Battery packs, main units of devices, clothing, electrical equipment, and systems

Abstract

To provide a battery pack and an electrical apparatus that can achieve a good balance between suppressing the influence of metal portions on a wireless communication function and suppressing the increase in size.SOLUTION: A battery pack 10 has an upper case 12 and a lower case 13, battery cells 11a-11c whose longitudinal direction extends in a first direction and that are aligned in a second direction intersecting the first direction inside the upper case 12 and the lower case 13, and a wireless antenna module 50 provided between the battery cells 11a and 11b in the second direction. The wireless antenna module 50 is provided near the end portions of the battery cells 11a-11c in the first direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery pack having a wireless communication function and an electric device including the same.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses a blower device as an electric device having a fan body that blows air inside clothes worn by an operator and a power supply unit that supplies power to the fan body. Such a blower device is effective for countermeasures against heat for operators at construction sites and the like. Further, Patent Document 2 below discloses a power tool whose setting parameters for driving the power tool can be changed. Further, Patent Document 3 below discloses a battery pack provided with a display unit that displays the remaining capacity of a battery cell.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In Patent Document 1, since the output, operation (in the case of a fan, the air volume and rotation speed), and drive mode of an output unit (for example, a fan) are changed by an operation unit wired-connected by a cord, there is room for improvement from the viewpoint of convenience (the first problem). In Patent Document 2, since the setting parameters of the electric device cannot be changed while the electric device is operating, there is room for improvement from the viewpoint of convenience (the second problem). Furthermore, Patent Document 3 only displays the remaining capacity of the battery cell, and therefore cannot manage the usage status of electrical equipment, such as the remaining operating time of the output unit (e.g., a fan), leaving room for improvement in terms of convenience (third problem). Furthermore, if the operation of the output section of an electrical device (in the case of a blower, the airflow and rotation speed of the fan) can be changed not by a control unit wired to the output section (fan body), but by wireless communication using a communication device such as a smartphone, then it is conceivable to provide wireless communication functionality to the electrical device (device body) or battery pack. Patent Document 2 provides a communication unit in the housing of an electrical device (power tool). On the other hand, it is also conceivable to provide wireless communication functionality to the battery pack. In this case, the following fourth problem arises. That is, considering the impact on communication, it is desirable to position the wireless antenna for realizing the wireless communication function far away from the metal part of the battery pack. On the other hand, if the size of the battery pack is to be reduced, it becomes difficult to move the wireless antenna far away from the metal part.

[0005] This invention was made in recognition of these circumstances, and its purpose is as described above. From the first The fourth challenge either Solving It is possible Battery pack , equipment body, clothing, Electrical equipment , and system The objective is to provide. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is The case and Multiple battery cells housed in the aforementioned case, A wireless antenna that communicates wirelessly with external devices, An output unit that outputs power to the outside, An operating unit operated by an operator to change the output of the aforementioned output unit, A display unit that displays the voltage output by the output unit, According to the operation of the control unit, the output of the output unit and the display unit A control unit that controls, A DC / DC converter unit that changes the output of the output unit according to the control of the control unit, A circuit board electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells, and equipped with the wireless antenna, the operating unit, the control unit, and the DC / DC converter unit, Equipped with, The control unit is configured to receive a first signal from the operation unit and a second signal from the external device via wireless communication between the external device and the wireless antenna, and to output a third signal to the DC / DC converter unit that changes the output of the output unit when either the first signal or the second signal is input. , When the control unit is operated, the magnitude of the voltage output by the output unit and the display on the display unit relating to the voltage output by the output unit are changed, and the display on the external device communicating wirelessly with the wireless antenna relating to the voltage output by the output unit is changed. Subsequently, when the external device is operated, the display on the external device is changed, and the magnitude of the voltage output by the output unit of the battery pack communicating wirelessly with the external device and the display on the display unit relating to the voltage output by the output unit are changed. This battery pack has the following characteristics.

[0007] Another aspect of the present invention is, It has a fan or heater that is driven by power supplied from the aforementioned battery pack, The fan or heater is connected to the output unit via a cable. The fan speed or the heater temperature can be changed according to the output from the output unit. The device body is characterized by the following features.

[0008] Another aspect of the present invention is, The aforementioned battery pack and the main unit of the device, which is powered by the electricity from the aforementioned battery pack, can be attached. This garment is characterized by the following features.

[0009] Another aspect of the present invention is, The system comprises the aforementioned battery pack and a fan or heater powered by the electricity from the battery pack. It is an electrical device characterized by the following features. Another aspect of the present invention is, The aforementioned battery pack, The aforementioned external devices include a smartphone with an output adjustment application installed, A system equipped with, The application has two buttons for changing the output of the output unit. A system characterized by the following. Another aspect of the present invention is, The aforementioned battery pack, The aforementioned external devices include a smartphone with an output adjustment application installed, A system equipped with, The aforementioned application is A connection button for wirelessly connecting to the aforementioned battery pack, An output display unit that displays information regarding the voltage output by the output unit, A remaining charge display unit that displays information regarding the remaining charge of the aforementioned battery pack, Having, This system is characterized by the following features.

[0021] In addition, any combination of the above components, and those obtained by converting the expression of the present invention between methods, systems, etc., are also effective as aspects of the present invention.

Effects of the Invention

[0022] According to the present invention, It can solve any of the above-mentioned problems 1 through 4. a battery pack , equipment body, clothing, an electric device , and system can be provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] A conceptual diagram of a blower device as an electric device powered by a battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, provided on clothing 9 worn by an operator 4. [Figure 2] A conceptual diagram showing a state where an operator 4 changes the output (air volume) of the blower device by an air volume adjustment device 8. [Figure 3] A conceptual diagram showing a state where a construction manager 3 manages the blower devices of a plurality of operators 4 by a batch management device 6. [Figure 4] A front perspective view of the battery pack 10. [Figure 5] A rear perspective view of the battery pack 10. [Figure 6] A front view of the battery pack 10. [Figure 7] A rear view of the battery pack 10. [Figure 8]Right side view of battery pack 10. [Figure 9] Plan view of battery pack 10. [Figure 10] A plan view of the battery pack 10 with the upper case 12 open. [Figure 11] Cross-sectional view AA in Figure 9. [Figure 12] Bottom view of battery pack 10. [Figure 13] Exploded perspective view of battery pack 10. [Figure 14] A forward perspective view of the inside of the battery pack 10 case. [Figure 15] Rear perspective view of the inside of the battery pack 10 case. [Figure 16] Front view of the inside of the battery pack 10 case. [Figure 17] Rear view of the inside of the battery pack 10 case. [Figure 18] Right side view of the inside of the battery pack 10 case. [Figure 19] Left side view of the inside of the battery pack 10 case. [Figure 20] A plan view of the inside of the battery pack 10 case. [Figure 21] A bottom view of the inside of the battery pack 10 case. [Figure 22] This is a perspective view relating to a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention, showing the state in which the orientation of the battery cells 11a to 11c has been rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise from the state in Figure 14. [Figure 23] Circuit block diagram of the aforementioned blower. [Figure 24] A circuit diagram showing a specific configuration example 1 of the discharge circuit 54 of the battery pack 10 in Figure 23. [Figure 25] A circuit diagram showing a specific configuration example 2 of the discharge circuit 54. [Figure 26] A circuit diagram showing a specific configuration example 3 of the discharge circuit 54. [Figure 27] Control flowchart for battery pack 10. [Figure 28] Figure 24 shows a time chart illustrating an example of the operation of Configuration Example 1. [Figure 29]A simplified block diagram of the centralized control device 6 and the airflow control device 8. [Figure 30] This diagram shows the home screen of the management application for the centralized management device 6. [Figure 31] A diagram showing the batch check screen for the management application. [Figure 32] A diagram showing the airflow check screen of the management application. [Figure 33] This diagram shows the uptime check screen for the management application. [Figure 34] A diagram showing the pairing screen of the management application. [Figure 35] This diagram shows the connection settings screen for the management application with the airflow control device 8. [Figure 36] This diagram shows the screen before connecting the airflow control application to the airflow control device 8. [Figure 37] This diagram shows the screen after connecting the airflow adjustment application. [Figure 38] This diagram shows the screen of the airflow control device 8 when it receives a connection request from the centralized management device 6. [Figure 39] A flowchart outlining the procedure for connecting (pairing) the battery pack 10 of the blower and the centralized management device 6. [Figure 40] A flowchart showing a first example of a method for managing the remaining operating time of the blower using the centralized management device 6. [Figure 41] A conceptual diagram showing a first example of a time management system that centrally manages the remaining operating time of multiple blowers using a centralized management device 6. [Figure 42] A flowchart showing how to manage the airflow of the blower using the centralized control device 6. [Figure 43] A table summarizing the relationship between temperature, required airflow, and the types of conditions that trigger warnings. [Figure 44] A conceptual diagram showing a first example of an airflow control system that centrally manages the airflow of multiple blowers using a centralized control device 6. [Figure 45]A flowchart showing a second example of a method for managing the remaining operating time of the blower using the centralized management device 6. [Figure 46] A flowchart outlining the procedure for connecting the centralized management device 6 and the airflow control device 8 using a network service. [Figure 47] A conceptual diagram showing a second example of a time management system that centrally manages the remaining operating time of multiple blowers using a centralized management device 6. [Figure 48] A conceptual diagram showing a second example of an airflow control system that centrally manages the airflow of multiple blowers using a centralized control device 6. [Figure 49] A flowchart showing the communication flow between the battery pack 10 of the blower and the centralized management device 6. [Figure 50] A flowchart showing the procedure for changing the output (airflow) of the blower using the airflow adjustment device 8. [Figure 51] A flowchart outlining the procedure for disconnecting (unpairing) the battery pack 10 of the blower and the centralized management device 6. [Figure 52] A flowchart outlining the procedure for connecting (pairing) the battery pack 10 of the blower and the airflow adjustment device 8. [Figure 53] A flowchart outlining the procedure for disconnecting (unpairing) the battery pack 10 of the blower and the airflow adjustment device 8. [Figure 54] A circuit diagram showing a specific configuration example 4 of the discharge circuit 54. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] 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 denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions will be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, the embodiments are illustrative and not limiting to the invention, and not all features or combinations thereof described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention.

[0025] This embodiment relates to a blower device (temperature control device) that can be installed on clothing 9, clothing 9 equipped with the blower device, and a battery pack 10 that serves as its power source. This blower device is an example of an electrical device and, as shown in Figure 1, comprises a fan body 5 as the main body of the device and a battery pack 10. The clothing 9 including the fan body 5 may be considered the main body of the device. Alternatively, the blower device including the fan body 5 may be considered the main body of the device, and the combination of the main body of the device and the battery pack may be considered the electrical device. The fan body 5 blows air into the inside of the clothing 9 worn by the worker 4. The battery pack 10 supplies power to the fan body 5. The fan 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 body 5. The battery pack 10 has a short-range wireless communication function such as Bluetooth®. The battery pack 10 may also be capable of transmitting location information using GPS (Global Positioning System) or the like.

[0026] As shown in Figure 2, worker 4 carries a second communication device, such as a smartphone, as a fan speed control device 8. The fan speed control device 8 has an air speed control application installed that has functions such as adjusting the output of the battery pack 10, i.e., the air speed of the fan body 5, changing the drive mode of the fan body 5, and switching the wireless communication function of the battery pack 10 on and off. The fan speed control device 8 has a short-range wireless communication function such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and a network communication function. Worker 4 can change the output of the fan body 5 (operation such as air speed and drive mode) by communicating with the battery pack 10 via short-range wireless communication using the fan speed control device 8. Alternatively, or in addition to using the fan speed control device 8, the output of the fan body 5 may be changed by an operating unit provided on the battery pack 10 or by an operating unit provided separately from the battery pack 10 (for example, on the fan body 5). Since the output can be changed by the control unit 50b provided on the battery pack 10 (described later), if the operating unit is provided on the battery pack 10, the output can be changed and controlled by the battery pack 10 alone. Therefore, even if the main unit of the device connected to the battery pack 10 does not have a wireless communication function, wireless communication with external devices becomes possible, improving versatility. When both the control unit and the airflow adjustment device 8 are operated, it is preferable to prioritize the operation of the control unit. This is because the control unit is located on the clothing 9 worn by the worker, so the possibility of it being operated by a third party is low, but the airflow adjustment device 8 may be placed in a location away from the worker, so the possibility of it being operated by a third party is higher than that of the control unit. When signals are input from both, the control unit 50b performs the output voltage adjustment described later based on the signal from the control unit. Furthermore, when a signal is input from the centralized management device 6 described later, it is preferable to prioritize this signal for control. The airflow adjustment device 8 can also function as a relay for communication between the centralized management device 6 and the battery pack 10 by transmitting data from the battery pack 10 to the centralized management device 6 via the network. The airflow adjustment device 8 may also be capable of transmitting location information using GPS or the like. The screen of the airflow adjustment device 8 is an example of a notification unit.

[0027] In this embodiment, the wireless communication function of the battery pack 10 is used to centrally manage the blowers used by multiple workers 4, as shown in Figure 3, using a single centralized management device 6, such as a smartphone, which serves as the first communication device held by the construction manager (site supervisor) 3. The management includes various tasks, such as managing the remaining operating time of each blower and checking whether the airflow of each blower is equal to or greater than the required airflow for the current temperature. Specific management methods will be described later. To perform this management, a management application is installed on the centralized management device 6. The centralized management device 6 has short-range wireless communication capabilities such as Bluetooth® and network communication capabilities. The centralized management device 6 and the airflow adjustment device 8 can connect (communicate) with each other via the network. The centralized management device 6 may also transmit location information using GPS or the like. The screen of the centralized management device 6 is an example of a notification unit. The centralized management device 6 may also manage the location information of the battery pack 10 and the airflow adjustment device 8.

[0028] The configuration of the battery pack 10 will be explained with reference to Figures 4 to 21. Figure 4 defines the mutually orthogonal front-to-back, up-and-down, and left-to-right directions in the battery pack 10. In the battery pack 10, the left-to-right direction is an example of the first direction, the front-to-back direction is an example of the second direction, and the up-and-down direction is an example of the third direction. The case of the battery pack 10 is a combination of an upper case 12 and a lower case 13, which are, for example, molded insulating resin bodies, and is configured as a roughly square when viewed in the up-and-down direction and a roughly rectangular when viewed in the left-to-right direction. As shown in Figure 8, the upper case 12 is curved such that its roughly central part in the front-to-back direction, which is its longitudinal direction, is at the top (farthest from the battery cells 11a to 11c).

[0029] The upper case 12 is provided with a button 15 and a display unit 16. In Figure 9, the buttons 15 and display unit 16 of the upper case 12 are not shown. The button 15 is an operating part for pressing the switch 46 shown in Figure 14, etc. There are two buttons 15 here; one is for switching the airflow of the fan body 5, and the other is for switching the wireless communication function of the battery pack 10 on or off. A button for switching the drive mode of the fan body 5 (high airflow mode and low airflow mode, manual airflow change mode and automatic airflow change mode, or all of these modes) may also be provided. The display unit 16 is a part that transmits light such as an LED. Multiple display units 16 are provided to display the charging status of the battery pack 10, the airflow of the blower, the status of the wireless communication function, etc. From the rear of the lower case 13, the openings of the charging jack 52 and the discharge jack 55 are visible to the rear. The charging jack 52 is covered by an openable and closable cover 18. The charging jack 52 can be used to connect a cable for connecting to a charger. The discharge jack 55 can be used to connect a cable 7 for connecting to the fan body 5.

[0030] The battery cells 11a to 11c are arranged in the case, i.e., the internal space formed by the upper case 12 and the lower case 13, with their longitudinal direction extending horizontally and their arrangement in the front-to-back direction. The battery cells 11a to 11c are separated by ribs 13a that protrude upward from the inner bottom surface of the lower case 13. The battery cells 11c are separated from the charging jack 52 and the discharge jack 55 by ribs 13b that protrude 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 to 11c. The length of the circuit board 20 in the horizontal direction is approximately equal to the length of the battery cells 11a to 11c. A switch 46 and a wireless antenna module 50 as a wireless control unit are provided on the top surface of the circuit board 20 (the side opposite to the battery cells 11a to 11c). There are two switches 46 here; one is a switch for switching the airflow of the fan unit 5 (hereinafter also referred to as the "output switching switch"), and the other is a switch for enabling or disabling the wireless communication function of the battery pack 10.

[0031] The wireless antenna module 50 is located at the right end of the circuit board 20 and is positioned between the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-back direction. The right end of the circuit board 20 is near the ends of the battery cells 11a to 11c in the left-to-right direction. The area between the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-back direction refers to the area between the central axes of the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-back direction, avoiding the area directly above and near the central axis. The wireless antenna module 50 is also positioned in a location that avoids the area near the end of the upper case 12 in the front-to-back direction. A charging jack 52 and a discharge jack 55 are provided on the lower surface of the circuit board 20 (the side facing the battery cells 11a to 11c) as input / output sections. The charging jack 52 and the discharge jack 55 extend or are located within the range where the battery cells 11a to 11c exist in the vertical direction.

