Battery discharging apparatus

• US 5,355,072 A
• Filed: 07/22/1992
• Issued: 10/11/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Satsuma, Eiji, Yamashita, Takahiro, Okada, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): HICKEY, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US07/916,746
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 320/14, 320/13, 320/48
• US Class Current: 320/131
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/16 Removal of memory effect in batteries

Abstract

A battery discharging apparatus is provided with a battery discharger and a control unit. The control unit is provided with a current sensor and a battery power capacity sensor. The control unit directs the discharger to recover battery capacity lost due to memory effect using a deep memory effect eliminating discharge.

Claims

1. A battery discharging apparatus comprising:

(a) a discharge means for discharging tile battery,

(b) a control means for controlling tile discharge means, and said control means provided with

(1) a current sensing means to determine whether or not power is flowing to or from tile battery, and

(2) a battery power capacity sensing means to determine battery capacity,

wherein tile control means controls the discharge means to begin battery discharge when said current sensing means determines that power is not flowing to or from the battery, and further, said battery power capacity sensing means determines that battery capacity is below a prescribed value.

2. A battery discharging apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein tile discharge means comprises a discharge resistor and a switching element.

3. A battery discharging apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the control means contains a microcomputer.