Monitoring means for combustion engine electric storage battery means

• US 4,488,521 A
• Filed: 12/12/1980
• Issued: 12/18/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1978
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nartron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nartron Corporation
• Inventors: Taylor, Robert E., Miller, Gerald K., Rautiola, Norman A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dolinar, Andrew M.
• Application Number:
  US06/215,636
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: 123/179 B, 123/179 BG, 123/179 R, 361/90, 361/91, 361/92, 361/93, 361/94, 361/187, 320/48, 340/636, 340/662, 340/663, 340/664, 290/38 R
• US Class Current: 123/179.3
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 3/06 with compression ignition compression ignition engines using air or gas for blowing fuel into compressed air in cylinder F02B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 77/08 Safety, indicating, or supervising devices thermal insulation F02B77/11; monitoring or diagnostic devices for exhaust-gas treatment apparatus F01N11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/093 with timing means in general H02H3/027; thermal delay H02H3/085; timing means for undervoltage protection H02H3/247
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/207 also responsive to under-voltage window comparators for indication G01R19/165
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/247 having timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed, in combination, are a combustion engine, an electric storage battery, an electrically powered starter motor for at times driving the engine in order to start the engine, and an electrical system monitor; the electrical system monitor has a first monitoring portion which senses the actual voltage across the battery and a second monitoring portion which monitors the current through the battery; an electrical switch controls associated circuitry and is actuatable into open or closed conditions; whenever the first monitoring portion senses a preselected magnitude of the actual voltage across the battery or the second monitoring portion senses a preselected magnitude of the current flow through the battery, the electrical switch is actuated.

Claims

1. The combination of a combustion engine, electric storage battery means, electrically powered starter motor means for at times driving said engine in order to start said engine, engine ignition means, operator positionable first electrical switch means, second electrical switch means closable upon electrical energization thereof, first electrical circuit means electrically interconnecting said battery means and said first electrical switch means, second electrical circuit means interconnecting said battery means and said starter motor means, said second electrical switch means when closed being effective to electrically close said second electrical circuit means through said starter motor means in order to thereby electrically power said starting motor means for driving said engine, first electrical contact means, third electrical circuit means electrically interconnecting said second switch means with said first electrical contact means, second electrical contact means, fourth electrical circuit means interconnecting said engine ignition means with said second electrical contact means, third electrical contact means, electrical system monitoring means, fifth electrical circuit means electrically interconnecting a first portion of said monitoring means to said third electrical contact means, and sixth electrical circuit means electrically interconnecting a second portion of said monitoring means to said battery means, said first electrical switch means when positioned as to be in electrical contact with said first electrical contact means being effective to electrically energize said second electrical switch means, said first electrical switch means being effective when positioned as to be in electrical contact with said second electrical contact means to electrically close said fourth electrical circuit means through said engine ignition means, said first electrical switch means being effective when positioned as to be in electrical contact with said third electrical contact means to electrically close said fifth and sixth electrical circuit means through said monitoring means, said monitoring means comprising means for sensing the actual voltage as across said battery means said first electrical circuit means and said first electrical switch means, said monitoring means further comprising output load means and third electrical switch means for controlling the energization and deenergization of said output load means, said means for sensing the actual voltage being effective upon sensing either a preselected high magnitude of said actual voltage or a preselected low magnitude of said actual voltage for actuating said third electrical switch means, said means for sensing the actual voltage comprising voltage divider means and NAND gate means, said NAND gate means comprising first second third and fourth gate means, said first gate means being effective upon the occurrence of said relatively high magnitude of actual voltage for producing and applying a first low signal to said second gate means for in turn causing said second gate means to produce and apply a high signal to said third gate means, said third gate means upon application thereto of said high signal being effective for producing and applying a low signal to said fourth gate means thereby causing said fourth gate means to produce a high output signal and apply such output signal to said third electrical switch means for actuation thereof.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said third electrical switch means is closed by the application thereto of said high output signal.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said voltage divider means comprises first voltage divider means and second voltage divider means, wherein said first voltage divider means is electrically connected to said first gate means, and wherein said second voltage divider means is electrically connected to said second gate means.

4. The combination according to claim 1 and further comprising time delay means effective for delaying de-actuation of said third electrical switch means upon said actual voltage changing in magnitude from a magnitude equal to or greater than said preselected high magnitude to a magnitude less than said preselected high magnitude, said time delay means comprising an R-C network electrically connected to and between said second and third gate means.

5. The combination of a combustion engine, electric storage battery means, electrically powered starter motor means for at times driving said engine in order to start said engine, engine ignition means, operator positionable first electrical switch means, second electrical switch means closable upon electrical energization thereof, first electrical circuit means electrically interconnecting said battery means and said first electrical switch means, second electrical circuit means interconnecting said battery means and said starter motor means, said second electrical switch means when closed being effective to electrically close said second electrical circuit means through said starter motor means in order to thereby electrically power said starting motor means for driving said engine, first electrical contact means, third electrical circuit means electrically interconnecting said second switch means with said first electrical contact means, second electrical contact means, fourth electrical circuit means interconnecting said engine ignition means with said second electrical contact means, third electrical contact means, electrical system monitoring means, fifth electrical circuit means electrically interconnecting a first portion of said monitoring means to said third electrical contact means, sixth electrical circuit means electrically interconnecting a second portion of said monitoring means to said battery means, said first electrical switch means when positioned as to be in electrical contact with said first electrical contact means being effective to electrically energize said second electrical switch means, said first electrical switch means being effective when positioned as to be in electrical contact with said second electrical contact means to electrically close said fourth electrical circuit means through said engine ignition means, said first electrical switch means being effective when positioned as to be in electrical contact with said third electrical contact means to electrically close said fifth and sixth electrical circuit means through said monitoring means, said monitoring means comprising means for sensing the actual voltage as across said battery means said first electrical circuit means and said first electrical switch means, said monitoring means further comprising output load means and third electrical switch means for controlling the energization and deenergization of said output load means, said means for sensing the actual voltage being effective upon sensing either a preselected high magnitude of said actual voltage or a preselected low magnitude of said actual voltage for actuating said third electrical switch means, current monitoring means, said current monitoring means comprising current flow sensing means effective for sensing the magnitude of said monitored current through said battery means said first electrical circuit means and creating an output signal in response thereto, and means responsive to said output signal and effective upon said output signal indicating the existance of a preselected high magnitude or a preselected low magnitude of monitored current for actuating said third electrical switch means, said current flow sensing means comprising HALL effect means, solid state switch means, and voltage divider means, said solid state switch means being in circuit with said voltage divider means for electrically opening and closing said voltage divider means, and said HALL effect means being effective for actuating said solid state switch means.

