Temperature responsive battery tester

• US 5,610,511 A
• Filed: 09/16/1994
• Issued: 03/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jack Brass
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Inventors: Parker, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Karlsen, Ernest F.
• Application Number:
  US08/307,341
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 324/96, 324/104, 324/106, 324/435, 324/438, 324/429, 345/106, 359/44, 429/90, 429/92, 429/93, 338/120, 340/636
• US Class Current: 324/106
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16542 for batteries charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/225 by means of thermocouples or other heat sensitive elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/374 with means for correcting the measurement for temperature or ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/386 using test-loads
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/388 involving voltage measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/505 Cells combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A device for measuring the voltage of a voltage source includes a number of temperature responsive displays and a circuit including a number of heating circuits, each heating circuit for heating one of the temperature responsive displays when a threshold voltage of the heating circuit is exceeded, and a printed resistor, each heating circuit being connected to a length of the printed resistor such that the voltage of the voltage source at which each heating circuit heats a temperature responsive display is a function of the ratio of the lengths of the printed resistor to which the heating circuits are connected.

Claims

1. A device for measuring the voltage of a voltage source, comprising:

a substrate having a visually transparent portion;

a plurality of temperature responsive displays printed on the visually transparent portion of the substrate;

a plurality of heat generating elements, each of which is thermally coupled to at least one of said temperature responsive displays and is printed on a temperature responsive display;

a reference voltage circuit including a surface mount voltage regulating diode for producing a reference voltage when the voltage regulating diode is in a breakdown state;

a voltage divider network printed on the substrate and including a plurality of printed resistors electrically connected in series for producing a plurality of source voltages as a function of the ratios of the resistances of the printed resistors; and

a plurality of comparator circuits, each for selectively allowing current to flow through at least one of said heat generating elements when the voltage supplied to said comparator circuit by said voltage divider network exceeds the reference voltage, the comparator circuits being embodied in a surface mount device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said heat generating element is a printed resistor.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said temperature responsive displays include a thermochromic material.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said voltage regulating diode includes a zener diode.

5. The device of claim 1, said reference voltage circuit including a current limiting resistor in electrical series with said voltage regulating diode.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the reference voltage circuit provides a substantially equivalent reference voltage to each comparator circuit.

7. A device for measuring the voltage of a voltage source comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of temperature responsive displays printed on the substrate;

a plurality of heat generating elements, each of which is thermally coupled to at least one of said temperature responsive displays and is printed on the substrate opposite a temperature responsive display;

a reference voltage circuit including a surface mount voltage regulating diode for producing a reference voltage;

a voltage divider network printed on the substrate and including a plurality of printed voltage divider resistors electrically connected in series for producing a plurality of source voltages as a function of the ratios of the resistances of the voltage divider resistors; and

a plurality of comparator circuits, each comparator circuit being provided with a substantially equivalent reference voltage and a different source voltage, and each comparator circuit selectively allowing current to flow through at least one of said heat generating elements when the source voltage supplied to said comparator circuit by said voltage divider network exceeds the reference voltage, the comparator circuits being embodied in a surface mount device.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said voltage regulating diode is a zener diode.