Controlled battery charger system
First Claim
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1. A battery charging system comprising:
- a. a rechargeable battery having at least one rechargeable cell;
b. a source of charging current, electrically coupled to said at least one cell, for supplying charging current to said at least one cell along a first circuit path;
c. temperature detecting means thermally coupled to said battery to monitor the temperature of said battery and to generate a signal in response thereto;
d. voltage detecting means electrically coupled to said at least one cell for sensing the voltage of said at least one cell and for providing a signal in response thereto;
e. switch means, electrically coupled in series in said path, having only two stable modes, said first mode being a conductive mode for transmitting said charge current therethrough at a substantially high uniform charging rate to said at least one cell and said second mode being a nonconductive mode for blocking the flow of said charge current therethrough;
f. control means, electrically coupled to said temperature and voltage detecting means and to said switch means, invariably responsive to a predetermined signal from either said temperature or voltage detecting means to abruptly switch said switch means from said conductive mode to said nonconductive mode, said predetermined signals from said voltage and temperature detecting means corresponding, respectively, to a voltage approximating full charge of said at least one cell and to a temperature beyond which damage to said at least one cell could occur.
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Abstract
A controlled battery charger system is provided wherein a rechargeable battery is charged at a high charge rate and the voltage and temperature of the battery are both monitored by sensing means which are coupled to switching means to shut off the high charge-rate current when either the temperature or the voltage of the battery reaches a predetermined level.
61 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A battery charging system comprising:
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a. a rechargeable battery having at least one rechargeable cell; b. a source of charging current, electrically coupled to said at least one cell, for supplying charging current to said at least one cell along a first circuit path; c. temperature detecting means thermally coupled to said battery to monitor the temperature of said battery and to generate a signal in response thereto; d. voltage detecting means electrically coupled to said at least one cell for sensing the voltage of said at least one cell and for providing a signal in response thereto; e. switch means, electrically coupled in series in said path, having only two stable modes, said first mode being a conductive mode for transmitting said charge current therethrough at a substantially high uniform charging rate to said at least one cell and said second mode being a nonconductive mode for blocking the flow of said charge current therethrough; f. control means, electrically coupled to said temperature and voltage detecting means and to said switch means, invariably responsive to a predetermined signal from either said temperature or voltage detecting means to abruptly switch said switch means from said conductive mode to said nonconductive mode, said predetermined signals from said voltage and temperature detecting means corresponding, respectively, to a voltage approximating full charge of said at least one cell and to a temperature beyond which damage to said at least one cell could occur. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A battery charging system comprising:
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a. a rechargeable battery having at least one rechargeable cell; b. a current source means, connected in series with said cell, for supplying charging current to said cell at a high charge rate along a first circuit path; c. a switching thyristor having a cathode terminal connected to one terminal of said cell, an anode terminal connected to said source, and a gate terminal, said switching thyristor having only a conductive mode for transmitting said charge current at a high charge rate to said cell and a nonconductive mode for terminating said charging current at said high charge rate; d. first and second voltage dividers connected in parallel and having the common terminals thereof connected across said cell, said first divider including a resistive element and a thermal sensing means to sense the temperature of said cell, said first divider developing a voltage thereacross responsive to the temperature of said cell; e. a transistor having a base, emitter and collector, said base being coupled to a point between said resistive element and said thermal means, and said collector coupled to said source; f. a control thyristor having a gate lead coupled with an intermediate point of said second voltage divider and with the emitter of said transistor, an anode lead coupled to the gate terminal of said switching thyristor, and a cathode lead coupled to said source means, said control thyristor operable to change the mode of said switching thyristor from said conductive to said nonconductive mode in response to a predetermined voltage developed across one of said first and second voltage dividers. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A battery charging system comprising:
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a. a rechargeable battery having at least one rechargeable cell; b. a source of charging current, electrically coupled to said at least one cell, for supplying charging current to said at least one cell along a first circuit path; c. a temperature detecting means comprising a thermostat, thermally coupled to said battery and electrically in series with said battery, to monitor the temperature of said battery and to generate a signal in response thereto; d. a voltage detecting means comprises a voltage divider electrically coupled to at least one rechargeable cell for providing a voltage signal to the gate of said thyristor which will vary in proportion to the voltage of said at least one cell to which the detecting means is coupled; e. switch means, electrically coupled in series in said circuit path and having only a conducting mode for transmitting said charge current therethrough at a substantially high uniform charging rate to said at least one cell and a nonconductive mode for blocking the flow of said charge current therethrough; f. control means, electrically coupled to said temperature and voltage detecting means and to said switch means, responsive to a predetermined signal from either said temperature or voltage detecting means to switch said switch means from said conductive mode to said nonconductive mode, said predetermined signals from said voltage and temperature detecting means corresponding, respectively, to a voltage approximating full charge of said at least one cell and to a temperature beyond which damage to said at least one cell could occur; and g. said source comprises rectification means whereby opening of the contacts of said thermostat causes the voltage of said charge current source to rise, thereby causing the voltage across said voltage divider to rise to cause said control means to switch said switch means to said nonconductive mode. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification