DC powered capacitive pulse charge and pulse discharge battery charger
First Claim
1. A battery charger comprising:
- power connector means for removable conductive connection to an external source of direct current power;
a first node conductively connected to said power connector to receive and transmit electrical energy;
a first inductor to receive, store and transmit received and stored electrical energy having an input conductively connected to said first node and an output;
a second node conductively connected to said output of said first inductor to receive and transmit electrical energy;
first switching means having an output and an input which is conductively connected to said second node, and having a first state in which said switching means is conductive to receive and transmit electrical energy received from said second node and a second state in which said switching means is nonconductive to not transmit electrical energy, said switching means automatically switching between said first state and said second state in accordance with preselected electrical signals sensed by said switching means;
a third node conductively connected to said output of said first switching means to receive and transmit electrical energy;
a second inductor to receive, store and transmit received and stored electrical energy having an input conductively connected to said third node and having an output;
output connector means conductively connected to said output of said second inductor which is removably conductively connectable to a battery to be charged to receive and transmit electrical energy;
a capacitor conductively connected to said third node to receive, store and transmit electrical energy;
second switching means conductively connected to said capacitor and to said second node to switch said capacitor between a series circuit and parallel circuit configuration with respect to said first and second inductors;
temperature sensing means positioned to sense the temperature of the battery to be charged and generate an electrical signal reflective of said temperature;
control means conductively connected to said first node to receive electrical energy therefrom, to said temperature sensing means to receive said temperature reflective electrical signal therefrom, to said battery to receive an electrical signal reflective of the voltage across said battery, and to said second switching means to supply control signals thereto, said control means generating said control signals to repetitiously cause said capacitor to be first charged in parallel circuit through said first switching means and discharged in series with said first and second inductors to pulse charge said battery to be charged and thereafter cause a brief pulse discharge of said battery, the repetition rate of said charge and discharge pulses varying based on the state of charge of the battery to be charged as determined by said control means from the battery voltage signal and temperature reflective signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A battery charger receives electrical power from an external source of direct current electrical power. The power is received through a first inductor which supplies it to a second node. First switching means receives the power from the second node and supplies it to a third node. A second inductor receives the power from the third node and supplies it to the battery to be charged through output connector means. Second switching means are connected to the second node and to a capacitor which is connected to the third node so that the second switching means can switch the capacitor between series circuit and parallel circuit configurations with respect to the first and second inductors. A safety circuit is connected to temperature sensing means positioned to sense the temperature of the battery to be charged, to the first node and to the first switching means. The safety circuit causes the first switching means to become nonconductive upon detection of unsafe conditions which may occur when charging. A control circuit is connected to the first node, to the second switching means, and to the output of the battery to be charged. The control circuit is also connected to the temperature sensing means and supplies control signals to the second switching means to repetitiously cause the capacitor to be first charged in parallel circuit through the first switching means and discharged in series circuit with said first and second inductors to pulse charge the battery to be charged and thereafter cause a brief pulse discharge of the battery to be charged with the repetition rate and magnitude of the pulses varying based on the state of charge of the battery to be charged.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A battery charger comprising:
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power connector means for removable conductive connection to an external source of direct current power; a first node conductively connected to said power connector to receive and transmit electrical energy; a first inductor to receive, store and transmit received and stored electrical energy having an input conductively connected to said first node and an output; a second node conductively connected to said output of said first inductor to receive and transmit electrical energy; first switching means having an output and an input which is conductively connected to said second node, and having a first state in which said switching means is conductive to receive and transmit electrical energy received from said second node and a second state in which said switching means is nonconductive to not transmit electrical energy, said switching means automatically switching between said first state and said second state in accordance with preselected electrical signals sensed by said switching means; a third node conductively connected to said output of said first switching means to receive and transmit electrical energy; a second inductor to receive, store and transmit received and stored electrical energy having an input conductively connected to said third node and having an output; output connector means conductively connected to said output of said second inductor which is removably conductively connectable to a battery to be charged to receive and transmit electrical energy; a capacitor conductively connected to said third node to receive, store and transmit electrical energy; second switching means conductively connected to said capacitor and to said second node to switch said capacitor between a series circuit and parallel circuit configuration with respect to said first and second inductors; temperature sensing means positioned to sense the temperature of the battery to be charged and generate an electrical signal reflective of said temperature; control means conductively connected to said first node to receive electrical energy therefrom, to said temperature sensing means to receive said temperature reflective electrical signal therefrom, to said battery to receive an electrical signal reflective of the voltage across said battery, and to said second switching means to supply control signals thereto, said control means generating said control signals to repetitiously cause said capacitor to be first charged in parallel circuit through said first switching means and discharged in series with said first and second inductors to pulse charge said battery to be charged and thereafter cause a brief pulse discharge of said battery, the repetition rate of said charge and discharge pulses varying based on the state of charge of the battery to be charged as determined by said control means from the battery voltage signal and temperature reflective signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification