Battery module

Abstract

This battery module comprises a secondary battery (101), a power reception antenna (102) and a non-contact power reception circuit (103) for receiving power from an external non-contact power supply system, a charge / discharge circuit (104), and a housing (100). The power reception antenna (102) is disposed along the inner side surface of the housing (100). The charge / discharge circuit (104) controls charging of the secondary battery (101) using power received by the non-contact power reception circuit (103) and discharging from the secondary battery (101). The housing (100) is cylindrical, and accomodates the secondary battery (101), the charge / discharge circuit (104), the power reception antenna (102), and the non-contact power reception circuit (103).

Description

Battery module

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery module.

[0002] Many small devices that are powered by dry batteries are now in widespread use, including remote controls for controlling home appliances such as televisions and air conditioners, toys, various input devices, and even electronic locks for automobiles and platform doors.

[0003] When the above-mentioned small devices are powered by primary batteries, when the batteries run out, they must be removed from the device, discarded, and replaced with new ones. When the devices are powered by secondary batteries, when the batteries run out, they must be removed from the device, charged in a charger, and then reinstalled in the device. In this way, when a small device is powered by batteries, the task of removing and replacing the batteries from the device when they run out is necessary, which is a burden on the user.

[0004] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has as its object to reduce the burden of replacing dry batteries when they are exhausted.

[0005] The battery module of the present invention comprises a secondary battery, a receiving antenna and a non-contact power receiving circuit for receiving power from an external non-contact power supply system, a charge / discharge circuit that controls the charging of the power received by the non-contact power receiving circuit to the secondary battery and the discharging of the power from the secondary battery, a cylindrical housing that houses the secondary battery, the charge / discharge circuit, the receiving antenna, and the non-contact power receiving circuit, an external positive terminal provided on the outside of the housing and connected to the positive discharge terminal of the charge / discharge circuit, and an external negative terminal provided on the outside of the housing and connected to the negative terminal of the secondary battery, the negative charge / discharge terminal of the charge / discharge circuit, and the negative power supply terminal of the non-contact power receiving circuit.

[0006] As described above, according to the present invention, a secondary battery, a receiving antenna, a non-contact receiving circuit, and a charging / discharging circuit are housed in a housing, for example, having a cylindrical shape, thereby reducing the burden of replacing the dry batteries when they are depleted.

[0007] Fig. 1 is a structural diagram showing the structure of a battery module according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a structural diagram showing the structure of another battery module according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a plan view (a), side views (b), and (c) showing the structure of a battery module according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a plan view (a), side views (b), and side views (c) showing the structure of another battery module according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0008] A battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Fig. 1. This battery module includes a secondary battery 101, a power receiving antenna 102 and a wireless power receiving circuit 103 for receiving power from an external wireless power supply system, a charge / discharge circuit 104, and a housing 100. The power receiving antenna 102 is disposed along the inner side surface of the housing 100. The charge / discharge circuit 104 controls charging of the power received by the wireless power receiving circuit 103 to the secondary battery 101 and discharging of the power from the secondary battery 101.

[0009] The housing 100 is cylindrical and houses the secondary battery 101, the charge / discharge circuit 104, the power receiving antenna 102, and the wireless power receiving circuit 103. The housing 100 also has an outer positive terminal 105 and an outer negative terminal 106 on the outside. For example, the housing 100 may be cylindrical. The outer positive terminal 105 may be provided on the top surface of the cylindrical housing 100, and the outer negative terminal 106 may be provided on the bottom surface of the cylindrical housing 100.

[0010] The outer positive terminal 105 is connected to the positive discharge terminal of the charge / discharge circuit 104. The outer negative terminal 106 is connected to the negative electrode of the secondary battery 101, the negative charge / discharge terminal of the charge / discharge circuit 104, and the negative power supply terminal of the non-contact power receiving circuit 103. An inner positive terminal 107 and an inner negative terminal 108 are formed on the inner surface of the housing 100. The inner positive terminal 107 is electrically connected to the outer positive terminal 105. The outer positive terminal 105 is connected to the positive discharge terminal of the charge / discharge circuit 104 via the inner positive terminal 107. The inner negative terminal 108 is electrically connected to the outer negative terminal 106. The outer negative terminal 106 is connected to the negative electrode of the secondary battery 101, the negative charge / discharge terminal of the charge / discharge circuit 104, and the negative power supply terminal of the non-contact power receiving circuit 103 via the inner negative terminal 108.

[0011] The exterior shape of the housing 100 can suitably use battery shapes that are widely used as power sources for small devices, such as IEC standard R20 (D), R14 (C), R6 (AA), R03 (AAA), R1 (AAA), 6F22 (9V), and coin shapes. By using these shapes, it is possible to supply power to a battery contactlessly without making any changes to small devices that are manufactured with the expectation that the battery will be removed and replaced when it runs out, thereby reducing the burden of the work of replacing the battery.

[0012] Furthermore, it is desirable that the housing 100 be made of a non-metallic material (non-metallic material) except for the outer positive terminal 105, the outer negative terminal 106, the inner positive terminal 107, and the inner negative terminal 108. For example, the housing 100 can be made of a resin such as ABS or a ceramic material. By making the housing 100 of a non-metallic material, contactless power reception by the power receiving antenna 102 is not hindered, enabling efficient power transmission.

[0013] The secondary battery 101 can be used without any particular restrictions as long as it is large enough to be stored in the housing 100. The charge / discharge circuit 104 can be any circuit suitable for controlling the secondary battery 101. The contactless power receiving circuit 103 and the power receiving antenna 102 can be any contactless power receiving circuit and antenna that are appropriately adjusted so as to output a current and voltage that the charge / discharge circuit 104 can handle. Contactless power feeding systems include electromagnetic induction systems, magnetic field resonance systems, electric field coupling systems, and radio wave reception systems. A power receiving circuit and antenna of one of these systems can be provided, or power receiving circuits and antennas of multiple systems can be provided in parallel.

[0014] The power receiving antenna 102 may have a shape suited to the contactless power supply system, and multiple power receiving antennas 102 may be provided. When multiple power receiving antennas 102 are provided, they may be provided at equal intervals in an array along the cylindrical inner surface of the housing 100. This configuration is even more preferable because it enables efficient contactless power reception regardless of the orientation of the battery module according to the embodiment when it is attached to the small device.

[0015] The power receiving antenna 102 is disposed along the inner surface of the housing 100. The entire portion of the housing 100 where the power receiving antenna 102 is disposed can be formed of a non-metallic material. This configuration is even more advantageous because it prevents the metal material from blocking the power supplied via wireless power supply to the power receiving antenna 102 and from generating heat. The outer positive electrode terminal 105, the outer negative electrode terminal 106, the inner positive electrode terminal 107, and the inner negative electrode terminal 108 can be preferably made of a metal material such as Ni-plated.

[0016] A cylindrical battery module can also be formed by sealing both ends of the cylindrical housing 100 with metal caps. With this configuration, the metal caps can also serve as the outer positive electrode terminal 105 and the inner positive electrode terminal 107 or the outer negative electrode terminal 106 and the inner negative electrode terminal 108.

[0017] 2, a step-up / step-down circuit 109 may be further provided between the positive electrode discharge terminal of the charge / discharge circuit 104 and the outer positive electrode terminal 105. By providing the step-up / step-down circuit 109, it is possible to output a drive voltage for a small device to which this battery module is attached, regardless of the electromotive force of the secondary battery 101.

[0018] In addition, the output voltage of the step-up / step-down circuit 109 can be changed, and the device can further include a wireless communication unit and an output voltage control unit (not shown), so that, for example, a user can communicate with the wireless communication unit using a smartphone or the like and transmit the desired output voltage, and the output voltage control unit can control the step-up / step-down circuit 109 to change the output voltage.

[0019] 3 and 4, the battery module according to the embodiment may be coin-shaped. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, an outer annular positive electrode terminal 105' may be formed concentrically around the central axis of a cylindrical housing 100' on the top surface of the cylindrical housing 100'. In this case, an outer negative electrode terminal 106' is formed on the bottom surface of the cylindrical housing 100'.

[0020] 4, an outer positive terminal 105'a may be formed concentrically around the central axis of the cylindrical housing 100' on the side surface of the cylindrical housing 100'. In this case, an outer negative terminal 106' is formed on the bottom surface of the cylinder.

[0021] As shown in Figures 3(c) and 4(c), currently popular coin-shaped batteries have terminals on the bottom, top, or side of a small device, such as a battery socket, that contact the terminals using springs or the like (see References 1 and 2). Therefore, by forming the outer positive terminal 105' (outer positive terminal 105'a) and the outer negative terminal 106' concentrically around the central axis of the cylindrical housing 100' as described above, the terminals on the small device can be in contact regardless of the orientation of the battery module according to the embodiment when it is attached to the small device. The outer positive terminal 105' (outer positive terminal 105'a) can be provided in multiple locations, and can be provided on the top and side surfaces of the cylindrical housing 100'.

[0022] As described above, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a secondary battery, a receiving antenna, a non-contact receiving circuit, and a charging / discharging circuit are housed in a housing, for example, having a cylindrical shape, thereby reducing the burden of replacing the dry batteries when they are depleted.

[0023] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and it is clear that many modifications and combinations can be made by a person having ordinary knowledge in the art within the technical concept of the present invention.

[0024] [References] [Reference 1] Takachi Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., "Metal Coin Battery Holder SMTM / BK / BS Series," [Retrieved May 14, 2024] (https: / / www.takachi-el.co.jp / products / SMTM_BK). [Reference 2] Takachi Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., "CR2450 Vertical Coin Battery Holder BV-50N," [Retrieved May 14, 2024] (https: / / www.takachi-el.co.jp / products / BV-50).

[0025] 100... housing, 101... secondary battery, 102... power receiving antenna, 103... non-contact power receiving circuit, 104... charge / discharge circuit, 105... outer positive electrode terminal, 106... outer negative electrode terminal, 107... inner positive electrode terminal, 108... inner negative electrode terminal.

Claims

1. A battery module comprising: a secondary battery; a receiving antenna and a contactless power receiving circuit for receiving power from an external contactless power supply system; a charge / discharge circuit for controlling the charging of the secondary battery with power received by the contactless power receiving circuit and the discharging of the secondary battery; a cylindrical housing for accommodating the secondary battery, the charge / discharge circuit, the receiving antenna, and the contactless power receiving circuit; an external positive terminal provided on the outside of the housing and connected to a positive discharge terminal of the charge / discharge circuit; and an external negative terminal provided on the outside of the housing and connected to a negative terminal of the secondary battery, a negative charge / discharge terminal of the charge / discharge circuit, and a negative power supply terminal of the contactless power receiving circuit.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, further comprising a step-up / step-down circuit provided between the positive electrode discharge terminal of the charge / discharge circuit and the outer positive electrode terminal.

3. A battery module according to claim 1, wherein the power receiving antenna is arranged along the inner side surface of the housing, and the portion of the housing where the power receiving antenna is arranged is made of a non-metallic material.

4. A battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the housing is cylindrical, the external positive terminal is provided on the top surface of the housing, the external negative terminal is provided on the bottom surface of the housing, and the external positive terminal and the external negative terminal are concentrically shaped around the central axis of the housing.

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