JP7804205B2 - Garments and Systems - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to garments and systems .

Patent Document 1 below discloses a blower as an electrical device that includes a fan body that blows air into the inside of clothing worn by a worker and a power supply unit that supplies power to the fan body. Such a blower is effective in protecting workers from the heat at construction sites, etc. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 below discloses a power tool that allows the setting parameters for operating the power tool to be changed. Furthermore, Patent Document 3 below discloses a battery pack equipped with a display unit that displays the remaining capacity of the battery cells.

JP 2018-104845 A JP 2014-018868 A JP 2010-170779 A

In Patent Document 1, the output, operation (air volume and rotation speed in the case of a fan) and drive mode of an output unit (for example, a fan) are changed using an operation unit connected by a cord, so there is room for improvement in terms of convenience (first issue).In Patent Document 2, the setting parameters of the electrical device cannot be changed while the electrical device is in operation, so there is room for improvement in terms of convenience (second issue).
Furthermore, in Patent Document 3, the remaining capacity of the battery cell is only displayed, and therefore it is not possible to manage the usage status of the electrical device, for example, the remaining operating time of the output unit (e.g., a fan), and there is room for improvement in terms of convenience (third issue).
Furthermore, when the operation of an output unit of an electrical device (in the case of a blower device, the air volume or rotation speed of the fan) can be changed by wireless communication using a communication device such as a smartphone, other than an operation unit connected to the output unit (fan body) by wire, it is possible to provide a wireless communication function in the electrical device (device body) or the battery pack. In Patent Document 2, a communication unit is provided in the housing of the electrical device (power tool). On the other hand, it is also possible to provide a wireless communication function in the battery pack. In this case, the following fourth problem arises. That is, considering the influence on communication, it is desirable to position the wireless antenna for realizing the wireless communication function away from the metal parts of the battery pack. On the other hand, when trying to reduce the size of the battery pack, it becomes difficult to move the wireless antenna away from the metal parts.

The present invention was made in recognition of this situation, and its purpose is to solve the first, second, and/or third problems mentioned above and to provide highly convenient clothing and a system .

One aspect of the present invention is a garment.
a fan or heater carried by the worker;
a battery pack carried by the worker, separate from the fan or the heater, connected to the fan or the heater by a cable, and supplying power to the fan or the heater;
A garment comprising:
The battery pack
a case that houses a battery cell and a wireless communication unit that can wirelessly communicate with a smartphone carried by the worker;
a DC/DC converter unit housed in the case and transforming the voltage of the battery cell;
an operation unit provided in the case and operated by the operator; an output unit that outputs a voltage transformed by the DC/DC converter unit; and a display unit that displays information about the charging state of the battery cell , the voltage output by the output unit , and the state of wireless communication with the smartphone ;
and
the operation unit includes a first operation unit that switches the magnitude of the output voltage of the output unit, and a second operation unit that switches between enabling and disabling the wireless communication unit,
When the first operation unit is operated and when the smartphone is operated, the magnitude of the voltage transformed by the DC/DC converter unit, the display on the display unit regarding the voltage output by the output unit, and the magnitude of the output voltage of the output unit are changed, and the driving state of the fan or the heater can be changed,
When the first operation unit is operated, the magnitude of the voltage transformed by the DC/DC converter unit, the magnitude of the voltage output by the output unit, and the display on the display unit related to the voltage output by the output unit are changed, and the display on the smartphone that is wirelessly communicating with the wireless communication unit related to the voltage output by the output unit is changed; and when the smartphone is subsequently operated, the display on the smartphone is changed, and the magnitude of the voltage transformed by the DC/DC converter unit of the battery pack that is wirelessly communicating with the smartphone, the magnitude of the voltage output by the output unit, and the display on the display unit related to the voltage output by the output unit are changed.
It is characterized by:
Another aspect of the present invention is a system comprising:
a system including the clothing and the smartphone having an application installed thereon for wireless communication with the wireless communication unit,
The application
a connection button for wirelessly connecting to the wireless communication unit;
a change button for changing the driving state of the fan or the heater;
a status display unit that displays information about the driving status of the fan or the heater;
a remaining capacity display unit that displays information about the remaining capacity of the battery pack;
having
It is characterized by:

In addition, any combination of the above components, or conversion of the present invention between methods, systems, etc., are also valid aspects of the present invention.

According to the present invention, highly convenient clothing and systems can be provided.

1 is a conceptual diagram of an embodiment of the present invention in which a blower as an electrical device powered by a battery pack 10 is attached to clothing 9 worn by a worker 4. FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing how an operator 4 changes the output (air volume) of the blower using an air volume adjusting device 8. FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing a construction manager 3 managing the air blowers of multiple workers 4 using a centralized management device 6. FIG. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the battery pack 10. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the battery pack 10 with the upper case 12 open. AA cross-sectional view of FIG. 9. FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the inside of the case of the battery pack 10. FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the inside of the case of the battery pack 10. FIG. 2 is a front view of the inside of the case of the battery pack 10. 3 is a rear view of the inside of the case of the battery pack 10. FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is a left side view of the inside of the case of the battery pack 10. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the inside of the case of the battery pack 10. FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the inside of the case of the battery pack 10. 15 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which the orientation of battery cells 11a to 11c is rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise from the state of FIG. 14. FIG. FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram of the blower device. FIG. 24 is a circuit diagram showing a first specific configuration example of a discharge circuit 54 of the battery pack 10 of FIG. 23 . FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram showing a second specific configuration example of the discharge circuit 54. FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram showing a third specific configuration example of the discharge circuit 54. 3 is a control flowchart of the battery pack 10. 25 is a time chart showing an example of the operation of the configuration example 1 shown in FIG. 24; FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram of the centralized management device 6 and the air volume adjustment device 8. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a home screen of a management application of the central management device 6. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a batch check screen of a management application. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an air volume check screen of the management application. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an uptime check screen for a management application. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a pairing screen of the management application. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a connection setting screen for the management application with the air volume adjusting device 8. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a pre-connection screen of an air volume adjustment application of the air volume adjustment device 8. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a screen after connection of the air volume adjustment application. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the screen of the air volume control device 8 when a connection request is received from the central management device 6. 6 is a flowchart showing an outline of a procedure for connecting (pairing) the battery pack 10 of the air blower with the centralized management device 6; 10 is a flowchart showing a first example of a method for managing the remaining operable time of the air blower by the central management device 6; 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a first example of a time management system in which a centralized management device 6 centrally manages the remaining operable time of a plurality of the air blowers. 10 is a flowchart showing a method for managing the air volume of the blower by the central management device 6. A table summarizing the relationship between temperature, required airflow, and warning targets. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a first example of an air volume management system in which the air volumes of a plurality of the air blowers are collectively managed by a central management device 6. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a second example of a method for managing the remaining operable time of the air blower by the central management device 6; 10 is a flowchart showing an outline of a procedure for connecting a central management device 6 and an air volume control device 8 using a network service. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing a second example of a time management system in which a centralized management device 6 centrally manages the remaining operable time of a plurality of the air blowers. FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing a second example of an air volume control system in which the air volumes of the plurality of blowers are collectively controlled by a central control device 6. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of communication between the battery pack 10 of the air blower and the centralized management device 6. 10 is a flowchart showing a procedure for changing the output (air volume) of the air blower using an air volume adjusting device 8. 10 is a flowchart showing an outline of a procedure for canceling the connection (pairing) between the battery pack 10 of the air blower and the centralized management device 6. 6 is a flowchart showing an outline of a procedure for connecting (pairing) the battery pack 10 of the air blower and the air volume adjusting device 8. 6 is a flowchart showing an outline of a procedure for canceling the connection (pairing) between the battery pack 10 of the air blower and the air volume adjusting device 8. FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram showing a fourth specific configuration example of the discharge circuit 54.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that identical or equivalent components, parts, etc. shown in each drawing will be given the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted where appropriate. Furthermore, the embodiments are illustrative and do not limit the invention, and all features and combinations thereof described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the invention.

This embodiment relates to an air blower (temperature control device) that can be attached to clothing 9, clothing 9 equipped with the air blower, and a battery pack 10 that serves as its power source. This air blower is an example of an electrical device, and as shown in FIG. 1 , it includes a fan body 5 as the device body and a battery pack 10. Note that clothing 9 including the fan body 5 may also serve as the device body. Alternatively, the air blower including the fan body 5 may serve as the device body, and the combination of the device body and the battery pack may serve as the electrical device. The fan body 5 sends air into the inside of clothing 9 worn by a worker 4. The battery pack 10 supplies power to the fan body 5. The fan body 5 and battery pack 10 are connected to each other by a cable 7. One end of the cable 7 is detachable from the battery pack 10. That is, the battery pack 10 is detachable from the fan body 5. The battery pack 10 has short-range wireless communication capabilities such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). The battery pack 10 may also be capable of transmitting location information using GPS (Global Positioning System) or the like.

