Cordless battery charger
First Claim
1. A self-contained battery charger for use in charging an automotive-type battery that has a pair of terminals, said battery charger comprising:
- battery means providing a predetermined battery voltage;
means powered by said predetermined battery voltage for creating an AC voltage signal of predetermined magnitude;
rectifier means for converting said AC voltage signal to a DC voltage of predetermined magnitude;
summing means for creating a battery charging signal formed by adding said predetermined battery voltage to said DC voltage; and
conveying means for conveying said battery charging signal from said summing means to the terminals of said automotive-type battery to charge the automotive-type battery.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A rechargeable emergency portable battery charger for starter motor storage batteries. The device includes a sealed lead acid battery as a source of energy. An oscillator circuit connected to a transformer generates 3 V in its secondary. This voltage is rectified and added in series to the 12 V of the self-contained battery to provide charging current to a starter motor storage battery. Connection is made via a cigarette lighter socket in the disabled vehicle. Current is limited to approximately 4 amps so as to limit heat dissipation to a safe level. Furthermore, a voltage-sensing circuit determines if the voltage of the starter storage battery is below approximately 6 V or is shorted to ground. In either case, output current is further limited to the point of cut-off. Recharging the self-contained battery is made possible by a switch that connects the cigarette lighter of a running car directly to the self-contained battery of the charger. This switch also permits connection of any 12 VDC device directly to the self-contained battery. An ammeter monitors current flow in this power pack mode, as well as the charging and recharging modes. A light-emitting diode circuit indicates when the charging of the starter motor storage battery is complete.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A self-contained battery charger for use in charging an automotive-type battery that has a pair of terminals, said battery charger comprising:
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battery means providing a predetermined battery voltage; means powered by said predetermined battery voltage for creating an AC voltage signal of predetermined magnitude; rectifier means for converting said AC voltage signal to a DC voltage of predetermined magnitude; summing means for creating a battery charging signal formed by adding said predetermined battery voltage to said DC voltage; and conveying means for conveying said battery charging signal from said summing means to the terminals of said automotive-type battery to charge the automotive-type battery. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A self-contained battery charger for recharging an automotive-type battery that has a pair of terminals, said battery charger comprising:
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a rechargeable battery having an output voltage signal of a defined DC voltage and rated at a predetermined current, said rechargeable battery having first and second connection terminals; switching means connected to one of said connection terminals and operative in first and second positions; oscillator means, powered by said rechargeable battery when said switch is in said first position, for providing an oscillating output voltage; transformer means responsive to said oscillating output voltage for providing an AC voltage signal of predetermined magnitude; rectifier means for converting said AC voltage signal to a DC voltage signal of predetermined magnitude; summing means for creating a charging signal formed by adding said output voltage signal of said rechargeable battery to said DC voltage signal; and connecting means for applying said charging signal across the pair of terminals of said automotive-type battery. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for charging an automotive-type battery that has a pair of terminals and for providing a source of power in the form of a DC voltage, said apparatus comprising:
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a self-contained rechargeable battery having an output signal of a predetermined DC voltage and rated at a predetermined current; switch means connected to said rechargeable battery and operative in first and second positions; oscillating means, powered by said rechargeable battery when said switch means is in said first position, for providing an oscillating output voltage; transformer means having primary and secondary windings for receiving said oscillating output voltage across said primary winding and inducing a voltage across said secondary winding; regulating means in series with said rechargeable battery and said secondary winding for limiting current supplied to said automotive-type battery; rectifier means for converting said induced voltage into a DC voltage signal; summing means for providing a charging signal by summing the DC voltage and current from said rechargeable battery and the DC voltage and rectified current from said rectifying means; and connecting means for applying said charging signal across the pair of terminals of said automotive-type battery. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A self-contained battery charger for use in charging an automotive-type battery that has a pair of terminals, said battery charger comprising:
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battery means providing a predetermined voltage and a predetermined current; voltage generating means powered by said battery means for generating a second voltage and a second current; summing means for creating a battery charging signal formed by adding said predetermined voltage and said predetermined current, respectively, to said second voltage and said second current; voltage sensing means for producing a control signal upon detecting a predetermined low voltage or a short circuit across the terminals of said automotive-type battery; and conveying means for conveying said battery charging signal from said summing means to the terminals of said automotive-type battery to charge the automotive-type battery, said conveying means including means responsive to said control signal for reducing current flow to said automotive-type battery in the case of a low voltage detection and to stop current flow in the case of a short circuit detection.
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20. A self-contained battery charger for use in charging an automotive-type battery that has a pair of terminals, said battery charger comprising:
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a self-contains rechargeable battery having an output signal of a predetermined DC voltage and rated at a predetermined current; voltage generating means powered by said battery means for generating a second voltage and a second current; summing means for creating a battery charging signal formed by adding said predetermined voltage and said predetermined current, respectively, to said second voltage and said second current; conveying means for conveying said battery charging signal from said summing means to the terminals of said automotive-type battery to charge the automotive-type battery; switch means connected to said rechargeable battery and operative in first an second positions; and means for conveying current in the form of a recharging current from said automotive-type battery to said rechargeable battery when said switch means is in the second position.
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Specification