Battery life extender with engine heat

• US 6,172,486 B1
• Filed: 09/24/1999
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Inventors: Chopack, James J., Fine, Jonathan E., Campagnuolo, Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIBBITS, PIA FLORENCE
• Application Number:
  US09/405,122
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 320/141, 320/100, 320/159, 320/DIG.16, 320/DIG.22, 323/906
• US Class Current: 320/141
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/06 Lead-acid accumulators semi-lead accumulators H01M10/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00711 with introduction of pulses during the charging process
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/32 for charging batteries from a charging set comprising a non-electric prime mover rotating at constant speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A lead acid battery life extender for the battery of an internal combustion engine includes a multivibrator circuit electrically connected across the terminals of the battery for delivering high frequency electrical pulses to the battery, thereby removing lead sulfate from the plates of the battery and increasing the life of the battery, and a thermoelectric power source for providing electrical energy to the multivibrator circuit, thermally coupled to heat emitted from the internal combustion engine and electrically connected to the multivibrator circuit.

Claims

1. A lead acid battery life extender for the battery of an internal combustion engine comprising:

a multivibrator circuit having an input port and an output port, the output port electrically connected to the terminals of a lead-acid battery for delivering high frequency electrical pulses to the lead acid battery, thereby removing lead sulfate from the plates of the lead acid battery and thereby increasing the life of the lead acid battery, and

a thermoelectric power source for providing electrical energy to the multivibrator circuit, thermally coupled to heat emitted from the internal combustion engine and electrically connected to the input port of the multivibrator circuit, thereby providing power to the multivibrator circuit, thereby providing electrical power to the multivibrator circuit whenever the internal combustion engine reaches operating temperature and without discharging the lead acid battery.

2. A lead acid battery life extender according to claim 1, further comprising a housing in which the multivibrator and lead acid battery are integrally located.