Patent Application
20070247105
Batteries are used to provide power in an increasingly mobile society. Batteries provide power for starting vehicles. Exasperating inconvenience is experienced in finding a battery run down in attempting to start a vehicle. A good deal of delay is experienced in seeking a service to give the battery a charge. Certain danger exists in hooking up a jumper cable having the conventional alligator clamps for connection. An incorrect polarity connection can result in creating sparks and the risk of a battery explosion is ever present. Consequently, vehicular battery chargers have been developed to address these problems.
Many portable electronic devices also rely on one or more single-cell batteries for power. The plethora of different electronic devices, such as pagers, cellular phones, portable radios, portable CD players, flashlights, and other battery powered electronic equipment in use has created a great volume demand for single-cell battery power, resulting in the sale of both rechargeable and non-rechargeable single-cell batteries.
Rechargeable cells, such as nickel-cadmium cells, have a relatively constant potential during discharge and can be recharged many times, thus extending their useful life. In general, any rechargeable cell contains a combination of active materials which can be electrolytically oxidized and reduced repeatedly. In rechargeable cells, reactions at both electrodes are reversible and the input of current in the appropriate direction from an outside source will reverse the discharge reaction and, in effect, recharge the electrodes.
The rechargeable cells have been used in various type devices, such as toys, calculators, radios and other types of power-operated devices. Many of the power-operated devices on the market today have been designed to accommodate cylindrical cells of the “AA”, “C”, and “D” size. These sizes have now become standard-type cell sizes having overall dimensions which can be found in various publications, such as The American National Standard Specifications For Dry Cell Batteries—ANSI C18.1-1969 published by the American National Standards Institute, Inc., New York, N.Y.
Rechargeable batteries are available in conventional and identical sizes and substantially identical voltages as the non-rechargeable single cell batteries and are often used interchangeably with non-rechargeable batteries. The interchangeable use of either rechargeable or non-rechargeable small single cell batteries creates a problem for the user to distinguish between the rechargeable or non-rechargeable batteries, especially when dealing with a battery charger. To insert a non-rechargeable battery into a single cell battery charger creates a hazardous condition that can result in injury or damage due to leakage of chemicals from the non-rechargeable battery when recharging is accidentally attempted.
Applicant knows of no single device that can provide vehicular battery charging capability as well as portable battery charging capability. Thus, there is a need for a device that can address the power needs generated by consumer power requirements.
In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a battery charger is provided. The battery charger may be designed as a versatile, portable battery charger addressing the most common needs of power for a consumer. The battery charger preferably may provide vehicular battery charging capability and portable battery charging capability, and other power providing capabilities.
In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the portable vehicle battery charger comprises a housing; a DC outlet provided on the housing; an internal battery disposed within the housing and coupled to the DC outlet; vehicular battery charging circuitry disposed in the housing; portable battery charger circuitry disposed in the housing, the portable battery charger circuitry providing charging current to the internal battery and/or to portable batteries inserted into the housing.
The portable battery charger shown in
Several different types of DC power outlets may be provided. For example, USB port 18 may be provided on the housing. The USB port 18 may be used to provide a USB power supply. In embodiments of the invention, a voltage regulator, optionally included in the USB port 18, may convert DC input power, for example, from a 12 V DC input or the battery 20, into a USB compatible 5V/500 mA DC power output. A charging port 19 (
The housing 10 may be provided with at least one DC power input port. For example, DC power may be provided via a cigarette lighter or accessory outlet in a vehicle. A DC input port 15 on housing 10 may be connected to a cigarette lighter plug 16. Also, DC input port 56 may be provided on the housing 10 to receive input from a wall cube 54. The wall cube 54 converts household AC current into DC current.
The portable battery charger may also be provided with vehicular battery charger circuitry 30 (
The vehicular battery charger circuitry 30, within the portable battery charger, may be coupled to an external vehicle battery via jumper cables 26, which are coupled to a DC power input port, and may output a DC power signal that can be used to charge an external battery. Alternatively, the output power signal may be provided to the battery 20 internal to the housing 10 for charging thereof.
The vehicular battery charger circuitry 30 may include many of the features described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,822,425, filed Oct. 15, 2002, such as an alternator check function, fault codes, a battery recondition mode, a cold cranking amps (CCA) read out, and others. A battery gauge such as a linear meter for a digital read out or a bar graph can be provided to display to the user the status of the internal and/or the external battery being charged.
The housing 10 may be provided with a lid 11 (
The cavity 28 may be adapted to accommodate portable batteries of different size and type, such as a 9 volt battery and D, C, AA, etc. size cells. As defined herein, portable batteries comprise any rechargeable portable battery designated as such by any of the American National Standard Specifications as published by the American National Standards Institute, such as ANSI C18 series. Exemplary portable batteries are designated as AAA, AA, C and D and have wide household use.
As shown in
The slide member 41 has a front surface 42 facing top 31 and a back surface 43 facing bottom 32. Various sets of contacts 48, 50 are provided on front surface 42 and back surface 43 respectively. The contacts 48, 44 on front surface 42 and top 31, respectively, are adapted to connect to battery electrodes of opposite polarity. The contacts 50, 46 on back surface 43 and bottom 32, respectively, are adapted to connect to battery electrodes of opposite polarity. For example, positive electrodes of batteries 52 are connected to contacts 44 and negative electrodes of batteries 52 are connected to contacts 48 on front surface 42. The slide member 41 may move along the slots to fit different size batteries. Cavity 28 may also be adapted to receive and charge batteries of different sizes in a variety of other ways which are known to one of ordinary skill in the art.
Additionally, the portable battery charger circuitry 40 may detect if rechargeable or non-rechargeable batteries are placed in the cavity 28. Detection may be made by controller 14. The detection may be based on the characteristics of the portable battery, such as voltage, internal resistance, etc. If a non-rechargeable battery is detected, charging is prevented. Detecting and preventing the charging of non-rechargeable batteries may be done in a known manner.
The portable batteries may be charged with power from a DC input port, the vehicular battery charger 30, or the battery 20. Internal battery 20 may be charged via DC input power, vehicular battery charger circuitry 30, or portable battery charger circuitry 40.
An on/off switch controls the operation of the vehicle battery charger. A set of indicator lights 64 may be provided to show the status of the internal battery 20 or portable batteries being charged. The controller 14 may monitor the various components of the vehicle battery charger and show results on a display. The display may include a linear meter, a digital read out or a bar graph for a user to monitor the operation of the vehicle battery charger.
Numerous different options are contemplated within the apparatus electrically, these options may include such schemes as totally enclosing the internal wiring terminating at a single point input/outlet for all charging functions or, conversely, at multiple points both internal and external. The power inverter, battery charger and other devices may be of varying watts, amperage ratings, etc. The battery configuration may include several different types of technology such as nickel cadmium, lead acid, etc. A port may be provided in the vehicle battery charger to allow for the addition of external batteries of greater capacity than the internal battery. Each of the aforementioned devices are contained within the same housing for a portable vehicle battery charger. The vehicle battery charger can provide both DC and AC power in addition to battery charging capabilities.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60776238 | Feb 2006 | US |
