Battery-powered portable equipment

Abstract

When battery-powered devices are powered entirely by solid-state batteries, the usable temperature range of the battery-powered devices is expanded. However, this also necessitates managing the temperature of components that will not function properly due to low temperatures (components requiring heating) and components that will not function properly due to overheating (components requiring heat dissipation), thus requiring technology that balances heating and heat dissipation. [Solution] The battery-powered device comprises a battery pack containing all-solid-state battery cells and a device body to which the battery pack can be attached and detached, and multiple components are housed within the battery pack and / or the device body, and these multiple components are arranged in a low-temperature layout at low temperatures and in a high-temperature layout at high temperatures. At low temperatures when it is necessary to heat components that require heating, heat is prevented from being dissipated from the heat dissipation member, and at high temperatures when it is necessary to dissipate heat from components that require heat dissipation, heat is dissipated from the heat dissipation member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This specification discloses a technology applicable to battery-powered (cordless) portable tools, including but not limited to, for example, cordless power tools that are used while being supported by a user (handheld). Cordless handheld power tools include, for example, a drill driven by a battery, a screw tightening machine (driver) driven by a battery, a chainsaw driven by a battery, a circular saw driven by a battery, a handheld vacuum cleaner driven by a battery, a lighting device (flashlight) driven by a battery, etc. The technology disclosed in this specification is also applicable to battery-powered portable tools that are carried by a user and used at the place where they are brought in, including but not limited to, for example, a mitre saw driven by a battery, a table saw driven by a battery, a lawn mower driven by a battery, a battery-powered vacuum cleaner used while supported on a floor surface, etc. This specification also discloses a technology related to a battery pack that is detachable from the tool body of any of the above or below-described battery-powered portable tools and includes at least one all-solid battery cell.

Background Art

[0002] Battery-powered (cordless) portable tools have become widely popular due to their convenience and usability in various working environments. In the past, such battery-powered portable tools have been driven by rechargeable batteries based on battery chemistries such as nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride, and lithium-ion. For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose an example of a battery-powered portable tool that uses a lithium-ion battery.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003] ​​​​​​​​​​​Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in batteries that power battery-powered portable devices because it is preferable to have a large discharge capacity (or storage capacity) per unit weight or unit volume, and / or a high output per unit weight or unit volume. In lithium-ion batteries, an electrolyte (sometimes an electrolytic gel) is filled between the positive and negative electrodes, and lithium ions move between the positive and negative electrodes via the electrolyte or electrolytic gel during charging and discharging. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] Lithium-ion batteries use a liquid electrolyte or a viscous liquid electrolyte gel, and therefore do not function well in low-temperature environments where the electrolyte or electrolyte gel may freeze. In fact, as the temperature of the electrolyte or electrolyte gel decreases, the internal resistance of the battery increases, reducing the battery output. For this reason, portable devices powered by lithium-ion batteries may become unusable even in low-temperature environments where the electrolyte or electrolyte gel does not freeze. Conversely, if the temperature of the electrolyte or electrolyte gel becomes too high, problems such as excessive pressure inside the cell due to gases generated by the electrolyte or electrolyte gel can occur, leading to cell failure. Portable devices powered by lithium-ion batteries need to be controlled to limit the battery output in high-temperature environments to prevent the battery from overheating. Devices powered by lithium-ion batteries may become unusable in high-temperature environments.

[0006] As described above, battery-powered portable devices still have the problem of not being usable in low-temperature environments where the internal resistance of the battery increases, and also not being usable in high-temperature environments where the internal pressure of the cell becomes excessive. One objective (but not limited to) of the technology disclosed herein is to expand the usable temperature range of battery-powered portable devices.

[0007] In addition to, or instead of, the above, battery-powered (cordless) portable devices have the problem that their maximum output fluctuates greatly depending on the ambient temperature. For example, it is possible to design a device to obtain sufficient maximum output in a high-temperature environment, but if designed in this way, a problem may arise in which the maximum output decreases (becomes insufficient) in a low-temperature environment, resulting in reduced work efficiency. Conventional battery-powered portable devices still suffer from the problem that the range of change in maximum output due to temperature is too large. One objective (but not limited to) of the technology disclosed herein is to provide a battery-powered portable device in which the range of change in maximum output due to temperature changes is small.

[0008] To extend the usable temperature range of battery-powered portable devices, temperature measurement technology is needed that expands the temperature range that can be accurately measured. One objective (but not limited to) of the technologies disclosed herein is to expand the temperature range that can be accurately measured by a temperature measurement circuit installed in a battery-powered portable device. The temperature measurement circuit may be installed in the main body of the battery-powered portable device, in a battery pack that is detachable from the main body, or the temperature measurement circuit may be completed when the battery pack is attached to the main body. The temperature measurement technology disclosed herein can be applied to measuring battery temperature, to measuring component temperatures within a battery-powered portable device, or to measuring component temperatures within a battery pack or a charging device that charges the battery pack.

[0009] By using batteries that can be used at low temperatures, it is possible to obtain the necessary power from those batteries even at low temperatures. However, a problem may arise where the electronic equipment (components in a battery-powered portable device) that is powered by that electricity is too cold and does not function properly. To address this problem, this specification discloses a technique for warming electronic equipment that is too cold to function properly to a temperature at which it can function properly. Battery-powered portable devices may be used in high-temperature environments and may contain electrical equipment (components in a battery-powered portable device) that requires cooling in high-temperature environments, and may require a heat dissipation device to cool that electrical equipment. The components that require heat dissipation may be components that require heating at low temperatures, or the components that require heating and the components that require heat dissipation may be separate components. The techniques disclosed here provide a technique designed to warm electronic equipment to a temperature at which it can function properly, and a technique designed to dissipate heat so that the electrical equipment does not become abnormally hot. The heating and heat dissipation technologies disclosed herein can be used separately or incorporated into the same battery-powered portable device in a manner that allows for compatibility (one not interfering with the other). Note that electronic equipment requiring heating at low temperatures and electrical equipment requiring cooling at high temperatures may be the same device or different devices.

[0010] In another aspect of this instruction, a battery-powered portable device is powered using an all-solid-state battery that, instead of using an electrolyte or electrolytic gel, uses a solid electrolyte or solid conductor between the positive and negative electrodes. The all-solid-state battery extends the usable temperature range of the battery-powered portable device by the fact that the electrolyte or conductor remains solid in all temperature environments in which the battery-powered portable device powered by the all-solid-state battery may be used. In addition, the structure of the all-solid-state battery allows for lower wiring inductance within the battery pack compared to other types of batteries. To take advantage of this benefit, the wiring inductance within the device body, to which the battery pack is detachable, must also be kept low. This specification also discloses techniques for keeping the wiring inductance within the device body low.

[0011] Solid-state batteries, which do not use electrolytes or electrolytic gels, can be charged safely (without damaging the battery cells) with a larger current compared to lithium-ion batteries. Such solid-state batteries can be charged while the tool is in operation using regenerative current (regenerative power) generated when a tool bit or other tool accessory is braking. That is, when the motor of a battery-powered portable tool is acting as a generator and generating current, that current can be used to charge the solid-state battery. This teaching also provides a technique designed to charge a solid-state battery using regenerative power without damaging the battery while a battery-powered portable tool is in operation.

[0012] Battery packs using batteries with an electrolyte or electrolytic gel require protection from overheating and damage when used in high-temperature environments, necessitating the provision of cooling air passages within the battery pack. This results in a complex internal shape for the battery pack housing, making the battery pack heavy and bulky. By constructing the battery pack using all-solid-state batteries, the need to introduce cooling air into the battery pack is eliminated, allowing for a lighter and smaller battery pack. The technology described herein has enabled the realization of a lightweight and compact battery pack with a discharge capacity of 200 Wh / kg or more per unit weight. A discharge capacity of 200 Wh / kg or more is an impossible value with conventional technology, making it possible to design battery-powered portable equipment that significantly reduces the burden on workers. Note that discharge capacity (or storage capacity) is expressed in terms of energy, and is expressed as a multiplier of the dischargeable watts and time. If the rated voltage is fixed, the current value can be used instead of watts. Wh is the product of 1 watt and 1 hour, equivalent to 3600 joules.

[0013] Some battery-powered portable tools have a battery pack attached to the worker's waist, while the tool itself, held in the worker's hand, does not have a battery pack attached. In this case, a cord connects the battery pack attached to the worker's waist to the tool held in the worker's hand. This configuration reduces the weight the worker has to support in their hands during work, thereby reducing worker fatigue. In this configuration, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-129986 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-21657, a connector is required to connect the cord to the tool body, and this connector weighs approximately 250 grams. If a discharge capacity of 200 Wh / kg or more can be secured, a battery pack lighter than the connector can provide a discharge capacity of 50 Wh. With a discharge capacity of 50 Wh, it is possible to complete most of the work using the battery-powered portable tool without replacing the battery pack. For users who attach the battery pack to their waist to reduce the burden and lighten the weight they hold in their hands, this eliminates the need to attach the battery pack to the waist.

[0014] Furthermore, the technology described herein has made it possible to realize a small battery pack with a discharge capacity of 300 Wh / L or more per unit volume, which was impossible with conventional technology. As a result, the volume of the aforementioned battery pack with a discharge capacity of 50 Wh has been reduced to approximately 170 mL. With a battery pack volume of approximately 170 mL, it becomes possible to house the battery pack within the grip (handle) of a battery-powered portable device.

[0015] Solid-state battery cells do not require cooling during charging and discharging. In battery packs utilizing solid-state battery cells, there is no need to introduce cooling air into the battery pack, and the battery pack housing reliably shields the battery cells from the outside and provides waterproofing. This makes it possible to strongly protect the battery cells from rainwater and dust, improving weather resistance. Battery packs can be made lighter and smaller, further improving the weather resistance of the battery cells. As a result, the usability and reliability of battery-powered portable equipment used outdoors, such as blowers, lawnmowers, chainsaws, pruning shears, and hedge trimmers, are greatly improved. [Means for solving the problem]

[0016] In the first embodiment disclosed herein, the usable temperature range of a battery-powered portable device is expanded. To enable this, the temperature range that can be measured (accurately measured) by the temperature measurement circuit mounted on the battery-powered portable device is expanded.

[0017] The battery-powered portable tool of the first embodiment incorporates a temperature measurement circuit. This temperature measurement circuit may be contained within the tool body and / or within the battery pack. The temperature measurement circuit may also be completed by attaching the battery pack to the tool body. The temperature measurement circuit comprises a high-temperature measurement circuit that outputs accurate measurement results in the high-temperature range but less accurate measurement results in the low-temperature range, and a low-temperature measurement circuit that outputs accurate measurement results in the low-temperature range but less accurate measurement results in the high-temperature range. The temperature measurement circuit may also be equipped with a switch, which can be used to switch between the high-temperature and low-temperature measurement circuits. In other words, one of the high-temperature or low-temperature measurement circuits may appear depending on the time. The temperature measurement circuit outputs the output of the low-temperature measurement circuit when the output value of the high-temperature measurement circuit falls into an abnormal range, and outputs the output of the high-temperature measurement circuit when the output value of the low-temperature measurement circuit falls into an abnormal range. In other words, the temperature measurement circuit determines the temperature based on (or using the output of) the low-temperature measurement circuit when the output value of the high-temperature measurement circuit falls into an abnormal range, and determines the temperature based on (or using the output of) the high-temperature measurement circuit when the output value of the low-temperature measurement circuit falls into an abnormal range. The abnormal ranges of the high-temperature measurement circuit and the low-temperature measurement circuit may be different or partially overlapping. This temperature measurement circuit can be applied to battery temperature measurement circuits or component temperature measurement circuits.

[0018] The term "abnormal range" here refers to a range in which the measurement results are considered too inaccurate or unreliable to be used to determine the operating state of the device itself and / or the battery pack. For example, in the case of the high-temperature measurement circuit described later with reference to Figure 4, when the output voltage of the temperature measurement circuit (the voltage read by the microcontroller) is within the range of 1.8 to 4.0V, there is a linear relationship between the output voltage and the thermistor temperature, and the accuracy of the temperature calculated from the output voltage is high. In contrast, when the output voltage is 1.8V or less, or 4.0V or more, the aforementioned linear relationship cannot be obtained, and the temperature calculated from the output voltage tends to be inaccurate and unreliable. In this example, the abnormal range is defined as 1.8V or less and 4.0V or more. Further details will be provided later.

[0019] According to the battery-powered portable device and / or battery pack of this embodiment, it is possible to effectively use all-solid-state batteries that can be used over a wide temperature range, thereby realizing a battery-powered portable device that can be used over a wide temperature range.

[0020] Some battery-powered portable devices house battery cells or battery packs within the device body, meaning the battery cells are permanently housed within the device body (except in exceptional cases such as during disassembly and repair). In this case, this technology can also be applied to the battery temperature measurement circuit located within the device body. Alternatively, some devices have a battery pack containing battery cells that can be detachably attached to a mounting section formed on the device body. In the latter case, this technology can be applied to the battery temperature measurement circuit built into the battery pack, to the battery temperature measurement circuit built into the device body, or to a system where the battery temperature measurement circuit is completed by attaching the battery pack to the device body.

[0021] Furthermore, the term "battery" as used herein is synonymous with "battery," and may mean cell, battery cell, or battery pack. Unless otherwise noted, this instruction is not limited to either a battery pack (battery cartridge) or a battery cell. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0022] [Figure 1] A diagram showing a representative and non-limiting example of a battery pack using an all-solid-state battery cell according to the present disclosure, and a representative and non-limiting example of an appliance body according to the present disclosure. [Figure 2] A diagram explaining the relationship of various temperature ranges. [Figure 3] A diagram showing the detection part of a conventional temperature measurement circuit. [Figure 4] A diagram showing the relationship between the voltage output by the detection part in FIG. 3 and the thermistor temperature. [Figure 5] A diagram showing the relationship between the charging current and the battery temperature of a battery pack using an all-solid-state battery cell according to the present disclosure. [Figure 6] A diagram showing the relationship between the voltage output by the detection part in FIG. 7 and the thermistor temperature. [Figure 7] A diagram showing the detection part of the temperature measurement circuit according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] A diagram showing the relationship between the voltage output by the detection part in FIG. 9 and the thermistor temperature. [Figure 9] A diagram showing a second embodiment of the detection part of the temperature measurement circuit according to the present disclosure. [Figure 10] A diagram showing the relationship between the charging current and the battery temperature of a battery pack using an all-solid-state battery cell according to the present disclosure (a different example from FIG. 5). [Figure 11] A diagram showing the component layout (relative positional arrangement) of the first embodiment when in a low-temperature environment. [Figure 12] A diagram showing the component layout (relative positional arrangement) of the first embodiment when in a high-temperature environment. [Figure 13] A diagram showing the component layout (relative positional arrangement) of the second embodiment when in a low-temperature environment. [Figure 14] A diagram showing the component layout (relative positional arrangement) of the second embodiment when in a high-temperature environment. [Figure 15] A diagram showing the component layout (relative positional arrangement) of the third embodiment. [Figure 16] A diagram showing the component layout (relative positional arrangement) of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 17]A diagram showing the component layout (relative positioning) of the fifth embodiment. [Figure 18] A diagram showing the component layout (relative positioning) of the sixth embodiment. [Figure 19] A diagram showing the component layout (relative positioning) of the seventh embodiment. [Figure 20] A diagram showing the component layout (relative positioning) of the 8th embodiment. [Figure 21] A diagram showing the electrical circuit of a battery-powered portable device according to an embodiment of this instruction. [Figure 22] A diagram showing a cross-section of the wiring in the first embodiment. [Figure 23] A diagram showing a cross-section of the wiring in the second embodiment. [Figure 24] A diagram showing a cross-section of the wiring in the third embodiment. [Figure 25] This diagram shows a typical, non-exclusive example of a battery pack structure that waterproofs both the battery cells and the control circuit board by shielding them from the atmosphere. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0023] The main, non-limiting features of the embodiments described below are listed first.

[0024] (Feature 1) It is a battery-powered portable device that is used while being supported by a worker, or placed in a location brought in by a worker. A battery pack containing a solid-state battery cell (at least one solid-state battery cell), The aforementioned battery pack is attached to the main body of the device, The device includes an actuator that operates using power supplied by the battery pack, is housed within the main body of the device, and is connected to or can be connected to the all-solid-state battery. When a battery pack is described as being detachable from the tool body, unless otherwise specified, this includes cases where the battery pack is attached to the outer surface of the tool body (where most of the outer surface of the battery pack, excluding the mounting portion, is exposed), cases where the battery pack is housed inside the tool body (where the outer surface of the battery pack is not exposed from the tool body), and cases where part of the battery pack is housed inside the tool body and other parts of the battery pack are exposed from the tool body.

[0025] Unlike other types of batteries, solid-state batteries are not restricted to use in low-temperature environments where the electrolyte freezes, nor are they restricted to use in high-temperature environments where excessive gas pressure from the electrolyte can irreparably damage the battery. By using solid-state batteries to power (drive) the actuators of portable devices, the usable temperature range of battery-powered portable devices is greatly expanded. Furthermore, as mentioned above, it is possible to achieve a discharge capacity of 200 Wh / kg or more per unit weight and / or 300 Wh / L or more per unit volume, allowing for smaller and lighter battery packs. This reduces the burden on users of battery-powered portable devices.

[0026] The term "all-solid-state battery" as used herein includes a lithium-ion battery in which the electrolyte or gel is replaced with a solid electrolyte. That is, it includes a battery in which the electrolyte is replaced with one that is solid at any temperature within the temperature range in which battery-powered portable devices can be used (usually between -40°C and +60°C). Alternatively, it refers to a battery in which all of the materials constituting the positive electrode, negative electrode, and connecting the positive and negative electrodes are solid at all temperatures between -30°C and +125°C. For example, all-solid-state batteries described in International Publication No. WO2018 / 092370, International Publication No. WO2018 / 092484, or Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-29317 are available. Japanese Patent Publication No. 201-299317 discloses batteries with liquid electrolytes, batteries with gel-like electrolytes, and batteries with solid electrolytes, and a battery using a solid electrolyte is an example of an all-solid-state battery as used herein. All-solid-state batteries that do not use an electrolyte are also available. For example, an all-solid-state battery can be obtained by a laminated structure in which an ITO substrate is used as the positive electrode, a p-type semiconductor layer is formed on it, an insulating layer is formed on it, an n-type semiconductor layer is formed on it, and a negative electrode is formed on it. A so-called all-solid-state semiconductor battery that utilizes this type of laminated structure is also a type of all-solid-state battery. In this embodiment, an all-solid-state secondary battery that can repeatedly perform charging and discharging cycles is used.

[0027] The term "actuator" as used here is not limited to motors and the like that convert power supplied by a battery pack into motion (rotation or linear motion). Devices that convert power into heat (heaters or Peltier elements that generate heat through resistance), devices that cool power (Peltier elements), devices that convert power into light (LEDs, etc.), devices that convert power into sound (speakers), and devices that convert power into radio waves can also be considered actuators.

[0028] (Feature 2) It is a battery-powered portable device. Battery pack and The aforementioned battery pack is attached to the main body of the device, The device is equipped with an actuator that operates using the power supplied by the aforementioned battery pack and is housed within the main body of the device. The actuator has the relationship "maximum output at -20°C / maximum output at +50°C > 0.5". If a device can maintain more than half of its maximum output at +50°C even in a low-temperature environment of -20°C, it is often practically possible to perform work in low-temperature environments. This increases the temperature range in which battery-powered portable equipment can be used. It is preferable that the above-mentioned battery pack has a discharge capacity per unit weight of 200 Wh / kg or more, or a discharge capacity per unit volume of 300 Wh / L or more. With an all-solid-state battery, it is possible to secure the above discharge capacity and also obtain the relationship "maximum output at -20°C / maximum output at +50°C > 0.5". With a battery pack that satisfies both requirements, most of the work using portable equipment required in low-temperature environments can be performed. In the above-mentioned battery pack, it is preferable that the battery cells are housed in a sealed space protected from the outside by a sealed housing (or an internal housing contained within the housing). Solid-state batteries have a high operating temperature and do not require the introduction of cooling air into the battery pack housing. By using a sealed housing, it is possible to prevent rainwater from entering the battery pack and to prevent dust and other debris from entering. A battery pack that has the above-mentioned relationship between discharge capacity and output, and in which the battery cells are housed in a sealed housing, enables work in inclement weather. There is no need to worry about accidents such as battery cells short-circuiting or failing due to the intrusion of foreign objects.

[0029] (Feature 3) It is a battery-powered portable device. Battery pack and The aforementioned battery pack is attached to the main body of the device, The device is equipped with an actuator that operates using the power supplied by the aforementioned battery pack and is housed within the main body of the device. The actuator will operate even if the ambient temperature is below freezing, as long as it is above -30°C. Using all-solid-state batteries makes it possible to create battery-powered portable devices that can be used even when the ambient temperature is below freezing, as long as it is above -30°C. In this case as well, it is preferable that the battery pack has a discharge capacity of 200 Wh / kg or more per unit weight, or an output of 300 W / L or more per unit volume.

[0030] (Feature 4) It is a battery-powered portable device. Battery pack and The aforementioned battery pack is attached to the main body of the device, The device is equipped with an actuator that operates using the power supplied by the aforementioned battery pack and is housed within the main body of the device. The actuator will operate even if the ambient temperature is above +50°C, as long as the battery temperature is below +100°C. With conventional battery-powered portable equipment, it was necessary to control the battery temperature to prevent it from rising above +80°C. When the ambient temperature exceeded +50°C, various restrictions came into effect, leading to a decrease in work efficiency. Using solid-state batteries, the battery's permissible temperature rises to approximately +100°C or higher, making it possible to continue operation without restrictions even when the battery temperature exceeds +80°C. Portable equipment powered by solid-state batteries eliminates the need for various restrictions to prevent battery overheating. In this case as well, it is preferable that the battery pack has a discharge capacity of 200 Wh / kg or more per unit weight, or a discharge capacity of 300 Wh / L or more per unit volume.

[0031] (Feature 5) It is a battery-powered portable device. A battery pack containing all-solid-state battery cells, The aforementioned battery pack is attached to the main body of the device, It is equipped with a battery temperature measurement circuit housed in the battery pack and / or the main body of the device. The aforementioned battery temperature measurement circuit includes a low-temperature measurement circuit and a high-temperature measurement circuit. When the temperature is low (below a predetermined temperature threshold), the battery temperature is determined based on the output of the low-temperature measurement circuit, and when the temperature is high (above a predetermined temperature threshold), the battery temperature is determined based on the output of the high-temperature measurement circuit. This technology can be applied when the battery temperature measurement circuit is housed within the battery pack, or when the battery temperature measurement circuit is completed by attaching the battery pack to the main body of the device. In the latter case, part of the battery temperature measurement circuit is housed within the battery pack, and other parts are housed within the main body of the device. The battery temperature measurement circuit can also be housed within the main body of the device by placing a component with a high thermoelectric coefficient that transfers heat to the battery. The technology of using both a low-temperature measurement circuit and a high-temperature measurement circuit is not limited to measuring battery temperature, but can also be used to measure the temperature of a charging circuit (or components within a charging circuit).

[0032] (Feature 6) It is a battery-powered portable device. A battery pack containing all-solid-state battery cells, The aforementioned battery pack is attached to the main body of the device, It is equipped with a battery temperature measurement circuit housed in the battery pack or the main body of the device. The battery temperature measurement circuit, A high-temperature measurement circuit that outputs accurate measurement results in the high-temperature range but less accurate measurement results in the low-temperature range, A low-temperature measurement circuit that outputs accurate measurement results in the low-temperature range but less accurate measurement results in the high-temperature range, A switching device that activates the low-temperature measurement circuit when the output value of the high-temperature measurement circuit falls within an abnormal range (for example, by switching the battery temperature measurement circuit to output the output of the low-temperature measurement circuit), and activates the high-temperature measurement circuit when the output value of the low-temperature measurement circuit falls within an abnormal range (for example, by switching the battery temperature measurement circuit to output the output of the high-temperature measurement circuit), It is equipped with.

