method and apparatus for controlling the charging of a rechargeable

USOO5686815A O

UIllted States Patent [19] [11] Patent Number: 5,686,815 Reipur et al. [45] Date of Patent: Nov. 11, 1997

[54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR 4,746,854 5/1988 Baker et a1. . CONTROLLING THE CHARGING OF A 4,947,124 3/1990 Hansel’. RECHARGEABLE BATTERY TO ENSURE 4,961,043 10/1990 Koenck .

THAT FULL CHARGE rs ACHIEVED 2,813,233 Ezra?“ 6‘ “1- - , , amsamy .

WITHOUT DAMAGING THE BATTERY 5,121,047 6/1992 Goedken et a]. _

, 5,136 31 8/1992 Faulk . [75] Inventors: John Rerpur, Klarnpenborg; Ebbe 5’157g20 10/1992 Kun-lom Jlllll-HBIISCD, StCIllQlSC, both of 5,179,335 1,1993 Nol- _ Denmark 5,193,743 3/1993 McClure a a1. .

[73] Assignee: Chartec Laboratories A/S, Denmark FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

0 005 841 A2 12/1979 European Pat. Off. . [21] Appl. No.: 388,680 0 034 003 8/1981 European Pat. 01f. .

_ 0 074 444 Al 3/1983 European Pat. O?'. . [22] Flled: Feb. 14, 1995 0 121 325 A2 10/1984 European Pat O?'. .

_ _ 0 124 739 A1 11/1984 European Pat. O?. . Related U.S. Applrcatron Data

(List continued on next page.) [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 104,123, ?led as PCI‘I

DK92/00047, Feb. 14, 1992, and a continuation-in-part of Primary Examiner-Edward Tso PCT/DK93/00267, Aug- 16, 1993- Attomey, Agent, or Firm—Michael A. Lechter; James H.

[51] I111. Cl.6 ...................... .. H01M 10/44; HOlM 10/46; PhJJllPs

1101M 10/48 [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. ............................... .. 320/21; 320/22; 320/48;

429/90; 324/426 In order to optimally control the charging of a rechargeable [58] Field of Search ............................. .. 320/2, 5, 21, 22, battery of one OI more cells to ensure that full and rapid

320/30, 31’ 39’ 48’ 35; 324/426’ 427; 340/635; charge is achieved Without damaging the battery, a maxi 429/90 mum safe value (or sequence of values during the charging

process) for one or more charging parameters is determined - durin a test char e and subse uent char es of the batt 56 Refere ces C ted g g ’ q g cry

[ 1 n l are performed without exceeding the predetermined maxi U_S_ PATENT DOCUMENTS mum value(s) for the charging parameter(s). Among the

charging parameters contemplated for use are: the charging 1519;; gauge] ‘2131' ' voltage potential placed across the battery terminals, the

4’l79’648 12,579 Sis“: ' ' charging current supplied to the battery, the temperature of 4’302’714 11/1981 Yefsky ' the battery cell and internal pressure of the battery cell as 4:361:80.) “[1982 B11 at ' Well as rates of changes of the parameters. In accordance 4,371,326 2/1983 Shelly _ with apparatus for practicing the invention, the value(s) of 4,383,582 6/1983 Saar et a1. . one or more predetermined maximum parameters are stored, 4,392,101 7/1983 Saar et a1. . and the corresponding actual charging parameter values are 4,463,605 3/1934 Fitzgerald et a1- - measured during the charging process and compared to the 4,503,378 3/ 1935 J°n°s ct 31- - stored values to develop signals for controlling the charging

1%; 14:252.: process and thereby maintain the monitored parameter(s) no 4:667:143 5/1987 Cooper et aL ‘ ' ' higher than the predetermined maximum value(s). 4,670,703 6/1987 Williams .

4,710,694 12/1987 Sutphin et a1. . 130 Claims, 32 Drawing Sheets

Voltage

Time

5,686,815

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS 40 27 146 A1 3/1992 Germany . 2 132 155 5/1987 United Kingdom . g gurmw g: - 2 219 151 1111989 United Kingdom .

0 293 664 1211988 Emma Pat' O?- ' 2 237 696 5/1991 United Kingdom. 0 361 359 4/1990 European Pat: 011: I 2 259 615 3/1993 Unéwd K§ngd°m ' 0 399 321 11/1990 European Pat. 011’. . 2 260 231 ‘"1993 Umted Kmgd‘m - 0 432 690 6/1991 European Fat. 011. . W0 36/004“; "1986 WIPO -

0 s23 526A2 1/1993 European Pat. 01f. . WO 39/0894‘) 9/1989 WlPO - o 526 374 A2 2/1993 European Pat. 011. . WO 90/03682 411990 WIPO - 0 545 633 A1 6/1993 European Pat. 01f. . W0 91/19343 12/1991 WIPO . 27 30 195 A1 1/1979 Germany . WO 92115142 9/1992 WIPO .

33 08 515 9/1983 Germany , WO 92116991 10/1992 WIPO . 90 10972.4 3/1990 Germany . wo 94/01913 111994 MP0 .

39 24 499 A1 1/1991 Germany . wo 94/01914 1/1994 WIPO .

US. Patent Nov. 11, 1997 Sheet 1 0f 32 5,686,815

Time

Voltage + ig. 1

U.S. Patent Nov. 11, 1991 Sheet 2 of 32 5,686,815

Time

AT?) AT2 AH

TI T2 T3

Voltage A Fig. 2

US. Patent Nov. 11, 1997 Sheet 3 of 32 5,686,815

a) ‘0-1 D.) E.

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Temp. (C) E 3 8 3 3 8 3 °


FIG. 5 //50 220v

2 +9v 3 :1}— ~ CURRENT Q 4

5 77 V55 8 CONTROL

R56- cmcun 6 I

I 10 7 9

STORE PROCESSOR A/D

C/MRGER CHARGER POWER SUPPLY

CONTROLLING comma/v0

MICRO MICRO com/20am 42 com/9on5‘? 42 44

BA TIER)’ BATTERY BATTERY 6x7 cm 6x7 cm. 6x7 CELL

' MIC/P0

4' MICRO 4’ _QQNf/?0LU;:?__ EEPROM mm‘ CONTROLLER CONTROL

40 . 40 DEVICE 40


2

1 ......... -i // Q ,O\b\ “l2! SQ NE Til 5E

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Patent Nov. 11, 1997 Sheet 11 0f 32 5,686,815

Q) 4 cn c

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US. Patent

Fig. 15

Voltage (V)

Current (A)

Temp. (C)

Nov. 11, 1997 Sheet 13 0f 32 5,686,815

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U.S. Patent Nov. 11, 1997 Sheet 16 of 32 5,686,815

0550 m5;

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US. Patent Nov. 11, 1997 Sheet 18 of 32 ‘ 5,686,815

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method and apparatus for controlling the charging of a rechargeable

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