Redundant battery protection system
First Claim
1. A system for coupling a battery to a load, comprising:
- first and second unidirectionally conducting devices, each connected at one like terminal to the load, and each having a second terminal;
controllable switch means normally connecting said battery to the second terminal of said first device for causing a flow of current therethrough to said load, thereby normally producing a voltage drop in the forward direction across said first device;
sensing means for sensing (a) the current flow between said battery and said load and (b) the voltage across said first device; and
means coupled to said sensing means responsive to the presence of said current flow between said battery and said load and the substantial absence of a forward voltage drop across said first device for operating said controllable switch means causing it to switch the connection of the battery from the second terminal of the first device to the second terminal of the second device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A satellite power system in which solar cells provide power to a load during sunlight hours and also charge, through regulators, rechargeable batteries which provide power during dark periods. In order to prevent the batteries from being overcharged by solar cell current bypassing the regulators (through the load connection) each battery is protected by a redundant protection system including a pair of diodes and switch means normally connecting one of the diodes between the battery and the load. If the one diode fails or shorts, the switch means connects the other diode between the battery and the load; the voltage across the one diode and current therethrough are sensed to determine if the diode has failed.
30 Citations
4 Claims
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1. A system for coupling a battery to a load, comprising:
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first and second unidirectionally conducting devices, each connected at one like terminal to the load, and each having a second terminal; controllable switch means normally connecting said battery to the second terminal of said first device for causing a flow of current therethrough to said load, thereby normally producing a voltage drop in the forward direction across said first device; sensing means for sensing (a) the current flow between said battery and said load and (b) the voltage across said first device; and means coupled to said sensing means responsive to the presence of said current flow between said battery and said load and the substantial absence of a forward voltage drop across said first device for operating said controllable switch means causing it to switch the connection of the battery from the second terminal of the first device to the second terminal of the second device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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Specification