Device for charging an accumulator from an electrical energy source more particularly for an electronic watch

• US 4,291,266 A
• Filed: 05/08/1979
• Issued: 09/22/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ebauches SA (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Ebauches SA (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Portmann, Hubert
• Primary Examiner(s): HICKEY, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US06/036,984
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 320/21, 320/22, 320/61, 320/39, 320/40, 323/15, 323/8, 323/22 R, 368/205
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 10/02 the power supply being a radioactive or photovoltaic source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/307 circuits simulating a diode, e.g. threshold zero
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 136/293 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 323/906 Solar cell systems

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic device for charging an accumulator from an electric energy source, more particularly one or more solar cells, intended in particular for an electronic wristwatch. The device represents the equivalent of an ideal diode inserted between the source of electrical energy and the battery.

A solar cell (1) feeds a charging current to the accumulator (2) via a transistor (3) and, if desired, a diode (7) in parallel with the transistor (3). The conduction state of the transistor (3) is monitored by a differential amplifier (4) which has an off-set voltage (U_off), the value and polarity of which are determined by a generator (5). This off-set voltage (U_off) defines the voltage drop between the energy source and the accumulator (2) which is selected to be between 20 and 50 millivolts.

Claims

1. An electronic device for the charging of an accumulator from a source of electrical energy, for use, more particularly, in an electronic watch, said accumulator and said energy source each having a first and a second pole, said second poles being connected together, comprising conducting means having a control electrode and two main electrodes connected respectively to said first poles of the energy source and the accumulator;

a differential amplifier having two inputs respectively coupled to said main electrodes and an output connected to said control electrode, said amplifier responding to the potential difference between the first poles of said energy source and said accumulator for controlling the conduction of said conducting means; and

means for adjusting the off-set voltage of said differential amplifier at a predetermined value and polarity, in order to render negligible the voltage drop in said conducting means and to avoid the discharge of said accumulator into said energy source.

2. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said first poles are the positive poles of said energy source and said accumulator and said conduction means is a P channel MOSFET transistor.

3. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said first poles are the negative poles of said energy source and said accumulator and said conducting means is an N channel MOSFET transistor.

4. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a diode is connected between the first poles of said energy source and said accumulator.

5. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said energy source comprises at least one photo-electric cell.