ELECTROMECHANICAL DISCHARGE-CHARGE CYCLE-BATTERY CHARGER

• US 3,603,861 A
• Filed: 01/22/1970
• Issued: 09/07/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William A. Staats, William R. Baynes
• Original Assignee: William A. Staats, William R. Baynes
• Inventors: Staats, William A., Baynes, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beha, Jr., William H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gunther, John M.
• Application Number:
  US05/005,007
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2,14,21,35,31,37,38,43,44,45 46/206,243M
• US Class Current: 320/133
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule

Abstract

This is a battery charger for rapidly recharging relatively small-capacity rechargeable batteries. The batteries are recharged by being placed in electrical contact with terminals that are electrically coupled to a source of DC current, a current path being completed through the battery or batteries to be recharged. The charger includes a spring-driven rotary switch that sequentially contacts a discharge terminal and then a charge terminal, the battery being thereby first discharged for a predetermined period of time and then charged for a predetermined period of time.

Claims

1. A battery charger having a discharge-charge cycle for charging rechargeable batteries, said battery charger comprising:

a switching mechanism for sequentially discharging and then charging a battery, said switching mechanism including a discharge contact stud, a charge contact stud, a plateau cam, a contact plate having a contact button, and a timing plate having a circuit breaking boss; and

a motor operatively coupled to said timing plate and said contact plate wherein said contact plate is rotated to have said contact button first in physical contact with said discharge contact stud and then in physical contact with said charge contact stud and said timing plate is simultaneously rotated to have said circuit-breaking boss come into slideable abutting relationship with said plateau cam.

2. The apparatus defined by claim 1 wherein said contact plate is electrically conductive.

3. The apparatus defined by claim 2 further including a first-battery terminal lead coupled to said contact plate;

and a second-battery terminal lead coupled to said discharge contact stud whereby the terminals of a battery, when coupled to said first- and second-battery terminal leads, are short-circuited through said contact plate when said contact button is in physical contact with said discharge contact stud.

4. The apparatus defined by claim 3 further including a source of DC charging current operatively coupled to said charge contact stud and said second-battery terminal lead whereby charging current is permitted to flow through a battery coupled to said first- and second-battery terminal leads whenever said contact button is in physical contact with said charge-contact stud.

5. The apparatus defined by claim 1 wherein said motor includes a coiled-leaf spring and a speed-control mechanism for controlling the rate at which said coiled-leaf spring is permitted to be uncoiled.

6. The apparatus defined by claim 5 further including a knob, operatively coupled to said coiled-spring, for coiling said spring when in an uncoiled condition.

7. The apparatus defined by claim 6 wherein said timing plate further includes a semicircular channel that is concentrically oriented about the center of said timing plate, and said knob is operatively coupled to said coiled-leaf spring by a post that extends through said semicircular channel, wherein the length of said channel determines the time duration of said discharge-charge cycle.

8. The apparatus defined by claim 1 wherein said timing plate and said contact plate are maintained in slidable friction contact.

9. The apparatus defined by claim 1 further including a moveable base on which said plateau cam, said discharge-contact stud and said charge-contact stud are mounted whereby whenever said circuit-breaking boss and said plateau cam are in slideable-abutting relationship, said moveable base is moved away from said contact plate thereby breaking any physical contact between said contact button and said charge-contact stud.

10. The apparatus defined by claim 9 further including a motor cover for partially enclosing said motor and a coil spring situated between said base and said motor cover for supporting sAid moveable base.