Method of charging a plurality of batteries

• US 6,281,661 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2001
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Fukuda, Tomoya, Kaite, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US09/768,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20010010456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 215 Days
• Field of Search: 320/116, 320/117, 320/123, 320/125, 320/137, 320/139, 320/141, 320/160
• US Class Current: 320/116
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0019 using switched or multiplexed charge circuits

Abstract

The method of charging a plurality of batteries uses a charging power supply to pulse charge a plurality of batteries to full charge by time-division switching of the battery being charged. Further, this charging method moves timing intervals forward to begin charging the next battery when charging of a fully charged battery is stopped.

Claims

1. A method of charging a plurality of batteries which uses a charging power supply to pulse charge a plurality of batteries to full charge by time-division switching of the battery being charged, and

which moves timing intervals forward to begin charging the next battery when charging of a fully charged battery is stopped.

2. A method of charging a plurality of batteries as recited in claim 1 wherein batteries to be charged are divided into a plurality of channels, batteries are attached to each channel in a detachable fashion, channels with batteries attached and without batteries attached are detected, and channels without batteries attached are skipped over and not charged.

3. A method of charging a plurality of batteries as recited in claim 2 wherein battery attachment is detected by charging current.

4. A method of charging a plurality of batteries as recited in claim 2 wherein battery attachment is detected by charging switches.

5. A method of charging a plurality of batteries as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of batteries are connected to power supply circuit via switching devices, and any one of the switching devices is turned on to charge the batteries in sequence.

6. A method of charging a plurality of batteries as recited in claim 1 wherein batteries near full charge are charged first.

7. A method of charging a plurality of batteries as recited in claim 1 wherein one pulse width in time for pulse charging batteries is from 50 msec to 10 sec.

8. A method of charging a plurality of batteries as recited in claim 1 wherein one pulse width in time for pulse charging batteries is from 0.1 sec to 5 sec.

9. A method of charging a plurality of batteries as recited in claim 1 wherein one pulse width in time for pulse charging batteries is from 0.3 sec to 2 sec.

10. A method of charging a plurality of batteries as recited in claim 1 wherein trickle charging with a small current is performed after the batteries are fully charged.

11. A method of charging a plurality of batteries as recited in claim 1 wherein when switching the battery to be pulsed charged, the instant charging of any battery is stopped, charging of the next battery to be charged is started and charging current is not cut-off.

12. A method of charging a plurality of batteries as recited in claim 11 wherein the instant charging of a fully charged is stopped, charging of the next battery to be charged is started and charging current is not cut-off.

13. A method of charging a plurality of batteries as recited in claim 1 wherein a plurality of batteries with different battery capacities are pulse charged in sequence, and one pulse width in time for pulse charging low capacity batteries is shorter than one pulse width in time for pulse charging high capacity batteries.