Method and apparatus for charging batteries
First Claim
1. A battery charger, comprising:
- an input circuit configured to receive an ac input having a period of T seconds and to provide a first dc signal;
a converter configured to receive the first dc signal and to provide a converter output across a dc bus having a peak voltage of V volts, and configured to receive at least one control input;
an output circuit configured to receive the dc signal and to provide a battery charging signal having a power of P watts;
a controller, including a power factor correction circuit, configured to provide at least one control signal to the converter; and
a bus capacitor connected across the dc bus wherein the bus capacitor has a capacitance of at least (3PT)/(V2) farads.
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Accused Products
Abstract
According to a first aspect of the invention a battery charger and method of charging a battery includes an input circuit that receive an ac input having a period of T seconds and provides a dc signal. A converter receives the first dc signal and provides a converter output across a dc bus having a peak voltage of V volts. An output circuit receives the dc signal and provides a battery charging signal having a power of P watts. A controller, controls the converter to provide power factor correction. A bus capacitor is connected across the dc bus and has a capacitance of at least (3PT)/(V2) farads, or a capacitance to store sufficient energy to maintain the available output power signal through the duration of mechanical transient. The capacitance may be at least (4PT)/(V2), (5PT)/(V2), or (5.5PT)/(V2). Multiple output circuits may be provided, connected either one at a time, or a number at a time.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A battery charger, comprising:
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an input circuit configured to receive an ac input having a period of T seconds and to provide a first dc signal; a converter configured to receive the first dc signal and to provide a converter output across a dc bus having a peak voltage of V volts, and configured to receive at least one control input; an output circuit configured to receive the dc signal and to provide a battery charging signal having a power of P watts; a controller, including a power factor correction circuit, configured to provide at least one control signal to the converter; and a bus capacitor connected across the dc bus wherein the bus capacitor has a capacitance of at least (3PT)/(V2) farads. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 24, 25)
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9. A battery charger, comprising:
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an input circuit configured to receive an ac input having a period of T seconds and to provide a first dc signal; a converter configured to receive the first dc signal and to provide a converter output across a dc bus, and having a peak voltage of V volts, configured to receive at least one control input; a plurality of user-removable output circuits, each configured to receive the first dc signal and each designed to provide a battery charging signal at a desired voltage and a desired current, wherein a chosen one of the plurality is connected at a time and the maximum power of the battery charging signal for any of the plurality of output circuits is P watts; a controller, including a power factor correction circuit, configured to provide at least one control signal to the converter; and a bus capacitor connected across the dc bus wherein the bus capacitor has a capacitance of at least (3PT)/(V2) farads. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 15)
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16. A battery charger, comprising:
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an input circuit configured to receive an ac input having a period of T seconds and to provide a first dc signal; a converter configured to receive the first dc signal and to provide a converter output across a de bus having a peak voltage of V volts, configured to receive at least one control input; a plurality of output circuits, each configured to receive the first de signal and each designed to provide a battery charging signal at a desired voltage and a desired current, wherein the total power provided by the plurality is of output circuits is P watts; a controller, including a power factor correction circuit, configured to provide at least one control signal to the converter; and a bus capacitor connected across the dc bus wherein the bus capacitor has a capacitance of at least (3PT)/(V2) farads. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of battery charging, comprising:
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rectifying an ac input having a period of T seconds to provide a first dc signal; converting the first dc signal to provide a converter output across a dc bus at, having a peak voltage of V volts, and configured to receive at least one control input; switching the dc bus to provide a battery charging signal having a power of P watts; controlling, including power factor correcting, the converting, and storing energy across the bus on a bus having a capacitance of at least (3PT)/(V2) farads. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A method of charging a battery, comprising:
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rectifying an ac input having a period of T seconds to provide a first dc signal; converting the first dc signal to provide a converter output across a dc bus at, having a peak voltage of V volts, and configured to receive at least one control input; switching the dc bus with a plurality of output circuits to provide a plurality of battery charging signals having a combined power of P watts; controlling, including a power factor correcting, the converting, and storing energy across the bus on a bus having a capacitance of at least (3PT)/(V2) farads. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A battery charger, comprising:
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means for rectifying an ac input having a period of T seconds to provide a first dc signal; means for receiving the first dc signal and for converting it and providing a converter output across a dc bus at, having a peak voltage of V volts, and configured to receive at least one control input; means for switching the dc bus to provide a battery charging signal having a power of P watts; means for controlling, including power factor correcting, the converting, and means for storing energy across the bus on a bus having a capacitance of at least (3PT)/(V2) farads. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. A battery charger, comprising:
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means for rectifying an ac input having a period of T seconds to provide a first dc signal; means for converting the first dc signal to provide a converter output across a dc bus at, having a peak voltage of V volts, and configured to receive at least one control input; means for switching the dc bus with a plurality of output circuits to provide a plurality of battery charging signals having a combined power of P watts; means for controlling, including power factor correcting, the converting, and means for storing energy across the bus on a bus having a capacitance of at least (3PT)/(V2) farads. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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Specification