Apparatus for monitoring and charging electric storage battery

• US 4,583,035 A
• Filed: 03/05/1984
• Issued: 04/15/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Albert H. Sloan
• Original Assignee: Albert H. Sloan
• Inventors: Sloan, Albert H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hickey, R. J.
• Application Number:
  US06/586,228
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 320/20, 320/21, 320/22-24, 320/37-40, 320/31, 320/32
• US Class Current: 320/146
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/14 for charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/19 Charger status, e.g. voltmeter

Abstract

Apparatus for monitoring and charging an electric storage battery comprises a battery charger for converting AC power from an AC source to DC power for charging the battery and further comprises a charge protector operable to continuously monitor battery terminal voltage and to connect and disconnect the battery charger from the AC source in accordance therewith to control charging of the battery. The charge protector comprises a relay which controls energization of the battery charger from the AC source, a control circuit for continuously monitoring battery terminal voltage and for operating the relay accordingly, and an indicator circuit operable to provide a visual display of battery terminal voltage and other conditions. The control circuit comprises an enabling circuit to allow initial connection of the battery charger to the AC source only if battery terminal voltage is within certain limits and of correct polarity. The control circuit also comprises a logic circuit to repeatedly effect disconnection and reconnection of the battery charger when battery terminal voltage reaches an upper trip level and a lower trip level, respectively. The control circuit further comprises an adjustable timer circuit to delay disconnection and maintain the battery charger connected for some selected interval of time after the upper trip level has been reached.

Claims

1. A charge protector for battery maintenance and operable to continuously monitor the battery terminal voltage of a storage battery while the latter is not in use and to control charging of the battery by controlling the supply of DC power from a battery charger to the battery in accordance with the battery terminal voltage, said charge protector comprising:

means energizable from said battery to sense said battery terminal voltage;

means energizable from said battery to effect initial supply of DC power to said battery when said battery terminal voltage is sensed as being at a predetermined minimum charge voltage level;

means energizable from said battery to repeatedly effect subsequent termination and resupply of DC power to said battery when said battery terminal voltage is sensed as having reached an upper trip level voltage and a lower trip level voltage, respectively, said lower trip level voltage being greater than said minimum charge voltage and said upper trip level voltage being greater than said lower trip level voltage;

and timer means energizable from said battery to maintain the supply of DC power to said battery for a predetermined interval of time after said battery terminal voltage is sensed as having reached said upper trip level voltage but before it reaches a maximum charge level voltage which is greater than said upper trip level voltage.

2. A charge protector according to claim 1 including means energizable from said battery to adjust the upper and lower trip level voltages.

3. A charge protector according to claim 1 or 2 including means energizable from said battery to adjust the length of said predetermined interval of time.

4. A charge protector according to claim 1 or 2 including means energizable from said battery to indicate that said trip level voltages have been reached and that said timer means is in operation.

5. A charge protector for battery maintenance and operable to continuously monitor the battery terminal voltage of a storage battery while the latter is not in used which is connected to a battery charger and to control charging of the battery by controlling energization of the battery charger from an AC power source in accordance with said battery terminal voltage, said charge protector comrising:

means energizable from said battery to sense said battery terminal voltage;

means energizable from said battery to effect initial energization of said battery charger from said AC power source when said battery terminal voltage is sensed as being at a predetermined minimum charge voltage level;

means energizable from said battery to repeatedly effect subsequent de-energization and energization of said battery charger from said AC power source when said battery terminal voltage is sensed as having reached an upper trip level voltage and a lower trip level voltage, respectively, said lower trip level voltage being greater than said minimum charge voltage level and said upper trip level voltage being greater than said lower trip level voltage;

and timer means energizable from said battery to maintain energization of said battery charger from said AC power source for a predetermined interval of time after said battery terminal voltage is sensed as having reached said upper trip level voltage but before it reaches a maximum charge level voltage which is greater than said upper trip level voltage.

6. A charge protector according to claim 5 including means energizable from said battery to adjust the upper and lower trip level voltages.

7. A charge protector according to claim 5 or 6 including means energizable from said battery to adjust the length of said predetermined interval of time.

8. A charge protector according to claim 5 or 6 including means energizable from said battery to indicate that said trip level voltages have been reached and that said timer means is in operation.

9. Apparatus comprising:

a storage battery having battery terminals;

a source of AC electrical power;

a battery charger connectable to said source of AC electrical power for supplying DC electrical power to said battery terminals for charging said battery;

and charge protector means operable to continuously monitor said battery while the battery is not in use and comprising;

relay means energizable from said battery operable for connecting and disconnecting said battery charger to and from said source of AC power;

and control means connected to said battery terminals and energizable from said battery for operating said relay means in response to the battery terminal voltage to;

effect initial connection of said battery charger to said source of AC electrical power when said battery terminal voltage is at a predetermined minimum charge voltage level;

maintain said battery charger connected to said AC electrical power source until said battery terminal voltage reaches a predetermined upper trip level voltage;

continue to maintain said battery charger connected to said AC electrical power source for a predetermined interval of time after said upper trip level voltage is reached to enable said battery terminal voltage to exceed said upper trip level voltage but before it reaches a maximum charge level voltage which is greater than said upper trip level voltage;

disconnect said battery charger from said AC electrical power source after said predetermined interval of time has expired;

reconnect said battery charger to said AC electrical power source after said battery terminal voltage has dropped to a predetermined lower trip level voltage, said lower trip level voltage being greater than said minimum charge voltage level and said upper trip level voltage being greater than said lower trip level voltage;

and repeatedly disconnect said battery charger after said battery terminal voltage has again reached and exceeded said upper trip level voltage for an interval of time but before it reaches a maximum charge level voltage which is greater than said upper trip level voltage and reconnect said battery charger after said battery terminal voltage has again dropped to said lower trip level voltage until said battery terminal voltage reaches a charge voltage level which is greater than said upper trip level voltage but less than said maximum charge level voltage.

10. Apparatus for battery maintenance and for continuously monitoring an electric storage battery while said battery is not in use and for charging said electric storage battery comprising:

a battery charger energizable from an AC source for converting AC power from said AC source to DC power for charging said battery;

and a charge protector energizable from said battery and operable to continuously monitor battery terminal voltage and to connect and disconnect said battery charger from the AC source in accordance with said battery terminal voltage to control charging of said battery;

said charge protector comprising;

a relay energizable from said battery of controlling energization of said battery charger from said AC source; and

a control circuit energizable from said battery for continuously monitoring battery terminal voltage and for operating said relay accordingly;

said control circuit comprising an enabling circuit to effect initial connection of said battery charger to said AC source only if battery terminal voltage is at a minimum charge voltage level and of correct polarity;

said control circuit also comprising a logic circuit to repeatedly effect disconnection and reconnection of the battery charger when battery terminal voltage reaches an upper trip level voltage and a lower trip level voltage, respectively, said lower trip level voltage being greater than said minimum charge voltage level and said upper trip level voltage being greater than said lower trip level voltage;

and said control circuit further comprising a timer circuit to delay disconnection and maintain said battery charger connected for some selected interval of time after said upper trip level voltage has been reached but before a maximum charge level voltage is reached which is greater than said upper trip level voltage.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said charge protector further includes an indicator circuit operable to provide a visual display of battery terminal voltage.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10 or 11 wherein said control circuit includes means to adjust the upper and lower trip level voltages.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said control circuit includes means to adjust the length of said predetermined interval of time.