Battery pack charger

Abstract

A battery pack charger is provided, the battery pack charger comprising: a battery pack interface configured to receive a battery pack; a fan; an ambient temperature sensor configured to sense an ambient temperature of an environment around the battery pack charger and output a temperature signal; and a controller. The controller is configured to determine an ambient temperature based on the temperature signal, determine a battery pack temperature of the battery pack, and control a speed of the fan based on a comparison of the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature.

Description

[0001] Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 480,699, filed on January 20, 2023, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Technical Field

[0003] Embodiments described herein provide a battery pack charger. Background Art

[0004] Traditional battery chargers are prone to heat during use, which will have an adverse effect on charging time and efficiency. The present application provides a battery charger that controls the speed of a fan on the charger based on the sensed temperature, thereby maintaining the temperature of the charger and achieving optimal charging time and efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0005] Embodiments described herein provide systems and methods for cooling a battery charger. These systems and methods include measuring an ambient temperature, measuring or determining a battery pack temperature, and controlling a fan speed based on the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature. The battery charger includes an ambient temperature sensor and at least one fan. The battery charger is configured to control the operation of the at least one fan. For example, controlling the fan may include turning the fan on, turning the fan off, and changing the fan speed. The battery charger controls the at least one fan based on the battery pack temperature and an ambient temperature measurement received from an ambient temperature sensor. The battery charger is also configured to determine or receive the temperature of the battery pack being charged. Depending on whether the ambient temperature is higher than the temperature of the battery pack, the battery charger may control the fan differently. By controlling the fan speed, the battery charger may maintain the temperature of the battery charger, thereby achieving optimal charging time and efficiency.

[0006] The battery charger described herein includes: a battery pack interface configured to receive a battery pack; a fan; an ambient temperature sensor configured to sense an ambient temperature of an environment surrounding the battery pack charger and output a temperature signal; and a controller. The controller is configured to determine the ambient temperature based on the temperature signal, determine a battery pack temperature of the battery pack, and control the speed of the fan based on a comparison of the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature.

[0007] In some aspects, to control the speed of the fan, the controller is configured to increase the speed of the fan based on a comparison of the ambient temperature to the battery pack temperature.

[0008] In some aspects, the difference between the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature is below a threshold difference.

[0009] In some aspects, to control the speed of the fan, the controller is configured to shut off the fan based on a comparison of the ambient temperature to the battery pack temperature.

[0010] In some aspects, the battery charger further includes a battery temperature sensor configured to sense a battery temperature associated with the battery and output a second temperature signal.

[0011] In some aspects, the controller is configured to determine the battery pack temperature based on the second temperature signal.

[0012] In some aspects, the battery charger further includes a second ambient temperature sensor configured to sense an ambient temperature of an environment surrounding the battery charger and output a second temperature signal.

[0013] In some aspects, the ambient temperature sensor is located within the housing of the battery pack charger.

[0014] In some aspects, the ambient temperature sensor is located at least partially outside of the housing of the battery pack charger.

[0015] In some aspects, the battery pack charger further includes a handle configured to be movable between a first position and a second position.

[0016] In some aspects, in the first position, the handle is configured to lock the battery pack in place on the battery pack charger.

[0017] In some aspects, in the first position, the handle hinders removal of the battery pack from the battery pack charger.

[0018] In some aspects, the battery pack charger further includes a second fan.

[0019] In some aspects, the battery pack charger further includes a second battery pack interface configured to receive a second battery pack.

[0020] The method of controlling a battery charger described herein includes determining an ambient temperature of an environment surrounding the battery charger based on a temperature signal from a temperature sensor; determining a battery pack temperature of a battery pack connected to the battery charger; and controlling a speed of a fan based on a comparison of the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature.

[0021] In some aspects, the method further includes: in response to determining that the battery pack temperature is above the ambient temperature, comparing the battery pack temperature to a first threshold; and in response to the battery pack temperature being below the first threshold, controlling the fan at a reduced speed.

[0022] In some aspects, the method further includes: in response to determining that the battery pack temperature is not lower than the first threshold, comparing the battery pack temperature with a second threshold; and in response to the battery pack temperature being lower than the second threshold, controlling the fan to shut off.

[0023] In some aspects, the method further includes: in response to determining that the battery pack temperature is not lower than the second threshold, comparing the battery pack temperature with a third threshold; and in response to the battery pack being charged and the battery pack temperature is lower than the third threshold, controlling the fan to turn on.

[0024] In some aspects, the method further includes: in response to the battery pack temperature being higher than a third threshold, controlling the fan to be turned off.

[0025] In some aspects, the method further includes: in response to determining that the battery pack temperature is lower than the ambient temperature, comparing the battery pack temperature with a first threshold; and in response to the battery pack temperature being lower than the first threshold, controlling the fan to be turned off.

[0026] In some aspects, the method further includes: in response to determining that the battery pack temperature is not below the first threshold, comparing the battery pack temperature to a second threshold; and in response to the battery pack temperature being below the second threshold, controlling the fan at a reduced speed.

[0027] In some aspects, the method further includes: in response to determining that the battery pack temperature is not lower than the second threshold, comparing the battery pack temperature with a third threshold; and in response to the battery pack temperature being lower than the third threshold, controlling the fan to turn on at a maximum fan speed.

[0028] In some aspects, the method further includes: in response to the battery pack temperature being higher than a third threshold, controlling the fan to turn on at a maximum fan speed.

[0029] The battery charger described herein includes a housing, a first fan, a second fan, an ambient temperature sensor, and a controller. The housing includes a battery pack interface. The battery pack interface is configured to receive a battery pack. The first fan is located within the housing and is configured to generate an airflow through the housing. The second fan is located within the housing and is configured to generate an airflow through the housing. The ambient temperature sensor is configured to sense an ambient temperature of an environment surrounding the battery charger and output a temperature signal. The controller is configured to determine the ambient temperature based on the temperature signal, determine a battery pack temperature of the battery pack, and control the speed of the first fan and the second fan based on a comparison of the ambient temperature with the battery pack temperature.

[0030] In some aspects, to control the speed of the fans, the controller is configured to increase the speed of the first fan and the second fan based on a comparison of the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature.

[0031] In some aspects, the difference between the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature is below a threshold difference.

[0032] In some aspects, to control the speed of the first fan and the second fan, the controller is configured to shut off the first fan and the second fan based on a comparison of the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature.

[0033] In some aspects, the battery charger further includes a battery temperature sensor configured to sense a battery temperature associated with the battery and output a second temperature signal.

[0034] In some aspects, the controller is configured to determine the battery pack temperature based on the second temperature signal.

[0035] In some aspects, the battery charger further includes a second ambient temperature sensor configured to sense an ambient temperature of an environment surrounding the battery charger and output a second temperature signal.

[0036] In some aspects, the controller is further configured to average the first temperature reading based on the temperature signal and the second temperature reading based on the second temperature signal to determine the ambient temperature.

[0037] In some aspects, the ambient temperature sensor is located within the housing of the battery pack charger.

[0038] In some aspects, the ambient temperature sensor is located at least partially outside of the housing of the battery pack charger.

[0039] In some aspects, the battery pack charger further includes a handle configured to be movable between a first position and a second position.

[0040] In some aspects, in the first position, the handle is configured to lock the battery pack in place on the battery pack charger.

[0041] In some aspects, in the first position, the handle hinders removal of the battery pack from the battery pack charger.

[0042] In some aspects, the battery pack charger further includes a second battery pack interface configured to receive a second battery pack.

[0043] Before explaining any embodiment in detail, it should be understood that the embodiments are not limited to the configuration and arrangement details of the components set forth in the following description or shown in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments can be practiced or implemented in various ways. It is also understood that the words and terms used herein are for illustrative purposes and should not be considered restrictive. The use of "including", "comprising" or "having" and variations thereof is intended to cover the items listed thereafter and their equivalents, as well as additional items. Unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "mount", "connect", "support" and "couple", and variations thereof are used broadly and cover both direct mounting, connection, support and coupling as well as indirect mounting, connection, support and coupling.

[0044] Unless the context of their usage clearly indicates otherwise, the articles "a", "an" and "the" should not be construed as meaning "one" or "only one". Instead, these articles should be construed as meaning "at least one" or "one or more". Similarly, when the terms "the" or "the" are used to refer to a noun introduced by the indefinite article "a" or "an", "the" and "the" mean "at least one" or "one or more" unless the usage clearly indicates otherwise.

[0045] In addition, it should be understood that embodiments may include hardware, software, and electronic components or modules, which, for the purpose of discussion, may be shown and described as if most components are implemented only in hardware. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize based on reading this detailed description that, in at least one embodiment, electronic-based aspects may be implemented in software (e.g., stored on a non-transient computer-readable medium) that may be executed by one or more processing units (e.g., microprocessors and / or application-specific integrated circuits ("ASICs")). Thus, it should be noted that embodiments may be implemented using a plurality of hardware- and software-based devices and a plurality of different structural components. For example, the "server," "computing device," "controller," "processor," etc. described in the specification may include one or more processing units, one or more computer-readable medium modules, one or more input / output interfaces, and different connectors (e.g., a system bus) connecting components.

[0046] Relative terms used in conjunction with quantities or conditions, such as "about", "approximately", "substantially", etc., will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to include the stated value and have the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., the term includes at least the degree of error associated with measurement accuracy, the tolerance associated with a particular value [e.g., manufacturing, assembly, use, etc.], etc.). Such terms should also be considered to disclose a range defined by the absolute values ​​of the two endpoints. For example, the expression "about 2 to about 4" also discloses a range of "2 to 4". Relative terms can refer to plus or minus a percentage of the indicated value (e.g., 1%, 5%, 10%).

[0047] It should be understood that although some drawings show the hardware and software in a particular device, these depictions are for illustrative purposes only. The function described herein as being performed by a component can be performed in a distributed manner by multiple components. Likewise, the function performed by multiple components can be merged and performed by a single component. In some embodiments, the components shown can be combined or divided into separate software, firmware and / or hardware. For example, logic and processing can be distributed between multiple electronic processors, rather than being located in a single electronic processor and performed by it. Regardless of how hardware components and software components are combined or divided, hardware components and software components can be located on the same computing device or can be distributed between different computing devices connected by one or more networks or other suitable communication links. Similarly, components described as performing a specific function can also perform additional functions not described herein. For example, a device or structure that is "configured" in a certain way is configured at least in this way, but can also be configured in a way that is not explicitly listed.

[0048] Thus, in a claim, if a device, method, or system is claimed that includes, for example, a controller, control unit, electronic processor, computing device, logic element, module, memory module, communication channel or network, or other element that is configured in some manner to, for example, perform multiple functions, then the claim or claim element should be interpreted to mean one or more such elements, wherein any one of the one or more elements is configured as claimed to, for example, implement any one or more of the listed multiple functions, such that the one or more elements as a collection collectively perform the multiple functions.

[0049] Other aspects of these embodiments will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] Figure 1 A side view of a battery charger with a battery pack coupled thereto is shown according to embodiments disclosed herein.

[0051] Figure 2 The present invention shows an embodiment according to the present invention. Figure 1 Embodiments of a battery charger and a battery pack, wherein the battery pack is removed from the battery charger.

[0052] Figure 3A The present invention shows an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 and Figure 2 Air flow to the battery pack charger.

[0053] Figure 3B Shows the exit according to the embodiment disclosed herein Figure 1 and Figure 2 Air flow to the battery pack charger.

[0054] Figure 4 The present invention shows an embodiment according to the present invention. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The controller inside the battery pack charger.

[0055] Figure 5 and Figure 6 The invention discloses a method for controlling the Figure 1 and Figure 2 The process of turning on the fan inside the battery pack charger. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] Figure 1 An embodiment of a battery charger 100 is shown. The battery charger 100 is shown with a rechargeable battery pack 105 removably coupled thereto. The battery charger 100 includes a housing 110. The housing 110 includes connecting rails 210 (shown in FIG. 1 ) extending parallel to the plane P1 or the battery pack longitudinal sliding plane. Figure 2 The connecting rails 210 allow the rechargeable battery pack 105 to be slidably coupled to the battery charger 100 in a direction extending parallel to the plane P1 (eg, along the battery longitudinal sliding axis).

[0057] The battery charger 100 further includes a charging terminal 205 (shown in FIG. Figure 2 The charging terminals are configured to be electrically connected to the corresponding battery terminals of the rechargeable battery pack 105. When the rechargeable battery pack 105 is slid along the connecting rails 210, the battery terminals of the rechargeable battery pack 105 contact the charging terminals 205 of the battery charger 100, and the rechargeable battery pack 105 is in the installed position. The rechargeable battery pack 105 is inserted from a position away from the battery charger 100 (such as the battery pack receiving area 200) by first entering the battery pack entry end 220 of the battery pack receiving area 200. Figure 2 Move to the installation position (as shown) Figure 11 ). The battery charger 100 includes an ambient temperature sensor 150. The ambient temperature sensor 150 measures the ambient temperature of the environment surrounding or associated with the battery charger 100. In some embodiments, the ambient temperature sensor 150 is located within the housing 110 of the battery charger 100. In other embodiments, the ambient temperature sensor 150 is located completely or at least partially outside the housing 110 of the battery charger 100.

[0058] like Figure 2 As shown, the battery pack receiving area 200 is defined by the housing 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the battery pack receiving area 200 is bounded on one side by the connecting rail 210. Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, the battery pack receiving area 200 is open in two perpendicular directions D1, D2 away from the housing 110. In some embodiments, the charging terminal 205 is disposed in the battery pack receiving area 200 opposite to the battery pack entry end 220 of the rechargeable battery pack 105.

[0059] The handle 125 of the battery charger 100 can be moved between at least a first position and a second position. Figure 1 ), when the rechargeable battery pack 105 is in the installed position, the handle 125 locks the rechargeable battery pack 105 in place on the battery pack charger 100, or otherwise hinders or blocks the removal of the rechargeable battery pack 105 from the battery pack charger 100. In some embodiments, in the first position, at least a portion of the handle 125 intersects a plane P1 along which the connecting rail 210 extends. In some embodiments, in the first position, at least a portion of the handle 125 blocks at least a portion of the battery pack entry end 220 in a direction D1 parallel to the plane P1.

[0060] Figure 3A Airflow into the battery charger 100 is shown. The battery charger 100 receives an input airflow 310 from a battery charger fan 305 that enters the housing 110 (e.g., through a vent in the housing 110). The temperature of the input airflow 310 is measured by the ambient temperature sensor 150. Figure 3A In the embodiment of the present invention, the battery charger 100 does not have a rechargeable battery pack 105 connected to the battery charger 100 . Figure 3B Output airflow 315 is shown after input airflow 310 has passed through fan 305, thereby cooling battery charger 100. In some embodiments, fan 305 is controlled to cool battery charger 100 based on both the measured ambient temperature and the measured battery pack temperature.

[0061] Figure 4A control system 400 for a battery charger 100 is shown. The control system 400 includes a controller 405. The controller 405 is electrically and / or communicatively connected to various modules or components of the battery charger 100. For example, the controller 405 shown is electrically connected to a fan control 410, a user interface 415, one or more battery pack interfaces 420, a charging circuit 425, a power supply 428, a power input circuit 430, one or more current sensors 435, one or more voltage sensors 440, and one or more temperature sensors 495. The controller 405 includes a combination of hardware and software that is operable to, among other things, control the operation of the battery charger 100. The fan control 410 operates the one or more fans 305. In some embodiments, the user interface 415 includes a touch screen. In some embodiments, the user interface 415 includes various components (e.g., switches, buttons, levers, dials, etc.) that allow a user to interface with and control the battery charger 100.

[0062] The controller 405 includes a plurality of electrical and electronic components that provide power, operational control, and protection for the components and modules within the controller 405 and / or the battery pack charger 100. For example, the controller 405 includes, among other things, a processing unit 445 (e.g., a microprocessor, a microcontroller, an electronic controller, an electronic processor, or another suitable programmable device), a memory 450, an input unit 455, and an output unit 460. The processing unit 445 includes, among other things, a control unit 465, an arithmetic logic unit ("ALU") 470, and a plurality of registers 475 (in Figure 4 405 is shown as a set of registers) and is implemented using a known computer architecture (e.g., a modified Harvard architecture, a von Neumann architecture, etc.). The processing unit 445, the memory 450, the input unit 455 and the output unit 460, and the various modules or circuits connected to the controller 405 are connected via one or more control buses and / or data buses (e.g., a common bus 480). For the purpose of illustration, the control bus and / or data bus are generally Figure 4 In view of the embodiments described herein, it will be known to those skilled in the art to use one or more control buses and / or data buses for interconnection and communication between various modules, circuits and components.

