Cordless power tool and battery device used for same

1. A battery device comprising:

a battery device including one or a plurality of cell assemblies each of which includes a plurality of cells;

a cordless power tool to be connected to the battery device, the cordless power tool including a motor which is supplied with a DC current from the battery device;

a switching element which, being connected to the motor, controls a drive and a stop of the motor;

means which detects a connection state of the cell assemblies; and

control means which controls the switching element in accordance with a signal from the detection means,

wherein the control means controls the switching element not to drive the motor if the detected connection state does not satisfy a use condition of the battery device.

2. A cordless power tool having attached thereto a battery device including one or a plurality of cell assemblies each of which includes a plurality of cells, the tool comprising:

a motor which is supplied with a DC current from the battery device;

a switching element which, being connected to the motor, controls a drive and a stop of the motor;

means which detects a number of the cell assemblies; and

control means which controls the switching element in accordance with a signal from the detection means,

wherein the control means, when the number of the cell assemblies is smaller than a prescribed value, controls the switching element in such a way as to stop the drive of the motor.

3. A cordless power tool having attached thereto a battery device including one or a plurality of cell assemblies each of which includes a plurality of cells and a cell quantity signal terminal for extracting a signal related to a number of the cells, comprising:

a motor which is supplied with a DC voltage from the battery device;

a switching element connected in series to the motor; and

control means which receives the signal from the cell quantity signal terminal, compares values related to a preset number of cells, and controls a turning on and off of the switching element in accordance with a result of the comparison.

4. A cordless power tool having attached thereto a battery device which includes: a first and a second cell assembly each including a plurality of cells; a first signal terminal connected to the first cell assembly; and a second signal terminal connected to the second cell assembly, the tool comprising:

a motor which is supplied with a DC voltage from the battery device;

a switching element connected in series to the motor; and

a controller which controls a turning on and off of the switching element,

wherein the controller controls the turning on and off of the switching element in accordance with signals from the first signal terminal and the second signal terminal.

5. The cordless power tool according to claim 4 , wherein, when the first and second cell assemblies are connected, the controller drives the motor and, when one of the first and second cell assemblies is not connected, it controls the switching element in such a way as not to drive the motor.

6. The cordless power tool according to claim 5 , wherein fixed resistors are connected to the first and second terminals of the battery device, a stabilized voltage is generated from the DC voltage of the battery device, and the stabilized voltage is applied to the first and second signal terminals via the resistors, as well as a connection of a first and a second cell assembly device being detected from a voltage of the first and second signal terminals.

7. A battery device used in a cordless power tool which, including at least a first and a second signal input terminal, controls a drive and a stop of a motor in accordance with a signal applied to the signal input terminals, the device comprising: a first cell assembly including:

a collection of cells including a plurality of cells;

a cell quantity signal output terminal which transmits a signal corresponding to a number of the cells in the collection of cells; and

a cell quantity signal input terminal which receives a signal corresponding to a number of cells in another collection of cells,

wherein a wiring is furnished which connects the cell quantity signal output terminal of the first cell assembly to the first signal input terminal of the cordless power tool, and connects the cell quantity signal input terminal to the second signal input terminal.

8. A battery device used in a cordless power tool which, including at least a first and a second signal input terminal, controls a drive and a stop of a motor in accordance with a signal applied to the signal input terminals, the device comprising:

at least a first and a second cell assembly,

wherein the first cell assembly includes a first collection of cells including a plurality of cells, a first cell signal output terminal which transmits a signal indicating a connection of the first collection of cells, a first cell signal input terminal to which is applied a signal from another cell assembly, and a wiring which connects the first cell signal output terminal to the first signal input terminal of the cordless power tool, and connects the first cell signal input terminal to the second signal input terminal, and

wherein the second cell assembly includes a second collection of cells including a plurality of cells, a second cell signal output terminal which transmits a signal indicating a connection of the second collection of cells, a second cell signal input terminal to which is applied a signal from another cell assembly, and means which connects the second cell signal output terminal to the first cell signal input terminal of the first cell assembly.