Battery pack charger and system

Abstract

The utility model discloses a battery pack charger and system. The battery pack charger comprises a shell; a plurality of battery sockets supported by the housing, each configured to receive a battery pack; a plurality of output power supplies; a plurality of charging circuits configured to transfer power from one of the plurality of output power supplies to one or more of the plurality of battery outlets; a plurality of switches included in the plurality of charging circuits; a user interface; and a controller. The controller is operable to receive a signal from the charging circuit indicating that the battery pack is received by each of the battery sockets, receive an input from the user interface indicating a charging configuration, control the plurality of switches to be in one of a first position or a second position based on the input, and providing one of the first output power and the second output power to each of the battery pack sockets.

Description

[0001] Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 250,481, filed on September 30, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] Embodiments described herein relate to battery packs. Utility Model Content

[0004] A battery charger is typically rated to charge a specific type of battery pack based on the rated charge of the battery pack. For example, a battery charger typically outputs a single maximum current to a battery pack coupled to the battery charger. It would be advantageous to have a battery charger that can output multiple different maximum charging currents to different battery packs.

[0005] Cordless power tools rely on battery packs to power the power tools so that they can operate. In order to maximize the working time when using cordless power tools, it is important to have a supply of available charged battery packs at all times. Multi-bay battery chargers allow multiple battery packs to be charged simultaneously. However, conventional multi-bay battery chargers output a set amount of power to each battery pack coupled to the charging port of the battery pack. Outputting a set amount of power to each battery pack does not give the user the flexibility to charge the battery pack at various power ratings or at various rates. For example, a user may want to fully charge at least two battery packs over a longer period of time using a low power setting. Alternatively, a user may want to quickly charge a single battery pack by enabling a controller to output a high power setting to the battery pack. It would be advantageous for the controller to control switches to provide flexible charging rates from multiple power supplies to battery packs coupled to the multi-bay battery charger. Therefore, multiple battery packs with different power ratings can be charged at various charging rates. Therefore, there is a need for a multi-bay battery charger having at least two power supplies and switches that can be controlled by a controller to provide a desired output power to one or more battery packs.

[0006] The embodiments described herein provide a battery pack charger for charging a power tool battery pack. The battery pack charger includes: a housing; a plurality of battery sockets supported by the housing, each of the plurality of battery sockets being configured to receive a battery pack; a plurality of output power supplies; a plurality of charging circuits configured to transfer power from one of the plurality of output power supplies to one or more of the plurality of battery sockets; a plurality of switches included in the plurality of charging circuits; and a controller. The controller is operable to receive a signal from the plurality of charging circuits indicating that a battery pack is received by each of the plurality of battery sockets, receive input from the plurality of charging circuits, switch each of the plurality of switches to one of a first position or a second position based on the received input, and provide one of a first output power and a second output power to each of the battery pack sockets.

[0007] In some aspects, the first output power is one of no power output, a low power output, and a high power output.

[0008] In some aspects, the second output power is one of no power output, a medium power output, and a high power output.

[0009] In some aspects, the first output power is less than the second output power based on a difference between the received inputs.

[0010] In some aspects, a first switch in the plurality of switches is in a first position, a second switch in the plurality of switches is in a second position, and a third switch in the plurality of switches is in the first position.

[0011] In some aspects, the first output power is zero and the second output power is a maximum charging power based on the difference between the received inputs.

[0012] In some aspects, a first switch in the plurality of switches is in a first position, a second switch in the plurality of switches is in a first position, and a third switch in the plurality of switches is in a second position.

[0013] In some aspects, the controller is further configured to provide one of the first output power, the second output power, and the third output power to each of the battery pack receptacles.

[0014] In some aspects, the first output power is less than the second output power, and the second output power is less than the third output power.

[0015] In some aspects, the first output power corresponds to a first charging current of at least about 6 amps, and the second output power corresponds to a second charging current of at least about 9 amps.

[0016] Embodiments described herein provide a method for providing output power to a plurality of battery packs. The method includes: receiving inputs from a plurality of charging circuits at an electronic processor; and controlling each of a plurality of switches of a battery pack charger to be in one of a first position or a second position based on the received inputs via the electronic processor. The method further includes: providing a first output power to a first battery pack in a plurality of battery packs via a first charging circuit in a plurality of charging circuits from at least one first output power supply via the electronic processor; and providing a second output power to a second battery pack in a plurality of battery packs via a second charging circuit in a plurality of charging circuits from at least one second output power supply via the electronic processor.

[0017] In some aspects, the first output power is one of no power output, a low power output, and a high power output.

[0018] In some aspects, the second output power is one of no power output, a medium power output, and a high power output.

[0019] In some aspects, the method further includes providing, via the electronic processor, a third output power from at least one third output power supply to a third battery pack of the plurality of battery packs via a third charging circuit.

[0020] The embodiments described herein provide a system. The system includes a plurality of battery packs, and a battery pack charger. The battery pack charger of the system includes: a housing; a plurality of battery pack sockets supported by the housing, each of the plurality of battery pack sockets being configured to receive a battery pack; a plurality of output power supplies; a plurality of charging circuits, each of the plurality of charging circuits being configured to transfer power from at least one of the plurality of output power supplies to one of the plurality of battery pack sockets; a plurality of switches associated with the plurality of charging circuits; and a controller. The controller is operable to determine that a plurality of battery packs are received by a plurality of battery pack sockets; receive inputs from a plurality of charging circuits; switch a plurality of switches to one of a first position or a second position based on the received inputs, and provide one of a first output power and a second output power to each of the plurality of battery pack sockets.