[0033] The high-temperature measurement circuit has a temperature range in which it can accurately measure temperature, and as long as the temperature is within that range, the output value of the high-temperature measurement circuit is within a predetermined range. The abnormal range here refers to anything outside of the predetermined range. If the temperature is outside the predetermined range, it means that the temperature is outside the range in which the high-temperature measurement circuit can accurately measure it. In this case, the circuit is switched to the low-temperature measurement circuit. Here, "accurate" means that the temperature measurement result falls within an error of ±5°C, preferably within an error of ±3°C. If the temperature can be detected with that level of accuracy, the all-solid-state battery can be precisely controlled depending on the temperature of the all-solid-state battery. The temperature referred to here could be the battery temperature, ambient temperature, or the temperature of the components constituting the charging circuit. Regardless of the temperature, this technology yields useful results.

[0034] Similarly, the low-temperature measurement circuit has a temperature range in which it can accurately measure temperature, and as long as the temperature is within that range, the output value of the low-temperature measurement circuit is within a predetermined range (which may not coincide with the predetermined range of the high-temperature measurement circuit). The abnormal range here refers to a range outside the predetermined range of the low-temperature measurement circuit. If the temperature is outside the predetermined range, it means that the temperature is outside the range in which the low-temperature measurement circuit can accurately measure it. In this case, the circuit is switched to the high-temperature measurement circuit. That is, temperature measurement is performed by the high-temperature measurement circuit.

[0035] According to the above embodiment, the required temperature can be measured with the required accuracy without using expensive temperature sensors with a wide measurement range.

[0036] This feature involves using at least a high-temperature measurement circuit and a low-temperature measurement circuit in combination, and does not preclude the provision of, for example, an intermediate-temperature measurement circuit. The combined use of high-temperature and low-temperature measurement circuits can be applied to temperature measurement circuits within a battery pack, temperature measurement circuits within the main body of the device, or temperature measurement circuits completed by attaching the battery pack to the main body of the device. The combined use of a high-temperature measurement circuit, an intermediate-temperature measurement circuit, and a low-temperature measurement circuit can be applied to measuring battery temperature, ambient temperature, and the temperature of elements constituting a charging circuit.

[0037] (Feature 7) A battery-powered portable device of feature 5 or 6, The aforementioned high-temperature measurement circuit comprises a series circuit of a thermistor and a first voltage divider resistor for high temperatures. The low-temperature measurement circuit comprises a series circuit of the thermistor (the same as the thermistor in the high-temperature measurement circuit) and a second voltage divider resistor for low temperatures. Each of the first and second voltage divider resistors may be a single resistor or a combination of two or more resistors. The high-temperature and low-temperature measurement circuits share a single thermistor, allowing the required temperatures to be measured with the necessary precision using just one thermistor.

[0038] (Feature 8) Feature 7 is a battery-powered portable device in which the resistance value of the first voltage divider resistor for high temperatures is lower than the resistance value of the second voltage divider resistor for low temperatures. According to the above, the voltage range output by the high-temperature measurement circuit and the voltage range output by the low-temperature measurement circuit are close to or at least partially overlapping with each other. When the voltage range output by the high-temperature measurement circuit and the voltage range output by the low-temperature measurement circuit are close to or overlapping, the output voltage processing circuits of the high-temperature measurement circuit and the low-temperature measurement circuit can be made common.

[0039] (Feature 9) A battery-powered portable device of feature 5, feature 6, feature 7, or feature 8, The lower limit temperature at which the high-temperature measurement circuit outputs accurate measurement results is higher than the upper limit temperature at which the low-temperature measurement circuit outputs accurate measurement results.

[0040] For example, if a temperature measurement circuit requires a measurement range from -30°C to +120°C, there are no temperature measurement circuits that can accurately measure within this range, or if there are, they are extremely expensive. Therefore, the measurement range is divided into two by using a low-temperature measurement circuit with a measurement range of approximately -30°C to +45°C (measurement width 75°C) and a high-temperature measurement circuit with a measurement range of approximately +45°C to +120°C (measurement width 75°C). However, in the case of this type of battery-powered portable device, there are times when it is not necessary to measure the temperature while it is in the temperature range of, for example, +20°C to +60°C. Therefore, the measurement range of the low-temperature measurement circuit can be set to -30°C to +20°C (measurement width 50°C), and the measurement range of the high-temperature measurement circuit can be set to +60°C to +120°C (measurement width 60°C). By narrowing the measurement width, the measurement resolution can be made finer, and the measurement accuracy can be improved. In the example above, for the temperature range of +20 to +60°C, it is sufficient to know that the temperature is within that range; it may not be necessary to specify the exact degree within that range. It may not be a problem if there is a temperature range between the low-temperature measurement circuit and the high-temperature measurement circuit where the temperature cannot be accurately measured.

[0041] (Feature 10) It is a battery-powered portable device. A battery pack containing all-solid-state battery cells, The aforementioned battery pack is attached to the main body of the device, It comprises a battery pack and / or multiple components housed within the main body of the device. The aforementioned multiple components are arranged in a low-temperature layout at low temperatures and in a high-temperature layout at high temperatures. The low-temperature layout and the high-temperature layout are different.

[0042] The technology for switching between low-temperature and high-temperature layouts can be applied to components within a battery pack, components within the main body of the device, or components obtained by attaching the battery pack to the main body of the device. It is preferable that the multiple components are designed to automatically switch between high-temperature and low-temperature layouts in response to temperature changes, for example, by a bimetallic strip or bimetallic piece, or by an actuator controlled by a temperature measurement circuit (via a controller or microprocessor if necessary). The temperature at which the layout changes may be a preset value determined by, for example, the material properties of the bimetallic strip or bimetallic piece, or a preset value programmed or configured within, for example, a temperature measurement circuit or controller (e.g., a microprocessor). The set temperature value can be selected from any temperature within the range of -5 to +50°C.

[0043] (Feature 11) It is a battery-powered portable device. A battery pack containing at least one solid-state battery cell, The aforementioned battery pack is attached to the main body of the device, Components that require heating at low temperatures (below 5°C, or below 0°C, or below -5°C), Heat-dissipating components that need to dissipate heat at high temperatures (50°C or above, or 60°C or above, or 70°C or above), A heater to heat the parts that require heating, A circuit board on which at least one of the following components is mounted: a component that requires heating, a component that requires heat dissipation, and a heater. Heat dissipation component, It comprises a bimetal or bimetallic piece. The bimetal changes shape between a first shape and a second shape depending on the temperature. At low temperatures (below 5°C, or below 0°C, or below -5°C), the bimetallic strip takes on a first shape, preventing contact between the heat-dissipating component and the heat-dissipating material. At high temperatures (50°C or above, or 60°C or above, or 70°C or above), the bimetal changes to a second shape, bringing the heat-dissipating component and the heat-dissipating material into contact.

[0044] At high temperatures, the heat-dissipating component and the heat-dissipating member come into contact, and heat is dissipated from the heat-dissipating component. On the other hand, at low temperatures, the heat-dissipating component and the heat-dissipating member are not in contact. Therefore, according to this feature, at low temperatures, the heat from the heater is prevented or prohibited from being dissipated by the heat-dissipating member via the substrate and the heat-dissipating component. The heat from the heater is efficiently transferred to the component that needs to be heated.

[0045] This feature can be applied to the main body of the device, to the battery pack, or to both. That is, the components to be heated, the components to be dissipated, the heater, the circuit board, the heat dissipation member, and the bimetal may be housed in the battery pack or in the main body of the device. Alternatively, both the battery pack and the main body of the device may house the components to be heated, the components to be dissipated, the heater, the circuit board, the heat dissipation member, and the bimetal in accordance with this instruction. In this case, when the battery-powered portable device is used in a low-temperature environment, the components to be heated in the battery pack and the components to be heated in the main body of the device will be automatically heated if necessary. Also, at high temperatures, the components to be dissipated in the battery pack and the heat dissipation member will come into contact, and the components to be dissipated in the main body of the device will come into contact with the heat dissipation member.

[0046] (Feature 12) It is a battery-powered portable device with feature 11, The bimetallic strip deforms to switch between a contact state and a non-contact state at the boundary temperature between a state where heat dissipation is not required for the heat-dissipating component and a state where heat dissipation is required for the heat-dissipating component. This boundary temperature is within the temperature range of 50 to 70°C. The minimum temperature at which a heat-dissipating component requires heat dissipation is 50°C, 52°C, 54°C, 56°C, or 58°C, depending on the component, and the maximum allowable temperature is 70°C, 68°C, 66°C, 64°C, 62°C, or 60°C, depending on the component. The switching temperature is set between the minimum heat-dissipation temperature and the maximum allowable temperature for that component, depending on the component.

[0047] (Feature 13) It is a battery-powered portable device with feature 11, The bimetallic strip deforms to switch between a contact state and a non-contact state at the boundary temperature between a state where the component requiring heating does not require heating and a state where the component requiring heating requires heating. This boundary temperature is within the temperature range of -5 to 5°C. The minimum temperature at which a component requiring heating needs to be heated is -5°C, -4°C, -3°C, -2°C, or -1°C, depending on the component, and the minimum temperature at which heating is not required is 5°C, 4°C, 3°C, 2°C, 1°C, or 0°C, depending on the component. The switching temperature of the bimetal is set between the minimum temperature at which heating is required and the minimum temperature at which heating is not required, depending on the component.

[0048] (Feature 14) It is a battery-powered portable device. A battery pack containing at least one solid-state battery cell, The aforementioned battery pack is attached to the main body of the device, Heating-required components that need to be heated at low temperatures, Heat-dissipating components that need to dissipate heat at high temperatures, It is equipped with a heater to heat the parts that require heating. The thermal resistance between the component requiring heating and the heater is lower than the thermal resistance between the component requiring heat dissipation and the heater. Either the battery pack or the main body of the device may be equipped with a heating component, a heat dissipation component, and a heater. If the amount of heat transferred from the heater to the component to be heated is greater than or equal to the amount of heat transferred from the heater to the component to be cooled, the component to be heated can be heated efficiently, and the time required to heat the component to a temperature at which it can function normally can be shortened.

[0049] (Feature 15) It is a battery-powered portable device. A battery pack containing at least one solid-state battery cell, The aforementioned battery pack is attached to the main body of the device, Heating-required components that need to be heated at low temperatures, Heat-dissipating components that need to dissipate heat at high temperatures, It is equipped with a heater to heat the parts that require heating. The thermal resistance between the component requiring heating and the heater is lower than the thermal resistance between the component requiring heating and the component requiring heat dissipation. Either the battery pack or the main body of the device may be equipped with a heating component, a heat dissipation component, and a heater. This feature allows heat to be transferred from the heater to the component that needs heating, while less heat is transferred from the component that needs heating to the component that needs heat dissipation. This enables efficient heating of the component that needs heating, and reduces the time required to heat it to a temperature at which it can operate normally.

[0050] (Feature 16) A battery-powered portable device of feature 14 or 15, At a minimum, the components to be heated, the heater, and the substrate in the area between the components to be heated and the heater are covered with a solid insulating material that isolates these components from the surrounding atmosphere. This feature allows the insulating material to suppress heat dissipation from the heater to the atmosphere, from the components to be heated to the atmosphere, and from the substrate in the area between the components to be heated and the heater to the atmosphere.

[0051] (Feature 17) It is a battery-powered portable device. The device is equipped with a heating device to warm the electronic components when the use of the device in a low-temperature environment (below 5°C, below 0°C, or below -5°C) does not guarantee that the electronic components will function properly.

[0052] (Feature 18) It is a battery-powered portable device. The device contains a solid-state battery.

[0053] (Feature 19) It is a battery-powered portable device. A battery pack containing all-solid-state battery cells, The device has a main body from which the aforementioned battery pack can be attached and detached. The battery pack has a discharge capacity density of 200 Wh / kg and / or 300 Wh / L or more, and the battery cells are housed in a shielded housing. The housing may be an outer housing with connection terminals and signal terminals for the battery formed therein, or it may be an inner housing that is at least partially (or entirely) housed within the outer housing. In this specification, when we refer to something being shielded or sealed from the outside world, we mean preventing the ingress of water and foreign matter. Typically, this means closing off to prevent foreign matter or water droplets of 5 nm, 2 nm, 1 nm, 8 angstroms, 6 angstroms, or 5 angstroms or smaller from entering the battery cell housing space from the outside world. Therefore, sealing as used herein is included if it prevents the ingress of the above-mentioned foreign matter or water droplets, even if it allows gas to enter and exit between the outside world and the battery cell housing space. This includes preventing the ingress of gas as well as foreign matter and water droplets. The seal itself may have an opening sized to allow water droplets to pass through. A form of shielding or sealing as used herein is one in which the contact angle on the surface of the member forming the opening is large (for example, 90 degrees or more at 25°C, preferably 125 degrees or more), and the size of water droplets adhering to that surface becomes large enough that the water droplets cannot pass through the opening.

