Specifications
US
2011/0181242
A1
[0015]
It is
therefore
an
object
of
the
present
invention
to
provide
a
charger
that
is
capable
of
identifying
primary
non
rechargeable
and
secondary
rechargeable
dry-cell
batteries.
[0016]
It is
another
object
of
the
present
invention
to
pro
vide
a
charger
that
is
capable
of
safely
recharging
the
Widest
range
of
different
consumer
battery
types
that
belong
to
both
groups of
primary
and
secondary
dry-cell
batteries
simulta
neously.
[0017]
It
is
yet
another
object
of
the
present
invention
to
provide
a
charger
that
can
accommodate
several
different
siZes,
namely
AAA,
AA,
C,
D,
Prismatic
or gum-stick,
9V
and
N-siZed
batteries.
The
same
charger
can
also
further
be
expanded
to
include
extra
facilities
to
poWer
a
range
of
oth
erWise
unpoWered
devices
or
charge
up
different
battery
packs
in
many
self-poWered
devices.
[0018]
It
is
still
yet
another
object
of
the
present
invention
to
provide
a
charger
that
is
very
easy
to
use
and
requires
little
or
no
battery
knowledge from
the
user.
[0019]
It is
also
another
object
of
the
present
invention
to
provide
a
charger
that
can
deliver
different
rates
of
fast
and
sloW
charging
to
the
batteries
With
multiple
charge
termina
tion
schemes
and
multiple
safety
protection
capabilities.
[0020]
It is
also
yet
another
object
of
the
present
invention
to
provide
a
charger
that
shoWs
detailed
information
of
the
battery
conditions
and
charging
status
that
are
easily
under
stood.
SUMMARY
OF
THE
INVENTION
[0021]
According
to
the
invention
there
is
provided
multi
chemistry
battery
charging
system
and
method
of
identifying
and
improved
charging
technique
for
primary
and
secondary
dry-cell
batteries.
The
system
provides
a
battery
charger
con
structed
to
accept
a
variety
of
different
siZes
and
different
chemistry
types
of
single
dry-cell
batteries.
It
is
microproces
sor
controlled
and
has
electronic
circuitry
that
can
identify
the
different
primary
and
secondary
batteries
inserted
into
the
charger
and
applies
the
appropriate
prefer
charge
current
and
voltage
to
safely
and
properly
charge
up
the
batteries.
[0022]
The
said
battery
charger
is
built
to
have
multiple
battery
holder
bays
that
have
different
recess
levels
and
slid
ing
spring
mechanisms
that
can
secure
different
siZed
cylin
drical
dry-cell
and
prismatic
siZed
batteries
betWeen
the
posi
tive
and
negative
charging
terminals
of
the
charger.
Each
battery
holder
bay
also
has
a
contact
means
that
can
couple
With
the
tWo
terminals
of
a
9V
battery
and
together
With
the
sliding
spring
contact
Which
pushes
at
the
base of
the
said
9V
battery
and
secure
it
in
place
to
receive
the
charging
poWer.
[0023]
The
electronic
circuitry
Within
the
charger
is
sub
stantially
controlled
by
means
of
a
single
or multiple
micro
processors
capable
of
controlling
and
varying
the
supplies
of
the
charging
current
and
voltage sources applied
to
batteries
appropriately.
The
sWitching
circuits
create
charge
current
pulses
at
different
frequencies
to
achieve
the
desired
effects
of
sloW,
medium
or
fast
charge
rates
suitable
for
recharging
of
multi-chemistry
battery
types
Within
the
same
system.
The
said
circuitry
has
multiple
sub-circuits
knoWn
as
“channels”
layout
in
a
serial
or
parallel
arrangement
that
function
in
unison
yet
independently.
[0024]
The
charger
can
be
designed
to
accept
DC
and
orAC
poWer
and
at
poWer
on,
the
system
Would
perform
a
series
of
self
tests
and
initialiZation
routines
to
ensure
the
Whole
sys
tem
is
functioning
correctly
and
send
out
appropriate
audio
and
or
visual
signals
to
inform
the
user
of
its
status.
The
circuitry
concerned
then
constantly
sends
out
electrical
sig
Jul.
28,
2011
nals
to
all
the
charging
terminals
to
sense
for
the
presence
of
batteries
across
all
available
battery
bays.