As shown in FIG. 2 , worker 4 carries an airflow control device 8, such as a smartphone, as a second communication device. An airflow control application is installed on airflow control device 8, which has functions such as adjusting the output of battery pack 10 (i.e., the airflow of fan main body 5), changing the drive mode of fan main body 5, and enabling or disabling the wireless communication function of battery pack 10. Airflow control device 8 has short-range wireless communication functions such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and network communication functions. Using airflow control device 8, worker 4 can communicate with battery pack 10 by short-range wireless communication and change the output of fan main body 5 (such as airflow and drive mode). Instead of or in addition to using airflow control device 8, the output of fan main body 5 may be changed using an operation unit provided on battery pack 10 or an operation unit provided separately from battery pack 10 (e.g., on fan main body 5). Because the output can be changed by the control unit 50b (described later) provided in the battery pack 10, providing the battery pack 10 with an operation unit allows the battery pack 10 to perform output change and control operations by itself. Therefore, even if the device connected to the battery pack 10 does not have wireless communication capabilities, wireless communication with external devices is possible, improving versatility. When both the operation unit and the air volume control device 8 are operated, it is preferable to prioritize operation of the operation unit. Because the operation unit is attached to the clothing 9 worn by the worker, it is unlikely to be operated by a third party. However, the air volume control device 8 may be located far from the worker, making it more likely to be operated by a third party. When signals are input from both units, the control unit 50b adjusts the output voltage (described later) based on the signal from the operation unit. Furthermore, when a signal is input from the centralized management device 6 (described later), it is preferable to prioritize this signal. The air volume control device 8 can also function as a relay for communication between the centralized management device 6 and the battery pack 10 by transmitting data about the battery pack 10 to the centralized management device 6 via a network. The air volume control device 8 may be capable of transmitting location information using GPS or the like. The screen of the air volume control device 8 is an example of a notification unit.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 , the wireless communication capabilities of the battery pack 10 are utilized to centrally manage the air blowers used by multiple workers 4 using a single central management device 6, such as a smartphone, held by a construction manager (site supervisor) 3 as a first communication device. The management can involve various tasks, such as managing the remaining operating time of each air blower and whether the air volume of each air blower is equal to or greater than the required air volume for the current temperature. Specific management methods are described below. To perform these tasks, a management application is installed on the central management device 6. The central management device 6 has short-range wireless communication capabilities such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and network communication capabilities. The central management device 6 and the air volume adjustment devices 8 can connect (communicate) with each other via the network. The central management device 6 may also be capable of transmitting location information using GPS or the like. The screen of the central management device 6 is an example of a notification unit. The central management device 6 may also manage the location information of the battery pack 10 and the air volume adjustment devices 8.

The configuration of the battery pack 10 will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 21. Figure 4 defines the mutually perpendicular front-to-back, up-down, and left-to-right directions of the battery pack 10. In the battery pack 10, the left-to-right direction is an example of the first direction, the front-to-back direction is an example of the second direction, and the up-to-down direction is an example of the third direction. The case of the battery pack 10 is, for example, a combination of an upper case 12 and a lower case 13, which are insulating resin molded bodies, and is configured to be approximately square when viewed from the top to the bottom and approximately rectangular when viewed from the left to the right. As shown in Figure 8, the upper case 12 is curved so that the approximate center of its longitudinal direction in the front-to-back direction is at the top (farthest from the battery cells 11a-11c).

The upper case 12 is provided with a button 15 and a display 16. The button 15 and display 16 of the upper case 12 are not shown in Figure 9. The button 15 is an operating part for pressing the switch 46 shown in Figure 14, etc. There are two buttons 15 in this example: one for changing the airflow rate of the fan main body 5, and the other for enabling and disabling the wireless communication function of the battery pack 10. A button for changing the operating mode of the fan main body 5 (high airflow mode and low airflow mode, manual airflow rate change mode and automatic airflow rate change mode, or all of these modes) may also be provided. The display 16 is a light-transmitting portion such as an LED. Multiple displays 16 are provided, and they display the charging status of the battery pack 10, the airflow rate of the blower, the status of the wireless communication function, etc. The openings for the charging jack 52 and discharging jack 55 face rearward from the back of the lower case 13. The charging jack 52 is covered by an openable cover 18. A cable for connecting to a charger can be connected to the charging jack 52. A cable 7 for connecting to the fan main body 5 can be connected to the discharging jack 55.

The battery cells 11a-11c are arranged in the front-to-rear direction and extend longitudinally in the internal space formed by the upper and lower cases 12 and 13 within the case. The battery cells 11a-11c are separated by a rib 13a that protrudes upward from the inner bottom surface of the lower case 13. The battery cell 11c is separated from the charging jack 52 and the discharging jack 55 by a rib 13b that protrudes upward from the inner bottom surface of the lower case 13. The number of battery cells may be two or four or more. A circuit board 20 is provided above the battery cells 11a-11c. The length of the circuit board 20 in the left-to-right direction is approximately equal to the length of the battery cells 11a-11c. A switch 46 and a wireless antenna module 50 serving as a wireless control unit are provided on the top surface of the circuit board 20 (the surface opposite the battery cells 11a-11c). There are two switches 46 in this example: one is a switch for switching the airflow rate of the fan main body 5 (hereinafter also referred to as the "output selector switch"), and the other is a switch for enabling or disabling the wireless communication function of the battery pack 10.

The wireless antenna module 50 is located at the right end of the circuit board 20, between the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-rear direction. The right end of the circuit board 20 is located near the ends of the battery cells 11a-11c in the left-to-right direction. The space between the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-rear direction refers to the area between the central axes of the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-rear direction, avoiding the area directly above and near the central axis. The wireless antenna module 50 is also located in a position that avoids the area near the end of the upper case 12 in the front-to-rear direction. A charging jack 52 and a discharging jack 55 are provided as input/output units on the underside of the circuit board 20 (the surface facing the battery cells 11a-11c). The charging jack 52 and the discharging jack 55 extend or are located within the range of the battery cells 11a-11c in the up-to-down direction.

Battery cells 11a to 11c are connected in series with each other and electrically connected to the board 20 by metal tabs 21 to 24. Tab 21 electrically connects the positive electrode of battery cell 11a to the board 20. Tab 23 electrically connects the negative electrode of battery cell 11a to the positive electrode of battery cell 11b and to the board 20. Tab 22 electrically connects the negative electrode of battery cell 11b to the positive electrode of battery cell 11c and to the board 20. Tab 24 electrically connects the negative electrode of battery cell 11c to the board 20. The board connection portion 21a of tab 21 is electrically connected to the right end of the board 20 forward of the central axis of battery cell 11a (opposite battery cell 11b). The board connection portion 23a of tab 23 is electrically connected to the left end of the board 20 between battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-rear direction. The board connection portion 22a of the tab 22 is electrically connected to the right end of the board 20 between the battery cells 11b and 11c in the front-to-rear direction. The board connection portion 24a of the tab 24 is electrically connected to the left end of the board 20 between the battery cells 11b and 11c in the front-to-rear direction.

As shown in FIG. 20, the wireless antenna module 50 includes a wireless antenna 50a as a wireless communication unit that receives signals from external devices (airflow control device 8, centralized management device 6), and a control unit 50b, such as a microcontroller, that controls wireless communication with the external devices. The wireless antenna 50a is located near the right edge of the circuit board 20. In addition to controlling wireless communication, the control unit 50b controls the charging and discharging of the battery cells 11a-11c and protects the battery cells 11a-11c, such as over-discharge protection, over-current protection, and high temperature protection. A predetermined area on the circuit board 20 adjacent to and before and after the wireless antenna 50a is designated as a non-pattern-forming area 20a where no conductor pattern is formed. While the wireless antenna module 50 integrates the wireless communication unit (including the wireless antenna 50a) and the control unit 50b, they may also be configured separately. Here, "integrated" means configured as a single-chip element.

An example circuit configuration of the battery pack 10 will be described with reference to Figure 23. The battery pack 10 incorporates battery cells 11 (corresponding to battery cells 11a to 11c shown in Figure 14, etc.), which are secondary battery cells (e.g., lithium battery cells). The SC protector 41 is a protective element for preventing overcharging and overcurrent of the battery cells 11. The power supply circuit 42 converts the output voltage Vbat of the battery cells 11 into an operating voltage Vctl of the control unit 50b, etc., and supplies it to the control unit 50b, etc. The cell voltage detection circuit 43 detects the cell voltage of each battery cell 11 and transmits it to the control unit 50b. The current detection circuit 44 detects the output current (discharge current or charge current) of the battery cells 11 based on the voltage of a resistor R provided in the path of the output current and transmits it to the control unit 50b. The temperature sensor 45 detects the temperature of the battery cells 11 and transmits it to the control unit 50b. Another temperature sensor that detects the air temperature inside the battery pack 10, or another temperature sensor that detects the body temperature of the worker (temperature around the worker) may be provided on the clothing 9, fan body 5, etc., and the air temperature inside the battery pack 10 or the body temperature of the worker may be transmitted to the control unit 50b.

The switch 46 serving as an operation unit accepts switch operations by the user and transmits them to the control unit 50b. There may be multiple switches 46. The switches 46 may include a switch to instruct the fan main body 5 to start or stop, a switch to switch (adjust) the output of the fan main body 5, a switch to enable or disable the wireless communication function, a switch to switch the drive mode of the fan main body 5, a switch for wireless communication pairing, etc. The LED 53 serving as a notification unit is used to display the status, and its illumination is controlled by the control unit 50b. There may be multiple LEDs 53.

When the AC adapter connection detection circuit 47 detects connection of the AC adapter 58 to the charging jack 52, it sends an activation signal to the power supply circuit 42. The charging circuit 51 is, for example, a DC/DC converter, and operates under the control of the control unit 50b to supply charging current to the battery cells 11. That is, it switches (controls) the charging current according to a charging current switching signal from the control unit 50b and supplies it to the battery cells 11. Furthermore, the charging circuit 51 starts and stops supplying the charging current according to an on/off signal from the control unit 50b. The charging circuit 51 converts DC power input via the charging jack 52 into DC power for charging the battery cells 11. The charging jack 52 is a connection port for an external AC adapter 58. The AC adapter 58 is connected to an external AC power source 59, converts AC power input from the AC power source 59 into DC power, and outputs it to the charging jack 52.

The discharge circuit 54 serving as a drive circuit is, for example, a DC/DC converter, and operates under the control of the control unit 50b to output DC power to the discharge jack 55 for supply to the fan main body 5. The discharge jack 55 is a connection port for the cable 7 that connects the fan main body 5 to the battery pack 10. The fan main body 5 includes a fan and a motor (drive unit or output unit) that drives the fan, and operates on power supplied from the discharge circuit 54. Note that, because the fan and motor rotate integrally, they may be collectively referred to as the drive unit or output unit. The fan main body 5 may also be provided with a control unit that controls the drive of the motor. Other output units include heaters, which are examples of temperature control devices (described below), volume controls and channel switching units of peripheral devices, and motors in power tools.

The control unit 50b is, for example, a BLE (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy) module with a built-in microcontroller. The control unit 50b communicates with the centralized management device 6 and the airflow control device 8 via short-range wireless communication using the wireless antenna 50a, and controls the overall operation of the battery pack 10, including controlling the charging circuit 51 and the discharge circuit 54. The control unit 50b controls the charging circuit 51 to adjust the charging current to the battery cells 11 and control the charging of the battery cells 11. The control unit 50b controls the discharge circuit 54 to adjust the power supplied to the fan main body 5 and adjust the output (airflow) of the fan main body 5. The control unit 50b has the ability to simultaneously connect to at least two or more communication devices, such as the centralized management device 6 and the airflow control device 8.

Figure 24 is a circuit diagram showing a specific example configuration 1 of the discharge circuit 54. In this example, the discharge circuit 54 includes a DC/DC converter IC 54a, a choke coil (inductor) L, a capacitor (electrolytic capacitor) C, resistors R1-R5, and switching elements Q3-Q5 such as FETs. The resistors R1-R5 and switching elements Q3-Q5 form an output voltage adjustment circuit. The DC converter IC 54a includes an internal analog circuit 54b and switching elements Q1 and Q2 such as FETs. The switching elements Q1 and Q2 are connected in series between a power supply line (hereinafter also referred to as the "power supply line Vbat") that supplies the output voltage Vbat of the battery cell 11 and ground. The gates (control terminals) of the switching elements Q1 and Q2 are connected to the internal analog circuit 54b. The interconnection point of the switching elements Q1 and Q2 (the source of switching element Q1 and the drain of switching element Q2) is connected to one end of the choke coil L. The other end of the choke coil L is connected to the capacitor C and one end of the resistor R1. The other end of capacitor C is connected to ground. The voltage across capacitor C is the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54, and is output to the discharge jack 55. The other end of resistor R1 is connected to one end of resistors R2 to R5. The other end of resistor R2 is connected to ground. The interconnection between resistor R1 and resistors R2 to R5 is connected to the internal analog circuit 54b. The other ends of resistors R3 to R5 are connected to ground via switching elements Q3 to Q5. The gates (control terminals) of switching elements Q3 to Q5 are connected to the control unit 50b. The control unit 50b and the internal analog circuit 54b are connected to each other.

The switching elements Q1 and Q2 perform switching operations (PWM control) based on drive signals from the internal analog circuit 54b. The switched output voltage Vbat of the battery cell 11 is smoothed by the choke coil (inductor) L and capacitor C, resulting in a voltage across capacitor C that is a step-down version of the battery cell 11 output voltage Vbat. The voltage Vm at the interconnection point between resistor R1 and resistors R2 through R5 is fed back to the internal analog circuit 54b. The internal analog circuit 54b controls the operation of the switching elements Q1 and Q2 to maintain a constant voltage Vm. The ratio of the voltage Vm at the interconnection point between resistor R1 and resistors R2 through R5 to the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 varies depending on the on/off combination of the switching elements Q3 through Q5. In other words, the output voltage can be easily changed by switching multiple series circuits consisting of combinations of resistors and switching elements. The on/off of the switching elements Q3 through Q5 is switched by output voltage control signals V1 through V3 output by the control unit 50b. The switching elements Q3 to Q5 are turned on when the output voltage control signals V1 to V3 are high and turned off when they are low. Figure 24 also shows a table showing the relationship between the combinations of the levels of the output voltage control signals V1 to V3, i.e., the on/off combinations of the switching elements Q3 to Q5, and the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54. This table shows an example where the resistance value of resistor R3 > the resistance value of resistor R4 > the resistance value of resistor R5, and the output voltage Vout can be selected from eight levels. If fewer levels of the output voltage Vout are required, some of the resistors R3 to R5 and the switching elements connected in series with them can be omitted. To increase the number of levels of the output voltage Vout, a series-connected resistor and switching element circuit can be added in parallel with resistor R2. Note that if high precision of the output voltage Vout is not required, voltage Vm does not need to be fed back to the internal analog circuit 54b.

Figure 25 is a circuit diagram showing a specific example configuration 2 of the discharge circuit 54. In this example, the resistors R3-R5 and switching elements Q3-Q5 of the example configuration 1 in Figure 24 are replaced with a series-connected circuit of resistor R7 and switching element Q7, such as an FET, forming an output voltage adjustment circuit. The gate (control terminal) of switching element Q7 is connected to control unit 50b. Control unit 50b applies a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) signal to the gate of switching element Q7 to PWM-control switching element Q7. Switching element Q7 turns on when its gate voltage is high and off when its gate voltage is low. A PWM signal with a duty cycle of 0% is always low, keeping switching element Q7 always off. A PWM signal with a duty cycle of 100% is always high, keeping switching element Q7 always on. PWM signals with duties other than 0% and 100% switch switching element Q7 on and off at a predetermined cycle. The ratio of the on period of switching element Q7 within one cycle corresponds to the duty ratio of the PWM signal. The higher the duty of the PWM signal applied by control unit 50b to the gate of switching element Q7, the higher the output voltage Vout of discharge circuit 54. The output voltage Vout can be set, for example, within the range of 5V to 9V.

Figure 26 is a circuit diagram showing a specific configuration example 3 of the discharge circuit 54. In this example, the internal analog circuit 54b, resistor R7, and switching element Q7 of configuration example 2 in Figure 25 are eliminated, and the control unit 50b performs switching control (PWM control) on the switching elements Q1 and Q2. The control unit 50b controls the switching elements Q1 and Q2 so that the voltage Vm is a predetermined ratio corresponding to the voltage division ratio of the resistors R1 and R2 relative to the set value of the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54. Note that if high precision of the output voltage Vout is not required, it is not necessary to feed back the voltage Vm to the control unit 50b.

