Patent US3889170A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3889170A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Battery charge rate control
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1973-08-01
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Granted: 1975-06-10
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Expires: 1993-08-01
Abstract
Abstract Battery charging control circuitry suitable for use with any secondary battery is disclosed. The amount of charge to a battery is measured by a coulometer or coulometers and the charge is reduced to zero or to a trickle charge when a given amount of charge has been applied to the battery from a charger. In a first embodiment the battery is then switched to a load by sensing circuitry and discharged. The discharge is also measured by the coulometer or coulometers and the battery is removed from the load and placed back on charge after it has supplied a charge to the load that is equal to the charge applied to the battery from the charger. In this first embodiment, a plurality of sequential charge rates can be provided to the battery by means of a plurality of parallel connected coulometers. In a second embodiment, the battery remains connected on a load at all times and a plurality of charge rates is provided by means of a plurality of series connected coulometers and a constant voltage charger. With the circuitry of this invention, excessive charge and discharge of the battery is prevented.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert I Sarbacher
- 👤 Robert E Mauch
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 21:29
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02J; H02J7/00; H02J7/90; H02J7/94; H02J7/34
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
298 words
Apparatus for charging a battery comprising: a battery having first and second terminals; a load circuit having first and second terminals; a load control circuit for automatically uncoupling and coupling said battery from said load circuit, said load control circuit having first, second and third terminals; a coulometer having first and second terminals; means to couple said first terminal of said battery to said first terminal of said load circuit; means to couple said second terminal of said load circuit to said first terminal of said load control circuit; means to couple said second terminal of said battery to said second terminal of said coulometer; means to couple said first terminal of said coulometer to said second terminal of said load control circuit; a multiple rate charger having a first terminal coupled to said first terminal of said load circuit and said first terminal of said battery, a second terminal coupled to said first terminal of said coulometer and said second terminal of said load control circuit and a third terminal; a charge rate control circuit having a first terminal coupled to said third terminal of said multiple rate charger and a second terminal; and a sensing circuit including a first transistor having an emitter electrode coupled to second terminal of said coulometer and said second terminal of said battery, a base electrode coupled to said first terminal of said coulometer and said second terminal of said load control circuit and a collector electrode coupled to said second terminal of said charge rate control circuit, and a second transistor having an emitter electrode coupled to said base electrode of said first transistor, a base electrode coupled to said emitter electrode of said first transistor and a collector electrode coupled to said third terminal of said load control circuit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
298 words
Apparatus for charging a battery comprising: a battery having first and second terminals; a load circuit having first and second terminals; a load control circuit for automatically uncoupling and coupling said battery from said load circuit, said load control circuit having first, second and third terminals; a coulometer having first and second terminals; means to couple said first terminal of said battery to said first terminal of said load circuit; means to couple said second terminal of said load circuit to said first terminal of said load control circuit; means to couple said second terminal of said battery to said second terminal of said coulometer; means to couple said first terminal of said coulometer to said second terminal of said load control circuit; a multiple rate charger having a first terminal coupled to said first terminal of said load circuit and said first terminal of said battery, a second terminal coupled to said first terminal of said coulometer and said second terminal of said load control circuit and a third terminal; a charge rate control circuit having a first terminal coupled to said third terminal of said multiple rate charger and a second terminal; and a sensing circuit including a first transistor having an emitter electrode coupled to second terminal of said coulometer and said second terminal of said battery, a base electrode coupled to said first terminal of said coulometer and said second terminal of said load control circuit and a collector electrode coupled to said second terminal of said charge rate control circuit, and a second transistor having an emitter electrode coupled to said base electrode of said first transistor, a base electrode coupled to said emitter electrode of said first transistor and a collector electrode coupled to said third terminal of said load control circuit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said coulometer comprises a plurality of individual coulometers connected in parallel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein a separatE parallel connected diode-resistance circuit is connected in series with each one of said plurality of coulometers except one, said one coulometer having a pair of oppositely poled parallel connected diodes connected in series therewith.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
86 words
Apparatus for charging a battery comprising: a load circuit; a battery; a plurality of series connected coulometers, each of said plurality of series connected coulometers having a different charge capacity; means to couple said plurality of series connected coulometers in series with said battery; means to connect said load circuit across said series combination of said plurality of coulometers and said battery; a constant voltage charger; and means to connect said constant voltage charger across said series combination of said plurality of coulometers and said battery.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
86 words
Apparatus for charging a battery comprising: a load circuit; a battery; a plurality of series connected coulometers, each of said plurality of series connected coulometers having a different charge capacity; means to couple said plurality of series connected coulometers in series with said battery; means to connect said load circuit across said series combination of said plurality of coulometers and said battery; a constant voltage charger; and means to connect said constant voltage charger across said series combination of said plurality of coulometers and said battery.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
93 words
Apparatus for charging a battery comprising: a load circuit; a battery; a plurality of series connected coulometers all having the same charge capacity; separate diode-resistance networks connected across each one of said plurality of series connected coulometers; means to couple said plurality of series connected coulometers in series with said battery; means to connect said load circuit across said series combination of said plurality of coulometers and said battery; a constant voltage charger; and means to connect said constant voltage charger across said series combination of said plurality of coulometers and said battery.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
93 words
Apparatus for charging a battery comprising: a load circuit; a battery; a plurality of series connected coulometers all having the same charge capacity; separate diode-resistance networks connected across each one of said plurality of series connected coulometers; means to couple said plurality of series connected coulometers in series with said battery; means to connect said load circuit across said series combination of said plurality of coulometers and said battery; a constant voltage charger; and means to connect said constant voltage charger across said series combination of said plurality of coulometers and said battery.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein each of said separate diode-resistance networks comprises a diode, a first resistor connected in series with said diode, and a second resistor connected in parallel with said series combination of said first resistor and said diode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
150 words
Apparatus for charging a battery comprising: a battery; a load circuit coupled to said battery; a battery charger coupled to said battery; means coupled to said battery for measuring the amount of current flow, said means for measuring the amount of current flow comprising a plurality of parallel connected coulometers; means responsive to said plurality of coulometers for charging said battery at an initial high rate when said plurality of coulometers has measured a preset amount of current flow from said battery to said load; and means responsive to each one of said plurality of coulometers for reducing said initial high rate of charge to said battery down to substantially a zero charge in steps equal in number to the number of said plurality of coulometers, each of said plurality of coulometers providing a signal at different times to effect said step-by-step reduction in the charge rate to said battery.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
150 words
Apparatus for charging a battery comprising: a battery; a load circuit coupled to said battery; a battery charger coupled to said battery; means coupled to said battery for measuring the amount of current flow, said means for measuring the amount of current flow comprising a plurality of parallel connected coulometers; means responsive to said plurality of coulometers for charging said battery at an initial high rate when said plurality of coulometers has measured a preset amount of current flow from said battery to said load; and means responsive to each one of said plurality of coulometers for reducing said initial high rate of charge to said battery down to substantially a zero charge in steps equal in number to the number of said plurality of coulometers, each of said plurality of coulometers providing a signal at different times to effect said step-by-step reduction in the charge rate to said battery.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein a separate circuit network comprising a parallel connected diode and resistor is connected to each of said plurality of coulometers except one, said one coulometer having a circuit network comprising parallel oppositely poled diodes connected thereto.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said load is uncoupled from said battery when said battery is being charged until said charge is reduced to said substantially zero charge at which time said load is recoupled to said battery.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said charger is a constant voltage charger.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
164 words
Apparatus for charging a battery comprising: a battery; a load circuit coupled to said battery; a battery charger coupled to said battery; means coupled to said battery for measuring the amount of current flow, said means for measuring the amount of current flow comprising a plurality of series connected coulometers; means responsive to said plurality of series connected coulometers for charging said battery from said charger at an initial high charge rate when said plurality of series connected coulometers has measured a preset amount of current flow from said battery to said load; and Means responsive to each of said plurality of coulometers for reducing said initial high charge down to a trickle charge in steps equal in number to the number of said plurality of series connected coulometers in response to a voltage rise across each of said plurality of series connected coulometers, said coulometers each exhibiting said voltage rise at a different time to effect said step-by-step reduction of said charge rate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
164 words
Apparatus for charging a battery comprising: a battery; a load circuit coupled to said battery; a battery charger coupled to said battery; means coupled to said battery for measuring the amount of current flow, said means for measuring the amount of current flow comprising a plurality of series connected coulometers; means responsive to said plurality of series connected coulometers for charging said battery from said charger at an initial high charge rate when said plurality of series connected coulometers has measured a preset amount of current flow from said battery to said load; and Means responsive to each of said plurality of coulometers for reducing said initial high charge down to a trickle charge in steps equal in number to the number of said plurality of series connected coulometers in response to a voltage rise across each of said plurality of series connected coulometers, said coulometers each exhibiting said voltage rise at a different time to effect said step-by-step reduction of said charge rate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein a separate circuit network comprising a first resistor connected in series with a diode and a second resistor connected in parallel with said series connected first resistor and diode is connected across each one of said plurality of coulometers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3652917A
Cited
US3710225A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-06-09 | 1978-12-09 | 1979-06-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-06-09 | 1982-12-09 | 1983-06-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-06-09 | 1986-12-09 | 1987-06-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |