BATTERY-STATUS DEVICE

• US 3,617,850 A
• Filed: 12/09/1968
• Issued: 11/02/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ernest H. Domshy
• Original Assignee: Ernest H. Domshy
• Inventors: Domshy, Ernest H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, J. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gunther, John M.
• Application Number:
  US04/782,199
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2,23,24,45,44,43,46,47,48,21,31,35
• US Class Current: 320/134
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3833 using analog integrators, e.g. coulomb-meters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00714 in response to battery charging or discharging current
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/21 State of charge of battery

Abstract

This disclosure is directed to a battery and a battery-status device that indicates at all times the energy available from a battery. The arrangement is such that it takes into consideration: the energy drawn from the battery, the energy that is pumped back into the battery, the past history of the battery (whether it has been on standby duty or has been in a constant charge/discharge usage), the age of the battery, and the temperature of the battery-the temperature measurement being useful for two purposes-namely; to heat the battery to its proper operating temperature, and to vary the status-indication to show the amount of energy available at that temperature.

Claims

1. The combination, for use with a battery, comprising:

means for producing current-flow signals indicative of the magnitude, duration and direction of the current-flow to and from said battery;

means, comprising an accumulator responsive to said current-flow signals, for producing a status-signal;

means, comprising a display-device, for displaying a status corresponding to said status-signal from said accumulator;

means for charging said battery;

means for detecting the status-level of said battery;

means for causing said status-level detector to control said battery-charging means;

a heater;

a temperature-sensitive device; and

means for causing said temperature-sensitive device to control said heater for heating said battery to an optimum temperature.

2. The combination of claim 1 including means responsive to the ambient temperature for modifying said means for displaying in accordance with the temperature of said battery.

3. The combination of claim 1 including means responsive to said means for charging for modifying said means for displaying accordance with the history of said battery.

4. The combination for use with a battery comprising:

means for producing current-flow signals indicative of the magnitude, duration and direction of the current-flow to and from said battery;

means, comprising accumulator responsive to said current-flow signals, for producing a status-signal;

means, comprising a display-device, for displaying a status corresponding to said status-signal from said accumulator;

means for transmitting said status-signal to a remote location;

means for charging said battery;

means for detecting the status-level of said battery;

means for causing said status-level detector to control said battery-charging means;

means for modifying said displayed-status in accordance with the temperature of said battery;

means for modifying said displayed-status in accordance with the history of said battery;

a heater;

a temperature-sensitive device; and

means for causing said temperature-sensitive device to control said heater for heating said battery to an optimum temperature.

5. The combination, for use with a battery, comprising:

means, capable of supplying a battery-charging current, for providing variable-rate charging of said battery;

shunt means, connected as part of said battery'"'"''"'"'s circuit, for producing current-flow signals indicative of the magnitude, duration, and direction of the current-flow to and from said battery;

first amplifying means for amplifying said current-flow signals;

means, comprising a first accumulator responsive to said amplified current-flow signals, for producing a status-signal;

second amplifying means for amplifying said status-signals;

means, comprising a second accumulator responsive to said amplified current-flow signals, for producing a gain-control signal for controlling the gain of said second amplifying means;

a meter;

means, comprising a temperature-sensitive resistance connected as the input circuit of said meter, for modifying said amplified status-signal to compensate for the temperature of said battery;

means for applying said modified status-signal to said meter for producing a status-display;

means for transmitting said modified status-signal to a remote location;

means, responsive to said status-signals, for producing a battery-charger control-signal;

means for applying said battery-charger control-signal to said battery-charger;

a heater;

a thermostat; and

means for causing said thermostat to control said heater.

6. In combination with a battery, a battery-charger, means for producing current-flow signals, and a status-display device, the combination comprising:

a first amplifier;

means for applying said current-flow signals to the input of said first amplifier;

a first accumulator;

a connection from the output of said first amplifier to the input of said first accumulator;

a second amplifier having a controllable gain;

a connection from the output of said accumulator to the input of said second amplifier;

a connection from the output of said second amplifier to the input of said display-device;

a second accumulator;

means, comprising a diode connected between the output of said first amplifier and the input of said second accumulator, for producing signals corresponding to the charge current-flow to said battery; and

a connection from the output of said second accumulator to the gain-control input of said second amplifier.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein the connection to the input of said display-device comprises a temperature-sensitive resistor.

8. A battery-status device for determining the charge-status of a storage battery, said device comprising:

first means for providing an indication of the state to charge of said battery;

second means, responsive to said first means, for charging and maintaining said battery at optimum charge; and

fourth means for modifying the indicated state of charge provided by said first means in accordance with the temperature of said battery.

9. A battery-status device for determining the charged-status of a storage battery, said device comprising:

first means for providing an indication of the state of charge of said battery;

second means, responsive to said first means, for charging and maintaining said battery at optimum charge;

third means for measuring the total charge that said second means supplied to said battery and changing the response of said first means in accordance with the total charge supplied;

said first means including;

signal means for producing a positive signal that is indicative of the current supplied by said battery and a negative signal that is indicative of the current supplied to said battery by said charging means; and

first accumulator means responsive to said positive and negative signals for providing a first signal that is proportional to the net charge available from said battery; and

said third means comprising a second accumulator Means responsive to said negative signal for providing a second signal which is proportional to the total charge supplied to said battery, said second signal being coupled to said first means for changing the response of said first means and, in turn, said first signal in accordance with the total charge supplied; and

a fourth means for modifying the indicated state of charge provided by said first means in accordance with the temperature of said battery.

10. A battery-status device for determining the charged-status of a storage battery, said device comprising:

first means for providing an indication of the state of charge of said battery;

second means, responsive to said first means, for charging and maintaining said battery at optimum charge;

third means for measuring the total charge that said second means supplied to said battery and changing the response of said first means in accordance with the total charge supplied;

said first means including;

signal means for producing a positive signal that is indicative of the current supplied by said battery and a negative signal that is indicative of the current supplied to said battery by said charging means; and

first accumulator means responsive to said positive and negative signals for providing a first signal that is proportional to the net charge available from said battery; and

said third means comprising a second accumulator means responsive to said negative signal for providing a second signal which is proportion to the total charge supplied to said battery, said second signal being coupled to said first means for changing the response of said first means, in turn, said first signal in accordance with the total charge supplied;

said second means including a shunt placed in series with one of the output leads from said battery so that a potential drop is produced thereacross;

two leads fixed to spaced terminals on said shunt so that positive and negative signals are positive and negative potential differences, respectively, between said leads;

said first means further including;

a first amplifier to amplify said potential differences, said first amplifier being disposed between said shunt and said first and second accumulator means;

said first accumulator means including a first accumulator and a second amplifier coupled to the output of said first accumulator for amplifying the output of said first accumulator, said second amplifier includes an adjustable gain control means which is responsive to said second signal supplied by said second accumulator means to modified said first signal which is outputted by said second amplifier;

a display for displaying the output of said second amplifier; and

said fourth means including a resistor having the properties of increasing in resistance as the ambient temperature drops and coupled between said second amplifier and said display.