Figure 27 is a control flowchart for the battery pack 10. After starting up, the control unit 50b performs initialization processing and sets the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 to 0 V (S71). The control unit 50b is started up when a start signal is sent to the power supply circuit 42 when the AC adapter 58 or the fan body 5 is connected. Alternatively, the battery pack 10 may be provided with a start switch for the control unit 50b (power supply circuit 42). When a connection with the air volume control device 8 is established (YES in S72) and a signal is received from the air volume control device 8 ("Signal Received" in S73), the control unit 50b sets the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 to the set value indicated by the received signal (S74). The connection with the air volume control device 8 is achieved by operating a touch panel button (e.g., a connect button) on the display of the air volume control device 8 while the wireless communication function is enabled by the switch 46 of the battery pack 10. Alternatively, the control unit 50b may be configured to automatically connect without operating the switch 46 of the battery pack 10 or the button on the airflow control device 8, or a combination of these. If the connection with the airflow control device 8 is not established (NO in S72) or if no signal is received from the airflow control device 8 ("No Signal Received" in S73), the control unit 50b sets the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 to the set value specified by the operation ("Operation Present" in S75) when an operation unit such as the output selector switch (switch 46) or the drive mode selector switch of the fan main body 5 is operated. The fan main body 5 (fan) can be driven at the output voltage Vout reset in S76 while being driven (operating) at the output voltage Vout set in S74. In other words, while the fan main body 5 is being driven in a first state, the output voltage Vout (fan airflow) can be changed to a second state and the drive (operation) can be continued. The control unit 50b performs a shutdown process (S78) if the output selector switch is not operated ("No Operation" in S75) or if a termination operation is performed ("Operation" in S77). The shutdown process includes a process of cutting off the power supply to the control unit 50b or a process of putting the control unit 50b into a sleep state. The shutdown process is performed by the control unit 50b sending a power control signal (shutdown signal or sleep signal) to the power circuit 42. The termination operation is an operation of pressing the connection button on the display of the air volume adjustment device 8. Alternatively, the wireless communication function may be disabled using the switch 46 of the battery pack 10. If a termination operation is not performed ("No Operation" in S77), the control unit 50b returns to step S72 if the connection with the air volume adjustment device 8 is disconnected (YES in S79), or returns to step S73 if the connection is not disconnected (NO in S79). If there is no shutdown operation ("No operation" in S77), no signal is received from an external device, no operation is performed on the battery pack 10 itself (for example, operation of switch 46), or if a state in which the battery pack 10 is not being charged or discharged continues for a predetermined time, the control unit 50b may be configured to transition to sleep mode or shutdown regardless of the processing of S79. This makes it possible to reduce the power consumption of the battery pack 10 when it is not in use.

Figure 28 is a time chart showing an example of the operation of Configuration Example 1 shown in Figure 24. At time t1, the control unit 50b receives an activation signal from the air volume adjustment device 8 and changes the EN signal sent to the internal analog circuit 54b of the DC converter IC 54a from low to high. This causes the internal analog circuit 54b to start operating, and the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 rises. The control unit 50b sets all voltage control signals V1 to V3 to low, and the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 becomes 5V. At time t2, the control unit 50b receives an output change signal from the air volume adjustment device 8 instructing it to change the output voltage Vout to 8V, and switches the voltage control signals V1 and V3 to high. The internal analog circuit 54b PWM-controls the switching elements Q1 and Q2 (changing the duty ratio of the PWM signal). This causes the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 to rise to approximately 8V. At time t3, the control unit 50b receives a stop signal from the air volume adjustment device 8, changes the EN signal from high to low, and sets the voltage control signals V1 and V3 to low. When the EN signal goes low, the internal analog circuit 54b stops operating, and the output voltage Vout of the discharge circuit 54 drops to 0 V.

Figure 29 is a simplified block diagram of the centralized management device 6 and the air volume adjustment device 8. The centralized management device 6 and the air volume adjustment device 8 each include a control unit 70, memory 71, a touch panel (operation unit) 72, a display unit 73, a wireless communication transceiver unit 74, and an antenna 75.

Figures 30 to 35 are explanatory diagrams of the screen displays of the management application for the central management device 6, with Figure 30 showing the home screen, Figure 31 showing the bulk check screen, Figure 32 showing the air volume check screen, Figure 33 showing the operating time check screen, Figure 34 showing the pairing screen, and Figure 35 showing the connection settings screen with the air volume adjustment device 8. As shown in Figure 30, the home screen displays a connection (pairing) button, a bulk check button, an air volume check button, an operating time check button, and a connection settings button with the air volume adjustment device. When the connection (pairing) button is tapped, the screen transitions to the pairing screen of Figure 34. When the bulk check button is tapped, the operating time check and air volume check flowcharts (Figures 40 and 42) are performed, and the screen transitions to the central check screen of Figure 31. When the air volume check button is tapped, the air volume check flowchart (Figure 42) is performed, and the screen transitions to the air volume check screen of Figure 32. When the operation time check button is tapped, the operation time check flowchart (Figure 40) is executed, and the screen transitions to the operation time check screen of Figure 33. When the air volume adjustment device connection setting button is tapped, the screen transitions to the air volume adjustment device 8 connection setting screen of Figure 35.

As shown in FIG. 31, the collective check screen displays the airflow check results and the operating time check results. Tapping the airflow check result transitions to the airflow check screen of FIG. 32. Tapping the operating time check result transitions to the operating time check screen of FIG. 33. As shown in FIG. 32, the airflow check screen displays the current air temperature and the airflow check results for each battery pack. As shown in FIG. 33, the operating time check screen displays the calculated remaining operating time for each battery pack 10A-10D. As shown in FIG. 34, the pairing screen displays a list of connected (paired) battery packs and an Add Pairing button. Tapping the Add Pairing button performs operations according to the pairing flowchart (FIG. 39). As shown in FIG. 35, the connection setting screen for the airflow adjustment device 8 displays a list of registered airflow adjustment devices 8 whose requests have been approved in the past and battery packs 10 whose airflow can be adjusted by them, as well as an ID input field for entering the ID of the airflow adjustment device 8 and a request button. When a registered list item is tapped, the ID of the corresponding air volume control device 8 is automatically entered into the ID input field. When the request button is tapped, the operation according to the connection request is executed for the air volume control device 8 entered in the ID input field (the operation follows the flowchart in Figure 46).

Figure 36 is a diagram showing the pre-connection screen of the air volume adjustment application of the air volume adjustment device 8. This screen displays a connect button. When the connect button is tapped, operation is performed according to the connection flowchart (Figure 52). Figure 37 is a diagram showing the post-connection screen of the air volume adjustment application. This screen displays the name of the connected battery pack 10, a power ON/OFF switch button, connection status, remaining battery charge of the connected battery pack 10, air volume, an air volume change button, and a disconnect button. When the air volume change button is tapped, operation is performed according to the air volume change flowchart (Figure 50). When the disconnect button is tapped, operation is performed according to the disconnection flowchart (Figure 53). Figure 38 is a diagram showing the screen of the air volume adjustment device 8 when a connection request is received from the central management device 6. This screen displays the ID of the party that sent the connection request (the ID of the request destination), a Yes (Allow) button, and a No (Do not Allow) button. When the Yes (Allow) button is tapped, the process moves from S46 to S47 of the flowchart in Figure 46.

Figure 39 is a flowchart showing an outline of the procedure for connecting (pairing) the battery pack 10 with the centralized management device 6. The construction manager 3 issues a connection request to the centralized management device 6 and to the battery pack 10 of the air blower to be managed (S1). The operation performed on the centralized management device 6 here is, for example, pressing the pairing addition button in Figure 34. The operation performed on the battery pack 10 is, for example, pressing and holding the switch 46.

When the centralized management device 6 receives the connection request, it searches for a connection destination within the range of short-range wireless communication (S2). Similarly, when the battery pack 10 receives the connection request, it searches for a connection destination within the range of short-range wireless communication (S3). At this time, the centralized management device 6 may notify the construction manager 3 that a search for a connection destination has begun by displaying a screen or the like. The battery pack 10 may notify the construction manager 3 that a search for a connection destination has begun by flashing the LED 53 or the like.

When the centralized management device 6 and battery pack 10 discover each other as connection destinations (S4), a connection sequence begins (S5), and connection (pairing) is completed (S6). At this time, the centralized management device 6 may notify the construction manager 3 that the connection process is complete by displaying a screen or the like. The battery pack 10 may notify the construction manager 3 that the connection process is complete by lighting up the LED 53 or the like. Note that in the above explanation, both the centralized management device 6 and battery pack 10 are operated by the construction manager 3, but the battery pack 10 may also be operated by the worker 4. The connection (pairing) between the air volume adjustment device 8 and battery pack 10 can be performed in the same way as the connection (pairing) between the centralized management device 6 and battery pack 10.

