Automatic resetting temperature controlled battery changing system
First Claim
1. A battery charging circuit comprising:
- first and second terminals for connecting the charging circuit to a source of direct charging current and to one electrode of like polarity of a battery to be charged; and
,first and second current paths connected in parallel between said first and second terminals for selectively conducting current from said source of charging current to said one electrode of the battery,said first current path including first and second switching means each having a normally closed position and an open position, said first switching means being actuated from the closed to the open position thereof in response to a temperature of the battery being charged exceeding a predetermined value,said second current path including means for actuating said second switching means from the closed to the open position thereof in response to current flow in said second current path exceeding a predetermined current value,said second current path having a resistance to current flow such that, with said first and second switching means in the normally closed positions thereof, current flow through said second current path is less than said predetermined current value, said predetermined current value being exceeded in response to the opening of either of said switching means.
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Abstract
An automatically resetting battery charging circuit in which the temperature of the battery is sensed by a temperature responsive switch to control the charging of the battery between a fast charging rate and a trickle charging rate. Two current paths are provided between a charging current source and one terminal of the battery. The temperature responsive switch is located in one current path (the main or fast charging path) in series with a normally closed relay contact. The relay coil which controls the actuation of the relay and the opening of the relay contact is in the second current path (the trickle charging path) connected across the temperature responsive switch and the relay contact. When the battery temperature exceeds a predetermined value, the temperature responsive switch opens causing charging current to flow through the relay coil. The relay is thus energized, opening the relay contact and keeping the main charging path open irrespective of battery temperature. Thereafter, a trickle current is delivered to the battery through the relay coil. The relay coil is deenergized and the charging circuit automatically reset for subsequent charging by disconnecting the battery or otherwise interrupting current flow through the relay coil.
26 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A battery charging circuit comprising:
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first and second terminals for connecting the charging circuit to a source of direct charging current and to one electrode of like polarity of a battery to be charged; and
,first and second current paths connected in parallel between said first and second terminals for selectively conducting current from said source of charging current to said one electrode of the battery, said first current path including first and second switching means each having a normally closed position and an open position, said first switching means being actuated from the closed to the open position thereof in response to a temperature of the battery being charged exceeding a predetermined value, said second current path including means for actuating said second switching means from the closed to the open position thereof in response to current flow in said second current path exceeding a predetermined current value, said second current path having a resistance to current flow such that, with said first and second switching means in the normally closed positions thereof, current flow through said second current path is less than said predetermined current value, said predetermined current value being exceeded in response to the opening of either of said switching means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An automatically resetting system for charging a battery comprising:
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a relay coil presenting a predetermined resistance to the flow of direct current therethrough; first and second terminal means for electrically connecting said relay coil between a source of charging current and one electrode of the battery to be charged; and
,circuit means connected between said first and second terminal means in parallel with said relay coil and providing a current path between said terminals, said circuit means including automatically resetting temperature responsive switching means actuated between a normally closed position and an open position in response to the temperature of the battery being charged, said temperature responsive switching means opening the current path between said terminals in response to a sensed temperature of the battery above a predetermined temperature value, said circuit means further including switching means actuated between a normally closed position and an open position in response to current flow above a predetermined current value through said relay coil, said switching means being connected in series with said temperature responsive switching means and said switching means providing, in the normally closed positions thereof, a current path between said terminals having a resistance to the flow of direct current substantially less than the resistance of said relay coil, whereby a fast charging current is supplied to the battery through said current path at sensed temperatures of the battery below said predetermined temperature value and a trickle charging current is supplied to the battery through said relay coil subsequent to a sensed temperature of the battery above said predetermined value.
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Specification