Air cooling of battery pack by means of charging device

Abstract

A charging device (100) for charging a battery pack (102) of a handheld device, the charging device (100) comprising: a charging housing (104); a receiving device (106) arranged on the charging housing (104) for receiving the battery pack (102) for charging; an air feeding device (108) located in and / or on the charging housing (104) for feeding air; and a closed air guide channel (110) which extends from the receiving device (106) through the interior of the charging housing (104) such that air can be guided through the battery pack (102) and / or through the battery pack (102) and through the interior of the air guide channel (110) by means of the air feed device (108).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a charging device, a charging structure, a battery pack, and a method for charging the battery pack. Background Technology

[0002] Charging the battery pack of a handheld device (such as an electric drill) generates a lot of heat, which limits the possible charging power and results in a longer charging process.

[0003] DE 102004020147 B4, DE 102015002285 A1, DE 102018204761 A1 and WO 2019 / 005765 A1 disclose charging devices for battery packs with air cooling mechanisms.

[0004] However, the heat generated during battery pack charging still negatively impacts charging time. Furthermore, air cooling of the battery pack can lead to contamination. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to enable rapid charging of battery packs using a charging device without causing excessive contamination.

[0006] This objective is achieved by a technical solution having the features according to the independent claim. Other embodiments are shown in the dependent claims.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a charging device for charging a battery pack of a handheld device is provided, wherein the charging device includes: a charging housing; a receiving device disposed on the charging housing for receiving the battery pack for charging; an air supply device located in and / or on the charging housing for supplying air; and a closed air guiding channel extending from the receiving device through the interior of the charging housing, such that air can be guided through and / or through the battery pack and through the interior of the air guiding channel by means of the air supply device (particularly during, before and / or after charging).

[0008] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a charging structure is provided, comprising a battery pack (e.g., a battery pack having the following features) for a handheld device and a charging device having the above features for charging the battery pack when it is received in a receiving device, wherein (particularly during charging, before charging and / or after charging), air can be guided through and / or through the battery pack and through the interior of an air guiding channel by means of an air supply device.

[0009] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a battery pack for a handheld device is provided, which can be charged using a charging device (e.g., a charging device having the features described above), wherein the battery pack has electrical contacts for charging the battery pack when it is received in a receiving device of the charging device; a battery housing having at least one battery air inlet and at least one battery vent, the battery air inlet and the battery vent being designed such that (particularly during charging, before charging and / or after charging) air can be introduced into the battery housing through the at least one battery air inlet, pass through the interior of the battery housing, and be discharged from the battery housing through the at least one battery vent and introduced into the charging device by means of an air supply device of the charging device; and a dust collection bag adjacent to the at least one battery air inlet in the battery housing for collecting dirt brought into the battery housing by air.

[0010] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for charging a battery pack of a handheld device using a charging device is provided, wherein the method includes: receiving the battery pack on a receiving device disposed on a charging housing of the charging device; and supplying air along an integrally enclosed air guide channel extending from the receiving device and through the interior of the charging housing by means of an air supply device of the charging device in and / or on the charging housing, such that the air supply passes through and / or through the battery pack and through the interior of the air guide channel by means of the air supply device (particularly during charging, before charging and / or after charging).

[0011] Within the scope of this application, "charging device" can be specifically understood as a device designed to charge a fully or partially discharged battery pack. This charging device can obtain charging energy from, for example, the power grid. If the corresponding conductive contacts of the charging device and the battery pack are in conductive contact with each other, the charging device can charge the battery pack housed therein.

[0012] Within the scope of this application, "battery pack" can be specifically understood as a power supply device capable of supplying power to hand tools (e.g., electric handheld devices, such as drilling rigs) that can be connected to the battery pack. For this purpose, the battery pack may comprise one or more battery cells. The battery pack is preferably rechargeable, i.e., it can be charged after discharge, for example, by connecting it to a charging device.

[0013] Within the scope of this application, "handheld device" can be specifically understood as a portable device that can be manually operated and carried by a user and used to perform machining tasks, such as machining a bottom surface. Advantageously, the handheld device can be an electric handheld device that can be operated by means of an electrically generated driving force. Such an electric handheld device can be controlled by an electrical control signal. In particular, holes can be drilled in the bottom surface by means of the handheld device and by applying a driving force in the form of longitudinal force and / or torque, and / or a driving force in the form of longitudinal force and / or torque can be applied to a fixed element to be inserted into the bottom surface. For example, the handheld device can be designed to rotate a driving machining device, thereby rotating a driving drill bit and / or a fixed element. Examples of electrically or motor-driven handheld devices include: cordless screwdrivers, cordless drills, rotary screwdrivers, pulse screwdrivers, ratchet screwdrivers, drills, impact wrenches (especially cordless impact wrenches), and hammer drills.

[0014] Within the scope of this application, "receiving device for receiving a battery pack" can be understood in particular as an electromechanical interface of a charging device designed to mechanically receive the battery pack (e.g., by form-fitting) while simultaneously forming an electrical connection between the battery pack and the receiving device. Preferably, in the area of ​​the receiving device, at least one opening may be formed in the charging housing through which air can be guided to cool the battery pack before and / or during charging.

[0015] Within the scope of this application, "air supply device" can be understood in particular as a component or assembly for supplying air. For supplying air, the air supply device may be powered by, for example, an electrical grid or a battery. For example, the air supply device may have one or more fans.

[0016] Within the scope of this application, a "closed air guide channel" can be understood in particular as a solid structure within the charging housing that defines an air guide path along which air can flow through the charging housing. By opening the air guide channel at the inlet and outlet sides and closing it at the housing side, air can be prevented from flowing from the interior of the air guide channel into other areas inside the charging device. Preferably, the air guide channel is entirely closed and extends coherently between at least one charging air supply port and at least one charging air exhaust port of the charging device. Such an air guide channel can prevent (e.g., dust-laden) air from making physical contact with the charging electronics as it flows through the charging device.

[0017] Within the scope of this application, a "dust collection bag within the battery housing" can be understood specifically as a cavity within the battery housing that is fluidly connected to the air flowing through the battery housing. If air flows from at least one battery air inlet through the battery housing to at least one battery exhaust outlet, the air (preferably directly) is effectively connected to the dust collection bag after flowing into the battery air inlet, thereby allowing any contaminants that may be introduced with the air to be collected completely or partially in the dust collection bag. Clearly, the dust collection bag can be used to exhaust dust-laden air.

[0018] Within the scope of this application, "main surface" can be specifically understood as one of two opposing surfaces of a charging housing or battery housing, which constitute the two largest surfaces of the charging housing or battery housing. The two main surfaces of the charging housing or battery housing are located between smaller sidewall portions of the charging housing or battery housing. The main surface can particularly form the upper or lower side of the charging housing or battery housing, for example, when the charging device is arranged on a horizontal surface (e.g., a table), or when the battery pack is arranged on a horizontally oriented charging device. If the charging device is mounted on a vertical surface (e.g., a wall), the mounting surface for wall mounting and the battery receiving surface opposite that surface constitute the two main surfaces of the charging housing. Therefore, one main surface of the charging housing can be a mounting surface or a fixing surface, while the other opposing main surface can be the battery receiving surface. In a battery housing, one of the main surfaces can be the charging side facing the charging device during charging.

[0019] According to an exemplary embodiment, a charging device for charging a battery pack is provided, wherein a receiving device is formed on a charging housing, on which the battery pack to be charged can be electromechanically received. An air supply device may be installed in the charging housing to draw in or expel air from the inside of the charging housing through the battery pack, and subsequently through a closed air guide channel. This measure allows for efficient cooling of the interior of the battery pack by means of a cooling airflow. Thus, the temperature of the battery pack can be kept sufficiently low during charging, and / or reduced before charging or after previous use of the battery pack, thereby achieving a fast and safe charging process. Using the battery pack before charging (e.g., in conjunction with a handheld device) and / or charging a fully or partially discharged battery pack can result in the generation of a large amount of heat, which limits the speed of a safe charging process. Therefore, active cooling of the battery pack can increase the charging speed. This can be advantageously achieved by forming a closed air guide channel in the charging housing of the charging device, without causing severe contamination of the charging device by dirt in the air or on the battery pack (e.g., due to previous use). By employing a preferred, fully enclosed air guide channel that extends along the entire length of the charging housing between at least one charging air supply port and at least one charging exhaust port, it is ensured that the air first guided through the battery pack and subsequently through the charging device does not contaminate the sensitive components of the charging device, particularly its charging electronics. The components of the charging device inside the charging housing are completely isolated or shielded from the cooling airflow by the fully enclosed air guide channel. Even if the airflow contains contaminants, it will not negatively impact the sensitive components of the charging device. This enables the rapid and safe charging of the battery pack using the charging device and reliably protects components from excessive contamination.

[0020] A particular advantage is that the charging device with the aforementioned functions can operate in conjunction with a battery pack. The battery pack's battery casing is equipped with at least one battery air inlet and at least one battery exhaust outlet. Between the battery air inlet and the battery exhaust outlet, an air supply device of the charging device can draw air through to cool the battery pack. Even if the air drawn through the battery pack (e.g., in a construction site environment) is contaminated, the closed air guide passage of the charging device reliably prevents unnecessarily contaminated critical components of the charging device. To further reduce contamination and protect the interior of the battery pack from excessive contamination by contaminated cooling air, a dust collection bag can be connected to the battery air outlet in the battery pack so that at least a portion of the contaminated ambient air is captured when it flows in through at least one battery air outlet of the battery casing, and the contamination is collected in the dust collection bag.

[0021] Other exemplary embodiments of the charging device, charging structure, battery pack, and method are described below.

[0022] According to an exemplary embodiment, the air supply device can be designed to draw in and expel the drawn-in air. By configuring and arranging the air supply device to draw in ambient air through the battery pack and subsequently through the charging device, air cooling of the battery pack can avoid interference from active cooling components, thus simplifying the design. Clearly, the battery pack acts as a passive cooling object during charging, to which electrical energy is supplied.

[0023] According to an exemplary embodiment, the air delivery device may include a radial fan. Such a radial fan may be designed to deliver incoming air axially and exhaust it radially or laterally. Clearly, a radial fan may be a fan that draws in air axially (particularly parallel to the axis of rotation of the impeller of the radial fan) and then exhausts the air again with a 90° offset (i.e., radially). Therefore, configuring the air delivery device as a radial fan facilitates achieving the desired configuration according to a preferred embodiment, in which air flows vertically into the battery pack on the main surface (e.g., the upper side) of the charging device and escapes laterally from the charging device after being redirected by the radial fan.

[0024] According to an exemplary embodiment, the air delivery device may include another fan, particularly an axial fan, as a replacement or supplement to the radial fan. If an axial fan is provided, it may be combined with a deflector for changing the direction of airflow.

[0025] According to an exemplary embodiment, the charging device may have at least one molded part with a closed shell surface within the charging housing, which defines an air guiding channel. This molded part can be made of inexpensive plastic, for example, as an injection molded part. The molded part may be integrally closed laterally to define the air guiding channel. The air guiding channel defined by this molded part may be curved, particularly for deflecting cooling air flowing substantially vertically from the battery pack and into the air guiding channel of the charging device to a substantially horizontal direction so as to be discharged laterally from the charging device. The molded part can be easily attached to or into the air guiding channel of the charging device, which facilitates simple assembly of the charging device.

[0026] According to an exemplary embodiment, the air guiding channel within the charging housing can be constructed using a single molded part or exactly two molded parts. When using a single molded part, particularly an injection molded part, the amount of work required to produce the air guiding channel is particularly small, and a highly airtight, integrally sealed structure can be achieved. Alternatively, multiple molded parts (e.g., three, four, five, or more molded parts) can collectively form the air guiding channel and define its lateral boundaries. For example, two assemblable molded parts can be provided, and the air delivery device can be received and assembled between the molded parts in a particularly simple manner. In other words, simplified assembly of the air delivery device can be achieved using only two molded parts.

[0027] According to an exemplary embodiment, the air delivery device may be disposed inside at least one molded part. Clearly, the at least one molded part may have enclosed walls for airtightly defining the boundaries of the air guiding channel and for mounting the air delivery device thereon. Therefore, the molded part can be designed as a multifunctional component for guiding air, providing dust protection for critical components of the charging device, and providing mounting reception for the air delivery device.

[0028] According to an exemplary embodiment, the air guiding channel can extend from the main surface (e.g., the upper side) of the charging housing to the side wall portion of the charging housing. Here, the air guiding channel can define and completely enclose the entire flow path of cooling air through the charging device. Apart from the air guiding channel, which is preferably defined by at least one molded part, and the charging housing of the charging device if necessary, the cooling air, which may contain contaminants, will not come into contact with other components of the charging device.

[0029] According to an exemplary embodiment, the charging device may have charging electronics within a charging housing. For example, the charging electronics may have a printed circuit board for mounting electronic components on and / or within the circuit board to provide charging functionality for the battery module. Such charging electronics are susceptible to foreign matter such as dirt, dust, and moisture, which may negatively affect their functionality. An air guide channel reliably protects the externally located charging electronics from dirt, dust, and moisture.

[0030] According to an exemplary embodiment, the air guide channel can be designed to completely isolate the charging electronic devices from the supplied air. By providing a closed air guide channel in the charging device, direct physical contact between the cooling air, which may contain foreign matter, and the sensitive charging electronic devices can be prevented as it flows through the charging device.

[0031] According to an exemplary embodiment, the air guide channel can be designed to completely isolate the interior of the charging housing from the supplied air. According to this preferred embodiment, except for the air guide channel and the corresponding air supply device, all components of the charging device located within the charging housing can avoid undesirable interactions with the cooling air flowing through the charging device, which may contain foreign matter. Advantageously, the cooling air flowing from the battery pack into the charging device can interact only with the enclosed air guide channel and the corresponding air supply device as it flows through the charging device, and can be isolated from all other internal components of the charging device.

[0032] According to an exemplary embodiment, the charging housing may have at least one charging air supply port and at least one charging air exhaust port, and may be designed such that air can be guided from the battery pack through the at least one charging air supply port to an air guide channel via an air supply device, pass through the interior of the air guide channel, and be exhausted from the air guide channel through the at least one charging air exhaust port. Preferably, the at least one charging air supply port may be arranged on a receiving device for receiving the battery pack on the charging device. For example, a recess in the charging housing on the receiving device may have multiple conductive electrical contacts and corresponding charging air supply ports. This ensures that the battery pack received on the receiving device for charging can be effectively connected to the at least one charging air supply port without further user intervention. The enclosed air guide channel may be directly connected to the at least one charging air supply port and extend through the interior of the charging device to the at least one charging air exhaust port.

[0033] According to an exemplary embodiment, at least one charging air supply port may be arranged on the upper side of the charging housing, and at least one charging exhaust port may be arranged on the side wall of the charging housing. Since at least one charging air supply port is located on the upper side of the charging housing, preferably on a receiving device for receiving a battery pack to be charged, the cooling air to be drawn through the battery pack can be supplied through the battery pack and then through the charging device via an air supply device arranged inside the charging housing without further measures. The at least one charging exhaust port located on the side wall of the charging device, particularly on the side wall facing away from the user during operation, ensures efficient discharge of heated cooling air from the charging device, thereby preventing overheating of the charging device.

[0034] According to an exemplary embodiment, the charging housing may have no other openings besides at least one charging air supply port and at least one charging exhaust port. Disregarding the openings for the cooling air passages used to cool the battery pack, the charging housing can be continuously sealed to the outside, thereby reliably isolating the internal charging electronics from environmental influences. In particular, the charging housing may be hermetically sealed except for the aforementioned openings.

[0035] Those skilled in the art will understand that a charging housing without other openings refers to a housing that, apart from at least one charging air supply opening and at least one charging air exhaust opening, has no other significantly large openings that would subject the interior of the charging housing to substantial environmental influences. For example, due to assembly, manufacturing, or tolerance factors, very small gaps may form between the upper and lower covers of the charging housing, which those skilled in the art would not consider as additional openings in the charging housing. Tiny orifices for draining condensate (whose area must not exceed 0.01% of the total area of ​​the charging housing) are not considered by those skilled in the art as additional openings in the charging housing.

[0036] According to a preferred embodiment, the enclosed air guide channel encompasses the air delivery device and excludes the entire remaining interior space of the charging housing (e.g., including the charging electronics disposed within the remaining interior space of the charging housing) from airflow. Therefore, the airflow does not interact directly with the entire remaining interior space of the charging housing, but only with the interior of the enclosed air guide channel. This provides excellent dust protection for sensitive components that can be disposed in a quiescent area without airflow.

[0037] According to an exemplary embodiment, the battery pack may have a battery housing with at least one battery air supply port and at least one battery vent port, and may be designed such that air can be guided or supplied into the battery housing through the at least one battery air supply port by means of an air supply device, pass through the interior of the battery housing, and be discharged from the battery housing through the at least one battery vent port and enter the charging device. Preferably, the at least one battery vent port may be adjacent to the receiving device of the charging device for receiving the battery pack when it is installed on the charging device. For example, a recess in the battery housing may have multiple conductive electrical contacts and corresponding battery vent ports. This ensures that the battery pack received in the receiving device of the charging device can be effectively connected to the at least one charging air supply port for charging without further user intervention.

[0038] According to an exemplary embodiment, at least one battery air inlet may be disposed on a side wall of the battery housing, while at least one battery exhaust outlet may be disposed on the main surface (e.g., bottom side) of the battery housing. Between the at least one battery air inlet and the at least one battery exhaust outlet, cooling air may flow within the battery housing along the components to be cooled, particularly along the battery electronics and the battery cells within the battery housing, which are charged by a charging current from a charging device, thereby heating up thereon. A dust collection bag may be connected adjacent to at least one battery air inlet on the air inlet side, through which cooling air flows and at least partially removes foreign matter, such as dirt. This foreign matter is automatically collected in the dust collection bag, which can be easily emptied by the user.

[0039] According to an exemplary embodiment, at least one battery vent and an electrical contact can be arranged side-by-side on the main surface (e.g., the bottom side) of the battery casing so that air is guided through the electrical contact. Clearly, cooling air can flow between the corresponding electrical contacts of the battery pack and the charging device through the aforementioned openings in the battery pack and the charging device, thereby forming a defined cooling air path and facilitating error-proofing operation by the user.

[0040] According to an exemplary embodiment, at least one battery air supply port may be arranged on a side wall portion of the battery housing. Ambient air can be reliably drawn in from the side wall portion of the battery housing without the risk of at least one air supply port being accidentally covered.

[0041] According to an exemplary embodiment, when air flows through the battery pack, contaminants carried into the battery housing along with the air can be collected in a dust collection bag within the battery housing. If the dust collection bag is arranged on the intake side of the battery pack, dusty air can be cleaned immediately as it flows into the battery pack. This also protects the interior of the battery housing from contamination.

[0042] According to an exemplary embodiment, in the charging structure, the battery pack may have a closed battery casing (i.e., without battery air inlets and outlets) and is designed such that air is at least partially guided through the battery pack by means of the air supply device of the charging device. Therefore, the charging device can also be advantageously used with conventional or non-ventilated battery packs, wherein the air supplied by the air supply device can cool the battery pack to some extent. Attached Figure Description

[0043] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0044] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a charging structure including a charging device and a battery pack according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0045] Figure 2 A spatial view of a charging structure including a charging device and a battery pack is shown according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Figures 3 to 7 Different views of a charging structure including a charging device and a battery pack are shown according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 8 A cross-sectional view of a battery pack according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0048] Identical or similar parts use the same reference numerals in different figures. Detailed Implementation

[0049] Before describing exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, some general aspects of the exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained first.

[0050] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a charging device for a replaceable and rechargeable battery pack for a handheld device (e.g., an electric drill) is provided. A discharged and rechargeable battery pack is mounted on a receiving device of the charging device and thereby electrically connected to the receiving device. To cool the battery pack by means of airflow, the charging device may be equipped with an air supply device. When the battery pack is mounted on the charging device, the air supply device may first supply air through the battery pack and then along an integrally enclosed air guide channel in the charging housing of the charging device. For this purpose, the air supply device in the charging device may draw in ambient air and supply it through at least one battery air inlet, through the battery pack, and then exhaust it from the battery pack through at least one battery air outlet. When the battery pack is mounted on the charging device, at least one battery air outlet is aligned with at least one charging air inlet of the charging device. Thus, cooling air supplied from at least one battery air outlet enters at least one charging air inlet, passes through the airtight enclosed air guide channel that permeates the charging device, and is exhausted from the charging device through at least one charging air outlet on the outlet side, returning to the environment. In this configuration, the air supply device is preferably located inside a closed air guide channel. This configuration allows for air cooling of the battery pack's interior in a defined manner, both during and / or before charging. This enables fast charging without the risk of overheating the battery pack. Simultaneously, it effectively prevents contaminants from ambient air or the battery pack from entering critical areas inside the charging device. These critical areas, particularly the charging electronics inside the charging housing, are isolated from the cooling airflow through the closed air guide channel. Thus, the charging device enables rapid and error-proof charging of the battery pack.

[0051] When charging a battery pack using a charging device, effective dust protection can be achieved alternatively or additionally by placing at least one dust bag between at least one battery air supply port and at least one battery exhaust port of the battery pack. The dust bag is preferably located in the area of ​​at least one battery air supply port so as to at least partially separate contaminants from the drawn-in ambient air at the beginning of the guided airflow path through the battery pack and charging device, and accumulate them in the dust bag. Because the dust bag is spatially close to at least one battery air supply port, the user can easily empty the separated contaminants from the dust bag.

[0052] Obviously, according to one embodiment of the invention, a battery pack (also called a battery bank or battery module) can be provided, which, in conjunction with a charging device equipped with an air supply device, employs a jet principle design for air supply. Thus, air can flow directly through the battery pack via a blower airflow. Advantageously, the air passage can be guided in a closed manner through geometrically separated pipes within the charger housing and outside the charger electronics mounting space.

[0053] Before and / or during charging using a charging device, the battery pack can be air-cooled. The enclosed airflow channels within the charging device effectively prevent contaminants carried by the cooling airflow from reaching sensitive components of the charging device (especially charging electronics). The charging device preferably has an air delivery system designed as a fan to accelerate the charging process by efficiently cooling the battery pack. If the battery pack is completely or partially discharged due to an application (e.g., sawing timber beams) that requires the battery pack to provide electrical power to a handheld device (e.g., a chainsaw), it will need to be cooled down from its operating temperature before charging begins. Furthermore, charging the battery pack using the charging device also generates heat. To dissipate this heat, the charging device draws air through the battery pack and the charging device itself. Consequently, the fan of the charging device also draws in contaminants from the battery or ambient air, which are at least partially carried by the cooling air through the battery pack and then through the enclosed cooling channels within the charging device. By constructing a closed cooling channel in the charging device, dirt is carried away without leaving a large amount of dirt in the charging device or damaging the key components of the charging device (especially the charging electronics).

[0054] By installing a dust collection bag on the air intake side of the battery pack, at which point the drawn-in air releases at least some of the contaminants before being further drawn in by the battery pack, the dustproof performance of the battery modules and charging devices can be further improved. This dust collection bag can guide the drawn-in air along a complexly shaped airflow path (e.g., along a labyrinthine wall) through at least one battery air inlet, thereby ensuring efficient removal of contaminated air. Placing the dust collection bag on the air intake side of the battery pack effectively prevents contaminants from accumulating throughout the entire battery pack.

[0055] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a charging structure 120 including a charging device 100 and a battery pack 102 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0056] The battery pack 102 can power a handheld device (not shown) during operation. To do this, the battery pack 102, while charged, can be plugged into a self-powered handheld device, enabling wireless operation of the self-powered handheld device. The battery pack 102 can be recharged after it has discharged.

[0057] The charging device 100 is used to charge a fully or partially discharged battery pack 102. This charging device can be connected to the power grid via a cable 152, for example, by plugging it into a socket, to provide electrical power. For charging the battery pack 102, the battery pack 102 is electromechanically received in a receiving device 106 of the charging device 100. In other words, when a user inserts the battery pack 102 into the receiving device 106, a reliable mechanical and electrical connection can be simultaneously established between the battery pack 102 and the charging device 100.

[0058] In order to cool the battery pack 102 during charging, an air supply device 108, preferably designed as a radial fan, located in the enclosed air guide channel 110 of the charging device 100, draws ambient air through the battery pack 102, then through the air guide channel 110 to the upstream of the air supply device 108, and then discharges it to the downstream of the air supply device 108.

