Abstract: A portable PV modular solar generator. A plurality of wheels are attached to the bottom of a rechargeable battery container. At least one rechargeable battery is contained inside the rechargeable battery container. A power conditioning panel is connected to the rechargeable battery container. At least one photovoltaic panel is pivotally connected. In a preferred embodiment, the rechargeable battery container is a waterproof battery enclosure having a knife switch connection. A mast having a rotation bar is supported by the waterproof battery enclosure. At least one solar panel support brace for supporting the photovoltaic panel is attached to the rotation bar. The power conditioning panel is waterproof, is attached to the mast and has a door. When the door is opened, at least one safety switch is opened, breaking an electric circuit. The waterproof power conditioning panel has a charge controller and an inverter.

Abstract: A microprocessor couples to a voltage sensor through an analog to digital converter. The voltage sensor is adapted to be coupled across terminals of a battery. A small current source is also provided and adapted to be coupled across the terminal to the battery. The current source is momentarily applied to the battery and the resulting change in voltage is monitored using the microprocessor. The microprocessor calculates battery conductance based upon the magnitude of the differential current and the change in voltage and thereby determines the condition of the battery.

Abstract: A circuit and method for controlling a battery (12) are provided. The circuit (18) includes a switching device (24) disposed between first and second poles (20, 22) of the battery (12) and responsive to a control signal. The circuit also includes a controller (26) that generates the control signal in accordance with a predetermined algorithm responsive to a temperature and a voltage drop across poles (20, 22). The inventive method includes the step (30) of providing a switching device (24) between first and second poles (20, 22) of battery (12). The method further includes the step (34) of controlling switching device (24) responsive to a temperature and a voltage drop across poles (20, 22).

Abstract: A method of charging a battery in which the end of charging is determined by detecting variations in the battery temperature includes the following steps: entering a charging mode, periodically measuring the battery temperature, measuring the variation in the battery temperature per unit time, comparing the battery temperature variation per unit time to a first threshold corresponding to variation of the ambient temperature and the battery temperature, and in this case terminating the charging mode, and to variation of only the ambient temperature, and in this case comparing the battery temperature variation per unit time to a second threshold corresponding to variation of only the battery temperature and terminating the charging mode.

Abstract: A battery open circuit protector for an electrical power distribution system which consists of a number of back-biased diodes in series/parallel arrangement across segments of individual battery cells in a battery. Each diode is back-biased across a segment of individual cells number about 10% to about 15% of the total number of cells making up the battery. Additionally, a voltage divider network analogous to a Wheatstone bridge is connected to the battery and a system distribution control panel wherein the network is connected to the midpoint of the battery cells and includes voltage/current divider resistors to establish monitoring circuits and precision resistors to measure the currents.

Abstract: A method of charging a nickel-hydrogen battery which includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an electrolyte, after the battery has been subject to discharge is disclosed the method comprising the steps of: (a) subjecting the battery to a high charge rate for a period until the battery temperature increases at least &Dgr;T1 over the local minimum battery temperature; (b) switching the battery charge level to a lower rate of charge than in step (a) for a period until the battery temperature increases at least &Dgr;T2 over the local minimum battery temperature; (c) switching the battery charge level to a much lower rate of charge than step (b) for a period up to about 30 to 60 minutes before the next scheduled eclipse; and thereafter (d) switching the battery to a pulse charge equivalent to the high charge rate of step (a).

Abstract: In cell shunt circuit sections provided as overcharge protective measures for a plurality of individual cells of a lithium ion battery which are connected in series with one another so as to be charged with a constant current in a batch manner, the present invention is intended to suppress the generation of heat, which would be caused by shunting a charging current to a cell shunt. In each of the cell shunt circuit sections, an energy reservoir acts as a bypass path for bypassing a charging current supplied to a corresponding one of the battery cells so as to be input to the following battery cell, which is provided at a downstream side of the one battery cell, so as to reserve surplus energy obtained from the charging current thus bypassed and regenerate the thus reserved surplus energy to a batch charging line connected with the serially connected battery cells. A switching element is inserted in the bypass path for opening and closing thereof.

Abstract: A switching power supply circuit is disclosed which allows selective use of a switching element having a comparatively low voltage withstanding property and a low current capacity and can be produced in a low lost and with a small size. Upon starting of power supply, the switching frequency of the switching element is raised by a soft starting circuit to increase a period of time until a secondary side DC output voltage reaches a steady level thereof As a result, the levels of a resonance voltage and a collector current obtained when the switching element starts its switching operation are suppressed.

Abstract: A control circuit measures the battery voltage, intermediate voltage and discharge current of a rechargeable battery comprising a plurality of cells connected in series, at prescribed time intervals, and detects values for these parameters based on running averages for a prescribed number of measurement operations, while also detecting the battery temperature. If the battery temperature becomes equal to or greater than a prescribed temperature, or if the discharge current is an excessive current equal to or greater than a prescribed value, or if the battery voltage is equal to or less than a prescribed value, or if it is judged, from detection of the intermediate voltage that the balance between cell capacities has declined, then the control circuit halts discharge from the rechargeable battery by switching an FET to OFF.

Abstract: A battery charger capable of simultaneously charging at least one battery of different size is provided. The battery charger includes an upper housing, a lower housing, and at least one charging unit. The charging unit includes a battery receptacle, a switching device and a contact element. The switching device is positioned in one side of the battery receptacle and the contact element is positioned in the other side of the battery receptacle. When the switching device is switched to a first position, a first size battery would be charged and when the switching device is switched to a second position, the second size battery would be charged.

Abstract: A battery pack comprises a solar panel, a battery, a connector, and a charge/discharge circuit. The solar panel converts light energy into electric energy. The battery is charged with the electric energy from the solar panel. The connector supplies the electric energy to a portable terminal device. The charge/discharge circuit supplies the electric energy from the solar panel to the connector, and supplies the electric energy from the battery to the connector or charges the battery with part of the electric energy from the solar panel, in accordance with the amount of electric energy to be used by said portable terminal device, while the portable terminal device is in operation.

Abstract: The invention is a method of recharging a thermal battery after it has been activated and at least partially discharged and the battery is still at a temperature where the electrolyte is still active. The method comprises the step of at least partially recharging the battery prior to the battery temperature reaching a level where the electrolyte becomes non-active. The method optionally may include insulation or supplemental heater system about the thermal battery.

Abstract: A control unit of a portable electronic apparatus includes a secondary battery cell or a battery, a control unit in which information about the electric power characteristics of the secondary battery or the battery has been stored, a loading unit into which plural types of batteries which produce the same output voltage and incorporating output terminals having the same shape are loaded, a communication unit for receiving information about the electric power characteristics from the battery; and a control unit incorporating a storage portion in which information about a plurality of operations corresponding to information about the electric power characteristics is stored and arranged to read information about the operation from the storage portion in accordance with information about the electric power characteristics communicated from the control unit of the battery pack to control a plurality of operations of an apparatus body.

Abstract: In a remote control receiving system of an electronic apparatus such as a television receiver, a charger is connected to the output terminal of a sub regulator for driving a load such as a microcomputer by using an AC power source as an energy source, and a charging switch is connected between the load and the charger, and thereby the charging switch is controlled to turn on or off by a comparator on the basis of the charged voltage in the charger.

Abstract: A charging layout for one or more batteries of an electric vehicle includes one or more batteries having an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit, wherein the inlet conduit is connected to a distribution unit, and the outlet conduit is connected to a draining unit, a collector tank unit of a filling station connected to the draining unit, an active tank of a filling station connected to the distribution unit, wherein the active tank comprises a primary reservoir for electrode suspension and a primary electrolyte reservoir for electrolyte, and a fixing unit connected to the one or more batteries for fixation and removal of the electrode suspension from the one or more batteries.

Abstract: The charging apparatus charges a load capacitor to a predetermined voltage, and comprises an inverter which is connected to a dc power, a transformer which is connected to the ac side of the inverter, and an inductance which is connected in series to the primary and secondary windings of the transformer and comprises leakage inductance of the transformer, a rectifier which is connected to the secondary side of the transformer, and a switch element which is provided on the secondary side of the transformer. The inverter comprises a switching semiconductor element, connected to the dc power, and a feedback diode, connected in reverse parallel to the switching semiconductor element. The switching element short-circuits the output of the inductance when the charge voltage of the load capacitor has reached a predetermined value, preventing an inertial current, generated by energy which has accumulated in the inductance, from flowing to the load capacitor.

Abstract: A voltage-responsive optical sensing device such as a semiconductor device of a light emitting device and/or liquid crystal device of a sensing apparatus for sensing an excessive charge and/or excessive discharge state of a battery, such as a lithium ion secondary battery is incorporated into an inside of a cell of a cell group to form the battery. For example, with electrodes of the liquid crystal device connected in parallel to the cell and a light beam of an external light source introduced into the liquid crystal device, a photo sensor senses a change in a light-transmissive characteristic of the liquid crystal device so that the state of the cell constituting the battery can be sensed.

Abstract: A battery controller 6 is connected to a DC/DC converter 3. The battery controller 6 checks the capacities of a battery 4 and a battery 5, calculates a duty ratio between the battery 4 and the battery 5 based on the capacities to determine a switching timing in which a plurality of switching elements are to be switched, and sets the duty ratio in the DC/DC converter 3.

Abstract: A stand-alone battery charger warning system for use with portable electronic devices is disclosed whereby a warning is generated in response to a determination that a) a battery is not presently connected to the charger and b) at least one predetermined time criterion has been met. This warning system advantageously may be used universally with any number of different battery chargers and is not limited to just one make or model. A particular embodiment of the present invention consists of a housing within which is contained the electronic circuitry and controls necessary to implement the warning system functionality. This housing is connected to an electrical source, such as a typical home electrical outlet. The battery charger for the portable electronic device is then connected electrically to the warning system.

Abstract: In a battery accumulating apparatus, a charge current I1 from the charging solar battery 9 is supplied to the storage battery 5 through the switch 10, and charges the storage battery 5. The charge controller 4b detects each cell voltage of the storage battery 5, and when any cell voltage reaches a prescribed value, the charge controller 4b turns the switch 10 which is in the ON status to the OFF status. The charge controller 4b has a function which generates the charge currents I2 and I3 (I2>I3) whose levels are lower than the charge current I1, according to the output from the charging solar battery 9, and which supplies the charge current I2 to the storage battery 5 to charge the battery at the same time as the turning OFF of the switch 10. The storage battery 5 is charged by the charge current I2, and when any cell voltage reaches a prescribed value, the charge controller 4b switches the charge current I2 to the charge current I3, and supplies the charge current I3 to the storage battery 5.