Garments and Systems

Abstract

To provide a highly convenient electric apparatus.SOLUTION: An electric apparatus comprises: an apparatus body 5 having an output unit; and a cell pack 10 detachable from / attachable to the apparatus body. The cell pack 10 has a radio communication unit (including a radio antenna 50a) capable of radio-communicating with external devices (an air volume adjusting device 8 and a collective management device 6), and a control unit 50 for controlling the radio communication with the external devices. The control unit 50 can change the operation of the output unit by the radio communication with the external devices 8 and 6 in a state where the output unit is operating.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention , clothing clothes and systems Regarding. [Background technology]

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 discloses a blower as an electrical device having a fan main body that blows air into the inside of clothing worn by a worker and a power supply unit that supplies power to the fan main body. Such a blower is effective in protecting workers from the heat at construction sites, etc. The following Patent Document 2 discloses a power tool that allows for changeable setting parameters for driving the power tool. The following Patent Document 3 discloses a battery pack equipped with a display unit that displays the remaining capacity of the battery cells. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-104845 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-018868 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-170779 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In Patent Document 1, the output and operation (air volume and rotation speed in the case of a fan) and drive mode of an output unit (for example, a fan) are changed using an operating unit connected by a wired cord, so there is room for improvement in terms of convenience (first issue).In Patent Document 2, the setting parameters of the electrical device cannot be changed while the electrical device is in operation, so there is room for improvement in terms of convenience (second issue). Furthermore, Patent Document 3 only displays the remaining capacity of the battery cell, and therefore is unable to manage the usage status of the electrical device, for example, the remaining operating time of the output section (e.g., a fan), leaving room for improvement in terms of convenience (third issue). Furthermore, when the operation of the output unit of an electrical device (in the case of a blower, the air volume or rotation speed of the fan) can be changed by wireless communication using a communication device such as a smartphone, other than an operating unit connected to the output unit (fan body) by wire, it is possible to provide a wireless communication function in the electrical device (device body) or the battery pack. In Patent Document 2, a communication unit is provided in the housing of the electrical device (power tool). On the other hand, it is also possible to provide a wireless communication function in the battery pack. In this case, the following fourth problem arises. That is, considering the influence on communication, it is desirable to position the wireless antenna for realizing the wireless communication function away from the metal parts of the battery pack. On the other hand, when trying to reduce the size of the battery pack, it becomes difficult to move the wireless antenna away from the metal parts.

[0005] The present invention has been made in recognition of such circumstances, and its object is to solve the first, second, and / or third problems described above and to provide a highly convenient Garments and Systems The purpose is to provide [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention be The embodiment is a garment. The garment comprises: a fan or heater carried by the worker; a battery pack carried by the worker, separate from the fan or the heater, connected to the fan or the heater by a cable, and supplying power to the fan or the heater; A garment comprising: The battery pack a case that houses a battery cell and a wireless communication unit that can wirelessly communicate with a smartphone carried by the worker; a DC / DC converter unit housed in the case and transforming the voltage of the battery cells; an operation unit provided in the case and operated by the operator; an output unit that outputs the voltage transformed by the DC / DC converter unit; and a display unit that displays the charging state of the battery cells. 、 Indication regarding the voltage output by the output unit , and an indication of the status of wireless communication with the smartphone a display unit that performs the above; and the operation unit includes a first operation unit that switches the magnitude of the output voltage of the output unit, and a second operation unit that switches between enabling and disabling the wireless communication unit, The aforementioned No. 1 When the operation unit is operated and when the smartphone is operated, the magnitude of the voltage transformed by the DC / DC converter unit, the display on the display unit regarding the voltage output by the output unit, and the magnitude of the output voltage of the output unit are changed, and the driving state of the fan or the heater can be changed; The aforementioned No. 1 When the operation unit is operated, the magnitude of the voltage transformed by the DC / DC converter unit, the magnitude of the voltage output by the output unit, and the display on the display unit related to the voltage output by the output unit are changed, and the display on the smartphone that is wirelessly communicating with the wireless communication unit related to the voltage output by the output unit is changed; and when the smartphone is subsequently operated, the display on the smartphone is changed, and the magnitude of the voltage transformed by the DC / DC converter unit of the battery pack that is wirelessly communicating with the smartphone, the magnitude of the voltage output by the output unit, and the display on the display unit related to the voltage output by the output unit are changed. It is characterized by: Another aspect of the present invention is a system comprising: a system including the clothing and the smartphone having an application installed thereon for wireless communication with the wireless communication unit, The application a connection button for wirelessly connecting to the wireless communication unit; a change button for changing the driving state of the fan or the heater; a status display unit that displays information about the driving status of the fan or the heater; a remaining capacity display unit that displays information about the remaining capacity of the battery pack; having It is characterized by:

[0029] Any combination of the above components and conversion of the present invention between methods, systems, etc. are also valid aspects of the present invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0030] According to the present invention, a highly convenient Garments and Systems can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a state in which a blower as an electrical device powered by a battery pack 10 is attached to clothing 9 worn by a worker 4 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 10 is a conceptual diagram showing how an operator 4 changes the output (air volume) of the air blower using an air volume adjusting device 8. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a construction manager 3 managing the air blowers of a plurality of workers 4 using a centralized management device 6. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the battery pack 10. [Figure 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the battery pack 10. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the battery pack 10 with the upper case 12 open. [Figure 11] Cross section AA of Figure 9. [Figure 12] FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery pack 10. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the inside of the case of the battery pack 10. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the inside of the case of the battery pack 10. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a front view of the inside of the case of the battery pack 10. [Figure 17] 1 is a rear view of the inside of the case of the battery pack 10. FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the inside of the case of the battery pack 10. [Figure 19] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the inside of the case of the battery pack 10. [Figure 20] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the inside of the case of the battery pack 10. [Figure 21] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the inside of the case of the battery pack 10. [Figure 22] 15 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention, with the orientation of battery cells 11a to 11c rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise from the state of FIG. 14. FIG. [Figure 23] FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram of the blower device. [Figure 24] 24 is a circuit diagram showing a first specific example of the discharge circuit 54 of the battery pack 10 of FIG. 23. [Figure 25] FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing a second specific configuration example of the discharge circuit 54. [Figure 26] FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram showing a third specific configuration example of the discharge circuit 54. [Figure 27] 3 is a control flowchart of the battery pack 10. [Figure 28] 25 is a time chart showing an example of the operation of the configuration example 1 shown in FIG. 24. [Figure 29] FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram of the centralized management device 6 and the air volume adjustment device 8. [Figure 30] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a home screen of a management application of the central management device 6. [Figure 31] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a batch check screen of a management application. [Figure 32] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an air volume check screen of the management application. [Figure 33] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an uptime check screen for a management application. [Figure 34] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a pairing screen of the management application. [Figure 35] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a screen for setting up a connection with the air volume adjusting device 8 of the management application. [Figure 36] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a pre-connection screen of the air volume adjustment application of the air volume adjustment device 8. [Figure 37] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a screen after connection of the air volume adjustment application. [Figure 38] 10 is a diagram showing the screen of the air volume control device 8 when a connection request is received from the central management device 6. FIG. [Figure 39] 6 is a flowchart showing an outline of a procedure for connecting (pairing) the battery pack 10 of the air blower with the centralized management device 6. [Figure 40] 6 is a flowchart showing a first example of a method for managing the remaining operable time of the air blower by the central management device 6. [Figure 41] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing a first example of a time management system in which a central management device 6 centrally manages the remaining operable time of a plurality of the air blowers. [Figure 42] 6 is a flowchart showing a method for managing the air volume of the air blower by the central management device 6. [Figure 43] A table summarizing the relationship between temperature, required airflow, and warning targets. [Figure 44] 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a first example of an air volume control system in which a central control device 6 centrally controls the air volumes of a plurality of the air blowers. [Figure 45] 10 is a flowchart showing a second example of a method for managing the remaining operable time of the air blower by the central management device 6. [Figure 46] 6 is a flowchart showing an outline of a procedure for connecting a centralized management device 6 and an air volume control device 8 using a network service. [Figure 47] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing a second example of a time management system in which a central management device 6 centrally manages the remaining operable time of a plurality of the air blowers. [Figure 48] 10 is a conceptual diagram showing a second example of an air volume control system in which the air volumes of the plurality of blowers are collectively controlled by a central control device 6. FIG. [Figure 49]6 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication between the battery pack 10 of the air blower and the centralized management device 6. [Figure 50] 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure for changing the output (air volume) of the air blower using an air volume adjusting device 8. [Figure 51] 6 is a flowchart showing an outline of a procedure for canceling the connection (pairing) between the battery pack 10 of the air blower and the centralized management device 6. [Figure 52] 6 is a flowchart showing an outline of a procedure for connecting (pairing) the battery pack 10 of the air blower with the air volume adjusting device 8. [Figure 53] 6 is a flowchart showing an outline of a procedure for canceling the connection (pairing) between the battery pack 10 of the air blower and the air volume adjusting device 8. [Figure 54] FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram showing a fourth specific configuration example of the discharge circuit 54. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The same or equivalent components, members, etc. shown in each drawing are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted where appropriate. Furthermore, the embodiments are illustrative and do not limit the invention, and all features and combinations thereof described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the invention.

[0033] This embodiment relates to an air blower (temperature control device) that can be attached to clothing 9, clothing 9 equipped with the air blower, and a battery pack 10 that serves as the power source for the air blower. This air blower is an example of an electrical device, and includes a fan main body 5 and a battery pack 10 as the main body of the device, as shown in FIG. 1 . The clothing 9 including the fan main body 5 may also serve as the main body. Alternatively, the air blower including the fan main body 5 may serve as the main body, and the combination of the main body and the battery pack may serve as the electrical device. The fan main body 5 blows air into the inside of clothing 9 worn by a worker 4. The battery pack 10 supplies power to the fan main body 5. The fan main body 5 and the battery pack 10 are connected to each other by a cable 7. One end of the cable 7 is detachable from the battery pack 10. That is, the battery pack 10 is detachable from the fan main body 5. The battery pack 10 has a short-range wireless communication function such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). The battery pack 10 may also be capable of transmitting location information using a global positioning system (GPS) or the like.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 2 , the worker 4 carries an airflow control device 8, such as a smartphone, as a second communication device. An airflow control application is installed on the airflow control device 8. The application has functions for adjusting the output of the battery pack 10, i.e., the airflow of the fan main body 5, changing the drive mode of the fan main body 5, and enabling or disabling the wireless communication function of the battery pack 10. The airflow control device 8 has a short-range wireless communication function such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and a network communication function. The worker 4 can use the airflow control device 8 to perform short-range wireless communication with the battery pack 10 and change the output of the fan main body 5 (such as the airflow and drive mode). Instead of or in addition to using the airflow control device 8, the output of the fan main body 5 may be changed by an operation unit provided on the battery pack 10 or an operation unit provided separately from the battery pack 10 (for example, on the fan main body 5). Because the output can be changed by a control unit 50b (described below) provided on the battery pack 10, providing an operation unit on the battery pack 10 allows the battery pack 10 to perform and control the output change operation alone. Therefore, even if the device connected to the battery pack 10 does not have a wireless communication function, wireless communication with external devices is possible, improving versatility. When both the operation unit and the airflow control device 8 are operated, it is preferable to prioritize operation of the operation unit. Because the operation unit is attached to the clothing 9 worn by the worker, it is unlikely to be operated by a third party. However, the airflow control device 8 may be located far from the worker, making it more likely to be operated by a third party. When signals are input from both units, the control unit 50b adjusts the output voltage, as described below, based on the signal from the operation unit. Furthermore, when a signal is input from the centralized management device 6, as described below, it is preferable to prioritize control of this signal. The airflow control device 8 can also function as a relay for communication between the centralized management device 6 and the battery pack 10 by transmitting data about the battery pack 10 to the centralized management device 6 via a network. The airflow control device 8 may also be capable of transmitting location information using GPS or the like. The screen of the airflow control device 8 is an example of a notification unit.

[0035] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 , the wireless communication function of the battery pack 10 is utilized to collectively manage the air blowers used by multiple workers 4 using a single central management device 6, such as a smartphone, as a first communication device held by a construction manager (site supervisor) 3. The management may involve various tasks, such as managing the remaining operating time of each air blower and whether the air volume of each air blower is equal to or greater than the required air volume for the current temperature. Specific management methods will be described later. To perform these management tasks, a management application is installed in the central management device 6. The central management device 6 has a short-range wireless communication function such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and a network communication function. The central management device 6 and the air volume adjustment devices 8 can connect (communicate) with each other via the network. The central management device 6 may be capable of transmitting location information using GPS or the like. The screen of the central management device 6 is an example of a notification unit. The central management device 6 may also manage the location information of the battery pack 10 and the air volume adjustment devices 8.

[0036] The configuration of the battery pack 10 will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 21. Figure 4 defines the mutually orthogonal front-to-back, up-down, and left-to-right directions of the battery pack 10. In the battery pack 10, the left-to-right direction is an example of a first direction, the front-to-back direction is an example of a second direction, and the up-to-down direction is an example of a third direction. The case of the battery pack 10 is, for example, a combination of an upper case 12 and a lower case 13, which are insulating resin molded bodies, and is configured to be approximately quadrangular as a whole when viewed in the up-down direction and approximately rectangular when viewed in the left-to-right direction. As shown in Figure 8, the upper case 12 is curved so that the approximately central portion in the front-to-back direction, which is its longitudinal direction, is at the top (farthest from the battery cells 11a-11c).

[0037] The upper case 12 is provided with a button 15 and a display unit 16. The button 15, display unit 16, and other components of the upper case 12 are not shown in FIG. 9 . The button 15 is an operation unit for pressing a switch 46 shown in FIG. 14 and other figures. Two buttons 15 are provided here: one for changing the airflow rate of the fan main body 5, and the other for enabling and disabling the wireless communication function of the battery pack 10. A button for changing the drive mode of the fan main body 5 (high airflow mode, low airflow mode, manual airflow rate change mode, automatic airflow rate change mode, or all of these modes) may also be provided. The display unit 16 is a light-transmitting portion such as an LED. Multiple displays 16 are provided, and display the charging status of the battery pack 10, the airflow rate of the blower, the status of the wireless communication function, and so on. Openings for the charging jack 52 and the discharging jack 55 face rearward from the back of the lower case 13. The charging jack 52 is covered by an openable cover 18. A cable for connecting to a charger can be connected to the charging jack 52. A cable 7 for connecting to the fan main body 5 can be connected to the discharging jack 55.

[0038] The battery cells 11a-11c are arranged in the front-to-rear direction within the case, i.e., in the internal space formed by the upper case 12 and the lower case 13, with their longitudinal directions extending in the left-to-right direction. The battery cells 11a-11c are separated from one another by a rib 13a protruding upward from the inner bottom surface of the lower case 13. The battery cell 11c is separated from the charging jack 52 and the discharging jack 55 by a rib 13b protruding upward from the inner bottom surface of the lower case 13. The number of battery cells may be two or four or more. A circuit board 20 is provided above the battery cells 11a-11c. The length of the circuit board 20 in the left-to-right direction is approximately equal to the length of the battery cells 11a-11c. A switch 46 and a wireless antenna module 50 serving as a wireless control unit are provided on the top surface of the circuit board 20 (the surface opposite to the battery cells 11a-11c). There are two switches 46 in this example: one is a switch for switching the airflow rate of the fan body 5 (hereinafter also referred to as the "output switching switch"), and the other is a switch for switching the wireless communication function of the battery pack 10 between enabled and disabled.

[0039] The wireless antenna module 50 is located at the right end of the circuit board 20, between the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-rear direction. The right end of the circuit board 20 is located near the ends of the battery cells 11a to 11c in the left-to-right direction. The space between the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-rear direction refers to the area between the central axes of the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-rear direction, avoiding the area directly above and near the central axis. The wireless antenna module 50 is also located in a position that avoids the area near the end of the upper case 12 in the front-to-rear direction. A charging jack 52 and a discharging jack 55 are provided as input / output units on the underside of the circuit board 20 (the surface facing the battery cells 11a to 11c). The charging jack 52 and the discharging jack 55 extend or are located within the range of the battery cells 11a to 11c in the up-to-down direction.

[0040] The battery cells 11a to 11c are connected in series to each other and electrically connected to the substrate 20 by metal tabs 21 to 24. Tab 21 electrically connects the positive electrode of battery cell 11a to the substrate 20. Tab 23 electrically connects the negative electrode of battery cell 11a to the positive electrode of battery cell 11b to each other and to the substrate 20. Tab 22 electrically connects the negative electrode of battery cell 11b to the positive electrode of battery cell 11c to each other and to the substrate 20. Tab 24 electrically connects the negative electrode of battery cell 11c to the substrate 20. The substrate connection portion 21a of tab 21 is electrically connected to the right end of the substrate 20 forward of the central axis of battery cell 11a (opposite the battery cell 11b side). The substrate connection portion 23a of tab 23 is electrically connected to the left end of the substrate 20 between the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-rear direction. The board connection portion 22a of the tab 22 is electrically connected to the right end of the board 20 between the battery cells 11b and 11c in the front-to-rear direction. The board connection portion 24a of the tab 24 is electrically connected to the left end of the board 20 between the battery cells 11b and 11c in the front-to-rear direction.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 20 , the wireless antenna module 50 includes a wireless antenna 50a serving as a wireless communication unit that receives signals from external devices (airflow control device 8, centralized management device 6), and a control unit 50b, such as a microcontroller, that controls wireless communication with the external devices. The wireless antenna 50a is located near the right edge of the substrate 20. In addition to controlling wireless communication, the control unit 50b controls charging and discharging of the battery cells 11a-11c and protects the battery cells 11a-11c, such as over-discharge protection, over-current protection, and high-temperature protection. A predetermined area on the substrate 20 adjacent to and before and after the wireless antenna 50a is designated as a pattern-free area 20a where no conductor pattern is formed. While the wireless antenna module 50 includes an integrated wireless communication unit (including the wireless antenna 50a) and a control unit 50b, they may also be configured separately. Here, "integrated" means configured as a single-chip device.

[0042] An example of the circuit configuration of the battery pack 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 23. The battery pack 10 incorporates battery cells 11 (corresponding to battery cells 11a to 11c shown in FIG. 14, etc.) which are secondary battery cells (e.g., lithium battery cells). The SC protector 41 is a protective element for preventing overcharging and overcurrent of the battery cells 11. The power supply circuit 42 converts the output voltage Vbat of the battery cells 11 into an operating voltage Vctl for the control unit 50b, etc., and supplies it to the control unit 50b, etc. The cell voltage detection circuit 43 detects the cell voltage of each battery cell 11 and sends it to the control unit 50b. The current detection circuit 44 detects the output current (discharge current or charge current) of the battery cells 11 based on the voltage of a resistor R provided in the path of the output current, and sends it to the control unit 50b. The temperature sensor 45 detects the temperature of the battery cells 11 and sends it to the control unit 50b. Another temperature sensor for detecting the air temperature inside the battery pack 10, or another temperature sensor for detecting the body temperature of the worker (temperature around the worker) may be provided on the clothing 9, the fan body 5, etc., and the air temperature inside the battery pack 10 or the body temperature of the worker may be transmitted to the control unit 50b.

[0043] The switch 46 serving as an operation unit accepts switch operations by the user and transmits the operations to the control unit 50b. There may be multiple switches 46. The switches 46 may include a switch for instructing the fan main body 5 to start or stop, a switch for switching (adjusting) the output of the fan main body 5, a switch for enabling or disabling the wireless communication function, a switch for switching the drive mode of the fan main body 5, a switch for performing wireless communication pairing, etc. The LED 53 serving as a notification unit is used to display the status, and its illumination is controlled by the control unit 50b. There may be multiple LEDs 53.

[0044] When the AC adapter connection detection circuit 47 detects connection of the AC adapter 58 to the charging jack 52, it sends an activation signal to the power supply circuit 42. The charging circuit 51 is, for example, a DC / DC converter, and operates under the control of the control unit 50b to supply a charging current to the battery cells 11. That is, the charging circuit 51 switches (controls) the charging current according to a charging current switching signal from the control unit 50b and supplies it to the battery cells 11. Furthermore, the charging circuit 51 starts and stops supplying the charging current according to an on / off signal from the control unit 50b. The charging circuit 51 converts DC power input via the charging jack 52 into DC power for charging the battery cells 11. The charging jack 52 is a connection port for an external AC adapter 58. The AC adapter 58 is connected to an external AC power source 59, converts AC power input from the AC power source 59 into DC power, and outputs the DC power to the charging jack 52.

[0045] The discharge circuit 54 as a drive circuit is, for example, a DC / DC converter, and operates under the control of the control unit 50b to output DC power to the discharge jack 55 for supply to the fan main body 5. The discharge jack 55 is a connection port for the cable 7 that connects the fan main body 5 and the battery pack 10. The fan main body 5 includes a fan and a motor (drive unit or output unit) that drives the fan, and operates with power supplied from the discharge circuit 54. Note that, because the fan and motor rotate integrally, they may be collectively referred to as the drive unit or output unit. Also, the fan main body 5 may be provided with a control unit that controls the drive of the motor. In addition, a heater, which is an example of a temperature control device described below, a volume control unit or channel switching unit of a peripheral device, and a motor of a power tool also fall under the category of output units.

[0046] The control unit 50b is, for example, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy (BLE) module with a built-in microcontroller. The control unit 50b communicates with the central management device 6 and the airflow control device 8 via short-range wireless communication using the wireless antenna 50a, and controls the overall operation of the battery pack 10, such as controlling the charging circuit 51 and the discharging circuit 54. The control unit 50b controls the charging circuit 51 to adjust the charging current to the battery cells 11 and control the charging of the battery cells 11. The control unit 50b controls the discharging circuit 54 to adjust the power supplied to the fan main body 5 and adjust the output (airflow) of the fan main body 5. The control unit 50b has a function of being simultaneously connected to at least two or more communication devices, such as the central management device 6 and the airflow control device 8.

[0047] FIG. 24 is a circuit diagram showing a first specific configuration example of the discharge circuit 54. In this example, the discharge circuit 54 includes a DC / DC converter IC 54a, a choke coil (inductor) L, a capacitor (electrolytic capacitor) C, resistors R1 to R5, and switching elements Q3 to Q5 such as FETs. The resistors R1 to R5 and the switching elements Q3 to Q5 form an output voltage adjustment circuit. The DC converter IC 54a includes an internal analog circuit 54b and switching elements Q1 and Q2 such as FETs. The switching elements Q1 and Q2 are connected in series between a power supply line (hereinafter also referred to as the "power supply line Vbat") to which the output voltage Vbat of the battery cell 11 is supplied and ground. The gates (control terminals) of the switching elements Q1 and Q2 are connected to the internal analog circuit 54b. The interconnection point of the switching elements Q1 and Q2 (the source of the switching element Q1 and the drain of the switching element Q2) is connected to one end of the choke coil L. The other end of the choke coil L is connected to one end of the capacitor C and the resistor R1. The other end of the capacitor C is connected to ground. The voltage across the capacitor C is the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54, and is output to the discharge jack 55. The other end of the resistor R1 is connected to one end of the resistors R2 to R5. The other end of the resistor R2 is connected to ground. The interconnection between the resistor R1 and the resistors R2 to R5 is connected to the internal analog circuit 54b. The other ends of the resistors R3 to R5 are connected to ground via the switching elements Q3 to Q5. The gates (control terminals) of the switching elements Q3 to Q5 are connected to the control unit 50b. The control unit 50b and the internal analog circuit 54b are connected to each other.

[0048] The switching elements Q1 and Q2 perform switching operations (PWM control) in response to drive signals from the internal analog circuit 54b. The output voltage Vbat of the battery cell 11, which is switched, is smoothed by a choke coil (inductor) L and a capacitor C, causing a voltage that is a step-down version of the output voltage Vbat of the battery cell 11 to appear across the capacitor C. The voltage Vm at the interconnection between resistor R1 and resistors R2 to R5 is fed back to the internal analog circuit 54b. The internal analog circuit 54b controls the operation of the switching elements Q1 and Q2 to maintain the voltage Vm constant. The ratio of the voltage Vm at the interconnection between resistor R1 and resistors R2 to R5 to the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 varies depending on the on / off combination of the switching elements Q3 to Q5. In other words, the output voltage can be easily changed by switching multiple series circuits consisting of combinations of resistors and switching elements. The on / off of the switching elements Q3 to Q5 is switched by output voltage control signals V1 to V3 output by the control unit 50b. The switching elements Q3 to Q5 are turned on when the output voltage control signals V1 to V3 are at a high level and turned off when they are at a low level. Figure 24 also shows a table illustrating the relationship between the combinations of the levels of the output voltage control signals V1 to V3, i.e., the on / off combinations of the switching elements Q3 to Q5, and the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54. This table illustrates an example where the resistance value of resistor R3 is greater than the resistance value of resistor R4 and greater than the resistance value of resistor R5, allowing the output voltage Vout to be selected from eight levels. If fewer levels of the output voltage Vout are required, some of the resistors R3 to R5 and the switching elements connected in series with them can be omitted. To increase the number of levels of the output voltage Vout, a series-connected resistor and switching element circuit can be added in parallel with resistor R2. Note that if high accuracy of the output voltage Vout is not required, the voltage Vm need not be fed back to the internal analog circuit 54b.

[0049] FIG. 25 is a circuit diagram showing a second specific example of the discharge circuit 54. In this example, the resistors R3 to R5 and switching elements Q3 to Q5 of the first example of the configuration shown in FIG. 24 are replaced with a series-connected circuit of a resistor R7 and a switching element Q7 such as an FET, forming an output voltage adjustment circuit. The gate (control terminal) of the switching element Q7 is connected to the control unit 50b. The control unit 50b applies a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) signal to the gate of the switching element Q7 to PWM-control the switching element Q7. The switching element Q7 is turned on when its gate voltage is high and off when its gate voltage is low. A PWM signal with a duty of 0% is always low, keeping the switching element Q7 always off. A PWM signal with a duty of 100% is always high, keeping the switching element Q7 always on. A PWM signal with a duty other than 0% or 100% switches the switching element Q7 on and off at a predetermined cycle. The ratio of the on period of switching element Q7 within one cycle corresponds to the duty ratio of the PWM signal. The higher the duty of the PWM signal that control unit 50b applies to the gate of switching element Q7, the higher the output voltage Vout of discharge circuit 54. The output voltage Vout can be set within the range of 5V to 9V, for example.

[0050] FIG. 26 is a circuit diagram showing a specific configuration example 3 of the discharge circuit 54. In this example, the internal analog circuit 54b, resistor R7, and switching element Q7 of configuration example 2 in FIG. 25 are eliminated, and the control unit 50b performs switching control (PWM control) on the switching elements Q1 and Q2. The control unit 50b controls the switching elements Q1 and Q2 so that the voltage Vm is a predetermined ratio corresponding to the voltage division ratio of the resistors R1 and R2 relative to the set value of the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54. Note that if high precision of the output voltage Vout is not required, it is not necessary to feed back the voltage Vm to the control unit 50b.

[0051] FIG. 27 is a control flowchart of the battery pack 10. After starting up, the control unit 50b performs initialization processing and sets the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 to 0 V (S71). The control unit 50b is started up when an activation signal is sent to the power supply circuit 42 when the AC adapter 58 or the fan main body 5 is connected. Alternatively, the battery pack 10 may be provided with an activation switch for the control unit 50b (power supply circuit 42). When a connection with the air volume adjustment device 8 is established (YES in S72) and a signal is received from the air volume adjustment device 8 ("Signal Received" in S73), the control unit 50b sets the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 to the set value specified by the received signal (S74). The connection with the air volume adjustment device 8 is established by operating a button (e.g., a connect button) on a touch panel displayed on the display of the air volume adjustment device 8 while the wireless communication function is enabled by the switch 46 of the battery pack 10. Alternatively, the control unit 50b may be configured to automatically connect without operating the switch 46 of the battery pack 10 or the button on the airflow adjustment device 8, or a combination thereof. If the connection with the airflow adjustment device 8 is not established (NO in S72) or if no signal is received from the airflow adjustment device 8 ("No Signal Received" in S73), and if an operation unit such as the output selector switch (switch 46) or the drive mode selector switch of the fan main body 5 is operated ("Operation Present" in S75), the control unit 50b sets the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 to the set value instructed by the operation (S76). While the fan main body 5 (fan) is being driven (operating) at the output voltage Vout set in S74, it can be driven at the output voltage Vout reset in S76. In other words, while the fan main body 5 is being driven in a first state, the output voltage Vout (airflow of the fan) can be changed to a second state and the drive (operation) can be continued. The control unit 50b performs a shutdown process (S78) if the output selector switch is not operated ("No Operation" in S75) or if an end operation is performed ("Operation" in S77). The shutdown process includes a process of cutting off the power supply to the control unit 50b or a process of putting the control unit 50b into a sleep state. The shutdown process is performed by the control unit 50b sending a power control signal (a shutdown signal or a sleep signal) to the power supply circuit 42.The termination operation is the operation of the connection button on the display of the air volume control device 8. Alternatively, the wireless communication function may be disabled by the switch 46 of the battery pack 10. If there is no termination operation ("No Operation" in S77), and the connection with the air volume control device 8 is disconnected (YES in S79), the control unit 50b returns to step S72. If there is no termination operation ("No Operation" in S77), and the connection with the air volume control device 8 is disconnected (YES in S79), the control unit 50b returns to step S73. If there is no termination operation ("No Operation" in S77), and the battery pack 10 has not received a signal from an external device, has not been operated on itself (e.g., the switch 46), or has not been charged or discharged for a predetermined period of time, the control unit 50b may be configured to transition to sleep mode or shutdown regardless of the processing in S79. This reduces the power consumption of the battery pack 10 when it is not in use.

[0052] FIG. 28 is a time chart showing an example of the operation of the configuration example 1 shown in FIG. 24. At time t1, the control unit 50b receives an activation signal from the air volume adjustment device 8 and changes the EN signal sent to the internal analog circuit 54b of the DC converter IC 54a from low to high. This causes the internal analog circuit 54b to start operating, and the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 rises. The control unit 50b keeps all of the voltage control signals V1 to V3 low, and the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 becomes 5V. At time t2, the control unit 50b receives an output change signal from the air volume adjustment device 8 instructing it to change the output voltage Vout to 8V, and switches the voltage control signals V1 and V3 to high. The internal analog circuit 54b PWM-controls the switching elements Q1 and Q2 (changing the duty ratio of the PWM signal). This causes the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 to rise to approximately 8V. At time t3, the control unit 50b receives a stop signal from the air volume adjustment device 8, changes the EN signal from high to low, and changes the voltage control signals V1 and V3 to low. With the EN signal now at low level, the internal analog circuit 54b stops operating, and the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 drops to 0V.

[0053] 29 is a simplified block diagram of the centralized management device 6 and the air volume adjustment device 8. The centralized management device 6 and the air volume adjustment device 8 each include a control unit 70, a memory 71, a touch panel (operation unit) 72, a display unit 73, a wireless communication transmission / reception unit 74, and an antenna 75.

[0054] 30 to 35 are explanatory diagrams of screen displays of the management application of the central management device 6, with FIG. 30 showing the home screen, FIG. 31 showing the central check screen, FIG. 32 showing the air volume check screen, FIG. 33 showing the operating time check screen, FIG. 34 showing the pairing screen, and FIG. 35 showing the connection setting screen with the air volume adjustment device 8. As shown in FIG. 30, the home screen displays a connection (pairing) button, a central check button, an air volume check button, an operating time check button, and a connection setting button with the air volume adjustment device. When the connection (pairing) button is tapped, the screen transitions to the pairing screen of FIG. 34. When the central check button is tapped, the operating time check and air volume check flowcharts (FIGS. 40 and 42) are performed, and the screen transitions to the central check screen of FIG. 31. When the air volume check button is tapped, the air volume check flowchart (FIG. 42) is performed, and the screen transitions to the air volume check screen of FIG. 32. When the operation time check button is tapped, the operation time check flowchart (Fig. 40) is executed, and the screen transitions to the operation time check screen of Fig. 33. When the air volume adjustment device connection setting button is tapped, the screen transitions to the connection setting screen with the air volume adjustment device 8 of Fig. 35.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 31, the collective check screen displays the air volume check result and the operating time check result. Tapping the air volume check result transitions to the air volume check screen of FIG. 32. Tapping the operating time check result transitions to the operating time check screen of FIG. 33. As shown in FIG. 32, the air volume check screen displays the current air temperature and the air volume check result for each battery pack. As shown in FIG. 33, the operating time check screen displays the calculated remaining operating time for each battery pack 10A to 10D. As shown in FIG. 34, the pairing screen displays a list of connected (paired) battery packs and an add pairing button. When the add pairing button is tapped, an operation according to the pairing flowchart (FIG. 39) is performed. As shown in FIG. 35, the connection setting screen for the air volume adjustment device 8 displays a list of registered air volume adjustment devices 8 whose requests have been approved once in the past and battery packs 10 whose air volume can be adjusted by them, an ID input field for inputting the ID of the air volume adjustment device 8, and a request button. When a registered list is tapped, the ID of the corresponding air volume control device 8 is automatically entered in the ID input field. When the request button is tapped, an operation according to the connection request is executed for the air volume control device 8 entered in the ID input field (an operation according to the flowchart in FIG. 46 is performed).

[0056] FIG. 36 is a diagram showing a pre-connection screen of the air volume control application of the air volume control device 8. A connect button is displayed on this screen. When the connect button is tapped, operation is performed according to the connection flowchart (FIG. 52). FIG. 37 is a diagram showing a post-connection screen of the air volume control application. This screen displays the name of the connected battery pack 10, a power ON / OFF switch button, connection status, remaining charge of the connected battery pack 10, air volume, an air volume change button, and a disconnect button. When the air volume change button is tapped, operation is performed according to the air volume change flowchart (FIG. 50). When the disconnect button is tapped, operation is performed according to the disconnection flowchart (FIG. 53). FIG. 38 is a diagram showing the screen of the air volume control device 8 when a connection request is received from the central management device 6. This screen displays the ID of the party that sent the connection request (the ID of the request destination), a Yes (Allow) button, and a No (Do not Allow) button. When the Yes (Allow) button is tapped, the process proceeds from S46 to S47 of the flowchart in FIG. 46.

[0057] Fig. 39 is a flowchart showing an outline of the procedure for connecting (pairing) the battery pack 10 with the centralized management device 6. The construction manager 3 performs an operation to request connection to each of the centralized management device 6 and the battery pack 10 of the air blower to be managed (S1). The operation performed on the centralized management device 6 here is, for example, pressing the pairing addition button in Fig. 34. The operation performed on the battery pack 10 is, for example, pressing and holding the switch 46.

[0058] The central management device 6, which has received the connection request, searches for a connection destination within the range of short-range wireless communication (S2). Similarly, the battery pack 10, which has received the connection request, searches for a connection destination within the range of short-range wireless communication (S3). At this time, the central management device 6 may notify the construction manager 3 that a search for a connection destination has started by displaying a message on the screen, etc. The battery pack 10 may notify the construction manager 3 that a search for a connection destination has started by flashing the LED 53, etc.

[0059] When the central management device 6 and the battery pack 10 discover each other as connection destinations (S4), a connection sequence is initiated (S5), and connection (pairing) is completed (S6). At this time, the central management device 6 may notify the construction manager 3 that the connection process is complete by displaying a screen or the like. The battery pack 10 may notify the construction manager 3 that the connection process is complete by turning on the LED 53 or the like. In the above explanation, both the central management device 6 and the battery pack 10 are operated by the construction manager 3, but the battery pack 10 may also be operated by the worker 4. The connection (pairing) between the air volume adjustment device 8 and the battery pack 10 can be performed in the same way as the connection (pairing) between the central management device 6 and the battery pack 10.

[0060] FIG. 40 is a flowchart showing a first example of a method for managing the remaining operable time of the air blower by the centralized management device 6. This flowchart starts when the centralized check button or the operating time check button of FIG. 30 on the centralized management device 6 is tapped. The centralized management device 6 acquires data on the remaining capacity of the battery pack 10 and the operating status (air volume) of the fan main body 5 from the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 (S11). The centralized management device 6 calculates the remaining operable time of the fan main body 5 at the current air volume (hereinafter also referred to as the "first remaining operable time") based on the remaining capacity of the battery pack 10 and the current air volume of the fan main body 5 (S12). If the first remaining operable time is equal to or less than a predetermined time (YES in S13), the centralized management device 6 issues a warning to the construction manager 3 by displaying a message on a screen or the like (S14). The warning may be sent to the battery pack 10 or the air volume adjustment device 8.

[0061] If the first remaining operable time is not equal to or less than the predetermined time (NO in S13), the central management device 6 calculates the remaining operable time of the fan main body 5 at the maximum airflow rate (hereinafter also referred to as the "second remaining operable time") (S15). If the second remaining operable time is equal to or less than the predetermined time (YES in S16), the central management device 6 notifies the construction manager 3 by displaying a screen or the like (S17). The notification may be sent to the battery pack 10 or the airflow adjustment device 8. If the second remaining operable time is not equal to or less than the predetermined time (NO in S16), the central management device 6 does not issue a warning or notification (S18). In the above description, the central management device 6 executes each step in FIG. 40, but the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 or the airflow adjustment device 8 may execute each step. A "warning" is one aspect of a "notification," but in this embodiment, notifications with higher importance or urgency are called warnings, and other notifications are called notifications. The available driving time does not need to be calculated by an external device (the central management device 6 or the air volume adjustment device 8) but may be calculated by the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10.

[0062] FIG. 41 is a conceptual diagram showing a first example of a time management system in which a centralized management device 6 centrally manages the remaining drive times of multiple air blowers. This system is composed of one centralized management device 6 and four battery packs 10 of the air blowers. In FIG. 41, the four battery packs 10 are identified by reference characters (battery pack names) 10A to 10D to distinguish them from one another (the same applies to FIGS. 44, 47, and 48). The centralized management device 6 displays a calculated value of the first remaining drive time for each of the battery packs 10A to 10D. Here, since all of the battery packs 10A to 10C are within the range of short-range wireless communication of the centralized management device 6, the first remaining drive time based on the most recent data (remaining battery capacity and airflow) is displayed. On the other hand, since the battery pack 10D is outside the range of short-range wireless communication of the centralized management device 6, the first remaining drive time is displayed as an estimate based on the data (remaining battery capacity and airflow) acquired the last time the centralized management device 6 performed short-range wireless communication with the battery pack 10D. This estimated value is calculated, for example, assuming that the last acquired remaining battery capacity and air volume have continued up to the present. In the example of Fig. 41, the first remaining drive time of battery pack 10C is less than one hour, which is an example of a predetermined time, and a warning is displayed on the screen of centralized management device 6 in bold or in a different color from the others. Furthermore, centralized management device 6 issues a warning to battery pack 10C or air volume adjustment device 8. Centralized management device 6 may display a second remaining drive time, or may display the first and second remaining drive times side by side or switch between them.

[0063] FIG. 42 is a flowchart showing a method for managing the air volume of the blower using the centralized management device 6. This flowchart starts when the air volume check button in FIG. 30 on the centralized management device 6 is tapped. FIG. 43 is a table summarizing the relationship between temperature, required air volume, and target of warning. The centralized management device 6 acquires the temperature at the location of the battery pack 10 (S20). The format for acquiring the temperature is not limited. For example, the temperature at the current location (the location of the battery pack 10 or the air volume adjustment device 8) may be acquired from various temperature data published on the Internet. Alternatively, the temperature inside the battery pack 10 may be acquired directly, or the body temperature of the worker may be acquired. If the temperature is A or higher (S21) and the air volume is less than W (YES in S22), the centralized management device 6 issues a warning to the construction manager 3 by displaying a message on the screen or the like (S30). If the temperature is within the range of A to B (S23) and the air volume is less than X (YES in S24), the centralized management device 6 issues a warning (S30). The central management device 6 issues a warning (S30) if the temperature is in the range of B to C (S25) and the air volume is less than Y (YES in S26). The central management device 6 issues a warning (S30) if the temperature is in the range of C to D (S27) and the air volume is less than Z (YES in S28). The central management device 6 does not issue a warning (S31) if the temperature is less than D (S29). The central management device 6 does not issue a warning (S31) if the air volume is greater than or equal to the required volume for the temperature (NO in S22, S24, S26, S28). The warning may be sent to the battery pack 10 or the air volume adjustment device 8. In this case, the warning may include content notifying the required air volume for the current temperature, and the battery pack 10 or the air volume adjustment device 8 that receives the warning may change the air volume of the fan main body 5 to greater than or equal to the required volume. In the above description, each step in FIG. 42 is executed by the central management device 6, but each step may also be executed by the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 or the air volume adjustment device 8.

[0064] FIG. 44 is a conceptual diagram showing a first example of an air volume control system in which a centralized management device 6 centrally controls the air volumes of multiple air blowers. Similar to the system shown in FIG. 41, this system is composed of one centralized management device 6 and battery packs 10A-10D of four air blowers. The centralized management device 6 displays the current temperature and the air volume check results for each of the battery packs 10A-10D. Note that the air volume check result for battery pack 10D is displayed as unconfirmed because it is outside the range of short-range wireless communication from the centralized management device 6. In the example shown in FIG. 44, the air volume of battery pack 10C is insufficient for the temperature, so a warning is displayed on the screen of the centralized management device 6 in bold, underlined, or in a different color from the other battery packs. The centralized management device 6 also issues a warning to battery pack 10C or air volume adjustment device 8. The remaining operating time management function shown in FIG. 41 and the air volume check function shown in FIG. 44 can be included in the functions of the same management application.

[0065] FIG. 45 is a flowchart showing a second example of a method for managing the remaining operable time of a blower by the centralized management device 6. As in the case of FIG. 40, the centralized management device 6 acquires the remaining capacity of the battery pack 10 and the operating status data (air volume) of the fan main body 5 from the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 (S11), and calculates a first remaining operable time (S12). Based on the first remaining operable time, the centralized management device 6 determines whether the fan main body 5 can operate at the current air volume until the scheduled time (the end of work) (S33). If the fan main body 5 can operate at the current air volume until the scheduled time (YES in S33), the centralized management device 6 does not issue a notification or adjust the air volume (S34). If the fan main body 5 cannot operate at the current air volume until the scheduled time (NO in S33), the centralized management device 6 calculates the air volume at which the fan main body 5 can operate until the scheduled time based on the remaining capacity of the battery pack 10 (S35). If the calculated air volume is equal to or greater than the required air volume shown in the table of FIG. 43 at the current temperature (YES in S36), the central management device 6 adjusts the air volume to the calculated volume (S37). Specifically, the central management device 6 transmits a signal to the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 to instruct it to adjust the air volume, and the control unit 50b, upon receiving the signal, adjusts the air volume. If the calculated air volume is less than the required air volume shown in the table of FIG. 43 at the current temperature (NO in S36), the central management device 6 notifies the construction manager 3 by displaying a screen or the like (S38). The notification may be transmitted to the battery pack 10 or the air volume adjustment device 8. The central management device 6 may be able to arbitrarily switch between the management methods (drive modes) of FIGS. 40 and 45. Alternatively, the air volume adjustment device 8 may be able to arbitrarily set the management methods (drive modes) of FIGS. 40 and 45.

[0066] FIG. 46 is a flowchart showing an outline of the procedure for connecting the central management device 6 and the air volume control device 8 using a network service. The construction manager 3 operates the central management device 6 to request a connection (S41). For example, the operation to be performed here involves entering the ID of the air volume control device 8 to be requested in the ID input field of the central management device 6 shown in FIG. 35 and then tapping the request button shown in FIG. 35. The central management device 6 that has received the connection request transmits a connection request to the air volume control device 8 to a network service such as a cloud (S42). When the network service receives the connection request (S43), it notifies the air volume control device 8 that a connection request has been received from the central management device 6 (S44). When the air volume control device 8 receives the notification from the network service (S45), it notifies the worker 4 of this fact, for example, by displaying a screen as shown in FIG. 38 or by using an alert or the like. The worker 4 performs an approval operation such as tapping a button (the Yes (Allow) button in FIG. 38) displayed on the screen of the air volume control device 8 by the communication application (S46). The air volume control device 8 that has received the approval operation performs a process to accept the connection request (S47). As a result, the central management device 6 and the air volume control device 8 are connected using a network service, and communication becomes possible (S48). At this time, the central management device 6 and the air volume control device 8 may notify the completion of connection by displaying a screen or the like.

[0067] FIG. 47 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a second example of a system for centrally managing the remaining drive times of multiple air blowers using a centralized management device 6. The following describes differences from the first example shown in FIG. 41. This system includes airflow control devices 8A-8D, each corresponding to a battery pack 10A-10D, and a network service 60, such as a cloud service. The centralized management device 6 calculates and displays the first and second remaining drive times of a battery pack 10D that is not within the short-range wireless communication range of the centralized management device 6, based on operational status data (remaining battery capacity and airflow of the battery pack 10D) received from the airflow control device 8D via the network service 60. This system ensures that the first and second remaining drive times of a battery pack 10D that is not within the short-range wireless communication range of the centralized management device 6 are highly accurate, based on the most recent data. By using a network service, the centralized management device 6 can manage the battery pack 10 and the fan body 5 even when the centralized management device 6 is in a remote location.

[0068] FIG. 48 is a conceptual diagram showing a second example of a system in which the centralized management device 6 centrally manages the airflow of multiple air blowers. The following description focuses on the differences from the first example shown in FIG. 44. This system includes airflow adjustment devices 8A-8D corresponding to battery packs 10A-10D, respectively, and a network service 60, such as a cloud service. The centralized management device 6 calculates and displays the airflow check result for battery pack 10D that is not within the short-range wireless communication range of the centralized management device 6 based on the operating status data (temperature at the location of battery pack 10D and airflow rate of battery pack 10) received from airflow adjustment device 8D via the network service 60. This system also makes it possible to check the airflow rate of battery pack 10D that is not within the short-range wireless communication range of the centralized management device 6. The remaining operating time management function shown in FIG. 47 and the airflow check function shown in FIG. 48 can be included in the functions of the same management application.

[0069] FIG. 49 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication between the battery pack 10 of the air blower and the centralized management device 6. The construction manager 3 performs an operation to request an inspection (S51). For example, the operation performed here is to press an inspection start button displayed by the management application. The inspection start button may be, for example, two types: a button for checking the remaining drive time and a button for checking the air volume. Upon receiving the inspection request, the centralized management device 6 requests the necessary data from the battery pack 10 (S52). For example, the necessary data is the remaining capacity and current air volume of the battery pack 10 if checking the remaining drive time, or the current air volume and temperature if checking the air volume. Upon receiving the request, the battery pack 10 transmits the necessary data to the centralized management device 6 (S53). The centralized management device 6 performs calculations based on the received data (S54), and if a warning is necessary (YES in S55), issues a warning (S56). The warning includes an alert or screen display for the construction manager 3 and the transmission of a signal instructing the battery pack 10 to issue a warning. The control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 performs a warning action such as issuing an alert or turning on the LED 53 in accordance with the signal received from the central management device 6 (S57). The warning action may be switching the fan main body 5 on and off or changing the airflow rate in a predetermined pattern. The fan main body 5 may have a notification means such as an LED for issuing a warning. If a notification is necessary (YES in S58), the central management device 6 issues a notification (S59). The notification is, for example, a screen display for the construction manager 3. A notification may also be sent to the battery pack 10. If a warning or notification is not necessary (NO in S55, NO in S58), the central management device 6 does not issue a warning or notification (S60).

[0070] FIG. 50 is a flowchart showing a procedure for changing the output (air volume) of the air blower using the air volume adjustment device 8. The worker 4 performs an air volume change request operation (S65). For example, the operation performed here is to tap the air volume change button of the air volume adjustment device 8 in FIG. 37. The air volume adjustment device 8, upon receiving the air volume change request operation, transmits an air volume change request to the battery pack 10 (S66). The battery pack 10, upon receiving the air volume change request, adjusts the power supplied to the fan main body 5 to change the air volume of the fan main body 5 (S67). In other words, the fan main body 5 can change the air volume while it is running. The control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 may have a manual change mode in which the air volume is manually changed regardless of the temperature by operating the switch 46 or the air volume adjustment device 8, and an automatic change mode in which the air volume is automatically changed to meet the required air volume shown in the table of FIG. 43 according to the temperature. The airflow control device 8 may be configured to arbitrarily switch between the manual change mode and the automatic change mode by operating the airflow control device 8 or the battery pack 10 (switch 46). Here, the airflow is changed in the manual change mode as shown in FIGS. 24 and 28. That is, the voltage control signals V1 to V3 are controlled in response to the operation (setting) of the airflow change button of the airflow control device 8, and the output voltage Vout is changed by switching the switching elements Q3 to Q5 on and off. The switching elements Q1 and Q2 are then controlled so that the voltage Vm becomes a constant voltage equivalent to the output voltage Vout, which is the target value (set value). Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 25, the switching element Q7 may be PWM-controlled. In this case, the duty ratio of the PWM signal is changed in response to the operation (setting) of the airflow change button of the airflow control device 8. The switching elements Q1 and Q2 are then PWM-controlled so that the voltage Vm becomes a constant voltage equivalent to the output voltage Vout, which is the target value (set value). Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 26, the switching elements Q1 and Q2 may be switched under control (for example, PWM control) in response to the operation (setting) of the air volume change button of the air volume adjustment device 8.

[0071] FIG. 51 is a flowchart showing an outline of the procedure for canceling the connection (pairing) between the battery pack 10 and the central management device 6. The construction manager 3 performs an operation to request disconnection on the central management device 6 (S81). The operation to request disconnection may be, for example, an operation to return to the home screen (an operation to close or deactivate the management application). Alternatively, the operation may be an operation to tap the disconnect button on the screen of the central management device 6. The central management device 6 that has received the operation to request disconnection transmits a disconnection request to the battery pack 10 (S82). The battery pack 10 that has received the disconnection request permits disconnection (S83), and the connection (pairing) cancellation process is performed in both the central management device 6 and the battery pack 10 (S84).

[0072] FIG. 52 is a flowchart showing an outline of the procedure for connecting (pairing) the battery pack 10 and the air volume adjustment device 8. The worker 4 performs a connection request operation on each of the air volume adjustment device 8 and the battery pack 10 (S91). An example of the operation performed on the air volume adjustment device 8 here is tapping the connection button in FIG. 36. An example of the operation performed on the battery pack 10 is pressing and holding the switch 46. The air volume adjustment device 8 that has received the connection request operation searches for a connection destination within the range of short-range wireless communication (S92). Similarly, the battery pack 10 that has received the connection request operation searches for a connection destination within the range of short-range wireless communication (S93). At this time, the air volume adjustment device 8 may notify the worker 4 that a search for a connection destination has started by displaying a message on the screen, etc. The battery pack 10 may notify the worker 4 that a search for a connection destination has started by flashing the LED 53, etc. When the air volume adjustment device 8 and the battery pack 10 discover each other as connection destinations (S94), a connection sequence starts (S95), and connection (pairing) is completed (S96). At this time, the air volume adjustment device 8 may notify the worker 4 that the connection process is complete by displaying a screen or the like. The battery pack 10 may notify the worker 4 that the connection process is complete by lighting up the LED 53 or the like.

[0073] Fig. 53 is a flowchart showing an outline of the procedure for canceling the connection (pairing) between the battery pack 10 and the air volume adjustment device 8. The worker 4 performs an operation to request disconnection on the air volume adjustment device 8 (S86). The operation to request disconnection is, for example, an operation to tap the disconnect button in Fig. 37. The air volume adjustment device 8 that has received the operation to request disconnection transmits a disconnection request to the battery pack 10 (S87). The battery pack 10 that has received the disconnection request permits disconnection (S88), and processing to cancel the connection (pairing) is performed in both the air volume adjustment device 8 and the battery pack 10 (S89).

[0074] According to this embodiment, the following effects can be achieved.

[0075] (1) The operation of the output unit (fan airflow) can be changed via wireless communication with an external device, providing high convenience. Furthermore, the output unit can be configured to change to a second operation via wireless communication with an external device while in a first operation and continue operation, providing high convenience.

[0076] (2) A single control unit is configured to perform not only wireless communication but also battery pack control (charge control and discharge control) and battery pack (battery cell) protection, thereby reducing the number of components in the electrical equipment and simplifying the circuit configuration.

