Rechargeable Battery Charge State Tracking via Removable Indicia Tabs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rechargeable batteries are not as convenient as disposable batteries due to the need for expensive chargers and the difficulty in tracking their charge state, as the appearance of the battery does not change with its charge level, and integrated power meters are costly and drain battery power.
Innovation Solution
A rechargeable battery system that includes a removable tab on each battery to indicate its charge state, with different tabs indicating fully charged, partially charged, or discharged states, allowing users to easily manage and differentiate between used and unused batteries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If integrated power meters are used to indicate battery charge state, then charge state tracking is improved, but device cost and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by using inexpensive, removable tabs instead of expensive integrated power meters. The tabs are simple visual indicators that can be easily replaced or removed, providing charge state information without the complexity and cost of electronic power metering systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the charge state indication function from the battery itself and places it on a separate, removable tab. This allows the indication mechanism to be independent of the battery's internal chemistry and electronics, simplifying the overall system while maintaining effective charge state tracking.
2Loss of information
If integrated power meters are used to indicate battery charge state, then charge state tracking is improved, but battery power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The charge state indication function is extracted from the battery's internal power system and placed on an external, passive tab. This eliminates the need for power-consuming electronics within the battery, as the tab provides visual indication without drawing any power from the battery cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable tab is a simple, passive indicator that requires no power source. It provides charge state information through its presence, absence, or visual characteristics, eliminating the need for power-consuming electronic displays or sensors that would be integrated into the battery.
3Loss of substance
If rechargeable batteries are used instead of disposable batteries, then environmental impact is reduced, but convenience and organization requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses visual changes on removable tabs (such as color changes, patterns, or presence/absence) to indicate battery charge state. This allows users to quickly distinguish between charged and discharged batteries at a glance, eliminating the need for complex tracking systems or memory, and making battery management intuitive and convenient.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the battery system into batteries and separate removable tabs, where each tab can be independently attached or removed based on charge state. This segmentation allows users to physically separate charged from discharged batteries, simplifying organization and selection without requiring sophisticated tracking or identification systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A rechargeable battery system can include features to facilitate determination of the charge state of a battery or a battery power unit. A rechargeable battery system can include a battery case that can hold a plurality of batteries. The batteries held by the battery case can include a tab located on a portion of the battery, such as, the terminal. The tab can include indicia of the charge state of the battery, and can be detached when the battery is at least partially discharged. The tab can facilitate determination of the charge state of the battery by allowing identification of batteries with the tab attached and batteries from which the tab has been detached.