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Battery monitoring, charging and balancing apparatus

  • US 5,498,950 A
  • Filed: 04/29/1994
  • Issued: 03/12/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for monitoring, charging and balancing a plurality of serially connected batteries, said apparatus comprising:

  • a power source means coupled across the plurality of serially connected batteries for providing charging power thereto;

    a plurality of sensors coupled to the plurality of batteries for monitoring conditions thereof;

    a controller coupled to the power source for communicating therewith to control the operation thereof to charge the plurality of serially connected batteries, and coupled to the plurality of sensors for monitoring the predetermined conditions of the plurality of serially connected batteries;

    a plurality of controlled switches wherein adjacent pairs of controlled switches are coupled to respective positive and negative terminals of respective ones of the plurality of batteries, and wherein the controlled switches are coupled to the controller for providing activation control signals thereto;

    a monitoring bus coupled to the plurality of controlled switches;

    a battery voltage sensor coupled to each of the the plurality of controlled switches by way of the monitoring bus, and coupled to the controller, for selectively sensing the voltage of each of the plurality of batteries under control of the controller; and

    a current source coupled to the plurality of controlled switches by way of the monitoring bus, and coupled to the controller, for supplying current to a selected battery under control of the controller.

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