METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CHARGING BATTERIES

• US 3,732,481 A
• Filed: 05/07/1970
• Issued: 05/08/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph A. Mas
• Original Assignee: Joseph A. Mas
• Inventors: Mas, Joseph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, J. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hickey, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US05/035,352
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 320/5,14,20-22,39,40,46,52
• US Class Current: 320/129
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00711 with introduction of pulses during the charging process
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/219 in a bridge configuration

Abstract

A method and apparatus for rapidly charging a battery. During the charging process, the battery is caused to accept and store the desired charging current by producing discharge pulses whose rate and/or durations vary in accordance with the relative magnitudes of the charging current and the acceptance current level of the battery.

Claims

1. A battery charger for charging a battery having an opening to the atmosphere comprising a charging current source for delivering current to said battery to be charged, means for periodically discharging said battery while it is being charged from said charging current source, transducer means for measuring the rate of gas evolution within said battery, and means for controlling a continuous increase in the duration of the operation of said battery discharging means during successive operations thereof as the measured rate of gas evolution tends to increase.

2. A method for charging a battery having an opening to the atmosphere comprising the steps of:

a. delivering a charging current to said battery, b. periodically discharging the battery while it is being charged by said charging current, c. measuring the rate of gas evolution within the battery, and d. controlling a continuous increase in the rate of the discharge of the battery as the measured rate of gas evolution tends to increase by causing the discharges of the battery in step (b) to occur at a fixed rate and the durations of the discharges in successive cycles to increase as the battery is progressively charged.