Apparatus for charging rechargeable battery
First Claim
1. An apparatus for charging a rechargeable battery having a charging voltage characteristic exhibiting a peak value shortly before said rechargeable battery reaches a fully charged state and thereafter exhibiting a gradually decreasing charge until said fully charged state is reached, said apparatus comprising:
- charging voltage source means for supplying an electric current for charging said rechargeable battery,means coupled to said rechargeable battery for providing a voltage associated with the terminal voltage of said rechargeable battery as it is being charged,voltage memory means responsive to said charging voltage characteristic of said rechargeable battery and based on said associated voltage obtained from said voltage providing means for storing at the time of the peak of said battery charging voltage characteristic a first voltage which is less than said associated voltage by a predetermined voltage and for maintaining said first voltage after the peak of the battery charging characteristic has passed and said associated voltage decreases,stored voltage control means for controlling said voltage being provided from said associated voltage providing means to said voltage memory means to limit the voltage stored by said voltage memory means to said first voltage,comparing means for comparing said stored voltage in said voltage memory means and said associated voltage obtained from said voltage providing means after said peak of said charging voltage characteristic of said rechargeable battery is passed, andcontrol means responsive to the output of said comparing means for controlling said electric current supplied from said charging voltage source means to said rechargeable battery.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A rechargeable battery is supplied with a charging voltage from a charging voltage source and exhibits a charging voltage characteristic having a peak shortly before the rechargeable battery reaches a fully charged state. A resistor voltage dividing circuit having a plurality of voltage output terminals is connected to both terminals of the rechargeable battery. A voltage memory device is provided for storing a predetermined voltage based on a voltage supplied from the voltage dividing circuit corresponding to the peak point of the charging voltage characteristic and comparison is made of the other output voltage obtained from the voltage dividing circuit after the peak point is passed and the stored voltage in the voltage memory device and a supply of a charging power from the charging voltage source to the rechargeable battery is interrupted when the difference between these voltages becomes zero.
50 Citations
33 Claims
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1. An apparatus for charging a rechargeable battery having a charging voltage characteristic exhibiting a peak value shortly before said rechargeable battery reaches a fully charged state and thereafter exhibiting a gradually decreasing charge until said fully charged state is reached, said apparatus comprising:
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charging voltage source means for supplying an electric current for charging said rechargeable battery, means coupled to said rechargeable battery for providing a voltage associated with the terminal voltage of said rechargeable battery as it is being charged, voltage memory means responsive to said charging voltage characteristic of said rechargeable battery and based on said associated voltage obtained from said voltage providing means for storing at the time of the peak of said battery charging voltage characteristic a first voltage which is less than said associated voltage by a predetermined voltage and for maintaining said first voltage after the peak of the battery charging characteristic has passed and said associated voltage decreases, stored voltage control means for controlling said voltage being provided from said associated voltage providing means to said voltage memory means to limit the voltage stored by said voltage memory means to said first voltage, comparing means for comparing said stored voltage in said voltage memory means and said associated voltage obtained from said voltage providing means after said peak of said charging voltage characteristic of said rechargeable battery is passed, and control means responsive to the output of said comparing means for controlling said electric current supplied from said charging voltage source means to said rechargeable battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An apparatus for charging a rechargeable battery having a charging voltage characteristic exhibiting a peak value shortly before said rechargeable battery reaches a fully charged state and thereafter exhibiting a gradually decreasing charge until said fully charged state is reached, said apparatus comprising:
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charging voltage source means for supplying an electric current for charging said rechargeable battery, means coupled to said rechargeable battery for providing a voltage associated with the terminal voltage of said rechargeable battery as it is being charged, voltage memory means responsive to said charging voltage characteristic of said rechargeable battery and based on said associated voltage obtained from said voltage providing means for storing at the time of the peak of said battery charging voltage characteristic a first voltage which is less than said associated charge by a predetermined voltage and for maintaining said first voltage after the peak of the battery charging characteristic has passed and said associated voltage decreases, applied voltage detecting means for detecting said voltage being applied to said voltage memory means, and switching means responsive to the output of said applied voltage detecting means for interrupting said voltage being applied from said associated voltage providing means to said voltage memory means to limit the voltage stored by said voltage memory means to said first voltage, comparing means for comparing said stored voltage in said voltage memory means and said associated voltage obtained from said voltage providing means after said peak of said charging voltage characteristic of said rechargeable battery is passed, and control means responsive to the output of said comparing means for controlling said electric current supplied from said charging voltage source means to said rechargeable battery.
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Specification