US5113127A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Universal battery charger
Assignee: Solid State Chargers Inc
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Filing: 1989-04-11
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Granted: 1992-05-12
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Expires: 2009-04-11
Abstract
Abstract A battery charger of the driven blocking oscillator type includes a three-winding transformer. The primary winding is connected in series with the collector-emitter path of a switching transistor. The secondary winding is connected in series with the collector-emitter path of a sense transistor which responds to the current flowing through the switching transistor. The tertiary winding is connected in series with the battery, series-connected batteries or series-connected battery packs sought to be recharged, via a diode, which may be connected in parallel with a capacitor. No smoothing capacitor is provided across the battery or batteries. The battery or batteries are charged by current pulses and discharge through the tertiary winding to repolarize the diode (and capacitor if present). The secondary winding is poled, with respect to the tertiary winding so that the blocking oscillator is driven by energy from the battery or batteries. The battery charger can operate over a wide range of input voltages with high efficiency, making it useful worldwide. The charger is effective to charge batteries and series connections thereof over a wide range of battery voltages. The charger will only function if at least one rechargeable battery is in circuit for charging. The charger may include circuitry for automatically taking substantially charged batteries or battery out of the charge path.
Inventors
- 👤 Philip K. Hoffman
- 👤 Douglas R. Frey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 04:24
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02J; H02J7/00; H02J7/02; H02J2207/00; H02J2207/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
79 words
In a battery charger of the driven blocking oscillator type which includes a blocking oscillator and means for delivering charging current pulses from the blocking oscillator to one or more series connected batteries, an improvement comprising means responsive to initial application of power to the blocking oscillator for producing a first one of the charging current pulses and means responsive to current flow from the battery or batteries for driving the blocking oscillator to produce subsequent charging current pulses.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
79 words
In a battery charger of the driven blocking oscillator type which includes a blocking oscillator and means for delivering charging current pulses from the blocking oscillator to one or more series connected batteries, an improvement comprising means responsive to initial application of power to the blocking oscillator for producing a first one of the charging current pulses and means responsive to current flow from the battery or batteries for driving the blocking oscillator to produce subsequent charging current pulses.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The improved battery charger of claim 1, wherein the means for delivering current pulses to the battery or batteries includes a transformer winding and a diode connected in series with one another across the battery or batteries.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The improved battery charger of claim 2, further including a capacitor connected in parallel with the diode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The improved battery charger of claim 3, wherein the circuit across the battery or batteries is free of any smoothing capacitor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The improved battery charger of claim 2, wherein the circuit across the battery or batteries is free of any smoothing capacitor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The improved battery charger of claim 1, wherein the blocking oscillator includes a transformer having a primary winding, a secondary winding and a tertiary winding; and a diode connected in series with the tertiary winding across the battery or batteries to be charged.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The improved battery charger of claim 6, further including a capacitor connected in parallel with the diode.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The improved battery charger of claim 7, wherein the circuit across the battery or batteries is free of any smoothing capacitor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The improved battery charger of claim 6, wherein the circuit across the battery or batteries is free of any smoothing capacitor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The improved battery charger of claim 1, further including means responsive to terminal voltage of one battery for removing it from the charging current path whenever the one battery is or becomes substantially fully charged.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
81 words
In a battery charger of the driven blocking oscillator type which includes a blocking oscillator and means for delivering charging current pulses from the blocking oscillator to a plurality of series connected batteries, an improvement comprising means responsive to initial application of power to the blocking oscillator for producing a first one of the charging current pulses and means responsive to current flow from at least one of the batteries for driving the blocking oscillator to produce subsequent charging current pulses.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
81 words
In a battery charger of the driven blocking oscillator type which includes a blocking oscillator and means for delivering charging current pulses from the blocking oscillator to a plurality of series connected batteries, an improvement comprising means responsive to initial application of power to the blocking oscillator for producing a first one of the charging current pulses and means responsive to current flow from at least one of the batteries for driving the blocking oscillator to produce subsequent charging current pulses.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The improved battery charger of claim 11, wherein the means for delivering current pulses to the plurality batteries includes a transformer winding and a diode connected in series with one another across the batteries.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The improved battery charger of claim 12, further including a capacitor connected in parallel with the diode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The improved battery charger of claim 13, wherein the circuit across the batteries is free of any smoothing capacitors.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The improved battery charger of claim 12, wherein the circuit across the batteries is free of any smoothing capacitor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
The improved battery charger of claim 11, wherein the blocking oscillator includes a transformer having a primary winding, a secondary winding and a tertiary winding; and a diode connected in series with the tertiary winding across the batteries to be charged.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The improved battery charger of claim 16, further including a capacitor connected in parallel with the diode.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The improved battery charger of claim 17, wherein the circuit across the batteries is free of any smoothing capacitor.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The improved battery charger of claim 16, wherein the circuit across the batteries is free of any smoothing capacitor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
47 words
The improved battery charger of claim 11, further including respective means responsive to respective terminal voltages of respective ones of the batteries for removing individual ones of the batteries from the charging current path whenever said individual ones of the batteries is or becomes substantially fully charged.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
87 words
In a battery charger of the driven blocking oscillator type which includes a blocking oscillator and means for delivering charging current pulses from the blocking oscillator to one or more series connected batteries, an improvement wherein said blocking oscillator includes a transformer having a primary winding, a secondary winding and a tertiary winding, and comprises means providing reverse current flow into said tertiary winding from the battery or batteries thereby inducing a voltage in said secondary winding and driving the blocking oscillator to produce charging current pulses.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
87 words
In a battery charger of the driven blocking oscillator type which includes a blocking oscillator and means for delivering charging current pulses from the blocking oscillator to one or more series connected batteries, an improvement wherein said blocking oscillator includes a transformer having a primary winding, a secondary winding and a tertiary winding, and comprises means providing reverse current flow into said tertiary winding from the battery or batteries thereby inducing a voltage in said secondary winding and driving the blocking oscillator to produce charging current pulses.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
The improved battery charger of claim 21, including a diode connected in series with said tertiary winding across the battery or batteries.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
The improved battery charger of claim 22, further including a capacitor connected in parallel with the diode.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
The improved battery charger of claim 23, wherein the circuit across the battery or batteries is free of any smoothing capacitor.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
The improved battery charger of claim 22, wherein the circuit across the battery or batteries is free of any smoothing capacitor.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
35 words
The improved battery charger of claim 21, further including means responsive to terminal voltage of one battery for removing it from the charging current path whenever the one battery is or becomes substantially fully charged.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
89 words
In a battery charger of the driven blocking oscillator type which includes a blocking oscillator and means for delivering charging current pulses from the blocking oscillator to a plurality of series connected batteries, an improvement wherein said blocking oscillator includes a transformer having a primary winding, a secondary winding and a tertiary winding, and comprises means providing reverse current flow into said tertiary winding from at least one of the batteries thereby inducing a voltage in said secondary winding and driving the blocking oscillator to produce charging current pulses.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
89 words
In a battery charger of the driven blocking oscillator type which includes a blocking oscillator and means for delivering charging current pulses from the blocking oscillator to a plurality of series connected batteries, an improvement wherein said blocking oscillator includes a transformer having a primary winding, a secondary winding and a tertiary winding, and comprises means providing reverse current flow into said tertiary winding from at least one of the batteries thereby inducing a voltage in said secondary winding and driving the blocking oscillator to produce charging current pulses.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
106 words
In a battery charger of the driven blocking oscillator type which includes a direct current power supply, a blocking oscillator including a semiconductive circuit component having a base, a collector and an emitter, and means for delivering charging current pulses from the blocking oscillator to one or more series-connected batteries, an improvement comprising means, including a series-connected resistive-capacitive network connected across the power supply, responsive to initial application of power to the blocking oscillator for producing a voltage spike across at least a portion of the resistive component of the network and means for coupling at least a portion of the voltage spike to the base.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