6. The combination of a combustion engine, electric storage battery means, electrically powered starter motor means for at times driving said engine in order to start said engine, engine ignition means, operator positionable first electrical switch means, second electrical switch means closable upon electrical energization thereof, first electrical circuit means electrically interconnecting said battery means and said first electrical switch means, second electrical circuit means interconnecting said battery means and said starter motor means, said second switch means when closed being effective to electrically close said second electrical circuit means through said starter motor means in order to thereby electrically power said starting motor means for driving said engine, first electrical contact means, third electrical circuit means electrically interconnecting said second switch means with said first electrical contact means, second electrical contact means, fourth electrical circuit means interconnecting said engine ignition means with said second electrical contact means, electrical system monitoring means, fifth electrical circuit means electrically interconnecting said battery means to a first portion of said monitoring means, and sixth electrical circuit means electrically interconnecting a second portion of said monitoring means to said fourth electrical circuit means, said first electrical switch means when positioned as to be in electrical contact with said second electrical contact means being effective to electrically close said fourth electrical circuit means through said engine ignition means and electrically close said fifth and sixth electrical circuit means through said monitoring means, said monitoring means comprising means for sensing the actual voltage as across said battery means said first electrical circuit means and said first electrical switch means, said monitoring means further comprising electrical output load means and third electrical switch means for controlling the energization and deenergization of said load means, said means for sensing the actual voltage being effective upon sensing either a preselected high magnitude of actual voltage or a preselected low magnitude of actual voltage for actuating said third electrical switch means, said means for sensing the actual voltage comprising voltage divider means and NAND gate means, said NAND gate means comprising first second third and fourth gate means, said first gate means being effective upon the occurrence of said high magnitude of actual voltage for producing and applying a first low signal to said second gate means for in turn causing said second gate means to produce and apply a high signal to said third gate means, said third gate means upon application thereto of said high signal being effective for producing and applying a low signal to said fourth gate means thereby causing said fourth gate means to produce a high output signal and apply such output signal to said third electrical switch means for actuation thereof.

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein said third electrical switch means is closed by the application thereto of said high output signal.

8. The combination according to claim 6 wherein said voltage divider means comprises first voltage divider means and second voltage divider means, wherein said first voltage divider means is electrically connected to said first gate means, and wherein said second voltage divider means is electrically connected to said second gate means.

9. The combination according to claim 6 and further comprising time delay means effective for delaying de-actuation of said third electrical switch means upon said actual voltage changing in magnitude from a magnitude equal to or greater than said preselected high magnitude to a magnitude less than said preselected high magnitude, said time delay means comprising an R-C network electrically connected to and between said second and third gate means.

10. The combination of a combustion engine, electric storage battery means, electrically powered starter motor means for at times driving said engine in order to start said engine, engine ignition means, operator positionable first electrical switch means, second electrical switch means closable upon electrical energization thereof, first electrical circuit means electrically interconnecting said battery means and said first electrical switch means, second electrical circuit means interconnecting said battery means and said starter motor means, said second switch means when closed being effective to electrically close said second electrical circuit means through said starter motor means in order to thereby electrically power said starting motor means for driving said engine, first electrical contact means, third electrical circuit means electrically interconnecting said second switch means with said first electrical contact means, second electrical contact means, fourth electrical circuit means interconnecting said engine ignition means with said second electrical contact means, electrical system monitoring means, fifth electrical circuit means electrically interconnecting said battery means to a first portion of said monitoring means, sixth electrical circuit means electrically interconnecting a second portion of said monitoring means to said fourth electrical circuit means, said first electrical switch means when positioned as to be in electrical contact with said second electrical contact means being effective to electrically close said fourth electrical circuit means through said engine ignition means and electrically close said fifth and sixth electrical circuit means through said monitoring means, said monitoring means comprising means for sensing the actual voltage as across said battery means said first electrical circuit means and said first electrical switch means, said monitoring means further comprising electrical output load means and third electrical switch means for controlling the energization and deenergization of said load means, said means for sensing the actual voltage being effective upon sensing either a preselected high magnitude of actual voltage or a preselected low magnitude of actual voltage for actuating said third electrical switch means, current monitoring means, said current monitoring means comprising current flow sensing means effective for sensing the magnitude of said monitored current through said battery means said first electrical circuit means and creating an output signal in response thereto, and means responsive to said output signal and effective upon said output signal indicating the existance of a preselected high magnitude or a preselected low magnitude of monitored current flow for actuating said third electrical switch means, said current flow sensing means comprising HALL effect means, solid state switch means, said voltage divider means, said solid state switch means being in circuit with said voltage divider means for electrically opening and closing said voltage divider means, and said HALL effect means being effective for actuating said solid state switch means.