Battery charger and method of charging nickel based batteries
US6313605A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 8, 1999 |
| Grant date | Nov 6, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 8, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02J7/0071
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of charging a rechargeable battery which comprises charging the battery with a charging current; sampling conditions of the battery during charging to recognize potential adverse conditions within the battery; interrupting the charging current periodically to create current-free periods and sampling an open circuit voltage of the battery during each current-free period to identify potential overcharge conditions in the battery; lowering the charging current if any adverse conditions are identified and continuing charging with the charging current if adverse charging conditions are not identified; and terminating charging when a predetermined value is recognized. The method of charging nickel-metal hydride and nickel-cadmium batteries is based on switching charging current as soon as temperature related battery open circuit voltage reaches the first predetermined value, tapering current and continuing charging up to terminating point.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.