Emergency light control and battery charging system

• US 4,890,004 A
• Filed: 11/21/1988
• Issued: 12/26/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Howard L. Beckerman
• Original Assignee: Howard L. Beckerman
• Inventors: Beckerman, Howard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Logan, Sharon D.
• Application Number:
  US07/273,487
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 307/66, 320/DIG. 2, 315/86
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/02 in which an auxiliary distribution system and its associated lamps are brought into service
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/29 Circuits providing for substitution of the light source in case of its failure

Abstract

An emergency light control and battery charging system utilizes a temperature compensated switched voltage regulator for charging the battery. Energization of the emergency light is effected through a field effect transistor which is turned on through a voltage doubler circuit enabled when there is a failure in the power supply. The system is arranged with a latch that insures that the light is not turned on when the battery is connected until after line power is initially applied. A low battery voltage detector insures that the battery is protected from a deep cycle discharge if line voltage is not restored.

Claims

1. A system adapted for connection to a source of conventional electrical AC power, a battery, and a light, said system being arranged to keep said battery charged from said AC power source and in the event of a disruption in said AC power source to energize said light from said battery, said system comprising:

power supply means for converting said conventional electrical AC power to DC power between a supply line and a reference line;

charging means including switched voltage regulating means coupled between said power supply means and said battery for selectively charging said battery to maintain the battery voltage within a predetermined range;

latch means coupled to said power supply means for providing a latch signal upon the initial connection of said system to said AC power source; and

enable means coupled to said power supply means and to receive said latch signal for energizing said light from said battery when said latch signal is present and said DC power is absent, said enable means including a field effect transistor in series with said light and voltage doubling means connected to the gate of said field effect transistor.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein said voltage means comprises:

an exclusive OR gate having two input terminals and an output terminal;

a diode having its anode connected to one of said input terminals;

a first capacitor connected between the cathode of said diode and said output terminal;

a resistor connected between said output terminal and the other of said input terminals;

a second capacitor connected between said other input terminal and a reference line; and

means connected to a junction between said cathode of said diode and said first capacitor for connecting said voltage doubling means to said field effect transistor gate.

3. The system according to claim 2 wherein said connecting means includes a diode having its anode connected to said junction and its cathode connected to said field effect transistor gate.

4. The system according to claim 1 further including low battery voltage detector means coupled to said battery and said latch means for sensing the battery voltage and disabling said latch means to eliminate said latch signal when said battery voltage is below a preset level.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein said charging means includes temperature regulating means for increasing the charging voltage to said battery as the ambient temperature decreases.

6. A system adapted for connection to a source of conventional electrical AC power, a battery, and a light, said system being arranged to keep said battery charged from said AC power source and in the event of a disruption in said AC power source to energize said light from said battery, said system comprising:

power supply means for converting said conventional electrical AC power to DC power between a supply line and a reference line;

charging means including switched voltage regulating means coupled between said power supply means and said battery for selectively charging said battery to maintain the battery voltage within a predetermined range;

latch means coupled to said power supply means for providing a latch signal upon the initial connection of said system to said AC power source; and

enable means coupled to said power supply means and to receive said latch signal for energizing said light from said battery when said latch signal is present and said DC power is absent;

said charging means comprising a silicon controlled rectifier with its anode-to-cathode path in series between said power supply means and said battery, and means for controlling the conduction of said silicon controlled rectifier in a switched manner including;

a series string of a resistor, a diode, and a Zener diode connected between said supply line and said reference line;

a potentiometer connected across said diode; and

means for connecting the gate of said silicon controlled rectifier to the tap of said potentiometer.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein said diode has a negative temperature characteristic so that as the ambient temperature decreases the voltage drop across said diode increases.

8. A system adapted for connection to a source of conventional electrical AC power, a battery, and a light, said system being arranged to keep said battery charged from said AC power source and in the event of a disruption in said AC power source to energize said light from said battery, said system comprising:

power supply means for converting said conventional electrical AC power to DC power between a supply line and a reference line including;

a transformer having a primary winding and a center tapped secondary winding;

means for connecting said primary winding to said AC power source; and

diode bridge means connected across said secondary winding to provide said DC power between said reference

line and said supply line;

charging means coupled between said power supply means and said battery for selectively charging said battery to maintain the battery voltage within a predetermined range, including;

a silicon controlled rectifier having its cathode connected to the center tap of said secondary winding and its anode connected to the positive terminal of said battery;

means for connecting the negative terminal of said battery to said reference line;

a resistor having a first end connected to said supply line;

a potentiometer having a first end connected to the second end of said resistor and its variable tap connected to the gate of said silicon controlled rectifier;

a Zener diode having its anode connected to the second end of said potentiometer and its cathode connected to said reference line; and

a diode having its cathode connected to the first end of said potentiometer and its anode connected to the second end of said potentiometer, said diode having a negative temperature characteristic so that as the ambient temperature decreases the voltage drop across said diode increases;

latch means coupled to said power supply means for providing a latch signal upon the initial connection of said system to said AC power source; and

enable means coupled to said power supply means and to receive said latch signal for energizing said light from said battery when said latch signal is present and said DC power is absent.

9. The system according to claim 8 wherein said latch means includes:

an exclusive OR gate having two input terminals and an output terminal;

means for coupling a first of said input terminals to said supply line;

means for coupling the other of said input terminals to said reference line; and

means for providing a positive feedback path from said output terminal to said first input terminal.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein said enable means includes:

a second exclusive OR circuit having two input terminals and an output terminal;

means for connecting a first of said second exclusive OR gate input terminals to the output terminal of said latch means exclusive OR gate;

means for coupling the other of said second exclusive OR gate input terminals to said supply line; and

means for providing a connection to said second exclusive OR gate output terminal.

11. The system according to claim 10 wherein said enable means further includes:

a field effect transistor in series with said light;

a third exclusive OR gate having two input terminals and an output terminal;

a diode having its anode connected to one of said third exclusive OR gate input terminals;

a first capacitor connected between the cathode of said diode and said third exclusive OR gate output terminal;

a resistor connected between said third exclusive OR gate output terminal and the other of said third exclusive OR gate input terminals;

a second capacitor connected between said other third exclusive OR gate input terminal and said reference line; and

gate enable means for connecting a junction between said diode and said first capacitor to said field effect transistor gate.

12. The system according to claim 11 wherein said gate enable means includes a diode having its anode connected to said junction and its cathode connected to said field effect transistor gate.