Battery charger

• US 6,229,287 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2000
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Evercharge.Com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Evercharge.Com, Inc.
• Inventors: Ferris, Michael T., Buchar, Zdenek
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUK, LAWRENCE W
• Application Number:
  US09/490,441
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 320/141, 320/139, 320/145, 320/129
• US Class Current: 320/141
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00711 with introduction of pulses during the charging process
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

A battery charger is described for one or more rechargeable batteries. The charger derives its power from a DC power source such as another battery, and produces a pulsed recharging current that has a periodic variable frequency pulse. The charger also permits higher voltage charging current to be achieved than the initial voltage of the DC power source, and monitors both the power source and the batteries being recharged to avoid depletion of the power source or over charging of the batteries.

Claims

1. A battery charger for charging one or more chargeable batteries, said charger comprising:

a DC power source;

a current control means connected between the DC power source and said one or more chargeable batteries;

the current control means comprising;

a current mode control means for generating DC current at higher voltage than the voltage provided by said DC power source;

the said current mode control means including means for converting said DC charging current to AC, means for producing higher voltage AC current spikes and means for rectifying said AC current back to DC current at said higher voltage;

means for providing a variable voltage control signal to a pulse width modulator for producing a variable frequency range from said higher voltage DC current;

timer means for controlling a switch for producing periodic pulses of said DC current having said variable frequency range;

isolator means for receiving said DC current including periodic pulses of variable frequency current from said current control means and directing said received DC current into a plurality of outputs to said chargeable batteries.

2. The battery charger of claim 1 wherein said AC current is between 100 and 300 KHz.