Method and apparatus for rapid battery charging
First Claim
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1. A method of rapidly charging a battery having a known nominal amperage, comprising:
- discharging the battery to a predetermined value to discharge a possible residual charge on the battery, andautomatically charging the battery with a charging current having a value which initially is greater than the value of the nominal battery amperage, decreasing said charging current from its initial value at an exponential rate determined by a resistor-capacitor discharge circuit, and decreasing said charging current to a value sufficiently less than the nominal battery amperage to prevent damage to the battery.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for charging electrical storage batteries having a known nominal amperage. Discharging the battery to a predetermined value and then charging the battery with a charging current which is initially several times greater than the nominal battery amperage and which charging current decreases exponentially from the initial charging current to a charging current which is much less than the nominal battery amperage when the battery is fully charged. The apparatus uses the discharge rate of an RC circuit to exponentially control the charging current applied to the battery.
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11 Claims
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1. A method of rapidly charging a battery having a known nominal amperage, comprising:
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discharging the battery to a predetermined value to discharge a possible residual charge on the battery, and automatically charging the battery with a charging current having a value which initially is greater than the value of the nominal battery amperage, decreasing said charging current from its initial value at an exponential rate determined by a resistor-capacitor discharge circuit, and decreasing said charging current to a value sufficiently less than the nominal battery amperage to prevent damage to the battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An apparatus for charging a battery comprising,
A. means for discharging the battery, B. circuit means coupled to the discharge means, for controlling the discharge of the battery to a predetermined voltage value, C. means for charging the battery with a charging current, D. operation circuit means for automatically switching the battery from the discharging means to the charging means at said predetermined discharge value, said means being coupled to said discharging means, said charging means and said battery, and E. control means coupled to the charging means for regulating the charging current supplied to the battery, said control means including a resistor-capacitor discharge circuit, said charging current having an initial value greater than the nominal battery amperage and regulated by said control means to decrease in an exponentially decreasing rate determined by the resistor-capacitor circuit to a final value less than the nominal battery amperage to prevent damage to the battery.
Specification