Battery charging method and apparatus
US5307001A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 5, 1992 |
| Grant date | Apr 26, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 5, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E60/10
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A battery charger employing the gassing point of a lead-acid battery to determine the end of charge time and voltage. A charging level sensor takes two voltage samples of a predetermined time period to determine the change in voltage rate. If the change in voltage rate exceeds a predetermined amount the batteries are considered to be gassing. The batteries are further charged for a predetermined amount of time after the gassing phase has been entered. The invention provides a load management control function to provide a safe DC charge voltage when a hall effect sensor senses a DC load. The charger is cut off if a house load is used while the battery is being charged. The charging circuit achieves different end of charge voltages depending on a user selected battery type. The battery charger is a constant voltage temperature compensated current limited charger.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.