Figure 40 is a flowchart showing a first example of a method for managing the remaining operable time of the air blower using the centralized management device 6. This flowchart starts when the centralized check button or operating time check button shown in Figure 30 on the centralized management device 6 is tapped. The centralized management device 6 acquires data on the remaining capacity of the battery pack 10 and the operating status (air volume) of the fan main body 5 from the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 (S11). Based on the remaining capacity of the battery pack 10 and the current air volume of the fan main body 5, the centralized management device 6 calculates the remaining operable time of the fan main body 5 at the current air volume (hereinafter also referred to as the "first remaining operable time") (S12). If the first remaining operable time is less than or equal to a predetermined time (YES in S13), the centralized management device 6 issues a warning to the construction manager 3 by displaying a warning on a screen or the like (S14). The warning may be sent to the battery pack 10 or the air volume adjustment device 8.

If the first remaining operable time is not less than the predetermined time (NO in S13), the centralized management device 6 calculates the remaining operable time of the fan main body 5 at maximum airflow (hereinafter also referred to as the "second remaining operable time") (S15). If the second remaining operable time is less than the predetermined time (YES in S16), the centralized management device 6 notifies the construction manager 3 via a screen display or the like (S17). The notification may be sent to the battery pack 10 or the airflow adjustment device 8. If the second remaining operable time is not less than the predetermined time (NO in S16), the centralized management device 6 does not issue a warning or notification (S18). In the above description, the centralized management device 6 executes each step in FIG. 40, but the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 or the airflow adjustment device 8 may also execute each step. A "warning" is one form of a "notification." In this embodiment, notifications of higher importance or urgency are classified as warnings, while other notifications are classified as notifications. The remaining driving time does not need to be calculated by an external device (the centralized management device 6 or the airflow adjustment device 8), but may be calculated by the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10.

Figure 41 is a conceptual diagram showing a first example of a time management system in which the centralized management device 6 centrally manages the remaining operating time of multiple air blowers. This system is composed of one centralized management device 6 and four air blower battery packs 10. In Figure 41, the four battery packs 10 are labeled 10A to 10D (the same applies to Figures 44, 47, and 48) to distinguish them from one another. The centralized management device 6 displays the calculated first remaining operating time for each of battery packs 10A to 10D. Here, since all of battery packs 10A to 10C are within the short-range wireless communication range of the centralized management device 6, the first remaining operating time based on the most recent data (remaining battery capacity and airflow) is displayed. On the other hand, because battery pack 10D is outside the range of short-range wireless communication with the centralized management device 6, a first estimated remaining drive time is displayed based on data (remaining battery capacity and airflow) acquired the last time the centralized management device 6 performed short-range wireless communication with battery pack 10D. This estimated value is calculated, for example, assuming that the last acquired remaining battery capacity and airflow have continued up to the present. In the example of FIG. 41 , the first remaining drive time for battery pack 10C is less than one hour, an example of a predetermined time, and a warning is displayed on the screen of the centralized management device 6 in bold or in a different color from the other text. The centralized management device 6 also issues a warning to battery pack 10C or airflow adjustment device 8. The centralized management device 6 may display a second remaining drive time, or the first and second remaining drive times may be displayed side by side or switch between them.

Figure 42 is a flowchart showing a method for managing the airflow volume of the blower using the centralized management device 6. This flowchart begins when the airflow check button in Figure 30 on the centralized management device 6 is tapped. Figure 43 is a table summarizing the relationship between temperature, required airflow volume, and warning targets. The centralized management device 6 acquires the temperature at the location of the battery pack 10 (S20). The temperature may be acquired in any manner; for example, the temperature at the current location (the location of the battery pack 10 or airflow adjustment device 8) may be acquired from various temperature data published on the Internet. Alternatively, the temperature inside the battery pack 10 may be acquired directly, or the worker's body temperature may be acquired. If the temperature is above A (S21) and the airflow volume is less than W (YES in S22), the centralized management device 6 issues a warning to the construction manager 3 via a screen display or the like (S30). If the temperature is between A and B (S23) and the airflow volume is less than X (YES in S24), the centralized management device 6 issues a warning (S30). If the temperature is in the range of B to C (S25) and the air volume is less than Y (YES in S26), the centralized management device 6 issues a warning (S30). If the temperature is in the range of C to D (S27) and the air volume is less than Z (YES in S28), the centralized management device 6 issues a warning (S30). If the temperature is less than D (S29), the centralized management device 6 does not issue a warning (S31). If the air volume is greater than or equal to the required volume for the temperature (NO in S22, S24, S26, S28), the centralized management device 6 does not issue a warning (S31). The warning may be sent to the battery pack 10 or the air volume adjustment device 8. In this case, the warning may include content notifying the required air volume for the current temperature, and the battery pack 10 or the air volume adjustment device 8 that receives the warning may change the air volume of the fan main body 5 to a volume greater than or equal to the required volume. In the above explanation, the steps in Figure 42 are executed by the central management device 6, but the steps may also be executed by the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 or the air volume adjustment device 8.

Figure 44 is a conceptual diagram showing a first example of an air volume management system in which the centralized management device 6 centrally manages the air volume of multiple air blowers. Similar to the system shown in Figure 41, this system is composed of one centralized management device 6 and four battery packs 10A-10D for the air blowers. The centralized management device 6 displays the current air temperature and the air volume check results for each of the battery packs 10A-10D. Note that the air volume check result for battery pack 10D is displayed as unconfirmed because it is outside the range of the centralized management device 6's short-range wireless communication. In the example shown in Figure 44, battery pack 10C has insufficient air volume relative to the temperature, so a warning is displayed on the screen of the centralized management device 6 in bold, underlined, or in a different color from the other packs. The centralized management device 6 also issues a warning to battery pack 10C or the air volume adjustment device 8. The remaining operating time management function shown in Figure 41 and the air volume check function shown in Figure 44 can be included in the same management application.

Figure 45 is a flowchart showing a second example of a method for managing the remaining operable time of a blower by the centralized management device 6. As in the case of Figure 40, the centralized management device 6 acquires the remaining capacity of the battery pack 10 and the operating status data (air volume) of the fan main body 5 from the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 (S11) and calculates a first remaining operable time (S12). Based on the first remaining operable time, the centralized management device 6 determines whether the fan main body 5 can operate at the current air volume until the scheduled time (work end time) (S33). If the fan main body 5 can operate at the current air volume until the scheduled time (YES in S33), the centralized management device 6 does not issue an alert or adjust the air volume (S34). If the fan main body 5 cannot operate at the current air volume until the scheduled time (NO in S33), the centralized management device 6 calculates the air volume at which the fan main body 5 can operate until the scheduled time based on the remaining capacity of the battery pack 10 (S35). If the calculated air volume is equal to or greater than the required air volume shown in the table of FIG. 43 at the current temperature (YES in S36), the centralized management device 6 adjusts the air volume to the calculated value (S37). Specifically, the centralized management device 6 transmits a signal to the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 to instruct the control unit 50b to adjust the air volume, and the control unit 50b adjusts the air volume upon receiving the signal. If the calculated air volume is less than the required air volume shown in the table of FIG. 43 at the current temperature (NO in S36), the centralized management device 6 notifies the construction manager 3 by displaying a screen or the like (S38). The notification may be sent to the battery pack 10 or the air volume adjustment device 8. The centralized management device 6 may be able to arbitrarily switch between the management methods (drive modes) of FIGS. 40 and 45. Alternatively, the air volume adjustment device 8 may be able to arbitrarily set the management methods (drive modes) of FIGS. 40 and 45.

Figure 46 is a flowchart showing an outline of the procedure for connecting the centralized management device 6 and the air volume control device 8 using a network service. The construction manager 3 operates the centralized management device 6 to request a connection (S41). For example, the operation performed here involves entering the ID of the requested air volume control device 8 in the centralized management device 6's ID input field (Figure 35) and then tapping the request button (Figure 35). The centralized management device 6, upon receiving the connection request, sends a connection request to the air volume control device 8 to a network service such as the cloud (S42). When the network service receives the connection request (S43), it notifies the air volume control device 8 that a connection request has been received from the centralized management device 6 (S44). When the air volume control device 8 receives the notification from the network service (S45), it notifies the worker 4 of this, for example, by a screen display such as that shown in Figure 38 or an alert. The worker 4 performs an approval operation, such as tapping a button (the Yes (Allow) button in FIG. 38 ) displayed on the screen of the air volume control device 8 by the communication application (S46). Upon receiving the approval operation, the air volume control device 8 performs processing to accept the connection request (S47). As a result, the central management device 6 and the air volume control device 8 are connected using a network service, and communication becomes possible (S48). At this time, the central management device 6 and the air volume control device 8 may notify the completion of connection by displaying a screen or the like.

