Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging – One cell or battery charges another – Vehicle battery charging
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-25
2002-06-11
Tso, Edward H. (Department: 2838)
Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging
One cell or battery charges another
Vehicle battery charging
Reexamination Certificate
active
06404163
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a charging system for recharging a battery in an automobile and, more particularly, to a system for regulating a charge voltage delivered to a battery in an automobile.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An automobile battery is an electrochemical device that produces and stores electricity. Typically, an automobile battery is a “12-volt” direct-current (DC) battery which actually produces approximately 12.6 volts of electricity. Such a 12-volt battery generally includes a series of six elements or cells wherein each cell produces approximately 2.1 volts. Each cell generally includes a container wherein a positive plate and a negative plate are situated separate from each other and covered within a bath of electrolyte. The electrolyte, often referred to as “battery acid,” is generally a mixture of distilled water and sulfuric acid.
When a driver inserts and turns a key in the ignition of an automobile, the electric starting motor of the automobile starting system draws electrical power (electric current) from the battery and converts that electrical power into mechanical power to crank and start up the engine. In doing so, the battery is discharged (electrically weakened) to some degree due to the electric current flow out of the battery. As a result, the battery must at some time be recharged to ensure that the automobile can be successfully started up again in the future.
To recharge the battery, the automobile includes a charging system. The charging system in a modern automobile typically includes (1) a generator (also known as an alternator), (2) a generator drive belt, (3) a voltage regulator, (4) a charge indicator, and (5) a charging system harness. The generator is a DC (direct current) generator that converts mechanical power from the engine into electrical power such as an electric voltage and current. This electrical power is communicated from an output terminal of the generator to the battery to thereby recharge the battery. The generator drive belt, on the other hand, serves to couple the crankshaft pulley on the engine to a drive pulley on the generator, thereby transferring mechanical power from the engine to the generator. Further, the voltage regulator, a very important and key element in the charging system of an automobile, is an electrical device that dictates, controls, and regulates the levels of the output voltage and current produced by the generator for recharging the battery. In addition, the charge indicator is generally a visual indicator which visually communicates to a driver the operational health of the charging system and/or the battery. The charge indicator may include, for example, a warning light, with or without a voltmeter indicator or an ammeter indicator, visibly situated in the dash, instrument panel, or driver information center (DIC) of the automobile. Lastly, the charging system harness is a wire harness that contains the many wires that are electrically interconnected between the various parts and elements of the charging system.
Once the engine is started up with the starting system and successfully running, the charging system then takes over to provide electric current to the battery as well as provide electric current to the electrical systems and many various electrical loads associated therewith within the automobile. More particularly, when the engine is started up and running, the spinning crankshaft pulley on the engine then motivates the generator drive belt to mechanically spin the drive pulley on the generator. In this way, the generator is able to use the mechanical action of the drive pulley to generate and produce an electric current at the generator output terminal. This electric current produced and output by the generator is utilized to both recharge the battery and operate the electrical systems and various electrical loads associated therewith within the automobile when the engine is running. Some of the various electrical loads may include, for example, front and rear HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning) blowers, an AC (air-conditioning) compressor clutch, front and rear heated seats, heated mirrors, a rear window defogger, a rear window wiper, courtesy door lights, interior lights, engine cooling fans, etc.
While the engine is running, the voltage regulator of the charging system works to both generally maintain and vary the output voltage of the generator within a predetermined optimum voltage range, such as, for example, 13 to 16 volts. By maintaining the generator output voltage within such a voltage range, electric current from the generator is, first of all, thereby driven into the battery to successfully recharge the battery since the voltage range is higher than the inherent voltage level (12.6 volts) of the battery. In addition, maintaining the generator output voltage within such a range also enables the generator to simultaneously supply electric current and voltage power to the many different electrical systems and various electrical loads within the automobile for their proper operation as well. Furthermore, by working to maintain the generator output voltage within an optimum voltage range in this way, the voltage regulator also thereby prevents the problems commonly associated with undercharging or overcharging the battery. For example, if the battery is undercharged, then the likelihood that the battery will not be able to successfully crank and start up the automobile again in the future is undesirably increased. On the other hand, if the battery is overcharged, then the battery may overheat or experience “gassing” (the formation of acid fumes within the battery) and become permanently damaged.
In addition to merely maintaining the generator output voltage within an optimum voltage range, an ideal voltage regulator must also precisely vary the generator output voltage within the optimum voltage range to accommodate abrupt changes in operating conditions concerning the battery, the engine, and the various electrical loads within the automobile. In doing so, the voltage regulator thereby attempts to both conserve battery life and improve the overall fuel economy of the automobile. For example, with regard to the battery, to ensure that the battery is fully recharged while the engine is running and before the ignition and engine are turned off, an ideal voltage regulator will dictate that the generator produce an output voltage near the high end of the optimum voltage range when the engine is initially started up and running. In this way, if the engine is only turned on for a brief period of time, for example, when the automobile is used for a very brief trip, the battery is successfully recharged before the engine is turned off. Once, however, the battery is fully recharged while the engine is running, the voltage regulator will reduce the generator output voltage so that the output voltage settles at or near the low end of the optimum voltage range. In doing so, the voltage regulator helps prevent overcharging and gassing, preserve battery life, preserve the lives of headlights and other various lights, within the automobile, and improve the overall fuel economy of the automobile. As another example, if the automobile is idling in extremely slow traffic with numerous electrical loads activated and thereby heavily discharging the battery, an ideal voltage regulator will quickly dictate that the generator output voltage be set near the upper end of the optimum voltage range once the automobile breaks free from traffic and travels at a higher rate of speed on the open road to ensure that the battery is fully recharged before the engine is turned off. Once the battery is fully recharged in this way, the voltage regulator will then dictate that the generator output voltage be reduced and settle back down at or near the lower end of the optimum voltage range. As these examples illustrate, an ideal voltage regulator should timely and precisely dictate the output voltage of the generator to prevent the battery from being undercharged, wherei
Kapsokavathis Nick S.
Matouka Michael Frank
Walters David William
General Motors Corporation
Hargitt Laura C.
Tso Edward H.
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