[0077] (3) A single control unit is configured to perform not only wireless communication but also battery pack control (charge control and discharge control) and battery pack (battery cell) protection, enabling advanced control, such as estimating remaining available drive time, based on this information (discharge current, charge current, battery cell voltage, temperature, etc.). In a configuration in which each control is distributed among multiple control units, there is a risk of control becoming unstable due to poor contact in the connecting wires between the control units or a failure in one of the control units. On the other hand, a single control unit eliminates the risk of poor contact between the control units, and if one control unit fails, control itself becomes impossible, preventing unwanted control from being executed. Furthermore, the single control unit simplifies the configuration compared to a configuration with multiple control units.

[0078] (4) The drive circuit can be simplified, and the operation of the output section (output voltage, fan air volume) can be easily changed.

[0079] (5) The operation of the output section (output voltage, fan airflow) can be easily changed simply by PWM controlling the switching elements of the drive circuit.

[0080] (6) Because the output voltage of the drive circuit can be changed within the battery pack, the structure of the device itself can be simplified and made smaller. In addition, if the electrical device is clothing with a temperature control device, such as clothing with a fan or a heated jacket, the device itself (the fan or heater) can be made smaller, allowing the clothing to be folded and stored compactly.

[0081] (7) Since the output voltage of the drive circuit can be changed within the battery pack, the number of connection wires or terminals connecting the battery pack to the device body can be reduced, and the connection section can be simplified.

[0082] (8) The battery pack is equipped with a single control unit that performs wireless communication, battery pack control, and battery pack protection, and a drive circuit that reduces the battery pack voltage to generate the drive voltage for the device main body, which simplifies the configuration of the device main body and allows for miniaturization. Furthermore, if the electrical device is clothing with a temperature control device, such as clothing with a blower or a heat jacket with a heater, the blower (device main body) can be made smaller, allowing the clothing to be folded and stored compactly.

[0083] (9) While the output unit is operating in the first state, the operating conditions of the output unit can be changed to the second state to continue the operation of the output unit, thereby improving convenience.

[0084] (10) The battery pack is equipped with a wireless communication function, so that by attaching the battery pack, the operation of the output section of the device body, which does not have a wireless communication function, can be changed. The output section corresponds to the fan (fan drive motor) of the cooling device or the heater of the heat jacket.

[0085] (11) The battery pack 10 can notify (transmit) the remaining operating time of the fan body 5 or the data necessary to determine the remaining operating time to the centralized management device 6, so that the remaining operating time of the battery pack 10 can be managed by the centralized management device 6, which is very convenient.

[0086] (12) The centralized management device 6 can centrally manage the remaining drive time of each of the plurality of battery packs 10, which is highly convenient.

[0087] (13) The remaining operable time can be calculated as the first and second remaining operable times, i.e., the remaining operable time of the fan body 5 at the current airflow rate and the remaining operable time of the fan body 5 at the maximum airflow rate, and can be notified, which is convenient for management.

[0088] (14) The battery pack 10 can notify the user when the remaining operating time of the fan body 5 falls below a predetermined time (when the remaining operating time becomes abnormal), which can prompt the user to replace the battery pack 10 early, making it very convenient.

[0089] (15) The battery pack 10 can notify (transmit) the airflow rate of the fan main body 5 to the centralized management device 6, so that the centralized management device 6 can manage whether the airflow rate of the battery pack 10 is equal to or greater than the airflow rate required for the temperature, which is highly convenient.

[0090] (16) The control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 can operate in an automatic change mode, which automatically changes the airflow rate to meet the required airflow rate shown in the table of FIG. 43 depending on the temperature, which is highly convenient.

[0091] (17) As shown in FIG. 45, the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 can adjust the airflow rate of the fan main body 5 according to a set time (the time when the drive of the fan main body 5 ends), which is very convenient.

[0092] (18) The battery pack 10 issues a warning when the airflow is abnormal, i.e., when the airflow is insufficient for the temperature. This makes it possible to prevent illness caused by insufficient airflow, which is highly convenient.

[0093] (19) The centralized control device 6 can centrally control the airflow rates of multiple fan bodies 5, which is highly convenient.

[0094] (20) Because the wireless antenna module 50 is disposed between the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-rear direction, the wireless antenna 50a can be spaced away from the metal outer surfaces of the battery cells 11a and 11b, compared to when the wireless antenna module 50 is disposed near directly above the central axes of the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-rear direction. This reduces the influence of the metal on the outer surfaces of the battery cells 11a and 11b on the wireless antenna 50a.

[0095] (21) Because the wireless antenna module 50 is provided at the right end of the substrate 20, i.e., near the end of the battery cells 11a to 11c in the left-right direction, the area of ​​the portion of the outer surface of the battery cells 11a to 11c that faces the wireless antenna 50a can be reduced compared to when the wireless antenna module 50 is provided at a position other than near the end of the battery cells 11a to 11c in the left-right direction of the substrate 20, and the influence of the metal on the outer surface of the battery cells 11a to 11c on the wireless antenna 50a can be reduced.

[0096] (22) Since the wireless antenna module 50 is provided on the upper surface of the substrate 20, i.e., the surface of the substrate 20 opposite the battery cells 11a to 11c, the wireless antenna 50a can be spaced away from the outer surfaces of the battery cells 11a to 11c compared to when the wireless antenna module 50 is provided on the lower surface of the substrate 20, and the influence of the metal on the outer surfaces of the battery cells 11a to 11c on the wireless antenna 50a can be reduced.

[0097] (23) The board connection portion 23a of the tab 23, which electrically connects the negative electrode of the battery cell 11a and the positive electrode of the battery cell 11b to each other and to the board 20, is electrically connected to the left end of the board 20 between the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-rear direction, and the wireless antenna module 50 is provided on the right end of the board 20 between the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, compared to when the board connection portion 23a of the tab 23 and the wireless antenna module 50 are provided at the end on the same left or right side of the board 20, the wireless antenna 50a can be spaced apart from the metal board connection portion 23a of the tab 23, and the influence of the metal board connection portion 23a of the tab 23 on the wireless antenna 50a can be reduced.

[0098] (24) Since a predetermined range adjacent to the wireless antenna 50a on the substrate 20 is defined as the pattern non-forming portion 20a, the wireless antenna 50a can be separated from the conductive pattern of the substrate 20 compared to when a conductive pattern is present in the pattern non-forming portion 20a, and the influence of the conductive pattern (metal) of the substrate 20 on the wireless antenna 50a can be reduced.

[0099] (25) As described above, the configurations that can reduce the influence of metal on the wireless antenna 50a do not require the upper case 12 and the lower case 13 to be enlarged, and therefore, a good balance can be achieved between reducing the influence of the metal parts on the wireless communication function and reducing the enlargement of the case.

[0100] (26) Because the wireless antenna module 50 is arranged to avoid being near the ends of the upper case 12 in the front-to-rear direction, an increase in the height of the upper case 12 can be suppressed compared to when the wireless antenna module 50 is arranged near the ends of the upper case 12 in the front-to-rear direction. In other words, if the wireless antenna module 50 is located directly below the lowest end of the upper case 12 in the front-to-rear direction, a height must be ensured that the lowest end does not interfere with the wireless antenna module 50, which increases the overall height of the upper case 12. However, by arranging the wireless antenna module 50 to avoid being near the ends of the upper case 12 in the front-to-rear direction, such a problem can be preferably avoided.

[0101] (27) The charging jack 52 and the discharging jack 55 are provided on the underside of the circuit board 20 (the surface on the side of the battery cells 11a to 11c) and extend or are positioned within the range of the battery cells 11a to 11c in the vertical direction, thereby preventing the case of the battery pack 10 from increasing in height.

[0102] (28) The control unit 50b of the wireless antenna module 50 also controls the charging and discharging of the battery pack 10. This reduces the number of parts and costs compared to when a separate control unit is provided for controlling charging and discharging.

[0103] (29) The upper case 12 is curved in the longitudinal direction, making it easy to put in a pocket and highly convenient.

[0104] While the present invention has been described above using the embodiments as examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to the components and processes of the embodiments within the scope of the claims. Modifications will be discussed below.

[0105] FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which the orientation of the battery cells 11a to 11c is rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise from the state in FIG. 14. The following mainly describes differences from the embodiment shown in FIG. 14, etc. In FIG. 22, the front-to-rear direction is an example of the first direction, the left-to-right direction is an example of the second direction, and the up-to-down direction is an example of the third direction. The battery cells 11a to 11c extend longitudinally in the front-to-rear direction and are aligned in the left-to-right direction. The wireless antenna module 50 is provided at the right end of the substrate 20, as in the case of FIG. 14. The length of the area in which the battery cells 11a to 11c are present is approximately equal to the length of the substrate 20 in the left-to-right direction. The right end of the substrate 20 is located near the end of the area in the left-to-right direction in which the battery cells 11a to 11c are present. According to this embodiment, compared to when the wireless antenna module 50 is installed outside the vicinity of the end of the range in the left-right direction of the battery cells 11a to 11c, the area of ​​the portion of the outer surface of the battery cells 11a to 11c that faces the wireless antenna 50a can be reduced, and the influence of the outer surface of the battery cells 11a to 11c on the wireless antenna 50a can be suppressed.

