Battery rapid charging circuit

• US 4,499,415 A
• Filed: 12/06/1982
• Issued: 02/12/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minicam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Minicam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Itoh, Tadatsugu
• Primary Examiner(s): SHOOP JR, WILLIAM M
• Application Number:
  US06/447,472
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 320/5, 320/9, 320/11, 320/14, 320/39, 320/40, 320/DIG. 1, 320/21, 323/282
• US Class Current: 320/139
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00711 with introduction of pulses during the charging process
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007186 obtained with the battery disconnected from the charge or discharge circuit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery rapid charging circuit is disclosed which includes a DC power source supplying a DC voltage across first and second terminals between which a battery to be charged is connected, a circuit element for short-circuiting the first and second terminals in a short period of time during a charging period of the battery, a comparator for comparing a terminal voltage of the battery upon the above short-circuiting period with a reference voltage, and a circuit element for stopping the supply of the DC voltage across the first and second terminals in response to the output of the comparator.

Claims

1. A battery rapid charging circuit comprising:

(a) a DC power source supplying a DC voltage across first and second terminals between which a battery to be charged is connected;

(b) means for short-circuiting said first and second terminals in a short period of time during a charging period of said battery, said short-circuiting means including a one-shot multivibrator producing first and second outputs and a first transistor which is connected across said first and second terminals, whereby when said transistor is supplied with the first output from said one-shot multivibrator, said transistor is made ON to short-circuit said first and second terminals;

(c) means for comparing a terminal voltage of said battery upon said short-circuiting period with a reference voltage; and

(d) means for stopping the supply of said DC voltage to said first and second terminals in response to an output of said comparing means.

2. A battery rapid charging circuit as claimed in claim 1, in which said stopping means includes a second transistor inserted between said DC power source and said first terminal and a thyristor connected to said second transistor, whereby when said thyristor is made ON by the output of said comparing means, said second transistor is made OFF to stop the supply of the DC voltage to said first terminal.

3. A battery rapid charging circuit as claimed in claim 2, in which said stopping means further includes an integrator consisting of a first resistor and a capacitor which integrates the output of said comparing means and applies an integrated output to said thyristor at its control electrode.

4. A battery rapid charging circuit as claimed in claim 2, in which said stopping means further including a second resistor between said second terminal and said thyristor so as to make said thyristor ON when a large current flow across said second resistor.

5. A battery rapid charging circuit as claimed in claim 1, in which said DC power source is a rectifier which rectifies an AC power to produce the DC voltage.