[0032] The battery cells 11a to 11c are connected in series with 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 and the positive electrode of battery cell 11b to each other and electrically connects to the substrate 20. Tab 22 electrically connects the negative electrode of battery cell 11b and the positive electrode of battery cell 11c to each other and electrically connects 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 in front of the central axis of battery cell 11a (opposite battery cell 11b side). The substrate connection portion 23a of tab 23 is electrically connected to the left end of the substrate 20 between battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-rear direction. The board connection portion 22a of tab 22 is electrically connected to the right end of the board 20 between the battery cells 11b and 11c in the front-to-back direction. The board connection portion 24a of tab 24 is electrically connected to the left end of the board 20 between the battery cells 11b and 11c in the front-to-back direction.

[0033] As shown in Figure 20, the wireless antenna module 50 includes a wireless antenna 50a 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 close to the right edge of the substrate 20. In addition to controlling wireless communication, the control unit 50b controls the discharge and charging of battery cells 11a to 11c, and also performs protective control of battery cells 11a to 11c, such as over-discharge protection, over-current protection, and high-temperature protection. On the substrate 20, predetermined areas before and after the wireless antenna 50a are designated as pattern-free areas 20a where no conductor patterns are formed. The wireless antenna module 50 has the wireless communication unit (including the wireless antenna 50a) and the control unit 50b integrated into one unit, but they may be configured separately. Here, "integrated" means that they are composed of a single chip element.

[0034] Referring to Figure 23, an example of the circuit configuration of the battery pack 10 will be explained. The battery pack 10 incorporates battery cells 11 (corresponding to battery cells 11a to 11c shown in Figure 14, etc.), which are secondary battery cells (for example, 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 transmits it to the control unit 50b. The current detection circuit 44 detects the output current (discharge current and charge current) of the battery cell 11 by the voltage across a resistor R provided in the path of the output current (discharge current and charge current) and transmits it to the control unit 50b. The temperature sensor 45 detects the temperature of the battery cells 11 and transmits it to the control unit 50b. Alternatively, another temperature sensor may be provided to detect the temperature inside the battery pack 10, or another temperature sensor may be provided on the clothing 9 or fan unit 5 to detect the worker's body temperature (temperature around the worker), and the temperature inside the battery pack 10 or the worker's body temperature may be transmitted to the control unit 50b.

[0035] The switch 46, acting as an operating unit, receives switch operations from the user and transmits them to the control unit 50b. There may be multiple switches 46. The switches 46 may include switches for instructing the fan unit 5 to start and stop, switches for switching (adjusting) the output of the fan unit 5, switches for enabling and disabling the wireless communication function, switches for switching the operating mode of the fan unit 5, and switches for wireless communication pairing. The LED 53, acting as an indicator unit, is for status display and its illumination is controlled by the control unit 50b. There may be multiple LEDs 53.

[0036] The AC adapter connection detection circuit 47 detects the connection of the AC adapter 58 to the charging jack 52 and sends a start signal to the power supply circuit 42. The charging circuit 51 is, for example, a DC / DC converter and operates according to the control of the control unit 50b to supply charging current to the battery cell 11. That is, it switches (controls) the charging current to supply to the battery cell 11 according to the charging current switching signal from the control unit 50b. Furthermore, the charging circuit 51 starts and stops supplying the charging current according to the on / off signal from the control unit 50b. The charging circuit 51 converts the DC power input via the charging jack 52 into DC power for charging the battery cell 11. The charging jack 52 is the connection port for the external AC adapter 58. The AC adapter 58 is connected to an external AC power source 59 and converts the AC power input from the AC power source 59 into DC power and outputs it to the charging jack 52.

[0037] The discharge circuit 54, acting as a drive circuit, is, for example, a DC / DC converter, which operates according to the control of the control unit 50b and outputs DC power to the discharge jack 55 to supply to the fan body 5. The discharge jack 55 is the connection port for the cable 7 that connects the fan body 5 and the battery pack 10. The fan body 5 includes a fan and a motor (drive unit or output unit) that drives the fan, and operates on the power supplied from the discharge circuit 54. Since the fan and motor rotate together, they may be treated as a drive unit or output unit together. In addition, the fan body 5 may be provided with a control unit that drives and controls the motor. Furthermore, a heater, which is an example of a temperature control device described later, the volume control unit and channel switching unit of peripheral equipment, and the motor of a power tool also fall under the category of an output unit.

[0038] The control unit 50b is, for example, a BLE (Bluetooth® Low Energy) module with a built-in microcontroller. The control unit 50b communicates with the centralized management device 6 and the airflow adjustment device 8 via short-range wireless communication using the wireless antenna 50a, and controls the overall operation of the battery pack 10, including the control of the charging circuit 51 and the discharge circuit 54. The control unit 50b can control the charging of the battery cells 11 by adjusting the charging current to the battery cells 11 by controlling the charging circuit 51. The control unit 50b can adjust the output (airflow) of the fan body 5 by adjusting the power supplied to the fan body 5 by controlling the discharge circuit 54. The control unit 50b has the function to connect simultaneously with at least two or more communication devices, such as the centralized management device 6 and the airflow adjustment device 8.

[0039] Figure 24 is a circuit diagram showing a specific configuration example 1 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. Resistors R1 to R5 and switching elements Q3 to Q5 constitute 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. Switching elements Q1 and Q2 are connected in series between the power line to which the output voltage Vbat of the battery cell 11 is supplied (hereinafter also referred to as "power line Vbat") and ground. The gates (control terminals) of switching elements Q1 and Q2 are connected to the internal analog circuit 54b. The interconnection parts of switching elements Q1 and Q2 (the source of switching element Q1 and the drain of switching element Q2) are connected to one end of the choke coil L. The other end of the choke coil L is connected to the capacitor C and one end of resistor R1. The other end of capacitor C is connected to ground. The voltage across capacitor C is the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54, which is output to the discharge jack 55. The other end of resistor R1 is connected to one end of resistors R2 to R5. The other end of resistor R2 is connected to ground. The interconnection between resistor R1 and resistors R2 to R5 is connected to the internal analog circuit 54b. The other ends of resistors R3 to R5 are connected to ground via switching elements Q3 to Q5. The gates (control terminals) of 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.

[0040] Switching elements Q1 and Q2 are switched (PWM controlled) by a drive signal from the internal analog circuit 54b. The output voltage Vbat of the battery cell 11, switched by the choke coil (inductor) L and capacitor C, is smoothed, and as a result, a voltage obtained by stepping down the output voltage Vbat of the battery cell 11 appears across capacitor C. The voltage Vm at the interconnection of resistor R1 and resistors R2~R5 is fed back to the internal analog circuit 54b. The internal analog circuit 54b controls the operation of switching elements Q1 and Q2 so that the voltage Vm remains constant. The ratio of the voltage Vm at the interconnection of resistor R1 and resistors R2~R5 to the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 changes depending on the on / off combination of switching elements Q3~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 states of switching elements Q3~Q5 are switched by output voltage control signals V1~V3 output by the control unit 50b. Switching elements Q3 to Q5 turn on when the output voltage control signals V1 to V3 are high and turn off when they are low. Figure 24 also shows a table illustrating the relationship between the combinations of levels of the output voltage control signals V1 to V3, i.e., the on / off states of switching elements Q3 to Q5, and the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54. This table is an example where the resistance value of resistor R3 > resistance value of resistor R4 > resistance value of resistor R5, and the output voltage Vout can be selected from 8 levels. If fewer levels of 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 output voltage Vout, a series connection circuit of a resistor and a switching element can be added in parallel with resistor R2. Note that if high precision of the output voltage Vout is not required, the voltage Vm does not need to be fed back to the internal analog circuit 54b.

[0041] Figure 25 is a circuit diagram showing specific configuration example 2 of the discharge circuit 54. In this example, resistors R3 to R5 and switching elements Q3 to Q5 of configuration example 1 in Figure 24 are replaced with a series connection circuit of resistor R7 and a switching element Q7 such as an FET, thereby 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 and PWM controls the switching element Q7. The switching element Q7 turns on when its gate voltage is high and turns off when it is low. A PWM signal with a duty cycle of 0% is a constantly low-level signal and keeps the switching element Q7 constantly off. A PWM signal with a duty cycle of 100% is a constantly high-level signal and keeps the switching element Q7 constantly on. PWM signals with duty cycles other than 0% and 100% switch the switching element Q7 on and off at a predetermined period. The proportion of the switching element Q7's ON period within one cycle matches the duty cycle of the PWM signal. The higher the duty cycle of the PWM signal applied by the control unit 50b to the gate of the switching element Q7, the higher the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54. The output voltage Vout can be set, for example, within the range of 5V to 9V.

[0042] Figure 26 is a circuit diagram showing 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 Figure 25 are eliminated, and the control unit 50b is modified to control the switching elements Q1 and Q2 using switching control (PWM control). The control unit 50b controls the switching elements Q1 and Q2 so that the voltage Vm of the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 is at a predetermined ratio corresponding to the voltage division ratio of resistors R1 and R2. Note that if high precision of the output voltage Vout is not required, the voltage Vm does not need to be fed back to the control unit 50b.

[0043] Figure 27 is a control flowchart of the battery pack 10. After starting up, the control unit 50b performs an initialization process to set the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 to 0V (S71). The control unit 50b starts up when a start signal is sent to the power supply circuit 42 when the AC adapter 58 or the fan body 5 is connected. Alternatively, the battery pack 10 may be provided with a switch to start the control unit 50b (power supply circuit 42). When the connection with the airflow adjustment device 8 is established (YES in S72) and there is a received signal from the airflow 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 indicated by the received signal (S74). The connection with the airflow adjustment device 8 is made by operating a button (for example, a connection button) on the touch panel displayed on the display of the airflow adjustment device 8 while the wireless communication function is enabled by switch 46 on the battery pack 10. Furthermore, the battery pack 10 may be configured to connect automatically without requiring operation of the switch 46 on the battery pack 10 or the buttons on the airflow adjustment device 8, or a combination of these configurations may be used. If the connection with the airflow adjustment device 8 is not established (NO in S72), or if there is no received signal from the airflow adjustment device 8 ("No signal received" in S73), the control unit 50b will set the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 to the set value indicated by the operation of the operation, such as the output changeover switch (switch 46) or the drive mode changeover switch of the fan body 5 ("Operation made" in S75) (S76). The fan body 5 (fan) can be driven with the output voltage Vout reset in S76 while it is being driven (operating) with the output voltage Vout set in S74. In other words, while the fan body 5 is being driven in the first state, the output voltage Vout (fan airflow) can be changed to the second state and the drive (operation) can be continued. The control unit 50b performs a shutdown process (S78) if there is no operation on the output selector switch (S75, "no operation") or if there is a termination operation (S77, "operation"). The shutdown process includes cutting off the power supply to the control unit 50b or putting the control unit 50b into sleep mode. The shutdown process is performed by the control unit 50b sending a power control signal (shutdown signal or sleep signal) to the power supply circuit 42.The termination operation is performed by pressing the connection button on the display of the airflow adjustment device 8. Alternatively, it may be performed by disabling the wireless communication function using the switch 46 on the battery pack 10. If there is no termination operation ("No Operation" in S77), the control unit 50b returns to step S72 if the connection with the airflow adjustment device 8 is disconnected (YES in S79), and returns to step S73 if the connection is not disconnected (NO in S79). If there is no termination operation ("No Operation" in S77), no signals are received from external devices, and the battery pack 10 itself is not operated (e.g., switch 46 is not operated), or if it is neither charging nor discharging, and this state continues for a predetermined time, the control unit 50b may be configured to switch to sleep mode or shut down, regardless of the processing in S79. This reduces the power consumption of the battery pack 10 when it is not in use.

[0044] Figure 28 is a time chart showing an example of the operation of Configuration Example 1 shown in Figure 24. At time t1, the control unit 50b receives a start signal from the airflow control device 8 and changes the EN signal transmitted to the internal analog circuit 54b of the DC converter IC 54a from a low level to a high level. 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 has all of the voltage control signals V1 to V3 at a low level, and the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 is 5V. At time t2, the control unit 50b receives an output change signal from the airflow control device 8 instructing it to change the output voltage Vout to 8V, and switches the voltage control signals V1 and V3 to high levels. The internal analog circuit 54b performs PWM control (changes the duty cycle of the PWM signal) of the switching elements Q1 and Q2. As a result, the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 rises to approximately 8V. At time t3, the control unit 50b receives a stop signal from the airflow control device 8, changes the EN signal from high level to low level, and sets the voltage control signals V1 and V3 to low level. As the EN signal becomes low level, the internal analog circuit 54b stops operating, and the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 drops to 0V.

[0045] Figure 29 is a simplified block diagram of the centralized control device 6 and the airflow control device 8. The centralized control device 6 and the airflow control device 8 each include a control unit 70, a memory 71, a touch panel (operation unit) 72, a display unit 73, a wireless communication transceiver 74, and an antenna 75, respectively.

[0046] Figures 30 to 35 are explanatory diagrams of the screen display of the management application for the centralized management device 6. Figure 30 is the home screen, Figure 31 is the centralized check screen, Figure 32 is the airflow check screen, Figure 33 is the operating time check screen, Figure 34 is the pairing screen, and Figure 35 is the connection setting screen with the airflow adjustment device 8. As shown in Figure 30, the home screen displays a connect (pairing) button, a centralized check button, an airflow check button, an operating time check button, and a connection setting button with the airflow adjustment device. When the connect (pairing) button is tapped, the screen transitions to the pairing screen in Figure 34. When the centralized check button is tapped, the flowcharts for the operating time check and airflow check (Figures 40 and 42) are performed, and the screen transitions to the centralized check screen in Figure 31. When the airflow check button is tapped, the flowchart for the airflow check (Figure 42) is performed, and the screen transitions to the airflow check screen in Figure 32. When the operating time check button is tapped, the operating time check flowchart (Figure 40) is executed, and the system transitions to the operating time check screen shown in Figure 33. When the connection setting button for the airflow control device is tapped, the system transitions to the connection setting screen for the airflow control device 8 shown in Figure 35.

[0047] As shown in Figure 31, the batch check screen displays the airflow check results and the operating time check results. Tapping the airflow check results transitions to the airflow check screen shown in Figure 32. Tapping the operating time check results transitions to the operating time check screen shown in Figure 33. As shown in Figure 32, the airflow check screen displays the current ambient temperature and the airflow check results for each battery pack. As shown in Figure 33, the operating time check screen displays the calculated remaining operating time for each battery pack 10A to 10D. As shown in Figure 34, the pairing screen displays a list of connected (paired) battery packs and an "Add Pairing" button. Tapping the "Add Pairing" button performs actions according to the pairing flowchart (Figure 39). As shown in Figure 35, the connection setting screen for the airflow adjustment device 8 displays a list of registered airflow adjustment devices 8 whose requests have been approved once in the past and the battery packs 10 whose airflow can be adjusted by them, as well as an ID input field for entering the ID of the airflow adjustment device 8 and a request button. When a registered item is tapped, the ID of the corresponding airflow control device 8 is automatically entered into the ID input field. When the request button is tapped, the system performs an action to connect to the airflow control device 8 whose ID was entered into the ID input field (the action follows the flowchart in Figure 46).

[0048] Figure 36 shows the screen of the airflow control application for the airflow control device 8 before connection. A connect button is displayed on this screen. When the connect button is tapped, the operation follows the connection flowchart (Figure 52). Figure 37 shows the screen of the airflow control application after connection. This screen displays the name of the connected battery pack 10, a power ON / OFF switch button, connection status, remaining battery level of the connected battery pack 10, airflow, an airflow change button, and a disconnect button. When the airflow change button is tapped, the operation follows the airflow change flowchart (Figure 50). When the disconnect button is tapped, the operation follows the disconnect flowchart (Figure 53). Figure 38 shows the screen of the airflow control device 8 when it receives a connection request from the centralized 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 moves from S46 to S47 in the flowchart of Figure 46.

[0049] Figure 39 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for connecting (pairing) the battery pack 10 and the centralized control device 6. The construction manager 3 performs a connection request operation on both the centralized control device 6 and the battery pack 10 of the blower to be managed (S1). The operation performed on the centralized control device 6 here is, for example, pressing the pairing add button shown in Figure 34. The operation performed on the battery pack 10 is, for example, pressing and holding the switch 46.

[0050] Upon receiving a connection request, the centralized management device 6 searches for a connection destination within the range of short-range wireless communication (S2). Similarly, the battery pack 10, upon receiving a connection request, searches for a connection destination within the range of short-range wireless communication (S3). At this time, the centralized management device 6 may notify the construction manager 3 that the search for a connection destination has begun via a screen display or the like. The battery pack 10 may notify the construction manager 3 that the search for a connection destination has begun by blinking the LED 53 or the like.

[0051] When the centralized control device 6 and the battery pack 10 discover each other as connection destinations (S4), the connection sequence is started (S5), and the connection (pairing) is completed (S6). At this time, the centralized control 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 lighting up the LED 53 or the like. In the above explanation, it is assumed that the construction manager 3 operates both the centralized control device 6 and the battery pack 10, but the battery pack 10 may be operated by the worker 4. The connection (pairing) between the air volume control device 8 and the battery pack 10 can be performed in the same way as the connection (pairing) between the centralized control device 6 and the battery pack 10.

