Equipment system comprising a battery-operated electrical device, a rechargeable battery unit, and a battery charger

Abstract

An equipment system includes a battery unit ( 10 ) having a monitoring circuit ( 14 ), which detects at least one operating parameter of the battery unit ( 10 ) and furnishes a control signal, dependent on the operating parameter, for switching means ( 25, 31 ). The switching means control the charging and discharging process of the battery unit ( 10 ) and are located in the electrical device ( 20 ) and in the charger ( 30 ), respectively. From the battery unit ( 10 ), the control signal is transmitted to the switching means ( 25, 31 ) in the electrical device ( 20 ) and in the charger ( 30 ), respectively. By this provision of shifting the switching means ( 25, 31 ) out of the battery unit ( 10 ) into the electrical device ( 20 ) and into the charger ( 30 ), respectively, the heat development in the battery unit ( 10 ) and also its structure size are reduced.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:  
     
         1 . An equipment system, comprising at least one battery-operated electrical device ( 20 ), a rechargeable battery unit ( 10 ), and a battery charger ( 30 ), in which the battery unit ( 10 ) has a monitoring circuit ( 14 ), which includes at least one operating parameter of the battery unit ( 10 ) and furnishes a control signal, dependent on the operating parameter, for switching means ( 25 ,  31 ) that control a charging and discharging process of the battery unit ( 10 ), characterized in that 
 in the electrical device ( 10 ), switching means ( 25 ) are present for controlling capacity of the electrical device as a function of a control signal output by the monitoring circuit ( 14 ) of the battery unit ( 10 ); and    in the battery charger ( 30 ), switching means ( 31 ) are present for controlling a charging current transmitted from the battery charger ( 30 ) to the battery unit ( 10 ).    
     
     
         2 . A battery unit, which can be connected electrically with an electrical device ( 20 ) to supply energy to the battery unit and with a charger ( 30 ) to recharge the battery unit ( 10 ), in which the battery unit ( 10 ) has a monitoring circuit ( 14 ) that detects at least one operating parameter of the battery unit ( 10 ) and from said at least one operating parameter, derives a control signal for controlling a charging and discharging process, characterized in that the battery unit ( 10 ) has means ( 15 ) for transmitting the control signal to outside the battery unit ( 10 ), namely switching means ( 25 ,  31 ) located in the electrical device ( 20 ) and the charger ( 30 ), respectively, and the switching means ( 25 ) in the electrical device ( 20 ) are intended for controlling capacity of the electrical device as a function of the control signal of the battery unit ( 10 ), and the switching means ( 31 ) in the charger ( 30 ) are intended for controlling a charging current transmitted from the charger ( 30 ) to the battery unit ( 10 ).  
     
     
         3 . A charger for a battery unit ( 10 ) which has a monitoring circuit ( 14 ) that detects at least one operating parameter of the battery unit and from said at least one operating parameter, derives a control signal for controlling the charging process, characterized in that in the charger ( 30 ), switching means ( 31 ) are present for controlling a charging current, transmitted from the charger ( 30 ) to the battery unit ( 10 ), as a function of the control signal of the battery unit ( 10 ).  
     
     
         4 . An electrical device, which can be connected to a battery unit ( 10 ) for an energy supply, which has a monitoring circuit ( 14 ) that detects at least one operating parameter of the battery unit ( 10 ), and from said at least one operating parameter, derives a control signal for controlling a discharging process, characterized in that in the electrical device ( 20 ), switching means ( 25 ) are present for controlling capacity of the electrical device as a function of the control signal of the battery unit ( 10 ).  
     
     
         5 . The equipment system of  claim 1 , characterized in that the monitoring circuit ( 14 ) in the battery unit ( 10 ), as the at least one operating parameter, detects a current flowing into or out of the battery unit ( 10 ) and/or a terminal voltage of the battery unit ( 10 ) and/or a temperature of the battery unit ( 10 ), or a variable that is in relation to the temperature.  
     
     
         6 . The battery unit of  claim 2 , characterized in that the monitoring circuit ( 14 ) in the battery unit ( 10 ), as the at least one operating parameter, detects the current flowing into or out of the battery unit ( 10 ) and/or a terminal voltage of the battery unit, and/or a temperature of the battery unit ( 10 ), or a variable that is in relation to the temperature.  
     
     
         7 . The charger of  claim 3 , characterized in that the control signal controlling the switching means ( 31 ) depends on a charging current flowing into the battery unit ( 10 ) and/or a terminal voltage of the battery unit ( 10 ), and/or a temperature of the battery unit ( 10 ), or a variable that is in relation to the temperature.  
     
     
         8 . The electrical device of  claim 4 , characterized in that the control signal controlling the switching means ( 31 ) depends on a current flowing out of the battery unit ( 10 ), and/or a terminal voltage of the battery unit ( 10 ), and/or a temperature of the battery unit ( 10 ), or a variable that is in relation to the temperature.