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Voltage dividing vehicle heater system and method

  • US 8,049,460 B2
  • Filed: 06/23/2008
  • Issued: 11/01/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:

  • a rechargeable battery pack installed in an electric vehicle;

    a power supply coupled to the rechargeable battery pack, the power supply operable to provide a charge voltage to perform charging operations on the rechargeable battery pack, wherein the power supply is coupleable to a power source external to the electric vehicle;

    a heater, wherein said heater is coupleable to a recharging circuit to provide a voltage divider circuit within said recharging circuit;

    a switching circuit, the switching circuit coupled to the heater and to the power supply,the switching circuit operable in a first mode to couple the power supply and the power source to the heater and to the rechargeable battery pack to perform charging operations on the rechargeable battery pack, wherein said heater provides said voltage divider circuit within said recharging circuit used during charging operations when the switching circuit operates in said first mode,the switching circuit operable in a second mode to couple the power supply and the power source to the rechargeable battery pack without coupling the heater to the recharging circuit to perform charging operations on the rechargeable battery pack, wherein the heater is bypassed within said recharging circuit when the switching circuit operates in said second mode.

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