System and method for charging a battery pack
System and method for charging a battery pack. One system includes a battery pack with at least one battery cell, a memory, and a charging circuit configured to control a charging current from a charger to the battery pack. The battery pack also includes an electronic processor configured to control the charging circuit and to determine a type of charger to which the battery pack is connected. The electronic processor is further configured to determine, based on the type of charger, a disconnect time and to control the charging circuit to allow the charging current to charge the battery pack. The electronic processor is further configured to control the charging circuit to electrically disconnect the battery pack from the charger after the disconnect time elapses and to control the charging circuit to electrically reconnect the battery pack and the charger after disconnecting the battery pack from the charger.
1. A battery pack comprising:
at least one battery cell;
a memory;
a charging circuit electrically connected to the at least one battery cell and configured to control a charging current from a charger to the at least one battery cell; and
an electronic processor configured to control the charging circuit, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to
determine a disconnect time,
control the charging circuit to allow the charging current to charge the at least one battery cell,
control the charging circuit to electrically disconnect the at least one battery cell from the charger after the disconnect time elapses and before the battery cell is fully charged, and
control the charging circuit to electrically reconnect the at least one battery cell and the charger after disconnecting the at least one battery cell from the charger.
2. The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:
determine a type of charger to which the battery pack is connected, and
determine, based on the type of charger, the disconnect time.
3. The battery pack of claim 2 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to determine the type of charger by recognizing a charging signature of the charger.
4. The battery pack of claim 2 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to determine the type of charger by communicating with the charger through a communication interface.
5. The battery pack of claim 2 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to determine, based on the type of charger, that the charger will stop charging the battery pack before the battery pack is fully charged.
6. The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to wait a reset time period before controlling the charging circuit to electrically reconnect the at least one battery cell and the charger after disconnecting the at least one battery cell from the charger.
7. The battery pack of claim 2 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to determine the disconnect time by retrieving the disconnect time corresponding to the type of charger from the memory.
8. The battery pack of claim 2 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to
determine when the battery pack is connected to a second charger;
determine a second type of the second charger; and
control the charging circuit, based on the second type of the second charger, to remain electrically connected to the second charger until the battery pack is fully charged.
9. The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the battery pack is operable to provide power to a power tool including at least one selected from the group of an impact driver, a power drill, a hammer drill, a reciprocating saw, a pipe cutter, a sander, a nailer, and a grease gun.
10. The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the battery pack has a battery chemistry of Lithium-ion and has a nominal voltage of approximately 18 volts.
11. A method of charging a battery pack, the battery pack including a charging circuit electrically connected to at least one battery cell of the battery pack and configured to control a charging current from a charger to the at least one battery cell, the method comprising:
determining a disconnect time,
controlling, with the electronic processor, the charging circuit of the battery pack to allow the charging current from the charger to charge the at least one battery cell,
controlling, with the electronic processor, the charging circuit to electrically disconnect the at least one battery cell from the charger after the disconnect time elapses and before the battery cell is fully charged, and
controlling, with the electronic processor, the charging circuit to electrically reconnect the at least one battery cell and the charger after disconnecting the at least one battery cell from the charger.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining, with the electronic processor of the battery pack, a type of charger to which the battery pack is connected, and
wherein determining the disconnect time includes determining, with the electronic processor, the disconnect time based on the type of charger.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein determining the type of charger includes determining, with the electronic processor, the type of charger by recognizing a charging signature of the charger.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein determining the type of charger includes determining, with the electronic processor, the type of charger by communicating with the charger through a communication interface.
15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining, with the electronic processor based on the type of charger, that the charger will stop charging the battery pack before the battery pack is fully charged.
16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising waiting a reset time period before controlling, with the electronic processor, the charging circuit to electrically reconnect the at least one battery cell and the charger after disconnecting the at least one battery cell from the charger.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein determining the disconnect time includes retrieving the disconnect time corresponding to the type of charger from a memory of the battery pack.
18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining, with the electronic processor, when the battery pack is connected to a second charger;
determining, with the electronic processor, a second type of the second charger; and
controlling, with the electronic processor based on the second type of the second charger, the charging circuit to remain electrically connected to the second charger until the battery pack is fully charged.
19. The method of claim 11 , the battery pack being operable to provide power to a power tool including at least one selected from the group of an impact driver, a power drill, a hammer drill, a reciprocating saw, a pipe cutter, a sander, a nailer, and a grease gun.
20. The method of claim 11 , the battery pack having a battery chemistry of Lithium-ion and having a nominal voltage of approximately 18 volts.
21. A battery pack comprising:
at least one battery cell;
a memory;
a charging circuit electrically connected to the at least one battery cell and configured to control a charging current from a charger; and
an electronic processor configured to control the charging circuit, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to
determine that the charger is of a type that stops charging after a predetermined time period before the battery pack will be fully charged,
determine a disconnect time, wherein the disconnect time is less than the predetermined time period,
control the charging circuit to allow the charging current to charge the at least one battery cell,
control the charging circuit to electrically disconnect the at least one battery cell from the charger after the disconnect time elapses and before the battery cell is fully charged, and
control the charging circuit to electrically reconnect the battery pack and the charger after disconnecting the battery pack from the charger.