Solar trickle charger for lead acid batteries

• US 4,871,959 A
• Filed: 07/15/1988
• Issued: 10/03/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Motor Products International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Carl E. Gali
• Inventors: Gali, Carl E.
• Primary Examiner(s): HICKEY, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US07/219,371
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 320/61, 323/906
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 323/906 Solar cell systems

Abstract

Multi-solar cell panel powered trickle chargers are provided for lead acid batteries with the solar cell panel power connected to a DC to AC inverter multi-vibrator having a center tap and opposite end connections to a primary coil of a transformer. The secondary coil of the transformer has opposite end connections to two opposite terminals of a four diode rectifier bridge. The other opposite connections of the four diode AC to DC rectifier bridge are connected to like polarity terminals of a battery with connection via an insert into a cigarette lighter holder in a vehicle, or into a receptacle with two wires with end clips connectable to the terminals of a battery. In one embodiment the connection is a steady state trickle charger while in another embodiment the circuitry out of the four diode AC to DC rectifier bridge includes a relatively small value capacitor connected across the bridge output terminals and, in one line, a zener diode, silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) and resistor network is included such that when the small capacitor reaches a discharge triggering voltage the zener diode is fired activating the SCR discharging at approximately 4 to 5 amps across the battery every few milliseconds.

Claims

1. A solar trickle charger for batteries comprising:

a multi-solar cell power source circuit;

a DC to AC inverter multi-vibrator circuit connected to said multi-solar cell power source;

a transformer with a primary coil a part of said DC to AC inverter multi-vibrator circuit; and

a secondary coil;

a four diode rectifier bridge circuit having a first set of opposite terminals connected to said secondary coil, and a second set of opposite terminals connectable to the two terminals of a battery;

wherein there is a higher turns ratio with more turns in said secondary coil than in said primary coil yielding a higher AC voltage output from said secondary coil;

said DC to AC inverter multi-vibrator circuit includes two transistors having a common electrode connection of first electrodes of said transistors connected to a first capacitor connected to a tap of said primary coil;

said multi-solar cell power source circuit having a first lead and a second lead with said first lead connected to the junction of said first capacitor and said tap of said primary coil, and with said second lead connected to the junction of said first electrode of said transistors common connection and said first capacitor; and

with opposite ends of said primary coil connected to second electrodes of said transistors and to resistors connected to the bases, respectively, of said transistors;

said two transistors are NPN type transistors with said common electrode connection of said transistors a common connection between emitters of said two transistors;

the opposite ends of said primary coil are connected to the collectors of said NPN transistors and each on through said resistors, respectively, to the base of the opposite transistor of said two transistors from transistor collector connections;

a current limiting resistor is included in connection means to the two terminals of a battery;

said connection means includes a two wire plug and socket connection;

said multi-solar cell power source circuit has a two wire out line cable connection to circuitry within a circuit box containing said DC to AC inverter multi-vibrator circuit, said transformer, and said AC to DC four diode rectifier bridge circuit;

the plug of said two wire plug and socket connection is mounted on said circuit box;

said trickle charger is a pulse output trickle charger including a second capacitor connected across said second set of opposite terminals of the four diode rectifier bridge circuit; and

trigger circuit means including a zener diode and a SCR with a control electrode connected to the anode of the zener diode, connected in said connection means from said four diode bridge rectifier subject to being biased to conduction in repeated successive pulses of conduction when said second capacitor is repeatedly charged to a voltage bias level that is said trigger circuit means voltage bias to conduction level.

2. The solar trickle charger for batteries of claim 1, wherein an output line from said second set of opposite terminals is connected to said trigger circuit means comprising, connection of said output line to the cathode of a zene diode having an anode connection to and through resistance means to a continuation of said output line after a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) inserted in the output line with anode toward the output connector of the four diode rectifier bridge and cathode to the continuation of said output line;

and connection of the anode of the zener diode to the control electrode of said silicon controlled rectifier.

3. A solar trickle charger for batteries comprising:

a multi-solar cell power source circuit;

a DC to AC inverter multi-vibrator circuit connected to said multi-solar cell power source;

a transformer with a primary coil a part of said DC to AC inverter multi-vibrator circuit; and

a secondary coil;

a four diode rectifier bridge circuit having a first set of opposite terminals connected to said secondary coil, and a second set of opposite terminals connectable to the two terminals of a battery;

wherein there is a higher turns ratio with more turns in said secondary coil than in said primary coil yielding a higher AC voltage output from said secondary coil;

said trickle charger is a pulse output trickle charger including a capacitor connected across said second set of opposite terminals of the four diode rectifier bridge circuit; and

trigger circuit means including a zener diode and a SCR with a control electrode connected to the anode of the zener diode, connected to said second set of opposite terminals of the four diode rectifier bridge circuit subject to being biased to conduction in repeated successive pulses of conduction when said capacitor is repeatedly charged to a voltage bias level that is said trigger circuit means voltage bias to conduction level.

4. The solar trickle charger for batteries of claim 3, wherein an output line from said second set of opposite terminals is connected to said trigger circuit means comprising, connection of said output line to the cathode of a zener diode having an anode connection to and through resistive means to a continuation of said output line after a silicon rectifier (SCR) inserted in the output line with anode toward the output connector of the four diode rectifier bridge and cathode to the continuation of said output line;

and connection of the anode of the zener diode to the control electrode of said silicon controlled rectifier.

5. The solar trickle charger for batteries of claim 4, wherein said DC to AC inverter multi-vibrator circuit includes two transistors having a common electrode connection of first electrodes of said transistors connected to a capacitor connected to a tap of said primary coil;

said multi-solar cell power source circuit having a first lead and a second lead with said first lead connected to the junction of said capacitor and said tap of said primary coil, and with said second lead connected to the junction of said first electrode of said transistors common connection and said capacitor; and

with opposite ends of said primary coil connected to second electrodes of said transistors and to resistors connected to the bases, respectively, of said transistors.

6. The solar trickle charger for batteries of claim 5, wherein said two transistors are NPN type transistors with said common electrode connection of said transistors a common connection between the emitters of said two transistors.

7. The solar trickle charger for batteries of claim 6, wherein the opposite ends of said primary coil are connected to the collectors of said NPN transistors and each on through said resistors, respectively, to the base of the opposite transistor of said two transistors from transistors of the collector connections.

8. The solar trickle charger for batteries of claim 7, wherein a current limiting resistor is included in connection means to the two terminals of a battery.

9. The solar trickle charger for batteries of claim 8, wherein said connection means includes a two wire plug and socket connection.