SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING OF THERMAL BATTERIES
First Claim
1. A method for testing a thermal battery, comprising the steps of:
- applying a sinusoidal voltage to the thermal battery;
determining at least one of an impedance, a reactance, and a capacitance across two terminals of the thermal battery;
comparing said at least one of said impedance, said reactance, and said capacitance to at least one of a reference impedance, a reference reactance, and a reference capacitance; and
, indicating whether the thermal battery is “
in family”
or “
out of family”
.
27 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention generally relates to a thermal battery testing apparatus and a method for testing a thermal battery. The method includes one or more of the following steps: connecting the thermal battery in series with a resistance; connecting the thermal battery and resistance in series with a sinusoidal voltage source; applying a sinusoidal voltage to the thermal battery, measuring an impedance, reactance and/or capacitance across two terminals of the thermal battery, comparing the measured impedance, reactance and/or capacitance to a reference impedance, reactance and/or capacitance; and indicating whether the tested thermal battery is “in family” or “out of family.” The battery testing apparatus may include a testing device configured to apply a sinusoidal voltage to the thermal battery and to measure the impedance, reactance and/or capacitance across two terminals of the thermal battery. The testing apparatus may further be configured to report “out of family” batteries.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A method for testing a thermal battery, comprising the steps of:
-
applying a sinusoidal voltage to the thermal battery;
determining at least one of an impedance, a reactance, and a capacitance across two terminals of the thermal battery;
comparing said at least one of said impedance, said reactance, and said capacitance to at least one of a reference impedance, a reference reactance, and a reference capacitance; and
,indicating whether the thermal battery is “
in family”
or “
out of family”
. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A system for testing a thermal battery comprising:
-
a testing device, wherein said testing device is configured to determine at least one of an impedance, a reactance, and a capacitance across two terminals of the thermal battery;
a computer, wherein said computer is configured to communicate with said testing device, wherein said computer is configured to receive at least one of said determined impedance, reactance, and capacitance from said testing device, and wherein said computer is configured to compare at least one of said determined impedance, reactance, and capacitance to a standard; and
wherein said computer is configured to identify thermal batteries that differ from said standard. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A thermal battery testing apparatus comprising:
a testing device, having a connection wire configured for connecting said testing device to two or more terminals of the thermal battery, wherein said testing device is configured to measure at least one of an impedance, a reactance, and a capacitance across at least two of said two or more terminals, and wherein said testing device is configured to indicate the quality of the thermal battery based on at least one of said measured impedance, reactance, and capacitance. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
Specification