An electrical device includes a memory storing a value indicative the remaining available rated capacity of one or more batteries. The stored value is changed in use to reflect reducing capacity. The initial stored value is chosen so that there is a very high (e.g. >99.9%) confidence that the one or more batteries will provide at least the capacity indicated by the initial stored value. This reduces the chance of failure during emergency procedures. The one or more batteries may be integral to the electrical device. An override facility is provided.

The technology relates to a capacity indicator for use with a battery. One aspect of the technology provides an improved activation circuit for a capacity indicator that is easier to use and less prone to false alarms. A further aspect of the technology provides an improved indicator which is able to indicate battery capacity without requiring the use of expensive battery labels such as thermochromic strip. A further aspect of the technology provides a capacity determination circuit which is housed within a battery and which is able to provide a more accurate indication of battery capacity.

A launch vehicle having one or more rocket engines, an electric turbopump, and a plurality of batter units. Subsets of the battery units are jettisonable from the launch vehicle using battery jettison mechanisms. The launch vehicle may also include a controller that may determine that a remaining battery capacity of a first proper subset of the battery units is no longer needed for the remaining duration of a flight of the launch vehicle and may then, responsive to such a determination, cause the first proper subset of the battery units to be jettisoned.

A surgical instrument comprises a shaft assembly comprising a shaft and an end effector coupled to a distal end of the shaft; a handle assembly coupled to a proximal end of the shaft; a battery assembly coupled to the handle assembly; a driver configured to drive movement of at least one component of the surgical instrument; a motor powered by the battery assembly and configured to actuate the driver using an output of the motor; and a controller for the motor, configured to perform a first limiting operation to the output of the motor when a first limiting condition is met, wherein the first limiting condition defines a maximum control variable profile of the motor over a range of the movement of the at least one component.

An electrical device includes a memory storing a value indicative the remaining available rated capacity of one or more batteries. The stored value is changed in use to reflect reducing capacity. The initial stored value is chosen so that there is a very high (e.g. >99.9%) confidence that the one or more batteries will provide at least the capacity indicated by the initial stored value. This reduces the chance of failure during emergency procedures. The one or more batteries may be integral to the electrical device. An override facility is provided.

A modular handheld surgical instrument including a modular handle assembly, a modular ultrasonic transducer assembly and a modular shaft assembly is disclosed. The modular handle assembly includes a shift gear translatable between a first position and a second position, wherein when the shift gear is translated to the first position, the surgical instrument is configured to rotate a drive gear of a first shaft of the modular shaft assembly to perform at least one shaft actuation function and when the shift gear is translated to the second position, the surgical instrument is configured to rotate a torque gear of a second shaft of the modular shaft assembly to controllably torque an ultrasonic waveguide of the modular shaft assembly to an ultrasonic transducer of the modular ultrasonic transducer assembly to a predefined torque.

A power system may include a primary battery and a reserve battery coupled with an actuator to actuate a downhole tool to perform operations downhole in a wellbore. The reserve battery may include an electrolyte having a solid state at an ambient temperate the wellbore. The primary battery may be coupled to the thermal battery to activate a heat source of the reserve battery. The heat source may generate a heat that melts the electrolyte to a molten state and actuates the reserve battery to transmit power to the actuator.

A battery detection system includes a battery assembly and an electronic device. The battery assembly includes a first connector and a detection module connected to the first connector. The electronic device includes a second connector and a control module connected to the second connector. When the first connector is connected to the second connector, the detection module is configured to output first identification information to the electronic device through the first connector. When the second connector receives the first identification information, the control module confirms that the battery assembly is in a connected state. After the first connector is disconnected from the second connector, the detection module generates and outputs second identification information. When information received by the second connector changes from the first identification information to the second identification information, the control module confirms that the battery assembly is disconnected.

An objective of the present invention is to realize a voltage detection function in a cell type power supply device having a wireless communication function. A cell type power supply device 1 is attached to a cell box 12 of an external load device 11 alone or in series with another external cell 13. A housing 18 has a shape and dimensions based on a cell standard, and front and rear terminals of the external cell held in a cell holder 2 in the housing 18 are to be in contact with an inner positive terminal 5 and an inner negative terminal 6. An outer positive terminal 3 connected to the inner positive terminal is provided on a front end surface of the housing, and an outer negative terminal 4 connected to the inner negative terminal is provided on a rear end surface of the housing. An output transistor 32 is interposed at least one of between the inner negative terminal and the outer negative terminal and between the inner positive terminal and the outer positive terminal. An RFIC 37 generates a control signal of the output transistor in accordance with a signal received via an antenna. Voltage detection units 41 and 43 detect at least one of a voltage between the inner positive terminal and GND, and a voltage between the outer negative terminal and GND.

A method for depassivation of a lithium-thionyl battery includes applying at least one current test load (LAST) (101) to an electrode of the battery (10), wherein at least one of a shape, a magnitude or points in time of the application of the at least one current test load (LAST) occurs dependent on a measurement of a response signal (u(t), du(t) on the battery (10), and energy of the at least one current test load (LAST) is drawn from the battery (10), comparing the response signal (u(t), du(t) of the battery (10) arising from application of the at least one current test load (LAST) to at least one predefined criterion (103), and establishing an operating state (12) or issuing an error message depending on satisfaction of the at least one predefined criterion (103).