[0054] (Feature 20) It is a battery-powered portable device. A battery pack containing at least one solid-state battery cell, The aforementioned battery pack is attached to the main body of the device, The device body includes a positive terminal that contacts the positive terminal of the battery pack when the battery pack is attached to the device body, a negative terminal that contacts the negative terminal of the battery pack when the battery pack is attached to the device body, a positive wire extending from the positive terminal, a negative wire extending from the negative terminal, and control equipment connected to the positive and negative wires. The positive and negative wirings extend parallel to each other while being insulated from one another.

[0055] (Feature 21) It is a battery-powered portable device. A battery pack containing at least one solid-state battery cell, The aforementioned battery pack is attached to the main body of the device, The device is equipped with a motor inside the main body of the aforementioned device. The battery pack outputs an electrical signal to the main body of the device indicating whether or not it is in a state that allows it to be charged by the regenerative power generated by the motor. In one embodiment, a state detection circuit is provided within the battery pack. This is a control device that, for example, utilizes a microprocessor to detect the state of at least one solid-state battery and generates the aforementioned electrical signal based on the detected state.

[0056] (Feature 22) This is a battery pack that can be attached to and detached from the main body of a battery-powered portable device. It incorporates all-solid-state battery cells. The battery pack has a discharge capacity density of 200 Wh / kg or 300 Wh / L or more, and the battery cells are housed in a shielded housing. The term "shield" is interpreted in the same way as in Feature 19.

[0057] (Feature 23) This is a battery pack that can be attached to and detached from the main body of a battery-powered portable device. It incorporates an all-solid-state battery cell, The relationship is "output at battery temperature of -20°C / output at battery temperature of +50°C > 0.5". It has a discharge capacity density of 200 Wh / kg or 300 Wh / L or more. The battery cells are housed within a housing that is shielded from the outside world. The term "shield" is interpreted in the same way as in Feature 19.

[0058] (Feature 24) This is a battery pack that can be attached to and detached from the main body of a battery-powered portable device. It incorporates all-solid-state battery cells and electrical circuits. The aforementioned electrical circuit includes a low-temperature measurement circuit and a high-temperature measurement circuit. When the temperature is low (at least one solid-state battery is below 10°C, 20°C, or 30°C), the output of the low-temperature measurement circuit is used to determine the temperature of the solid-state battery. When the temperature is high (at least one solid-state battery is above 50°C, 60°C, or 70°C), the output of the high-temperature measurement circuit is used to determine the temperature of the solid-state battery.

[0059] (Feature 25) This is a battery pack that can be attached to and detached from the main body of a battery-powered portable device. It incorporates at least one solid-state battery cell and a battery temperature measurement circuit. The battery temperature measurement circuit, A high-temperature measurement circuit that outputs accurate measurement results in high-temperature ranges (50°C or above, or 60°C or above, or 70°C or above) but outputs less accurate measurement results in low-temperature ranges (10°C or below, or 20°C or below, or 30°C or below), A low-temperature measurement circuit that outputs accurate measurement results in the low-temperature range but less accurate measurement results in the high-temperature range, The device includes a switching mechanism that detects the battery temperature based on the output of the low-temperature measurement circuit when the output value of the high-temperature measurement circuit falls within an abnormal range, and detects the battery temperature based on the output of the high-temperature measurement circuit when the output value of the low-temperature measurement circuit falls within an abnormal range.

[0060] (Feature 26) The battery temperature measurement circuit described in Feature 25 possesses one of the features described in Feature 7 to 9.

[0061] (Feature 27) This is a battery pack that can be attached to and detached from the main body of a battery-powered portable device. It incorporates an all-solid-state battery cell and multiple components. The aforementioned multiple components are arranged in a low-temperature layout at low temperatures (below 5°C, or below 0°C, or below -5°C) and in a high-temperature layout at high temperatures (above 50°C, or above 60°C, or above 70°C). The high-temperature layout differs from the low-temperature layout.

[0062] (Feature 28) This is a battery pack that can be attached to and detached from the main body of a battery-powered portable device. The device is equipped with a heating device to warm up electronic components if their normal operation cannot be guaranteed when used at low temperatures (below 5°C, below 0°C, or below -5°C).

[0063] (Feature 29) A battery pack that can be attached to and detached from the main body of a battery-powered portable device, the battery pack is Components that require heating at low temperatures (below 5°C, or below 0°C, or below -5°C), Heat-dissipating components that need to dissipate heat at high temperatures (50°C or above, or 60°C or above, or 70°C or above), A heater to heat the parts that require heating, A circuit board on which heating components, heat dissipation components, and heaters are mounted, Heat dissipation component, It has a bimetallic strip, The bimetallic strip deforms in a temperature-dependent manner, bringing the heat-dissipating component and the heat-dissipating member into contact at high temperatures, and preventing contact between the heat-dissipating component and the heat-dissipating member at low temperatures.

[0064] (Feature 30) A bimetallic strip with feature 29 possesses either feature 12 or feature 13.

[0065] (Feature 31) This is a battery pack that can be attached to and detached from the main body of a battery-powered portable device. Heating-required components that need to be heated at low temperatures, Heat-dissipating components that need to dissipate heat at high temperatures, It is equipped with a heater to heat the parts that require heating. The thermal resistance between the component requiring heating and the heater is lower than the thermal resistance between the component requiring heat dissipation and the heater.

[0066] (Feature 32) This is a battery pack that can be attached to and detached from the main body of a battery-powered portable device. Heating-required components that need to be heated at low temperatures, Heat-dissipating components that need to dissipate heat at high temperatures, It is equipped with a heater to heat the parts that require heating. The thermal resistance between the component requiring heating and the heater is lower than the thermal resistance between the component requiring heating and the component requiring heat dissipation. The features of feature 15 can be applied to feature 32.

[0067] (Feature 33) Feature 31 or 32 battery pack, At a minimum, the components to be heated, the heater, and the substrate in the area between the components to be heated and the heater are covered with a solid insulating material that isolates these components from the surrounding atmosphere.

[0068] (Feature 34) This is a battery pack that can be attached to and detached from the main body of a battery-powered portable device. It incorporates at least one solid-state battery cell, The all-solid-state battery cell is equipped with a terminal that outputs a signal indicating whether or not it is in a state where it can be discharged without damage (i.e., in a state where it can supply current from the battery cell to the device).

[0069] (Feature 35) This is a battery pack that can be attached to and detached from the main body of a battery-powered portable device. It incorporates at least one solid-state battery cell, It is equipped with a terminal that outputs a signal indicating whether or not the all-solid-state battery cell is in a rechargeable state.

[0070] In feature 34 or 35, the battery pack may further include a controller, such as a microprocessor, which is configured or programmed to evaluate the state / condition of the battery cells and generate corresponding signals. For example, one embodiment having feature 34 includes a state detection circuit within the battery pack. This is a control device that utilizes, for example, at least one solid-state battery and a microprocessor connected to a signal output terminal, which detects the state of at least one solid-state battery, determines whether it is in a dischargeable state based on the detected state, and generates an electrical signal accordingly. In one embodiment possessing feature 35, a state detection circuit is provided within the battery pack. This is a control device that utilizes, for example, at least one solid-state battery and a microprocessor connected to a signal output terminal, which detects the state of at least one solid-state battery, determines whether it is in a rechargeable state based on the detected state, and generates an electrical signal accordingly.

[0071] (Feature 36) This is the main body of a battery-powered portable device. It is equipped with a part (battery mounting section) to which a battery pack containing an all-solid-state battery cell or a group of all-solid-state battery cells can be attached (connected electrically and mechanically), The aforementioned portion (battery mounting portion) is equipped with terminals for outputting or inputting signals indicating whether the all-solid-state battery cell is in a dischargeable state.

[0072] (Feature 37) This is the main body of a battery-powered portable device. It is equipped with a part (battery mounting section) to which a battery pack containing an all-solid-state battery cell or a group of all-solid-state battery cells can be attached (connected electrically and mechanically), The aforementioned portion (battery mounting portion) is equipped with terminals for outputting or inputting signals indicating whether the all-solid-state battery cell is in a rechargeable state.

[0073] Feature 36 or 37 may further include a controller, such as a microprocessor, configured or programmed to evaluate the state / condition of the battery cells and generate a corresponding signal. For example, in one embodiment having feature 36, the main body of the device includes a state detection circuit. This is a control device that utilizes a microprocessor that is connectable to at least one solid-state battery and connected to a signal output terminal, and detects the state of at least one solid-state battery, detects whether or not it is in a dischargeable state based on the detected state, and generates an electrical signal accordingly. In one embodiment possessing feature 37, the device body includes a state detection circuit. This is, for example, a control device that utilizes a microprocessor that is connectable to at least one solid-state battery and connected to a signal output terminal, and detects the state of at least one solid-state battery, determines whether it is in a rechargeable state based on the detected state, and generates an electrical signal accordingly.

[0074] (Feature 38) This is the main body of the tool with feature 37. The system includes a regenerative charging prohibition device that prohibits charging by regenerative power while it is outputting or inputting a signal indicating that the all-solid-state battery is in a state where it cannot be recharged. The regeneration and charging prevention device may be part of the state detection circuit. A program or algorithm stored in the microprocessor may prevent regeneration and charging. The regeneration and charging prevention device may also be provided separately from the state detection circuit.

[0075] (Feature 39) The device body or battery pack is one of the above-mentioned items. The battery pack contains multiple all-solid-state battery cells. Each all-solid-state battery cell has a conductor between the positive and negative electrodes that is solid at temperatures above 100°C, and this conductor may be a semiconductor, conductive ceramic, conductive glass, conductive polymer, or solid electrolyte. For example, the conductor may be a silicon-based semiconductor or a ceramic such as ITO, IZO, or AZO.

[0076] (Feature 40) The battery pack comprises at least one solid-state battery cell, at least one circuit board, at least one terminal, and a housing. The all-solid-state battery cells and circuit board are housed within the housing. The terminals extend from the inside to the outside of the housing. The terminals are insert-molded into the housing. The housing waterproofs the space inside the housing from the space outside the housing. According to the above, the all-solid-state battery cell (and therefore its electrodes) is housed in a space that prevents the intrusion of water droplets and foreign matter, thus preventing foreign matter or water droplets from entering between the electrodes and causing a short circuit in the battery cell. The housing that prevents the intrusion of water droplets and foreign matter may also serve as the housing of the battery pack, or it may be housed inside it. In conventional technology that requires cooling air passages within the battery pack, it is not possible to confine the battery cell in a sealed space, and foreign matter may adhere to the electrodes of the battery cell, causing premature wear of the electrodes or short circuits. This feature solves that problem. (Feature 41) It is a battery pack with 40 features, The all-solid-state battery cell is connected to the circuit board inside the housing. One end of the terminal is connected to the circuit board inside the housing. The terminal fixed to the tool body makes contact with the outer end of the terminal housing. (Feature 42) Feature 41 is a battery pack, and it has a cover that is fixed to the housing. The cover has holes formed in it through which the terminals fixed to the main body of the tool pass. The ends of the terminals outside the housing are secured inside the cover. (Feature 43) Features: These are battery packs with 40-42 pins, equipped with a positive terminal, a negative terminal, and at least one signal terminal. (Feature 44) Features: 40-43 battery pack, The housing consists of a lower housing and an upper housing, with the terminals insert-molded into the upper housing. (Feature 45) It is a battery pack with 44 features, Positioning markings are formed on either the circuit board or the upper housing, or both, that define the relative positional relationship between the two. (Feature 46) Features 44 or 45 battery pack, Between the cover and the upper housing, a sealing member is positioned to watertightly close the gap between the cover and the upper housing when the cover is fixed to the lower housing. [Examples]

[0077] Figure 1 shows the external appearance of a battery pack 174 containing multiple all-solid-state battery cells (cell group 171 in Figure 21, or battery cells 12, 14, 16, and 18 in Figure 25), and the external appearance of a tool body 180 to which the battery pack 174 can be detached. The term "battery pack" here is the same as other commonly used terms in the field of power tools, such as battery cartridge, rechargeable battery, or simply battery or battery pack; any of these terms may be used. The battery pack 174 may be detachable from the external surface of the tool body 180, or it may be detachable such that all or part of the battery pack 174 is housed inside the tool body 180. The external appearance of the battery pack 174 (i.e., the plastic housing and terminal portion) is substantially the same as that of a battery pack using a lithium-ion battery that utilizes an electrolyte that is liquid or gel (not solid) at normal operating temperatures (0-50°C). Solid-state battery cells do not experience a significant decrease in characteristics (internal resistance, voltage, current output, etc.) even at high temperatures, thus reducing the need for cooling and allowing for close contact between cells. As a result, the volume of a battery pack 174 utilizing solid-state batteries is smaller than that of a battery pack using lithium-ion batteries with the same performance. Furthermore, because the packaging material that shields each battery cell from moisture can be simplified or omitted, the weight of a battery pack 174 utilizing solid-state batteries is lighter than that of a battery pack using lithium-ion batteries with the same performance. The battery pack 174, which incorporates solid-state battery cells, can be attached to and detached from various tool bodies 180 (especially the battery mounting section), such as tool bodies used while supported by an operator, or tool bodies used while placed on the ground, a workbench, or a workpiece. The battery-powered portable tool 1 is completed by attaching the battery pack 174 to the tool body 180. This battery-powered portable tool 1 is portable and can be carried by the user to the required work location.

[0078] Lithium-ion batteries, which utilize liquid or gel-like electrolytes, require cooling and thus necessitate cooling air passages within the battery pack. The battery pack housing has a complex shape. In contrast, all-solid-state batteries do not require cooling and therefore do not require cooling air passages within the battery pack 174. The housing of the battery pack 174 easily seals cells 12, 14, 16, and 18 from the outside environment. The battery pack 174 of this embodiment is lightweight, compact, and possesses excellent weather resistance.

[0079] Figure 2 shows the ambient temperature and the temperature of a component whose properties change with temperature, requiring temperature measurement. The component's temperature will differ from the ambient temperature due to factors such as heating, heat generation, and heat dissipation. Note that Figure 2 is an example and not limited to the illustrated example.

[0080] Figure 2(1) shows the ambient temperature range in which the manufacturer of the battery-powered portable device in the embodiment guarantees normal operation. (0) shows the normal operation temperature range of conventional battery-powered portable devices (usually around 0°C to +40°C). The normal operation temperature range of the battery-powered portable device in the embodiment has been expanded to both the low and high temperature sides.

[0081] Figure 2(2) shows the range of change in battery temperature when used at the ambient temperature shown in (1). The lower end of the normal operating temperature range shown in (1) corresponds to the freezing temperature if an electrolyte is used. Because batteries (battery cells) generate heat during charging and discharging, their temperature can rise above the ambient temperature. If an electrolyte is used, as the battery temperature rises, the gases derived from the electrolyte can increase the pressure inside the cell, potentially damaging the cell. Therefore, when an electrolyte is used, it is necessary to prevent the pressure of the gases derived from the electrolyte from rising excessively, and it was necessary to suppress discharge so that the battery temperature does not rise above 80°C. In the battery-powered portable device of the embodiment, the upper limit of the battery temperature has been raised to about 100°C, and the temperature range in which control to suppress discharge and prevent overheating is required has shifted to the higher temperature side.

[0082] Figure 2(3) shows the temperature of control system electronic components that operate on low power, such as a microprocessor. Since control system electronic components generate little heat, their temperature is basically equal to the ambient temperature. Figure 2(3a) shows the temperature range in which the control system electronic components operate normally. The lowest temperature of the guaranteed normal operation temperature range shown in (1) is lower than the lowest temperature of the temperature range in which the control system electronic components operate normally. Technology is needed to ensure that battery-powered portable devices operate normally even in environments where the temperature is even lower than the lower limit of the temperature range in which the control system electronic components operate normally.

[0083] Figure 2(4) shows the temperature of power-related electrical components that generate heat when operating (for example, transistors that control motors with an inverter, or transistors in battery packs that protect batteries by prohibiting charging and discharging). These components generate heat and their temperature rises above the ambient temperature. Since power-related electrical components have an upper temperature limit for normal operation, technology is needed to protect these components from exceeding this upper temperature limit by dissipating heat.

[0084] Figure 3 shows an example of a conventional temperature measurement circuit, which utilizes a series circuit of a pull-up resistor R and a thermistor TM. The end of the pull-up resistor R is connected to a constant voltage (e.g., 5V), and the end of the thermistor TM is grounded. At the connection point of the pull-up resistor R and thermistor TM, the voltage is divided by the resistance of the pull-up resistor R and the resistance of the thermistor TM, and this voltage changes depending on the thermistor temperature. Since the resistance of the thermistor TM changes with temperature, the divided voltage changes depending on the temperature. By inputting the divided voltage into a microcontroller, the temperature of the thermistor TM can be measured.

[0085] Figure 4 shows the relationship when the thermistor temperature is plotted on the horizontal axis and the divided voltage is plotted on the vertical axis. The divided voltage is equal to the read voltage of the microcontroller. As the thermistor temperature rises, the thermistor resistance decreases, and therefore the divided voltage decreases as the thermistor temperature rises. Based on the temperature characteristics of thermistor TM, the temperature range in which the divided voltage changes linearly with respect to the thermistor temperature is limited. In the case of Figure 4, the aforementioned linear relationship holds between +60°C and +120°C. However, in the temperature range below +60°C, the aforementioned linear relationship cannot be obtained, and the thermistor temperature calculated from the divided voltage deviates from the actual thermistor temperature.

[0086] Figure 5 shows the relationship between the temperature of a solid-state battery (battery cell) and the allowable charging current for the solid-state battery. Applying a charging current exceeding the allowable value to a solid-state battery can lead to problems such as a decrease in battery life. As is clear from Figure 5, the allowable charging current switches at -30°C, 0°C, +60°C, and +80°C, indicating that it is necessary to accurately measure the battery temperature near each of these temperatures. For example, if the temperature measurement accuracy near -30°C is low, problems may arise such as prohibiting charging even when the temperature is suitable for charging current, or conversely, charging at a temperature where charging current is not possible (charging at that temperature would damage the battery cell). The temperature measurement circuit shown in Figure 4 cannot accurately measure temperatures near -30°C and 0°C, and therefore cannot properly charge the battery in those temperature ranges.

[0087] In curve A of Figure 6, the aforementioned linear relationship holds true between +60°C and +120°C, while in curve B, the linear relationship holds true between -30°C and +20°C. Figure 7 shows a temperature measurement or temperature detection circuit that combines a circuit providing a divided voltage of curve A and a circuit providing a divided voltage of curve B. Two pull-up resistors 61 and 62 are connected in parallel, and a transistor 63 is inserted between one of the pull-up resistors 62 and a constant voltage power supply. The on / off state of transistor 63 is controlled by a microcontroller, which will be described later. A thermistor 64 is connected in series with the parallel circuit of pull-up resistors 61 and 62. The voltage divided by the pull-up resistors and thermistor is input to the microcontroller. In this embodiment, pull-up resistor 61 is 82kΩ and pull-up resistor 62 is 1.5kΩ.

[0088] When transistor 63 is turned on, the effective pull-up resistance becomes 1.47kΩ, which is formed by connecting the 82kΩ resistor 61 and the 1.5kΩ resistor 62 in parallel, and the divided voltage is shown in graph A of Figure 6. When transistor 63 is turned off, the effective pull-up resistance becomes the 82kΩ resistor 61, and the divided voltage is shown in graph B of Figure 6.

[0089] The aforementioned divided voltage is input to the microcontroller, which controls the on / off state of transistor 63. When transistor 63 is on, if the voltage input to the microcontroller is 4V or higher, the microcontroller determines that the thermistor temperature is below +60°C, and switches off transistor 63 to achieve the relationship shown in graph B. The voltage divider resistance obtained by the series circuit of resistor 61 and thermistor 64 when transistor 63 is turned off is shown in graph B. If the thermistor temperature is in the range of -30°C to +20°C, the thermistor temperature can be accurately measured using the linear relationship shown in graph B. If the voltage input to the microcontroller is 1.2V or less when transistor 63 is off, the microcontroller determines that the thermistor temperature is above +20°C and switches on transistor 63 to achieve the relationship shown in graph A. When transistor 63 is turned on, a voltage divider circuit is obtained in which thermistor 64 is connected in series with a resistor formed by connecting resistors 61 and 62 in parallel, and the divided voltage is shown in graph A. If the thermistor temperature is in the range of +60°C to +120°C, the thermistor temperature can be accurately measured using the linear relationship shown in graph A.

[0090] The circuit when transistor 63 is ON is an example of a high-temperature measurement circuit that accurately measures temperatures in the +60 to +120°C range. The high-temperature measurement circuit accurately detects the battery temperature with an accuracy of ±5°C (preferably within 3°C) if the battery temperature is within the +60 to +120°C range. The high-temperature measurement circuit detects a voltage of 4V or less when the battery temperature is within the +60 to +120°C range in which it can be accurately measured. When the output of the high-temperature measurement circuit with transistor 63 ON exceeds 4V, the microcontroller determines that the battery temperature is outside the range that the high-temperature measurement circuit can accurately measure. A voltage of 4V or more can be considered an abnormal value in the high-temperature measurement circuit. If the high-temperature measurement circuit measures a voltage of 4V or more, it can be said that it is measuring an abnormal value, and in this case, transistor 63 turns OFF and switches to the low-temperature measurement circuit.

[0091] The circuit when transistor 63 is off is an example of a low-temperature measurement circuit that accurately measures temperatures in the range of -30 to +20°C. The low-temperature measurement circuit accurately detects the battery temperature with an accuracy of ±5°C (preferably within 3°C) if the battery temperature is within the range of -30 to +20°C. The low-temperature measurement circuit detects a voltage of 1.2V or higher when the battery temperature is within the range of -30 to +20°C in which it can be accurately measured. When the output of the low-temperature measurement circuit when transistor 63 is off falls below 1.2V, the microcontroller determines that the battery temperature is outside the range that the low-temperature measurement circuit can accurately measure. A voltage of 1.2V or lower can be considered an abnormal value in the low-temperature measurement circuit. If the low-temperature measurement circuit measures a voltage of 1.2V or lower, it can be said that it is measuring an abnormal value, and in this case, transistor 63 is turned on to switch to the high-temperature measurement circuit.

[0092] If the voltage input to the microcontroller is 4V or higher when transistor 63 is ON, and 1.2V or lower when transistor 63 is OFF, then it can be determined that the thermistor temperature is between +20°C and +60°C (the microcontroller will determine this), but it is not possible to measure with higher precision than that. However, this is not a problem. The reason is that, as illustrated in Figure 5, for example, if the battery temperature is in the range of +20°C to +60°C, temperature-dependent control is unnecessary, and there is no need to measure the temperature. This is because, while heating control is necessary to deal with low temperatures in the low temperature range, and heat dissipation control is necessary to deal with high temperatures in the high temperature range, temperature-dependent control is unnecessary when the temperature is in the middle range.

[0093] When temperature measurement is required in the range of -30 to +120°C, it is usually common to divide the measurement range into two halves, using a low-temperature measurement circuit with a measurement range of approximately -30°C to +45°C (measurement width 75°C) and a high-temperature measurement circuit with a measurement range of approximately +45°C to +120°C (measurement width 75°C). In this embodiment, we focus on the fact that there is no need to accurately measure the temperature in the range of 20 to 60°C, and use a low-temperature measurement circuit with a measurement range of approximately -30°C to +20°C (measurement width 50°C) and a high-temperature measurement circuit with a measurement range of approximately +60°C to +120°C (measurement width 60°C). Comparing a measurement circuit with a measurement width of 75°C with a measurement circuit with a measurement width of 50 to 60°C, the latter can measure temperature with higher accuracy than the former. In this embodiment, the lower temperature limit (+60°C) at which the high-temperature measurement circuit outputs accurate measurement results is set higher than the upper temperature limit (+20°C) at which the low-temperature measurement circuit outputs accurate measurement results. This narrows the temperature range that can be measured by both the high-temperature and low-temperature measurement circuits, thereby improving measurement accuracy.

[0094] In this embodiment, the battery temperature may fluctuate between -30°C and +120°C depending on the ambient temperature and operating conditions. The temperature measurement circuit in Figure 3, which has the characteristics shown in Figure 4, does not have a sufficient range for temperature measurement. In contrast, by using the circuit in Figure 7, which can switch characteristics between graphs A and B in Figure 6, the battery temperature can be accurately measured in both the low-temperature range (-30 to +20°C) and the high-temperature range (+60 to +120°C).

[0095] In this embodiment, the temperature of one or more control system electronic components (which may rise above ambient temperature due to the heat generated by power system electronic components) may fluctuate between -30°C and +120°C, similar to the power system electrical components.

[0096] By placing thermistor 64 in an environment where it is equal in temperature to the battery temperature, this technology allows for accurate measurement of the battery temperature regardless of whether the battery is in a low-temperature or high-temperature range. Similarly, by placing thermistor 64 in an environment where it is equal in temperature to the control system electronic components, this technology allows for accurate measurement of the control system electronic components regardless of whether the control system electronic components are in a low-temperature or high-temperature range. Likewise, by placing thermistor 64 in an environment where it is equal in temperature to the power system electrical components, this technology allows for accurate measurement of the power system electrical components regardless of whether the power system electrical components are in a low-temperature or high-temperature range. By using the temperature measurement circuit shown in Figure 7, the temperature of each component with a large temperature fluctuation range can be accurately measured. The technology of combining a high-temperature measurement circuit and a low-temperature measurement circuit is not limited to measuring battery temperature, but can also be applied to measuring the temperature of electronic components and other components within the device itself. For example, it can be used to measure the temperature of microprocessors and switching elements such as FETs that control current.

[0097] The temperature detection circuit (temperature measurement circuit) in Figure 7 may be implemented inside the main body of the device, or it may be implemented inside the battery pack, or the temperature measurement circuit may be completed when the battery pack is attached to the main body of the device.

[0098] In this embodiment, the temperature measurement circuit is equipped with both a high-temperature measurement circuit and a low-temperature measurement circuit. However, the usefulness of the technique of providing separate circuits for high and low temperatures and selecting and utilizing either one is not limited to temperature measurement. For example, the technique of using separate protection circuits for high and low temperatures may also be useful in some cases.

[0099] In Figure 7, the terminal on the constant resistor side is connected to a constant voltage (e.g., 5V) and the terminal on the thermistor side is grounded. However, the opposite is also possible: the terminal on the constant resistor side may be grounded and the terminal on the thermistor side may be connected to a constant voltage. In other words, the constant resistor may be a pull-up resistor or a pull-down resistor.

[0100] The circuits (temperature measurement circuits) in Figures 6 and 7 switch between high-temperature and low-temperature measurement circuits, resulting in reduced measurement accuracy during medium-temperature measurements where a linear relationship between voltage and temperature does not exist. To measure the medium-temperature (room temperature) range with high accuracy, a characteristic C can be added, for example, as shown in Figure 8, which establishes a linear relationship between voltage and temperature in the medium-temperature (room temperature) range. Figure 9 illustrates a temperature detection circuit (temperature measurement circuit) that provides the three characteristics A, B, and C shown in Figure 8. The resistance of the first resistor 65 is 75kΩ, the resistance of the second resistor 66 is 8.2kΩ, and the resistance of the third resistor 67 is 1.5kΩ. The first resistor 65 and the second resistor 66 are connected in series, and the third resistor 67 is connected in parallel to the series circuit of the first resistor 65 and the second resistor 66. If both transistor switches Q1 and Q2 are turned off, the pull-up (or pull-down resistor) becomes approximately 83kΩ, and the circuit is switched to the low-temperature measurement circuit described above. If both transistor switches Q1 and Q2 are turned on, the pull-up (or pull-down resistor) becomes approximately 1.5kΩ, and the circuit is switched to the high-temperature measurement circuit described above. If transistor switch Q1 is turned on and transistor switch Q2 is turned off, the pull-up (or pull-down resistor) becomes approximately 8.2kΩ, and the circuit is switched to the room temperature (medium temperature) measurement circuit.

[0101] Figure 10 shows another example of the relationship between the temperature of a solid-state battery and the allowable charging current for a solid-state battery, as shown in Figure 5, illustrating the case where the charging current is varied at around 10°C and around 50°C. In the circuit of Figure 7, which exhibits the characteristics of Figure 6, the measurement accuracy decreases at around 50°C. To achieve the relationship shown in Figure 10, it is preferable to adopt the circuit of Figure 9, which provides the characteristics of Figure 8.

[0102] Figure 25 shows an example of a battery pack 174' that waterproofs all-solid-state battery cells 12, 14, 16, 18 and a control circuit board 20 by shielding them from the atmosphere (external environment). The lower housing 50 houses four battery cells 12, 14, 16, 18 connected in series. Each battery cell 12, 14, 16, 18 has a structure in which a solid electrolyte is placed between the positive and negative electrodes. Other types of all-solid-state batteries may be used. The positive terminal 22 is soldered 24 through the board 20 to a wiring pattern formed on the upper surface of the board 20. The negative terminal 26 is soldered 28 through the board 20 to another wiring pattern formed on the upper surface of the board 20. Reference numeral 30 is the upper housing that shields the battery cells 12, 14, 16, 18 and the control circuit board 20 from the atmosphere, with the positive terminal 32 and negative terminal 38 insert-molded into the upper housing 30. The positive terminal 32 and the negative terminal 38 penetrate the upper housing 30. Reference numerals 34 and 40 indicate insert-molded portions, preventing water from entering along the contact surfaces between the positive terminal 32 and the upper housing 30, and between the negative terminal 38 and the upper housing 30. The lower end of the positive terminal 32 is soldered 36 through the substrate 20 to a wiring pattern formed on the underside of the substrate 20. The lower end of the negative terminal 38 is soldered 42 through the substrate 20 to another wiring pattern formed on the underside of the substrate 20. The upper end of the positive terminal 32 protrudes above the upper housing 30, forming an end portion 33. The upper end of the negative terminal 38 protrudes above the upper housing 30, forming an end portion 39. A convex ridge 31 is formed on the upper surface of the upper housing 30, encircling the periphery. A boss 29 is formed on the underside of the upper housing 30, defining the relative positional relationship between the upper housing 30 and the control circuit board 20. A certain distance is maintained between the lower surface of the upper housing 30 and the upper surface of the control circuit board 20 by the boss 29. Reference numeral 44 indicates the cover, which has holes 46 and 48 formed therein. Reference numeral 51 indicates the positive terminal fixed to the tool body side, and when the battery pack 174' is attached to the tool body 180, the positive terminal 51 passes through hole 46 and is inserted into the end 33 of the positive terminal 32, making electrical contact.Reference numeral 52 indicates the negative terminal fixed to the main body of the device. When the battery pack 174' is attached to the main body 180, the negative terminal 52 passes through the hole 48 and is inserted into the end 39 of the negative electrode terminal 38, creating electrical contact. A waterproof material (seal) 45 is fixed to the underside of the cover 44, encircling its periphery. The cover 44 and the lower housing 50 interlock and are fixed in this interlocked state. At this time, the protrusion 31 compresses the waterproof material 45, sealing the gap between the cover 44 and the upper housing 30 in a watertight manner. Furthermore, water cannot enter through the contact area between the cover 44 and the lower housing 50.

[0103] According to the structure in Figure 25, water entering through holes 46 and 48 in the cover 44 is stopped by the waterproof member 45, the protrusion 31 and the upper housing 30, and does not penetrate into the space housing the control circuit board 20 and the battery cells 12, 14, 16, and 18. When the battery pack 174' is attached to the tool body 180, the end 33 of the positive terminal 32 and the positive terminal 51 on the tool body 180 side (a component equivalent to terminal 182 in Figure 21) come into contact, and the end 39 of the negative terminal 38 and the negative terminal 52 on the tool body 180 side (a component equivalent to terminal 183 in Figure 21) come into contact. A conductor that transmits signals between the control circuit board 20 and the tool body 180 (corresponding to terminal 182 in Figure 21) may be insert-molded into the upper housing 30, similar to the positive terminal 32 and the negative terminal 38. In the embodiment shown in Figure 25, the battery pack 174' is moved upward to attach it to the tool body 180. However, as shown in Figure 1, for example, the battery pack 174 can also be attached to the tool body 180 by sliding it left and right. In this case, the holes 46 and 48 provided in the cover 44 are made to be elongated in the left-right direction (horizontally elongated).

[0104] According to the structure shown in Figure 25, a housing is formed by a lower housing 50, an upper housing 30, and a portion of the cover 44, which watertightly separates the inside and outside. Solid-state battery cells 12, 14, 16, 18 and a circuit board 20 are housed inside. The positive terminal 32 and negative terminal 38 extend from the inside to the outside of the housing. The ends 33 and 39 are located inside the cover 44 to prevent accidental contact by the user. The protrusions 31 and waterproof member 45 seal the gap between the cover 44 and the upper housing 30 watertight, waterproofing the inside and outside of the housing.

[0105] As explained with reference to Figure 2, the battery-powered portable device 1 may be used in environments with temperatures lower than the lower limit for normal operation of the control system electronic components. In this case, it is necessary to heat the control system electronic components so that they remain within the temperature range for normal operation. Also, as explained with reference to Figure 2, power system electrical components generate heat when operating, so it is necessary to dissipate the heat to prevent overheating. Here, the former are called components that require heating, and the latter are called components that require heat dissipation. When components that require heating and components that require heat dissipation are mixed, technology is needed to make the heating device and heat dissipation device compatible (so that one does not interfere with the other). If heating and heat dissipation devices are used inadvertently together, problems may arise such as the heat from the heating device being dissipated to the heat dissipation device, preventing the heating of the components that require heating.

[0106] Figure 11 shows the layout (relative positional relationship of the component groups) of the motor control circuit housed inside the main body of the device. Reference numeral 71 indicates a spring, reference numeral 79 indicates a circuit board, reference numeral 72 indicates a housing, reference numeral 81 indicates a heat dissipation member, reference numeral 82 indicates a screw that fixes the heat dissipation member 81 to the housing 72, reference numeral 73 indicates a component that needs to be heated, reference numeral 74 indicates a heater for heating, reference numeral 75 indicates a component that needs to be dissipated heat, reference numeral 76 indicates a heat transfer block with high thermal conductivity, reference numeral 77 is also a heat transfer block with high thermal conductivity, and reference numeral 78 indicates a bimetal. Figure 11 shows the layout (positional relationship of the component) when the bimetal 78 is at a low temperature (lower than the lower limit temperature at which the component that needs to be heated operates normally). Figure 12 shows the layout when the bimetal 78 is at a high temperature (when the temperature has risen to a point where it is necessary to dissipate heat from the component that needs to be dissipated to prevent overheating). In Figure 11, the substrate 79 is raised by the spring 71, blocking the space between the heat transfer block 76 and the heat dissipation member 81. In Figure 12, the substrate 79 has descended due to the stretching of the bimetal 78, and the heat transfer block 76 and the heat dissipation member 81 are in contact. The housing 72 is made of a resin with low thermal conductivity (approximately 0.5 W / mk or less, more preferably 0.3 W / mk or less) and insulates the bimetal 78 and other components from the surroundings. The heat dissipation member 81 is made of a material with high thermal conductivity (approximately 200 W / mk or more, more preferably 300 W / mk or more). In the layout shown in Figure 12, the heat from the heat transfer block 76 is dissipated to the atmosphere via the heat dissipation member 81.

[0107] The component to be heated 73 and the heating element 74 are attached to the front and back of the circuit board 79. When the heating element 74 is energized, the heat passes through the circuit board 79 to the component to be heated 73, heating it. The housing 72 isolates the component to be heated 73 and the heating element 74 from the atmosphere, preventing the heat from the heating element 74 from being lost to the atmosphere. The circuit board 79 serves as a path for the heat from the heating element 74 to be transferred to the heat transfer block 76 via the heat dissipation component 75. When the heating element 74 is operating and heating the component to be heated 73, the positional relationship shown in Figure 12 occurs, causing the heat from the heating element 74 to transfer to the heat dissipation member 81 via the heat dissipation component 75 and the heat transfer block 76, preventing the component to be heated 73 from being sufficiently heated. At low temperatures where the component requiring heating 73 needs to be heated, there is no need to dissipate heat from the component requiring heat dissipation 75, resulting in the layout shown in Figure 11. With the layout in Figure 11, the heat from the heating heater 74 does not transfer to the heat dissipation member 81 via the component requiring heat dissipation 75 and the heat transfer block 76, allowing the component requiring heating 73 to be sufficiently heated.

[0108] The heating element 74 turns off when the temperature of the component 73 to be heated rises to +5°C or higher due to the power being supplied, and turns on when the temperature of the component 73 cools down to 0°C or lower due to the power being supplied.

[0109] When the temperature of the heat-dissipating component 75 rises to a temperature requiring heat dissipation, the bimetal 78 expands, switching from the layout in Figure 11 to the layout in Figure 12. This brings the heat-dissipating component 75 into contact with the heat-dissipating member 81 via the heat transfer block 76. The heat from the heat-dissipating component 75 is transferred to the heat-dissipating member 81 via the heat transfer block 76, preventing the heat-dissipating component 75 from overheating. The heat transfer block 77 ensures that the temperature of the heat-dissipating member 75 and the bimetal 78 are synchronized. The housing 72 has low thermal conductivity and does not absorb heat from the bimetal 78. By switching between Figure 11 and Figure 12, the heating and heat-dissipating devices function simultaneously without one interfering with the operation of the other.

[0110] The relationship is such that the temperature at which the component requiring heating 73 needs to be heated is less than the temperature at which the component requiring heat dissipation 75 needs to be dissipated, and the switching temperature in Figures 11 and 12 should be somewhere in between. That is, the switching temperature may be the boundary temperature that determines whether or not it is necessary to heat the component requiring heating 73, or the switching temperature may be the boundary temperature that determines whether or not it is necessary to dissipate heat from the component requiring heat dissipation 75. The relationship should be such that the boundary temperature that determines whether or not it is necessary to heat the component requiring heating 73 is less than the switching temperature in Figures 11 and 12, and the boundary temperature that determines whether or not it is necessary to dissipate heat from the component requiring heat dissipation 75.

[0111] Due to layout constraints on the circuit board, the bimetallic strip 78 may have difficulty transferring heat to the heat-dissipating component 75. In this case, as shown in Figure 13, a configuration is adopted in which a heater 80 is added to heat and deform the bimetallic strip 78. The heater 80 is controlled as follows: (1) When the heating component 73 reaches a temperature that does not require heating, power is supplied to the heater 80. (2) When the heat dissipation component 75 reaches a temperature that requires heat dissipation, power is supplied to the heater 80. (3) The heater 80 is energized at an intermediate temperature between (1) and (2). You can choose from (1) to (3). Figure 13 shows the layout before power is supplied to the heater 80, and Figure 14 shows the layout with power supplied to the heater 80.

[0112] This technology can be applied to dissipate heat from the transistors constituting the inverter 195 (described later with reference to Figure 21) and to heat the microcontroller 193. In other words, it can be applied to the main body of the device 180. The battery pack 174 may incorporate a transistor (a power-related electronic component that requires heat dissipation) that prevents the discharge current from flowing, and a microcontroller (a battery controller 172 that requires heating) that controls the transistor. In this case, the above techniques shown in Figures 11-14 can be applied to battery packs 174 and 174'.

[0113] Figures 15-17 show the relationship between the component to be heated 73, the heater 74, the component to be dissipated 75, the substrate 79, and the heat dissipation member 81, where the heat from the component to be dissipated 75 is dissipated to the heat dissipation member 81. In this embodiment, the relationship is such that "thermal resistance between the component to be heated 73 and the heater 74" < "thermal resistance between the heater 74 and the component to be dissipated 75". As a result, the heat from the heater 74 is mainly used to heat the component to be heated 73 and is not consumed to heat the component to be dissipated 75.

[0114] When the heat from the heater 74 is released into the surrounding atmosphere, its ability to heat the component 73 that needs to be heated decreases. In Figure 15, the heater 74 and the component 73 that needs to be heated are housed in the housing 120 to prevent heat from being released into the atmosphere. In Figure 16, instead of the housing 120, a cured adhesive 140 is used to prevent heat from being released into the atmosphere. As shown in Figure 17, the inside of the housing 83 may be filled with a resin molded body 160.

[0115] In Figures 18-20, the relationship is such that "thermal resistance between the component to be heated 73 and the heater 74" < "thermal resistance between the component to be heated 73 and the component to be heated 75". This reduces the amount of heat transferred from the heater 74 to the component to be heated 75 via the component to be heated 73, thereby ensuring that the component to be heated 73 is heated effectively.

[0116] In Figure 18, the heater 74 and the component to be heated 73 are housed within the housing 130 to prevent heat dissipation into the atmosphere. In Figure 19, a cured adhesive 150 is used instead of the housing 130 to prevent heat dissipation into the atmosphere. As shown in Figure 20, the inside of the housing 83 may be filled with a resin molded body 170.

[0117] In Figures 18-20, not only is the relationship between "the thermal resistance between the component to be heated 73 and the heater 74" < "the thermal resistance between the component to be heated 73 and the heat dissipation component 75", but the relationship between "the thermal resistance between the component to be heated 73 and the heater 74" < "the thermal resistance between the heater 74 and the heat dissipation component 75". By satisfying both relationships, the efficiency of heating the component to be heated by the heater 74 is increased.

[0118] Figure 21 shows the completed electrical circuit when the battery pack 174 (or 174') is attached to the main body 180 of the device, i.e., the electrical circuit built into the completed battery-powered portable device 1. The battery pack 174 incorporates a cell group 171, which is made up of multiple solid-state battery cells connected together, and a battery controller 172 that measures and controls the state of the cell group. When the battery pack 174 (or 174') is attached to the main body 180 of the device, the positive electrode of the battery pack 174 and the positive electrode wire 184 inside the main body 180 make contact at the positive electrode terminal 181, and the negative electrode of the battery pack 174 and the negative electrode wire 185 inside the main body 180 make contact at the negative electrode terminal 183, enabling the battery controller 172 and the microcontroller 193 to transmit signals via the signal terminal 182. The battery controller 172 sends a voltage indicating the battery temperature (the divided voltage explained in Figure 7 or Figure 9), a signal (CS) indicating whether the battery is in a state where it can be charged by regenerative power, and a signal (DS) indicating whether the battery is in a state where it can be discharged, to the microcontroller 193.

[0119] Reference number 191 is a constant voltage power supply that generates a constant voltage to be supplied to the microcontroller 193, etc., and 192 is a surge killer capacitor (sometimes called a surge suppression or surge prevention capacitor).

[0120] The main body 180 of this device incorporates a brushless motor 196 and a sensor circuit 197 that detects the operating state of the motor 196, and the detected value is input to a microcontroller 193. The microcontroller 193 controls the operation of the inverter 195 based on signals from the battery pack 174 (or 174') and signals from the sensor circuit 197, etc. The microcontroller 193 outputs a control signal to the gate driver 194, and the gate driver 194 controls the gate voltage of the six transistors built into the inverter 195 based on the control signal from the microcontroller 193, thereby controlling the on / off state of the six transistors. The brushless motor 196 is inverter-controlled by the microcontroller 193.

[0121] Reference numeral 198 is a circuit that rectifies the voltage generated by the brushless motor 196 as it continues to rotate due to inertia (during motor braking), and 199 is a regenerative brake (a circuit that charges the battery with regenerative power during motor braking), which is connected to the CS terminal via wiring 200. If the battery controller 172 allows charging by regenerative power, the operation of the regenerative brake 199 is permitted, generating power while decelerating the rotation of the brushless motor 196 due to inertia, and charging the battery cell group 171 with that power. If the battery controller 172 does not allow charging by regenerative power, the operation of the regenerative brake 199 is prohibited. This prevents the battery life from being reduced by inadvertently charging the group 171 of battery cells 12, 14, 16, and 18 (for example, charging even though the battery temperature is too high to be suitable for charging). When the battery is in a state where it cannot be discharged (for example, if the battery temperature is too high or the remaining capacity is too low), the battery controller 172 outputs a signal, and the microcontroller 193 stops the operation of the inverter 195 to prevent a decrease in battery life, etc.

[0122] In inverter control, the transistors constituting the inverter 195 instantaneously switch the current flowing through the inductance component present in the battery, etc., on and off, generating a surge voltage. To prevent adverse effects from this surge voltage, a surge killer capacitor 192 is provided. The required capacitance of the surge killer capacitor 192 is determined by the inductance; a larger inductance requires a larger capacitance, resulting in a larger size for the surge killer capacitor 192.

[0123] In the case of all-solid-state batteries, the inductance can be reduced compared to lithium-ion batteries. If the inductance within the device body is large, the advantage of reduced inductance due to the all-solid-state battery cannot be utilized. In this embodiment, a technique is employed to keep the inductance within the device body 180 small. As shown in Figure 21, the device body 180 is long and slender. The wiring 184 connecting the positive terminal 181 to the positive terminal of the controller 190 and the wiring 185 connecting the negative terminal 183 to the negative terminal of the controller 190 extend parallel to each other. Figure 22 shows a cross-sectional view of the wirings 184 and 185, illustrating that the flat surfaces of the flat metal bars (flat rectangular wires) 184 and 185 extend opposite each other. The inductances cancel each other out as current flows in opposite directions through the parallel conductors, and the effective inductance is kept small. Coaxial wires may be used as shown in Figure 23, or parallel vinyl wires may be used as shown in Figure 24.

[0124] In the case of solid-state batteries, the cell voltage varies depending on the type of electrode material. The cell voltage at full charge is distributed within a range of approximately 3.6V to 6.0V depending on the type of electrode material. The minimum cell voltage required to prevent over-discharge also varies depending on the type of electrode material, but the range of variation is small, generally around 2.0V. When using solid-state batteries with a cell voltage of approximately 6.0V when fully charged, battery-powered portable devices require measures to ensure they can operate without problems even when the cell voltage fluctuates between 6.0V and 2.0V. Regardless of the battery voltage, a circuit is needed that maintains constant speed rotation or constant torque operation while the operating switch (often a trigger switch) is ON, or a circuit that maintains constant speed rotation or constant torque operation as long as the trigger switch operation amount remains constant. Since the range of battery voltage fluctuations required to maintain constant speed rotation or constant torque operation is significantly wider than before, circuit technology to address this is necessary. Furthermore, even if the battery pack voltage at full charge is the same, different over-discharge protection voltages can occur. For example, a battery pack with a full charge voltage of 18V can be obtained by connecting three cells with a cell voltage of 6V in series, or by connecting four cells with a cell voltage of 4.5V in series, or by connecting five cells with a cell voltage of 3.6V in series. In this case, assuming the cell voltage at which over-discharge needs to be prevented is 2V, a device for installing three 6V battery packs would require technology to handle voltages from 18V to 6V; a device for installing four 4.5V battery packs would require technology to handle voltages from 18V to 8V; and a device for installing five 3.6V battery packs would require technology to handle voltages from 18V to 10V. Even though the maximum voltage of the device is the same, technology is required to individually adjust the minimum voltage that can be handled.

[0125] Although specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail above, these are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technologies described in the claims include various modifications and changes to the specific examples illustrated above. The technical elements described in this specification or drawings exhibit technical usefulness individually or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. Furthermore, the technologies illustrated in this specification or drawings can achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, and achieving even one of these objectives itself constitutes technical usefulness.

[0126] Furthermore, although this instruction has primarily described power tools used in a handheld position, it is equally applicable to battery-powered portable tools used in a surface-mounted position, such as miter saws, sliding composite miter saws, lawnmowers, inflators, and compressors.

[0127] As described above, solid-state batteries are characterized primarily by having a solid electrolyte (or conductor, semiconductor) that conducts current between two electrodes. The electrolyte is preferably solid at temperatures of 100°C or higher, 150°C or higher, 200°C or higher, or 300°C or higher. The electrolyte within the battery cell remains solid even during high-temperature operation of power tools, such as at temperatures above 100°C.

[0128] The composition of the solid electrolyte or solid conductor is not particularly limited and may include conductive semiconductor materials, conductive ceramics (e.g., oxides, sulfides, phosphates), conductive glass, or conductive solid polymers. In one example, the solid electrolyte may include or be composed of one or more semiconductor materials or lithium hydride superionic conductors that conduct lithium ions. In another example, the solid electrolyte may include or be composed of conductive ceramics such as indium tin oxide (ITO). IZO (indium zinc oxide) and AZO (aluminum zinc oxide) are also possible solid electrolytes according to this teaching. The anode electrode of the solid battery may be composed of, for example, lithium metal or lithium alloy, or may contain lithium metal or lithium alloy. The cathode electrode of the solid battery may be composed of, for example, lithium iron phosphate (LFP) or ITO, or may contain them.