[0059] The charging device 100 has an outer charging housing 104, for example, made of plastic. On the upper outer side of the charging housing 104, a receiving device 106 is formed for receiving the battery pack 102 for charging. This receiving device is provided with a plurality of electrical contacts 156 of the charging device 100 for forming a conductive connection with the conductive electrical contacts 128 of the battery pack 102. For example, the electrical contacts 128 of the battery pack 102 may have two charging contacts (e.g., one positive and one negative). Furthermore, the electrical contacts 128 of the battery pack 102 may have at least one power consumption contact for power consumption of the handheld device. Additionally, the electrical contacts 128 of the battery pack 102 may have at least one (e.g., two) communication contacts.

[0060] Furthermore, an air delivery device 108, designed as a radial fan, is arranged inside the air guide channel 110 to deliver air through the charging device 100. Advantageously, an integrally enclosed air guide channel is defined inside the charging housing 104, extending from the receiving device 106 through the interior of the charging housing 104. With the aid of the air delivery device 108, when the battery pack 102 is received in the receiving device 106 for charging, air can pass through the battery pack 102 along a defined, continuous air guide path and be delivered through the interior of the air guide channel 110.

[0061] As previously described, the battery pack 102 shown in the figure can be detachably mounted on a self-powered handheld device (not shown) to wirelessly power the self-powered handheld device. For this purpose, multiple battery cells are provided inside the battery pack 102, such as... Figure 8 As shown, it is labeled with reference numeral 154. If the battery unit 154 is depleted after powering the self-powered handheld device, it can be recharged using the charging device 100 shown.

[0062] according to Figure 1 The battery pack 102 has an electrical contact 128 as mentioned above, which is used to charge the battery pack 102 when it is received in the receiving device 106 of the charging device 100, thereby making the electrical contact 128 conductively contact the corresponding electrical contact 156 of the charging device 100.

[0063] The outer contour of the battery pack 102 is defined by a battery casing 122, preferably made of plastic. A battery air inlet 124 is formed on the side wall of the battery casing 122, through which ambient air is drawn into the battery pack 102. Furthermore, a battery vent 126 is provided on the bottom side of the battery casing 122. The battery vent 126 and the electrical contact portion 128 can be arranged side-by-side on the bottom side of the battery casing 122 so that air is guided through the electrical contact portion 128. The battery vent 126 is positioned such that when the battery pack 102 mounted on the receiving device 106 is charged by means of the air supply device 108 of the charging device 100, air enters the battery housing 122 through the battery air supply port 124, passes through the interior of the battery housing 122, exits from the battery housing 122 through the battery vent 126, enters the closed air guide passage 110 of the charging device 100 through the charging air supply port 116, and exits from the charging device 100 through the charging vent 118. The entire airflow from the battery air supply port 124 to the charging vent 118 is achieved by means of the air supply device 108, therefore the battery pack 102 does not require an air supply device, thus allowing for a very simple design.

[0064] because Figure 1 The air supply device 108 shown is designed as a radial fan, so the cooling air drawn into the charging device 100 in a basically vertical direction can be turned to a basically horizontal direction without taking any other measures, and thus discharged laterally from the charging device 100.

[0065] Advantageously, the integrally enclosed air guide channel 110 inside the charging housing 104 is formed by a molded part 112 with a closed shell surface, for example, designed as a plastic injection molded part. This molded part 112 receives the air delivery device 108 and can be easily inserted into the charging housing 104 to define the air guide channel 110. In a particularly simple configuration, the air guide channel 110 in the charging housing 104 can be formed by a single bent or folded molded part 112. In terms of manufacturing technology, the enclosed air guide channel 110 can also be simply formed by two molded parts 112 that can be stacked and inserted into each other, with the air delivery device 108 assembled between the molded parts. Therefore, the air delivery device 108 can be arranged and fixed within at least one molded part 112. Figure 1 As shown, a curved and side-enclosed air guide channel 110 extends from the upper side of the charging housing 104 to the side wall of the charging housing 104.

[0066] Similarly, charging electronics 114 of the charging device 100 are arranged inside the charging housing 104, but outside and fluidly separated from the enclosed air guiding channel 110. Charging electronics 114 is used to control the charging process of the battery module 102 via the charging device 100 and to provide electrical energy to the battery module 102. In the illustrated embodiment, charging electronics 114 has a printed circuit board 158 (PCB). Figure 1 The diagram schematically illustrates electronic components 160 of a charging electronic device 114, which may be surface-mounted on a circuit board 158. Such electronic components include, for example, passive components (e.g., resistors, capacitors, inductors) and / or active components (e.g., at least one semiconductor chip). The aforementioned charging electronic device 114 may be sensitive to contamination. Therefore, it is particularly advantageous that the air guide channel 110, which guides cooling air that may be contaminated, is completely isolated from and not in fluid contact with the charging electronic device 114. This configuration ensures that the charging electronic device 114 within the charging housing 104 is completely isolated from the air supplied through the enclosed air guide channel 110. Furthermore, the entirely enclosed air guide channel 110 is preferably designed to completely shield or completely isolate the entire remaining interior space of the charging housing 104 from the cooling air supplied in the cooling air path 162.

