Hybrid battery charger
AssigneeSchumacher Electric Corporation
InventorsXiao Ping Chen, Matthew Heins, Shenzhong Zhu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hybrid battery charger is disclosed that includes a linear battery charging circuit for providing vehicle starting current and battery charging and a high frequency battery charging circuit that provides battery charging current. The linear battery charging circuit and the high frequency battery charging circuits are selectively enabled to provide vehicle starting current, maximum charging current and optimum efficiency.
Claims23
A hybrid battery charger comprising:
- a linear charger circuit for selectively charging a battery during one or more modes of operation;
- and
- a high frequency charger circuit for selectively charging the battery during one or more modes of operation;
- a set of output terminals connected to said linear charger circuit and said high frequency charger circuit, said output terminals for connecting to a battery to be charged;
- and
- a control circuit for selectively connecting one or the other of said linear battery charger circuit and high frequency charger circuit to said set of output terminals.
The hybrid battery charger as recited in claim 5, wherein in a second mode of operation, said linear battery charger circuit provides charging current to said set of output terminals.
The hybrid battery charger as recited in claim 6, wherein in a third mode of operation, said high frequency battery charger circuit provides charging current to said set of output terminals.
A flyback transformer comprising,
- a core
- a bobbin disposed relative to said core;
- at least one primary winding wound onto said bobbin;
- a pair of bias windings in opposite polarities formed as primary windings;
- insulated from said at least one primary winding;
- and
- a pair of secondary windings in opposite polarities.
An efficient method for charging a battery, the method comprising:
- charging a battery with a linear battery charger circuit;
- monitoring one or more parameters associated with the charging of the battery;
- and
- turning off the linear battery charging circuit and continuing charging of the battery by way of a high frequency battery charger circuit, as a function of said one or more parameters.
A method for protecting a battery connected to a battery charger having a transformer with primary and secondary windings, said primary winding normally coupled to a 120 Volt AC power supply during a condition when the 120 volt AC power supply is lost, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) sensing the 120 volt AC power supply by a secondary winding of the transformer;
- and
- (b) informing the microcontroller of the 120 volt AC power lost.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.