Nickel-cadmium battery conditioner and tester apparatus

• US 4,517,517 A
• Filed: 09/30/1982
• Issued: 05/14/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Inventors: Kinney, Daniel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tokar, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): O'Shea, Kevin D.
• Application Number:
  US06/431,434
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 324/433, 324/436, 324/426, 324/427, 340/636, 320/5, 320/9, 320/10, 320/14, 320/21, 320/48
• US Class Current: 324/433
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16542 for batteries charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/21 State of charge of battery

Abstract

A battery tester apparatus having a discharge circuit with a visual indicator that the discharge cycle is in progress operating in combination with a comparator to determine when the terminal voltage of the battery is reached. At this point the comparator provides a signal to an oscillator which in turn controls an SCR diode switch that terminates the discharge cycle.

Claims

1. A nickel-cadmium battery conditioner and test apparatus comprising in combination:

a battery under test means to receive a battery,

a means for comparing voltage connected to said battery, said comparing means comparing the terminal voltage of said battery with a reference voltage, said comparing means providing a high output signal when said terminal voltage is high than said reference voltage, said comparing means providing a low output signal when said terminal voltage is lower than said reference voltage,

a means for oscillating connected to said comparing means to receive an output signal therefrom, said oscillating means operating in a quiescent state when said high output signal is received from said comparing means, said oscillating means going into oscillation when said low output signal is received from said comparing means, said oscillating means providing a pulsed output signal; and

a switching means connected to said oscillating means, said switching means including a first switch to initiate the discharge cycle of said battery through a discharge circuit, said switching means including a visual indicator means to indicate that said discharge cycle is in progress, said switching means receiving said pulsed output signal from said oscillating means when the terminal voltage of said battery is reached, said switching means terminating said discharge cycle and providing an indication that said terminal voltage has been reached, said switching means comprise a first and second SCR diode, said first SCR diode receiving the pulsed output signal from said oscillating means at its input gate, said second SCR diode in series with a resistor forms said discharge circuit, one end of said resistor is connected directly to said battery, the other end of said resistor being connected to the anode of said second SCR diode, the cathode of said second SCR diode being connected to ground, the gate of said second SCR diode being connected to said first switch, the anode of said first SCR diode being connected to said second SCR diode anode by a capacitor, said first SCR diode responding to said pulsed output signal by turning said second SCR diode off thereby terminating the discharge cycle of said battery.

2. A nickel-cadmium battery conditioner and test apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said visual indicator means comprises a second light emitting diode.