106 words
In a battery charger of the driven blocking oscillator type which includes a direct current power supply, a blocking oscillator including a semiconductive circuit component having a base, a collector and an emitter, and means for delivering charging current pulses from the blocking oscillator to one or more series-connected batteries, an improvement comprising means, including a series-connected resistive-capacitive network connected across the power supply, responsive to initial application of power to the blocking oscillator for producing a voltage spike across at least a portion of the resistive component of the network and means for coupling at least a portion of the voltage spike to the base.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
73 words
The improved battery charger of claim 28, further including a transistor having a base, its collector-emitter path being connected between said base of said semiconductive circuit component and a point of reference potential, wherein a resistance is connected between said emitter of said semiconductive circuit component and the point of reference potential, and wherein a further resistor is connected between the emitter of said semiconductive circuit component and the base of the transistor.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
50 words
The improved battery charger of claim 28, further including an SCR connected between said base and a point of reference potential, wherein a resistance is connected between said emitter and the point of reference potential, and wherein a diode is connected between the emitter and the gate of the SCR.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
104 words
In a battery charger of the driven blocking oscillator type which includes a blocking oscillator including a transistor having a base, a collector and an emitter, a point of reference potential and means for delivering charging current pulses from the blocking oscillator to one or more series-connected batteries, an improvement comprising an SCR including a gate and having its anode-cathode path coupled between the base of the transistor and the point of reference potential, a resistive circuit component connected between the emitter of the transistor and the point of reference potential, the gate of said SCR being coupled to the emitter of the transistor.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
104 words
In a battery charger of the driven blocking oscillator type which includes a blocking oscillator including a transistor having a base, a collector and an emitter, a point of reference potential and means for delivering charging current pulses from the blocking oscillator to one or more series-connected batteries, an improvement comprising an SCR including a gate and having its anode-cathode path coupled between the base of the transistor and the point of reference potential, a resistive circuit component connected between the emitter of the transistor and the point of reference potential, the gate of said SCR being coupled to the emitter of the transistor.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
28 words
The improved battery charger of claim 31, including a diode, the gate of said SCR being coupled to the emitter of the active circuit component via the diode.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
186 words
In a battery charger of the driven blocking oscillator type which includes a point of reference potential, a blocking oscillator including a first transistor having a base, a collector and an emitter and means for delivering charging current pulses from the blocking oscillator to one or more series-connected batteries, an improvement comprising a first capacitor and a first resistor connected in series between the collector of the first transistor and the emitter of the first transistor to couple a conduction initiating pulse to the first transistor and drive the blocking oscillator, a second transistor having its collector coupled to said base of the first transistor and its emitter coupled to the point of reference potential, said emitter of said first transistor being connected to the point of reference potential via a second resistor, a series circuit including a third resistor and a fourth resistor, the base of said second transistor being coupled to a circuit point between the third and the fourth resistors, and wherein a circuit point between the second capacitor and the fourth resistor is connected to a supply point via a fifth resistor.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
186 words
In a battery charger of the driven blocking oscillator type which includes a point of reference potential, a blocking oscillator including a first transistor having a base, a collector and an emitter and means for delivering charging current pulses from the blocking oscillator to one or more series-connected batteries, an improvement comprising a first capacitor and a first resistor connected in series between the collector of the first transistor and the emitter of the first transistor to couple a conduction initiating pulse to the first transistor and drive the blocking oscillator, a second transistor having its collector coupled to said base of the first transistor and its emitter coupled to the point of reference potential, said emitter of said first transistor being connected to the point of reference potential via a second resistor, a series circuit including a third resistor and a fourth resistor, the base of said second transistor being coupled to a circuit point between the third and the fourth resistors, and wherein a circuit point between the second capacitor and the fourth resistor is connected to a supply point via a fifth resistor.
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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) | 1995-05-12 | 1995-11-11 | 1996-05-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-05-12 | 1999-11-11 | 2000-05-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-05-12 | 2003-11-11 | 2004-05-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |