Method for charging storage cells or storage batteries

• US 3,992,658 A
• Filed: 06/24/1975
• Issued: 11/16/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pro Casa-Gesellschaft REG Trust
• Original Assignee: Pro Casa-Gesellschaft REG Trust
• Inventors: Bechtold, Leander, Kartscher, Gunther
• Primary Examiner(s): Hickey, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US05/589,753
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 320/21, 320/39, 320/40, 320/22-24, 320/46, 320/20
• US Class Current: 320/161
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007184 in response to battery voltage gradient
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/17 Sensing of "gassing" voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/19 Charger status, e.g. voltmeter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/21 State of charge of battery

Abstract

A method for charging storage cells or storage batteries by automatically switching a charger off or over to trickle charge when full charge is reached, comprising the steps of automatically determining the shape of the charging voltage curve as a function of time after the gassing voltage of the storage cell or storage battery to be charged has been reached, and switching the charging current off or over to trickle charge as soon as the increase of the charging voltage approaches zero in the course of time.

The method further includes the steps of providing an auxiliary voltage by charging a capacitor with a charge current, automatically varying the charge current within pre-set limits and automatically simulating the shape of the charging voltage curve of the storage device as a function of time by means of the auxiliary voltage, after reaching the gassing voltage, such that the auxiliary voltage is a certain extent smaller than the charging voltage as long a difference quotient of the charging voltage exceeds the difference quotient of the capacitor voltage defined by a predetermined lower limit of the charge current of the capacitor after the same time. The charger is automatically cut off if the charging voltage equals or is lower than the capacitor voltage.

Claims

1. A method for charging storage devices constituting storage cells or storage batteries, with a charger and by automatically switching the charger off or over to trickle charge when full charge is reached, comprising the steps of

automatically determining the shape of a charging voltage curve as a function of time after reaching a gassing voltage of the storage device to be charged, and switching the charging current at least over to trickle charge as soon as the increase of the charging voltage approaches zero in the course of time, the method including

providing an auxiliary voltage by charging a capacitor with a charge current,

automatically varying the charge current within pre-set limits and automatically simulating the shape of said charging voltage curve of said storage device as a function of time by means of said auxiliary voltage, after reaching the gassing voltage, such that the auxiliary voltage is a definite extent smaller than the charging voltage as long as a difference quotient of the charging voltage exceeds the difference quotient of the capacitor voltage defined by a predetermined lower limit of the charge current of the capacitor after the same time, and

automatically cutting off the charger if the charging voltage at most equals the capacitor voltage.

2. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps of

charging the capacitor from a source of constant current with a pulsed current by means of a frequency variable pulse generator, and

varying the frequency of said pulsed current.