Battery charger
First Claim
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1. A battery charger for charging a battery, comprising:
- a fast charge line, connected to the battery, for providing a constant high charging current thereto, and for causing the battery to be charged in a high charge mode;
a trickle charge line, connected to the battery, for providing a constant low charging current thereto simultaneously with the high charging current, and for causing the battery to be charged in a trickle charge mode;
a current regulating means, connected to said fast charge line, for regulating the high charging current flowing therein;
a slope detecting means, responsive to the battery being charged, for generating a battery voltage peal indicating signal, when the voltage starts to decrease following the peak charging voltage of the battery;
said slope detecting means including means for following the battery voltage and retaining it for predetermined periods of time;
said slope detecting means including means for comparing the retained voltage and the present voltage to generate said peak indicating signal when the present battery voltage is less than the retained battery voltage; and
a peak holding means, responsive to said peak indicating signal, to cause the charger to switch abruptly from the high charge mode to the low trickle charge mode.
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Abstract
The battery charger includes a slope detector which responds to the battery voltage of the battery being charged, to generate a peak indicating signal, when the voltage decreases following the peak charging voltage of the battery. A peak hold device responds to the peak indicating signal to cause the charger to switch abruptly from a high charge mode to a low trickle charge mode.
51 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A battery charger for charging a battery, comprising:
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a fast charge line, connected to the battery, for providing a constant high charging current thereto, and for causing the battery to be charged in a high charge mode; a trickle charge line, connected to the battery, for providing a constant low charging current thereto simultaneously with the high charging current, and for causing the battery to be charged in a trickle charge mode; a current regulating means, connected to said fast charge line, for regulating the high charging current flowing therein; a slope detecting means, responsive to the battery being charged, for generating a battery voltage peal indicating signal, when the voltage starts to decrease following the peak charging voltage of the battery; said slope detecting means including means for following the battery voltage and retaining it for predetermined periods of time; said slope detecting means including means for comparing the retained voltage and the present voltage to generate said peak indicating signal when the present battery voltage is less than the retained battery voltage; and a peak holding means, responsive to said peak indicating signal, to cause the charger to switch abruptly from the high charge mode to the low trickle charge mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A battery charger for charging a battery, comprising:
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a fast charge line, connected to the battery, for providing a constant high charging current thereto, and for causing the battery to be charged in a high charge mode; a trickle charge line, connected to the battery, for providing a constant low charging current thereto, and for causing the battery to be charged in a trickle charge mode; current regulating means, connected to said fast charge line, for regulating the high charging current flowing therein; slope detecting means, responsive to the battery being charged, to generate a peak indicating signal, when the voltage starts to decrease following the peak charging voltage of the battery; peak holding means, responsive to said peak indicating signal, to cause the charger to switch abruptly from the high charge mode to the low trickle charge mode; said peak holding means comprising a differential amplifier; and said peak holding means further comprising a capacitor for being charged through said fast charge line, to a predetermined potential. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A battery charger for charging a battery, comprising:
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a fast charge line, connected to the battery, for providing a constant high charging current thereto, and for causing the battery to be charged in a high charge mode; a trickle charge line, connected to the battery, for providing a constant low charging current thereto, and for causing the battery to be charged in a trickle charge mode; current regulating means, connected to said fast charge line, for regulating the high charging current flowing therein; slope detecting means, responsive to the battery being charged, to generate a peak indicating signal, when the voltage starts to decrease following the peak charging voltage of the battery; peak holding means, responsive to said peak indicating signal, to cause the charger to switch abruptly from the high charge mode to the low trickle charge mode; and wherein said current regulating means comprises a differential amplifier and at least one transistor.
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25. A battery charger for charging a battery, comprising:
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a fast charge line, connected to the battery, for providing a constant high charging current thereto, and for causing the battery to be charged in a high charge mode; a trickle charge line, connected to the battery, for providing a constant low charging current thereto, and for causing the battery to be charged in a trickle charge mode; current regulating means, connected to said fast charge line, for regulating the high charging current flowing therein; slope detecting means, responsive to the battery being charged, to generate a peak indicating signal, when the voltage starts to decrease following the peak charging voltage of the battery; peak holding means, responsive to said peak indicating signal, to cause the charger to switch abruptly from the high charge mode to the low trickle charge mode; wherein said peak holding means comprises a differential amplifier and a capacitor, said capacitor being adapted to be charged through said fast charge line, to a certain potential; reset detecting means, responsive to said low charging current flowing through said trickle charge line, for resetting the charger in preparation for a high charge mode, when the battery is removed from the charger; and wherein said reset detecting means comprises a switching means for causing said capacitor to be discharged therethrough, in preparation for getting recharged when a discharged battery is connected across the output of the charger.
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26. A battery charger for charging a battery, comprising:
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a fast charge line, connected to the battery, for providing a constant high charging current thereto, and for causing the battery to be charged in a high charge mode; a trickle charge line, connected to the battery, for providing a constant low charging current thereto, and for causing the battery to be charged in a trickle charge mode; current regulating means, connected to said fast charge line, for regulating the high charging current flowing therein; slope detecting means, responsive to the battery being charged, to generate a peak indicating signal, when the voltage starts to decrease following the peak charging voltage of the battery; peak holding means, resposive to said peak indicating signal, to cause the charger to switch abruptly from the high charge mode to the low trickle charge mode; timing means for delaying the switching back of the charger from the trickle charge mode to the high charge mode, when an accidental jarring of the charger causes a momentary loss of proper contact; and wherein said timing means includes a time delay resistor, a time delay capacitor, and a normally off time delay switch. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A battery charger for charging a battery, comprising:
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a fast charge line, connected to the battery, for providing a constant high charging current thereto, and for causing the battery to be charged in a high charge mode; a trickle charge line, connected to the battery, for providing a constant low charging current thereto, and for causing the battery to be charged in a trickle charge mode; current regulating means, connected to said fast charge line, for regulating the high charging current flowing therein; slope detecting means, responsive to the battery being charged, to generate a peak indicating signal, when the voltage starts to decrease following the peak charging voltage of the battery; peak holding means, responsive to said peak indicating signal, to cause the charger to switch abruptly from the high charge mode to the lwo trickle charge mode; a differential amplifier responsive to said peak indicating signal, to cause said current regulating means to terminate the high charging current through said fast charge line, only after the battery voltage decreases by a predetermined amount below the peak charging voltage; and said differential amplifier including a voltage divider circuit for providing a desired hysteresis effect.
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29. A battery charger for charging a battery, comprising:
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a fast charge line, connected to the battery, for providing a constant high charging current thereto, and for causing the battery to be charged in a high charge mode; a trickle charge line, connected to the battery, for providing a constant low charging current thereto simultaneously with the high charging current, and for causing the battery to be charged in a trickle charge mode; a current regulating means, connected to said fast charge line, for regulating the high charging current flowing therein; a slope detecting means, responsive to the battery being charged, for generating a battery voltage peak indicating signal, when the voltage starts to decrease following the peak charging voltage of the battery; said slope detecting means including means for following the battery voltage and retaining it for predetermined periods of time; said slope detecting means including means for comparing the retained voltage and the present voltage to generate said peak indicating signal when the present battery voltage is less than the retained battery voltage; a peak holding means, responsive to said peak indicating signal, to cause the charger to switch abruptly from the high charge mode to the low trickle charge mode; and timing means for delaying the switching back of the charger from the trickle charge mode to the high charge mode, when an accidental jarring of the charger causes a momentary loss of proper contact.
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Specification