[0025]
Upon
a
battery
being
detected
that
it
is
to
be
con
nected
to
the
charger,
the
system
?rstly
measures
the
initial
voltage
of
the
battery
and
compares
it
With
a
io
preset
range
of
values
and
decides
if
the
battery
is
a
neW
or
fully
charged
primary
alkaline
battery.
If
it
is,
then
the
system
Would
promptly
indicate
the
battery
is
fully
charged
and
stop
any
further
processing
of
the
said
battery.
1f
the
required
condition
is
not
met, then
the
system
Would
apply
a
relatively
constant
test
current
of
the
order
betWeen
300
to
500
mA
to
the
battery
for
a
preset
period
and
monitors
the
rate
of
voltage
change
of
the
said
battery.
This
is
the
crucial
criteria
for
identifying
primary
and
secondary
batteries.
[0026]
Under
this
high
current
testing
condition,
the
volt
age
responses
of
most
primary
cells
including
a
large
percent
age
of
rechargeable
alkaline
batteries
(though
called
“rechargeable”
alkaline,
these
have
similar
voltage
rating
of
1
.5V
as
that
of
primary
alkaline
and
their
charging
behaviour
considered
the
same
Which
cuts
off
at
1.7V
full
charged
voltage
level)
and
some
old
NiCd
batteries
(though
NiCd
is
classi?ed
as
secondary
battery
type,
it
behaves
similar
to that
of
primary
alkaline
battery
Where
its
full
charged
voltage
can
go
up
to
1.7V
and
can
accept
sloW
to
moderate
charge
current
similar
to
alkaline
batteries)
Would
quickly
rise
and
meet
a
certain
preset
voltage
level
Which
distinguishing
themselves
as
primary
alkaline
batteries.
[0027]
These
batteries
Would
then
be
charged
using
an
appropriate
loW
to
moderate
charge
current
suitable
for
recharging
of
primary
alkaline
batteries
until
their
preset
full
charged
voltage
is
reached
at
a
preferred
1.7V
level.
The
appropriate
channels
Would
then
be
sWitched
off
from
further
processing
and
suitable
audio
and
or
visual
signals
generated
to
inform
the
user
of
the
battery
‘fully
charged’
status.
Those
voltage
responses
that
overshoot
the
preset
abnormal
voltage
range
Would
render
the
batteries
as
faulty
and/or
no
longer
rechargeable.
The
appropriate
channels
Would
then
be
sWitched
off
from
further
processing
and
suitable
audio
and
or
visual
signals
generated
to
inform
the
user
of
the
‘battery
bad’
status.
[0028]
On
the
other
hand,
secondary
rechargeable
NiMH
and
NiCD
batteries
together
With
a
certain
percentage
of
alkaline
and
rechargeable
alkaline
batteries
Would
have
their
voltage
responses
rise
relatively
sloWer
than
that to
the
con
dition
described
earlier.
These
batteries,
regardless
of
their
battery
types,
have
in
common
very
loW
internal
resistances
and
are
capable
of
accepting
fast
and
safe
pulse
or
constant
charging
current
ranges
betWeen
300
m
to
500
mA.
[0029]
Under
this
fast
charging
rate,
rechargeable
NiMH
batteries’
voltage
responses
Would
rise
sloWly
to
a
preset
full
charged
voltage
range
of
1
.40
to
1
.46V
over
time
Which
varies
depending
on
the
capacity
of
the
batteries
under
charge.
The
battery
voltage
Would
then
stay
relatively
constant
at
the
above
voltage
range
over
a
preset
period
of
time.
When
this
condition
is
met
it
signals
a
full
charged
status
for
NIMH
batteries
and
no
further
processing
to
the
batteries
are
required.
With
the
same
fast
charge
condition,
loW-intemal
resistance
primary
alkaline
and
rechargeable
alkaline
batter
ies
as
Well
as
NiCd’s
voltage
responses
Would
rise
much
faster
than
those
of
NiMH
described
earlier
and
overshoot
the
NiMH
full
charged
voltage
range
of
1.40
to
1.45V
and con
tinue
to
rise further.
[0030]
Once
this
limit
is
passed,
the
system
Would
sWitch
the
appropriate
channels
to
a
sloW
to
moderate
charge
current