Battery charging apparatus

• US 5,119,008 A
• Filed: 03/06/1990
• Issued: 06/02/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Toya, Syouiti, Morita, Hideyo
• Primary Examiner(s): Hickey, R. J.
• Application Number:
  US07/488,831
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 320/14, 320/15, 320/2
• US Class Current: 320/160
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit

Abstract

A battery charging apparatus, which charges a secondary battery such as an Ni-Cd battery being used for a battery-driven equipment such as a VTR camera, is provided with a first loading unit for only charging a loaded battery and a second loading unit for charging a loaded battery, for discharging the charged battery, for measuring the capacity of the discharged battery, and for displaying the measured capacity by four steps of its percentage, and which is capable of using either of the both loading units according to the qualities of the battery characteristics of the battery. In this battery charging apparatus, a new battery or a battery with good battery characteristics substantially similar to the new one are charged in the first loading unit and an old battery or a battery with inferior battery characteristics are charged in the second loading unit. The former unit can charge the battery in a shorter time and the latter one can recover the better battery characteristics by repeating the charging and discharging operation to the battery with inferior battery characteristics a few times.

Claims

1. A battery charging apparatus comprising:

a housing;

at least one first loading means on said housing, for receiving a battery therein, said battery thereby becoming a first-loaded battery;

at least one second loading means on said housing, for receiving a battery therein, said battery thereby becoming a second-loaded battery;

first charging means coupled to said at least one first loading means for only charging said first-loaded battery loaded therein;

second charging means coupled to said at least one second loading means for charging said second-loaded battery loaded therein;

preferential charging means coupled to said first and second charging means for preferentially charging said first-loaded battery loaded in said first loading means when first and second loading means have batteries loaded therein, such that said first loading means stops charging and said second loading means starts charging when a battery voltage of said first-loaded battery reaches a predetermined level;

discharging means coupled to said second charging means for discharging said second-loaded battery in said second loading means;

measuring means coupled to said first and second loading means for measuring capacity of batteries loaded therein;

control means coupled to said first and second charging means, said preferential charging means, said discharging means, and said measuring means, said control means for controlling the charging and discharging of batteries loaded in said first and second loading means;

first display means coupled to said measuring means;

wherein said control means controls said second charging means to charge said second loaded battery to a predetermined level, said discharging means to discharge said second-loaded battery after, charging, said first charging means to charge said first loaded battery while said discharging means discharges said second loaded battery, said measuring means to measure the capacity of the discharged battery, and said display means to display a value related to the measured capacity.

2. A battery charging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a plurality of first loading units are provided.

3. A battery charging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second loading means further comprises second display means for indicating that charging is completed.

4. A battery charging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first display means further comprises a plurality of LEDs whose lighting number corresponds to a measured battery capacity.

5. A battery charging apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said second display means comprises LEDs.

8. A battery charging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising noise shielding means for avoiding transmitting and receiving a radio wave noise to and from the outside.

6. A battery charging apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

at least one first loading means on said housing, for receiving a battery;

at least one second loading means on said housing for receiving a battery, said batteries including a recess located on a side wall thereof;

wherein each of said first and second loading means includes

a) a loading surface,

b) an elastic member on said loading surface for pressing a battery against the direction crossing said loading surface,

c) a projection retractably disposed on said loading surface to engage said recess formed on engages with a concave formed on one said battery;

first charging means coupled to said at least one first loading means for only charging the battery loaded therein;

second charging means coupled to said at least one second loading means for charging the battery loaded therein;

preferential charging means coupled to said first and second charging menas for preferentially charging a battery loaded in said first loading means when first and second loading means have batteries loaded therein;

discharging means coupled to said second charging means for discharging said battery in said second loading means;

measuring means coupled to said second loading means for measuring capacity of a battery;

control means coupled to said first and second charging means, said preferential charging means, said discharging means, and said measuring means, said control means for controlling the charging and discharging of batteries located in said first and second loading means;

first display means coupled to said measuring means;

wherein said control means controls said second charging means to charge said battery to a predetermined level, said discharging means to discharge said battery after charging, said measuring means to measure the capacity of the discharged battery, and said display means to display a value related to the measured capacity.

7. A battery charging apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said elastic member includes a terminal to supply a voltage for charging to said battery.

9. A battery charging apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

at least one first loading means on said housing, for receiving a battery;

at least one second loading means on said housing for receiving a battery, said batteries including a recess located on a side wall thereof;

first charging means coupled to said at least one first loading means for only charging the battery loaded therein;

second charging means coupled to said at least one second loading means for charging the battery loaded therein;

preferential charging means coupled to said first and second charging means for preferentially charging a battery loaded in said first loading means when said first and second loading means have batteries loaded therein;

discharging means coupled to said second charging means for discharging the battery in said second loading means;

measuring means coupled to said second loading means for measuring capacity of a battery;

control means coupled to said first and second charging means, said preferential charging means, said discharging means, and said measuring means, said control means for controlling the charging and discharging of batteries located in said first and second loading means;

first display means coupled to said measuring means;

wherein said control means controls said second charging means to charge said battery to a predetermined level, said discharging means to discharge said battery after charging, said measuring means to measure the capacity of the discharged battery, and said display means to display a value related to the measured capacity;

wherein said first and second loading means further comprise

a) a body having one side wall with first cylindrical members;

b) a cover body having one side wall with second cylindrical members positioned in a space between said first cylindrical members, said cover body having a projection formed thereon;

c) a hinge pin having a reduced diameter portion thereon, which passes through said first and second cylindrical members which are coaxially disposed; and

d) an inner lid with a cover portion for covering an upper side of an exposed surface of said hinge pin, said cover portion having a protrusion formed thereon,

wherein said hinge pin passes through said coaxially disposed first and second cylindrical members whereby said cover body is swingably mounted to said body of said first and second loading means, and said projection on said cover body and said protrusion on said cover portion engage said reduced diameter portion of said hinge pin to prevent lateral movement thereof.