Battery charger and charge control system

• US 6,518,726 B1
• Filed: 01/18/2002
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eaglepicher Technologies LLC (Eaglepicher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Eagle-Picher Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Hathaway, Steven E., Nowlin, Ronald D. Jr., McCorkle, Donnie M., Throneberry, Heath
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIBBITS, PIA FLORENCE
• Application Number:
  US10/051,402
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 320/106,128,127,136,150
• US Class Current: 320/128
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery charger and charge control system charges series connected lithium-ion batteries to a voltage in the range of about 4.1 volts and about 4.3 volts per battery with a voltage input to the system in the range of about 4.1 to about 4.5 volts per battery. Switching efficiencies associated with the system allow the charging and charge control circuitry of the system to be positioned within the battery housing. The charging and charge control circuitry may mount onto a single circuit board. Morever, the battery charger and charge control system allows the lithium-ion batteries to simultaneously charge and discharge.

Claims

1. A battery system for charging a plurality of lithium-ion cells, comprising:

charging circuitry adapted to be coupled to said plurality of lithium-ion cells and configured to supply a charge to said plurality of lithium-ion cells to charge each of the plurality of lithium-ion cells to a voltage in a range of about 4.1 volts to about 4.3 volts with a voltage input to the charging circuitry in a range of about 4.1 volts to about 4.5 volts per lithium-ion cell; and

charge control circuitry coupled to the charging circuitry and operable to manage operation of the charging circuitry.

2. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the charging and charge control circuitry mount onto a single board.

3. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the charging and charge control circuitry are contained within a housing adapted to house the plurality of lithium-ion cells.

4. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the charging and charge control circuitry is operable to charge the plurality of lithium-ion cells and enable the plurality of lithium-ion cells to discharge into a load.

5. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein the charge control circuitry is operable to activate an indicator to communicate a charging status of the plurality of lithium-ion cells.

6. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein the charge control circuitry is operable to measure a voltage across a lithium-ion cell of the plurality of lithium-ion cells.

7. The battery system according to claim 6, wherein the charge control circuitry is operable to disconnect the charging circuitry from the lithium-ion cell in response to detecting a ceiling threshold voltage across the lithium-ion cell.

8. The battery system according to claim 7, wherein the ceiling threshold voltage is about 4.3V.

9. The battery system according to claim 7, wherein the charging circuitry includes a switchable transistor configured to disconnect at least the lithium-ion cell from the charging circuitry, wherein the charge control circuitry controls the operation of the switchable transistor.

10. The battery system according to claim 6, wherein the charge control circuitry is operable to connect the charging circuitry to at least the lithium-ion cell in response to detecting a hysterisis voltage across the lithium-ion cell.

11. The battery system according to claim 10, wherein the hysterisis voltage is about 4.1V.

12. The battery system according to claim 6, wherein the charge control circuitry is operable to disconnect a load from at least the lithium-ion cell in response to detecting a basement threshold voltage across the lithium-ion cell.

13. The battery system according to claim 12, wherein the basement threshold voltage is about 2.75V.

14. The battery system according to claim 6, wherein the charge control circuitry is operable to reconnect the load to the lithium-ion cell in response to detecting a recovery voltage across the lithium-ion cell.

15. The battery system according to claim 14, wherein the recovery voltage is about 3V.

16. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein the charge control circuitry is operable to disconnect the charging circuitry from the plurality of lithium-ion cells in response to detecting a reference temperature proximate at least one of the plurality of lithium-ion cells.

17. The battery system according to claim 16, wherein the reference temperature is about 55°

C.

18. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein the charge control circuitry is operable to reconnect the charging circuitry to the plurality of lithium-ion cells in response to detecting a resume temperature.

19. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein the charge control circuitry is operable to provide a constant current to the plurality of lithium-ion cells in response to a charging interruption.

20. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein the charge control circuitry is operable to provide a constant voltage charge to the plurality of lithium-ion cells while the plurality of lithium-ion cells are charging.

21. A battery system, comprising:

a battery housing configured to house at least one lithium-ion cell;

charging circuitry positioned within the battery housing and operable to supply a charge to the lithium-ion cell;

charge control circuitry positioned within the battery housing and being electronically coupled to the charging circuitry to manage operation of the charging circuitry.

22. The battery system of claim 21, wherein the charging and control circuitry mount onto a single board.

23. The battery system of claim 21, wherein the charging and charge control circuitry is operable to charge the plurality of lithium-ion cells and enable the plurality of lithium-ion cells to discharge into a load.

24. The battery system according to claim 21, wherein the control circuitry is operable to activate an indicator to communicate a charging status of the lithium-ion cell.

25. The battery system according to claim 21, wherein the control circuitry is operable to measure a voltage across the lithium-ion cell.

26. The battery system according to claim 21, wherein the control circuitry is operable to disconnect the charging circuitry from at least the lithium-ion cell in response to detecting a ceiling threshold voltage across the lithium-ion cell.

27. The battery system according to claim 21, wherein the control circuitry is operable to disconnect a load from at least the lithium-ion cell in response to detecting a basement threshold voltage across the lithium-ion cell.

28. The battery system according to claim 27, wherein the basement threshold voltage is about 2.75V.

29. The battery system according to claim 21, wherein the charge control circuitry is operable to reconnect a load to at least the lithium-ion cell in response to detecting a recovery voltage across the lithium-ion cell.

30. The battery system according to claim 21, wherein the control circuitry is operable to disconnect the charging circuitry from at least the lithium-ion cell in response to detecting a reference temperature proximate the lithium-ion cell.

31. The battery system according to claim 30, wherein the reference temperature is about 55°

C.

32. The battery system according to claim 21, wherein the charge control circuitry is operable to reconnect the charging circuitry to at least the lithium-ion cell in response to detecting a resume temperature.

33. A method of charging a plurality of lithium-ion cells having circuitry adapted to be coupled to and supply power to a plurality of lithium-ion cells, comprising charging each of the plurality of lithium-ion cells to a voltage in a range of about 4.1 volts and about 4.3 volts with a voltage input to the circuitry in a range of about 4.1 volts and about 4.5 volts per each lithium-ion cell of the plurality of lithium-ion cells.

34. The method according to claim 33, further comprising mounting the circuitry within a battery housing containing at least one lithium-ion cell of the plurality of lithium-ion cells, wherein the circuitry comprises charging and charge control circuitry.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising mounting the charging and charge control circuitry onto a single board.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising simultaneously charging and discharging the plurality of lithium-ion cells.

37. The method according to claim 33, further comprising activating an indicator to communicate a charging status of the plurality of lithium-ion cells.

38. The method according to claim 33, further comprising sensing a current flow into the plurality of lithium-ion cells.

39. The method according to claim 33, further comprising disconnecting the charging circuitry from the plurality of lithium-ion cells in response to detecting a ceiling threshold voltage across a lithium-ion cell of the plurality of lithium-ion cells.

40. The method according to claim 33, further comprising connecting the charging circuitry to the plurality of lithium-ion cells in response to detecting a hysterisis voltage across a lithium-ion cell of the plurality of lithium-ion cells.

41. The method according to claim 33, further comprising disconnecting a load from the plurality of lithium-ion batteries in response to detecting a basement threshold voltage across a lithium-ion cell of the plurality of lithium-ion cells.

42. The method according to claim 33, further comprising reconnecting the load to the plurality of lithium-ion batteries in response to detecting a recovery voltage across a lithium-ion cell of the plurality of lithium-ion cells.

43. The method according to claim 33, further comprising disconnecting the charging circuitry from the plurality of lithium-ion cells in response to detecting a reference temperature.

44. A method of charging at least one lithium-ion cell housed within a battery housing, the lithium-ion cell being supplied charge from charging circuitry, wherein operation of the charging circuitry is managed by charge control circuitry, comprising:

positioning the charging circuitry within the battery housing such that the charging circuitry operatively couples to the lithium-ion cell; and

locating the charge control circuitry within the battery housing such that the charge control circuitry electrically couples to the charging circuitry.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising mounting the charging and charge control circuitry onto a single board.

46. The method of claim 44, further comprising simultaneously charging and discharging the lithium-ion cell.

47. The method according to claim 44, further comprising activating an indicator to communicate a charging status of the lithium-ion cell.

48. The method according to claim 44, further comprising disconnecting the charging circuitry from the lithium-ion cell in response to detecting a ceiling threshold voltage across the lithium-ion cell.

49. The method according to claim 44, further comprising connecting the charging circuitry to the lithium-ion cell in response to detecting a hysterisis voltage across the lithium-ion cell.

50. The method according to claim 44, further comprising disconnecting a load from the lithium-ion cell in response to sensing a basement threshold voltage across the lithium-ion cell.

51. The method according to claim 44, further comprising disconnecting the charging circuitry from the lithium-ion cell in response to detecting a reference temperature proximate the lithium-ion cell.