Electrical charging and discharging control apparatus and method, and solar to electrical energy conversion apparatus incorporating such apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for controlling the charging of a rechargeable electrical energy storage device for generating a storage device electrical signal, by an electrical energy source for generating a source electrical signal, said source having a charging output terminal and said device having a charging input terminal, said apparatus including: relay means for electrically coupling the charging output terminal of the source and the charging input terminal of the device to permit said charging through said relay means; regulator means for electrically coupling the charging output terminal of the source and the charging input terminal of the device to permit said charging through said regulator means and for providing an electrical regulated output signal for said charging; signal-testing means coupled to said relay means for receiving the storage device electrical signal and for providing an electrical output signal for terminating said coupling by said relay means in response to the storage device electrical signal; selector means, coupled to said relay means and responsive to the storage device electrical signal, for receiving the source electrical signal and for providing an electrical selector signal for selecting said relay means coupling to permit said charging through said relay means and for selecting said regulator means coupling to permit said charging through said regulator means in response to the source electrical signal and the storage device electrical signal; relay breaker means coupled to said relay means for providing an electrical relay breaker signal for breaking said coupling by said relay means after said coupling by said relay means for a predetermined period of time; and relay driver means coupled to said relay means for providing an electrical control signal for controlling said coupling by said relay means in response to said selector signal and said breaker signal.

Claim 3

Charging control apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said controlling of said coupling by said relay means includes reestablishing said coupling in response to said selector signal upon said breaking.

Claim 4

Charging control apparatus as defined in claim 1 for controlling the discharging of the energy storage device through a load, further comprising: circuit breaker means for electrically coupling the charging input terminal of the electrical energy storage device to the load to permit said discharging of the electrical energy storage device through the load, said circuit breaker means including an electronically and manually operated switching means; circuit breaker, breaker means coupled to said circuit breaker means for receiving the storage device electrical signal, for terminating said coupling by said circuit breaker means in response to the level of the device electrical signal falling below a predetermined level and for substantially preventing the reestablishing of said coupling until the level of the device electrical signal rises above a predetermined level and said switching means is manually operated.

Claim 5

Charging control apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said selector means comprises selector switching means having a relay means coupling termination terminal, a relay means coupling control terminal and a third terminal, said switching means being connected to provide an electrical switching signal at said control terminal for initiating said coupling by said relay means when the source electrical signal passes a predetermined level, for terminating said coupling by said relay means when said storage device electrical signal passes a predetermined level and for maintaining said coupling by said relay means during said coupling until said breaking by said breaker signal.

Claim 6

Charging control apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said selector switching means comprises an SCR, said termination terminal being the gate terminal of said SCR and said control terminal being the anode terminal of said SCR.

Claim 7

Charging control apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said relay breaker means comprises an output transistor in parallel with said SCR having an output terminal directly connected to said SCR anode terminal to provide said breaker signal.

Claim 8

Charging control apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said relay driver means comprises a zener diode in parallel with said SCR and wherein said switching signal at said anode terminal must overcome the breakdown voltage of said zener diode to initiate and to maintain said relay means coupling.

Claim 9

Charging control apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said selector means further comprises a resistor having a terminal directly connected to said anode terminal, for directly receiving said source electrical signal at the other terminal and for providing a series connection to said anode for said signal.

Claim 10

Charging control apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said relay driver means comprises a zener diode in parallel with said SCR and wherein said switching signal at said anode terminal must overcome the breakdown voltage of said zener diode to initiate and to maintain said relay means coupling.

Claim 11

Charging control apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said relay means includes a switch for directly connecting the charging input terminal of the storage device and the charging output terminal of the source.

Claim 12

Solar to electrical energy conversion apparatus, comprising: a solar panel for receiving and converting solar energy to electrical energy, and for generating a solar panel electrical signal in response to said solar energy, said solar panel having a charging output terminal; a rechargeable electrical energy storage device for generating a storage device electrical signal, said storage device having a charging input terminal; relay means for electrically coupling said charging output terminal of said solar panel and said charging input terminal of said storage device to permit said solar panel to charge said storage device through said relay means; regulator means for electrically coupling said charging output terminal of said solar panel and said charging input terminal of said storage device to permit said solar panel to charge said storage device through said regulator means and for providing an electrical regulated output signal for said charging; signal-testing means coupled to said relay means for receiving said storage device electrical signal and for providing an electrical output signal for terminating said coupling by said relay means in response to said storage device electrical signal; selector means, coupled to said relay means and responsive to said storage device electrical signal, for receiving said solar panel electrical signal and for providing an electrical selector signal for selecting said relay means coupling to permit said charging through said relay means and for selecting said regulator means coupling to permit said charging through said regulator means in response to said solar panel electrical signal and said storage drive electrical signal; relay breaker means coupled to said relay means for providing an electrical relay breaker signal for breaking said coupling by said relay means after a predetermined time; and relay driver means coupled to said relay means for providing an electrical control signal for controlling said coupling by said relay means in response to said selector signal and said breaker signal.

