JPH11289687A - Device driven by power adapter and secondary battery - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the capacity of a power adapter and its manufacturing cost. SOLUTION: In a device 1, a power adapter 2 in which the function of converting an AC voltage into a DC voltage is provided and at the same time power capacity is set less than rated power when the device is driven, and a secondary battery 3 that is charged by the power adapter 2 are provided. When the device is driven, power is supplied by the power adapter 2 and the secondary battery 3. When a control means 6 decides that power consumption, when the device 1 is driven, exceeds power which is supplied by the power adapter 2, power is supplied from the power adapter 2 and the secondary battery 3 to the device 1. On the other hand, when it is decided that the power consumption, while the device 1 is driven, is equal to the power being supplied by the power adapter 2 or lower, the power is supplied to the device 1 only by the power adapter 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus capable of receiving power from both a power adapter and a secondary battery.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a power supply for driving an apparatus, a power supply adapter (so-called AC adapter) for converting an AC voltage (commercial AC voltage or the like) into a DC voltage of a predetermined level and supplying power thereto, Secondary batteries that can be used are listed.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3, there is a configuration in which a power supply adapter c and a secondary battery d can be selectively connected to a device a via a switch means b. In this case, the power adapter c or the secondary battery d
Is sufficient to cover the power consumption at the peak of the device a, and when the rechargeable battery d is sufficiently charged, the switch means b is switched to the rechargeable battery d to drive the device a. Further, when the charging of the secondary battery d is insufficient, the switch a can be switched to the power supply adapter c to drive the device a.

[0004]

However, in the above-described apparatus, the problem that the manufacturing cost of the power supply adapter and the secondary battery increases almost in proportion to the power supply capacity, and the power consumption of the apparatus decreases. The larger the number is, the larger the power capacity required for the power adapter and the like is. Therefore, there is a problem that the volume is increased and the size of the apparatus is increased.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to reduce the power supply capacity and manufacturing cost of a power supply adapter.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a power adapter having a power capacity less than a rated power when the apparatus is driven, and a secondary battery charged by the power adapter. , And power is supplied from both.

Therefore, according to the present invention, by driving the apparatus using both the power adapter and the secondary battery, it is possible to make up for the insufficient power supplied by the power adapter alone with the secondary battery when driving the apparatus. it can.

[0008]

FIG. 1 shows a basic configuration of an apparatus according to the present invention. An apparatus 1 includes a power adapter 2 having a function of converting an AC voltage to a DC voltage, and a secondary battery 3.
And the power supply is simultaneously received from the power supply. It should be noted that the configuration of the apparatus 1 does not matter as far as the present invention is concerned, so that the apparatus 1 can be widely applied to various audio equipment, video equipment, computers and the like.

The power supply adapter 2 having AC-DC conversion means (AC-DC converter, etc.) therein has a power supply capacity less than the rated power when the apparatus 1 is driven. The battery is charged by the power adapter 2.

When the device 1 is driven, the power capacity of the power adapter 2 alone cannot cover the rated power of the device 1 as described above. 1 is supplied with power.

For example, as shown in the figure, the power supply adapter 2 is selectively connected to the device 1 or the secondary battery 3 via the first switch means 4 and the device is connected via the second switch means 5. 1 and the secondary battery 3 are connected. That is, the first switch means 4 has a connection contact 4a with the device 1 and a connection contact 4b with the secondary battery 3, and connects the power adapter 2 to the device 1 or the power adapter 2
And the secondary battery 3 are connected. The second switch means 5 is an on / off switch that determines whether or not the secondary battery 3 is connected to the device 1. In addition, for example, a semiconductor switch element, a relay contact, a manual switch, and the like are used as these switch means, but are simply indicated by a switch symbol in the figure.

When the power consumption of the device 1 has a certain fluctuation range (for example, when there is a relatively difference between the minimum power consumption and the peak power of the device), the power adapter 2 and the secondary battery 3 It is not necessary to always supply power to the apparatus 1 from both of them. Therefore, the control means 6 realized in the apparatus 1 by using a calculation means such as a computer or a dedicated circuit allows the power to be supplied in accordance with the power consumption of the apparatus 1. It is preferable to control power supply from the adapter 2 and the secondary battery 3.

That is, when the control means 6 determines that the power consumption during the operation of the apparatus 1 exceeds the power supplied by the power adapter 2, the first switch means 4 uses the contact 4a on the apparatus 1 side. Is selected and the second switch means 5 is closed to control the apparatus 1 to receive power supply from the power adapter 2 and the secondary battery 3.

If the control means 6 determines that the power consumption during the operation of the apparatus 1 is less than the power supplied by the power adapter 2, the first switch means 4 sets the contact 4a on the apparatus 1 side. By selecting and opening the second switch means 5, the apparatus 1 is controlled so as to receive power supply only from the power supply adapter 2.

When the secondary battery 3 is charged, the first switch means 4 selects the contact 4b on the secondary battery 3 side and the second switch means 5 is opened. good.

Further, in order to grasp the current power consumption of the device 1, a method of positively providing power consumption detecting means in the device 1, a circuit operating under the current condition of the device 1, There is a method in which the control unit 6 determines the components (including the power adapter and the like) and determines the power consumption from the designed power values of these components. According to the former method, there is an advantage that power consumption can be accurately grasped, but on the other hand, there is a disadvantage that the configuration is complicated or the cost is increased. Although it is simple, accurate power consumption cannot be obtained. Therefore, it is practical to use a method that combines the two depending on the case.

The power supply from the power adapter 2 to the device 1 is based on the premise that both are electrically connected. Therefore, a connection for automatically detecting the connection state between the power adapter 2 and the device 1 is provided. When the detection means is provided, a method of detecting the terminal voltage of the power supply terminal to determine the presence or absence of connection,
A method of judging the presence or absence of connection by providing a proximity sensor, a detection switch, a contact, or the like can be used. Thus, when the power adapter 2 and the device 1 are not connected, power is supplied from the secondary battery 3 to the device 1.

The secondary battery 3 is connected to the device 1
There is a method in which the power supply is built in the device 1 and a method in which the power supply is detachably attached to the device 1. However, if the power capacity of the power adapter 2 is not sufficient to cover the power consumption of the device 1, Since the battery 3 is required, it is desirable to adopt the former method. In the latter method,
When the connection detecting means for automatically detecting the connection state between the secondary battery 3 and the device 1 is provided, when the secondary battery 3 and the device 1 are not connected, the connection from the power adapter 2 to the device 1 is performed. Power can be supplied, and when the power adapter 2 and the secondary battery 3 are connected to the apparatus 1, control can be performed such that the secondary battery 3 is charged by the power adapter 2 (however, A power supply for the control means 6 is required separately.)

In the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the contact 4a on the device 1 side is selected by the first switch means 4, the second switch means 5 is turned on, and the secondary battery 3 is not charged. In the state, the power supplied from the secondary battery 3 cannot be compensated. Therefore, in order to avoid such a situation, the built-in battery for supplying the minimum necessary power of the device must be replaced with the device 1
The control means 6 controls the first switch means 4 to connect the power adapter 2 and the secondary battery 3 when the control means 6 detects that the apparatus 1 is inactive or in a standby state, and If the second switch means 5 is opened to prevent the rechargeable battery 3 from being connected to the apparatus main body and the rechargeable battery 3 is frequently charged, the additional power from the rechargeable battery is immediately supplied to the apparatus 1. Will be able to

FIG. 2 is a graph showing an example of a temporal change in the total power consumption with time “t” plotted on the horizontal axis and power “W” plotted on the vertical axis. It is also shown together with a time chart diagram showing the state, in which "W1" indicates the rated power value of the device 1 and the power adapter 2, "Wp1" indicates the peak power value, and "Wa". Indicates the maximum power supply value of the power supply adapter 2. The signal "SW1" in the time chart means a signal indicating the state (4a side or 4b side) of the first switch means 4, and the signal "SW2" indicates the state (ON / OFF) of the second switch means 5. ).

In FIG. 2, the period "T" indicated by "0≤t≤t1"
"c" indicates a charging period of the secondary battery 3, during which the first switch means 4 causes the contact 4 on the secondary battery 3 side.
b has been selected and the second switch means 5 is in the off state. Therefore, after the power supply adapter 2 charges the secondary battery 3 with the maximum power Wa, the supplied power gradually decreases, and the charging of the secondary battery 3 is completed at time t = t1.

Thereafter, the apparatus 1 is driven during a period “Td” indicated by “t2 ≦ t ≦ t3”.
The contact 4a on the device 1 side is selected by the switch means 4, and the second switch means 5 is on. That is, since the maximum power Wa that can be supplied by the power supply adapter 2 is designed to be smaller than the rated power W1, the power shortage is compensated for by the power supply from the already charged secondary battery 3. In the figure, after turning on the power to the apparatus main body at the time of t = t2, the power consumption temporarily decreases after exceeding W1, and then gradually increases after gradually increasing to the peak power value Wp1 for a while. (For example, when the device 1 is a portable video camera,
What is necessary is just to recall a situation in which the recording operation has been performed for a certain period of time after power-on. ).

After the time point t = t3, the power consumption becomes equal to or less than Wa, and the second switch means 5 switches to the off state. That is, in this case, the power consumption can be sufficiently provided only by the power supply adapter 2, so that the help of the secondary battery 3 is unnecessary. Thereafter, when the power consumption exceeds Wa again, the second switch means 5 switches to the ON state, and the device 1 is driven by both the power adapter 2 and the secondary battery 3.

However, in the conventional apparatus, the power supply capacity of the power supply adapter and the secondary battery is equal to the peak power value Wp1.
In the present invention, the power supply capacity of the power adapter 2 is required to ensure that the power supply capacity of the power adapter 2 is less than the rated power W1. In addition, as for the secondary battery 3, since it is sufficient to prepare a power supply capacity for compensating the power supply adapter 2, it is possible to reduce the overall cost.

[0025]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the power supply adapter and the
By using the secondary battery together, when the device is driven, the power supply that is insufficient with the power adapter alone can be supplemented by the secondary battery, so that the power capacity of the power adapter and the manufacturing cost are reduced, and the secondary battery is included. Overall costs can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the power consumption at the time of driving the device is equal to or less than the power supplied by the power adapter, the power is supplied to the device only from the power adapter, so that the power of the secondary battery is reduced. When the power consumption during operation of the apparatus exceeds the power supplied by the power supply adapter, the auxiliary power supply of the power supply adapter by the secondary battery can be immediately started.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a basic configuration of an apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing an example of a temporal change in power consumption and a time chart showing a state of each switch means at that time.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Device, 2 ... Power adapter, 3 ... Secondary battery, 6 ... Control means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A power supply adapter having a function of converting an AC voltage to a DC voltage and having a power supply capacity less than a rated power when the apparatus is driven, and a secondary battery charged by the power supply adapter. And a device driven by the power adapter and the secondary battery, wherein power is supplied from both the power adapter and the secondary battery when the device is driven. 2. An apparatus driven by the power adapter and the secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein when it is determined that the power consumption during driving of the apparatus exceeds the power supplied by the power adapter, the power adapter is used. And control means for supplying power to the device from the secondary battery and for supplying power to the device only from the power adapter when it is determined that the power consumption during driving of the device is less than the power supplied by the power adapter. A device driven by a power supply adapter and a secondary battery, comprising: