Battery life extender apparatus
OwnerDennis R. Meyerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for extending the battery life of a seasonal-use battery. The apparatus is an improvement in a seasonal-use device having a battery charging system, wherein the battery charging system includes a voltage step-down device coupled to the charging system. The improvement includes a mechanism integral the battery charging system for providing a maintenance current to the battery proximate the battery's self-discharge rate. A mechanism is provided for coupling the battery charging system to an external power source. The apparatus for extending the battery life may also be coupled to the seasonal-use device system controller.
Claims22
Apparatus for precluding discharge of a rechargeable battery used in an intermittent-use device, the apparatus comprising:
- means for providing to the battery a maintenance direct current proximate the specific battery's discharge rate while the device is not in use, including a non-voltage regulated power supply having a direct current output, and means for transmitting the direct current to the battery as said maintenance direct current;
- and
- means for coupling the means for providing a maintenance direct current to an external power source.
A method of precluding discharge of a rechargeable battery used in an intermittent-use environment, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing to the battery a maintenance direct current proximate the specific battery's discharge rate while the device is not in use, including providing a non-voltage regulated power supply having a direct current output, and transmitting the direct current to the battery as the maintenance current;
- and
- coupling the power supply to an external power source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.