shaped noise, so counting is not performed and step 217 is entered. In the case where the duration DT reaches the determination threshold DT max , it is determined that a contact bounce phenomenon or an abnormality that should be blocked by a fuse has occurred, the count n of the number of times of voltage drop is incremented by one (step 215), and a counter IT of the time interval from when the pulse of the voltage drop disappears is cleared (step 216).

[0201] In step 217, the time IT from when the last voltage drop, i.e., the last voltage drop disappears, is incremented by one unit time, and then it is determined whether the time exceeds a prescribed threshold T2 (step 218). In the case where the time IT does not exceed the threshold T2, step 220 is entered, and in the case where the time IT exceeds the threshold T2 (for example, 1 second), i.e., the interval of the pulses 241 to 243 exceeds the prescribed interval, and a pulse group that constitutes a so-called contact bounce phenomenon is not formed (occurs), the number of times of voltage drop n is cleared (step 219). Since a contact bounce phenomenon occurs repeatedly a plurality of times in a short time, in the case where a plurality of pulses occur within the threshold T2, it is determined that a contact bounce phenomenon has occurred.

[0202] In step 220, it is determined whether the counted number of times of voltage drop n is equal to or more than a prescribed threshold number N. Figure 9In the embodiment, when the three pulses 241 to 243 occur within a prescribed time interval (within the threshold T2) as the threshold number N = 3, the "charge / discharge prohibition mode" is set to make the battery pack 100 unusable, and the mode information is stored in a nonvolatile memory (not shown) included in the control section 190 (step 221).

[0203] By continuously executing the above control during the startup of the microcomputer of the control section 190, the microcomputer detects the occurrence of the contact vibration phenomenon in the power supply path from the battery pack 100 to the external electrical equipment body, and prohibits the subsequent use of the battery pack 100 in the case of the contact vibration that causes a short circuit.

[0204] Figure 11 is a flowchart of the control program of the control section 190 after step 221 of Figure 10 is executed. Figure 11 the flow of Figure 10 is executed by the microcomputer included in the control section 190 after step 221 of Figure 10 is executed in parallel with the flowchart of Figure 11 is continued. First, the microcomputer determines whether the "charge / discharge prohibition mode" is set as its own operation mode (step 226). Whether it is the "charge / discharge prohibition mode" can be determined by the microcomputer reading a flag of a specific area of the nonvolatile memory (not shown) included in the control section 190. Therefore, even if the battery pack 100 is removed and the microcomputer becomes a shutdown state, the flowchart of

[0205] First, in the case where the "charge / discharge prohibition mode" is not set in step 226, standby is performed by repeating step 226, and in the case where it is set, a charge prohibition signal (LS signal) 188 is output to the LS terminal 166 (refer to Figure 6 ) (step 227), and a discharge prohibition signal (LD signal) 187 (LD signal 250) is output to the LD terminal 168 (refer to Figure 6) (step 228) and returns to step 226. In this way, when the contact bounce phenomenon is determined by the implementation of the present embodiment, the battery pack 100 maintains the LS signal and the LD signal in a stop state by control using the software of the microcomputer, thereby maintaining the use prohibition state, i.e., the state equivalent to when the fuses 152, 182 are disconnected. By the control, the battery pack 100 of the present embodiment can detect the initial state of the short circuit occurrence at a stage before the fuses 152, 182 are fused, and can stop the use of the battery pack 100.

[0206] In the present embodiment, the case where the battery pack 100 is set to the "charge / discharge prohibition mode" when the control section 190 detects an abnormality (contact bounce phenomenon) in a state where the battery pack 100 is connected to the power tool body 1 as the electrical equipment body is described. However, the battery pack 100 can also be set to the "charge / discharge prohibition mode" when an abnormality is detected in a state where the battery pack 100 is connected to a charging device as the electrical equipment body. Also, regardless of the kind of the electrical equipment body (power tool body or charging device) to which the battery pack 100 is connected, in the case where the battery pack 100 is set to the "charge / discharge prohibition mode", the prohibition state is maintained even if the electrical equipment body (power tool body or the like) or the charging device is temporarily detached and connected again. That is, the charge and discharge prohibition state of the battery pack 100 cannot be released by an operation by the user. This state is a so-called "permanent use stop state", "permanent prohibition state of use". Further, by repair on the manufacturer side, the state of the connection terminal (fuse) can be confirmed, thereby determining whether the battery pack 100 is usable or not, and in the case where it is usable, the battery pack 100 is returned to the usable state by clearing the flag of a specific area of a nonvolatile memory (not shown) included in the control section 190. In order to return to the usable state, a special device possessed only by the manufacturer is required, and it is important that the user cannot clear it.

[0207] In the first embodiment, the battery pack 100 is configured to output the discharge prohibition signal 187 (LD signal 250) and the charge prohibition signal 188 (LS signal 255) to the electric device body connected externally via the LD terminal 168 and the LS terminal 166, respectively, but can also be configured to prohibit discharge and charge by the battery pack 100 itself. In this case, a switching element for discharge prohibition corresponding to the switching element 25 is provided in the discharge path, and the discharge path is blocked by the discharge prohibition signal 187 (LD signal 250) to the switching element, i.e., the discharge path. Further, a switching element for charge prohibition is also provided in the charge path, and when the discharge prohibition signal 187 (LD signal 250) generated by the contact bounce phenomenon is output from the control section 190, the charge prohibition signal 188 (LS signal) is output, and the switching element for charge prohibition is blocked. With this configuration, even if the battery pack 100 is connected to the charging device 300 after the discharge is stopped due to the contact bounce phenomenon, the battery pack 100 can be set to be unable to charge because the switching element for charge prohibition in the battery pack 100 is blocked. The use Figure 12 The configuration of the battery pack configured in this way to prohibit discharge and charge by the battery pack 100 itself will be described.

[0208] Embodiment 2

[0209] Figure 12is a circuit diagram of the battery pack 100A of the second embodiment of the present application. In the second embodiment, as a second blocking function that functions together with the fuses 152, 182, blocking members 153, 183 using a "self-control protector" set by the microcomputer of the control section 190 are provided. In the second embodiment, the second blocking function is not controlled by software at all, but only the activation of the second blocking function is controlled by software, and no control by software is required after the activation of the second blocking function. The blocking member 153 blocks the power path of the upper positive terminal 162 and the upper cell unit 130, and performs the blocking in accordance with an instruction signal from the control section 190. Here, the "self-control protector" is an electronic component in which a fuse assembly that blocks the power path is provided inside, and a heater is provided just below the fuse assembly, and the energization of the heater is controlled by using an electric signal from the microcomputer of the control section 190, so that the circuit blocking caused by the melting of the fuse assembly can be performed by the control of software. As the "self-control protector", for example, a surface-mounted fuse of Dexerials Corporation can be used. The blocking member 183 is a fuse that blocks the power path of the lower positive terminal 172 and the lower cell unit 140, and performs the blocking in accordance with an instruction signal from the control section 190, similarly to the blocking member 153. Thus, since the blocking members 153, 183 using the "self-control protector" are provided in series with the conventional fuses 152, 182 in the power path, the power supply path can be physically blocked by the control of software using the "charge / discharge prohibition mode" determined in the first embodiment.

[0210] The procedure of the blocking by the blocking members 153, 183 is the same as the flowchart shown in Figure 10 Figure 10 In the first embodiment, in the step 221, as the setting of the "charge / discharge prohibition mode", the mode information is stored in a nonvolatile memory (not shown) included in the control section 190, instead of or together with the storage, the microcomputer causes the fuse assembly included in the blocking members 153, 183 to melt by outputting a control signal that energizes the heater of the blocking members 153, 183.

[0211] In the second embodiment, since the first fuse function obtained by the conventional fuses 152, 182 that only have a hardware action and the second fuse function that is run by software are used in combination, even in a short-circuit phenomenon that is a precursor of the blocking of the conventional fuses 152, 182 that does not cause the contact vibration phenomenon and the like, the circuit or the battery cell can be effectively protected. ​

[0212] The above describes the present application based on the embodiment, but the present application is not limited to the described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist thereof. For example, the battery pack of the present embodiment is not limited to the voltage switching type battery pack, and can also be applied to the voltage fixed type battery pack which has been widely used in the past. In addition, the size or kind of the battery cell used is not limited to the 18650 size lithium ion battery described in the embodiment, and can be other sizes or kinds. In addition, the abnormal state (contact vibration phenomenon) is determined based on the voltage of the battery pack (battery cell) or the current flowing through the battery cell, and can also be determined based on the temperature of the battery pack (battery cell). When a short circuit due to contact vibration occurs, a large current flows, and thus the temperature of the battery cell rises, and thus determination can also be made based on the temperature information. In addition, the abnormal state is not limited to the contact vibration phenomenon, and can be applied as long as it is a state in which use of the battery pack should be prohibited. For example, an abnormally high temperature of the battery cell can be considered.

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising: a battery cell; a connection portion electrically connected to the battery cell and connected to an external electrical device main body; and a control portion that controls discharge or charge of the battery cell, characterized in that the control portion is configured to, in a case where a prescribed abnormal state related to the battery pack is present, stop or prohibit discharge or charge of the battery cell, and even after it is determined that the prescribed abnormal state is no longer present, the stop or prohibition of discharge or charge of the battery cell is maintained, and a charge / discharge prohibition mode is set, the control portion is configured to, once the charge / discharge prohibition mode is set, even if the battery pack, which has been set to the charge / discharge prohibition mode, is detached from the electrical device main body and connected to a charging device, charge of the battery cell is prohibited, and a permanent use stop state is maintained. the prescribed abnormal state is a case where one or more physical quantities related to at least any one of a voltage of the battery cell, a current flowing through the battery cell, and a temperature of the battery cell satisfy a prescribed condition. the prescribed condition includes a case where a state in which the voltage of the battery cell is lower than a prescribed value occurs a plurality of times within a prescribed time, or a case where a state in which the current flowing through the battery cell is equal to or greater than a prescribed value occurs a plurality of times within a prescribed time. the control portion is configured to output a charge prohibition signal that prohibits charge of the battery cell, or output a discharge prohibition signal that prohibits discharge of the battery cell, and the battery pack includes a charge prohibition signal output circuit that transmits the charge prohibition signal, or a discharge prohibition signal output circuit that transmits the discharge prohibition signal. the connection portion has a charge prohibition signal output terminal that outputs the charge prohibition signal transmitted via the charge prohibition signal output circuit to the charging device, or a discharge prohibition signal output terminal that outputs the discharge prohibition signal transmitted via the discharge prohibition signal output circuit to the electrical device main body. the control portion is configured to, when the charge prohibition signal is output once, maintain output of the charge prohibition signal, or output the charge prohibition signal again when the charging device is connected, or when the discharge prohibition signal is output once, maintain output of the discharge prohibition signal, or output the discharge prohibition signal again when the electrical device main body is connected. a fuse is provided between the battery cell and the connection portion, the battery pack has a blocking function of two systems that blocks overcurrent using the fuse and prohibits charge and discharge using electrical control by the control portion. in a case where the connection portion includes a signal terminal that outputs a charge prohibition signal and a discharge prohibition signal from the control portion, the control portion is capable of canceling the charge prohibition signal and the discharge prohibition signal in a case where the abnormal state is in a temporary state, and is incapable of canceling the charge prohibition signal in a case where the abnormal state is in a continuously occurring state. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein, ​ 3. The battery pack of claim 2, wherein, ​ 4. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by, ​ 5. The battery pack of claim 4, wherein, ​ ​ 6. The battery pack of claim 5, wherein, ​ ​ ​ 7. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by, ​ ​ 8. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by, ​ ​ 9. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by, A cell unit in which a plurality of the battery cells are connected in series has at least a first cell unit and a second cell unit, and in a state in which the first cell unit is connected to a higher-voltage side than the second cell unit, switches between a series connection state in which the first cell unit and the second cell unit are connected in series with each other and a parallel connection state in which the first cell unit and the second cell unit are connected in parallel with each other, Either the series connection state or the parallel connection state is selected in accordance with a terminal shape of the electrical equipment body.

10. An electrical equipment comprising: The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 9; And The electrical equipment body has a battery pack mounting portion to which the battery pack is detachably mounted, an equipment-side terminal portion connected to the connection portion, and a load portion driven by electric power supplied from the battery pack.

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