Method of recharging a rechargeable battery

• US 4,673,862 A
• Filed: 07/19/1984
• Issued: 06/16/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Helianthus SA Box
• Original Assignee: Tommy Wahlstrom
• Inventors: Wahlstrom, Tommy
• Primary Examiner(s): Hickey, R. J.
• Application Number:
  US06/637,230
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 322/28, 322/99, 320/64, 320/48, 320/20, 320/21, 320/22-24, 320/39
• US Class Current: 320/160
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/2434 with pulse modulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles

Abstract

This invention relates to a method for recharging a chargeable battery for a motor vehicle, a machine, a motor boat or the like. As the charging voltage there is used the output voltage from a charging generator which is connected to the battery, the output voltage being varied by controlling the field of the generator. The charging takes place by means of repeated charging cycles each of which consists of a charging period and a test period when the battery is loaded and the charging from the generator to the battery is disconnected. The value of the charging voltage during a charging period is determined on the basis of the test result during the immediately preceding test period. According to the invention the battery voltage is compared to a pre-determined voltage during each test period. If the comparison shows that the battery voltage is less than the pre-determined voltage or drops below this voltage during the test period, the charging of the battery during the following charging period takes place at a charging voltage which is sufficiently high that, by controlling the output voltage of the generator, there is rapid charging of the battery. If the comparison shows that the battery voltage is higher than the pre-determined voltage the charging during the following charging period takes place at a charging voltage which provides a compensating charging of the battery. During the later part of the charging period, just before the test period, the charging always takes place at a charging voltage corresponding to the compensating charge.

Claims

1. Method for recharging during operation of a chargeable battery (1) connected to an electrical system of a motor vehicle, a working machine, a motor boat or similar, whereby an output voltage from a generator (2) connected to the battery (1), by way of a charging circuit, is used as a charging voltage the amplitude of which can be varied by means of controlling the field of the generator (2), characterized in that, the recharging is performed by means of at least one charging cycle during which charging is performed at a voltage level suitable for recharging the battery which is controlled by the output voltage of the generator (2), each charging cycle consists of a charging period and a test period, and during the test period the battery (1) is loaded and the charging circuit from the generator (2) to the battery (1) is disconnected.

2. Method for recharging during operation of a chargeable battery (1) connected to an electrical system of a motor vehicle, a working machine, a motor boat or similar, whereby an output voltage from a generator (2) connected to the battery (1), by way of a charging circuit, is used as a charging voltage the amplitude of which can be varied by means of controlling the field of the generator (2), characterized in that, the recharging is performed by means of at least one charging cycle during which charging is performed at a voltage level suitable for recharging the battery which is controlled by the output voltage of the generator (2), each charging cycle consists of a charging period and a test period, during the test period the battery (1) is loaded and the charging circuit from the generator (2) to the battery (1) is disconnected, and the battery voltage is compared to a pre-decided voltage, if the comparison shows that the battery voltage is lower than the pre-decided voltage, or decreases to below this voltage during the test period, recharging takes place during the following charging period at a suitable charging voltage and if the comparison shows that the battery voltage is higher than the pre-decided voltage, the recharging during the following charging period takes place at a charging voltage which gives a compensating charge to the battery (1), and that during the later part of the charging period, immediately before the test period, the charging always takes place at a charging voltage corresponding to the compensating charge.

3. Method for recharging during operation of a chargeable battery (1) connected to an electrical system of a motor vehicle, a working machine, a motor boat or similar, whereby an output voltage from a generator (2) connected to the battery (1) is used as a charging voltage the amplitude of which can be varied by means of controlling the field of the generator (2), characterized in that, the recharging is performed by means of at least one charging cycle during which charging is performed at a voltage level suitable for recharging the battery which is controlled by the output voltage of the generator (2), wherein recharging with a rapid charging voltage is carried out during at most a pre-decided number of charging periods and the recharging which takes place thereafter is at a compensating charge voltage.

4. Method for recharging during operation of a chargeable battery (1) connected to an electrical system of a motor vehicle, a working machine, a motor boat or similar, whereby an output voltage from a generator (2) connected to the battery (1) is used as a charging voltage the amplitude of which can be varied by means of controlling the field of the generator (2), characterized in that, the recharging is performed by means of at least one charging cycle during which charging is performed at a voltage level suitable for recharging the battery which is controlled by the output voltage of the generator (2), during charging at a suitable charging voltage, each charging cycle duration is counted in effective charging time, that is, the period duration is counted only under a presumption that the charging voltage exceeds a certain value.

