Electrical storage battery charger and conditioner
First Claim
1. A method of conditioning an electrical storage battery comprising:
- applying an alternating charging current to the battery, said alternating charging current comprising a substantial plurality of cycles, said alternating current having a frequency of at least approximately 20 kHz, and wherein each of said cycles alternates between a first charging current and a second charging current, the second charging current being substantially less than the first charging current;
removing the alternating charging current from the battery when the battery is substantially charged; and
rapidly discharging said battery.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a charging, discharging and conditioning method and apparatus that provides an improved method of breaking in new rechargeable batteries and reconditioning old batteries. Batteries are charged according to the method of the present invention by applying a high frequency charging current to the batteries. The charging current is then removed once the batteries are substantially charged. The resulting charged batteries are thereafter rapidly discharged, using a high discharge current switched on and off at a high frequency. The resulting discharged batteries may then be charged by conventional techniques. A novel battery charger for use in the above described method includes a high frequency switch operably connected in the circuit path of a battery charging socket and a dc power supply. The high frequency switch is preferably driven by a high frequency, substantially rectangular wave signal.
28 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of conditioning an electrical storage battery comprising:
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applying an alternating charging current to the battery, said alternating charging current comprising a substantial plurality of cycles, said alternating current having a frequency of at least approximately 20 kHz, and wherein each of said cycles alternates between a first charging current and a second charging current, the second charging current being substantially less than the first charging current; removing the alternating charging current from the battery when the battery is substantially charged; and rapidly discharging said battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for charging an electrical storage battery comprising:
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a) a DC power supply; b) a current regulator connected to said power supply; c) a socket into which the electrical storage battery may be positioned, the socket connected to said current regulator; d) a high frequency power switch connected to said power supply and to said socket, the high frequency power switch having an on and off condition; and e) a source of high frequency signals having a frequency of at least approximately 20 kHz coupled to the high frequency power switch, the signal source operable to drive said high frequency power switch to turn said switch on and off at a frequency of at least approximately 20 kHz such that when the switch is turned on, a first charging current flows through the socket and when the switch is turned off, a second charging current flows through the socket, the second charging current being substantially less than the first charging current. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of conditioning an electrical storage battery comprising:
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applying an alternating charging current to the battery, said alternating charging current comprising a substantial plurality of cycles, each of said cycles alternating between a first charging current and a second charging current, the second charging current being substantially less than the first charging current; removing the alternating charging current from the battery when the battery is substantially charged; and switchably connecting a high current discharge load to the battery at a frequency of at least approximately 20 kHz in order to rapidly discharge said battery.
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Specification