Method of charging batteries and apparatus therefor
AssigneeBlack & Decker Inc.
InventorsDavid A. Saar, Richard T. Walter
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AssigneeBlack & Decker Inc.
InventorsDavid A. Saar, Richard T. Walter
Estimating the term…
A method of fast charging batteries by means of precise analysis of the profile of the variation with time of a characteristic of the battery which is indicative of the variation in stored chemical energy as the battery is charged. The method specifically comprises analyzing the profile for the occurrence of a particular series of events preferably including one or more inflection points which precisely identify the point in time at which the application of a fast charge rate should be discontinued. Additional methods of analysis provide for termination or control of the charging current upon the occurrence of other events such as limiting values on time, voltage or voltage slope or a negative change in the level of stored energy. Apparatus for performing these methods comprises a suitable power supply and a microcomputer for analyzing the profile and controlling the power supply.
A method of rapidly and efficiently charging a battery of the type having characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the characteristic varies with time during charging to exhibit a plurality of inflection points prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of rapidly and efficiently charging a battery of the type in which the voltage characteristic thereof varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the voltage characteristic varies with time during charging to exhibit an inflection point just prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge, the inflection point characterized by a change in sign of the second derivative of the voltage characteristic variation with time, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of rapidly and efficiently charging a battery of the type in which the voltage characteristic thereof varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the voltage characteristic varies with time during charging to exhibit an inflection point prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge, the inflection point characterized by a change in sign of the second derivative of the voltage characteristic variation with time from a positive to a negative value, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of rapidly and efficiently charging a battery of the type in which the current characteristic drawn by the battery during charging varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the current characteristic varies with time during charging to exhibit an inflection point just prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge by determining a change in sign of the second derivative of said current characteristic variation with time, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of rapidly and efficiently charging a battery of the type in which the current characteristic drawn by the battery during charging varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the current characteristic varies with time during charing to exhibit an inflection point prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge, the inflection point characterized by a change in sign of the second derivative of the current characteristic variation with time from a negative to a positive value, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of rapidly and efficiently charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits an inflection point prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge and another inflection point that precedes the first-mentioned inflection point, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of rapidly and efficiently charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits a first and a succeeding inflection point prior to the battery attaining a predetermined charge level, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of rapidly and efficiently charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits an opposed pair of inflection points prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of rapidly and efficiently charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits a plurality of inflection points prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of rapidly and efficiently charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits an inflection point prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge and another inflection point that precedes the first-mentioned inflection point, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of rapidly and efficiently charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits a first and a succeeding inflection point prior to battery attaining a predetermined charge level, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of rapidly and efficiently charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits an opposed pair of inflection points prior to battery attaining substantial full charge, the method comprising the steps of:
A method for rapidly and efficiently charging a battery of the type having a voltage characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the voltage characteristic with time during charging exhibits inflection points prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge in which each inflection point is characterized by a change in sign of the second derivative of the voltage characteristic, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of rapidly and efficiently charging a battery of the type in which the current characteristic drawn by the battery during charging varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the current characteristic with time during charging exhibits inflection points prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge in which each inflection point is characterized by a change in sign of the second derivative of the current characteristic, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of rapidly and efficiently charging a nickel-cadmium battery in which the voltage varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the voltage with time during charging exhibits an inflection point prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge and another inflection point that precedes the first-mentioned inflection point, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of rapidly and efficiently charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits an inflection point just prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of rapidly and efficiently charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits an inflection point just prior to the battery attaining a predetermined charge level, and at least one other inflection point that precedes said first-mentioned inflection point, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of rapidly and efficiently charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits a sequence of a first and a successive inflection point prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge, the method comprising the steps of:
A method of rapidly and efficiently charging a nickel-cadmium battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits an opposed pair of inflection points prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge, the method comprising the steps of:
An apparaus for charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits a plurality of inflection points prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge, said apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for charging a battery of the type having a voltage characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the voltage characteristic with time during charging exhibits an inflection point just prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge, the inflection point characterized by a change in sign of the second derivative of the voltage characteristic variation with time, said apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for charging a battery of the type having a voltage characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the voltage characteristic with time during charging exhibits an inflection point prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge, the inflection point characterized by a change in sign of the second derivative of the voltage characteristic variation with time from a positive to a negative value, said apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for charging a battery of the type having a current characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the current characteristic with time during charging exhibits an inflection point just prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge, the inflection point characterized by a change in sign of the second derivative of the current variation with time, said apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for charging a battery of the type having a current characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the current characteristic with time during charging exhibits an inflection point prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge, the inflection point characterized by a change in the sign of the second derivative of the current variation with time from a negative to a positive value, said apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits an inflection point prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge and another inflection point that precedes the first-mentioned inflection point, said apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits a first and a succeeding inflection point prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge, said apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits an opposed pair of inflection points prior to the battery attaining a predetermined charge level, said apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits a plurality of inflection points prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge, said apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits an inflection point prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge and another inflection point that precedes the first-mentioned inflection point, said apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits a first and a succeeding inflection point prior to battery attaining a predetermined charge level, said apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits an opposed pair of inflection points prior to battery attaining substantial full charge, said apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for charging a battery of the type having a voltage characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits inflection points prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge in which each inflection point is characterized by a change in sign of the second derivative of the voltage characteristic, said apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for charging a battery of the type having a current characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the current characteristic with time during charging exhibits inflection points prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge in which each inflection point is characterized by a change in sign of the second derivative of the current characteristic, said apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for charging a nickel-cadmium battery having a voltage characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the voltage characteristic with time during charging exhibits an inflection point prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge and another inflection point that precedes the first-mentioned inflection point, said apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits an inflection point just prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge, said apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits an inflection point prior to the battery attaining a predetermined charge level and another inflection point that precedes the first-mentioned inflection point, said apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for charging a battery of the type having a characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the characteristic with time during charging exhibits a sequence of a first and a successive inflection point, said apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for charging a nickel-cadmium battery of the type having a voltage characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the variation of the voltage characteristic with time during charging exhibits an opposed pair of inflection points, said apparatus comprising:
A method of rapidly and efficiently charging a battery of the type having an electrical characteristic associated therewith that varies with the state of charge of the battery and in which the characteristic varies with time during charging to exhibit an inflection point just prior to the battery attaining substantial full charge, the method comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.