Self-testing battery discharge indicator
First Claim
1. Apparatus for indicating the voltage of a battery and for disabling a load connected to the battery, comprising:
- first indicating means for indicating that the battery voltage is greater than a first voltage level;
second indicating means for indicating that the battery voltage is less than said first voltage level but greater than a second voltage level, said second indicating means being electrically connected to said first indicating means so that when said first indicating means is energized said second energizing means is not, and when said second indicating means is energized said first indicating means is not;
third indicating means for disabling said load when the battery voltage is less than said first and second voltage levels and for indicating that the battery is less than said first and second voltage levels, said third indicating means being electrically connected to said first and second indicating means so that when either of said first and second indicating means are energized said third indicating means is not, and when said third indicating means is energized said first and second indicating means are not;
means for selectively energizing said first, second and third indicating means in response to first and second control signals;
means for sensing that the battery voltage is greater than said first voltage level, less than said first voltage level but greater than said second voltage level, and less than said first and second voltage levels and for generating said first and second control signals in response to a third control signal, said sensing means being electrically connected to said selectively energizing means; and
means for selectively generating said third control signal either at a fixed decay rate independent of the actual battery voltage or in response to the actual battery voltage, said generating means being electrically connected to said sensing means.
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Abstract
The voltage of a battery connected to a load is automatically indicated with respect to two voltage levels. A first indicating means indicates that the battery voltage is greater than a first voltage level, and a second indicating means indicates that the battery voltage is less than the first voltage level but greater than a second voltage level. A third indicating means indicates that the battery voltage is less than both the first and second voltage levels and disables the load connected to the battery.
Means are provided for selectively generating a control signal either in response to the battery voltage or at a decay rate independent of the battery voltage. In a normal operating mode, the control signal is determined by the actual decay rate of the battery voltage whereas, in a self-test mode, the control signal decays at a fixed decay rate independent of the actual battery voltage. The first, second and third indicating means operate in response to the control signal.
25 Citations
35 Claims
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1. Apparatus for indicating the voltage of a battery and for disabling a load connected to the battery, comprising:
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first indicating means for indicating that the battery voltage is greater than a first voltage level; second indicating means for indicating that the battery voltage is less than said first voltage level but greater than a second voltage level, said second indicating means being electrically connected to said first indicating means so that when said first indicating means is energized said second energizing means is not, and when said second indicating means is energized said first indicating means is not; third indicating means for disabling said load when the battery voltage is less than said first and second voltage levels and for indicating that the battery is less than said first and second voltage levels, said third indicating means being electrically connected to said first and second indicating means so that when either of said first and second indicating means are energized said third indicating means is not, and when said third indicating means is energized said first and second indicating means are not; means for selectively energizing said first, second and third indicating means in response to first and second control signals; means for sensing that the battery voltage is greater than said first voltage level, less than said first voltage level but greater than said second voltage level, and less than said first and second voltage levels and for generating said first and second control signals in response to a third control signal, said sensing means being electrically connected to said selectively energizing means; and means for selectively generating said third control signal either at a fixed decay rate independent of the actual battery voltage or in response to the actual battery voltage, said generating means being electrically connected to said sensing means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 33, 35)
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12. Apparatus for indicating the voltage of a battery and for disabling a load connected to the battery, comprising:
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a first transistor and a first lamp electrically connected to the first transistor for indicating that the battery voltage is greater than a first voltage level; a second transistor and a second lamp connected to the second transistor for indicating that the battery voltage is less than said first voltage level but greater than a second voltage level, said second transistor being electrically connected to said first transistor so that when said first transistor is energized said second transistor is not, and when said second transistor is energized said first transistor is not; a third transistor and a third lamp connected to the third transistor for indicating that the battery voltage is less than said first and second voltage levels, said third transistor being electrically connected to said first and second transistors so that when either of said first and second transistors are energized said third transistor is not, and when said third transistor is energized said first and second transistors are not; a diac and a silicon controlled rectifier electrically connected at its gate to the diac for disabling said load when the battery voltage is less than said first and second voltage levels, said diac being electrically connected to said third transistor; a first NOR gate for selectively energizing said first transistor in response to first and second control signals, said first NOR gate being electrically connected to said first transistor; a second NOR gate and an inverter electrically connected to said second NOR gate for selectively energizing said second transistor in response to said first and second control signals, said second NOR gate being electrically connected to said second transistor; a first comparator for generating said first control signal in response to a fourth control signal, said first comparator being electrically connected to said first and second NOR gates; a second comparator for generating said second control signal in response to a fifth control signal, said second comparator being electrically connected to said inverter and said first NOR gate; an insulated gate field effect transistor for generating said fourth and fifth control signals in response to a third control signal, said insulated gate field effect transistor being electrically connected to said first and second comparators; and means for selectively generating said third control signal either at a fixed decay rate independent of the actual battery voltage or in response to the actual battery voltage, said selectively generating means being electrically connected to the gate of said insulated gate field effect transistor. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. Apparatus for indicating the voltage of a battery and for disabling a load connected to the battery, comprising:
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first indicating means for indicating that the battery voltage is greater than a first voltage level; second indicating means for indicating that the battery voltage is less than said first voltage level but greater than a second voltage level; third indicating means for disabling said load and for indicating that the battery voltage is less than said first and second voltage levels; means for selectively energizing said first, second, and third indicating means in response to first and second control signals, said selectively energizing means being electrically connected to said first, second and third indicating means; means for sensing that the battery voltage is greater than said first voltage level, less than said first voltage level but greater than said second voltage level, and less than said first and second voltage levels and for generating said first and second control signals in response to a third control signal, said sensing means being electrically connected to said selectively energizing means; and means for selectively generating said third control signal either at a fixed decay rate independent of the actual battery voltage or in response to the actual battery voltage, said selectively generating means being electrically connected to said sensing means. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. Apparatus for indicating the voltage of a battery and for disabling a load connected to the battery, comprising:
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a first transistor and a first lamp electrically connected to the first transistor for indicating that the battery voltage is greater than a first voltage level; a second transistor and a second lamp electrically connected to the second transistor for indicating that the battery voltage is less than said first voltage level but greater than a second voltage level; a third transistor and a third lamp electrically connected to the third transistor for indicating that the battery voltage is less than said first and second voltage levels; a diac and a silicon controlled rectifier electrically connected at its gate to said diac for disabling said load, said diac being electrically connected to said third transistor; a first NOR gate for selectively energizing said first transistor in response to first and second control signals, said first NOR gate being electrically connected to said first transistor; an inverter and a second NOR gate electrically connected to the inverter for selectively energizing said second transistor in response to said first and second control signals, said second NOR gate being electrically connected to said second transistor; a third NOR gate for selectively energizing said third transistor in response to said first and second control signals, said third NOR gate being electrically connected to said third transistor and to said first and second NOR gates; a first comparator for generating said first control signal in response to a fourth control signal, said first comparator being electrically connected to said first and second NOR gates; a second comparator for generating said second control signal in response to a fifth control signal, said second comparator being electrically connected to said inverter and said first NOR gate; a follower circuit for generating said fourth and fifth control signals in response to a third control signal, said follower circuit being electrically connected to said first and second comparators; and means for selectively generating said third control signal either at a fixed decay rate independent of the actual battery voltage or in response to the actual battery voltage, said selectively generating means being electrically connected to said follower circuit. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34)
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Specification