[0021] In some aspects, the input is at least one of a rated power or a requested power corresponding to each battery pack of the plurality of battery packs.

[0022] In some aspects, a first battery pack in the plurality of battery packs has a first rated power, a second battery pack in the plurality of battery packs has a second rated power, and the first rated power is less than the second rated power.

[0023] In some aspects, a first switch in the plurality of switches is in a first position, a second switch in the plurality of switches is in a second position, and a third switch in the plurality of switches is in the first position.

[0024] In some aspects, a first battery pack in the plurality of battery packs does not request power and a second battery pack in the plurality of battery packs requests power.

[0025] In some aspects, a first switch in the plurality of switches is in a first position, a second switch in the plurality of switches is in a first position, and a third switch in the plurality of switches is in a second position.

[0026] Before explaining any embodiment in detail, it should be understood that the embodiment does not limit its application to the details of the configuration and arrangement of components set forth in the following description or shown in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments can be practiced or executed in various ways. It is also to be 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 these terms cover both direct mounting, connection, support and coupling and indirect mounting, connection, support and coupling.

[0027] 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-transitory computer-readable medium) that may be executed by one or more processing units (such as a microprocessor and / or an application-specific integrated circuit ("ASIC")). 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 various connectors (e.g., a system bus) connecting these components.

[0028] 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 "from about 2 to about 4" also discloses a range "from 2 to 4". Relative terms can refer to positive and negative percentages (e.g., 1%, 5%, 10%, or more) of the indicated value.

[0029] 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, these 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, the 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.

[0030] Other aspects of the embodiments will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Figure 1 A multi-bay battery charger according to embodiments described herein is shown.

[0032] Figure 2 A multi-bay battery charger according to embodiments described herein is shown.

[0033] Figure 3 A battery pack according to embodiments described herein is shown.

[0034] Figure 4 Demonstrates the use of the embodiments described herein for Figure 1 or Figure 2 Control system for a multi-bay battery charger.

[0035] Figure 5 Demonstrates the use of the embodiments described herein for Figure 1 or Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the charging control circuit system of the multi-bay battery charger.

[0036] Figure 6 Demonstrates the use of the embodiments described herein for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the charging control circuit system of the multi-bay battery charger.

[0037] Figure 7 Demonstrates the use of the embodiments described herein for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the charging control circuit system of the multi-bay battery charger.

[0038] Figure 8 is a process for providing a low power charging current to a first battery pack and a second battery pack according to embodiments described herein.

[0039] Fig. 9 is a process for providing a high power charging current to a first battery pack according to embodiments described herein.

[0040] Fig.10 is a process for providing a requested charging current to at least two battery packs according to embodiments described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Embodiments described herein relate to a battery charger that can output various charging currents from a power supply based on a requested charging profile.

[0042] Figure 1 A battery charger 100 is shown. The battery charger 100 includes a housing 105, interface portions 110, 115, and electrical wiring 120. The interface portions 110, 115 electrically connect the battery charger 100 to one or more battery packs (e.g., battery pack 215) through a charging circuit. For example, the charging circuit provides power to at least one battery pack from at least one power supply, which receives power from a power input circuit (see Figures 5 to 7 ). Electrical cord 120 allows battery pack charger 100 to receive power from an external power source (eg, a conventional wall outlet).

[0043] In some embodiments, the battery pack charger 100 can charge multiple battery packs at various power ratings simultaneously. For example, the interface portion 110 can be a six amp power supply for charging a battery rated at six amps (Amp), and the interface portion 115 can be a 12 amp power supply for charging a battery rated at 12 amps. As another example, the battery pack charger 100 can include circuitry so that a battery pack with an 18 amp power rating can be charged through one of the interface portions 110, 115. As will be described in detail below, the charging circuit can include or be connected to switches that enable the power supply to provide various output powers to various battery packs depending on user input.

[0044] Figure 2 A multi-bay battery pack charger 200 is shown. The multi-bay battery pack charger ("charger") 200 includes a housing 205 and a battery receptacle 210 for receiving a battery pack 215. The charger 200 is configured to distribute power to the battery pack 215. The battery pack 215 is configured to provide power to a peripheral device. The peripheral device may be a handheld power tool, etc. The charger 200 is also configured to receive power from a power source and use the power from the power source to distribute charging power to the battery pack 215. In some embodiments, the power source is a DC power source, such as a photovoltaic cell (e.g., a solar panel) or one or more batteries. In other embodiments, the power source is an AC power source, such as a conventional wall outlet.

[0045] The battery receptacle 210 is positioned on the exterior of the housing 205 and is configured to receive a battery pack 215. In the illustrated embodiment, the battery pack 215 is a sliding battery pack. Thus, the battery receptacle 210 includes rails for receiving the sliding battery pack and a latch mechanism for securing the two components together. In the illustrated embodiment, the battery pack 215 may be a six-volt battery pack, a 12-volt battery pack, and / or an 18-volt battery pack, etc., and may have a lithium-based chemistry.

[0046] Figure 3 A battery pack 215 is shown that is configured to receive power from the charger 100, 200. The battery pack 215 includes a housing 305 and an interface portion 310 for connecting the battery pack 215 to a device (eg, a power tool) or a battery pack charger (eg, charger 100, 200).

[0047] Figure 4A control system 400 for a charger 100, 200 is shown. The control system includes a controller 405. The controller 405 is electrically and / or communicatively connected to various modules or components of the charger 100, 200. For example, the controller 405 shown is electrically connected to a fan control 410, a user interface 415, a battery pack interface 420, a charging circuit 425, a power supply 428, a power input circuit 430, a current sensor 435, and a voltage sensor 440. The controller 405 includes a combination of hardware and software that is particularly operable to control the operation of the charger 100, 200. The fan control 410 operates the fan 485. 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 charger 100.

[0048] The controller 405 includes a plurality of electrical and electronic components that provide power, operational control, and protection to the components and modules within the controller 405 and / or the charger 100, 200. 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 (shown as a set of registers) and implemented using known computer architectures (e.g., modified Harvard architecture, von Neumann architecture, etc.). Processing unit 445, memory 450, input unit 455 and output unit 460, and various modules or circuits connected to controller 405 are connected via one or more control buses and / or data buses (e.g., 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.

[0049] 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 embodiments of the charger 100 and 200 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, in particular. In other configurations, the controller 405 includes additional components, fewer components or different components.

[0050] The battery pack interface 420 includes a combination of mechanical components (e.g., tracks, 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 charger 100 with a battery pack (e.g., battery pack 215). For example, the battery pack interface 420 is configured to receive power via the power input circuit 430 through the charging circuit 425. The battery pack interface 420 is also configured to be communicatively connected to the controller 405 via one or more communication lines 490.

[0051] In some embodiments, the controller 405 is configured to control the power delivery to the charging circuits 425 based on the power conditions detected in the 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 charger 100. Each charging circuit 425 may communicate to the controller the amount of power required by the battery pack 215 and the power rating of the battery pack 215 electrically connected to the corresponding charging circuit 425.

[0052] The controller 405 is configured to control a switch coupled to the power supply 428 to output the requested power from at least one charging circuit 425 to (multiple) battery packs 215. In some embodiments, the controller 405 controls the switch based on an input received at the user interface 415. For example, when the battery pack includes two charging ports (e.g., the battery pack 215), 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.

[0053] Figure 5 Shown Figure 1 Charger 100 or Figure 2 Schematic diagram 500 of charger 200 of the present invention. The schematic diagram includes power input circuit 430, user interface 415, controller 405, first power supply 505 (e.g., 6 amp power supply), second power supply 510 (e.g., 12 amp power supply), switches 515A, 515B, 515C, charging circuit A 520, charging circuit B 525, and battery packs 215A, 215B. Although 6 amp power supply and 12 amp power supply are shown, power supplies of different ampere values ​​may also be used, and these power supplies may have the same rated ampere value, etc. The power input circuit 430 receives power from an external power source (e.g., a conventional wall socket, one or more batteries, etc.) or an internal power source (e.g., one or more battery cells). The power input circuit 430 provides power to power supplies 505, 510. The power input circuit includes a circuit system that supplies a first amount of power to the six-amp power supply 505 to supply six amps to the battery pack and a circuit system that supplies a second amount of power to the 12-amp power supply 510 to supply 12 amps to the battery pack. In some embodiments, the power input circuit 430 includes a circuit breaker as branch circuit protection. In other embodiments, the power input circuit 430 includes a fuse, an overload relay, etc. The switches 515A, 515B, 515C can be mechanical switches, transistors, etc.

[0054] The controller 405 receives input from the user interface 415. The user can interact with the user interface 415 to set the charging rate of the charging circuits 520, 525. The user can select a low power configuration or a high power configuration. For example, the user interface 415 may include buttons (e.g., on a screen) corresponding to an off configuration, a low power configuration, a first high power configuration, and a second high power configuration. Other power configurations are conceivable. In some embodiments, the controller 405 receives input from an external device (e.g., a mobile phone, a computer, a tablet computer, etc.) that controls the charging rate of the charging circuits 520, 525.

[0055] When the user enters the low power configuration at the user interface 415, the controller 405 controls the switches 515A and 515C to close and controls the switch 515B to open. Therefore, the power from the six-amp power supply 505 flows to the charging circuit A 520, which then charges the first battery pack 215A with a current of six amps, and the power from the 12-amp power supply 510 flows to the charging circuit B 525, which then charges the second battery pack 215B with a current of 12 amps. In some embodiments, the first battery pack 215A and the second battery pack 215B have the same power rating. For example, both battery packs 215A, 215B can be rated for a current of 12 amps, so that the second battery pack 215B can reach full charge faster than the first battery pack 215A. In some embodiments, the first battery pack 215A may be rated for six amps of current and the second battery pack 215B may be rated for 12 amps of current such that both battery packs 215A, 215B reach full charge at approximately the same time.

