Apparatus for calibrating electronic battery tester

• US 6,304,087 B1
• Filed: 09/05/2000
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Bertness, Kevin I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOATLEY, GREGORY J
• Application Number:
  US09/654,715
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 324/430, 324/426, 324/432, 324/433, 320/132, 320/134, 320/136
• US Class Current: 324/426
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 35/005 Calibrating; Standards or reference devices, e.g. voltage or resistance standards, "golden" references G01R33/0035, G01R35/002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4285 Testing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A calibration fixture is provided for calibrating an electronic battery tester which has first and second battery tester Kelvin connections configured to couple to terminals of a battery. The calibration fixture includes a first Kelvin connection has an A′ terminal and a C′ terminal configured to couple to the first battery tester Kelvin connection and a second Kelvin connection having a B′ terminal and a D′ terminal configured to couple to the second battery tester Kelvin connection. A calibrated shunt is in series with a power supply connected between the A′ terminal of the first Kelvin connection and the B′ terminal of the second Kelvin connection. The calibrated shunt has a calibrated resistance value. An active shunt is placed in series between the C′ terminal of the first Kelvin connection and the D′ terminal of the second Kelvin connection. The active shunt provides a calibrated apparent resistance between the C′ and D′ terminal which is a function of the calibrated resistance value of the calibrated shunt.

Claims

1. An apparatus for calibrating an electronic battery tester, the battery tester of the type having first and second battery tester Kelvin connections configured to couple to terminals of a battery, the apparatus comprising:

a first Kelvin connection having an A′

terminal and a C′

terminal configured to couple to the first battery tester Kelvin connection;

a second Kelvin connection having a B′

terminal and a D′

terminal configured to couple to the second battery tester Kelvin connection;

a calibrated shunt in series with a power supply connected between the A′

terminal of the first Kelvin connection and the B′

terminal of the second Kelvin connection, the calibrated shunt having a calibrated resistance value; and

an active shunt in series connected between the C′

terminal of the first Kelvin connection and the D′

terminal of the second Kelvin connection, the active shunt providing a calibrated apparent resistance between the C′ and

D′

terminals which is a function of the calibrated resistance value of the calibrated shunt.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the active shunt comprises a differential amplifier having differential inputs connected across the calibrated shunt.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein an output of the differential amplifier is offset by a reference voltage.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the reference voltage is related to a voltage at the D′

terminal.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the calibrated apparent resistance is a function of an adjustment to the active shunt.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the active shunt comprises a differential amplifier and the calibrated apparent resistance is a function of a gain of the differential amplifier.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the active shunt includes a resistance and the gain of the differential amplifier is a function of the resistance.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the resistance is an adjustable resistance.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a transfer function between the C′

and D′

terminals is frequency dependent.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 including a controller configured to control operation of the active shunt.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to communicate with the electronic battery tester.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the power supply is configured to provide a power supply voltage between the A′

and B′

terminals to power the electronic battery tester.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the active shunt receives a feedback signal from the A′

and D′

terminals.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the feedback signal has a relatively long time constant in comparison to an AC component of a forcing function of the electronic battery tester.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the feedback signal is provided to the active shunt through a battery amplifier.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the controller provides calibration related information to the electronic battery tester.

17. A method of calibrating an electronic tester, the battery tester of the type having first and second battery tester Kelvin connections configured to couple to terminals of a battery, the method comprising:

connecting a first Kelvin connection having an A′

terminal and a C′

terminal to the first battery tester Kelvin connection;

connecting a second Kelvin connection having a B′

terminal and a D terminal to the second battery tester Kelvin connection;

providing a calibrated apparent resistance between the C′ and

D′

terminals which is a function of a calibrated shunt coupled in series with a power supply between the A′ and

B′

terminals.

18. The method of claim 17 including communicating calibration information to the electronic battery test.

19. The method of claim 17 including adjusting the calibrated apparent resistance.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein adjusting the calibrated apparent resistance comprises adjusting a gain of a differential amplifier.