Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging – Serially connected batteries or cells – With discharge of cells or batteries
Patent
1994-10-17
1996-07-23
Wong, Peter S.
Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging
Serially connected batteries or cells
With discharge of cells or batteries
320 16, 320 48, 320 49, H01M 1044, H02J 700
Patent
active
055392970
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a charging device for a plurality of rechargeable batteries and, more particularly, to a battery charging device in which the order of battery charging is based on a priority parameter. A known charging device, also known as a universal charging device, can receive nickel-cadmium batteries of different shapes and voltage, for example. This charging device requires several hours to charge batteries. The charging process is interrupted only when the batteries to be charged have reached a determined nominal voltage. The lengthy charging time is due to a relatively low charging current. However, this low charging current is required to prevent excessive heating of and consequent damage to the batteries.
A quick-charging device which can charge a battery in a few minutes is also already known. To protect the battery from thermal overloading, the charging process makes use of a relatively costly control method in which the charging process is monitored by measuring the charging voltage and the battery temperature at the same time. This control method is optimized for a determined type of battery and must be readapted when changing to a battery type with a different capacity. This process is undesirable for the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved charging device for a plurality of rechargeable batteries which does not have the above-described disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a charging device for a plurality of rechargeable batteries which is more versatile than prior art battery charging devices and which can rapidly charge a greater variety of different types of rechargeable batteries automatically without operator intervention.
According to the invention the charging device for charging a plurality of rechargeable batteries includes a plurality of battery chambers, each of which can hold a rechargeable battery, at least two sensors associated with each rechargeable battery, each of the at least two sensor devices including means for measuring a measurable parameter of its associated rechargeable battery, switchable means for electrically connecting at least one rechargeable battery at a time for charging and control means for selecting rechargeable batteries for charging in an order determined by measured values of the measurable parameters obtained from the at least two sensors associated with each rechargeable battery. The control means includes means for weighting the measured parameters of each rechargeable battery according to a priority factor to obtain weighted combined values, means for comparing the weighted combined values of the measured parameters to at least one predetermined limiting value to determine the order in which the rechargeable batteries are charged and means for controlling the switchable means to connect the rechargeable batteries for charging according to that order.
The charging device according to the invention has the advantage over the prior art that batteries of any capacity can be charged very quickly and without intervention on the part of the user, since the next battery to be charged can be switched to automatically after a predetermined limiting value is reached. By weighting the measurement parameters with a priority parameter, the charging process can be controlled in a very simple manner and the battery is protected against damage, e.g., due to overheating or overcharging. For example, if the temperature measurement of the first battery has the highest priority in a quick-charging process, the charging process is interrupted, regardless of the charge level, when a predetermined temperature limit is reached. During the cooling off period for this battery, the next battery to be charged is switched to and charged. Thus, a plurality of batteries are charged within a relatively short period of time by cyclical switching between batteries. Moreover, since a limited charging current is applied only to one battery at
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Robert & Bosch GmbH
Striker Michael J.
Toatley Gregory
Wong Peter S.
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