International Business Machines Corporation

Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.

Toshitsugu Mito

Izuru Narita

Tomoyuki Takahashi

Tetsuji Nakamura

Yoshiharu Uchiyama

Hideyuki Usui

Tetsuya Ohtani

Shaun Astarabadi

Keiji Suzuki

Arimasa Naitoh

Masahiko Hatori

Shigefumi Odaohara

Atsushi Kumaki

Leopoldo L Suarez

Noboru Tsurukawa

Hiroshi Nakagawa

Yoshiaki Kohno

Tetsuya Hinata

Shigefumi Odeohhara

Marcus G Calescibetta

Masahito Kizawa

Kazuhiro Oki

Shizuko Hiryu

A power supply system and a power supply control method capable of having a peak shift function without deteriorating the essential function of an apparatus is provided for such that the present invention provides for the use of the peak shift function without deteriorating the essential function of an electrical apparatus.

System, method and apparatus for controllable power supply

A switching power supply unit which contains a secondary battery for backup and a circuit for controlling the charging and discharging of the secondary battery in its enclosure and which properly manages the charging and discharging of the secondary battery. A switching power supply circuit includes a rectifying and smoothing circuit for smoothing alternating-current input from commercial power supply Vin at normal operation time, a battery pack charged by a DC&#x2014;DC converter which can continuously output a predetermined direct-current power supply voltage for supplying power supply voltage to the DC&#x2014;DC converter at the time of a stoppage in alternating-current input, a charging circuit section for controlling the charging and discharging of the battery pack, and a charging and discharging control circuit. The battery pack and circuits, such as the DC&#x2014;DC converter, are mounted in the same unit enclosure.

Switching power supply unit

A connector for a battery charger is configured so that a latching member protrude from a connector body, a connector portion is disposed in the lower portion of a latching member, and a keep plate is fixed at the bottom face 12A. When the connector portion is connected to a battery connector located in a recess of a battery pack, hooks of the latching member fit in grooves of the recess, thereby the keep plate 14 comes in contact with a bottom face of the battery pack and the battery connector is pinched between the keep plate and the latching member. The connector is thus locked in the connection state.

Connector for a battery charger

A charge control method by which batteries can be efficiently charged, even if the charging is aborted, as well as a computer which employs such a charge control method is provided. The charge to the main battery is started and then the charge to the,main battery is stopped when the amount of electric energy in the main battery reaches a predetermined value (steps to ). Next, the charge to the second battery is started and then the charge to the second battery is stopped when the amount of electric energy in the second battery reaches a predetermined value (steps to ). Next, the charge to the main battery is restarted and then the charge to the main battery is stopped when the amount of electric energy in the main battery reaches 100%. Thereafter, the charge to the second battery is restarted and then the charge to the battery is stopped when the amount of electric energy in the second battery reaches 100% (steps to ).

Charge control method and computer

A battery pack having at least one battery cell and an electronic circuit for controlling the charging and discharging of the cell(s) includes an enclosing cover and base which define a cavity and a partition which extends across the cavity to define separate portions for the electronic circuit and the cell(s) respectively. Preferably the cover and base are attached at their edges and the partition is formed of walls in each which interleave when they are brought together. A flexible material such as silicone rubber fills any void between the partition walls to isolate the electronics cavity from the battery cell cavity and provide a gas-proof seal.

Battery pack

Disclosed is a battery charger that can be connected in series to a power feed line, which lies between an external power source and an electric/electronic device, and that monitors the power consumption state of the electric/electronic device and begins and halts the charging of a battery in consonance with the power consumption state. Since a battery charger according to the present invention can be inserted in series into a power feed line that lies between an AC/DC adaptor and an electric/electronic device, the wiring arrangement is not complicated and a spare battery can be automatically charged. Since the charging is performed only during a period in which power consumption by the electric/electronic device is relatively low, the charging operation does not affect the system operation. As the battery charger does not require AC to DC conversion circuit, it is compact and light and is suitable for use along with a portable device. Further, when the spare battery pack is carried with being attached into the battery charger, the volume is not great, and as the terminal portions of the battery are covered and are protected from coming into contact with foreign conductive material, the possibility that the electrodes of the battery will be short-circuited can be prevented. To use a notebook computer while staying at a hotel on a business trip, a user need merely connect in series an AC/DC adaptor, a Travel Quick Charger, and a notebook computer in the named order via a power supply cord. The spare battery can be attached into a Travel Quick Charger while being carried to the destination.

Battery charger for an electronic device and a spare battery

A portable electronic tool comprising a body for the portable electronic tool; a cable; and an engaging mechanism, so that the cable is stored while the cable is wound by the engaging mechanism around the external surface of the electronic tool body. A first and a second protrusion are provided at the respective ends of the body and prevent the cable from slipping off the body when the cable is wound around the body. The engaging mechanism includes a terminal tool, which is provided at the distal end of the cable, and a recessed portion, which is provided in the first protrusion, wherein the terminal tool is retained. A guide member is provided to guide, in a direction in which the cable is wound, the base end portion of the cable so as to prevent the base end of the cable from being projected outward from the body when the cable is wound around the body. The terminal tool is so designed that selective attachment of various types of plugs is possible.

Power converter with compact cord storge

An invention to effect charging for a battery pack at the suitable time irrespective of the kind of an installed battery pack. A battery pack detects voltage, electric current, and temperature of an accommodated battery main body. When it is determined that charging for the battery main body is required, the battery pack outputs a charge request signal. Further, when it is determined that the battery main body has been brought into a full-charged state, the battery pack stops outputting of the charge request signal. When the charge request signal is inputted from the battery pack, the charge controller causes a direct current voltage supplied from an AC/DC adapter to be supplied for the battery pack, so as to start charging the battery main body of the battery pack. Further, when the continued inputting of the charge request signal is stopped, and the charging for the battery main body is stopped.

Charge requesting battery pack and charge-request controlled charger

A battery pack has a plurality of slits located on an edge surface of the pack. Electrical terminals are positioned completely within the boundaries of the slits to protect the battery pack from electrical shorts in the event the pack comes into contact with an extraneous metal object, such as a coin or key. The slits extend all the way thorugh the battery pack, from the bottom surface to the top surface, such that the slits are open on three sides. This permits the battery pack to be attached to and detached from a mating connector in any one of three directions; specifcally, perpendicular to the upper surface of the battery pack, perpendicular to the lower surface of the pack, and perpendicular to the edge surface.

Battery pack having protected terminals and connection mechanism

To make it possible to supply to a battery a charging current having a sufficient capacity which enables a short-time charge while supplying a drive current for usual operation to a battery operable electronic device, without making construction large-sized and complicated. The present invention is intended to be able to delicately vary a charging current of a battery according to the variation of power consumption of load on an electronic device, by providing constant power feedback control means for performing feedback control of the outputted power so as to cause a constant power or a nearly constant power, based on a current feedback value and a voltage feedback value.

Power supply for electronic device, and electronic device system

A charge monitor for a battery operated computer includes a processor electrically connected to a plurality of signal generating circuits. The generated signals represent the temperature, voltage and current characteristics of the battery being monitored. The level of remaining battery energy is ascertained by utilizing a predetermined discharge table which is dependent upon the battery temperature, voltage and current.

Growing community of inventors

Atsugi, Japan

Toshitsugu Mito