Universal battery charger apparatus

• US 6,833,683 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2003
• Issued: 12/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harry L. Winkler
• Original Assignee: Harry L. Winkler
• Inventors: Winkler, Harry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): LUK, LAWRENCE W
• Application Number:
  US10/407,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20040195998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109, 320/107, 320/110, 320/115, 320/121, 320/123
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1438 in combination with power supplies for loads other than batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A Universal Battery Charger Apparatus designed to be used with a small gas engine equipped with a small alternator, capable of maintaining the charge level of a small 12 volt battery. Said battery supplies power for the circuit of said battery charger. Said engine drives a second alternator. Said battery charger has a wide range of controlled output voltages as well as 12 different current limiting capabilities making possible use of not only a battery charger for charging different voltages of external batteries, but also a DC arc welder and/or a 115 volt DC, power supply, all within its own framework, thus making said apparatus portable.

Claims

1. A universal battery charger apparatus comprising:

an engine including a first alternator means for generating an A-C voltage, said alternator also including a means for converting said A-C voltage into D-C voltage, said alternator also including a means for transferring electrical energy from said first alternator for a charging means for charging a 12 volt battery, a said 12 volt battery means for transferring electrical energy from said 12 volt battery to the input of the circuit of said battery charger apparatus;

a second alternator means including a field terminal, stator terminal, output+terminal and ground terminal, also said second alternator means for generating an A-C voltage, said second alternator also including a means for converting said A-C voltage into D-C voltage, a said engine means for driving said second alternator from said-engine, a portable means for said battery charger apparatus to be self-contained within its own framework;

a voltage divider network means includes 25 resistors connected to said voltage divider network, includes means connecting a first 12-position rotary switch for selecting different voltage, includes means connecting a second 12-position rotary switch as a fine tuner for said voltage, a voltage sensor means for transferring electrical energy from said alternator'"'"'s output+terminal to input of said voltage divider network;

a first taper lock jack means, a second taper lock jack is connected to ground, dual power transistors means includes transferring electrical energy from said power transistor'"'"'s output to said second alternator'"'"'s field terminal;

a first solid state switching system means includes a zener diode when said diode receives a significant voltage level from said voltage divider network'"'"'s output said diode will break down passing voltage on to base of a first transistor when said base receives a significant voltage level said first transistor will switch ON thus switching a second regulator transistor ON thus switching a third and fourth power transistors OFF said third and fourth power transistors will immediately switch back ON and the cycle is repeated, said universal battery charger wherein said battery charger has a charging means for charging external batteries.

2. A universal battery charger apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a current limit control means, a third 12-position rotary switch means includes 12 resistors connected to said switch used as a current selector switch, a heavy lead means includes connecting said lead from said second alternator'"'"'s output+terminal to said first taper lock jack, a 12 volt isolated DC-DC converter means, a split-voltage supply means, said split-voltage supply means for transferring electrical energy from said supply to input of a photo transistor, also to input of an op-amp and to said second alternator'"'"'s output+terminal, said converter means for transferring electrical energy from said converter to said op-amp;

photo transistor means, an op-amp means;

a second solid state switching system means a 13th resistor is connected in series from said first taper lock jack to terminal 2 of said op-amp, said heavy lead has a small fraction of a volt across it when loaded, naturally it increases as the load increases, transfer means for transferring said fraction of a volt to the inputs of said op-amp, a 14th resistor is connected in series from said op-amp output to input of said photo transistor, said op-amp output has a feedback line to the input of said rotary switch going through one of said 12 resistors and back to input of said op-amp, thus becoming a multiplier for said fraction of a volt, thus increasing said op-amp'"'"'s output voltage, when said photo transistor receives a significant volt level said photo transistor will switch ON passing the voltage on to the base of a fifth transistor, when said base receives a significant voltage level said fifth transistor will switch ON thus switching a sixth transistor ON thus switching a seventh transistor ON thus switching said second regulator transistor ON thus switching said third and fourth power transistors OFF, said third and fourth power transistors will immediately switch back ON and the cycle is repeated, wherein said battery charger'"'"'s circuit works not to exceed the current limit that said selector switch is set for.

3. A universal battery charger apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including a means for an arc welder comprising said first taper lock jack means for transferring electrical energy from said second alternator'"'"'s output+terminal to said first taper lock jack, said second taper lock jack is connected to ground, said first and said second taper lock jacks means for transferring electrical energy from said first and said second taper lock jacks to the workload in arc welding, means electrically connecting said battery charger'"'"'s arc welder and a battery powered arc welder at said work-load in welding, said battery charger'"'"'s arc welder provides a first portion of energy at said workload and said battery powered arc welder'"'"'s supply provides a second portion of energy at said work-load, said battery charger provides a charging means for said battery powered arc welder'"'"'s batteries during time when an arc is not generated, also said universal battery charger'"'"'s arc welder can be used direct for light duty arc welding by selecting the voltage and current desired.

4. A universal battery charger apparatus as set forth in claim 2 further comprising means for a 115 volt DC power supply, said power supply includes a receptacle means for transferring electrical energy from said second alternator'"'"'s output+terminal to said receptacle, said power supply also includes a second relay switching means, when said first selector switch is set for (115 volt DC power) said second relay switches ON, thus coupling two capacitors to said second alternator, a first capacitor means for transferring electrical energy from the positive end of said first capacitor on through a second set of points of said second relay on to said second alternator output+terminal;

a second capacitor means for transferring electrical energy from the positive end of said second capacitor on through a first set of points of said second relay on to the negative end of said first capacitor and on to the stator terminal of said second alternator, said second capacitor'"'"'s negative end is connected to ground, said capacitors double the output no-load voltage plus filters said output voltage.

5. A universal battery charger apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a DC amp-meter means connected between said second alternator'"'"'s output+terminal and said first single conductor taper lock jack.

6. A universal battery charger apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a first relay switching means for said voltage sensor, when said first selector switch is set for (batt/36 v/weld) said first relay will switch said voltage sensor away from said second alternator'"'"'s output+terminal over to the 36 volt+terminal of a battery powered arc welder.

7. A universal battery charger apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a 15 volt meter means connected between said second alternator'"'"'s field terminal and ground, a pilot light means.

8. A universal battery charger apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a digital voltmeter means connected between said second alternator'"'"'s output+terminal and ground.

9. A method the battery charger uses for charging external batteries comprising the steps of:

a. using a small engine equipped with a small alternator and regulator;

b. said first alternator to maintain a small 12 volt battery;

c. said battery to power said battery charger'"'"'s circuit;

d. said circuit controls a second alternator'"'"'s field voltage giving a wide range of controlled output voltage by said second alternator which are mostly used for charging different external batteries, also said circuit has a third (current limit) selector switch means for 12 different current settings;

e. said engine is used to drive said second alternator;

f. said battery charger is self contained within its own framework thus making said charger portable;

g. for charging external batteries, set first selector switch to the voltage of the battery (or batteries) to be charged, then set fine-tuner (voltage) second selector switch to the 12 o'"'"'clock setting and set said current limit third selector switch to whatever current is desired.

10. The method of claim 9 further including an arc welder using the steps of:

a. said battery charger has a means to do light duty arc welding at a workload by selecting proper voltage and current desired for said workload;

b. said battery charger'"'"'s arc welder can be connected in parallel with a battery powered arc welder at said workload in arc welding thus boosting the power to said workload for medium and/or heavy duty arc welding;

c. said battery charger provides a charging means for said battery powered arc welder'"'"'s batteries during time when an arc is not generated.

11. The method of claim 9 further including a 115 volt DC power supply using the steps of:

a. said battery charger has means to produce 115 volts DC power, step 1 set said first selector switch to (115 volt DC) the second relay will automatically switch ON coupling the two electrolytic capacitors to said second alternator thus doubling the no-load output voltage for said power supply;

b. said battery charger'"'"'s circuit has a third (current limit) selector switch means, set said selector for 10 amps or 15 amps for said power supply use, said power supply needs no fuse nor circuit breaker for its operation.