Press release ·
Inspired Energy Completes Full Range of Batteries
From the archive. Published January 1, 2004. Part numbers, specifications and availability are as they were then. For what we build today, see the product catalog.
The NC2040 and NF2040 - Two New Standard SMBus Li Ion batteries from Inspired Energy Alachua FL (Jan 1st 2004) - Inspired Energy, Inc. continues their expansion of their standard battery product range with the launch of a two smaller versions of their already highly successful NI2040 standard Lithium Ion smart battery. These new battery packs complete a range of batteries sharing similar physical shape & offering a range of battery power and sizes to suit a variety of applications.
Both new batteries share the same oval cross section as their larger, 9-cell sibling - the NI2040. The NC2040 contains only 3 cells and the NF2040 contains 6-cells, which results in a shorter, lighter battery packs.
Aimed at providing a small, light Li Ion battery pack for handheld & highly portable applications, the NC2040 enables device designers to eliminate battery design, tooling, testing and certification, by choosing established components.
The NF2040 is a mid-range power source aimed at small mobile electronic devices and offers the same lower cost design, tooling and testing advantages as its smaller and larger siblings.
Because the NC2040 and NF2040 share the same cross section and 5-pin standard battery connection system as the NI2040, a smart charger designed for the NI2040 will also charge the NC2040 and NF2040 eliminating the need to develop new chargers to enable the use of these new batteries.
- To device designers this means that they can develop a single device with three different battery options to suit three different usage patterns (similar to the cell phone industry that offers bigger batteries for "power users" etc). If they wish, the device OEM and resellers can decide to equip the device with the lower cost battery & offer the longer running batteries as "extended versions" to create an aftermarket revenue stream.
- To companies creating reference designs for portable electronic devices (around which OEMs develop their own vertical market device) the end device may be a large, power hungry portable chemical analysis laboratory or NC2040 and NF2040 it may be a small handheld sensor device. The ability to mate the reference design with a range of physically & electronically compatible Li Ion batteries removes an obstacle to the OEM designer in trying to modify a reference design with a pre-specified power source that is inappropriate to their needs.
The addition of new standard smart Li ion battery designs provides all portable device designers with a greater choice of off-the-shelf batteries. This is especially important today as the costs of developing new Li Ion batteries must now also include the cost of testing them to the UN transportation standards as well as any agency certifications required. The costs of testing & certifying a new Li ion battery design frequently are higher than all the design, development & tooling costs, so any opportunity OEM designers have to choose from a portfolio of established products helps reduce their development costs and time to market.
As with Inspired Energy smart battery products, the NC2040 and NF2040 can be shipped as normal, nonhazardous goods under the USDOT and UN Li battery transportation regulations.
Characteristics of Inspired Energy’s “2040” range of Smart Lithium Ion batteries:
- NC2040: 10.8V, 2.2Ah, 23.7Wh, 170g / 6oz – for handheld devices
- NF2040: 10.8V, 4.4Ah, 47.6Wh, 330g / 12oz – For small, mobile devices
- NI2040: 10.8V, 6.6Ah, 71.2Wh, 484g / 17oz – for power-hungry mobile electronics
The NC2040 and NF2040 both carry all the advantages of the Smart Battery Data system common to all Inspired Energy Standard battery products including:
- Battery monitoring and diagnostics
- Industry-leading fuel gauge accuracy
- Always-on LCD fuel gauge
- Battery-to-host communications
- Smart charger capable
- Passive & active cell protection circuitry
- Small, light form factor
“Our previous new products addressed our customers needs for higher energy batteries and battery diagnostic tools.” said managing director Lex Jacobs. “These products expand our range in the opposite direction by offering smaller, lighter products in response to our customers’ needs for smart batteries to power small handheld and mobile devices.”
In addition to these two new batteries, Inspired Energy have increased the capacity of their existing standard lithium ion batteries, introduced two high-energy 95Wh new standard batteries and introduced a full range of battery diagnostic tools. The company has plans to introduce further new products throughout 2004 and beyond.
| NI2040 | NF2040 | NC2040 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voltage | 10.8 V | ||
| Capacity | 6.6Ah | 4.4Ah | 2200 mAh |
| Stored Energy | 71.2Wh | 47.6Wh | 23.7Wh |
| Max Discharge | 3A continuous from –10°C to +50°C | 2A continuous from –10°C to +50°C | 1.5A continuous from –10°C to +50°C |
| Communications | Fully SMBus Compatible | ||
| Data System | Conforms to Smart Battery Specification | ||
| Charging | SMBus Level 2 or higher recommended | ||
| Weight | 484g (17oz) | 330g (12oz) | 170 g (6oz) |
| Length | 215mm (8.5”) | 147mm (5.8”) | 85mm (3.3”) |
| Height | 22.5 mm (0.9”) | ||
| Width | 59 mm (2.3”) | ||
| Mating Connector | AMP/Tyco 787422-1, or 787444-1 | ||
| Recommended battery cavity | 23.5mm x 60mm cross section. The battery should be centered within this cavity | ||
Inspired Energy specializes in the creation of battery packs with built-in electronic intelligence; providing battery monitoring, highly accurate & precise fuel gauging, battery diagnostics and battery-to-host communications. In addition Inspired Energy designs and manufactures smart chargers and offers contract design and assembly services.
Drawing on more than 50 years combined battery technology experience the management group, are also uniquely positioned to assist in the design & commercialization of fuel cell / battery hybrid systems providing NC2040 and NF2040 the capability for the smart battery and fuel cell to communicate directly, ensuring optimum performance of the hybrid system.
Clients can pick from a portfolio of existing batteries, or commission a pure custom pack or choose a customized version of a pre-existing battery, combining the best of low-cost standard designs with tailored electronic solutions.