Active rectification and battery protection circuit
US5847912A · kind A · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 3, 1996 |
| Grant date | Dec 8, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 3, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02J7/0031
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An active rectifier circuit for automatically selecting a pathway for reversible current to move. The rectifier circuit includes a transistor element that is preferably a MOSFET controlled by an amplifier. The amplifier is coupled to a reference voltage source that regulates operation of the transistor element at a potential much lower than is currently available with diode devices. In one application, the rectifier is a battery protection circuit for use within rechargeable battery packs. The battery protection circuit employs the amplifier to drive a pair of discrete MOSFETs having their sources coupled together. In this application, the amplifier functions as a sensitive current detector. The battery protection circuit automatically detects when any battery cell is over-charged or under-charged thereby opening and protecting the MOSFETs. The battery protection circuit determines the direction of current flow within the battery pack. It also automatically detects safe conditions for recovery from an over/under discharge or overcurrent conditions. Optional digital switches may be employed to regulate on, off, and direction of current flow permitted through the MOSFET pair, which e…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.