Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging – Battery or cell discharging – With charging
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-19
2001-06-26
Wong, Peter S. (Department: 2838)
Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging
Battery or cell discharging
With charging
Reexamination Certificate
active
06252378
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
This application relates to battery or power packs of the rechargeable type and, in particular, to lead-acid, thin metal film battery packs. The application relates in particular to determining the cycle life of lead-acid battery packs for uses, such as jump-starting automotive vehicles.
It is known to provide battery packs, i.e., compact arrangements of one or more cells, for various DC power delivery applications. One such application is for use in jump-starting automotive vehicles. Such battery packs typically use lead-acid batteries, some of which have recently been of the thin metal film type. Such thin metal film lead-acid batteries are sold, for example, by Johnson Controls, Inc. under the designation “Inspira” and by Bolder Technologies under the designation “Bolder 9/5 Sub-C TMF” (Thin Metal Film).
It is desirable to provide a simple apparatus for determining the practical cycle life of jump-starting battery packs, particularly during development of prototype units, in terms of the number of usage cycles, such as jump starts or jump start attempts, which can be effected by the unit.
SUMMARY
This application discloses an improved test and monitoring circuit for use with jump-starting battery packs.
An important aspect is the provision of a circuit for monitoring the number of vehicle start attempts performed by a portable jump-starting battery unit.
Another aspect is the provision of a circuit of the type set forth, which detects automotive jump-starting attempts with minimal current draw.
Still another aspect is the provision of a circuit of the type set forth, which is of simple and economical construction.
In particular, there is provided an apparatus for determining the cycle life of a battery in terms of usage cycles, comprising a reference circuit adapted to be coupled to the battery and establishing a reference voltage level, a usage cycle detection circuit adapted to be coupled to the battery and to the reference circuit and generating a count signal in response to battery voltage dropping below the reference voltage level, and a counter circuit coupled to the detection circuit for counting the number of count signals generated.
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Becker Thomas P.
Crass Matthew M.
Seyfarth Shaw
Snap-on Technologies, Inc.
Tibbits Pia
Wong Peter S.
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