Electricity: measuring and testing – Electrolyte properties – Using a battery testing device
Reexamination Certificate
1994-11-23
2002-10-15
Le, N. (Department: 2858)
Electricity: measuring and testing
Electrolyte properties
Using a battery testing device
C324S427000, C702S063000, C060S274000, C060S276000, C060S284000, C422S109000, C422S174000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06466024
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a multi-battery operating system for automotive vehicles that provides improved fuel economy and reduced emissions during operation and during starting, more particularly a three battery system having a start battery for starting the vehicle, a run battery for providing the vehicle load and accessory current, and a storage battery for preheating a catalytic converter during starting.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the normal operation of an automotive vehicle, a fully charged six cell battery having between 2.05 and 2.1 volts per cell (hereinafter referred to as a “start” battery) is used to start the engine and to operate accessory loads when the engine is not running. The conventional start battery is well suited to provide large start currents to the start motor on the order of 150 to 250 amperes.
The start battery is provided with thin plates between its individual cells that provides for a rapid, large current, shallow discharge during vehicle start. Unfortunately, the start battery cannot be deeply discharged in a repetitive manner without damaging the thin cell separator plates.
It has long been the practice to provide an alternator driven by the engine that can be used to recharge the start battery after vehicle start and provide current to both the vehicle run and accessory loads. It has also been the practice to maintain the alternator charging voltage at a nominal value of 14.0 volts at an ambient temperature of 85 degrees F. The nominal value is raised to 14.6 volts at minus 20 deg. F. and lowered to 13.6 volts at 140 deg. F. This provides adequate charge current as a function of ambient temperature and thereby extends battery life.
A voltage regulator is used to inject a controlled current into the alternator rotor. This in turn provides a controlled current in the stationary (stator) field coils. This in turn yields the rectified dc output voltage required for battery recharge after start and to supply the required vehicle load currents.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has been realized by the inventor that the conventional operation of a start battery and alternator based electrical system of an automotive vehicle wastes energy. First, the alternator requires the engine to provide fuel consuming torque to operate the alternator at a nominal value, e.g., a 14.6 volt dc output level, in order to recharge the start battery and provide the required current to the vehicle loads. Second, the vehicle electronic circuits contain power consuming voltage regulator circuits that reduce the alternator output voltage to a 12 or 5 volt level. Third, the alternator places a mechanical torque on the engine as a function of the alternator output voltage and the current drawn to supply the load requirements and to charge the start battery. The fuel consumed by the engine to overcome the alternator counter torque is an unnecessary expense. Fourth, the vehicle engine and alternator are substantially less than 100% efficient and consume a correspondingly greater amount of fuel.
In addition, the inventor has realized that if the state of charge of the vehicle batteries are reliably and accurately determinable over their useful life it is possible to control the alternator output voltage, as required, either to charge the vehicle batteries or to allow one or more batteries to provide all the current required by the vehicle loads.
It is a further object of the invention to increase alternator output voltage during deceleration of an automotive vehicle, thereby using vehicle momentum to provide an increased torque load that is used to charge a battery.
It is another object of the invention to turn off selected vehicle accessory loads when the vehicle is parked and to turn off selected vehicle accessory loads when the state of charge of the battery providing current drops below a selected level.
It is another object of the invention to provide a storage battery for providing the current required to heat an electrically heated catalytic converter (EHC) during or prior to vehicle start when the engine temperature is below a selected level.
In accordance with the present invention, apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for providing sufficient electrical power to start and run an engine, to reduce the energy expended and fuel consumed and associated emission by-products in starting and running the engine, and optionally in operating a battery charging device to maintain a sufficient charge on each battery for the range of operating load conditions.
One aspect of the invention concerns a battery charging and run system for starting the engine of an automotive vehicle and operating the electrical loads of the automotive vehicle with improved fuel economy.
One embodiment of this aspect of the invention concerns a battery charging system for an automotive vehicle having:
a start battery for use in starting the vehicle engine;
a run battery for operating the vehicle accessory and non accessory loads;
a battery charging device, such as an alternator, having a controllable output voltage when the vehicle is running;
a first BSOC channel for monitoring the state of charge of the start of battery;
a second BSOC channel for monitoring the state of charge of the run battery; and
a first circuit, such as a voltage regulator, for controlling the output of the battery charging device to provide one of a first output voltage that varies in a first range as a function of ambient temperature when the sensed start battery state of charge level is below a first charge level and a second output voltage when the battery state of charge level is above the first charge level, a third output voltage to recharge the run battery when the run battery state of charge is below a second charge level, and a fourth output when the run battery state of charge is above the second charge level.
Preferably a switch is provided to switch the start battery out of the system after it is recharged. The switch is responsive to the sensed state of charge of the start battery and open circuits the start battery upon reaching the first charge level.
In operation, the start battery is employed to start the vehicle engine. Its state of charge thus falls below the first charge level (corresponding to the prestart charge level). This causes the control circuit/voltage regulator to control the battery charging device to provide a first output voltage to recharge the start battery, e.g., between 16.4 and 13.6 volts dc, according to the ambient temperature in the conventional manner.
When the sensed state of charge of the start battery is at the first charge level, the control circuit/voltage regulator may then control the battery charging device to provide the second output voltage level to maintain a full charge on the start battery. In a preferred embodiment, the switch is configured to respond automatically to the start battery state of charge returning to the first charge level and switch the start battery out of the charging system in a fully charged state. Alternatively, the switch may be manually operated by the operator who acts in response to a prompt, such as a light, audible tone, or battery state of charge display.
When the start battery is switched out, the two battery system then may operate in one of two modes. In the first preferred mode of operation, the automotive vehicle electrical load is run off the run battery entirely. In this mode, once the start battery is switched out (and, as described below, an ECH battery is switched out), the control circuit controls the battery charging device to provide the fourth output by reducing the field current until the bridge rectifier diodes become back-biased. When the control circuit is a controllable voltage regulator, the battery charging device is an alternator, and the voltage regulator output into the alternator rotor coil is about zero, there is little, if any alternator counter torque on the engine and the rectified alternator output bridge diodes are backed biased and provide no current. Accordingly, the run
Electronic Development Inc.
Hamdan Wasseem H.
Le N.
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
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