[0067] Therefore, according to Figure 1The charging device 100 is equipped with an air delivery device 108 designed as a fan and a molded component 112 designed as a plug-in, which forms a closed air guide channel 110 and directs airflow away from the charging electronic devices 114 in the electronic device mounting space within the charging housing 104. Advantageously, the closed air guide channel 110 only includes the air delivery device 108 within the air guide channel 110. Instead, the closed air guide channel 110 prevents airflow from passing through the entire remaining interior space of the charging housing 104, and in particular the charging electronic devices 114 disposed within the remaining interior space of the charging housing 104. In other words, the charging electronic devices 114 are not located in the airflow, but are located in a shielded area.

[0068] During charging, the battery pack 102, in particular, will heat up and be effectively cooled by the aforementioned air cooling mechanism. The charging electronics 114 of the charging device 100 will only heat up moderately during charging, so direct cooling is not required. However, the charging electronics 114 can also be cooled indirectly.

[0069] Figure 2 A spatial view of a charging structure 120 including a charging device 100 and a battery pack 102 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0070] Figure 2 Specifically, the drawing in of cold ambient air 164 is shown, which can flow into the battery housing 122, for example, through two lateral battery air inlets 124. Figure 2 Hot air 166 is also shown being exhausted from the charging housing 104, which can exit the battery housing 122, for example, through a lateral charging exhaust port 118. Inside the battery pack 102 and the charging device 100, the cooling air path 162 is generally U-shaped, which facilitates efficient supply and exhaust of air and achieves effective cooling of the interior of the battery pack 102.

[0071] Figures 3 to 7 Different views of a charging structure 120 including a charging device 100 and a battery pack 102 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention are shown. Figure 3 A spatial view of the charging device 100 is shown from the front, allowing the user to install the battery pack 102 onto the charging device 100 from the front during operation for charging. Figure 4 The charging device 100 is shown in a spatial view from the rear, which faces away from the user during operation. Figure 5 The bottom side of the charging device 100 is shown. Figure 6 The top cover of the charging housing 104 of the charging device 100 is shown after the bottom of the charging housing 104 has been removed. Figure 7This is a spatial side view of the charging device 100 and the battery pack 102 mounted on it.

[0072] Figure 3 Details of a receiving device 106 for receiving the battery pack 102 in a form-locking manner are shown, while a conductive connection is formed between electrical contacts 128 and 156. For example, the electrical contact 156 of the receiving device 106 can be designed as a spring-loaded contact through which air flows via a charging air source opening 116. For example, four or five electrical contacts 156 can be provided. An optical display device 168, for example, composed of light-emitting diodes, can display the status of the charging device 100 and the charging status. Supports 170 can be mounted on the bottom of the charging housing 104. For example, four supports 170 can be provided, two of which can be equipped with anti-slip protection devices (e.g., rubber elements).

[0073] exist Figure 4 As shown, a cable 152 for supplying power from the grid to the charging device 100 can be led out from the charging housing 104. A slot 172 on the upper side of the charging housing 104 is used to receive the battery pack 102 in a profile-locking manner without locking it to the charging device 100.

[0074] Figure 5 A precautionary measure 173 is shown for optionally wall-mounting the charging device 100. Furthermore, in Figure 5 The bottom V-shaped recess 174 is shown for guided reception of the cable.

[0075] exist Figure 6 The image shows a view of the upper housing of the charging device 100 from below, showing the enclosed air guide channel 110. Particularly advantageous here is the air guide channel 110's connection to the internal space of the charging device 100, and especially to... Figure 6 The charging electronic devices 114, not shown, are completely separated and isolated. Clearly, in Figure 6 In this process, air can flow perpendicular to the paper surface and be blown laterally by means of an air delivery device 108 designed as a radial fan, such as... Figure 6 As shown. The air supply device 108, which is assembled in the enclosed air guide channel 110, can be installed by means of two screw fasteners 176.

[0076] exist Figure 7 The image again shows the cooling air path 162, along which fresh, cold ambient air 164 is converted into hot air 166, i.e., hot exhaust gas.

[0077] Figure 8 A cross-sectional view of a battery pack 102 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0078] exist Figure 8 The battery pack 102 shown advantageously includes a dust collection bag 150 within the battery housing 122. If charged by the corresponding charging device 100... Figure 8 Air supply device 108 (not shown) draws in potentially contaminated ambient air, which flows into the battery housing 122 through at least one battery air supply opening 124. The air is then redirected at the dust bag 150 (specifically, from a substantially horizontal flow direction to a substantially vertical flow direction, and then back to a substantially horizontal flow direction). Therefore, the battery pack 102 has an air deflection labyrinth 182 in the form of a wall segment on the housing side to deflect the air, thereby facilitating the separation of contaminants at the dust bag 150. This labyrinth system on the air intake side separates contaminants from the air and collects them in the dust bag 150. Subsequently, at least partially clean air flows through the interior of the battery housing 122 and cools the components disposed there. By arranging the dust bag 150 directly adjacent to the battery air supply opening 124, contaminants brought into the battery housing 122 with the air can be separated as early as possible, thus preventing excessive contamination of the interior of the battery housing 122. Therefore, when air flows through the battery pack 102, the dirt brought into the battery housing 122 by the air can be collected in the dust bag 150 inside the battery housing 122 and emptied by the user.

[0079] like Figure 8 As shown, cooling air can flow between the battery cell 154 and the printed circuit board 180 on which electronic components (not shown) can be mounted. Thus, the battery cell 154 and the battery electronics can be cooled.

[0080] In addition, it should be noted that "having" does not exclude other elements or steps, and "a" or "one" does not exclude multiple. Furthermore, it should be noted that the features or steps described with reference to one of the above embodiments can also be used in combination with other features or steps of the other embodiments described above. Reference numerals in the claims should not be considered limiting.

Claims

1. A charging device (100) for charging a battery pack (102) of a handheld device, the charging device (100) comprising: Charging case (104); A receiving device (106) provided on the charging housing (104) is used to receive the battery pack (102) for charging; An air supply device (108) located in and / or on the charging housing (104) is used for supplying air; and A closed air guide channel (110) extends from the receiving device (106) through the interior of the charging housing (104) so ​​that air can be guided through and / or through the battery pack (102) and through the interior of the air guide channel (110) by means of the air supply device (108). The air guide channel (110) is constructed in the charging housing (104) by means of a single molding (112) or exactly two moldings (112), wherein the charging device (100) has at least one molding (112) in the charging housing (104), the at least one molding having a closed shell surface and defining the air guide channel (110). The air supply device (108) is arranged inside the at least one molded part (112).

2. The charging device (100) according to claim 1, wherein, The air supply device (108) is designed to draw in air and expel the drawn-in air.

3. The charging device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The air delivery device (108) has a radial fan.

4. The charging device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The air guide channel (110) extends from the main surface of the charging housing (104), such as the battery receiving surface or the upper side, to the side wall of the charging housing (104).

5. The charging device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the charging device has a charging electronic device (114) located within the charging housing (104).

6. The charging device (100) according to claim 5, wherein, The air guide channel (110) is designed to completely isolate the charging electronics (114) from the supplied air.

7. The charging device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The air guide channel (110) is designed to completely isolate the interior of the charging housing (104) from the supplied air.

8. The charging device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The charging housing (104) has at least one charging air supply port (116) and at least one charging exhaust port (118), and the charging housing (104) is designed such that, by means of the air supply device (108), air can be guided from the battery pack (102) and / or at the battery pack (102) through the at least one charging air supply port (116) into the air guide channel (110), guided through the interior of the air guide channel (110), and drawn out from the air guide channel (110) through the at least one charging exhaust port (118).

9. The charging device (100) according to claim 8, wherein, The at least one charging air supply port (116) is arranged on the main surface of the charging housing (104), such as the battery receiving surface or the upper side, and the at least one charging exhaust port (118) is arranged on the side wall of the charging housing (104).

10. The charging device (100) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein, Apart from the at least one charging air supply port (116) and the at least one charging exhaust port (118), the charging housing (104) has no other openings.

11. The charging device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The enclosed air guide channel (110) surrounds the air supply device (108) inside the air guide channel (110) and prevents air from flowing through the entire remaining internal space of the charging housing (104), especially the charging electronics (114) arranged in the remaining internal space of the charging housing (104).

12. A charging structure (120), comprising: Battery pack (102) for handheld devices. as well as The charging device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 11 is used to charge the battery pack (102) when it is received on the receiving device (106), wherein air can be guided through the battery pack (102) and / or through the battery pack (102) and through the interior of the air guiding channel (110) by means of the air supply device (108).

13. The charging structure (120) according to claim 12, wherein, The battery pack (102) has a battery housing (122) with at least one battery air inlet (124) and at least one battery vent (126), and the battery pack is designed such that, by means of the air supply device (108), air can be guided into the battery housing (122) through the at least one battery air inlet (124), guided through the interior of the battery housing (122), and drawn out from the battery housing (122) through the at least one battery vent (126) and into the charging device (100).

14. The charging structure (120) according to claim 13, wherein, The at least one battery air inlet (124) is arranged on the side wall of the battery housing (122), and the at least one battery vent (126) is arranged on the main surface of the battery housing (122), such as the charging side or the bottom side.

15. The charging structure (120) according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein, The battery pack (102) has a closed battery housing (122) and is designed such that air is at least partially guided through the battery pack (102) by means of an air supply device (108).

16. A method for charging a battery pack (102) of a handheld device using a charging device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, the method comprising: The battery pack (102) is received on the receiving device (106) of the charging device (100) provided on the charging housing (104) for charging; as well as Air is supplied via an air supply device (108) of the charging device (100) located in and / or on the charging housing (104) along an integrally enclosed air guide channel (110) extending from the receiving device (106) through the interior of the charging housing (104), such that air is supplied via the air supply device (108) through the battery pack (102) and / or through the battery pack (102) and through the interior of the air guide channel (110).

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein, As air is guided through the battery pack (102), dirt brought into the battery housing (122) by the air is collected in a dirt collection bag (150) inside the battery housing (122).

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