[0056] When the user enters the first high power configuration at the user interface 415, the controller 405 controls switches 515A and 515B to close and controls switch 515C to open. Therefore, the power from the six-amp power supply 505 and the 12-amp power supply 510 flows to the charging circuit A 520, which then charges the first battery pack 215A using a current of 18 amps. Charging circuit B 525 does not receive any power. In some embodiments, the battery pack receiving the current of 18 amps can be a high-capacity, high-output battery pack that requires a current of 18 amps to charge. As described above, the 6 amp value and the 12 amp value are for illustrative purposes only, and other rated currents (e.g., any rated current between 1 amp and 30 amps) can be used.

[0057] When the user enters the second high power configuration at the user interface 415, the controller 405 controls switches 515B and 515C to close and controls switch 515A to open. Therefore, power from the six-amp power supply 505 and the 12-amp power supply 510 flows to the charging circuit B 525, which then charges the second battery pack 215B using a current of 18 amps. The charging circuit A 520 does not receive any power.

[0058] In some embodiments, a battery pack receiving output from both power supplies 505A, 505B (eg, in a high power configuration) reaches full charge faster than when both battery packs receive power from their respective power supplies (eg, in a low power configuration).

[0059] In some embodiments, when the charger 100 , 200 is in the off configuration or the battery pack 215 is not attached to the charger 100 , 200 , the switches 515A, 515B, 515C may all be open.

[0060] In some embodiments, the user may wish to conserve power from the power input circuit 430, and therefore may wish to have only one battery pack receive charging power. For example, the user may select an input on the user interface 415 in communication with the controller 405 to charge only the first battery pack 215A. In this example, switch 515A is closed, and switches 515B and 515C are open. As another example, the user may select an input on the user interface 415 in communication with the controller 405 to charge only the second battery pack 215B. In this example, switch 515C is closed, and switches 515A and 515B are open.

[0061] Tables 1 to 6 below are examples of various power output configurations that may be implemented by the chargers 100, 200, and more specifically by the circuit components in the schematic 500. In some embodiments, the user interface 415 may include an input (e.g., a button, a switch, etc.) corresponding to each power output configuration. A , S B and S C Corresponding to switches 515A, 515B and 515C respectively.

[0062] Table 1

[0063]

[0064] Table 2

[0065]

[0066] Table 3

[0067]

[0068] Table 4

[0069]

[0070] Table 5

[0071]

[0072] Table 6

[0073]

[0074] Figure 6 Shown Figure 2 Schematic diagram 600 of the charger 200 of FIG. Schematic diagram 600 includes power input circuit 430, user interface 415, controller 405, first power supply 605 (e.g., 6 amp power supply), second power supply 610 (e.g., 6 amp power supply), third power supply 615 (e.g., 12 amp power supply), switches 635A, 635B, 635C, 635D, 635E, charging circuit A 620, charging circuit B 625, charging circuit C 630, and battery packs 215A, 215B, 215C. Power input circuit 430 receives power from an external power source (e.g., a conventional wall outlet, one or more batteries, etc.) or an internal power source (e.g., one or more battery cells). Power input circuit 430 provides power to power supplies 605, 610, 615. The power input circuit includes circuitry that supplies a first amount of power to the six amp power supplies 605, 610 to supply six amps to the battery pack and a second amount of power to the 12 amp power supply 615 to supply 12 amps to the battery pack. In some embodiments, the power input circuit 430 includes a circuit breaker as branch circuit protection. In other embodiments, the power input circuit 430 includes a fuse, an overload relay, etc. The switches 635A, 635B, 635C, 635D, 635E can be mechanical switches, transistors, etc. The 6 amp and 12 amp values ​​are for illustration purposes only, and other current ratings (e.g., any current rating between 1 amp and 30 amps) can be used.

[0075] Similar to schematic diagram 500, the controller 405 in schematic diagram 600 receives input from a user interface 415. The user can interact with the user interface 415 to set the charging rate of the charging circuits 620, 625, and 630. The user can select a low power configuration, a medium power configuration, or a high power configuration. For example, the user interface 415 may include buttons (e.g., on a screen) corresponding to an off configuration, a low power configuration, a first medium power configuration, a second medium power configuration, a first high power configuration, a second high power configuration, and a third high power configuration. Other power configurations are also conceivable. In some embodiments, the controller 405 receives input from an external device (e.g., a mobile phone, a computer, a tablet computer, etc.) that controls the charging rate of the charging circuits 620, 625, and 630.

[0076] When the user enters the low power configuration at the user interface 415, the controller 405 controls the switches 635A, 635C, 635E to close and controls the switches 635B, 635D to open. Therefore, the power from the first six-amp power supply 605 flows to the charging circuit A 620, which then charges the first battery pack 215A with a current of six amps, the power from the second six-amp power supply 610 flows to the charging circuit B 625, which then charges the second battery pack 215B with a current of six amps, and the power from the 12-amp power supply 615 flows to the charging circuit C 630, which then charges the third battery pack 215C with a current of 12 amps. In some embodiments, the first battery pack 215A, the second battery pack 215B, and the third battery pack 215C have the same rated power. For example, the battery packs 215A, 215B, 215C may be rated for 12 amps of current, so that the third battery pack 215C may reach full charge faster than the first battery pack 215A and the second battery pack 215B. In some embodiments, the first battery pack 215A may be rated for six amps of current, and the second battery pack 215B and the third battery pack 215C may be rated for 12 amps of current, so that the first battery pack 215A and the third battery pack 215C reach full charge at about the same time. In some embodiments, the second battery pack 215B may be rated for six amps of current, and the first battery pack 215A and the third battery pack 215C may be rated for 12 amps of current, so that the second battery pack 215B and the third battery pack 215C reach full charge at the same time. In some embodiments, in the low power configuration, the charger 200 operates as described, but switches 635A, 635C, 635E are only closed if the charger 200 detects the battery pack (e.g., based on communication with the battery pack).

