Battery recharger with timer

• US 20050029989A1
• Filed: 08/06/2003
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Recchia, Christopher A., Shaver, David M.
• Application Number:
  US10/635,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20050029989A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/133
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007188 the charge cycle being controlled or terminated in response to non-electric parameters

Abstract

A battery charger that has a first mode that charges the battery and a second mode that maintains a charge on the battery. The battery charger switches from the first mode to the second mode after expiration of a predetermined period of time. The battery charger prevents over charging of the battery.

Claims

1. A battery charger comprising:

a charging mode that completes charging after an event, wherein said event essentially consists of an expiration of a period of time.

2. The battery charger of claim 1 further comprising a maintenance mode to maintain a charge.

3. The battery charger of claim 2, wherein said maintenance mode begins after said event.

4. A device for charging a battery comprising:

a battery charger having a first mode that charges the battery and a second mode that maintains a charge in the battery, wherein said battery charger switches from said first mode to said second mode after expiration of a predetermined period of time.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said predetermined period of time is based on a capacity of the battery.

6. A battery charger comprising:

a charging circuit for charging a battery and maintaining a charge of said battery; and

a timing circuit for switching the charging circuit from charging said battery to maintaining said battery after an expiration of a predetermined period of time.

7. The battery charger of claim 6 further comprising a battery indicator circuit that detects a presence of said battery, wherein said presence of said battery causes said charging circuit to begin charging said battery.

8. The battery charger of claim 6 wherein said predetermined period of time is based on a capacity of said battery.

9. A method of charging a battery in a battery charger comprising:

placing the battery in the battery charger;

activating a charging circuit;

charging the battery for the predetermined period of time;

switching the charging circuit from charging the battery to maintaining a charge on the battery after an expiration of the period of time; and

maintaining a charge on the battery.