Automatic battery switching circuit for a marine propulsion system

• US 6,342,775 B1
• Filed: 05/24/2000
• Issued: 01/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Original Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Inventors: Sleder, Richard L. Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUK, LAWRENCE W
• Application Number:
  US09/577,911
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 320/116, 320/117, 320/120, 320/121, 307/71, 307/66
• US Class Current: 320/116
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2025/026 using multi-axis control levers, or the like, e.g. joysticks, wherein at least one degree of freedom is employed for steering, slowing down, or dynamic anchoring
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/17 by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/213 Levers or the like for controlling the engine or the transmission, e.g. single hand control levers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/42 for ships or vessels
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters

Abstract

A battery switching circuit provides a mechanism by which a plurality of electrical storage batteries can be alternatively connected in parallel or series based on the position of a manually controlled joystick of a marine positioning and maneuvering system. When the joystick is in a neutral position in which no docking motion is demanded by the marine vessel operator, the storage batteries are connected in parallel so that they can benefit from charging by an alternator or generator associated with an internal combustion engine. If the joystick is moved out of its neutral position, the batteries are immediately connected in series to provide power to a plurality of electric motors that are used to drive a plurality of impellers of the docking system.

Claims

1. A battery switching circuit, comprising:

a first battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;

a second battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;

a third battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;

a source of charging power;

a manually controlled electrically operated device having an active state and an inactive state;

a first switch, connected to said first battery, having a first state in which said positive terminal of said first battery is connected to said source of charging power and a second state in which said positive terminal of said first battery is disconnected from said source of charging power;

a second switch, connected to said first and second batteries, having a first state in which said negative terminal of said first battery is connected to said negative terminal of said second battery and a second state in which said negative terminal of said first battery is connected to said positive terminal of said second battery;

a third switch, connected to said second battery, having a first state in which said positive terminal of said second battery is connected to said source of charging power and a second state in which said positive terminal of said second battery is disconnected from said source of charging power;

a fourth switch, connected to said second battery, having a first state in which said negative terminal of said second battery is connected to said negative terminal of said third battery and a second state in which said negative terminal of said second battery is connected to said positive terminal of said third battery; and

a switch controller for causing said first, second, third, and fourth switches to be in a first condition when said manually controlled electrically operated device is in said inactive state and for causing said first, second, third, and fourth switches to be in a second condition when said manually controlled electrically operated device is in said active state.

2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein:

said first, second, third, and fourth switches are in said first state in said first condition and said first, second, third, and fourth switches are in said second state in said second condition.

3. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, said positive terminal of said fourth battery being connected to said source of charging power.

4. The circuit of claim 1, wherein:

said positive terminal of said first battery is connected to said manually controlled electrically operated device.

5. The circuit of claim 1, wherein:

said electrically operated device comprises an electric motor.

6. The circuit of claim 5, wherein:

a rotor of said electric motor is attached to a marine propeller.

7. The circuit of claim 6, further comprising:

a hand operable control mechanism connected in signal communication with said manually controlled electrically operated device.

8. The circuit of claim 7, wherein:

said hand operable control mechanism is a joy stick.

9. The circuit of claim 1, wherein:

said source of charging power is an alternator.

10. A battery switching circuit for a marine propulsion system, comprising:

a first battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;

a second battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;

a third battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;

a source of charging power;

a fourth battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, said positive terminal of said fourth battery being connected to said source of charging power;

a manually controlled electrically operated device having an active state and an inactive state;

a first switch, connected to said first battery, having a first state in which said positive terminal of said first battery is connected to said source of charging power and a second state in which said positive terminal of said first battery is disconnected from said source of charging power;

a second switch, connected to said first and second batteries, having a first state in which said negative terminal of said first battery is connected to said negative terminal of said second battery and a second state in which said negative terminal of said first battery is connected to said positive terminal of said second battery;

a third switch, connected to said second battery, having a first state in which said positive terminal of said second battery is connected to said source of charging power and a second state in which said positive terminal of said second battery is disconnected from said source of charging power;

a fourth switch, connected to said second battery, having a first state in which said negative terminal of said second battery is connected to said negative terminal of said third battery and a second state in which said negative terminal of said second battery is connected to said positive terminal of said third battery; and

a switch controller for causing said first, second, third, and fourth switches to be in a first condition when said manually controlled electrically operated device is in said inactive state and for causing said first, second, third, and fourth switches to be in a second condition when said manually controlled electrically operated device is in said active state, said first, second, third, and fourth switches being in said first state in said first condition and said first, second, third, and fourth switches being in said second state in said second condition.

11. The circuit of claim 10, wherein:

said positive terminal of said first battery is connected to said manually controlled electrically operated device.

12. The circuit of claim 11, wherein:

said electrically operated device comprises an electric motor.

13. The circuit of claim 12, wherein:

a rotor of said electric motor is attached to a marine propeller.

14. The circuit of claim 13, further comprising:

a hand operable control mechanism connected in signal communication with said manually controlled electrically operated device.

15. The circuit of claim 14, wherein:

said hand operable control mechanism is a joy stick.

16. The circuit of claim 15, wherein:

said source of charging power is an alternator.

17. A battery switching circuit for a marine propulsion system, comprising:

an internal combustion engine;

a first battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;

a second battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;

a third battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;

a source of charging power driven by said internal combustion engine;

a fourth battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, said positive terminal of said fourth battery being connected to said source of charging power;

a manually controlled electrically operated device having an active state and an inactive state;

a plurality of electric motors connected in electrical communication with said manually controlled electrically operated device;

a first switch, connected to said first battery, having a first state in which said positive terminal of said first battery is connected to said source of charging power and a second state in which said positive terminal of said first battery is disconnected from said source of charging power;

a second switch, connected to said first and second batteries, having a first state in which said negative terminal of said first battery is connected to said negative terminal of said second battery and a second state in which said negative terminal of said first battery is connected to said positive terminal of said second battery;

a third switch, connected to said second battery, having a first state in which said positive terminal of said second battery is connected to said source of charging power and a second state in which said positive terminal of said second battery is disconnected from said source of charging power;

a fourth switch, connected to said second battery, having a first state in which said negative terminal of said second battery is connected to said negative terminal of said third battery and a second state in which said negative terminal of said second battery is connected to said positive terminal of said third battery; and

a switch controller for causing said first, second, third, and fourth switches to be in a first condition when said manually controlled electrically operated device is in said inactive state and for causing said first, second, third, and fourth switches to be in a second condition when said manually controlled electrically operated device is in said active state, said first, second, third, and fourth switches being in said first state in said first condition and said first, second, third, and fourth switches being in said second state in said second condition.

18. The circuit of claim 17, wherein:

said positive terminal of said first battery is connected to said manually controlled electrically operated device.

19. The circuit of claim 18, wherein:

a rotor of said at least one of said plurality of electric motors is attached to a marine impeller.

20. The circuit of claim 19, further comprising:

a hand operable control mechanism connected in signal communication with said manually controlled electrically operated device, said hand operable control mechanism being a joy stick.

21. A battery switching circuit, comprising:

a first battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;

a second battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;

a source of charging power;

a manually controlled electrically operated device having an active state and an inactive state;

a first switch, connected to said first battery, having a first state in which said positive terminal of said first battery is connected to said source of charging power and a second state in which said positive terminal of said first battery is disconnected from said source of charging power;

a second switch, connected to said first and second batteries, having a first state in which said negative terminal of said first battery is connected to said negative terminal of said second battery and a second state in which said negative terminal of said first battery is connected to said positive terminal of said second battery;

a third switch, connected to said second battery, having a first state in which said positive terminal of said second battery is connected to said source of charging power and a second state in which said positive terminal of said second battery is disconnected from said source of charging power; and

a switch controller for causing said first, second, and third switches to be in a first condition when said manually controlled electrically operated device is in s said inactive state and for causing said first, second, and third switches to be in a second condition when said manually controlled electrically operated device is in said active state, said first, second, and third batteries being connected in parallel between said source of charging power and a point of ground potential when in said first condition and said first, second, and third batteries being connected in series between said manually controlled electrically operated device and said point of ground potential when in said second condition.

22. The circuit of claim 21, further comprising:

a third battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, said positive terminal of said fourth battery being connected to said source of charging power, said third battery being connected to a starting motor of said internal combustion engine.

23. The circuit of claim 22, wherein:

said positive terminal of said first battery is connected to said manually controlled electrically operated device.

24. The circuit of claim 23 wherein:

said electrically operated device comprises an electric motor.

25. The circuit of claim 24 wherein:

a rotor of said electric motor is attached to a marine propeller.

26. The circuit of claim 25, further comprising:

a hand operable control mechanism connected in signal communication with said manually controlled electrically operated device.

27. The circuit of claim 26, wherein:

said hand operable control mechanism is a joy stick.

28. The circuit of claim 27, wherein:

said source of charging power is an alternator.