High-efficiency battery charger
First Claim
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1. A high efficiency battery charger, comprising:
- a first transformer to produce a charging current suitable for charging a depleted battery and having a first output to couple the charging current to the depleted battery;
a second transformer to produce a trickle current lower than the charging current, wherein the trickle current is 0 amperes to 2 amperes, the second transformer having a second output to couple the trickle current, to a charged battery;
a power feed circuit having an input for connection to a power source and an output connected to respective ones of the first and second transformers; and
control circuitry having an input coupled to the first and second outputs and an output coupled to the power feed circuitry,wherein the control circuitry is configured to detect a depleted battery to cause the power feed circuitry to feed power to the first transformer while disabling the second transformer and to detect a charged battery to cause the power feed circuitry to feed power to the second transformer while disabling the first transformer.
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Abstract
A high efficiency battery charger. The high-efficiency battery charger can include a first transformer to produce a charging current, a second transformer to produce a maintenance current lower than the charging current, a power feed circuit having an input for connection to a power source, and control circuitry configured to detect a depleted battery to cause the power feed circuitry to feed power to the first transformer while disabling the second transformer, and to detect a charged battery to cause the power feed circuitry to feed power to the second transformer while disabling the first transformer.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A high efficiency battery charger, comprising:
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a first transformer to produce a charging current suitable for charging a depleted battery and having a first output to couple the charging current to the depleted battery; a second transformer to produce a trickle current lower than the charging current, wherein the trickle current is 0 amperes to 2 amperes, the second transformer having a second output to couple the trickle current, to a charged battery; a power feed circuit having an input for connection to a power source and an output connected to respective ones of the first and second transformers; and control circuitry having an input coupled to the first and second outputs and an output coupled to the power feed circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is configured to detect a depleted battery to cause the power feed circuitry to feed power to the first transformer while disabling the second transformer and to detect a charged battery to cause the power feed circuitry to feed power to the second transformer while disabling the first transformer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A high-efficiency battery charger, comprising:
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a power source; a plurality of transformers for providing power to a battery, wherein a first transformer is larger than a second transformer and provides a high current suitable for charging a depleted battery; power feed circuitry, wherein the power feed circuitry is configured to selectively provide power from the power source to one of the plurality of transformers while disconnecting the rest of the plurality of transformers from the power source; and control circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is configured to instruct the power feed circuitry to selectively provide power to the first transformer when high current is required, and to the second transformer when high current is not required. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for operating a high-efficiency battery charger, comprising:
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charging a depleted battery using a main transformer that is larger than an auxiliary transformer and which produces a current suitable for charging the depleted battery; determining whether the battery is fully charged; disconnecting the main transformer when the battery is determined to be fully charged; and providing a trickle charge using the auxiliary transformer while the main transformer is disconnected.
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Specification