Claim 13

Solar to electrical energy conversion apparatus, comprising: a solar panel for receiving and converting solar energy to electrical energy, and for generating a solar panel electrical signal in response to said solar energy, said solar panel having a charging output terminal; a rechargeable electrical energy storage device for generating a storage device electrical signal, said storage device having a charging input terminal; relay means for electrically coupling said charging output terminal of said solar panel and said charging input terminal of said storage device to permit said solar panel to charge said storage device through said relay means; regulator means for electrically coupling said charging output terminal of said solar panel and said charging input terminal of said storage device to permit said solar panel to charge said storage device through said regulator means and for providing an electrical regulated output signal for said charging; signal-testing means coupled to said relay means for receiving said storage device electrical signal and for providing an electrical output signal for terminating said coupling by said relay means in response to said storage device electrical signal; selector means, coupled to said relay means and responsive to said storage device electrical signal, for receiving said solar panel electrical signal and for providing an electrical selector signal for selecting said relay means coupling to permit said charging through said relay means and for selecting said regulator means coupling to permit said charging through said regulator means in response to said solar panel electrical signal and said storage drive electrical signal; relay breaker means coupled to said relay means for providing an electrical relay breaker signal for breaking said coupling by said relay means after a predetermined time; and relay driver means coupled to said relay means for providing an electrical control signal for controlling said coupling by said relay means in response to said selector signal and said breaker signal.

Claim 14

Solar to electrical energy conversion apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said controlling of said coupling by said relay means includes reestablishing said coupling in response to said detector signal upon said breaking.

Claim 15

Solar to electrical energy conversion apparatus as defined in claim 11 for controlling the discharging of said energy storage device through a load, further comprising: circuit breaker means for electrically coupling said charging input terminal of said electrical energy storage device to the load to permit said discharging of said electrical energy storage device through the load, said circuit breaker means including an electronically and manually operated switching means; circuit breaker, breaker means coupled to said circuit breaker means for receiving said storage device electrical signal, for terminating said coupling by said circuit breaker means in response to the level of said device electrical signal falling below a predetermined level and for substantially preventing the reestablishing of said coupling until the level of said device electrical signal rises above a predetermined level and said switching means is manually operated.

Claim 16

Solar to electrical energy conversion apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said selector means comprises selector switching means having a relay means coupling termination terminal, a relay means coupling control terminal and a third terminal, said switching means being connected to provide an electrical switching signal at said control terminal for initiating said coupling by said relay means when said source electrical signal passes a predetermined level, for terminating said coupling by said relay means when said storage device electrical signal passes a predetermined level and for maintaining said coupling by said relay means during said coupling until said breaking by said breaker signal.

Claim 17

Solar to electrical energy conversion apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said selector switching means comprises an SCR, said termination terminal being the gate terminal of said SCR and said control terminal being the anode terminal of said SCR.

Claim 18

Solar to electrical energy conversion apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said relay means includes a switch for directly connecting said charging input terminal of said storage device and said charging output terminal of said solar panel.

Claim 19

Solar to electrical energy conversion apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein: said solar panel charging output terminal is connected to provide said solar panel electrical signal; said storage device charging input terminal is connected to provide said storage device electrical signal; said signal-testing means is connected to receive said storage device electrical signal at said storage device charging input terminal; and said selector means is connected to receive said solar panel electrical signal at said solar panel charging output terminal.

Claim 22

The charging control method as defined in claim 18 wherein said coupling through said relay, said maintaining of said coupling through said relay, said breaking, said coupling through said regulator, said maintaining of said coupling through said regulator, said reestablishing, and said terminating, steps occur electronically, without human intervention.

Claim 23

The charging control method as defined in claim 19 for controlling the discharging of the electrical energy storage device through a load, including the additional steps of: electrically coupling the charging input terminal of the electrical energy storage device to the load through an electronically and manually operable switch to permit said discharging of the electrical energy storage device through the load; terminating said coupling of the charging input terminal of the electrical energy storage device to the load in response to the level of the device electrical signal falling below a predetermined level; and substantially preventing the reestablishing of said coupling until the level of the device electrical signal rises above a predetermined level and said switch is manually operated.

Claim 24

The charging and discharging control method as defined in claim 20 wherein said terminating of said coupling of the charging input terminal of the electrical energy storage device to the load occurs electronically, without human intervention.

Claim 25

The charging control method as defined in claim 18 for controlling the discharging of the energy storage device through a load, including the additional steps of: electrically coupling the charging input terminal of the electrical energy storage device to the load through an electronically and manually operable switch to permit said discharging of the electrical energy storage device through the load; terminating said coupling of the charging input terminal of the electrical energy storage device to the load, in response to the level of the device electrical signal falling below a predetermined level; and substantially preventing the reestablishing of said coupling until the level of the device electrical signal rises above a predetermined level and said switch is manually operated.

Claim 26

The charging control method as defined in claim 18 wherein said coupling through said relay step includes directly connecting the charging output terminal of the electrical energy source and the charging input terminal of the electrical energy storage device.