Abstract: Apparatus and method for dense energy storage is disclosed. The inner tube of a multi-wall nanotube is reversibly withdrawn from the outer tube thereof via a facing electrode that is biased with respect to the nanotube by an external voltage source. As the inner tube is withdrawn, the potential energy of the van der Waals field between the inner tube and the outer tube increases, which manifests as a force that is directed opposite to the electrostatic force of attraction between the electrode and the inner tube. The storage apparatus is discharged by decreasing the applied voltage, which enables the van der Waals force to overcome the electrostatic force. As a consequence, the inner tube is drawn back into the outer tube. The electrode and nanotube define a variable capacitor and, as such, the change in capacitance based on movement of the inner tube results in a flow of charge to a load.

Abstract: A recharging device with voltage detection for an alkaline primary cell includes an oscillating unit that generates a pulse signal from an input power to charge the alkaline primary cell. The recharging device also includes a detecting unit configured to be electrically coupled to the alkaline primary cell. The detecting unit is also configured to detect a voltage of the alkaline primary cell and output a corresponding detection signal. The recharging device further includes a control unit electrically coupled to the oscillating unit and the detecting unit. The control unit controls the oscillating unit to operate in one of a first charge mode and a waiting mode based on the detection signal output by the detecting unit. The oscillating unit outputs the pulse signal when operated in the first charge mode and discontinues output of the pulse signal when operated in the waiting mode.

Abstract: A modular and scalable power source can be used to supplement an existing source of power. In one embodiment, a DC source can be used to maintain a power source of a host system in a specific state in order to cause a desired behavior.

Abstract: A charging device for charging primary cells includes a transforming rectifying unit, a voltage current processing unit, a microprocessor, an agitating unit, a detecting unit and a display unit. The transforming rectifying unit transforms an input power source into a direct-current output power source, which is transformed by the voltage current processing unit into a direct-current power source and charging power source. The charging power source is used for charging the battery set. The detecting unit detects an output voltage of the battery set and produces a detecting signal. The microprocessor controls an overall charging operation of the charging device according to the detecting signal, including making the agitating unit produce a sine pulse to chemically activate the battery set to remove the carbon deposition, and making the display unit show the charging status.

Abstract: A system for providing rechargeable energy onboard a marine vessel, the system including an energy storage device aboard a marine vessel, an interface device connected to the energy storage device configured to provide power to charge the energy storage device and/or provide power from the energy storage device to the marine vessel, a converter device connected to the interface device configured to convert power to alternating current and/or direct current, depending on an intended purpose of the system, and a conditioning device connected to the converter device, interface device, and/or energy storage device, and configured to establish an acceptable power level and/or an acceptable power waveform. The energy storage device is configured to provide power to the marine vessel to reduce fuel used, emission output, and/or mechanical noise output. A method for providing rechargeable energy onboard a marine vessel is further disclosed.

Abstract: A voltage detection apparatus includes: a battery including a plurality of unit cells mutually connected in series; a plurality of blocks, each block including at least one of the plurality of unit cells; a plurality of voltage detectors, each detector connected to respective one of the blocks, and detecting a voltage between both ends of the unit cell in the one of the blocks; a plurality of reference power sources, each source connected to respective one of the voltage detectors, and at least one of the reference power sources having higher accuracy than the other reference power sources; and a correcting unit which corrects a detection result of the voltage detector which is connected to the other reference power source on the basis of a detection result of the voltage detector which is connected to the reference power source with the higher accuracy.

Abstract: This invention relates to a portable charging equipment in which a socket is provided on side edge of a backup battery and a plug is correspondingly provided on a charger device. A recessed arc portion formed on the bottom surface of the charger device is to abut closely against the peripheral outer edge of the backup battery. A boost unit provided in the charger device is electrically connected to the plug, and a lead wire connected to the boost unit has an output terminal provided on the other end. A tightening strap body having hook and loop structure is attached to the charger device. The backup battery and the charger device can be inseparably affixed together by the fastening action of the tightening strap body.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed at a method and system for recharging batteries for wireless electronic devices. According to one embodiment, a battery charging and monitoring system is disclosed. The system includes a host machine providing a plurality of charging slots and a plurality of wireless devices coupled to and powered by a plurality of batteries. The host machine is adapted to communicate with the plurality of wireless devices through a plurality of wireless links to monitor the plurality of batteries coupled to the wireless devices. According to another embodiment, an electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device is adapted to couple with at least a rechargeable battery and to negotiate with the rechargeable battery for an agreed range of power parameters. The electronic device is further adapted to accept power from and to provide power to the rechargeable battery at the agreed range of power parameters.

Abstract: Briefly described, the invention provides a photovoltaic assembly power output utilizing device which partially charges a capacitor assembly. This capacitor assembly is then partially discharged by a DC/DC power converter in different ranges of voltages in which the power output from the photovoltaic assembly peaks for different light intensities.

Abstract: A battery charger (10) for charging a rechargeable battery (45, 46) which is located in a hearing aid (18, 20), the battery charger (10) includes a power supply for supplying a charging current to the rechargeable battery (45, 46), a hearing aid connector for reception and accommodation of the hearing aid (18, 20), the connector having a set of first electrical terminals (36, 38) connected with the power supply and positioned for connection with the rechargeable battery (45, 46) when the hearing aid (18, 20) is positioned in the connector, and an actuator (32, 34) that is adapted for providing access to the battery (45, 46) for connection with the first electrical terminals (36, 38) when the hearing aid (18, 20) is positioned in the connector.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and arrangement for detecting a situation in which an electrical device is connected to another electrical device. The electrical device comprises a first, second, and third electrical contact terminal (101, 102, 103). Non-zero voltage is arranged between the second and third electrical contact terminal. The other electrical device comprises counterparts (104, 105, 106) for the first, second, and third electrical contact terminal. There is a galvanic coupling (107) between the counterparts for the first and second electrical contact terminal. The arrangement comprises a resistor (108) between the first and second electrical contact terminal and a detector (112) for detecting the situation in which the electrical device is connected to the other electrical device on the basis of a change of an electrical quantity associated with the resistor. The first electrical contact terminal can be e.g. a metal shield on a USB-connector.

Abstract: A battery pack connection scheme is shown that provides an synchronized DC environment for every cell in the pack, such that every cell in the same or similar voltage level in the pack sees exactly the same voltage and current environment. In some embodiments, a pack is provided having a positive load connection terminal and multiple batteries connected in parallel to the terminal. The connections are made via respective conductive paths each including a high-power DC precision cable segment, each of the conductive paths having a resistance suitable to allow an average charge acceptance rate of the battery pack to be greater than a one-hour, or “C1”, charge rate. The precision cable segments preferably have matching impedances, or have matching DC resistances.

Abstract: Multi-mode charger device for charging portable devices and methods of charging portable devices are described. In an embodiment, a multi-mode charger device has mode blocks respectively associated with modes of operation which are coupled to a switch module. The switch module is for coupling a selected one of the mode blocks to a peripheral bus and to decouple the mode blocks remaining from the peripheral bus. A first mode of the modes of operation is a pass through mode. A second mode of the modes of operation is a first charging mode. A third mode of the modes of operation is a second charging mode. The first charging mode and the second charging mode are different from one another.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus (1) includes a power receiving device (2) and an electronic apparatus main body (3). The power receiving device (2) includes a power receiving coil (11) having a spiral coil, a rectifier (12), and a secondary battery (13). The electronic apparatus main body (3) includes an electronic device (14) and a circuit board (15). A magnetic foil (16) is arranged in at least one position between the spiral coil (11) and the secondary battery (13), the rectifier (12), the electronic device (14), or the circuit board (15). The magnetic foil (16) has a ?r?·t value expressed as the product of the real component ?r? of relative permeability and the plate thickness t of 30000 or larger.

Abstract: Circuits and methods to charge batteries of a portable device simultaneously with supplying power to the device for its operation, using a power source with limited maximum current, as e.g. an USB port, have been achieved. The system invented relies upon digital control only. No direct sensing of the current required for the operation of the portable device is required. The control takes care that the sum of the charging current and of the current to run the portable device does not exceed the maximum allowable current of the power source. The current required to run the portable device has precedence over the charging current.

Abstract: A charging control device (D) is installed in a piece of electronic equipment (EE) comprising a rechargeable battery (B) and at least an internal application (A) requiring an application current for its operation. This device (D) comprises a charging control module (CCM) arranged to be coupled to a charger (CH), to be fed with a charge current when it is connected to mains, and coupled i) to the battery (B) to control its charge and provide it with a chosen battery current when so required and when its temperature is within a chosen interval, and ii) to the application (A) to provide it with the application current when the electronic equipment (EE) is connected to the charger (CH). The device (D) also comprises a current sensor means (SM) arranged to determine the current consumed by the application (A) and to deliver a first signal representative of this current consumption.

Abstract: The battery system is provided with a battery 1 that can be recharged, a fuse 8 connected to the battery 1 that blows with excessive current flow, relays 2 connected to the output-side of the battery 1, and a current cut-off circuit 4 that detects excessive battery 1 current and controls the relays 2. The current cut-off circuit 4 detects excessive battery 1 current, and is provided with a timer section 24 that designates a time delay until the relays 2 are switched from ON to OFF. For the delay time of the timer section 24, the fusing current of the fuse 8 is set lower than the maximum cut-off current of the relays 2 and higher than the maximum allowable battery 1 charging and discharging current. In a situation where excessive current greater than the maximum cut-off current of the relays 2 flows through the battery 1, the fuse 8 is blown during the timer 24 delay time, and the current cut-off circuit 4 switches the relays 2 from ON to OFF when the delay time has elapsed.

Abstract: A hybrid battery pack and methods of charging and discharging the same make it possible to manage at least two power sources by one circuit. The hybrid battery pack includes a first power source having a first switching circuit, a second power source connected to the first power source in parallel and having a second switching circuit, a current sensor serially connected to the first and second power sources to sense the currents of the first and second power sources, and a controller to obtain the voltages of the first and second power sources so that the first and second power sources are not over-charged or over-discharged and to calculate the entire capacity of the first and second power sources using the amount of currents obtained by the current sensor.

Abstract: The present invention relates, in general, to a battery voltage equalization apparatus and method, and, more particularly, to a charge equalization apparatus and method, which decrease the withstand voltages of semiconductor switching elements while maintaining charge equalization performance, thus making it easy to implement the secondary windings of transformers while reducing the costs of the charge equalization apparatus. The charge equalization apparatus includes N first transformers (T1 to Tn) connected in series with N series-connected batteries (B1 to Bn) and adapted to decrease voltages of overcharged batteries among the N batteries. A charge storage device (Cdump) stores energy supplied from the first transformers. A second transformer (TS) redistributes energy stored in the charge storage device to the N series-connected batteries.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery, battery set or battery pack having a circuit or a plurality of circuits for providing self-discharging thereof electrically connected in parallel are used to form rechargeable battery assemblies and electric power supply systems for use in electric and hybrid vehicles and the like.