Universal battery charging apparatus
First Claim
1. A battery charging system having a charging path for charging batteries having a variety of different capacities requiring different optimum charging rates, said system including in combination,a charging rate sensing circuit, at least one battery cell having an optimum charging rate,a fixed resistor related to a predetermined charging rate of said cell approximating the optimum charging rate thereof, andbattery terminals connected to said cell and to said fixed resistor to form a battery for connecting the battery into the battery charging system with only said cell in said charging path and said fixed resistor in said charging rate sensing circuit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Battery charging apparatus for charging batteries having different optimum charging rates, and wherein there is included in the same housing with the battery an electrical element having a characteristic related to a predetermined charging rate of the battery. Terminals are provided on the housing for the battery and the electrical element, for connection to the charging apparatus, and the charging apparatus utilizes the value of the characteristic of the element to control the supply of charging current to the battery. The electrical element provided with the battery may be a resistor, and the charging apparatus connects the resistor in a circuit to develop a control potential which is utilized to control the charging current. This control potential operates through a regulator to control the current through a resistance which is connected to the base of a transistor which controls the charging current. The current through the resistance controls the potential developed thereacross to provide a control potential at the base of the transistor to thereby control the charging current. An improved timer including four IC comparators may be utilized to control the length of time charging current is applied to the battery. Also, if the battery includes a heat sensitive element, such as a thermistor, circuitry is provided for sensing the presence and value of the thermistor and supplying a suitable rapid charge current to the battery. A pair of light emitting diodes are connected to the charging circuit to indicate when charging current is supplied to the battery.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A battery charging system having a charging path for charging batteries having a variety of different capacities requiring different optimum charging rates, said system including in combination,
a charging rate sensing circuit, at least one battery cell having an optimum charging rate, a fixed resistor related to a predetermined charging rate of said cell approximating the optimum charging rate thereof, and battery terminals connected to said cell and to said fixed resistor to form a battery for connecting the battery into the battery charging system with only said cell in said charging path and said fixed resistor in said charging rate sensing circuit.
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2. A battery charging system for charging batteries having a variety of different capacities requiring different optimum charging rates, said system including in combinaton,
a battery including at least one cell, an electrical element having a fixed characteristic related to a predetermined charging rate of said cell approximating the optimum charging rate, and battery terminals connected to said cell and to said electrical element, connector means for making electrical connections to the terminals of said battery, circuit means connected to said connector means for connection through said terminals of said battery to said electrical element thereof, said circuit means producing a control voltage having a value related to the characteristic of said electrical element, charging current supply means connected to said connector means for connection to said cell through said terminals, said current supply means including control means for controlling the charging current supplied thereby in accordance with a control voltage applied thereto, and means connecting said circuit means to said control means for applying the control voltage to said control means and controlling the charging current supplied to said cell to the predetermined charging rate of said cell.
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7. Battery charging apparatus for charging batteries having a variety of different capacities requiring different optimum charging rates, and wherein each battery includes therewith an electrical element having a fixed characteristic related to a predetermined charging rate of the battery approximating the optimum charging rate, and terminals connected to the battery and to the electrical element, such apparatus including in combination;
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connector means for making electrical connections to the terminals of a battery, circuit means connected to said connector means for connection through the terminals of the battery to the electrical element thereof, said circuit means producing a control voltage having a value related to the characteristic of the electrical element, charging current supply means connected to said connector means for connection to the battery through the terminals thereof, said current supply means including control means for controlling the charging current supplied thereby in accordance with a control voltage applied thereto, said charging current supply means including a transistor having an emitter-collector path for controlling the current supplied to said connector means for charging the battery, and a base electrode connected to said resistance means, whereby the voltage developed across said resistance means controls the conduction of said transistor, and means connecting said circuit means to said control means for applying said control voltage to said control means and controlling the charging current supplied to the battery to the predetermined charging rate of the battery. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. Battery charging apparatus for charging batteries having a variety of different capacities requiring different optimum charging rates, and wherein each battery includes therewith an electrical element having a fixed characteristic related to a predetermined charging rate of the battery approximating the optimum charging rate, and terminals connected to the battery and to the electrical element, such apparatus including in combination,
connector means for making electrical connections to the terminals of a battery, circuit means connected to said connector means for connection through the terminals of the battery to the electrical element thereof, said circuit means producing a control voltage having a value related to the characteristic of the electrical element, charging current supply means connected to said connector means for connection to the battery through the terminals thereof, said current supply means including control means for controlling the charging current supplied thereby in accordance with a control voltage applied thereto, means connecting said circuit means to said control means for applying said control voltage to said control means and controlling the charging current supplied to the battery to the predetermined charging rate of the battery, and automatic timing means connected to said circuit means and said control means for substantially reducing the charging current supplied to the battery a predetermined time after charging current is initially applied to the battery.
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14. Battery charging apparatus for charging batteries having a variety of different capacities requiring different optimum charging rates, and wherein each battery includes therewith an electrical element having a fixed characteristic related to a predetermined charging rate of the battery approximating the optimum charging rate, and terminals connected to the battery and to the electrical element, such apparatus including in combination,
connector means for making electrical connections to the terminals of a battery, circuit means connected to said connector means for connection through the terminals of the battery to the electrical element thereof, said circuit means producing a control voltage having a value related to the characteristic of the electrical element, charging current supply means connected to said connector means for connection to the battery through the terminals thereof, said current supply means including control means for controlling the charging current supplied thereby in accordance with a control voltage applied thereto, means connecting said circuit means to said control means for applying said control voltage to said control means and controlling the charging current supplied to the battery to the predetermined charging rate of the battery, and circuitry for supplying a rapid charging rate current to batteries including therewith a temperature sensitive electrical element connected to the terminals thereof and varying in resistance in accordance with changes of temperature of the battery, said circuitry comprising, a rapid rate detector connected to said connector means for connection through the terminals of the battery to the temperature sensitive electrical element thereof, and switch means connected to said rapid rate detector, said rapid rate detector sensing the presence of the temparature sensitive electrical element and the resistance value thereof and activating said switch when the resistance value is within a predetermined range, and said switch means being connected to the control means of said charging current supply means for controlling said supply means to supply to the battery a rapid charging rate current during activation of said switch means.
Specification