Figure 47 is a conceptual diagram showing a second example of a system in which the centralized management device 6 centrally manages the remaining operating times of multiple air blowers. The following describes differences from the first example shown in Figure 41. This system includes airflow control devices 8A-8D, each corresponding to a battery pack 10A-10D, and a network service 60, such as a cloud service. The centralized management device 6 calculates and displays the first and second remaining operating times of a battery pack 10D that is not within the short-range wireless communication range of the centralized management device 6, based on operational status data (remaining battery capacity and airflow of the battery pack 10D) received from the airflow control device 8D via the network service 60. This system ensures that the first and second remaining operating times of a battery pack 10D that is not within the short-range wireless communication range of the centralized management device 6 are highly accurate, based on the most recent data. By using a network service, the centralized management device 6 can manage the battery packs 10 and fan units 5 even when the centralized management device 6 is in a remote location.

Figure 48 is a conceptual diagram showing a second example of a system in which the centralized management device 6 centrally manages the airflow of multiple air blowers. The following explanation focuses on the differences from the first example shown in Figure 44. This system includes airflow adjustment devices 8A-8D corresponding to battery packs 10A-10D, respectively, and a network service 60, such as a cloud service. The centralized management device 6 calculates and displays the results of an airflow check for a battery pack 10D that is not within the short-range wireless communication range of the centralized management device 6, using operational status data (the temperature at the location of the battery pack 10D and the airflow generated by the battery pack 10) received from the airflow adjustment device 8D via the network service 60. This system also makes it possible to check the airflow of a battery pack 10D that is not within the short-range wireless communication range of the centralized management device 6. The remaining operating time management function shown in Figure 47 and the airflow check function shown in Figure 48 can be included in the functions of the same management application.

Figure 49 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication between the battery pack 10 of the air blower and the centralized management device 6. The construction manager 3 performs an inspection request operation (S51). This operation involves, for example, pressing an inspection start button displayed by the management application. The inspection start button may be, for example, one for checking the remaining operating time and one for checking the air volume. Upon receiving the inspection request operation, the centralized management device 6 requests the necessary data from the battery pack 10 (S52). For example, the necessary data is the remaining capacity and current air volume of the battery pack 10 if checking the remaining operating time, or the current air volume and temperature if checking the air volume. Upon receiving the request, the battery pack 10 transmits the necessary data to the centralized management device 6 (S53). The centralized management device 6 performs calculations based on the received data (S54), and if a warning is necessary (YES in S55), issues a warning (S56). The warning includes an alert or screen display for the construction manager 3 and the transmission of a signal instructing the battery pack 10 to issue a warning. The control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 performs a warning action such as issuing an alert or turning on the LED 53 in response to the signal received from the centralized management device 6 (S57). The warning action may be switching the fan main body 5 on and off or changing the airflow rate in a predetermined pattern. The fan main body 5 may have a notification means such as an LED for issuing a warning. If a notification is necessary (YES in S58), the centralized management device 6 issues a notification (S59). The notification is, for example, a screen display for the construction manager 3. A notification may also be sent to the battery pack 10. If a warning or notification is not necessary (NO in S55, NO in S58), the centralized management device 6 does not issue a warning or notification (S60).

Figure 50 is a flowchart showing the procedure for changing the output (air volume) of the air blower using the air volume adjustment device 8. The worker 4 requests an air volume change (S65). For example, the operation performed here is to tap the air volume change button on the air volume adjustment device 8 (see Figure 37). Upon receiving the air volume change request, the air volume adjustment device 8 sends an air volume change request to the battery pack 10 (S66). Upon receiving the air volume change request, the battery pack 10 adjusts the power supplied to the fan body 5 to change the air volume of the fan body 5 (S67). In other words, the fan body 5 can change the air volume while it is running. The control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 may have two modes: a manual change mode, in which the air volume is manually changed regardless of the temperature by operating the switch 46 or the air volume adjustment device 8, and an automatic change mode, in which the air volume is automatically changed to meet the required air volume according to the temperature, as shown in the table of Figure 43. The manual change mode and automatic change mode may be freely switched by operating the air volume adjustment device 8 or the battery pack 10 (switch 46). The airflow rate in the manual change mode is as shown in Figures 24 and 28. Specifically, the voltage control signals V1 to V3 are controlled in response to the operation (setting) of the airflow rate change button on the airflow rate adjustment device 8, and the output voltage Vout is changed by switching the switching elements Q3 to Q5 on and off. The switching elements Q1 and Q2 are then controlled so that the voltage Vm becomes a constant voltage equivalent to the target (set) output voltage Vout. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 25, the switching element Q7 may be PWM-controlled. In this case, the duty ratio of the PWM signal is changed in response to the operation (setting) of the airflow rate change button on the airflow rate adjustment device 8. The switching elements Q1 and Q2 are PWM-controlled so that the voltage Vm becomes a constant voltage equivalent to the target (set) output voltage Vout. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 26, the switching elements Q1 and Q2 may be switched (e.g., PWM-controlled) in response to the operation (setting) of the airflow rate change button on the airflow rate adjustment device 8.

Figure 51 is a flowchart showing an outline of the procedure for disconnecting (pairing) the battery pack 10 and the centralized management device 6. The construction manager 3 requests disconnection from the centralized management device 6 (S81). The disconnection request can be, for example, by returning to the home screen (closing or deactivating the management application). Alternatively, the disconnection request can be made by tapping the disconnect button on the screen of the centralized management device 6. The centralized management device 6 that has received the disconnection request sends a disconnection request to the battery pack 10 (S82). The battery pack 10 that has received the disconnection request authorizes disconnection (S83), and both the centralized management device 6 and the battery pack 10 perform the connection (pairing) cancellation process (S84).

Figure 52 is a flowchart showing an outline of the procedure for connecting (pairing) the battery pack 10 and the air volume adjustment device 8. The worker 4 issues a connection request to each of the air volume adjustment device 8 and the battery pack 10 (S91). The operation on the air volume adjustment device 8 here is, for example, tapping the connection button in Figure 36. The operation on the battery pack 10 is, for example, pressing and holding the switch 46. The air volume adjustment device 8, which has received the connection request, searches for a connection destination within the range of short-range wireless communication (S92). Similarly, the battery pack 10, which has received the connection request, searches for a connection destination within the range of short-range wireless communication (S93). At this time, the air volume adjustment device 8 may notify the worker 4 that a search for a connection destination has begun by displaying a screen or the like. The battery pack 10 may notify the worker 4 that a search for a connection destination has begun by flashing the LED 53 or the like. When the air volume control device 8 and the battery pack 10 discover each other as connection targets (S94), a connection sequence begins (S95), and connection (pairing) is completed (S96). At this time, the air volume control device 8 may notify the worker 4 that the connection process is complete by displaying a screen or the like. The battery pack 10 may notify the worker 4 that the connection process is complete by lighting up the LED 53 or the like.

Figure 53 is a flowchart showing an outline of the procedure for canceling the connection (pairing) between the battery pack 10 and the air volume adjustment device 8. The worker 4 requests a disconnection from the air volume adjustment device 8 (S86). The disconnection request is made, for example, by tapping the disconnect button in Figure 37. The air volume adjustment device 8, which has received the disconnection request, sends a disconnection request to the battery pack 10 (S87). The battery pack 10, which has received the disconnection request, authorizes the disconnection (S88), and the connection (pairing) cancellation process is performed in both the air volume adjustment device 8 and the battery pack 10 (S89).

This embodiment can achieve the following effects:

(1) The operation of the output unit (fan airflow) can be changed via wireless communication with an external device, providing high convenience. Furthermore, the output unit can be configured to change to a second operation via wireless communication with an external device while in a first operation and continue operation, providing high convenience.

(2) A single control unit is configured to handle not only wireless communication but also battery pack control (charge control and discharge control) and battery pack (battery cell) protection, thereby reducing the number of components in the electrical equipment and simplifying the circuit configuration.

(3) A single control unit is configured to perform not only wireless communication but also battery pack control (charge control and discharge control) and battery pack (battery cell) protection, enabling advanced control, such as estimating remaining operating time, based on this information (discharge current, charge current, battery cell voltage, temperature, etc.). In a configuration in which each control is distributed among multiple control units, there is a risk of control becoming unstable due to poor contact in the connecting wires between the control units or a failure in one of the control units. On the other hand, a single control unit eliminates the risk of poor contact between the control units, and if one unit fails, control itself becomes impossible, preventing unwanted control from being executed. Furthermore, the single control unit simplifies the configuration compared to a configuration with multiple control units.

(4) The drive circuit can be simplified, and the operation of the output section (output voltage, fan airflow) can be easily changed.

(5) The operation of the output section (output voltage, fan airflow) can be easily changed simply by PWM controlling the switching elements of the drive circuit.

(6) Because the drive circuit's output voltage can be changed within the battery pack, the device's configuration can be simplified and made more compact. Furthermore, if the electrical device is clothing with a temperature control device, such as clothing with a fan or a heated jacket with a heater, the device itself (the fan or heater) can be made more compact, allowing the clothing to be folded and stored more compactly.

(7) Because the output voltage of the drive circuit can be changed within the battery pack, the number of connection wires or terminals connecting the battery pack to the device body can be reduced, simplifying the connection section.

(8) The battery pack is equipped with a single control unit that performs wireless communication, battery pack control, and battery pack protection, and a drive circuit that reduces the battery pack voltage to generate the drive voltage for the device main body, which simplifies the configuration of the device main body and allows for miniaturization. Furthermore, if the electrical device is clothing with a temperature control device, such as clothing with a blower or a heated jacket with a heater, the blower (device main body) can be made smaller, allowing the clothing to be folded and stored compactly.

(9) While the output unit is operating in the first state, the operating conditions of the output unit can be changed to the second state, allowing the output unit to continue operating, thereby improving convenience.

(10) Because the battery pack is equipped with a wireless communication function, simply attaching the battery pack can change the operation of the output section of the device itself, which does not have a wireless communication function. The output section corresponds to the fan (fan drive motor) of the cooling device or the heater of the heat jacket.

(11) The battery pack 10 can notify (transmit) the remaining operating time of the fan main body 5 or the data necessary to determine the remaining operating time to the centralized management device 6, which allows the centralized management device 6 to manage the remaining operating time of the battery pack 10, providing great convenience.

(12) The centralized management device 6 can centrally manage the remaining drive time of each of multiple battery packs 10, making it highly convenient.

(13) The remaining drive time can be calculated and reported as the first and second remaining drive times, i.e., the remaining drive time of the fan body 5 at the current airflow rate and the remaining drive time of the fan body 5 at the maximum airflow rate, which is convenient for management.

(14) The battery pack 10 can issue a warning when the remaining drive time of the fan body 5 falls below a predetermined time (when the remaining drive time becomes abnormal), which can prompt early replacement of the battery pack 10, providing great convenience.

(15) The battery pack 10 can notify (transmit) the airflow rate of the fan main body 5 to the centralized management device 6, which allows the centralized management device 6 to manage whether the airflow rate generated by the battery pack 10 is equal to or greater than the required airflow rate for the temperature, providing high convenience.

(16) The control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 can execute an automatic change mode that automatically changes the airflow volume to meet the required airflow volume shown in the table in Figure 43 depending on the temperature, which is highly convenient.

(17) As shown in FIG. 45, the control unit 50b of the battery pack 10 can adjust the airflow rate of the fan main body 5 according to a set time (the time when the fan main body 5 stops operating), which is highly convenient.

(18) The battery pack 10 alerts you when the airflow is abnormal, i.e., when the airflow is insufficient for the temperature. This is highly convenient as it can prevent poor health due to insufficient airflow.

(19) The centralized management device 6 can centrally manage the airflow rates of multiple fan bodies 5, making it highly convenient.

(20) Because the wireless antenna module 50 is disposed between the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-rear direction, the wireless antenna 50a can be located further away from the metal outer surfaces of the battery cells 11a and 11b than when the wireless antenna module 50 is disposed directly above the central axes of the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-rear direction, thereby reducing the influence of the metal on the outer surfaces of the battery cells 11a and 11b on the wireless antenna 50a.

(21) Because the wireless antenna module 50 is located at the right end of the substrate 20, i.e., near the left-right ends of the battery cells 11a-11c, the area of the portion of the outer surface of the battery cells 11a-11c that faces the wireless antenna 50a can be reduced compared to when the wireless antenna module 50 is located at a position other than near the left-right ends of the battery cells 11a-11c on the substrate 20, thereby reducing the impact of the metal on the outer surface of the battery cells 11a-11c on the wireless antenna 50a.

(22) Because the wireless antenna module 50 is provided on the upper surface of the substrate 20, i.e., the surface of the substrate 20 opposite the battery cells 11a to 11c, the wireless antenna 50a can be located further away from the outer surfaces of the battery cells 11a to 11c than when the wireless antenna module 50 is provided on the underside of the substrate 20, and the influence of the metal on the outer surfaces of the battery cells 11a to 11c on the wireless antenna 50a can be reduced.

(23) The board connection portion 23a of the tab 23, which electrically connects the negative electrode of battery cell 11a and the positive electrode of battery cell 11b to each other and to the board 20, is electrically connected to the left end of the board 20 between the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-rear direction, and the wireless antenna module 50 is provided at the right end of the board 20 between the battery cells 11a and 11b in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, compared to when the board connection portion 23a of the tab 23 and the wireless antenna module 50 are provided at the end on the same left or right side of the board 20, the wireless antenna 50a can be separated from the metal board connection portion 23a of the tab 23, and the influence of the metal board connection portion 23a of the tab 23 on the wireless antenna 50a can be reduced.

(24) Since the specified ranges on the substrate 20 adjacent to the front and rear of the wireless antenna 50a are designated as pattern-free areas 20a, the wireless antenna 50a can be placed further away from the conductive pattern of the substrate 20 than when a conductive pattern is present in the pattern-free areas 20a, thereby reducing the influence of the conductive pattern (metal) of the substrate 20 on the wireless antenna 50a.

(25) As described above, the configurations that can reduce the impact of metal on the wireless antenna 50a do not require the upper case 12 and the lower case 13 to be increased in size, thereby achieving a good balance between reducing the impact of metal parts on wireless communication functions and reducing size.

(26) Because the wireless antenna module 50 is positioned to avoid being near the edge of the upper case 12 in the front-to-rear direction, the increase in the height of the upper case 12 can be suppressed compared to when the wireless antenna module 50 is positioned near the edge of the upper case 12 in the front-to-rear direction. In other words, if the wireless antenna module 50 is located directly below the lowest front-to-rear end of the upper case 12, a height must be ensured that does not interfere with the wireless antenna module 50, even at the lowest end, which increases the overall height of the upper case 12. However, by positioning the wireless antenna module 50 to avoid being near the edge of the upper case 12 in the front-to-rear direction, this problem can be suitably avoided.

(27) The charging jack 52 and discharging jack 55 are provided on the underside of the circuit board 20 (the surface facing the battery cells 11a-11c) and extend or are positioned vertically within the range of the battery cells 11a-11c, thereby minimizing the increase in the height of the battery pack 10 case.

(28) Because the control unit 50b of the wireless antenna module 50 also controls the charging and discharging of the battery pack 10, the number of parts can be reduced and costs are lower compared to when a separate control unit is provided for controlling charging and discharging.

(29) The upper case 12 is curved in the longitudinal direction, making it easy to put in a pocket and highly convenient.

The present invention has been described above using exemplary embodiments, but those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications are possible to the components and processes of the embodiments within the scope of the claims. Modifications are discussed below.

Figure 22 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which the orientation of the battery cells 11a to 11c has been rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise from the state shown in Figure 14. The following description focuses on the differences from the embodiment shown in Figure 14, etc. In Figure 22, the front-to-back direction is an example of the first direction, the left-to-right direction is an example of the second direction, and the up-to-down direction is an example of the third direction. The battery cells 11a to 11c extend longitudinally in the front-to-back direction and are aligned in the left-to-right direction. The wireless antenna module 50 is provided at the right end of the substrate 20, as in Figure 14. The length of the range in which the battery cells 11a to 11c exist is approximately equal to the length of the substrate 20 in the left-to-right direction. The right end of the substrate 20 is located near the end of the range in the left-to-right direction in which the battery cells 11a to 11c exist. According to this embodiment, compared to when the wireless antenna module 50 is installed outside the vicinity of the ends of the range in the left-right direction of the battery cells 11a-11c, the area of the portion of the outer periphery of the battery cells 11a-11c that faces the wireless antenna 50a can be reduced, thereby reducing the influence of the outer periphery of the battery cells 11a-11c on the wireless antenna 50a.

Figure 54 is a circuit diagram showing a fourth specific configuration example of the discharge circuit section 54. This configuration uses an inverter circuit as the discharge circuit 54, and is effective when the motor of the fan main body 5 is a brushless motor. The output voltage Vout is controlled by PWM control, which controls the duty ratio of signals H1 to H6 applied to the gates of switching elements Q1 to Q6 of the inverter circuit in response to the operation (setting) of the airflow change button on the airflow adjustment device 8, thereby changing the rotation speed of the fan motor 5a.

In the first example, the battery pack 10 is provided with an inverter circuit (discharge circuit) 54, a control unit 50b, and a power supply circuit 42, and the control unit 50b changes the rotation speed of the fan (fan motor). The fan main body 5 is provided with a brushless motor 5a (a fan motor integrated with the fan) and a position detection element (Hall element) 5b (which detects the position of the brushless motor 5a). The discharge jack 55 is provided with lead wires for each phase of the brushless motor 5a and a signal line for the position detection element 5b. The control unit 50b calculates the rotation speed of the brushless motor 5a based on the information from the position detection element 5b. PWM control is then performed by controlling the duty ratio of the switching elements Q1 to Q6 of the inverter circuit 54 so that the target rotation speed set by the air volume adjustment device 8 is achieved. When the set air volume is large, the duty ratio is larger than when the air volume is small.

In the second example, a control unit 50b and power supply circuit 42 are provided on the battery pack 10 side, and the rotation speed of the fan (fan motor) is changed by the control unit 50b. A brushless motor 5a, position detection element 5b, and inverter circuit (discharge circuit) 54 are provided on the fan main body 5 side. A discharge jack 55 is provided with control signal lines H1-H6 for switching elements Q1-Q6 and a signal line for position detection element 5b. The control unit 50b calculates the rotation speed of the brushless motor 5a based on information from the position detection element 5b. PWM control is then performed by controlling the duty ratio of the switching elements Q1-Q6 of the inverter circuit 54 so that the target rotation speed set by the airflow adjustment device 8 is achieved.

In the third example, a control unit 50b and a power supply circuit 42 are provided on the battery pack 10 side. A brushless motor 5a, a position detection element 5b, an inverter circuit (discharge circuit) 54, and a fan-side control unit 5c are provided on the fan main body 5 side. The fan (fan motor) rotation speed is changed by the fan-side control unit 5c. The discharge jack 55 is provided with a power line, a power line for the fan-side control unit 5c (output of the power supply circuit 42), and a signal line (discharge voltage switching signal or rotation speed switching signal) between the battery pack-side control unit 50b and the fan-side control unit 5c. The fan-side control unit 5c calculates the rotation speed of the brushless motor 5a based on information from the position detection element 5b. The battery pack-side control unit 50b outputs a discharge voltage switching signal (rotation speed switching signal) to the fan-side control unit 5c via the discharge jack 55. The fan-side control unit 5c calculates the motor rotation speed based on the signal from the position detection element and performs PWM control by controlling the duty ratio of the switching elements Q1 to Q6 of the inverter circuit 54 to match the input rotation speed switching signal (air volume).

In the fourth example, a control unit 50b is provided on the battery pack 10 side. A brushless motor 5a, a position detection element 5b, an inverter circuit (discharge circuit) 54, a fan-side control unit 5c, and a fan-side power supply circuit 5d are provided on the fan main body 5 side. The fan-side control unit 5c receives drive power from the fan-side power supply circuit 5d. The discharge jack 55 is provided with a power line and a signal line (discharge voltage switching signal or rotation speed switching signal) between the battery pack-side control unit 50b and the fan-side control unit 5c. The other configurations are the same as those in the third example. In the third and fourth examples, the fan-side control unit 5c may receive control signals (duty signals) for the switching elements Q1 to Q6 from the battery pack-side control unit 50b and perform PWM control of the switching elements Q1 to Q6 based on the control signals. In this case, the control signals may be multiple fixed duty signals (e.g., duty ratios of 30%, 50%, 80%, or 100%). Additionally, in Examples 1 to 4, if there is no need to control the rotation speed of the brushless motor 5a with high precision, there is no need to feed back the rotation speed, which simplifies the configuration. Among Examples 1 to 4, Example 3 or 4 is more effective because it simplifies the configuration when taking into account the wiring of signal lines, etc., and the arrangement of terminals.

While an air blower has been used as an example of an electrical device, the invention is not limited to air blowers or clothing equipped with such an air blower; it may be applicable to any device capable of changing the operation of its output unit via wireless communication with an external device. For example, the invention can be applied to a heat jacket with a built-in heater as an output unit. In other words, the invention can be applied to temperature control devices including air blowers and heaters that can adjust the temperature of clothing (surrounding the worker), as well as clothing equipped with such a temperature control device. Because the garment configuration can be simplified and it can be folded and stored compactly, it is effective for clothing equipped with a temperature control device. It may also be applied to peripheral devices, such as radios and televisions, where the volume (volume control unit) and channel (channel switching unit) as output units can be changed via wireless communication, or lights (light control unit) as output units, where the brightness can be changed via wireless communication. It may also be applied to power tools such as impact drivers and circular saws, where the rotation speed of the motor as an output unit can be changed via wireless communication. The above-mentioned effects can be achieved with these variations as well.

3 Construction manager (site supervisor), 4 Worker, 5 Fan body, 6 Centralized management device (first communication device), 7 Cable, 8 Airflow adjustment device (second communication device), 9 Clothing, 10 Battery pack, 11 Battery cell, 11a to 11c Battery cells, 12 Upper case, 13 Lower case, 13a Rib, 13b Rib, 15 Button, 16 Display unit, 18 Cover, 20 Board, 20a Non-patterned portion, 21 Tab, 21a Board connection portion, 22 Tab, 22a Board connection portion, 23 Tab, 23a Board connection portion, 24 Tab, 24a Board connection portion, 46 Switch, 50 Wireless antenna module, 50a Wireless antenna, 50b Control unit, 52 Charging jack, 54 Discharge circuit, 54a DC converter IC, 54b Internal analog circuit, 55 Discharge jack, 58 AC adapter, 59 AC power supply, 60 Network service, 70 Control unit, 71 Memory, 72 Touch panel (operation unit), 73 Display unit, 74 Wireless communication transmission/reception unit, 75 Antenna.

Claims (4)

a fan or heater carried by the worker;
a battery pack carried by the worker, separate from the fan or the heater, connected to the fan or the heater by a cable, and supplying power to the fan or the heater;
A garment comprising:
The battery pack
a case that houses a battery cell and a wireless communication unit that can wirelessly communicate with a smartphone carried by the worker;
a DC/DC converter unit housed in the case and transforming the voltage of the battery cell;
an operation unit provided in the case and operated by the operator; an output unit that outputs a voltage transformed by the DC/DC converter unit; and a display unit that displays information about the charging state of the battery cell , the voltage output by the output unit , and the state of wireless communication with the smartphone ;
and
the operation unit includes a first operation unit that switches the magnitude of the output voltage of the output unit, and a second operation unit that switches between enabling and disabling the wireless communication unit,
When the first operation unit is operated and when the smartphone is operated, the magnitude of the voltage transformed by the DC/DC converter unit, the display on the display unit regarding the voltage output by the output unit, and the magnitude of the output voltage of the output unit are changed, and the driving state of the fan or the heater can be changed,
When the first operation unit is operated, the magnitude of the voltage transformed by the DC/DC converter unit, the magnitude of the voltage output by the output unit, and the display on the display unit related to the voltage output by the output unit are changed, and the display on the smartphone that is wirelessly communicating with the wireless communication unit related to the voltage output by the output unit is changed; and when the smartphone is subsequently operated, the display on the smartphone is changed, and the magnitude of the voltage transformed by the DC/DC converter unit of the battery pack that is wirelessly communicating with the smartphone, the magnitude of the voltage output by the output unit, and the display on the display unit related to the voltage output by the output unit are changed.
A garment characterized by: 10. A system comprising: the clothing according to claim 1 ; and the smartphone having installed thereon an application for wireless communication with the wireless communication unit,
The application
a connection button for wirelessly connecting to the wireless communication unit;
a change button for changing the driving state of the fan or the heater;
a status display unit that displays information about the driving status of the fan or the heater;
a remaining capacity display unit that displays information about the remaining capacity of the battery pack;
having
A system characterized by: 3. The system of claim 2 ,
When the change button is operated, the magnitude of the output voltage of the output unit is changed, and the air volume of the fan or the temperature of the heater is changed.
A system characterized by: The garment of claim 1 ,
When both the operation unit and the smartphone are operated, the fan or the heater prioritizes the operation of the operation unit.
A garment characterized by: