Electronic battery tester/charger with integrated battery cell temperature measurement device

• US 20050073314A1
• Filed: 10/03/2003
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Bertness, Kevin I., Vonderhaar, J. David
• Granted Patent: US 6,919,725 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/433
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/374 with means for correcting the measurement for temperature or ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/379 for lead-acid batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/52 Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery

Abstract

An electronic battery tester for testing a storage battery that includes a battery housing with a plurality of electrochemical cells electrically connected to terminals of the battery is provided. The battery tester includes positive and negative connectors that can connect to the battery terminals. The tester also includes a temperature sensor that can measure a temperature of an individual electrochemical cell of the plurality of electrochemical cells. Processing circuitry, which is coupled to the temperature sensor, is configured to test the battery using the positive and negative connectors and to provide an output related to the temperature measured by the temperature sensor. The present invention also provides a battery charger with an integrated battery cell temperature sensor.

Claims

1. An electronic battery tester for testing a storage battery, the storage battery including a battery housing and a plurality of electrochemical cells in the battery housing electrically connected to a positive terminal of the battery and a negative terminal of the battery, the tester comprising:

a positive connector coupled to the positive terminal of the battery;

a negative connector coupled to the negative terminal of the battery;

a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of an individual electrochemical cell of the plurality of electrochemical cells of the battery; and

processing circuitry, coupled to the temperature sensor, configured to test the battery using the first and second connectors and to provide an output related to the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

2. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 wherein the temperature sensor is a non-contact temperature sensor.

3. The electronic battery tester of claim 2 wherein the non-contact temperature sensor is an infrared temperature sensor.

4. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to provide a condition of the electrochemical cell of the plurality of electrochemical cells based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

5. The electronic battery tester of claim 4 wherein the condition of the electrochemical cell of the plurality of electrochemical cells relates to the presence or absence of a short circuit condition in the electrochemical cell.

6. The electronic battery tester of claim 4 wherein the condition of the electrochemical cell of the plurality of electrochemical cells relates to the presence or absence of an open circuit condition in the electrochemical cell.

7. The electronic battery tester of claim 4 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to provide a condition of the electrochemical cell of the plurality of electrochemical cells based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor by comparing the temperature measured by the temperature sensor with a predetermined threshold temperature.

8. The electronic battery tester of claim 7 wherein the predetermined threshold temperature is stored in a memory.

9. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 wherein the temperature sensor is a contact-type temperature sensor.

10. The electronic battery tester of claim 9 wherein the contact-type temperature sensor comprises a thermocouple.

11. The electronic battery tester of claim 9 wherein the contact-type temperature sensor comprises a resistance temperature detector (RTD) sensor.

12. The electronic battery tester of claim 9 wherein the contact-type temperature sensor comprises a solid-state sensor.

13. The electronic battery tester of claim 9 wherein the contact-type temperature sensor comprises a thermistor.

14. The electronic battery tester of claim 1 wherein the positive connector is a first Kelvin connector and the negative connector is a second Kelvin connector.

15. A battery charger including the electronic battery tester of claim 1.

16. An electronic battery charger for charging a storage battery, the storage battery including a battery housing and a plurality of electrochemical cells in the battery housing electrically connected to a positive terminal of the battery and a negative terminal of the battery, the charger comprising:

a positive connector coupled to the positive terminal of the battery;

a negative connector coupled to the negative terminal of the battery;

a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of an individual electrochemical cell of the plurality of electrochemical cells of the battery; and

processing circuitry, coupled to the temperature sensor, configured to charge the battery using the first and second Kelvin connectors and to provide an output related to the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

17. The electronic battery charger of claim 16 wherein the temperature sensor is a non-contact temperature sensor.

18. The electronic battery charger of claim 17 wherein the non-contact temperature sensor is an infrared temperature sensor.

19. The electronic battery charger of claim 16 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to provide a condition of the electrochemical cell of the plurality of electrochemical cells based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

20. The electronic battery charger of claim 19 wherein the condition of the electrochemical cell of the plurality of electrochemical cells relates to the presence or absence of a short circuit condition in the electrochemical cell.

21. The electronic battery charger of claim 19 wherein the condition of the electrochemical cell of the plurality of electrochemical cells relates to the presence or absence of an open circuit condition in the electrochemical cell.

22. The electronic battery charger of claim 19 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to provide a condition of the electrochemical cell of the plurality of electrochemical cells based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor by comparing the temperature measured by the temperature sensor with a predetermined threshold temperature.

23. The electronic battery charger of claim 22 wherein the predetermined threshold temperature is stored in a memory.

24. The electronic battery charger of claim 16 wherein the temperature sensor is a contact-type temperature sensor.

25. The electronic battery charger of claim 24 wherein the contact-type temperature sensor comprises a thermocouple.

26. The electronic battery charger of claim 24 wherein the contact-type temperature sensor comprises a resistance temperature detector (RTD) sensor.

27. The electronic battery charger of claim 24 wherein the contact-type temperature sensor comprises a solid-state sensor.

28. The electronic battery charger of claim 24 wherein the contact-type temperature sensor comprises a thermistor.

29. An portable battery tester for testing a storage battery, the storage battery including a battery housing and a plurality of electrochemical cells in the battery housing electrically connected to a positive terminal of the battery and a negative terminal of the battery, the tester comprising:

a positive connector coupled to the positive terminal of the battery;

a negative connector coupled to the negative terminal of the battery;

a moveable temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of an individual electrochemical cell of the plurality of electrochemical cells of the battery; and

processing. circuitry, coupled to the temperature sensor, configured to test the battery using the first and second connectors and to provide an output related to the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

30. The portable battery tester of claim 29 wherein the moveable temperature sensor is a moveable non-contact temperature sensor.

31. The portable battery tester of claim 29 wherein the moveable temperature sensor is a moveable contact-type temperature sensor.