Method and apparatus for charging a battery
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for charging at least one rechargeable battery, comprising:
- (a) a charging current source, at least one battery being coupled to said charging current source;
(b) a switching device interposed between said at least one battery and said charging current source, wherein said at least one battery is disconnected from said charging current source when said switching device is turned off and connected to said charging current source when said switching device is turned on;
(c) a voltage detecting means for detecting a voltage developed across said at least one battery and providing a battery voltage indicative of the voltage developed thereacross;
(d) a microcomputer operably connected to said switching device and said voltage detecting means, said microcomputer generating on- and off-signals for rendering said switching device ON and OFF, respectively, and said microcomputer receiving said battery voltage from said voltage detecting means and generating said off-signal when said battery voltage drops by a first predetermined value from a peak value; and
wherein said voltage detecting means includes a plurality of resistors, and wherein said battery voltage is developed across each of said resistors according to a given voltage-division ratio thereof and said microcomputer selects at least one of said resistors in accordance with said battery voltage detected by said voltage detecting means whereby an input voltage to said microcomputer is maintained substantially constant.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a battery charging method and apparatus, a plurality of voltage-division resistors serving as a battery voltage detecting means are connected between the battery and a microcomputer so that a voltage-division ratio can be automatically selected corresponding to the detected battery voltage. Thus, the detected battery voltage applied to the microcomputer is kept substantially constant irrespective of the value of the battery voltage.
30 Citations
27 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for charging at least one rechargeable battery, comprising:
-
(a) a charging current source, at least one battery being coupled to said charging current source; (b) a switching device interposed between said at least one battery and said charging current source, wherein said at least one battery is disconnected from said charging current source when said switching device is turned off and connected to said charging current source when said switching device is turned on; (c) a voltage detecting means for detecting a voltage developed across said at least one battery and providing a battery voltage indicative of the voltage developed thereacross; (d) a microcomputer operably connected to said switching device and said voltage detecting means, said microcomputer generating on- and off-signals for rendering said switching device ON and OFF, respectively, and said microcomputer receiving said battery voltage from said voltage detecting means and generating said off-signal when said battery voltage drops by a first predetermined value from a peak value; and wherein said voltage detecting means includes a plurality of resistors, and wherein said battery voltage is developed across each of said resistors according to a given voltage-division ratio thereof and said microcomputer selects at least one of said resistors in accordance with said battery voltage detected by said voltage detecting means whereby an input voltage to said microcomputer is maintained substantially constant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
11. An apparatus for charging at least one rechargeable battery, comprising:
-
(a) a charging current source, at least one battery being coupled to said charging current source; (b) a switching device interposed between said at least one battery and said charging current source, wherein said at least one battery is disconnected from said charging current source when said switching device is rendered OFF and connected to said charging current source when said switching device is rendered ON; (c) a thermostat connected in series with said at least one battery for sensing a temperature of said at least one battery, said thermostat having a contact which is rendered open when the temperature of said at least one battery reaches a first predetermined value and closed when the temperature of said at least one battery is below said first predetermined value; (d) an open/closure detecting means for detecting open/closure of said contact of said thermostat, said detecting means generating a first detection signal when said contact thereof is opened and a second detection signal when said contact thereof is closed; (e) a plurality of resistors for detecting a voltage developed across said at least one battery and providing a battery voltage indicative of the voltage developed therefrom; and (f) a microcomputer operably connected to said switching device and said detecting means, for generating on- and off-signals in response to said second detection signal and applying said on- and off-signals to said switching device, said switching device being rendered ON in response to said on-signal, whereby an input voltage to said microcomputer is maintained substantially constant. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. An apparatus for charging at least one rechargeable battery, comprising:
-
(a) a charging current source, at least one battery being coupled to said charging current source; (b) a switching device interposed between said at least one battery and said charging current source, wherein said at least one battery is disconnected from said charging current source when said switching device is rendered OFF and connected to said charging current source when said switching device is rendered ON; (c) a light indicator; (d) a current flow detecting means for detecting a charging current flowing in said at least one battery; (e) a plurality of resistors for detecting a voltage developed across said at least one battery and providing a battery voltage indicative of the voltage developed thereacross; and (f) a microcomputer operably connected to said current detecting means, said light indicator and said switching device for generating on- and off-signals in response to said charging current, said switching device being rendered ON in response to said on-signal, and said microcomputer further generating a first signal for flickering said light indicator at a first cycle, a second signal for flickering said indicator at a second cycle longer than said first cycle, and a third signal for continuously lighting said light indicator, and wherein an input voltage to said microcomputer is maintained substantially constant. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 27)
-
-
22. In an apparatus for charging at least one rechargeable battery including a charging current source, at least one battery being coupled to said charging current source;
- a switching device interposed between said at least one battery and said charging current source, wherein said at least one battery is disconnected from said charging current source when said switching device is rendered OFF and connected to said charging current source when said switching device is rendered ON, a current detecting means for detecting a charging current flowing in said at least one battery, and a microcomputer for generating on- and off-signals, said switching device being rendered ON for a duration determined by said on-signal, a method of charging said at least one battery comprising the steps of;
generating said on-signal so that said duration is a predetermined minimum;
checking whether or not said charging current detected by current detecting means is less than a predetermined value;
prolonging said duration when said charging current is less than said predetermined value; and
maintaining an input voltage of said microcomputer at a substantially constant level. - View Dependent Claims (26)
- a switching device interposed between said at least one battery and said charging current source, wherein said at least one battery is disconnected from said charging current source when said switching device is rendered OFF and connected to said charging current source when said switching device is rendered ON, a current detecting means for detecting a charging current flowing in said at least one battery, and a microcomputer for generating on- and off-signals, said switching device being rendered ON for a duration determined by said on-signal, a method of charging said at least one battery comprising the steps of;
Specification