Abstract
An electronic battery equalization circuit that equalizes the voltages of a plurality of series connected batteries in a battery pack. The current waveform is in the shape of a ramp for providing zero current switching. The ramp converter power circuit has at least one semiconductor device and a transformer coupled to the equalizing voltage supply source. The transformer has a primary winding circuit and at least one secondary winding circuit. In one embodiment, each secondary winding circuit is connected to a different pair of batteries. The equalizing current is provided to the lowest voltage batteries in one half of the battery pack during one half of the charging cycle. The equalizing current is then provided to the lowest voltage batteries in the other half of the battery pack during the other half of the charging cycle. In another embodiment, each secondary winding circuit is connected to a different single battery. The equalizing current is supplied to a lowest voltage battery in the battery pack during each half of the switching cycle. The electronic battery equalization circuit also includes a feedback control circuit coupled to the primary winding circuit for controlling the current from the equalizing current supply source.
Document Type
Patent
Primary Class
320/116
Secondary Class
320/124; 320/164; 320/DIG.13
Application Number
08/703445
Filing Date
August 1996
Patent Number
US5666041
Assignee(s)
The University of Toledo
Publication Date
9-9-1997
Patent Country
US
Language
en_US
Institution
The University of Toledo
Repository
University of Toledo Libraries
Digital Publisher
Digital Initiatives
Rights
These materials are free of copyright restrictions and are in the public domain within the United States only. The USPTO reserves the right to assert copyright protection internationally.
Rights Statement
No Copyright - United States. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/
The organization that has made the Item available believes that the Item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The Item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information.