5. Voltage regulator for recharging during operation of a rechargeable battery (1), connected to an electrical system of a motor vehicle, a working machine, a motor boat or similar, a regulator (3) being connected to a line between the battery (1) and a generator (2) of a kind an output of which can be varied by varying a magnetizing current of the generator (2), characterized in that the regulator (3) comprises a control device (18) arranged to define cyclic charging periods of equal time and to control the magnetizing current of the generator (2) applied to the battery (1) and to maintain a charging voltage to just below an upper limit voltage value of the electrical system, the control device (18) is arranged to insert test periods between the charging periods, during the test periods the magnetizing current of the generator (2) is momentarily interrupted while the battery (1) is partially loaded.

6. Voltage regulator for recharging during operation of a rechargeable battery (1), connected to an electrical system of a motor vehicle, a working machine, a motor boat or similar, a regulator (3) being connected to a line between the battery (1) and a generator (2) of a kind an output of which can be varied by varying a magnetizing current of the generator (2), characterized in that the regulator (3) comprises a control device (18) arranged to define cyclic charging periods of equal time and to control the magnetizing current of the generator (2) applied to the battery (1) and to maintain a charging voltage to just below an upper limit voltage value of the electrical system, a comparator (19) is arranged with a loaded battery (1) and the control device (18), the comparator (19) is connected with the battery (1) and a reference voltage source (22), the comparator (19) compares the battery voltage with a pre-decided voltage value, during the following charging period a charging voltage which is big enough to be a compensating charge is applied to the battery (1) if the battery voltage has been found to be higher than the pre-decided voltage value, otherwise an increased voltage is applied to the battery (1) under a presumption that the comparator (19), during a test period, has found that the battery voltage is lower than said pre-decided voltage value.

7. Voltage regulator for recharging during operation of a rechargeable battery (1), connected to an electrical system of a motor vehicle, a working machine, a motor boat or similar, a regulator (3) being connected to a line between the battery (1) and a generator (2) of a kind an output of which can be varied by varying a magnetizing current of the generator (2), characterized in that the regulator (3) comprises a control device (18) arranged to define cyclic charging periods of equal time and to control the magnetizing current of the generator (2) applied to the battery (1) and to maintain a charging voltage to just below an upper limit voltage value of the electrical system, the regulator (3) includes a temperature detector (25) arranged on the battery (1) and a reference voltage source (22) is arranged to stepwise vary the reference voltage value depending on an output from the temperature detector (25), increasing the voltage value in proportion to a decreasing battery temperature and decreasing the voltage value in proportion to an increasing temperature.

8. Voltage regulator for recharging during operation of a rechargeable battery (1), connected to an electrical system of a motor vehicle, a working machine, a motor boat or similar, a regulator (3) being connected to a line between the battery (1) and a generator (2) of a kind an output of which can be varied by varying a magnetizing current of the generator (2), characterized in that the regulator (3) comprises a control device (18) arranged to define cyclic charging periods of equal time and to control the magnetizing current of the generator (2) applied to the battery (1) and to maintain a charging voltage to just below an upper limit voltage value of the electrical system, the regulator (3) includes a counting device (21), arranged to count the number of consecutive charging periods where charging takes place at a charging voltage relating to a rapid charging and to control the charging regulator (3) to add a compensating recharging voltage to the battery (1) for a comparatively long time when said number exceeds a pre-decided number of charging periods.

9. Method for recharging during operation of a chargeable battery (1) connected to an electrical system of a motor vehicle, a working machine, a motor boat or similar, whereby the output voltage from a generator (2) connected to the battery (1), by way of a charging circuit, is used as a charging voltage the amplitude of which can be varied by means of controlling the field of the generator (2), characterized in that the recharging is performed by means of at least one charging cycle during which the charging is performed at a voltage level suitable for recharging the battery by controlling the output voltage of the generator (2);

each charging cycle consists of a charging period and a test period during the test period the battery (1) is loaded and the charging circuit from the generator (2) to the battery (1) is disconnected;

during the test period the value of the battery voltage is compared to a pre-decided voltage, that if the comparison shows that the battery voltage is lower than the pre-decided voltage, or decreases to below this voltage during the test period, the recharging takes place during the following charging period at a suitable charging voltage; and

if the comparison shows that the battery voltage is higher than the pre-decided voltage, the recharging during the following charging period takes place at a charging voltage which gives a compensating charge of the battery (1) and that during the later part of the charging period, immediately before the test period, the charging always takes place at a charging voltage corresponding to the compensating charge.