Abstract:
A composite battery set of a power tool, comprising a battery, a non-polarity ultracapacitor, a switch, a motor, etc. The ultracapacitor is a non-polarity ultracapacitor, and the power released by the fully charged battery at a high discharge rate is utilized to drive a motor. As such, a switch is used to switch and connect the non-polarity ultracapacitor to the different polarities of the motor, thus achieving the switching of the rotation directions of the motor.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 095113479 filed in Taiwan, R.O.C. on Apr. 14, 2006, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a composite battery set of a power tool, and more particularly to a composite battery set composed of a metal-ceramic ruthenium-oxide ultracapacitor or nitride ultracapacitor. 
         [0004]    2. Related Art 
         [0005]    In general, a conventional power tool is provided with a nickel-cadmium (Ni—Cd) battery or nickel-metal-hydride (Ni-MH) battery as the source of power supply. Though the Ni—Cd battery and Ni-MH battery have a high discharge rate, yet their performances of power density and discharge duration are still not quite satisfactory. In addition, the Ni—Cd battery has the problem of heavy metal pollution caused by the scrap batteries, thus it has gradually been phased out of the market considering the rising environment protection sentiment; the Ni-MH battery has the disadvantage of having a high discharge temperature due to its intrinsic high impedance. 
         [0006]    On the other hand, in recent years the lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery has been very popular and widely utilized because of its compact size, light weight, high power density, and non-memory effect, thus fulfilling the requirement of having a thinner profile and easy recharge of the electronic equipment. Moreover, the operation voltage of the Li-ion battery is three times that of other secondary batteries. As such, in the prior art, the lithium-ion battery is widely utilized as the power supply of power tools. 
         [0007]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , it is a schematic diagram of a composite battery set of a power tool according to the prior art. The power tool  10  includes a composite battery set  11  and a load  12 . The composite battery set  11  is used to provide power required by the load  12 , including a battery  110 , a battery internal resistance R B , a protective circuit module (PCM)  120 , a PCM internal resistance R PCM , capacitors  131 , 132 , and their equivalent series resistances (ESR) R ESR1 , R ESR2 . Also, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the protective circuit module (PCM)  120  series connected with a battery  110  is used to control the cut-off voltage and surge current during the charging and discharging of the battery, hereby preventing a short circuit and damage of the battery cell of the Li-ion battery. The composite battery set  11  further includes two sets of capacitors  131  and  132  of different polarities connected in parallel respectively with the load  12 , and a switch  13 , which is used to switch the circuit to be connected to the capacitors  131  or  132  of different polarities, as such providing the load  12 , such as a motor device, with the power required for generating forward rotation or reverse rotation. When the switch  13  operates and connects the series-connected circuit of the battery  110  to the capacitor  131 , then the battery is used to proceed with the charging of the capacitor  131 . At this time, the power required for the operation of the load  12  is supplied by the capacitor  132 . The operation proceeds in a similar manner in case the switch  13  operates and connects the series-connected circuit of the battery  110  to the capacitor  132 . 
         [0008]    However, the major feature of the conventional composite battery set is that a switch is utilized to proceed with the switching of the circuit between two sets of capacitors of different polarities. Though, in this manner, the forward and reverse rotations of the power tool motor can be achieved, yet it has the drawbacks of high equivalent series resistance and slow charging and discharging speeds of the conventional capacitor. 
         [0009]    In addition, in the prior art, an ultracapacitor is utilized to replace the conventional capacitor. The capacitance of the ultracapacitor is several thousands to ten thousands that of the conventional capacitor, thus the instantaneous power released is much stronger. As such, it is especially suitable for a device requiring high instantaneous power, such as power tools. Therefore, the application of the ultracapacitor composite Li-ion battery may indeed improve the shortcomings of the insufficient instantaneous power provided by an ordinary capacitor. Moreover, due to the non-polarity characteristics of the ultracapacitor, only a single ultracapacitor is sufficient in the composite battery set, to realize the forward and reverse rotations of the motor of the power tool. However, the conventional ultracapacitor is made of a carbon-based capacitor, thus the composite battery set of the composite Li-ion battery, using such ultracapacitors may be utilized to enhance the pulse discharge capability of the battery set. Yet, due to the restrictions of the material characteristics of the carbon-based ultracapacitor, the intrinsic impedance of the composite battery set is still pretty high. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    According to one aspect of the present invention, a composite battery set is provided for a power tool, wherein the composite battery set is used to provide the power required for the operation of the motor of the power tool. 
         [0011]    The composite battery set includes a protective circuit module and an ultracapacitor. The ultracapacitor is a non-polarity ultracapacitor, such as a metal-ceramic ruthenium-oxide ultracapacitor or a nitride ultracapacitor, in which the features of the chemical reaction are utilized, so that the instantaneous power released is much stronger. As such, it is particularly suitable for a device requiring high instantaneous power, such as a power tool. 
         [0012]    Besides, the non-polarity ultracapacitor having the characteristics of a high power discharge rate, small internal resistance and low power consumption of a non-polarity ultracapacitor is utilized to provide sufficient power for the operation of a motor. In addition, a switch is used to switch and control the non-polarity ultracapacitor to the different polarity of the motor, hereby achieving the switching of the motor operation direction. Moreover, the non-polarity ultracapacitor is used to provide buffering and voltage stabilizing effects, so that the size of the power supply module of the device can be reduced, and the operation duration and service life of the battery can be prolonged, thus fully utilizing the capacity of the battery. 
         [0013]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a composite battery set which may operate for a long period of time without generating excessive heat. 
         [0014]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a composite battery set, which has less power loss so as to raise the capacity utilization rate and prolong the operation period of the battery inside the composite battery set. 