[0106] 54 is a circuit diagram showing a fourth specific configuration example of the discharge circuit section 54. This configuration uses an inverter circuit as the discharge circuit 54, and is effective when the motor of the fan main body 5 is a brushless motor. By performing PWM control that controls the duty ratio of signals H1 to H6 applied to the gates of switching elements Q1 to Q6 of the inverter circuit in response to the operation (setting) of the airflow change button of the airflow adjustment device 8, the output voltage Vout is controlled and the rotation speed of the fan motor 5a is changed.

[0107] In the first example, an inverter circuit (discharge circuit) 54, a control unit 50b, and a power supply circuit 42 are provided on the battery pack 10 side, and the rotation speed of the fan (fan motor) is changed by the control unit 50b. A brushless motor 5a serving as the fan motor (a motor integrated with the fan) and a position detection element (Hall element) 5b that detects the position information of the brushless motor 5a are provided on the fan main body 5 side. Lead wires for each phase of the brushless motor 5a and a signal line for the position detection element 5b are provided on the discharge jack 55. The control unit 50b calculates the rotation speed of the brushless motor 5a based on the information from the position detection element 5b. Then, PWM control is performed by controlling the duty ratio of the switching elements Q1 to Q6 of the inverter circuit 54 so that the target rotation speed set by the airflow adjustment device 8 is achieved. When the set airflow is large, the duty ratio is larger than when the airflow is small.

[0108] In the second example, a control unit 50b and a power supply circuit 42 are provided on the battery pack 10 side, and the rotation speed of the fan (fan motor) is changed by the control unit 50b. A brushless motor 5a, a position detection element 5b, and an inverter circuit (discharge circuit) 54 are provided on the fan main body 5 side. A discharge jack 55 is provided with control signal lines H1-H6 for switching elements Q1-Q6 and a signal line for position detection element 5b. The control unit 50b calculates the rotation speed of the brushless motor 5a based on information from the position detection element 5b. Then, PWM control is performed by controlling the duty ratio of the switching elements Q1-Q6 of the inverter circuit 54 so that the target rotation speed set by the airflow adjustment device 8 is achieved.

[0109] In the third example, a control unit 50b and a power supply circuit 42 are provided on the battery pack 10 side. A brushless motor 5a, a position detection element 5b, an inverter circuit (discharge circuit) 54, and a fan-side control unit 5c are provided on the fan main body 5 side. The fan-side control unit 5c changes the rotation speed of the fan (fan motor). A power supply line, a power supply line (output of the power supply circuit 42) for the fan-side control unit 5c, and a signal line (discharge voltage switching signal or rotation speed switching signal) between the battery pack-side control unit 50b and the fan-side control unit 5c are provided on the discharge jack 55. The fan-side control unit 5c calculates the rotation speed of the brushless motor 5a based on information from the position detection element 5b. The battery pack-side control unit 50b outputs a discharge voltage switching signal (rotation speed switching signal) to the fan-side control unit 5c via the discharge jack 55. The fan-side control unit 5c calculates the rotation speed of the motor based on the signal from the position detection element and performs PWM control by controlling the duty ratio of the switching elements Q1 to Q6 of the inverter circuit 54 so that the input rotation speed switching signal (airflow) is achieved.

[0110] In the fourth example, a control unit 50b is provided on the battery pack 10 side. A brushless motor 5a, a position detection element 5b, an inverter circuit (discharge circuit) 54, a fan-side control unit 5c, and a fan-side power supply circuit 5d are provided on the fan main body 5 side. The fan-side control unit 5c receives drive power from the fan-side power supply circuit 5d. A power supply line and a signal line (discharge voltage switching signal or rotation speed switching signal) between the battery pack-side control unit 50b and the fan-side control unit 5c are provided in the discharge jack 55. The other configurations are the same as those in the third example. In the third and fourth examples, the fan-side control unit 5c may receive control signals (duty signals) for the switching elements Q1 to Q6 from the battery pack-side control unit 50b and perform PWM control of the switching elements Q1 to Q6 based on the control signals. In this case, the control signals may be multiple fixed duty signals (for example, duty ratios of 30%, 50%, 80%, and 100%). In addition, in Examples 1 to 4, if there is no need to control the rotation speed of brushless motor 5a with high precision, there is no need to feed back the rotation speed, and the configuration can be simplified. In Examples 1 to 4, taking into account the wiring of signal lines and the arrangement of terminals, Example 3 or 4 is effective because it can simplify the configuration.

[0111] While the electrical device described above is an air blower, it is not limited to air blowers or clothing equipped with such an air blower. Any electrical device capable of changing the operation of its output unit via wireless communication with an external device may be used. For example, the present invention can be applied to a heat jacket with a built-in heater as an output unit. In other words, the present invention can be applied to a temperature control device including an air blower or heater that can adjust the temperature of clothing (surrounding the worker), and clothing equipped with such a temperature control device. Because the configuration of the clothing can be simplified and the device can be folded compactly for storage, the present invention is effective for clothing equipped with a temperature control device. The present invention may also be applied to peripheral devices, such as a radio or television that can change the volume (volume control unit) or channel (channel switching unit) of an output unit via wireless communication, or a light (light control unit) that can change the brightness of an output unit via wireless communication. Furthermore, the present invention may be applied to power tools such as impact drivers and circular saws that can change the rotation speed of a motor as an output unit via wireless communication. The above-described effects can also be achieved with these variations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0112] 3 Construction manager (site supervisor), 4 Worker, 5 Fan body, 6 Centralized management device (first communication device), 7 Cable, 8 Airflow control device (second communication device), 9 Clothing, 10 Battery pack, 11 Battery cell, 11a to 11c Battery cell, 12 Upper case, 13 Lower case, 13a Rib, 13b Rib, 15 Button, 16 Display unit, 18 Cover, 20 Board, 20a Non-patterned area, 21 Tab, 21a Board connection part, 22 Tab, 22a Board connection part, 23 Tab, 23a Board connection part, 24 Tab, 24a Board connection part, 46 Switch, 50 Wireless antenna module, 50a Wireless antenna, 50b Control unit, 52 Charging jack, 54 Discharge circuit, 54a DC converter IC, 54b Internal analog circuit, 55 Discharge jack, 58 AC adapter, 59 AC power supply, 60 network service, 70 control unit, 71 memory, 72 touch panel (operation unit), 73 display unit, 74 wireless communication transmission / reception unit, 75 antenna.

Claims

1. a fan or heater carried by the worker; a battery pack carried by the worker, separate from the fan or the heater, connected to the fan or the heater by a cable, and supplying power to the fan or the heater; A garment comprising: The battery pack a case that houses a battery cell and a wireless communication unit that can wirelessly communicate with a smartphone carried by the worker; a DC / DC converter unit housed in the case and transforming the voltage of the battery cell; an operation unit provided in the case and operated by the operator; an output unit that outputs a voltage transformed by the DC / DC converter unit; and a display unit that displays information about the charging state of the battery cell, the voltage output by the output unit, and the state of wireless communication with the smartphone; and the operation unit includes a first operation unit that switches the magnitude of the output voltage of the output unit, and a second operation unit that switches between enabling and disabling the wireless communication unit, When the first operation unit is operated and when the smartphone is operated, the magnitude of the voltage transformed by the DC / DC converter unit, the display on the display unit regarding the voltage output by the output unit, and the magnitude of the output voltage of the output unit are changed, and the driving state of the fan or the heater can be changed, When the first operation unit is operated, the magnitude of the voltage transformed by the DC / DC converter unit, the magnitude of the voltage output by the output unit, and the display on the display unit related to the voltage output by the output unit are changed, and the display on the smartphone that is wirelessly communicating with the wireless communication unit related to the voltage output by the output unit is changed; and when the smartphone is subsequently operated, the display on the smartphone is changed, and the magnitude of the voltage transformed by the DC / DC converter unit of the battery pack that is wirelessly communicating with the smartphone, the magnitude of the voltage output by the output unit, and the display on the display unit related to the voltage output by the output unit are changed. A garment characterized by:

2. 10. A system comprising: the clothing according to claim 1; and the smartphone having installed thereon an application for wireless communication with the wireless communication unit, The application a connection button for wirelessly connecting to the wireless communication unit; a change button for changing the driving state of the fan or the heater; a status display unit that displays information about the driving status of the fan or the heater; a remaining capacity display unit that displays information about the remaining capacity of the battery pack; having A system characterized by:

3. 3. The system of claim 2, When the change button is operated, the magnitude of the output voltage of the output unit is changed, and the air volume of the fan or the temperature of the heater is changed. A system characterized by:

4. The garment of claim 1, When both the operation unit and the smartphone are operated, the fan or the heater prioritizes the operation of the operation unit. A garment characterized by:

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