BATTERY CONDITIONING APPARATUS

• US 20140327388A1
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Published: 11/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Megapulse Australia Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Megapulse Australia Pty., Ltd.
• Inventors: Naddei, Rosario
• Granted Patent: US 9,531,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/06 Lead-acid accumulators semi-lead accumulators H01M10/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4242 Regeneration of electrolyte or reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00711 with introduction of pulses during the charging process
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery conditioning apparatus for conditioning a battery. The apparatus includes a pulse generator circuit for generating pulses to be applied to the battery. A loading circuit is provided for loading the battery. The apparatus also includes a controller for controlling the pulse generator circuit and loading circuit to concurrently apply the pulses to and load the battery.

Claims

1. A battery conditioning apparatus for conditioning a battery, the apparatus including:

a pulse generator circuit for generating pulses to be applied to the battery;

a loading circuit for loading the battery; and

a controller for controlling the pulse generator circuit and loading circuit to concurrently apply the pulses to and load the battery.

2. A battery conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further including a power supply circuit for powering the apparatus from any vehicle battery.

3. A battery conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the power supply circuit includes a voltage regulator and pre-regulator circuitry connected to the input of the voltage regulator.

4. A battery conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pre-regulator circuitry is configured to restrict the current flowing into the voltage regulator and suppress voltage pulses input to the voltage regulator.

5. A battery conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further including a user interface including a selector for selecting between conditional modes for said controlling of the apparatus.

6. A battery conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the user interface includes a display for displaying a selected mode.

7. A battery conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further including a battery voltage sensor circuit for sensing the battery voltage wherein the conditional modes relate to the sensed battery voltage.

8. A battery conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the concurrently generated pulses and loading of the battery are both performed at a fixed frequency.

9. A battery conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the fixed frequency is between 1 kHz to 10 kHz, and preferably 5 kHz.

10. A battery conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the concurrently generated pulses and loading of the battery sweep between 1 kHz to 10 kHz.

11. A battery conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the duty cycle of the loading of the battery is based upon a sensed battery voltage.

12. A battery conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the loading circuit provides a short or virtual short across the battery.

13. A battery conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the loading circuit includes a resistance etched on a printed circuit board (PCB) of the apparatus.

14. A battery conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to periodically perform a load test of the battery to ascertain the integrity of the battery.

15. A battery conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 14, further including a display for displaying the result of the load test.

16. A battery conditioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pulse generator circuit does not include an inductor, relying instead upon the inductance of the battery.

17. A method for conditioning a battery, the method including the step of concurrently applying pulses to and loading the battery.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, further including the step of conditionally applying the pulses to and loading the battery using a sensed voltage of the battery.

19. A method as claimed in claim 17, further including the step of periodically performing a load test of the battery.

20. A battery conditioning apparatus for conditioning a battery, the apparatus including a power supply circuit for powering the apparatus from any vehicle battery, without the need for different apparatus models to accommodate different battery voltages.