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US 12,218,543 B2Granted
Hybrid battery charger
AssigneeSchumacher Electric Corporation
InventorsXiao Ping Chen, Matthew Adam Heins, Shenzhong Zhu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hybrid battery charger is disclosed that includes a linear charger circuit for providing vehicle starting current and battery charging and a high frequency battery charging circuit that provides battery charging current. The linear charger circuit and the high frequency battery charging circuits are selectively enabled to provide vehicle starting current, maximum charging current and optimum efficiency.
Claims20
A hybrid battery charger for charging a battery of a vehicle, the hybrid battery charger comprising:
- a housing;
- a set of output terminals configured to electrically couple with the vehicle;
- a linear charger circuit positioned within said housing and configured to supply a first current to the battery via said set of output terminals during a first mode of operation;
- a high frequency charger circuit positioned within said housing and configured to supply a second current to the battery via said set of output terminals during a second mode of operation;
- a variable frequency drive circuit positioned within said housing and configured to control a frequency of the high frequency charger circuit, wherein the frequency of the high frequency charger circuit is greater than 20 kHz;
- and
- a microcontroller to selectively control said linear charger circuit and said high frequency charger circuit via one or more switches during a charging cycle of the battery, wherein the microcontroller is configured to switch the hybrid battery charger from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation during the charging cycle when a condition is met.
4 more elements
A hybrid battery charger for charging a battery of a vehicle, the hybrid battery charger comprising:
- a housing;
- a set of output terminals configured to electrically couple with the vehicle;
- a linear charger circuit positioned within said housing and configured to supply a first current to the battery via said set of output terminals during a first mode of operation;
- a high frequency charger circuit positioned within said housing and configured to supply a second current to the battery via said set of output terminals during a second mode of operation;
- a variable frequency drive circuit positioned within said housing and configured to control a frequency of the high frequency charger circuit;
- and
- a microcontroller to selectively control said linear charger circuit and said high frequency charger circuit via one or more switches during a charging cycle of the battery,
- wherein the one or more switches comprises a first switch operatively coupled to said microcontroller to selectively couple said linear charger circuit to a power source,
- wherein the microcontroller is configured to switch the hybrid battery charger from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation during the charging cycle when a condition is met, and
- wherein the microcontroller opens said first switch when said linear charger circuit is not charging the battery, thereby prohibiting supply of power from the power source to the linear charger circuit.
7 more elements
A hybrid battery charger for charging a battery of a vehicle, the hybrid battery charger comprising:
- a housing;
- a set of output terminals configured to electrically couple with the vehicle;
- a linear charger circuit positioned within said housing and configured to supply a first current to the battery via said set of output terminals during a first mode of operation;
- a high frequency charger circuit positioned within said housing and configured to supply a second current to the battery via said set of output terminals during a second mode of operation, wherein the high frequency charger circuit is configured to regulate its output voltage to a predetermined maintenance voltage in response to a signal;
- a variable frequency drive circuit positioned within said housing and configured to control a frequency of the high frequency charger circuit;
- and
- a microcontroller to selectively control said linear charger circuit and said high frequency charger circuit via one or more switches during a charging cycle of the battery, wherein the microcontroller is configured to switch the hybrid battery charger from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation during the charging cycle when a condition is met.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.