Battery charger
First Claim
1. In a battery charging system including a source of DC voltage, transformer means having a primary winding, a plurality of first secondary windings, a plurality of second secondary windings, a current sensing secondary winding, and a plurality of tertiary windings associated with individual ones of said first plurality of secondary windings, respectively, and positive and negative voltage output terminals, the method comprising the steps of:
- alternately and successively applying said DC voltage across said primary winding, first in one polarity, and next in opposite polarity, thereby causing oppositely directed pulses of current to flow through said primary winding over successive half-cycles of operation, respectively;
rectifying the AC pulses induced through said first secondary windings;
connecting the rectified AC pulses to said positive and negative current output terminals, for delivering charging current to a battery connected to said output terminals; and
shorting selected ones of said tertiary windings over each half-cycle of operation, for preventing the inducement of voltage across and flow of current from the ones of said first secondary windings associated with shorted ones of said first tertiary windings, respectively, for controlling the magnitude of charging current to be delivered to a battery.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A battery charging system including a plurality of transformers each having a primary winding, a secondary winding, and a tertiary windings, the primary windings being connected in series forming a "shared primary", a first switching network for connecting a DC voltage across the shared primary winding, in alternating polarity over successive half-cycles of a clock signal, for causing voltage pulses to be induced into the secondary and tertiary windings of the transformers, a second switching network responsive to the magnitude of primary current for shorting the same or different combinations of the tertiary windings, thereby shorting the associated transformers, over each half-cycle of a clock signal, for controlling the magnitude of charging current to the batteries, and a plurality of rectifiers for rectifying the AC voltages developed in each secondary winding, respectively, for providing charging current to the battery.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. In a battery charging system including a source of DC voltage, transformer means having a primary winding, a plurality of first secondary windings, a plurality of second secondary windings, a current sensing secondary winding, and a plurality of tertiary windings associated with individual ones of said first plurality of secondary windings, respectively, and positive and negative voltage output terminals, the method comprising the steps of:
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alternately and successively applying said DC voltage across said primary winding, first in one polarity, and next in opposite polarity, thereby causing oppositely directed pulses of current to flow through said primary winding over successive half-cycles of operation, respectively; rectifying the AC pulses induced through said first secondary windings; connecting the rectified AC pulses to said positive and negative current output terminals, for delivering charging current to a battery connected to said output terminals; and shorting selected ones of said tertiary windings over each half-cycle of operation, for preventing the inducement of voltage across and flow of current from the ones of said first secondary windings associated with shorted ones of said first tertiary windings, respectively, for controlling the magnitude of charging current to be delivered to a battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A battery charger system comprising:
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transformer means including a primary winding, a plurality of first secondary windings, a current sensing secondary winding, and a plurality of tertiary windings associated with individual ones of said plurality of first secondary windings, respectively, for transferring power from said primary to said plurality of secondary windings; a DC source providing +E and -E volts; positive and negative voltage/current output terminals, for connecting a battery therebetween for charging by said battery charger system; first switching means for connecting said DC voltage across said primary winding in alternating polarity over successive half-cycles of operation of said battery charger at a predetermined frequency, thereby causing pulses of voltage to occur across said primary winding over the successive half-cycles of operation, respectively, and voltage pulses to be induced into said first secondary windings and said plurality of tertiary windings; second switching means responsive to the voltage across said current sensing secondary winding, for shorting selected ones of said tertiary windings over each half-cycle of operation of said charger, for shorting associated portions of said transformer means, respectively, for controlling the magnitude of charging current to be delivered a battery; first rectifying means for rectifying the AC voltage pulses developed in said first secondary windings; and means for connecting said rectified AC voltage pulses from said first secondary windings across said positive and negative output terminals, for delivering charging current to said battery. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification