Dual battery charging rate device

• US 3,911,350 A
• Filed: 04/09/1973
• Issued: 10/07/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eveready Battery Company Incorporated (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thelbert A. Swope
• Inventors: Swope, Thelbert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, J. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hickey, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US05/349,383
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 320/35,36,22,23
• US Class Current: 320/154
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/22 Line impedance, e.g. resistor

Abstract

A dual charging rate device for secondary cells or batteries comprising a transformer coupled to rectifier means and wherein thermal switching means are utilized for automatically coupling resistive means into the circuit so as to change the magnitude of the charging current when the temperature of a component in the device increases to a preselected level.

Claims

1. An automatic dual charging rate switching device for secondary cells and batteries which is capable of delivering an initial fast charging current followed automatically by a lower charging current comprising:

a. a transformer having primary and secondary windings coupled to at least one primary and at least one secondary set of terminals, respectively;

b. a resistive element connected in series with one of said terminal sets;

c. a thermal switching means having at least one switching component and a thermal sensing component, one of said switching component connected in parallel across said resistive element, and said thermal sensing component positioned adjacent said transformer, said transformer operable such that the temperature of the transformer will increase between about 30*F. and about 90*F. after a time period of in line operation between about 20 minutes and about 45 minutes;

d. rectifier means connected to at least one set of secondary terminals of the transformer for converting alternating current from said transformer to direct current; and

e. output terminals for the rectifier means which are adapted for connecting to at least one secondary cell or battery so that when at least one secondary cell or battery is coupled to said output terminals and an alternating current power source is coupled to the primary terminals of the transformer, the secondary cell or battery will receive an initial fast charging current until the temperature of said transformer increases to within the above temperature range which will cause said thermal sensing component to activate said switching component thereby altering the parameters of the circuit so as to decrease the charging current through the output terminals to a lower charge rate.

2. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 1 wherein said switching component is normally closed and wherein said resistive element is coupled in series to the primary winding of the transformer.

3. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 1 wherein said switching component is normally closed and wherein said resistive element is coupled to the secondary winding circuit of the transformer.

4. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 1 wherein the transformer has dual secondary windings each having a secondary set of terminals coupled to rectifier means and output terminals.

5. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 1 wherein the transformer has an additional tap terminal on the secondary winding;

wherein a first rectifier means coupled to output terminals is connected between one terminal of the secondary winding and the addition tap terminal;

wherein a second rectifier means coupled to output terminals is connected between a second terminal of the secondary winding and the additional tap terminal; and

wherein said thermal switching means has two switching components with one of the switching components connected in parallel across said resistive element coupled in series with said first rectifier means and the second switching component connected in parallel across a second resistive element coupled in series with said second rectifier means.

6. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 1 wherein a variable resistor is coupled in series to the output terminals.

7. An automatic dual charging rate switching device for secondary cells and batteries which is capable of delivering an initial fast charging current followed automatically by a lower charging current comprising:

a. a transformer having primary and secondary windings coupled to at least one primary and at least one secondary set of terminals, respectively;

b. a thermal switching means having a switching component and a thermal sensing component, said switching component connected in parallel across a portion of the winding of said transformer and said tHermal sensing component positioned adjacent said transformer, said transformer operable such that the temperature of said transformer will increase between about 30*F. and about 90*F. after a time period of in line operation between about 20 minutes and about 45 minutes;

c. rectifier means connected to at least one set of secondary terminals of the transformer for converting alternating current from said transformer to direct current; and

d. output terminals for the rectifier means which are adapted for connecting to at least one secondary cell or battery so that when at least one secondary cell or battery is coupled to said output terminals and an alternating current power source is coupled to the primary terminals of the transformer, the secondary cell or battery will receive an initial fast charging current until the temperature of said transformer increases to within the above temperature range which will cause said thermal sensing component to activate said switching component thereby altering the parameters of the circuit so as to decrease the charging current through the output terminals to a lower charge rate.

8. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 7 wherein said switching component is normally closed and is connected in parallel across a portion of the primary windings.

9. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 7 wherein said switching component is normally opened and is connected in parallel across a portion of the secondary windings.

10. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 7 wherein the transformer has dual secondary windings each having a secondary set of terminals coupled to rectifier means and output terminals.

11. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 8 wherein the transformer has an additional tap terminal on the secondary winding;

wherein a first rectifier means coupled to output terminals is connected between one terminal of the secondary winding and the additional tap terminal and a second rectifier means coupled to output terminals is connected between a second terminal of the secondary winding and the additional tap terminal.

12. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 7 wherein a variable resistor is coupled in series to the output terminals.

13. An automatic dual charging rate switching device for secondary cells and batteries which is capable of delivering an initial fast charging current followed automatically by a lower charging current comprising:

a. a transformer having primary and secondary windings coupled at at least one primary and at least one secondary set of terminals, respectively;

b. a first resistive element connected in series with one of said terminal sets and a second resistor connected to one of said terminal sets;

c. a thermal switching means having at least one switching component and a thermal sensing component, one of said switching component connected in parallel across said first resistive element, and said thermal sensing component positioned adjacent said second resistive element, said second resistive element operable such that the temperature of the second resistive element independent of the temperature of a cell or battery being charged will increase between about 30*F. and about 90*F. after a time period of in line operation between about 20 minutes and about 45 minutes;

d. rectifier means connected to at least one set of secondary terminals of the transformer for converting alternating current from said transformer to direct current; and

e. output terminals for the rectifier means which are adapted for connecting to at least one secondary cell or battery so that when at least one secondary cell or battery is coupled to said output terminals and an alternating current power source is coupled to the primary terminals of the transformer, the secondary cell or battery will receive an initial fAst charging current until the temperature of said second resistive element increases to within the above temperature range which will cause said thermal sensing component to activate said switching component thereby altering the parameters of the circuit so as to decrease the charging current through the output terminals to a lower charge rate.

14. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 13 wherein said switching component is normally closed and is connected in parallel across said first resistive element which is coupled in series to the primary winding of the transformer.

15. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 13 wherein said switching component is normally closed and is connected in parallel across said first resistive element which is coupled to the secondary winding circuit of the transformer.

16. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 13 wherein the transformer has dual secondary windings each having a secondary set of terminals coupled to rectifier means and output terminals.

17. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 13 wherein the transformer has an additional tap terminal on the secondary winding and wherein a first rectifier means coupled to output terminals is connected between one terminal of the secondary winding and the additional tap terminal and a second rectifier means coupled to output terminals is connected between a second terminal of the secondary winding and the additional tap terminal.

18. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 14 wherein said thermal switching means has two switching components and wherein one of the switching components is connected in parallel across said first resistive element which is coupled to one of the secondary windings and the second switching component is connected in parallel across a third resistive element which is coupled to the second secondary winding.

19. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 17 wherein said thermal switching means has two switching components and wherein one of the switching components is connected in parallel across said first resistive element which is coupled to the first rectifier means and the second switching component is connected in parallel across a third resistive element which is coupled to the second rectifier means.

20. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 13 wherein a variable resistor is coupled in series to the output terminals.

21. An automatic dual charging rate switching device for secondary cells and batteries which is capable of delivering an initial fast charging current followed automatically by a lower charging current comprising:

a. a transformer having primary and secondary windings coupled to at least one primary and at least one secondary set of terminals, respectively;

b. a first resistive element connected in series with one of the terminal sets;

c. a thermal switching means having at least one switching component and a thermal sensing component, one of said switching component connected in parallel across a portion of the winding of the transformer; and

said thermal sensing component positioned adjacent said first resistive element, said first resistive element operable such that the temperature of said first resistive element will increase between about 30*F. and about 90*F. after a time period of in line operation between about 20 minutes and about 45 minutes;

d. rectifier means connected to at least one set of secondary terminals of the transformer for converting alternating current from said transformer to direct current; and

e. output terminals for the rectifier means which are adapted for connecting to at least one secondary cell or battery so that when at least one secondary cell or battery is coupled to said output terminals and an alternating current power source is coupled to the primary terminals of the transformer, the secOndary cell or battery will receive an initial fast charging current until the temperature of said first resistive element increases to within the above temperature range which will cause said thermal sensing component to activate said switching component thereby altering the parameters of the circuit so as to decrease the charging current through the output terminals to a lower charge rate.

22. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 21 wherein said switching component is normally closed and is connected in parallel across a portion of the primary windings.

23. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 21 wherein said switching component is normally opened and is connected in parallel across a portion of the secondary windings.

24. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 22 wherein the transformer has dual secondary windings each having a secondary set of terminals coupled to rectifier means and output terminals.

25. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 22 wherein the transformer has an additional tap terminal on the secondary winding and wherein a first rectifier means coupled to output terminals is connected between one terminal of the secondary winding and the additional tap terminal and a second rectifier means coupled to output terminals is connected between a second terminal of the secondary winding and the additional tap terminal.

26. The automatic dual charging rate switching device of claim 21 wherein a variable resistor is coupled in series to the output terminals.