[0129] The technologies disclosed herein include, but are not limited to, the following examples. (Example 1) It is a battery-powered portable device. A battery pack containing at least one solid-state battery cell, The aforementioned battery pack is attached to the main body of the device, The device includes a battery temperature measurement circuit located in at least one of the battery pack and the main body of the device. The battery temperature measurement circuit is, A high-temperature measurement circuit that outputs accurate measurement results in the high-temperature range but less accurate measurement results in the low-temperature range, A low-temperature measurement circuit that outputs accurate measurement results in the low-temperature range but less accurate measurement results in the high-temperature range, A switching device that, when the output value of the high-temperature measurement circuit falls within an abnormal range, outputs a signal indicating the battery temperature (a signal for determining the battery temperature) based on the output of the low-temperature measurement circuit (from the output), and when the output value of the low-temperature measurement circuit falls within an abnormal range, outputs a signal indicating the battery temperature (a signal for determining the battery temperature) based on the output of the high-temperature measurement circuit (from the output), It is equipped with. The abnormal output ranges of the high-temperature measurement circuit and the low-temperature measurement circuit may be different, and they may not overlap, but they may also overlap. (Example 2) This is a battery-powered portable device of Example 1, The aforementioned high-temperature measurement circuit includes a series circuit of a thermistor and a high-temperature voltage divider resistor. The low-temperature measurement circuit comprises a series circuit of the thermistor and a low-temperature voltage divider resistor. (Example 3) This is a battery-powered portable device of Example 2, The resistance value of the high-temperature voltage divider resistor is lower than the resistance value of the low-temperature voltage divider resistor. (Example 4) A battery-powered portable device as described in any one of Examples 1 to 3, The main body of the device includes the high-temperature measurement circuit and the low-temperature measurement circuit. (Example 5) A battery-powered portable device as described in any one of Examples 1 to 3, The battery pack includes the high-temperature measurement circuit and the low-temperature measurement circuit. (Example 6) A battery-powered portable device as described in any one of Examples 1 to 5, The lower limit temperature at which the high-temperature measurement circuit outputs accurate measurement results is higher than the upper limit temperature at which the low-temperature measurement circuit outputs accurate measurement results. (Example 7) A battery-powered portable device as described in any one of Examples 1 to 6, The device is equipped with an actuator that operates using the power supplied by the battery pack and is housed within the main body of the device. The maximum output of the actuator at -20°C / maximum output at +50°C > 0.5. (Example 8) A battery-powered portable device as described in any one of Examples 1 to 7, The device is equipped with an actuator that operates using the power supplied by the battery pack and is housed within the main body of the device. The actuator will operate even if the ambient temperature is below freezing, as long as it is above -30°C. (Example 9) A battery-powered portable device as described in any one of Examples 1 to 8, The device is equipped with an actuator that operates using the power supplied by the battery pack and is housed within the main body of the device. The actuator will operate even if the ambient temperature is above +50°C, as long as the battery temperature is below +100°C. (Example 10) A battery-powered portable device as described in any one of Examples 1 to 9, The aforementioned battery pack has a discharge capacity of 200 Wh / kg or more per unit weight. (Example 11) A battery-powered portable device as described in any one of Examples 1 to 10, The aforementioned battery pack has a discharge capacity of 300 Wh / L or more per unit volume. (Example 12) A battery-powered portable device as described in any one of Examples 1 to 11, The battery temperature measurement circuit determines the temperature of at least one battery cell based on a signal indicating the battery temperature selected by the switching device. (Example 13) A battery-powered portable device as described in any one of Examples 1 to 11, The system includes a controller that determines the temperature of at least one battery cell based on a signal indicating the battery temperature selected by the switching device. (Example 14) This is a battery-powered portable device of Example 13. The controller is located inside the battery pack. (Example 15) This is a battery-powered portable device of Example 13. The controller is located inside the main body of the device. (Example 16) This is a battery pack that attaches to the main body of the equipment. When attached to the main body of the device, the battery-powered portable device described in any one of claims 1 to 15 is completed. (Example 17) It is a battery-powered portable device. A battery pack containing at least one solid-state battery cell, The aforementioned battery pack is attached to the main body of the device, The battery pack features a housing that seals the space containing the all-solid-state battery cells from the outside, lacks cooling air passages, and has a discharge capacity of 200 Wh / kg or more per unit weight. It is preferable that the battery pack completely seals the space containing the all-solid-state battery cells from the outside in a watertight manner. (Example 18) This is a battery-powered portable device as described in Example 17. The aforementioned battery pack has a discharge capacity of 300 Wh / L or more per unit volume. (Example 19) It is a battery-powered portable device. A battery pack containing at least one solid-state battery cell, The aforementioned battery pack is attached to the main body of the device, At least one of the battery pack and the main body of the device comprises a component that needs to be heated, a heater for heating the component that needs to be heated, a component that needs to dissipate heat, and a component that dissipates heat from the component that needs to be heated. (Example 20) This is a battery-powered portable device as described in Example 19. The components requiring heating, the heater, the components requiring heat dissipation, and the heat dissipation components are arranged in a low-temperature layout at low temperatures and in a high-temperature layout at high temperatures. (Example 21) This is a battery-powered portable device as described in Example 20. Bimetallic strips allow for switching between low-temperature and high-temperature layouts for components requiring heating, heaters, and heat-dissipating components. (Example 22) A battery-powered portable device as described in Example 20 or 21, The system can be switched between low-temperature and high-temperature layouts within a temperature range of -5°C to 70°C. (Example 23) A battery-powered portable device as described in Example 21 or 22, The bimetal changes shape within a temperature range of 50°C to 70°C. (Example 24) A battery-powered portable device as described in any one of Examples 20 to 23, In the low-temperature layout, the heat-dissipating component and the heat-dissipating member are kept in non-contact, while in the high-temperature layout, the heat-dissipating component and the heat-dissipating member are brought into contact. (Example 25) A battery-powered portable device as described in any one of Examples 19 to 24, Components that require heating must be heated at low temperatures (for example, below 5°C, below 0°C, or below -5°C). (Example 26) A battery-powered portable device as described in any one of Examples 19 to 25, Heat-dissipating components require heat dissipation at high temperatures (for example, above 50°C, 60°C, or 70°C). (Example 27) A battery-powered portable device as described in any one of Examples 19 to 26, The battery pack has a discharge capacity of 200 Wh / kg or more per unit weight and a discharge capacity of 300 Wh / L or more per unit volume. (Example 28) A battery-powered portable device as described in any one of Examples 19 to 27, The battery cells are sealed from the outside without any gaps by the battery pack housing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0130] 1: Battery-powered portable equipment 12, 14, 16, 18: Battery cells 20: Control circuit board 22: Positive terminal 24,28,36,42: Solder 26: Negative terminal 29: Positioning boss 30: Upper Housing 31: Convex 32: Positive terminal 33: End 38: Negative terminal 39: End 34,40: Insert molding section 44: Cover 45: Waterproofing materials 46,48: Hole 50: Lower Housing 51, 52: End of the main body of the tool 61: Voltage divider resistor 62: Voltage divider resistor 63: Transistor 64: Thermistor 71: Spring 72: Housing 73: Components requiring heating (control system electronic components) 74: Heating heater 75: Components requiring heat dissipation (power-related electrical components) 76: Heat transfer block 77: Heat transfer block 78: Bimetal 79: Circuit board 80: Bimetallic heater 81; Heat dissipation component 82: Screws for securing the heat dissipation component to the housing. 171: All-solid-state battery cell group 172: Battery Controller 174, 174': Battery pack 180: Main body of the equipment 181: Positive terminal 182: Signal terminal group 183: Negative terminal 184: Positive Wiring 185: Negative wiring 190: Controller of the main unit of the equipment 191: Constant voltage power supply 192: Surge Killer Capacitor 193: Microcontroller 194: Gate Driver 195: Inverter 196: Motor 197: Sensor Circuit 198: Full wave rectifier circuit 199: Regenerative braking / regenerative charging circuit

Claims

1. It is a battery-powered portable device. A battery pack containing at least one solid-state battery cell, The aforementioned battery pack is attached to the main body of the device, It includes a battery temperature measurement circuit, at least a portion of which is located within the battery pack. The battery temperature measurement circuit is, A high-temperature measurement circuit that outputs accurate measurement results in the high-temperature range but less accurate measurement results in the low-temperature range, A low-temperature measurement circuit that outputs accurate measurement results in the low-temperature range but less accurate measurement results in the high-temperature range, A switching device that outputs or adopts a value that determines the battery temperature or indicates the battery temperature from the measurement results of the low-temperature measurement circuit when the output value of the high-temperature measurement circuit falls within an abnormal range, and outputs or adopts a value that determines the battery temperature or indicates the battery temperature from the measurement results of the high-temperature measurement circuit when the output value of the low-temperature measurement circuit falls within an abnormal range, It is equipped with.

2. A battery-powered portable device according to claim 1, The aforementioned high-temperature measurement circuit includes a series circuit of a thermistor and a high-temperature voltage divider resistor. The low-temperature measurement circuit comprises a series circuit of the thermistor and a low-temperature voltage divider resistor.

3. A battery-powered portable device according to claim 2, The resistance value of the high-temperature voltage divider resistor is lower than the resistance value of the low-temperature voltage divider resistor.

4. A battery-powered portable device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The main body of the device includes a part of the high-temperature measurement circuit and a part of the low-temperature measurement circuit.

5. A battery-powered portable device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The battery pack includes the high-temperature measurement circuit and the low-temperature measurement circuit.

6. A battery-powered portable device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The lower limit temperature at which the high-temperature measurement circuit outputs accurate measurement results is higher than the upper limit temperature at which the low-temperature measurement circuit outputs accurate measurement results.

7. A battery-powered portable device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The device is equipped with an actuator that operates using the power supplied by the battery pack and is housed within the main body of the device. The maximum output of the actuator at -20°C / the maximum output at +50°C is greater than 0.

5.

8. A battery-powered portable device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The device is equipped with an actuator that operates using the power supplied by the battery pack and is housed within the main body of the device. The actuator will operate even if the ambient temperature is below freezing, as long as it is above -30°C.

9. A battery-powered portable device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, The device is equipped with an actuator that operates using the power supplied by the battery pack and is housed within the main body of the device. The actuator will operate even if the ambient temperature is +50°C, as long as the battery temperature is +100°C or lower.

10. A battery-powered portable device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, The aforementioned battery pack has a discharge capacity of 200 Wh / kg or more per unit weight.

11. A battery-powered portable device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, The aforementioned battery pack has a discharge capacity of 300 Wh / L or more per unit volume.

12. This is a battery pack that attaches to the main body of the equipment. When attached to the main body of the device, the battery-powered portable device described in any one of claims 1 to 11 is completed.

13. It is a battery-powered portable device. A battery pack containing at least one solid-state battery cell, The aforementioned battery pack is attached to the main body of the device, The battery pack features a housing that seals the space containing the all-solid-state battery cells from the outside, lacks cooling air passages, and has a discharge capacity of 200 Wh / kg or more per unit weight.

14. A battery-powered portable device according to claim 13, The aforementioned battery pack has a discharge capacity of 300 Wh / L or more per unit volume.

15. It is a battery-powered portable device. A battery pack containing at least one solid-state battery cell, The aforementioned battery pack is attached to the main body of the device, At least one of the battery pack and the main body of the device comprises a component that needs to be heated, a heater for heating the component that needs to be heated, a component that needs to dissipate heat, and a component that dissipates heat from the component that needs to be heated.

16. A battery-powered portable device according to claim 15, The components requiring heating, the heater, the components requiring heat dissipation, and the heat dissipation components are arranged in a low-temperature layout at low temperatures and in a high-temperature layout at high temperatures.

17. The battery-powered portable device according to claim 16, which can be switched between a low-temperature layout and a high-temperature layout by a bimetallic strip.

18. A battery-powered portable device according to claim 16 or 17, which can be switched between a low-temperature layout and a high-temperature layout within a temperature range of -5°C to 70°C.

19. A battery-powered portable device according to any one of claims 16 to 18, In low-temperature layouts, heat-dissipating components and heat-dissipating materials are kept in non-contact. In the high-temperature layout, the heat-dissipating component and the heat-dissipating member are brought into contact.

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