[0052] Figure 40 is a flowchart showing a first example of a method for managing the remaining operating time of the blower by the centralized control device 6. This flowchart starts when the centralized check button or the operating time check button in Figure 30 of the centralized control device 6 is tapped. The centralized control device 6 acquires the remaining capacity of the battery pack 10 and the operating status (airflow) data of the fan body 5 from the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 (S11). Based on the remaining capacity of the battery pack 10 and the current airflow of the fan body 5, the centralized control device 6 calculates the remaining operating time of the fan body 5 at the current airflow (hereinafter also referred to as the "first remaining operating time") (S12). If the first remaining operating time is less than or equal to a predetermined time (YES in S13), the centralized control device 6 issues a warning to the construction manager 3 via a screen display or the like (S14). The warning may also be sent to the battery pack 10 or the airflow adjustment device 8.

[0053] If the remaining operating time for the first fan is not less than or equal to a predetermined time (NO in S13), the centralized control device 6 calculates the remaining operating time for the fan body 5 at maximum airflow (hereinafter also referred to as the "second remaining operating time") (S15). If the remaining operating time for the second fan is not less than or equal to a predetermined time (YES in S16), the centralized control device 6 notifies the construction manager 3 via a screen display or the like (S17). The notification may also be transmitted to the battery pack 10 or the airflow adjustment device 8. If the remaining operating time for the second fan is not less than or equal to a predetermined time (NO in S16), the centralized control device 6 does not issue a warning or notification (S18). In the above description, the centralized control device 6 is assumed to execute each step in Figure 40, but the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 or the airflow adjustment device 8 may execute each step. A "warning" is a form of "notification," but in this embodiment, notifications of higher importance or urgency are designated as warnings, and all others are designated as notifications. Furthermore, the operating time does not need to be calculated by external devices (such as the centralized management device 6 or the airflow adjustment device 8); it may be calculated by the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10.

[0054] Figure 41 is a conceptual diagram showing the first example of a time management system that centrally manages the remaining operating time of multiple blowers using a centralized management device 6. This system consists of one centralized management device 6 and four battery packs 10 for the blowers. In Figure 41, the four battery packs 10 are designated as 10A to 10D to distinguish them from each other (the same applies to Figures 44, 47, and 48). The centralized management device 6 displays the calculated first remaining operating time for each of the battery packs 10A to 10D. Here, since battery packs 10A to 10C are all within the range of the centralized management device 6's short-range wireless communication, the first remaining operating time is displayed based on the most recent data (remaining battery capacity and airflow). On the other hand, since battery pack 10D is outside the range of the centralized management device 6's short-range wireless communication, the estimated first remaining operating time is displayed based on the data (remaining battery capacity and airflow) acquired when the centralized management device 6 last communicated with battery pack 10D via short-range wireless communication. This estimate is calculated assuming, for example, that the last acquired battery capacity and airflow rate have remained constant until the present. In the example in Figure 41, the first remaining operating time for the battery pack 10C is less than or equal to one hour, which is an example of a predetermined time, and a warning is displayed on the screen of the centralized control device 6 in bold or a different color. The centralized control device 6 also issues a warning to the battery pack 10C or the airflow adjustment device 8. The centralized control device 6 may also display the second remaining operating time, or it may display the first and second remaining operating times side by side or switch between them.

[0055] Figure 42 is a flowchart showing how the centralized control device 6 manages the airflow of the blower. This flowchart starts when the airflow check button in Figure 30 of the centralized control device 6 is tapped. Figure 43 is a table summarizing the relationship between temperature, required airflow, and warning targets. The centralized control device 6 obtains the temperature at the location of the battery pack 10 (S20). The format of temperature acquisition is not limited, but for example, the temperature of the current location (location of the battery pack 10 or airflow control device 8) may be obtained from temperatures of various locations published on the internet. Alternatively, the temperature inside the battery pack 10 may be obtained directly, or the body temperature of the worker may be obtained. If the temperature is A or higher (S21) and the airflow is less than W (YES in S22), the centralized control device 6 issues a warning to the construction manager 3 via screen display, etc. (S30). If the temperature is in the range of A to B (S23) and the airflow is less than X (YES in S24), the centralized control device 6 issues a warning (S30). The central control device 6 issues a warning (S30) if the temperature is in the range of B to C (S25) and the airflow is less than Y (YES in S26). The central control device 6 issues a warning (S30) if the temperature is in the range of C to D (S27) and the airflow is less than Z (YES in S28). The central control device 6 does not issue a warning (S31) if the temperature is less than D (S29). The central control device 6 does not issue a warning (S31) if the airflow is greater than or equal to the amount required for the temperature (NO in S22, S24, S26, S28). The warning may also be transmitted to the battery pack 10 or the airflow adjustment device 8. In this case, the warning may include information indicating the amount of airflow required for the current temperature, and the battery pack 10 or the airflow adjustment device 8 that receives the warning may change the airflow of the fan body 5 to greater than or equal to the required amount. In the above description, the steps in Figure 42 are performed by the centralized control device 6, but the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 or the airflow adjustment device 8 may also perform each step.

[0056] Figure 44 is a conceptual diagram showing the first example of an airflow management system that centrally manages the airflow of multiple blowers using a centralized management device 6. Similar to the system in Figure 41, this system consists of one centralized management device 6 and four blower battery packs 10A to 10D. The centralized management device 6 displays the current ambient temperature and the airflow check results for each of the battery packs 10A to 10D. Note that battery pack 10D is outside the range of the centralized management device 6's short-range wireless communication, so the airflow check result for battery pack 10D is displayed as unconfirmed. In the example in Figure 44, battery pack 10C has insufficient airflow relative to the ambient temperature, so a warning is displayed on the screen of the centralized management device 6 in bold, underlined, or a different color. The centralized management device 6 also sends a warning to battery pack 10C or the airflow adjustment device 8. The functions of managing remaining operating time shown in Figure 41 and checking airflow shown in Figure 44 can be included in the functions of the same management application.

[0057] Figure 45 is a flowchart showing a second example of a method for managing the remaining operating time of the blower by the centralized control device 6. Similar to the case in Figure 40, the centralized control device 6 acquires the remaining capacity of the battery pack 10 and the operating status data (airflow) of the fan body 5 from the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 (S11), and calculates the first remaining operating time (S12). Based on the first remaining operating time, the centralized control device 6 determines whether the fan body 5 can operate at the current airflow until the scheduled time (end of work time) (S33). If the fan body 5 can operate at the current airflow until the scheduled time (YES in S33), the centralized control device 6 does not issue an alert or adjust the airflow (S34). If the fan body 5 cannot operate at the current airflow until the scheduled time (NO in S33), the centralized control device 6 calculates the airflow that can be used until the scheduled time based on the remaining capacity of the battery pack 10 (S35). The centralized control device 6 adjusts the airflow to the calculated amount if it is equal to or greater than the required airflow shown in the table in Figure 43 at the current temperature (YES in S36) (S37). Specifically, the centralized control device 6 sends a signal to the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 instructing it to adjust the airflow, and the control unit 50b, upon receiving the signal, adjusts the airflow. If the centralized control device 6 is less than the required airflow shown in the table in Figure 43 at the current temperature (NO in S36), it notifies the construction manager 3 via a screen display or the like (S38). The notification may also be sent to the battery pack 10 or the airflow adjustment device 8. The centralized control device 6 may be able to arbitrarily switch between the management methods (drive modes) in Figures 40 and 45. Alternatively, the airflow adjustment device 8 may be able to arbitrarily set between the management methods (drive modes) in Figures 40 and 45.

[0058] Figure 46 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for connecting the centralized management device 6 and the airflow control device 8 using a network service. Construction manager 3 performs a connection request operation on the centralized management device 6 (S41). This operation involves, for example, entering the ID of the airflow control device 8 to be requested into the ID input field in Figure 35 of the centralized management device 6 and then tapping the request button in Figure 35. Upon receiving the connection request operation, the centralized management device 6 sends a connection request to the airflow control device 8 to a network service such as the cloud (S42). When the network service receives the connection request (S43), it notifies the airflow control device 8 that a connection request has come from the centralized management device 6 (S44). When the airflow control device 8 receives the notification from the network service (S45), it notifies the worker 4 of this fact, for example, through a screen display or alert as shown in Figure 38. Operator 4 performs an approval operation, such as tapping a button (the "Yes (Allow)" button in Figure 38) displayed on the screen of the airflow control device 8 via a communication application (S46). Upon receiving the approval operation, the airflow control device 8 processes the connection request (S47). As a result, the centralized management device 6 and the airflow control device 8 are connected using a network service and can communicate (S48). At this time, the centralized management device 6 and the airflow control device 8 may notify the completion of the connection by displaying it on the screen or by other means.

[0059] Figure 47 is a conceptual diagram showing a second example of a system in which the remaining operating time of multiple blowers is centrally managed by a centralized management device 6. The following explanation will focus on the differences from the first example shown in Figure 41. This system includes airflow control devices 8A to 8D corresponding to battery packs 10A to 10D, and a network service 60 such as a cloud. The centralized management device 6 calculates and displays the first and second remaining operating times for battery pack 10D that are not within the range of the centralized management device 6's short-range wireless communication, based on operating status data (remaining battery capacity and airflow of battery pack 10D) received from the airflow control device 8D via the network service 60. According to this system, the first and second remaining operating times for battery pack 10D that are not within the range of the centralized management device 6's short-range wireless communication are also highly accurate, based on the most recent data. By using the network service, the centralized management device 6 can manage the battery pack 10 and the fan body 5 even if it is located in a remote location.

[0060] Figure 48 is a conceptual diagram showing a second example of a system in which the airflow of multiple blowers is centrally managed by a centralized management device 6. The following explanation will focus on the differences from the first example shown in Figure 44. This system includes airflow adjustment devices 8A to 8D corresponding to battery packs 10A to 10D, and a network service 60 such as a cloud. For battery pack 10D that is not within the range of the centralized management device 6's short-range wireless communication, the centralized management device 6 calculates and displays the airflow check result based on operating status data (temperature at the location of battery pack 10D and airflow from battery pack 10) received from the airflow adjustment device 8D via the network service 60. With this system, it is possible to check the airflow from battery pack 10D that is not within the range of the centralized management device 6's short-range wireless communication. The functions of managing the remaining operating time shown in Figure 47 and checking the airflow shown in Figure 48 can be included in the functions of the same management application.

[0061] Figure 49 is a flowchart showing the communication flow between the blower's battery pack 10 and the centralized control device 6. The construction manager 3 performs an inspection request operation (S51). This operation is, for example, pressing the inspection start button displayed by the management application. There may be two types of inspection start buttons, for example, one for checking the remaining operating time and another for checking the airflow. The centralized control device 6, having received the inspection request operation, requests the necessary data from the battery pack 10 (S52). The necessary data is, for example, the remaining capacity of the battery pack 10 and the current airflow if checking the remaining operating time, and the current airflow and temperature if checking the airflow. The battery pack 10, having received the request, transmits the necessary data to the centralized control device 6 (S53). The centralized control device 6 performs calculations based on the received data (S54), and if a warning is necessary (YES in S55), it issues a warning (S56). The warning includes an alert or screen display to 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 warning actions such as alerts or lighting up the LED 53 in accordance with signals received from the centralized management device 6 (S57). The warning action may be switching the fan body 5 on or off, or changing the airflow in a predetermined pattern. The fan body 5 may have a notification means such as an LED for warning notification. If notification is necessary (YES in S58), the centralized management device 6 sends a notification (S59). The notification is, for example, displayed on the screen for the construction manager 3. Notification may also be sent to the battery pack 10. If warning and notification are not necessary (NO in S55, NO in S58), the centralized management device 6 does not send a warning or notification (S60).

[0062] Figure 50 is a flowchart showing the procedure for changing the output (airflow) of the blower using the airflow adjustment device 8. Operator 4 performs an airflow change request operation (S65). This operation is, for example, tapping the airflow change button shown in Figure 37 on the airflow adjustment device 8. Upon receiving the airflow change request operation, the airflow adjustment device 8 sends an airflow change request to the battery pack 10 (S66). Upon receiving the airflow change request, the battery pack 10 adjusts the power supplied to the fan body 5 and changes the airflow of the fan body 5 (S67). In other words, the fan body 5 can change its airflow while it is running. The control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 may have a manual change mode in which the airflow is changed manually regardless of the temperature by operating its own switch 46 or the airflow adjustment device 8, and an automatic change mode in which the airflow is changed automatically to meet the required airflow shown in the table in Figure 43 according to the temperature. The manual and automatic change modes may be switched arbitrarily by operating the airflow adjustment device 8 or the battery pack 10 (switch 46). Here, the airflow is changed in manual change mode as shown in Figures 24 and 28. That is, the voltage control signals V1 to V3 are controlled in accordance with the operation (setting) of the airflow change button on the airflow adjustment device 8, and the output voltage Vout is changed by switching the switching elements Q3 to Q5 on and off. Then, the switching elements Q1 and Q2 are controlled so that the voltage Vm becomes a constant voltage corresponding to the output voltage Vout, which is the target value (set value). Alternatively, as shown in Figure 25, the switching element Q7 may be controlled by PWM. In this case, the duty cycle of the PWM signal is changed in accordance with the operation (setting) of the airflow change button on the airflow adjustment device 8. Then, the switching elements Q1 and Q2 are controlled by PWM so that the voltage Vm becomes a constant voltage corresponding to the output voltage Vout, which is the target value (set value). Alternatively, as shown in Figure 26, the switching elements Q1 and Q2 may be controlled by switching (e.g., PWM control) in response to the operation (setting) of the airflow change button of the airflow adjustment device 8.

[0063] Figure 51 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for disconnecting (pairing) the battery pack 10 from the centralized management device 6. The construction manager 3 performs a disconnection request operation on the centralized management device 6 (S81). The disconnection request operation is, for example, an operation to return to the home screen (an operation to close or deactivate the management application). Alternatively, it may be an operation to tap the disconnection button on the screen of the centralized management device 6. Upon receiving the disconnection request operation, the centralized management device 6 sends a disconnection request to the battery pack 10 (S82). Upon receiving the disconnection request, the battery pack 10 grants permission to disconnect (S83), and the disconnection process is performed on both the centralized management device 6 and the battery pack 10 (S84).

[0064] Figure 52 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for connecting (pairing) the battery pack 10 and the airflow control device 8. Operator 4 performs a connection request operation on both the airflow control device 8 and the battery pack 10 (S91). The operation on the airflow control device 8 is, for example, tapping the connection button in Figure 36. The operation on the battery pack 10 is, for example, pressing and holding switch 46. Upon receiving the connection request, the airflow control device 8 searches for a connection target within the range of short-range wireless communication (S92). Similarly, upon receiving the connection request, the battery pack 10 searches for a connection target within the range of short-range wireless communication (S93). At this time, the airflow control device 8 may notify operator 4 that the search for a connection target has started by displaying a screen or the like. The battery pack 10 may notify operator 4 that the search for a connection target has started by flashing LED 53 or the like. When the airflow control device 8 and the battery pack 10 discover each other as connection destinations (S94), the connection sequence is started (S95), and the connection (pairing) is completed (S96). At this time, the airflow control device 8 may notify the operator 4 that the connection process is complete by displaying on the screen or the like. The battery pack 10 may notify the operator 4 that the connection process is complete by lighting up the LED 53 or the like.

[0065] Figure 53 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for disconnecting (pairing) the battery pack 10 and the airflow control device 8. Operator 4 performs a disconnection request operation on the airflow control device 8 (S86). The disconnection request operation is, for example, tapping the disconnection button in Figure 37. Upon receiving the disconnection request operation, the airflow control device 8 sends a disconnection request to the battery pack 10 (S87). Upon receiving the disconnection request, the battery pack 10 grants permission to disconnect (S88), and the disconnection process is performed on both the airflow control device 8 and the battery pack 10 (S89).

[0066] According to this embodiment, the following effects can be achieved.

[0067] (1) The output unit's operation (fan airflow) can be changed via wireless communication with an external device, making it highly convenient. Furthermore, the output unit can be switched to a second operation mode via wireless communication with an external device while in the first operation mode, allowing it to continue operating, thus providing high convenience.

[0068] (2) Because the single control unit is configured to handle not only wireless communication but also battery pack control (charging control and discharging control) and battery pack (battery cell) protection, the number of electrical components can be reduced and the circuit configuration can be simplified.

[0069] (3) The single control unit is configured to perform not only wireless communication but also control of the battery pack (charging control and discharging control) and protection of the battery pack (battery cells). Based on this information (discharge current, charging current, battery cell voltage, temperature, etc.), advanced control, such as estimation of remaining operating time, becomes possible. In a configuration where each control is distributed to multiple control units, there is a risk of control instability due to poor contact in the connecting wires between the control units or failure of one of the control units. On the other hand, with a single control unit, there is no risk of poor contact between control units, and if the unit itself fails, control itself becomes impossible, thus avoiding the execution of undesirable control. In addition, because it is a single control unit, the configuration can be simplified compared to a configuration with multiple control units.

[0070] (4) The drive circuit can be simplified, and the operation of the output section (output voltage, fan airflow) can be easily changed.

[0071] (5) The operation of the output section (output voltage, fan airflow) can be easily changed simply by controlling the switching elements of the drive circuit with PWM.

[0072] (6) Because the output voltage of the drive circuit can be changed within the battery pack, the configuration of the main unit of the device can be simplified and miniaturized. In addition, in the case of clothing with temperature control devices such as clothing with a blower or a heated jacket with a heater, the main unit of the device (blower or heater part) can be made smaller, so the clothing can be folded and stored compactly.

