Charging Pad Terminal Layout for Dirty High-Voltage Battery Packs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conductive charging technologies face challenges in harsh environments due to dirty contacts and are limited by low voltage requirements, which restrict the use of higher voltage and capacity batteries in power tools.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of multiple terminal constellations on batteries and charging pads, which provide redundancy and voltage/amperage division, allowing for efficient charging of higher voltage and capacity batteries while maintaining safety and durability in harsh environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conductive charging pads are set to low voltage to reduce user injury risk, then safety is improved, but the ability to charge higher voltage and capacity batteries deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The charging pad is divided into multiple independently controllable charging zones with different voltage levels. High voltage zones charge high capacity batteries while low voltage zones charge smaller batteries, allowing the system to simultaneously support multiple battery types without compromising safety or charging capability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If small ball tips are used for conductive charging, then contact area is reduced for cleaner contacts, but the voltage differential and amperage draw capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple small ball tip constellations are arranged in parallel configurations across the charging pad. This segmentation allows the system to maintain small contact areas for cleanliness while collectively providing high voltage differential and amperage draw capability through parallel current paths.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple small ball tip constellations are electrically combined in parallel to achieve the cumulative power handling capability needed for high voltage and capacity batteries, while each individual contact point remains small to minimize contamination issues.
3Adaptability or versatility
If additional circuitry is added to battery packs for voltage stepping up, then higher voltage battery charging capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The charging pad serves as an intermediary device that performs voltage transformation and power management functions externally. This eliminates the need for complex voltage stepping circuitry within the battery pack, simplifying battery design while maintaining the ability to charge high voltage batteries.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables reliable and efficient charging of higher voltage and capacity batteries in power tools, even in dirty or harsh environments, by providing redundancy and voltage management, thus overcoming the limitations of traditional conductive charging technologies.
Implementation Method 1
constellation/dots style conductive charging is a charging technology that relies on the contact between small metallic ball tips on a battery and charged metallic strips on a charger
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for charging battery packs is provided. The system may include a charging pad comprising a power supply, a charging pad surface, and a microcontroller unit. The power supply may provide charging power. The charging pad surface may include a first charging region and a second charging region. The microcontroller unit may control delivery of charging power to the first charging region and the second charging region such that a device placed in contact with the first charging region is given a higher charging priority than a device placed in contact with the second charging region.