Battery management system
First Claim
1. A battery management system, comprising:
- a main battery;
main battery charging system means coupled to the main battery for charging the main battery during a charging period;
a plurality of auxiliary batteries;
primary switching means for coupling said auxiliary batteries into a parallel configuration with the main battery charging system means and with said main battery when activated, the primary switching means also being operable to decouple the plurality of auxiliary batteries from said parallel configuration when deactivated; and
,sensing means coupled to the primary switching means and operable to sense presence or absence of a time-varying component of a charging signal from said main battery charging system means to said main battery, the sensing means being operable to activate and deactivate said primary switching means based on the presence or absence of said time-varying component respectively; and
,wherein said sensing means includes transformer means coupled to the charging signal for inducing a voltage, said voltage being applied to a switching circuit of said primary switching means.
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Abstract
A battery management system maintains a charge on at least one. auxiliary battery by switching the auxiliary battery automatically into parallel with the main battery charging circuit or with the auxiliary load. The system uses the AC component of the charging signal of a vehicle or boat charging system to trigger switching circuits coupled to operate relays or similar switching means which couple the auxiliary battery to the main charging circuit. When no charging signal is present, i.e., when the vehicle or boat engine is turned off, the auxiliary battery is switched automatically out of the charging system and is charged and in condition for use. A delay circuit can be provided for providing non-shorting operation, especially for use with more than one auxiliary battery which batteries are charged in parallel and loaded in series, whereby the combined series voltage of the auxiliary batteries would exceed the vehicle or boat supply voltage. The timing circuits open the circuit from the auxiliary batteries to the vehicle or boat charging system prior to switching the batteries into a series configuration for use with a load requiring a voltage higher than the rated voltage of the charging system. The timing circuits thereby prevent momentary large currents upon changes of state.
67 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A battery management system, comprising:
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a main battery; main battery charging system means coupled to the main battery for charging the main battery during a charging period; a plurality of auxiliary batteries; primary switching means for coupling said auxiliary batteries into a parallel configuration with the main battery charging system means and with said main battery when activated, the primary switching means also being operable to decouple the plurality of auxiliary batteries from said parallel configuration when deactivated; and
,sensing means coupled to the primary switching means and operable to sense presence or absence of a time-varying component of a charging signal from said main battery charging system means to said main battery, the sensing means being operable to activate and deactivate said primary switching means based on the presence or absence of said time-varying component respectively; and
,wherein said sensing means includes transformer means coupled to the charging signal for inducing a voltage, said voltage being applied to a switching circuit of said primary switching means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A battery management system for controlling the configuration of at least one auxiliary battery in relation to a main battery charging system of a vehicle, said battery management system comprising:
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means for sensing the activation and deactivation of the main battery charging system; and switching means for connecting the at least one auxiliary battery to the main charging system for charging when the main battery charging system is activated and disconnecting the at least one auxiliary battery from the main charging system when the main battery charging system is deactivated, said switching means being activated by said sensing means, wherein the sensing means detects the presence or absence of charging current from the main battery charging system to determine whether the main battery charging system is activated or deactivated and wherein the sensing means has a transformer and senses a time varying component of the charging current.
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Specification