Method of providing a indication signal to indicate a level of electrolyte in a wet cell

• US 4,981,764 A
• Filed: 02/26/1990
• Issued: 01/01/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald P. Dattilo
• Original Assignee: Donald P. Dattilo
• Inventors: Dattilo, Donald P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Skapars, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US07/484,952
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• Field of Search: 429/191, 429/192, 429/193, 429/50, 324/432, 324/433, 324/436
• US Class Current: 429/50
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/396 Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/484 for measuring electrolyte level, electrolyte density or electrolyte conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery monitors by which an individual cell in a wet cell battery may be monitored for variations in the level of electrolyte contained in the cell. More specifically, the invention relates to a universal electrolyte level indicator which may be attached to, and made part of, battery powered mobile equipment of all types for the purposes of providing a warning indication to the operator of the equipment that water needs to be added to the batteries contained therein.

Claims

1. A method of providing an indication signal to indicate when a battery sensor senses that a monitored parameter achieves at least a threshold state, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting the presence or absence of a signal from said battery sensor;

(b) determining if said signal received from said battery level sensor indicates that said monitored parameter has at least achieved said threshold state;

(c) when said monitored parameter has at least achieved said threshold state, providing an appropriate trigger signal;

(d) providing a first oscillating signal which oscillates at said first frequency in response to provision of the appropriate trigger signal;

(e) providing a second oscillating signal which oscillates at said second frequency, that is different from said first frequency, in response to provision of said first oscillating signal; and

(f) using said second oscillating signal to provide said indication signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said monitored parameter comprises a level of electrolyte contained in a cell of a battery.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said second frequency is higher than said first frequency.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said first frequency is about 0.5 Hz and said second frequency is about 2.5 KHz.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said first oscillating signal has a duty cycle of about 50% and said second oscillating signal has a duty cycle of about 1%.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said first oscillating signal has a frequency of about 0.5 Hz and a duty cycle of about 50%, and said second oscillating signal has a frequency of about 2.5 KHz and a duty cycle of about 1%.