         [0015]    A still further object of the present invention is to provide a composite battery set to increase the service life of the battery. 
         [0016]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a composite battery set, which needs fewer batteries to achieve the same purpose of driving the motor device. 
         [0017]    Further scope of applicability of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    The invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow for illustration only, and thus is not limitative of the invention, wherein: 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a composite battery set of a power tool according to the prior art; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a composite battery set of a power tool according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    The purpose, construction, features, and functions of the invention can be appreciated and understood more thoroughly through the following detailed description with reference to the attached drawings. 
         [0022]    Firstly, as shown in  FIG. 2 , it is a schematic diagram of a composite battery set of a power tool according to an embodiment of the invention. The power tool  20  includes a composite battery set  21  and a load  22 . The composite battery set  21  includes a battery  210 , a battery internal resistance R B , a protective circuit module  220 , a protective circuit module internal resistance R PCM , an ultracapacitor  230 , and its equivalent series resistance R ESR . The composite battery set  21  is connected in parallel with the load  22  and is used to provide power required by the load  22 . The functions and capabilities of the protective circuit module  220  are the same as those of the prior art mentioned earlier, and they will not be repeated here for brevity&#39;s sake. The switch  23  is used to switch and connect the composite battery set  21  to the different polarities of the load  22 . The actual number of various components utilized in the composite battery set  21  is not restricted to those as shown in  FIG. 2 . Namely, is can be composed of a plurality of the same elements connected in series or in parallel. For instance, the composite battery set  21  may be composed of at least one battery  210  and one battery internal resistance R B  connected in series or the composite battery set  21  may be composed of at least one ultracapacitor  230  connected in series with its equivalent series resistance R ESR . 
         [0023]    In the embodiment of the present invention, the battery  210  may be a Li-ion battery or Li polymer battery. The ultracapacitor  230  usually refers to a non-polarity ultracapacitor, such as a metal-ceramic ruthenium-oxide ultracapacitor, platinum-based ultracapacitor, or gold-based ultracapacitor. All these types of ultracapacitors have the characteristics of a low resistance and quick response pulse rising time, which can be used to effectively reduce the overall impedance of the battery set, and shorten the pulse rising time, so that the instantaneous power released by the battery set can be stronger, and the signal response time of the electronic device is reduced. In the present embodiment, the composite battery set  21  is composed of the above-mentioned various batteries  210  and the ultracapacitor  230 . The load  22  could be an electronic device, such as a motor. 
         [0024]    Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the features and functions of a battery  210  and ultracapacitor  230  are mutually complimentary. As such, in the composite battery set  21 , the purpose of the ultracapacitor  230  is to reduce the overall impedance R of the composite battery set  21 , that is used to supply a peak current to the load  22 , and improve the shortcomings of the prior art, in which the battery  210  is not capable of generating high instantaneous power. Meanwhile, the battery  210  is used to charge the ultracapacitor  230  so that it may function normally. 
         [0025]    In the above-mentioned structure, the load  22  is, for example, the motor device of a power tool. In order to drive the motor, it is required to provide a higher peak current. The utilization of the ultracapacitor  230  is to take the burden from the battery  210 . The switch  23  is used to switch and connect the composite battery set  21  to the different polarities of the load  22 . As such, the non-polarity ultracapacitor  230  is connected to the different polarities of the load  22 , thus providing the power required for the forward and reverse rotations of the motor. In this respect, the composite battery set  21  composed of a battery  210  and an ultracapacitor  230  may be utilized to solve the problem of the prior art, of which the details are given as follows. 
         [0026]    (1) Through the application of the ultracapacitor  230 , in cooperation with the battery  210 , the peak current, flowing through the battery  210 , is decreased, consequently, the heat generated by the current is significantly reduced. Meanwhile, since the equivalent series resistance R ESR  of the ultracapacitor  210  is relatively small, the overall impedance R of the composite battery set  21  is reduced drastically, as such increasing the current supplied to the load  22 . In addition, since the impedance of the ultracapacitor  230  is relatively small, overheating will not occur. Therefore, the entire composite battery set  21  may operate for a long period of time, without generating excessive heat. 
         [0027]    (2) Through the application of the ultracapacitor  230 , in cooperation with the battery  210 , increasing the capacity utilization rate, and thus the volume energy density and the weight energy density of the battery  210 , can be achieved. Before the utilization of the ultracapacitor  230 , when the voltage of the battery  210  has dropped to a specific level, the sluggish response time of the battery  210  will lead to energy loss during voltage drop. The utilization of the ultracapacitor  230  enables the reduction of the time required for charging and discharging of the battery  210 . As a result, power loss is reduced significantly, as such raising the capacity utilization rate and prolonging the operation period of the battery  210 . 
         [0028]    (3) Through the application of the ultracapacitor  230 , in cooperation with the battery  210 , the battery  210  still can maintain an adequate charge and discharge rate, even when a peak current is supplied to the load  22 , thus improving the charging and discharging frequency of the battery  210 . As such, the service life of the battery  210  can be prolonged. 
         [0029]    (4) Through the application of the ultracapacitor  230 , in cooperation with the battery  210  driving the motor device, the non-polarity ultracapacitor  230  can be used to compensate the insufficient capacity of the conventional polarity-capacitor that requires the utilization of two sets of conventional polarity-capacitors for charging and discharging the battery alternatively, to provide the power needed for driving a motor in forward and reverse rotations. In addition, the number of batteries utilized can be reduced since they are capable of providing a high current. In the prior art, ten series-connected Ni—Cd batteries are required in the power tool to provide a sufficient current for driving the motor. However, through the application of the invention, only four series-connected Li-ion batteries are required in the composite battery set  21 , to achieve the same purpose. 
         [0030]    Knowing the invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.