Method for charging a battery

• US 20040169492A1
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Fink, Holger, Aumayer, Richard, Ehret, Christine
• Granted Patent: US 7,514,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/125
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00711 with introduction of pulses during the charging process
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1438 in combination with power supplies for loads other than batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/163 with special means for initiating or limiting the excitation current

Abstract

Provided is a method for charging a battery that dynamizes the charging phase of the battery, thereby enabling optimum charging. The dynamization of the charging phase is intended to achieve effective mixing of the battery acid and/or depolarization of the electrodes and ultimately result in improved receiving of the charging current. In this context, the charging method can be carried out according to at least two different methods. In a first method, targeted discharges result in depolarization of the electrodes due to locally decreasing acid density, and in a second method the battery acid is reliably mixed as a result of temporary increasing of the charging voltage via the so-called gassing voltage of the battery. Both methods result in improved battery charging. In an embodiment of the method, the two methods are combined.

Claims

1. A method for charging a battery having a control device that influences a charging current for the battery in a predefined manner and carries out at least two different charging methods, the method comprising:

in a first charging method, maintaining a substantially constant voltage; and

in a second charging method, taking measures resulting in dynamization.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the battery is a lead-acid battery in a motor vehicle that is charged via a generator that is regulated to predefined voltages via a voltage regulator.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, in the second charging method, forcing discharges at predefined instants by one of switching on a predefined consumer and de-exciting a charging device.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the consumer is a window heater.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the charging device is de-excited during charging phases.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising increasing a charging voltage with respect to a usual value in the second charging method.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the charging voltage is increased to about 16 volts.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the charging voltage is increased via corresponding controlling by a voltage regulator, which provides an increased target voltage value for regulating an output voltage.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the charging voltage is influenced in the case of a generator having a controlled rectifier bridge by activating pulse inverter elements of a rectifier bridge.

10. The method according to claim 3, wherein the charging device is de-excited such that an excitation current is interrupted in each case after a predefined first time for a second time, the first time being in a range of 20 to 60 seconds and the second time being about one second.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the charging device is de-excited via corresponding controlling of a regulating transistor of a voltage regulator.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

in the second charging method, forcing discharges at predefined instants by one of switching on a consumer and de-exciting a charging device; and

increasing a charging voltage with respect to a usual value at predefined instants.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising increasing a charging voltage only when one of (a) no voltage-critical consumers are switched on and (b) voltage-critical consumers are switched off prior to an increase in voltage.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is carried out in such a manner that negative effects on specific values are prevented, predefined priorities being taken into consideration when selecting the methods.

15. A device for charging a battery comprising:

means for maintaining a substantially constant voltage in a first charging method and for taking measures resulting in dynamization in a second charging method.