[0073] (7) Because the output voltage of the drive circuit is configured to be changeable within the battery pack, the number of connecting wires or terminals connecting the battery pack and the main unit of the device can be reduced, and the connection part can be simplified.

[0074] (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 steps down the battery pack voltage to generate the drive voltage for the main unit of the device. As a result, the configuration of the main unit of the device can be simplified and miniaturized. In addition, in the case of clothing with temperature control devices, such as clothing with a blower or a heated jacket with a heater, the blower (main unit of the device) can be made smaller, so the clothing can be folded and stored compactly.

[0075] (9) When the output unit is operating in the first state, the operating conditions of the output unit can be changed to the second state, allowing the operation of the output unit to continue, thus improving convenience.

[0076] (10) Since the battery pack is equipped with wireless communication functionality, the operation of the output section of the main unit of a device that does not have wireless communication functionality can be changed by installing the battery pack. The output section includes the fan (fan drive motor) of the cooling device and the heater of the heat jacket.

[0077] (11) The battery pack 10 can notify (transmit) the remaining operating time of the fan unit 5, or data necessary to determine the remaining operating time, to the central management device 6, which allows the central management device 6 to manage the remaining operating time provided by the battery pack 10, making it highly convenient.

[0078] (12) The centralized management device 6 can centrally manage the remaining operating time of each of the multiple battery packs 10, making it highly convenient.

[0079] (13) The remaining operating time can be calculated and notified as the first and second remaining operating times, that is, the remaining operating time of the fan body 5 at the current airflow and the remaining operating time of the fan body 5 at the maximum airflow, which is convenient for management.

[0080] (14) The battery pack 10 can notify the user when the remaining operating time of the fan unit 5 falls below a predetermined time (when the remaining operating time becomes abnormal), thus prompting the user to replace the battery pack 10 earlier, which is highly convenient.

[0081] (15) The battery pack 10 can notify (transmit) the airflow of the fan unit 5 to the centralized management device 6, so the centralized management device 6 can manage whether the airflow from the battery pack 10 is equal to or greater than the required airflow for the temperature, which is highly convenient.

[0082] (16) The control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 can perform an automatic change mode that automatically changes the airflow according to the temperature to meet the required airflow shown in the table in Figure 43, which is highly convenient.

[0083] (17) As shown in Figure 45, the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 can adjust the airflow of the fan body 5 in accordance with a set time (the end time of operation of the fan body 5), which is highly convenient.

[0084] (18) The battery pack 10 notifies when the airflow is abnormal, that is, when the airflow is insufficient for the temperature, thus preventing health problems caused by insufficient airflow and providing high convenience.

[0085] (19) The centralized control device 6 can centrally manage the airflow of multiple fan units 5, making it highly convenient.

[0086] (20) Since the wireless antenna module 50 is provided between the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-rear direction, the wireless antenna 50a can be positioned away from the metal outer surfaces of the battery cells 11a and 11b, compared to the case where the wireless antenna module 50 is provided near the center axis of the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-rear direction, thereby suppressing the influence of the metal outer surfaces of the battery cells 11a and 11b on the wireless antenna 50a.

[0087] (21) Since the wireless antenna module 50 is provided at the right end of the substrate 20, that is, near the ends of the battery cells 11a to 11c in the left-right direction, compared to the case where the wireless antenna module 50 is provided at a location other than near the ends of the battery cells 11a to 11c in the left-right direction of the substrate 20, the area of ​​the outer surface of the battery cells 11a to 11c that faces the wireless antenna 50a can be reduced, and the influence that the wireless antenna 50a receives from the metal on the outer surface of the battery cells 11a to 11c can be suppressed.

[0088] (22) Since the wireless antenna module 50 is provided on the upper surface of the substrate 20, that is, on the side of the substrate 20 opposite to the battery cells 11a to 11c, the wireless antenna 50a can be moved away from the outer surface of the battery cells 11a to 11c compared to the case where the wireless antenna module 50 is provided on the lower surface 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 suppressed.

[0089] (23) The substrate 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 also electrically connects to the substrate 20, is electrically connected to the left end of the substrate 20 between the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-back direction, and the wireless antenna module 50 is provided at the right end of the substrate 20 between the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-back direction. Therefore, compared to the case where the substrate connection portion 23a of the tab 23 and the wireless antenna module 50 are provided at the same left and right ends of the substrate 20, the wireless antenna 50a can be separated from the substrate connection portion 23a of the tab 23, which is made of metal, and the influence that the wireless antenna 50a receives from the substrate connection portion 23a of the tab 23, which is made of metal, can be suppressed.

[0090] (24) Since the predetermined area in front of and behind the wireless antenna 50a on the substrate 20 is a pattern-free area 20a, the wireless antenna 50a can be separated from the conductor pattern of the substrate 20 compared to when a conductor pattern is present in the pattern-free area 20a, and the influence that the wireless antenna 50a receives from the conductor pattern (metal) of the substrate 20 can be suppressed.

[0091] (25) As described above, the configurations that can suppress the influence of metal on the wireless antenna 50a do not require the upper case 12 and the lower case 13 to be enlarged, thus achieving a good balance between suppressing the influence of metal parts on wireless communication functions and suppressing the enlargement of the device.

[0092] (26) Since the wireless antenna module 50 is positioned so as to avoid the vicinity of the end of the upper case 12 in the front-to-back direction, the increase in the height of the upper case 12 can be suppressed compared to the case in which the wireless antenna module 50 is positioned near the end of the upper case 12 in the front-to-back direction. That is, if the wireless antenna module 50 is located directly below the lowest front-to-back end of the upper case 12, then a height must be ensured at the lowest end so as not to interfere with the wireless antenna module 50, which increases the overall height of the upper case 12. However, by positioning the wireless antenna module 50 so as to avoid the vicinity of the end of the upper case 12 in the front-to-back direction, such a problem can be suitably avoided.

[0093] (27) The charging jack 52 and the discharge jack 55 are provided on the lower surface of the circuit board 20 (the surface on the side of the battery cells 11a to 11c) and extend or are located within the range where the battery cells 11a to 11c exist in the vertical direction, thereby suppressing an increase in the height of the battery pack 10 case.

[0094] (28) Since the control unit 50b of the wireless antenna module 50 also controls the charging and discharging of the battery pack 10, the number of components can be reduced and costs can be lowered compared to the case in which a separate control unit for charging and discharging is provided.

[0095] (29) The upper case 12 has a curved shape in the longitudinal direction, making it easy to put in a pocket and highly convenient.

[0096] The present invention has been described above using embodiments as examples, but it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible to each component and each processing step of the embodiments within the scope of the claims. Modifications will be discussed below.

[0097] Figure 22 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention, showing the battery cells 11a to 11c rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise from the state shown in Figure 14. The following explanation will focus on the differences from the embodiment shown in Figure 14, etc. In Figure 22, the front-to-back 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 have their longitudinal direction extending in the front-to-back direction and are arranged 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 Figure 14. The length of the area where the battery cells 11a to 11c exist 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 where the battery cells 11a to 11c exist in the left-to-right direction. According to this embodiment, compared to the case where the wireless antenna module 50 is provided anywhere other than near the ends of the battery cells 11a to 11c in the left-right direction, the area of ​​the outer surface of the battery cells 11a to 11c that faces the wireless antenna 50a can be reduced, thereby suppressing the influence that the wireless antenna 50a receives from the outer surface of the battery cells 11a to 11c.

[0098] Figure 54 is a circuit diagram showing a specific configuration example 4 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 body 5 is a brushless motor. The output voltage Vout is controlled by performing PWM control, which controls the duty cycle 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, thereby changing the rotation speed of the fan motor 5a.

[0099] In the first example, the battery pack 10 is equipped with an inverter circuit (discharge circuit) 54, a control unit 50b, and a power supply circuit 42, and the control unit 50b changes the rotation speed of the fan (fan motor). The fan body 5 is equipped with a brushless motor 5a, which is the fan motor (motor integrated with the fan), and a position detection element (Hall element) 5b that detects the position information of the brushless motor 5a. The discharge jack 55 is equipped with lead wires for each phase of the brushless motor 5a and a signal wire for the position detection element 5b. The control unit 50b calculates the rotation speed of the brushless motor 5a based on the information from the position detection element 5b. Then, it controls the duty cycle of the switching elements Q1 to Q6 of the inverter circuit 54 to achieve the target rotation speed set by the airflow adjustment device 8, thereby performing PWM control. When the set airflow is large, the duty cycle is larger compared to when the airflow is small.

