Adapter for external battery and battery system

Claim 2

An adapter for an external battery for selectively connecting an external battery to a computer or a charger, the adapter comprising: A) a battery connector for connecting the adapter to a chargeable external battery; B) an external device connector including a through terminal which is connected to the common terminal of the battery connector, a power output terminal for outputting the power from the external battery, and a power input terminal for receiving a current for charging the external battery; C) a charging diode provided in a current path between the power output terminal and the battery connector so as to selectively apply the current from the external battery only to the power output terminal; and D) a charging diode provided between the power input terminal and the battery connector so as to selectively apply the current from the power input terminal only to the external battery.

Claim 3

An adapter for an external battery according to Claim 1, wherein the external device connector has a terminal structure for receiving a cable which connects the adapter to the computer or the charger.

Claim 4

A battery system comprising: a chargeable external battery; an adapter for an external battery for supplying a charging current to the external battery and outputting the current from the external battery; a computer including a chargeable internal battery removably installed therewithin and a load for conducting various operations; and an AC/DC adapter including a power output terminal for supplying a charging current in accordance with the power from an AC power source; the adapter for an external battery including: a battery connector for connecting the adapter to a chargeable external battery; an external device connector having a through terminal which is connected to the common terminal of the battery connector, a power output terminal for outputting the power from the external battery, and a power input terminal for receiving a current for charging the external battery; a charging diode provided in a current path between the power output terminal and the battery connector so as to selectively apply the current from the external battery only to the power output terminal; and a charging diode provided between the power input terminal and the battery connector so as to selectively apply the current from the power input terminal only to the external battery; the computer including a power input terminal for receiving a power to be supplied to a load; a charging current receiving means for receiving a current for charging an internal battery; and a diode disposed in a current path for supplying the current from the internal battery to the load so as to check a reverse flow; the power output terminal of the adapter for an external battery being connected to the power input terminal of the computer so as to enable a power to be supplied from the external battery to the computer; and the power input terminal of the adapter for an external battery being connected to the power output terminal of a charger so as to enable the external battery to be charged.

Claim 5

A battery system comprising: a chargeable external battery; an adapter for an external battery for supplying a charging current to the external battery and outputting the current from the external battery; a computer including a chargeable internal battery removably installed therewithin and a load for conducting various operations; and an AC/DC adapter including a power output terminal for supplying a charging current in accordance with the power from an AC power source; the adapter for an external battery including: a battery connector for connecting the adapter to a chargeable external battery; an external device connector having a through terminal which is connected to the common terminal of the battery connector, a power output terminal for outputting the power from the external battery, and a power input terminal for receiving a current for charging the external battery; a charging diode provided in a current path between the power output terminal and the battery connector so as to selectively apply the current from the external battery only to the power output terminal; and a charging diode provided between the power input terminal and the battery connector so as to selectively apply the current from the power input terminal only to the external battery; the computer including a power input terminal for receiving a power to be supplied to a load; a charging current receiving means for receiving a current for charging an internal battery; and a diode disposed in a current path for supplying the current from the internal battery to the load so as to check a reverse flow; the power output terminal of the adapter for an external battery being connected to the power input terminal of the computer so as to enable a power to be supplied from the external battery to the computer; and the power input terminal of the adapter for an external battery being connected to the power output terminal of a charger so as to enable the external battery to be charged.

Claim 6

A battery system according to Claim 3, wherein the adapter and the charger or the computer is connected to each other by a common cable.

Claim 7

A battery system according to Claim 4, wherein the common cable is composed of a four-terminal cable including two power terminals, a grounding terminal and a computer power ON/OFF detection signal terminal.

Claim 8

An adapter for an external battery according to Claim 2, wherein the charger includes a terminal for outputting a power having a constant voltage, a terminal for outputting a power having a constant current and a switch for changing from one terminal to the other.

Claim 9

A battery system according to Claim 6, wherein the charger includes a terminal for receiving a computer power ON/OFF detection signal, and a controller for switching the connection of the switch from the terminal for outputting a power having a constant voltage to the terminal for outputting a power having a constant current, or vice versa in accordance with the detection signal supplied from the terminal for receiving a computer power ON/OFF detection signal and on the basis of the operating state of the computer.

Claim 10

A battery system according to Claim 7, wherein the terminal for receiving a computer power ON/OFF detection signal of the charger is connected to a pull-up resistor with one end thereof connected to a power source, and the controller constantly switches the connection of the switch to the terminal for outputting a power having a constant current when the terminal for receiving a computer power ON/OFF detection signal terminal is open.

Claim 11

An adapter for an external battery according to Claim 2, wherein the charger includes an AC/DC adapter for converting the mains power source to a DC voltage, a charge controller for converting the DC voltage to a constant voltage output or a constant current output, and a connector which is capable of connecting the charger to an external cable for supplying these outputs to an external device.

Claim 12

An adapter for an external battery according to Claim 9, wherein the AC/DC adapter includes a switching transistor which is connected to the primary coil of a voltage-drop transformer so as to adjust the power in accordance with the ON/OFF duty ratio of the switching transistor.

Claim 13

An adapter for an external battery according to Claim 10, wherein the charge controller includes a controller for controlling the switching transistor in accordance with the computer power ON/OFF detection signal.

Claim 14

A battery system according to Claim 3, wherein the computer includes: a first input terminal for supplying the power having a constant voltage and supplied from the charger or the adapter to the group of devices provided within the machine; a second input terminal for supplying the power having a constant current and supplied from the charger to the internal battery; a grounding terminal; and an output terminal for outputting the operating state of the device provided in the computer; this group of terminals being connectable to a common cable.

Claim 15

A battery system according to Claim 12, wherein a diode for checking a reverse current is provided in a current path between the first input terminal and the internal battery.