Current supply arrangement

• US 5,229,704 A
• Filed: 03/06/1989
• Issued: 07/20/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hans-Reinhard Knepper
• Original Assignee: Hans-Reinhard Knepper
• Inventors: Knepper, Hans-Reinhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Hickey, R. J.
• Application Number:
  US07/310,727
• Time in Patent Office: 1,597 Days
• Field of Search: 320/44, 320/43, 320/20, 320/21, 320/39, 320/40, 320/32, 320/2, 320/48
• US Class Current: 320/134
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/13 Fault detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/21 State of charge of battery

Abstract

In order to reliably measure the performance of a battery over a period of time, for example, to verify compliance with warranty conditions, the battery is inseparably connected in a casing with a charging and monitoring unit which monitors the condition of the battery and charges the battery according to a charging sequence selected in accordance with the conditions detected. The charging and monitoring unit also protects the battery from deep-discharges and from being short-circuited.

Claims

1. A power supply system with at least one rechargeable battery, charging/monitoring means powered by said battery, said battery having load current outputs, and a charging feed input coupled to said charging monitoring means, characterized in that coupling means are provided for electrically coupling the battery and the charging/monitoring means and housing means enclosing the battery and charging/monitoring means such that they cannot be separated without the destruction of the housing means;

storage means for storing a fixed code, means for selectively transmitting the fixed code to a system output terminal;

additional storage means for storing a plurality of additional fixed codes;

input means for reading a code into the system responsive to a second system identified by said last-mentioned code being coupled thereto;

means for comparing the code identifying the second system with the additional fixed codes in said additional storage means; and

means for disconnecting the load terminals of said system when the output of said comparing means indicates that the compared codes do not agree.

2. A power supply system with at least one rechargeable battery, charging/monitoring means powered by said battery, said battery having load current outputs, and a charging feed input coupled to said charging/monitoring means, characterized in that coupling means are provided for electrically coupling the battery and the charging/monitoring means and housing means enclosing said battery and charging/monitoring means such that they cannot be separated without damaging the housing means;

code identifying means for identifying the code of a second power supply system to be connected to the system and means to prevent said system from being connected to said second power supply system when the code identifying means indicates that the system attempting to be connected are not compatible.