[0063] The memory 450 is a non-transitory computer-readable medium and includes, for example, a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area and the data storage area may include a combination of different types of memory, such as ROM, RAM (e.g., DRAM, SDRAM, etc.), EEPROM, flash memory, hard disk, SD card or other suitable magnetic storage device, optical storage device, physical storage device or electronic storage device. The processing unit 445 is connected to the memory 450 and executes software instructions, which can be stored in the RAM of the memory 450 (e.g., during execution), the ROM of the memory 450 (e.g., on a generally permanent basis) or another non-transitory computer-readable medium such as another memory or disk. The software included in the embodiment of the battery charger 100 can be stored in the memory 450 of the controller 405. The software includes, for example, firmware, one or more applications, program data, filters, rules, one or more program modules and other executable instructions. The controller 405 is configured to obtain from the memory 450 and execute instructions related to the control process and method described herein, among others. In other configurations, the controller 405 includes additional components, fewer components or different components.

[0064] The one or more battery pack interfaces 420 include a combination of mechanical components (e.g., rails, grooves, latches, etc.) and electrical components (e.g., one or more terminals) that are configured and operable to interface (e.g., mechanically, electrically, and communicatively connect) the battery pack charger 100 with a battery pack (e.g., a rechargeable battery pack 105). For example, the battery pack interface 420 is configured to receive power through the charging circuit 425 via the power input circuit 430 and the power supply 428. The battery pack interface 420 is also configured to be communicatively connected to the controller 405 via one or more communication lines 490.

[0065] In some embodiments, the controller 405 is configured to control power delivery to the charging circuits 425 based on power conditions detected in the battery charger 100. For example, the current sensor 435 and the voltage sensor 440 communicate to the controller 405 the amount of current and voltage, respectively, available in the battery charger 100. Each charging circuit 425 may communicate to the controller 405 the amount of power required by the rechargeable battery pack 105 and the power rating of the rechargeable battery pack 105 electrically connected to the corresponding charging circuit 425.

[0066] The controller 405 is configured to control a switch coupled to the power supply 428 to output the requested power from the at least one charging circuit 425 to the battery pack 105. In some embodiments, the controller 405 controls the switch based on input received at the user interface 415. For example, when the battery pack charger 100 includes two charging ports (e.g., for charging two rechargeable battery packs 105), the user may wish to use a high power configuration that uses multiple power supplies 428 to charge the first battery pack at the first interface. In other words, the first battery pack can receive power from the first power supply and the second power supply to charge according to the high power configuration. As another example, the user may wish to use a low power configuration that uses the first power supply and the second power supply to charge both the first battery pack and the second battery pack, respectively. The high power configuration fully charges the first battery pack at a faster rate than the low power configuration.

[0067] Figure 5 A process 500 is shown for controlling one or more fans 305 of a battery charger 100. A rechargeable battery pack 105 is first connected to the battery charger 100 (step 505) to be charged. The controller 405 receives a signal or measurement from the ambient temperature sensor 150 and determines the temperature of the rechargeable battery pack 105. In some embodiments, the controller 405 receives a signal or measurement from a battery pack temperature sensor within the battery charger 100. In other embodiments, the battery charger 100 receives the temperature of the rechargeable battery pack 105 from the rechargeable battery pack 105 (e.g., via the communication line 490).

[0068] Controller 405 compares the ambient temperature measurement to the battery pack temperature (step 510). If the battery pack temperature is less than or equal to the ambient temperature, process 500 proceeds to Figure 6 555 is shown and described. If the ambient temperature is higher than the battery pack temperature, the controller compares the battery pack temperature to a first threshold (step 515). If the battery pack temperature is lower than the first threshold, the fan 305 is turned on and the speed of the fan 305 is reduced (step 520). In some embodiments, the speed of the fan 305 is reduced (e.g., decreased) based on the difference between the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature. For example, if the difference between the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature is a small value (e.g., about 2°C), the speed of the fan 305 is set to a higher value (but less than full speed). When the difference between the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature is a large value, the speed of the fan 305 is set to a lower value (but the fan 305 is not turned off).

