Multifunctional vehicle charger and charging process of the same

• US 8,148,940 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2009
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yun-Zhao Liu
• Original Assignee: Yun-Zhao Liu
• Inventors: Liu, Yun-Zhao
• Primary Examiner(s): Assouad, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chung, Steve T
• Application Number:
  US12/379,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20100225269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/111, 320/114, 320/141, 320/160, 320/162, 307/2, 307/151, 362/183
• US Class Current: 320/114
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/02 for simultaneous co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00714 in response to battery charging or discharging current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

The present invention relates to a multi-functional vehicle charger and the charging process of the same. The vehicle charger includes an enclosure defining the vehicle charger. The enclosure includes a USB port disposed thereon, a power plug corresponding to a vehicle power outlet on one end, and a wire connected with a power terminal at the other end. The power terminal, the USB port, and the power plug are connected to a charge monitor circuit. Thus the vehicle charger can be connected with various electrical appliances for charging by insertion of the power terminal on the wire into a socket of a Li-ion battery and by a connecting wire that connects the USB port to electric appliances with USB functionality. Thereby, power is supplied by various output ends when the vehicle charger is inserted into a power outlet in vehicles.

Claims

1. A multifunctional vehicle charger comprising:

a charger portion;

a power plug corresponding to a power outlet in vehicles disposed on one end of the charger portion,

a wire coupled to the charger portion and connected with a power terminal for charging interconnection to a lithium ion (Li-ion) battery; and

a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port disposed on the charger portion for interconnection of electrical appliances having charge monitor circuits and Li-ion batteries by a corresponding USB connecting wire;

wherein the charger portion includes a charge monitor circuit coupled to the wire with the power terminal, and the USB port is directly connected with the power plug;

wherein the charge monitor circuit selectively actuates a plurality of alternative charging modes responsive to a voltage of the battery being charged, wherein alternative charging mode includes;

a low-current fast pulse charging mode, a constant-current float charging mode, a constant-current equalizing charging mode, and a constant voltage charging mode.

2. A method for charging electrical appliances using a multifunctional vehicle charger, having a charge monitor circuit installed therein, comprising the steps of:

detecting voltage of a Li-ion battery connected to the vehicle charger connected, wherein the charge monitor circuit selectively actuates a plurality of alternative charging modes responsive to a voltage of the battery being charged;

for a discharged Li-ion battery without output voltage, the Li-ion battery being charged in a low-current and fast pulse charging mode;

when the voltage of the Li-ion battery is lower than a preset voltage, a low current that is one tenth of the Li-ion battery capacity being used to charge the Li-ion battery in a constant-current float charging mode;

when the voltage of the Li-ion battery is increased over the preset voltage, a low current that is one-half of the Li-ion battery capacity being used to charge the Li-ion battery in a constant-current equalizing charging mode;

when the voltage of the Li-ion battery is increased to rated voltage, a constant voltage that is a rated voltage of the Li-ion battery being maintained to charge the Li-ion battery in a constant voltage charging mode whereby the charging current gradually falls to a low value;

when the charging current is lower than the low current that is one tenth of the Li-ion battery capacity, the charging process is ended; and

when the voltage of the Li-ion battery is lower than the rated voltage thereof, the charging process is initiated and repeated again.