US4292578A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Combination field chopper and battery charger
Assignee: United States, ENERGY THE, Secretary of, Department of
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Filing: 1979-08-13
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Granted: 1981-09-29
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Expires: 1999-08-13
Abstract
Abstract A power transistor used in a chopper circuit to control field excitation of a vehicle motor when in a power mode is also used to control charging current from an a-c to d-c rectifier to the vehicle battery when in a battery charging mode. Two isolating diodes and a small high frequency filter inductor are the only elements required in the chopper circuit to reconfigure the circuit for power or charging modes of operation.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert L. Steigerwald
- 👤 Keith E. Crouch
- 👤 James W. A. Wilson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 22:51
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02P; H02P7/00; H02P7/06; H02P7/18; H02P7/24; H02P7/28; H02P7/282; B; B60; B60L; B60L50/00; B60L50/50; B60L50/51; B60L53/00; B60L53/20; B60L53/24; H02J; H02J7/00; H02J7/02; B60L2220/00; B60L2220/50; B60L2220/54; H02J2207/00; H02J2207/20; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/60; Y02T10/64; Y02T10/70; Y02T10/7072; Y02T90/00; Y02T90/10; Y02T90/12; Y02T90/14; Y10; Y10S; Y10S320/00; Y10S320/22; Y10S320/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A combination field chopper and battery charger comprising: a battery, an electronic switch, a field unit having a series connected field coil and field switch, a rectifier unit having an a-c input and a d-c output, first and second diodes, circuit means for connecting said battery, said field unit, said electronic switch and said first diode in series with each other to form a first unidirectional current flow path therethrough and for connecting together said d-c output of said rectifier unit, said battery, said second diode and said electronic switch in series with each other to form a second uni-directional flow path therethrough, with the direction of the first and second flow paths through said electronic switch being the same and with the direction of the first and second flow paths through said battery being opposite to each other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
A combination field chopper and battery charger comprising: a battery, an electronic switch, a field unit having a series connected field coil and field switch, a rectifier unit having an a-c input and a d-c output, first and second diodes, circuit means for connecting said battery, said field unit, said electronic switch and said first diode in series with each other to form a first unidirectional current flow path therethrough and for connecting together said d-c output of said rectifier unit, said battery, said second diode and said electronic switch in series with each other to form a second uni-directional flow path therethrough, with the direction of the first and second flow paths through said electronic switch being the same and with the direction of the first and second flow paths through said battery being opposite to each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
A combination field chopper and battery charger as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising: an inductor connected in said second current flow path between one terminal of said battery and a side of said electronic switch, a third diode connected between said side of said electronic switch and the other terminal of said battery.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
71 words
A combination field chopper and battery charger as set forth in claim 1, wherein both of said first and second diodes are connected to one terminal of said battery and further comprising: an inductor connected to a side of said electronic switch and in both of said first and second current flow paths, a third diode connected between said side of said electronic switch and the other terminal of said battery.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
165 words
A combination field chopper and battery charger comprising: a battery having positive and negative terminals, a unidirectional electronic switch, a first diode connected between one of said battery terminals and one side of said electronic switch, a second diode connected between said one of said battery terminals and the other side of said electronic switch, the polarity of said first and second diodes relative to said battery being opposite to each other, a field unit comprising a series connected field coil and field switch, said field unit being connected between said other side of said electronic switch and the other of said battery terminals, a rectifier unit having an a-c input and a d-c output, said d-c output having positive and negative terminals one of which is connected to said one side of said electronic switch and the other of which is connected to said other of said battery terminals, said other rectifier output terminal and said other battery terminal both having the same polarity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
165 words
A combination field chopper and battery charger comprising: a battery having positive and negative terminals, a unidirectional electronic switch, a first diode connected between one of said battery terminals and one side of said electronic switch, a second diode connected between said one of said battery terminals and the other side of said electronic switch, the polarity of said first and second diodes relative to said battery being opposite to each other, a field unit comprising a series connected field coil and field switch, said field unit being connected between said other side of said electronic switch and the other of said battery terminals, a rectifier unit having an a-c input and a d-c output, said d-c output having positive and negative terminals one of which is connected to said one side of said electronic switch and the other of which is connected to said other of said battery terminals, said other rectifier output terminal and said other battery terminal both having the same polarity.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
A combination field chopper and battery charger as set forth in claim 4 and further including: an inductor connected in series with said second diode, a third diode connected between said other terminal of said battery and a point between said inductor and said other side of said electronic switch.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
81 words
A combination field chopper and battery charger as set forth in claim 4 and further including: an inductor having one side thereof connected to said second diode and the other side thereof connected to said other side of said electronic switch, a third diode connected to said other terminal of said battery and to said other side of said electronic switch, said third diode being poled to allow current flow therethrough only when current is not flowing through said electronic switch.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A combination field chopper and battery charger as set forth in claim 6 wherein said one side of said inductor is also connected to said field unit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
73 words
A combination field chopper and battery charger as set forth in claim 6 wherein said other side of said electronic switch is connected directly to one side of said field coil and further comprising: a fourth diode connected between said one terminal of said battery and the other side of said field coil, said fourth diode having the same polarity relative to said one terminal of said battery as does said second diode.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
A combination field chopper and battery charger as set forth in claim 8, and further including: a second electronic switch having one side connected to said one side of the first-mentioned electronic switch and the other side thereof connected directly to said other side of said field coil.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
192 words
In a chopper circuit having a battery, a power transistor having one side thereof connected to one terminal of said battery, a field unit having series-connected field coil and switch, one side of said field unit being connected to said other side of said power transistor and the other side of said field unit being connected to the other terminal of said battery, a coasting diode connected from between said other side of said power transistor and the other side of said field unit to said other terminal of said battery, and means to regulate the conduction of said power transistor, the improvement comprising: an a-c to d-c rectifier unit having output terminals one of which is connected to said one side of said power transistor and the other of which is connected to said other terminal of said battery, a first diode interposed in the connection from said one battery terminal to said one side of said power transistor, a second diode and an inductor connected in series with each other, one of which is connected to said one battery terminal and the other of which is connected to said coil.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
192 words
In a chopper circuit having a battery, a power transistor having one side thereof connected to one terminal of said battery, a field unit having series-connected field coil and switch, one side of said field unit being connected to said other side of said power transistor and the other side of said field unit being connected to the other terminal of said battery, a coasting diode connected from between said other side of said power transistor and the other side of said field unit to said other terminal of said battery, and means to regulate the conduction of said power transistor, the improvement comprising: an a-c to d-c rectifier unit having output terminals one of which is connected to said one side of said power transistor and the other of which is connected to said other terminal of said battery, a first diode interposed in the connection from said one battery terminal to said one side of said power transistor, a second diode and an inductor connected in series with each other, one of which is connected to said one battery terminal and the other of which is connected to said coil.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-09-28 | 1985-03-30 | 1985-09-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-09-28 | 1989-03-30 | 1989-09-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-09-28 | 1993-03-30 | 1993-09-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |