Patent · US Expired

Method for optimizing the charging of lead-acid batteries and an interactive charger

US5469043A · kind A · utility

193Cited by
20References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 14, 1994
Grant dateNov 21, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 14, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E60/13
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed for charging lead-acid batteries which comprises periodic voltage sweeps to determine the charging voltage that should be used for the battery and then adjusting the charging voltage in accordance with that voltage sweep information so as to ensure that a highly efficient charging process is achieved which avoids undue gassing and inherently compensates for factors such as the temperature, type and service life history of the battery and resistance due to the interactive nature of the technique and apparatus. One suitable technique for analysis and adjustment of the voltage sweep data involves analyzing the slope of the current versus the voltage sweep curve so as to determine certain slope values or changes in values.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.