[0077] When the user enters the first medium power configuration at the user interface 415, the controller 405 controls the switches 635A, 635B, 635E to close and controls the switches 635C, 635D to open. Therefore, the power from the first six-amp power supply 605 and the second six-amp power supply 610 flows to the charging circuit A 620, which then charges the first battery pack 215A with a current of twelve amps, and the power from the 12-amp power supply 615 flows to the charging circuit C 630, which then charges the third battery pack 215C with a current of 12 amps.

[0078] When the user enters the second medium power configuration at the user interface 415, the controller 405 controls the switches 635B, 635C, 635E to close and controls the switches 635A, 635D to open. Therefore, the power from the first six-amp power supply 605 and the second six-amp power supply 610 flows to the charging circuit B 625, which then charges the second battery pack 215B with a current of twelve amps, and the power from the 12-amp power supply 615 flows to the charging circuit C 630, which then charges the third battery pack 215C with a current of 12 amps.

[0079] When the user enters the first high power configuration at the user interface 415, the controller 405 controls the switches 635A, 635B, 635D to close and controls the switches 635C, 635E to open. Therefore, the power from the first six-amp power supply 605, the second six-amp power supply 610, and the 12-amp power supply 615 flows to the charging circuit A 620, which then charges the first battery pack 215A using a current of 24 amps. Charging circuit B 625 and charging circuit C do not receive any power. In some embodiments, the battery pack receiving the current of 24 amps may be a high-capacity, high-output battery pack that requires a current of 24 amps to charge.

[0080] When the user enters the second high power configuration at the user interface 415, the controller 405 controls the switches 635B, 635C, 635D to close and controls the switches 635A, 635E to open. Therefore, the power from the first six-amp power supply 605, the second six-amp power supply 610, and the 12-amp power supply 615 flows to the charging circuit B 625, which then charges the second battery pack 215B with a current of 24 amps. The charging circuit A 620 and the charging circuit C 630 do not receive any power.

[0081] When the user enters the third high power configuration at the user interface 415, the controller 405 controls the switches 635B, 635D, 635E to close and controls the switches 635A, 635C to open. Therefore, the power from the first six-amp power supply 605, the second six-amp power supply 610, and the 12-amp power supply 615 flows to the charging circuit C 630, which then charges the third battery pack 215C with a current of 24 amps. The charging circuit A 620 and the charging circuit B 625 do not receive any power.

[0082] In some embodiments, a battery pack receiving output from power supplies 605, 610, 615 (e.g., in one of the high power configurations) reaches a full charge faster than when each of the battery packs in the battery pack receives power from their respective power supplies (e.g., in a low power configuration) and when in one of the medium power configurations.

[0083] In some embodiments, when the charger 200 is in the off configuration or the battery pack 215 is not attached to the charger 200 , the switches 635A, 635B, 635C, 635D, 635E may all be open.

[0084] In some embodiments, the user may wish to save power from the power input circuit 430, and therefore may wish to receive charging power for only one battery pack. For example, the user may select a button on the user interface 415 communicating with the controller 405 to charge only the first battery pack 215A. In this example, the switch 635A is closed, and the switches 635B, 635C, 635D, 635E are disconnected. As another example, the user may select a button on the user interface 415 communicating with the controller 405 to charge only the second battery pack 215B. In this example, the switch 635C is closed, and the switches 635A, 635B, 635D, 635E are disconnected. As another example, the user may select a button on the user interface 415 communicating with the controller 405 to charge only the third battery pack 215C. In this example, the switch 635E is closed, and the switches 635A, 635B, 635C, 635D are disconnected.

[0085] Figure 7 Shown Figure 2Schematic diagram 700 of the charger 200 of FIG. Schematic diagram 700 includes power input circuit 430, user interface 415, controller 405, first power supply 705 (e.g., low or 6 amp power supply), second power supply 710 (e.g., medium or 9 amp power supply), third power supply 715 (e.g., high or 12 amp power supply), switches 735A, 735B, 735C, 735D, 735E, charging circuit A 720, charging circuit B 725, charging circuit C 730, and battery packs 215A, 215B, 215C. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the power supplies 705, 710, 715 has a different current rating. Power input circuit 430 receives power from an external power source (e.g., a conventional wall outlet, one or more batteries, etc.) or an internal power source (e.g., one or more battery cells). The power input circuit 430 provides power to the power supplies 705, 710, 715. The power input circuit includes a circuit system that supplies a first power amount to the six-amp power supply 705 to supply six amps to the battery pack, a circuit system that supplies a second power amount to the nine-amp power supply 710 to supply nine amps to the battery pack, and a circuit system that supplies a third power amount to the 12-amp power supply 715 to supply 12 amps to the battery pack. In some embodiments, the power input circuit 430 includes a circuit breaker as branch circuit protection. In other embodiments, the power input circuit 430 includes a fuse, an overload relay, etc. The switches 735A, 735B, 735C, 735D, 735E can be mechanical switches, transistors, etc. The 6 amp value, 9 amp value, and 12 amp value are for illustration purposes only, and other rated currents (e.g., any rated current between 1 amp and 30 amps) can be used.

[0086] Similar to schematic diagrams 500 and 600, the controller 405 in schematic diagram 700 receives input from a user interface 415. The user can interact with the user interface 415 to set the charging rate of the charging circuits 720, 725, and 730. The user can select a low power configuration, a medium power configuration, or a high power configuration. For example, the user interface 415 may include buttons (e.g., on a screen) corresponding to an off configuration, a low power configuration, a first medium power configuration, a second medium power configuration, a first high power configuration, a second high power configuration, and a third high power configuration. Other power configurations are also conceivable. In some embodiments, the controller 405 receives input from an external device (e.g., a mobile phone, a computer, a tablet computer, etc.) that controls the charging rate of the charging circuits 720, 725, and 730.

[0087] When the user enters the low power configuration at the user interface 415, the controller 405 controls the switches 735A, 735C, 735E to close and controls the switches 735B, 735D to open. Therefore, the power from the six-amp power supply 705 flows to the charging circuit A 720, which then charges the first battery pack 215A with a current of six amps, the power from the nine-amp power supply 710 flows to the charging circuit B 725, which then charges the second battery pack 215B with a current of nine amps, and the power from the 12-amp power supply 715 flows to the charging circuit C 730, which then charges the third battery pack 215C with a current of 12 amps. In some embodiments, the first battery pack 215A, the second battery pack 215B, and the third battery pack 215C have the same rated power. For example, the battery packs 215A, 215B, 215C may be rated for a current of 12 amps, so that the third battery pack 215C may reach full charge faster than the first battery pack 215A and the second battery pack 215B. In some embodiments, the first battery pack 215A may be rated for a current of six amps, and the second battery pack 215B and the third battery pack 215C may be rated for a current of 12 amps, so that the first battery pack 215A and the third battery pack 215C may reach full charge almost at the same time. In some embodiments, the second battery pack 215B may be rated for a current of six amps, and the first battery pack 215A and the third battery pack 215C may be rated for a current of 12 amps, so that the second battery pack 215B and the third battery pack 215C may reach full charge almost at the same time. In some embodiments, the first battery pack 215A may be rated for six amps of current, the second battery pack 215B may be rated for nine amps of current, and the third battery pack 215C may be rated for 12 amps of current, so that each battery pack 215A, 215B, 215C reaches full charge at approximately the same time. In some embodiments, in the low power configuration, the charger 200 operates as described, but switches 735A, 735C, 735E are only closed if the charger 200 detects a battery pack (e.g., based on communication with the battery pack).

[0088] When the user enters the first medium power configuration at the user interface 415, the controller 405 controls the switches 735A, 735B, 735E to close and controls the switches 735C, 735D to open. Therefore, the power from the six-amp power supply 705 and the nine-amp power supply 710 flows to the charging circuit A 720, which then charges the first battery pack 215A with a current of 15 amps, and the power from the 12-amp power supply 715 flows to the charging circuit C 730, which then charges the third battery pack 215C with a current of 12 amps.

[0089] When the user enters the second medium power configuration at the user interface 415, the controller 405 controls the switches 735B, 735C, 735E to close and controls the switches 735A, 735D to open. Therefore, the power from the six-amp power supply 705 and the nine-amp power supply 610 flows to the charging circuit B 725, which then charges the second battery pack 215B with a current of 15 amps, and the power from the 12-amp power supply 715 flows to the charging circuit C 730, which then charges the third battery pack 215C with a current of 12 amps.

[0090] When the user enters the first high power configuration at the user interface 415, the controller 405 controls the switches 735A, 735B, 735D to close and controls the switches 735C, 735E to open. Therefore, the power from the six-amp power supply 705, the nine-amp power supply 710, and the 12-amp power supply 715 flows to the charging circuit A 720, which then charges the first battery pack 215A using a current of 27 amps. The charging circuit B 725 and the charging circuit C do not receive any power. In some embodiments, the battery pack that receives the current of 27 amps may be a high-capacity, high-output battery pack that requires a current of 27 amps to charge.

[0091] When the user enters the second high power configuration at the user interface 415, the controller 405 controls the switches 735B, 735C, 735D to close and controls the switches 735A, 735E to open. Therefore, the power from the six-amp power supply 705, the nine-amp power supply 710, and the 12-amp power supply 715 flows to the charging circuit B 725, which then charges the second battery pack 215B with a current of 27 amps. The charging circuit A 720 and the charging circuit C 730 do not receive any power.

[0092] When the user enters the third high power configuration at the user interface 415, the controller 405 controls the switches 735B, 735D, 735E to close and controls the switches 735A, 735C to open. Therefore, the power from the six-amp power supply 705, the nine-amp power supply 710, and the 12-amp power supply 715 flows to the charging circuit C 730, which then charges the third battery pack 215C with a current of 27 amps. The charging circuit A 720 and the charging circuit B 725 do not receive any power.

[0093] In some embodiments, a battery pack receiving output from power supplies 705, 710, 715 (e.g., in one of the high power configurations) reaches a full charge faster than when each of the battery packs in the battery pack receives power from their respective power supplies (e.g., in a low power configuration) and when in one of the medium power configurations.

[0094] In some embodiments, when the charger 200 is in the off configuration or the battery pack 215 is not attached to the charger 200 , the switches 735A, 735B, 735C, 735D, 735E may all be open.

[0095] In some embodiments, the user may wish to save power from the power input circuit 430, and therefore may wish to receive charging power for only one battery pack. For example, the user may select a button on the user interface 415 communicating with the controller 405 to charge only the first battery pack 215A. In this example, the switch 735A is closed, and the switches 735B, 735C, 735D, 735E are disconnected. As another example, the user may select a button on the user interface 415 communicating with the controller 405 to charge only the second battery pack 215B. In this example, the switch 735C is closed, and the switches 735A, 735B, 735D, 735E are disconnected. As another example, the user may select a button on the user interface 415 communicating with the controller 405 to charge only the third battery pack 215C. In this example, the switch 735E is closed, and the switches 735A, 735B, 735C, 735D are disconnected.

[0096] Tables 7 to 24 below are examples of various power output configurations that may be implemented by the charger 200, and more specifically by the circuit components in the schematics 600, 700. In some embodiments, the user interface 415 may include an input (e.g., button, switch, etc.) corresponding to each power output configuration. A , S B , S C , S D and S E Corresponding to switches 635A, 635B, 635C, 635D and 635E respectively or corresponding to 735A, 735B, 735C, 735D and 735E respectively.

[0097] Table 7

[0098]

[0099] Table 8

[0100]

[0101] Table 9

[0102]

[0103] Table 10

[0104]

[0105] Table 11

[0106]

[0107] Table 12

[0108]

[0109] Table 13

[0110]

[0111] Table 14

[0112]

[0113] Table 15

[0114]

[0115] Table 16

[0116]

[0117] Table 17

[0118]

[0119] Table 18

[0120]

[0121] Table 19

[0122]

[0123] Table 20

[0124]

[0125] Table 21

[0126]

[0127] Figure 8 is used to Figure 5Schematic diagram 500 of a process 800 of providing a low power charging current to a first battery pack 215A and a second battery pack 215B. Process 800 begins with the charger 100, 200 receiving the first battery pack 215A and the second battery pack 215B (block 805). In some embodiments, the controller 405 determines that the battery packs 215A, 215B have been received by the charger 100, 200 by at least one of sensing the current of the battery pack, sensing the voltage of the battery pack, a mechanical switch in the battery pack interface 420, communication with the battery pack, etc. At block 810, the controller 405 receives a low power configuration user input. In some embodiments, the user input is received from a user interacting with the user interface 415. Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, the user input is received from an external device (e.g., a smart phone).

[0128] At block 815, the controller 405 opens the parallel switch (eg, Figure 5 5B in schematic diagram 500) and closes the series switch (e.g., Figure 5 500 of the schematic diagram 500). The switch can be a mechanical switch, a transistor, etc. A first output charging current is provided to the first battery pack 215A, and a second output charging current is provided to the second battery pack 215B (block 820). In some embodiments, the first output charging current can be less than the second output charging current. For example, the first output charging current can be six amperes, and the second output charging current can be 12 amperes. In some embodiments, the first output charging current and the second output charging current can be the same.

[0129] Fig. 9 is used to Figure 5 Schematic diagram 500 of the process 900 of providing a high power charging current to one of the first battery pack 215A and the second battery pack 215B. Process 900 begins with the charger 100, 200 receiving at least one of the first battery pack 215A and the second battery pack 215B (block 905). In some embodiments, the controller 405 determines that the battery pack 215A, 215B has been received by the charger 100, 200 by at least one of sensing the current of the battery pack, sensing the voltage of the battery pack, a mechanical switch in the battery pack interface 420, communication with the battery pack, etc. At block 910, the controller 405 receives a high power configuration user input. In some embodiments, the user input is received from a user interacting with the user interface 415. Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, the user input is received from an external device (e.g., a smart phone).

[0130] At block 915, the controller 405 closes the parallel switch and the first series switch (eg, Figure 5515A, 515B in the schematic diagram 500) and disconnect the second series switch (e.g., Figure 5 In some embodiments, based on user input, the controller 405 closes the parallel switch and the second series switch (e.g., Figure 5 515B, 515C in the schematic diagram 500) and disconnect the first series switch (e.g., Figure 5 500 ). The switch may be a mechanical switch, a transistor, etc. The sum of the first output charging current and the second output charging current is provided to the first battery pack 215A (block 920). The second battery pack 215B does not receive any charging current. In the high power configuration, a single battery pack is charged using two output charging currents, so that the single battery pack can be charged faster.

[0131] Fig.10 is used to Figures 5 to 7 The process 1000 of providing the requested charging current to at least two battery packs of the schematic diagrams 500, 600, 700 of FIG. 1000 begins with the charger 100, 200 receiving at least two battery packs (block 1005). In some embodiments, the controller 405 determines that at least two battery packs have been received by the charger 200 by at least one of sensing the current of the battery pack, sensing the voltage of the battery pack, a mechanical switch in the battery pack interface 420, communication with the battery pack, etc. At block 1010, the controller 405 receives a user input. In some embodiments, the user input may be one of a low power configuration, a medium power configuration, or a high power configuration. For example, the user input may correspond to any one of the power output configurations shown in Tables 1 to 21. In some embodiments, block 1010 may be skipped, and the controller 405 automatically controls the switch to provide power to the at least two battery packs. In some embodiments, based on at least one of the sensed or received rated power of the at least two battery packs and the charge level of the at least two battery packs, the controller 405 may control the switch to provide power to the battery pack. For example, the first battery pack may be depleted and the second battery pack may be charged above a threshold such that the controller 405 automatically controls the switch to provide total power to the first battery pack.

[0132] At block 1015, the controller 405 controls the switches to provide the requested power output to the at least two battery packs. The switches may be mechanical switches, transistors, etc. Based on the configuration of the open and closed switches, the charging current output to the at least two battery packs corresponds to the user input.

[0133] Although the frames of processes 800, 900, and 1000 are Figure 8 , Fig. 9 and Fig.10Although shown serially and in a particular order in the flowchart, in some embodiments, one or more of the blocks are implemented in parallel, implemented in a different order than shown, or bypassed.

[0134] Thus, the embodiments described herein provide, among other things, systems and methods for setting and providing at least one output charging current to at least one battery pack received by a multi-bay battery pack charger. Various features and advantages are set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A battery charger, comprising: case; a plurality of battery pack receptacles supported by the housing, each battery pack receptacle of the plurality of battery pack receptacles being configured to receive a battery pack; multiple output power supplies; a plurality of charging circuits, each charging circuit of the plurality of charging circuits configured to transfer power from at least one of the plurality of output power supplies to a battery pack receptacle of the plurality of battery pack receptacles; a plurality of switches associated with the plurality of charging circuits; as well as A controller operable to: receiving inputs from the plurality of charging circuits, switching each of the plurality of switches to one of a first position or a second position based on the received input, and One of a first output power and a second output power is provided to each of the battery pack receptacles.

2. The battery charger according to claim 1, wherein: The first output power is one of no power output, low power output, and high power output.

3. The battery charger as claimed in claim 2, wherein: The second output power is one of the no-power output, the medium-power output, and the high-power output.

4. The battery charger according to claim 1, wherein: Based on a difference between the received inputs, the first output power is less than the second output power.

5. The battery charger of claim 4, wherein: A first switch of the plurality of switches is in the first position; A second switch of the plurality of switches is in the second position; and A third switch of the plurality of switches is in the first position.

6. The battery charger as claimed in claim 1, wherein: Based on the difference between the received inputs, the first output power is zero, and the second output power is a maximum charging power.

7. The battery charger of claim 6, wherein: A first switch of the plurality of switches is in the first position; A second switch of the plurality of switches is in the first position; and A third switch of the plurality of switches is in the second position.

8. The battery charger as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The controller is further configured to: One of the first output power, the second output power, and a third output power is provided to each of the battery pack receptacles.

9. The battery charger as claimed in claim 8, wherein: The first output power is less than the second output power, and the second output power is less than the third output power.

10. The battery charger of claim 1, wherein: The first output power corresponds to a first charging current of at least about 6 amperes; and The second output power corresponds to a second charging current of at least about 9 amperes.

11. A system comprising: Multiple battery packs; as well as A battery charger, the battery charger comprising: case; a plurality of battery pack receptacles supported by the housing, each battery pack receptacle of the plurality of battery pack receptacles being configured to receive a battery pack; multiple output power supplies; a plurality of charging circuits, each charging circuit of the plurality of charging circuits configured to transfer power from at least one of the plurality of output power supplies to a battery pack receptacle of the plurality of battery pack receptacles; a plurality of switches associated with the plurality of charging circuits; and A controller configured to: determining that the plurality of battery packs are received by the plurality of battery pack receptacles, receiving inputs from the plurality of charging circuits, controlling the plurality of switches to be in one of a first position or a second position based on the received input, and One of a first output power and a second output power is provided to each of the plurality of battery pack receptacles.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein: The input is at least one of a rated power or a requested power corresponding to each battery pack of the plurality of battery packs.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein: A first battery pack of the plurality of battery packs has a first rated power; A second battery pack of the plurality of battery packs has a second rated power; and The first rated power is less than the second rated power.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein: A first switch of the plurality of switches is in the first position; A second switch of the plurality of switches is in the second position; and A third switch of the plurality of switches is in the first position.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein: A first battery pack of the plurality of battery packs is not requesting power; and A second battery pack of the plurality of battery packs requests power.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein: A first switch of the plurality of switches is in the first position; A second switch of the plurality of switches is in the first position; and A third switch of the plurality of switches is in the second position.

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