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Electric battery powered vehicle

  • US 4,146,825 A
  • Filed: 07/16/1975
  • Issued: 03/27/1979
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1975
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A vehicle traction battery charger comprising:

  • (a) terminal structure defining at least first and second terminals for connection to an A.C. power supply;

    (b) a rectifier connected across said first and second terminals and across terminals of a vehicle traction battery unit to provide D.C. charging power to said traction battery unit; and

    ,(c) charging control circuitry for governing the charging power supplied to said traction battery unit comprising;

    (i) switching means connected in circuit with said traction battery unit and said rectifier, said switching means having a first condition wherein a charging circuit is established to said traction battery unit from said rectifier and a second normal condition wherein said traction battery unit is not charged;

    (ii) control circuitry for operating said switching means between said first and second conditions, said control circuitry producing periodic switch controlling signals which, at a predetermined value, operate said switching means to said first condition from said second condition so that said battery unit is charged at periodic intervals when said switching means is in said first condition;

    (iii) charge level control circuitry connected to said traction battery unit for detecting charge levels of said traction battery unit above a predetermined charge level and producing a charge level signal in the form of electromagnetic radiation which varies as the battery charge level approaches a fully charged level from said predetermined charge level; and

    ,(iv) charge level signal responsive means associated with said control circuitry for altering the periodicity of said switch controlling signals to effectively reduce the charging rate of said traction battery unit as said unit approaches a fully charged level from said predetermined level, said charge level signal responsive means comprising a control element optically coupled to said charge level control circuitry and responsive to said electromagnetic radiation.

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