Parallel battery charging device

• US 6,586,909 B1
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ron Trepka
• Original Assignee: Ron Trepka
• Inventors: Trepka, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US10/028,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20030117109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 320/103, 320/104, 320/108, 320/112, 320/116, 320/118, 320/119, 320/120, 320/123, 320/132, 320/137, 320/138, 320/126
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/08 composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0018 using separate charge circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery charging device for simultaneously charging the cells of a multi-cell battery in parallel wherein an induction coil distributes and isolates the charging energy to each cell. The parallel battery charger may be used with any battery having common two-electrode cells without breaking the inter-cell connections. Additionally, each cell may include a third or charging electrode that is used exclusively for charging. Each cell of this type of battery is charged by coupling a third electrode and a bifunctional electrode in parallel with the battery charger.

Claims

1. A battery charging system comprising:

a parallel battery charging device comprising;

an induction core;

an input coil magnetically coupled to the induction core; and

a plurality of output coils magnetically coupled to the induction core;

a plurality of regulators in communication with the plurality of output coils; and

a plurality of cables extending in parallel between the plurality of regulators and a number of battery cells.

2. The battery charging system of claim 1 further comprising a high frequency source.

3. The battery charging system of claim 1 further comprising a charge controller.

4. The battery charging system of claim 3 wherein the charge controller includes a current sensor.

5. The battery charging system of claim 3 wherein the charge controller includes a top-off timer.

6. The battery charging system of claim 1 further comprising a power source.

7. The battery charging system of claim 6 further comprising a high frequency source and wherein the power source includes a high power factor corrector.

8. The battery charging system of claim 2 further comprising a braking energy recovery device.

9. The battery charging system of claim 1 further comprising a tri-electrode multi-cell battery.

10. The battery charging system of claim 7 further comprising a charge controller having a current sensor.

11. The battery charging system of claim 10 wherein the charge controller includes a top-off timer.

12. A parallel battery charging system comprising:

a power source;

a high frequency source;

a charge controller;

a transformer; and

a plurality of charging circuits coupling the transformer to a plurality of battery cells in parallel.

13. The battery charging system of claim 12 further including voltage and current sensors in each charging circuit.

14. The battery charging system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of charging circuits include a plurality of regulators and a plurality of cables for connection to the plurality of battery cells.

15. The battery charging system of claim 12 wherein the transformer includes an input coil, an induction core, and a plurality of output coils.

16. The battery charging system of claim 13 wherein the charge controller regulates a DC supply source using the voltage and current values from each charging circuit.

17. The battery charging system of claim 12 wherein the power source includes a high power factor corrector and an DC to DC converter;

wherein the charge controller includes a current sensor and a top-off timer;

wherein the transformer includes an input coil, an induction core, and a plurality of output coils; and

wherein the plurality of charging circuits include a plurality of regulators and a plurality of cables for connection to the plurality of battery cells.

18. A rechargeble power system for an electric vehicle comprising:

a high frequency source;

a transformer;

a tri-electrode multi-cell battery;

a plurality of charging circuits in parallel connection between the transformer and a plurality of cells of the tri-electrode multi-cell battery; and

a braking energy recovery device.

19. The rechargeble power system of claim 18 further comprising a charge controller that uses current and voltage feedback from each charging circuit to regulate the power to the transformer.

20. The rechargeble power system of claim 19 wherein the transformer includes:

an input coil, an induction core, and a plurality of output coils coupled to the plurality of charging circuits.