[0100] In the second example, the battery pack 10 is equipped with a control unit 50b and a power supply circuit 42, and the control unit 50b changes the rotation speed of the fan (fan motor). The fan body 5 is equipped with a brushless motor 5a, a position detection element 5b, and an inverter circuit (discharge circuit) 54. The discharge jack 55 is equipped with control signal lines H1 to H6 for switching elements Q1 to Q6 and a signal line for the 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, it controls the duty cycle of the switching elements Q1 to Q6 of the inverter circuit 54 to achieve the target rotation speed set by the airflow adjustment device 8, thereby performing PWM control.

[0101] In the third example, the battery pack 10 is equipped with a control unit 50b and a power supply circuit 42. The fan body 5 is equipped with a brushless motor 5a, a position detection element 5b, an inverter circuit (discharge circuit) 54, and a fan-side control unit 5c. The fan-side control unit 5c changes the rotation speed of the fan (fan motor). The discharge jack 55 is equipped with a power line, a power line for the fan-side control unit 5c (output of the power supply circuit 42), and a signal line between the battery pack-side control unit 50b and the fan-side control unit 5c (discharge voltage switching signal or rotation speed switching signal). 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 motor's rotation speed based on the signal from the position detection element and performs PWM control by controlling the duty cycle of the switching elements Q1 to Q6 of the inverter circuit 54 to match the input rotation speed switching signal (airflow).

[0102] In the fourth example, a control unit 50b is provided on the battery pack 10 side. On the fan body 5 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. The power supply for the fan-side control unit 5c is supplied from the fan-side power supply circuit 5d. The discharge jack 55 is provided with a power line and signal lines (discharge voltage switching signal or rotation speed switching signal) between the battery pack-side control unit 50b and the fan-side control unit 5c. The other configurations are the same as in the third example. In the third and fourth examples, the fan-side control unit 5c may receive control signals (duty cycle signals) for 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 these control signals. In this case, the control signals may be a set of fixed duty cycle signals (for example, duty cycles of 30%, 50%, 80%, and 100%). Furthermore, in the first to fourth examples, if it is not necessary to control the rotational speed of the brushless motor 5a with high precision, it is not necessary to feed back the rotational speed, and the configuration can be simplified. In the first to fourth examples, considering the wiring of signal lines and the arrangement of terminals, the third or fourth example is effective because it simplifies the configuration.

[0103] Although a blower was used as an example of an electrical device, the method is not limited to blowers or clothing containing such blowers; it is sufficient if the operation of the output unit can be changed via wireless communication with an external device. For example, it can also be applied to a heated jacket with a built-in heater as the output unit. In other words, it can be applied to temperature control devices including blowers or heaters that allow the temperature of clothing (around the worker) to be adjusted, and to clothing containing such temperature control devices. It is effective for clothing with temperature control devices because it simplifies the configuration of the clothing and allows it to be folded and stored compactly. Furthermore, it can be applied to peripheral devices such as radios and televisions to allow the volume (volume control unit) or channel (channel switching unit) of the output unit to be changed via wireless communication, or to lights (light adjustment unit) to allow the brightness to be changed via wireless communication. In addition, it can be applied to power tools such as impact drivers and circular saws to allow the rotation speed of the motor (output unit) to be changed via wireless communication. The above effects can be obtained in these modified examples as well. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0104] 3 Construction manager (site supervisor), 4 Worker, 5 Fan body, 6 Centralized control equipment (first communication equipment), 7 Cable, 8 Air volume adjustment equipment (second communication equipment), 9 Clothing, 10 Battery pack, 11 Battery cell, 11a~11c Battery cell, 12 Upper case, 13 Lower case, 13a Rib, 13b Rib, 15 Button, 16 Display unit, 18 Cover, 20 Circuit board, 20a Pattern-less area, 21 Tab, 21a Circuit board connection part, 22 Tab, 22a Circuit board connection part, 23 Tab, 23a Circuit board connection part, 24 Tab, 24a Circuit 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 services, 70 Control unit, 71 Memory, 72 Touch panel (operation unit), 73 Display unit, 74 Wireless communication transceiver unit, 75 Antenna.

Claims

1. The case and Multiple battery cells housed in the aforementioned case, A wireless antenna that communicates wirelessly with external devices, An output unit that outputs power to the outside, An operating unit operated by an operator to change the output of the aforementioned output unit, A display unit that displays the voltage output by the output unit, The operation unit includes a control unit that controls the output of the output unit and the display unit according to the operation, A DC / DC converter unit that changes the output of the output unit according to the control of the control unit, A circuit board electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells, and equipped with the wireless antenna, the operating unit, the control unit, and the DC / DC converter unit, Equipped with, The control unit is configured to receive a first signal from the operation unit and a second signal from the external device via wireless communication between the external device and the wireless antenna, and to output a third signal to the DC / DC converter unit that changes the output of the output unit when either the first signal or the second signal is input. When the control unit is operated, the magnitude of the voltage output by the output unit and the display on the display unit relating to the voltage output by the output unit are changed, and the display on the external device communicating wirelessly with the wireless antenna relating to the voltage output by the output unit is changed. Subsequently, when the external device is operated, the display on the external device is changed, and the magnitude of the voltage output by the output unit of the battery pack communicating wirelessly with the external device and the display on the display unit relating to the voltage output by the output unit are changed. A battery pack characterized by the following features.

2. A battery pack according to claim 1, The aforementioned circuit board is equipped with the output unit, The control unit has the wireless antenna and controls the discharge or charge of the plurality of battery cells. A battery pack characterized by the following features.

3. A battery pack according to claim 1, The plurality of battery cells are arranged within the case, with their longitudinal directions extending in a first direction and aligned in a second direction intersecting the first direction. In the case, in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions, the plurality of battery cells and the output unit are arranged on one side of the substrate, and the wireless antenna is arranged on the other side. A battery pack characterized by the following features.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3, At the ends of the plurality of battery cells in the first direction, there are a plurality of tabs that extend in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions and connect the battery cells to the substrate, The plurality of battery cells are arranged within the case, with their longitudinal directions extending in a first direction and aligned in a second direction intersecting the first direction. Each of the aforementioned tabs has a plurality of board connection portions that are connected to the board, The wireless antenna is positioned on the substrate in the first direction on the extension line of one of the plurality of substrate connection portions. A battery pack characterized by the following features.

5. A battery pack according to claim 1, It is equipped with an input section that receives power from an external source, The plurality of battery cells are arranged within the case, with their longitudinal directions extending in a first direction and aligned in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The case is composed of an upper case and a lower case that are combined in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions. The lower case has a first rib located between all adjacent battery cells in the second direction and protruding upward from the inner bottom surface of the lower case, and a second rib located between the battery cell at the outermost end in the second direction and the input and output sections and protruding upward from the inner bottom surface of the lower case. A battery pack characterized by the following features.

6. A battery pack according to claim 1, The control unit has a single button that is operated by an operator to change the output of the output unit. A battery pack characterized by the following features.

7. A battery pack according to any one of claims 3 to 5, The wireless antenna is provided near the edge of the area where the plurality of battery cells exist in the first direction, or near the edge of the area where the plurality of battery cells exist in the second direction. A battery pack characterized by the following features.

8. A battery pack according to any one of claims 3 to 5, It is equipped with an input section that receives power from an external source, The input unit and the output unit extend or are located within the range where the battery cell exists in the third direction, and are located in the range opposite to the wireless antenna with respect to the center of the substrate in the second direction. A battery pack characterized by the following features.

9. A battery pack according to claim 1, An input section for receiving power from an external source, A charging circuit that charges the plurality of battery cells with power input from the input unit, It has, The control unit controls the charging circuit. A battery pack characterized by the following features.

10. A battery pack according to claim 1, The DC / DC converter section has a switching element, The control unit controls the switching element using PWM to change the output of the output unit. A battery pack characterized by the following features.

11. A fan or heater that is powered by a power supply from a battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The fan or heater is connected to the output unit via a cable. The fan speed or the heater temperature can be changed according to the output from the output unit. A device body characterized by the following features.

12. A battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and a device body powered by the power from the battery pack can be attached to the device. Clothing characterized by the following features.

13. A battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 6, and a fan or heater driven by power from the battery pack, An electrical device characterized by the following features.

14. The electrical equipment according to claim 13, Having a garment to which the aforementioned fan or heater is attached, An electrical device characterized by the following features.

15. A battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The aforementioned external devices include a smartphone with an output adjustment application installed, A system equipped with, The application has two buttons for changing the output of the output unit. A system characterized by the following features.

16. A battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The aforementioned external devices include a smartphone with an output adjustment application installed, A system equipped with, The aforementioned application is A connection button for wirelessly connecting to the aforementioned battery pack, An output display unit that displays information regarding the voltage output by the output unit, A remaining charge display unit that displays information regarding the remaining charge of the aforementioned battery pack, Having, A system characterized by the following features.

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