Battery checking device

• US 4,607,932 A
• Filed: 04/26/1985
• Issued: 08/26/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Namai, Akihiro, Egawa, Akira, Kodaira, Takanori
• Primary Examiner(s): ADAMS JR, RUSSELL E
• Application Number:
  US06/727,581
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 354/468, 354/484, 354/173.1, 354/173.11, 354/212, 354/214, 324/429, 324/426, 320/48, 340/636
• US Class Current: 396/279
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/26 Power supplies; Circuitry or arrangement to switch on the power source; Circuitry to check the power source voltage

Abstract

Pulses of such frequency that an electromagnetic drive device does not operate in response thereto are produced by a pulse generating circuit. While these pulse are being applied to the electromagnetic drive device, the voltage of an electrical power source in the real load running state is detected by a battery checking circuit.

Claims

1. A battery checking device comprising:

(a) a pulse generating circuit for producing pulses with such a frequency that a load does not operate in response thereto;

(b) a control circuit capable of supplying current to the load in both directions, said control circuit responsive to a positive pulse supplying current to the load in one direction, and responsive to negative pulse supplying current to the load in the opposite direction; and

(c) a checking circuit for detecting the voltage level of an electrical power source as applied across the load when the aforesaid pulse appears at the control circuit,

said checking circuit producing a warning signal when the voltage of the electrical power source falls below a prescribed level.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said load is an electric motor.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said load is a rotor of an electromagnetically operated shutter.

4. A device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a signal generating circuit for producing a check start signal,

said signal generating circuit applying the check start signal to the control circuit and the checking circuit to initiate an operation.

5. A battery checking device comprising:

(a) an electromagnetic drive device;

(b) a pulse generating circuit for producing pulses with such a frequency that said electromagnetic drive device does not operate in response thereto;

(c) a control circuit capable, upon application of the pulses from said pulse generating circuit thereto, of supplying current to said electromagnetic drive device in both directions,

said control circuit responsive to positive pulse supplying current to said electromagnetic drive device in one direction and responsive to negative pulse supplying current to said electromagnetic drive device in the opposite direction;

(d) a detecting circuit for detecting the voltage level of an electrical power source as applied on said electromagnetic drive device; and

(e) a signal generating circuit for producing a warning signal when the fact that the voltage level of the electrical power source has falled below a prescribed level by said detecting circuit as the pulse is applied to said control circuit.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein said detecting circuit includes a voltage dividing circuit for the voltage of the electrical power source, a reference signal generating circuit, and a comparing circuit for comparing the outputs of these two circuits with each other.