[0069] If the battery pack temperature is higher than or equal to the first threshold, the battery pack temperature is compared to the second threshold (step 525). If the battery pack temperature is higher than or equal to the first threshold and lower than the second threshold, the fan 305 is turned off or remains off (step 530). If the battery pack temperature is higher than or equal to the second threshold, the battery pack temperature is compared to the third threshold (step 535). If the battery pack temperature is higher than or equal to the second threshold and lower than or equal to the third threshold, the controller 405 determines whether the rechargeable battery pack 105 is currently being charged (step 540). If the battery pack is currently being charged, the fan 305 is turned on or remains on (step 545). If the battery pack is not currently being charged, the fan 305 is turned off or remains off (step 530). If at step 535, the battery pack temperature is higher than the third threshold (step 550), the fan 305 is turned off or remains off (step 530). In some embodiments, when the battery pack temperature is higher than the third threshold, the battery pack charger 100 implements a temperature sensor fault mitigation operation. For example, the battery pack charger 100 can be configured to turn on the fan 305. In some embodiments, the battery charger includes a second or redundant ambient temperature sensor 150 that can be used in the event that the first ambient temperature sensor 150 fails. In some embodiments, the battery charger can average the measurements from each of the multiple ambient temperature sensors 150. For example, the ambient temperature sensors 150 can be placed in different locations on the battery charger to offset the effects of heat sources such as charging electronics and rechargeable battery pack 105. In some embodiments, the determined ambient temperature around the battery charger 100 is within (i.e., + / -) 5°C of the actual outside ambient air temperature.

[0070] refer to Figure 6, if the battery pack temperature is higher than the ambient temperature, the battery pack temperature is compared with the first threshold value (step 555). If the battery pack temperature is lower than the first threshold value, the fan 305 is turned off or remains turned off (step 560). If the battery pack temperature is higher than or equal to the first threshold value, the battery pack temperature is compared with the second threshold value (step 565). If the battery pack temperature is higher than or equal to the first threshold value and lower than the second threshold value, the fan 305 is turned on or remains turned on, but the speed of the fan is reduced (step 570). In some embodiments, the speed of the fan 305 is reduced (e.g., decreased) based on the difference between the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature. For example, if the difference between the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature is a small value (e.g., about 2°C), the speed of the fan 305 is set to a higher value (but lower than full speed). When the difference between the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature is a large value, the speed of the fan 305 is set to a lower value (but the fan 305 is not turned off). If, in step 565, the battery pack temperature is higher than the second threshold value, the battery pack temperature is compared with a third threshold value (step 575). If the battery pack temperature is greater than or equal to the second threshold and less than or equal to the third threshold, the fan 305 is turned on or remains on at maximum speed or full speed (step 580). If at step 575, the battery pack temperature is not between or equal to the second and third thresholds, the battery pack temperature is greater than the third threshold (step 585). If the battery pack temperature is greater than the third threshold, the fan 305 is turned on or remains on at maximum speed or full speed (step 580). Comparing the ambient temperature to the battery pack temperature and comparing the battery pack temperature to multiple thresholds allows the battery charger 100 to control the fan 305 to most effectively cool the battery charger 100 and charge the rechargeable battery pack 105.

[0071] Representative features

[0072] Representative features are set out in the following clauses, which stand alone or may be combined in any combination with one or more features disclosed in the text of the specification and / or the drawings.

[0073] 1. A battery charger, comprising:

[0074] a battery pack interface configured to receive a battery pack;

[0075] fan;

[0076] an ambient temperature sensor configured to sense an ambient temperature of an environment surrounding the battery charger and output a temperature signal; and

[0077] A controller configured to:

[0078] determining the ambient temperature based on the temperature signal,

[0079] determining a battery pack temperature of the battery pack, and

[0080] The speed of the fan is controlled based on a comparison of the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature.

[0081] 2. The battery pack charger of clause 1, wherein, to control the speed of the fan, the controller is configured to increase the speed of the fan based on the comparison of the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature.

[0082] 3. The battery charger of clause 2, wherein the difference between the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature is below a threshold difference.

[0083] 4. A battery pack charger as described in any preceding clause, wherein, to control the speed of the fan, the controller is configured to shut off the fan based on the comparison of the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature.

[0084] 5. A battery charger as described in any preceding clause, further comprising:

[0085] A battery pack temperature sensor is configured to sense a battery pack temperature associated with the battery pack and output a second temperature signal.

[0086] 6. The battery charger of clause 5, wherein the controller is configured to determine the battery pack temperature based on the second temperature signal.

[0087] 7. A battery charger as described in any preceding clause, further comprising:

[0088] A second ambient temperature sensor is configured to sense an ambient temperature of the environment surrounding the battery charger and output a second temperature signal.

[0089] 8. A battery charger as described in any preceding clause, wherein the ambient temperature sensor is located within the housing of the battery charger.

[0090] 9. A battery charger as described in any preceding clause, wherein the ambient temperature sensor is at least partially located outside the housing of the battery charger.

[0091] 10. A battery charger as described in any preceding clause, further comprising:

[0092] A handle is configured to move between a first position and a second position.

[0093] 11. The battery pack charger of clause 10, wherein in the first position, the handle is configured to lock the battery pack in place on the battery pack charger.

[0094] 12. The battery pack charger of clause 10, wherein in the first position, the handle hinders removal of the battery pack from the battery pack charger.

[0095] 13. A battery charger as described in any preceding clause, further comprising a second fan.

[0096] 14. A battery pack charger as described in any preceding clause, further comprising a second battery pack interface configured to receive a second battery pack.

[0097] 15. A method for controlling a battery charger, the method comprising:

[0098] determining an ambient temperature of an environment surrounding the battery charger based on a temperature signal from a temperature sensor;

[0099] determining a battery pack temperature of a battery pack connected to the battery pack charger; and

[0100] The speed of the fan is controlled based on a comparison of the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature.

[0101] 16. The method of clause 15, further comprising:

[0102] In response to determining that the battery pack temperature is greater than the ambient temperature, comparing the battery pack temperature to a first threshold; and

[0103] In response to the battery pack temperature being below the first threshold, the fan is controlled at a reduced speed.

[0104] 17. The method of clause 16, further comprising:

[0105] In response to determining that the battery pack temperature is not below the first threshold, comparing the battery pack temperature to a second threshold; and

[0106] In response to the battery pack temperature being lower than the second threshold, the fan is controlled to be turned off.

[0107] 18. The method of clause 17, further comprising:

[0108] In response to determining that the battery pack temperature is not below the second threshold, comparing the battery pack temperature to a third threshold; and

[0109] In response to the battery pack being charged and the temperature of the battery pack being lower than the third threshold, the fan is controlled to turn on.

[0110] 19. The method of clause 18, further comprising:

[0111] In response to the battery pack temperature being higher than the third threshold, the fan is controlled to be turned off.

[0112] 20. The method of any one of clauses 15 to 19, further comprising:

[0113] In response to determining that the battery pack temperature is lower than the ambient temperature, comparing the battery pack temperature to a first threshold; and

[0114] In response to the battery pack temperature being lower than the first threshold, the fan is controlled to be turned off.

[0115] 21. The method of clause 20, further comprising:

[0116] In response to determining that the battery pack temperature is not below the first threshold, comparing the battery pack temperature to a second threshold; and

[0117] In response to the battery pack temperature being below the second threshold, the fan is controlled at a reduced speed.

[0118] 22. The method of clause 21, further comprising:

[0119] In response to determining that the battery pack temperature is not below the second threshold, comparing the battery pack temperature to a third threshold; and

[0120] In response to the battery pack temperature being lower than the third threshold, the fan is controlled to be turned on at a maximum fan speed.

[0121] 23. The method of clause 22, further comprising:

[0122] In response to the battery pack temperature being higher than the third threshold, the fan is controlled to be turned on at the maximum fan speed.

[0123] 24. A battery charger comprising:

[0124] a housing including a battery pack interface configured to receive a battery pack;

[0125] a first fan located within the housing and configured to generate an airflow through the housing;

[0126] a second fan located within the housing and configured to generate an airflow through the housing;

[0127] an ambient temperature sensor configured to sense an ambient temperature of an environment surrounding the battery charger and output a temperature signal; and

[0128] A controller configured to:

[0129] determining the ambient temperature based on the temperature signal,

[0130] determining a battery pack temperature of the battery pack, and

[0131] The speeds of the first fan and the second fan are controlled based on a comparison of the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature.

[0132] 25. The battery pack charger of clause 24, wherein, to control the speed of the first fan and the second fan, the controller is configured to increase the speed of the first fan and the second fan based on the comparison of the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature.

[0133] 26. The battery charger of clause 25, wherein the difference between the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature is below a threshold difference.

[0134] 27. The battery pack charger of any of clauses 24 to 26, wherein, to control the speed of the first fan and the second fan, the controller is configured to shut off the first fan and the second fan based on the comparison of the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature.

[0135] 28. A battery charger as described in any of clauses 24 to 27, further comprising:

[0136] A battery pack temperature sensor is configured to sense a battery pack temperature associated with the battery pack and output a second temperature signal.

[0137] 29. The battery charger of clause 28, wherein the controller is configured to determine the battery pack temperature based on the second temperature signal.

[0138] 30. A battery charger as described in any of clauses 24 to 29, further comprising:

[0139] A second ambient temperature sensor is configured to sense an ambient temperature of the environment surrounding the battery charger and output a second temperature signal.

[0140] 31. The battery charger of clause 30, wherein the controller is further configured to average a first temperature reading based on the temperature signal and a second temperature reading based on the second temperature signal to determine the ambient temperature.

[0141] 32. A battery charger as described in any of clauses 24 to 31, wherein the ambient temperature sensor is located within the housing of the battery charger.

[0142] 33. A battery charger as described in any of clauses 24 to 32, wherein the ambient temperature sensor is at least partially located outside the housing of the battery charger.

[0143] 34. A battery charger as described in any of clauses 24 to 33, further comprising:

[0144] A handle is configured to move between a first position and a second position.

[0145] 35. The battery pack charger of clause 34, wherein, in the first position, the handle is configured to lock the battery pack in place on the battery pack charger.

[0146] 36. The battery pack charger of clause 34, wherein, in the first position, the handle hinders removal of the battery pack from the battery pack charger.

[0147] 37. The battery pack charger of any of clauses 24 to 36, further comprising a second battery pack interface configured to receive a second battery pack.

[0148] Thus, the embodiments described herein provide, among other things, systems and methods for battery pack charger fan control based on ambient temperature and battery pack temperature. Various features and advantages are set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A battery charger, characterized in that: include: a battery pack interface configured to receive a battery pack; fan; an ambient temperature sensor configured to sense an ambient temperature of an environment surrounding the battery charger and output a temperature signal; and A controller configured to: determining the ambient temperature based on the temperature signal, determining a battery pack temperature of the battery pack, and The speed of the fan is controlled based on a comparison of the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature.

2. The battery charger according to claim 1, wherein: To control the speed of the fan, the controller is configured to increase the speed of the fan based on the comparison of the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature.

3. The battery charger according to claim 2, wherein: A difference between the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature is below a threshold difference.

4. The battery charger according to claim 1, wherein: To control the speed of the fan, the controller is configured to shut off the fan based on the comparison of the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature.

5. The battery charger according to claim 1, wherein: The ambient temperature sensor is located within the housing of the battery charger.

6. The battery charger according to claim 1, wherein: Further including: A handle is configured to move between a first position and a second position.

7. The battery charger according to claim 6, wherein: In the first position, the handle hinders removal of the battery pack from the battery charger.

8. A battery charger, characterized in that: include: a housing including a battery pack interface configured to receive a battery pack; a first fan located within the housing and configured to generate an airflow through the housing; a second fan located within the housing and configured to generate an airflow through the housing; an ambient temperature sensor configured to sense an ambient temperature of an environment surrounding the battery charger and output a temperature signal; and A controller configured to: determining the ambient temperature based on the temperature signal, determining a battery pack temperature of the battery pack, and The speeds of the first fan and the second fan are controlled based on a comparison of the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature.

9. The battery charger according to claim 8, wherein: To control the speeds of the first fan and the second fan, the controller is configured to increase the speeds of the first fan and the second fan based on the comparison of the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature.

10. The battery charger according to claim 9, wherein: A difference between the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature is below a threshold difference.

11. The battery charger according to claim 8, wherein: To control the speeds of the first fan and the second fan, the controller is configured to shut down the first fan and the second fan based on the comparison of the ambient temperature and the battery pack temperature.

12. The battery charger according to claim 8, wherein: Further including: A battery pack temperature sensor is configured to sense a battery pack temperature associated with the battery pack and output a second temperature signal.

13. The battery charger according to claim 12, wherein: The controller is configured to determine the battery pack temperature based on the second temperature signal.

Images