Abstract: There is provided a system for pre-charging a capacitor by means of a battery, including a switch and an element for limiting charging current of the capacitor, said switch and said limiting element being connected whereby a charging current from the battery to the capacitor may pass through said switch and said limiting element, which is characterized in that the limiting element for limiting the charging current of the capacitor is an energy transfer device.

Abstract: A method for balancing a battery (C) comprising a plurality of branches (Ba, Bb, . . . , Bn) in parallel, each branch comprising at least two electrochemical cells in series (E1a, E2a, E3a, E1b, E2b, E3b), with an activatable electrical energy discharge or transfer device (Rb) being connected across the terminals of each electrochemical cell, comprises activating the electrical energy discharge or transfer devices connected across the terminals of the cells of the branch that includes the electrochemical cell having the lowest voltage, with the exception of the electrical energy discharge or transfer device associated with the electrochemical cell having the lowest voltage, and simultaneously deactivating the electrical energy discharge or transfer devices connected across the terminals of the cells of the branch or branches that do not include the electrochemical cell with the lowest voltage.

Abstract: There is provided a system for pre-charging a capacitor by means of a battery, including a switch and an element for limiting charging current of the capacitor, said switch and said limiting element being connected whereby a charging current from the battery to the capacitor may pass through said switch and said limiting element, which is characterized in that the limiting element for limiting the charging current of the capacitor is an energy transfer device.

Abstract: A method for managing the charge of a battery having at least one rechargeable electrochemical cell. A charging circuit applies a trickle charge current to the battery and, when the temperature of the battery is below a first threshold temperature, an overcharge current for keeping the battery within its nominal temperature range even if the battery is employed in a cold environment. And a related electronic system for a battery implementing the method and a battery employing such system.

Abstract: A control system for a rechargeable battery including at least two electrochemical generators electrically connected by a power line. The system includes a protection unit and at least two control units respectively connected to the terminals of each electrochemical generator. Each control unit is designed to measure at least one operating parameter pertaining to the generator and to command the protection unit by transmission of carrier currents on the power line. The control system dispenses with the master processor for commanding the battery protection units and reduces the connecting wires by dispensing with the measurement leads designed to transmit the measurements of the operating parameters of each generator to the master processor.

Abstract: A method for managing the charge of a battery comprising at least one rechargeable electrochemical cell is provided, in which the charging circuit applies a trickle charge current to said battery and, when the temperature of the battery is below a first threshold temperature, an overcharge current for keeping the battery within its nominal temperature range even if the battery is employed in a cold environment.

Abstract: A device controlling the charging of at least one electrochemical generator (1) comprises means (3, 4) of measuring the current passing through the electrochemical generator, means (5, 6, 7) of integrating the measured current, means (5, 8) of comparing the value of the integrated current with an index value (9) and means (2) of interrupting the passage of the current into the electrochemical generator when the integrated current reaches the index value. A device controlling the charging of a plurality of electrochemical generators, comprising at least two sets of electrochemical generators (1) connected in parallel to a charger, each connection of a set to the charger comprising a branch of the circuit equipped with the device according to the invention. This control device does not need a system of communication between the branches of the circuit.

Abstract: A control system for a rechargeable battery comprising at least two electrochemical generators electrically connected by a power line comprises a protection unit and at least two control units respectively connected to the terminals of each electrochemical generator. Each control unit is designed to measure at least one operating parameter pertaining to the said generator and to command the protection unit by transmission of carrier currents on the power line. The control system according to the invention dispenses with the master processor for commanding the battery protection units and reduces the connecting wires by dispensing with the measurement leads designed to transmit the measurements of the operating parameters of each generator to the master processor.

Abstract: A battery assembly comprises at least two electrochemical cell modules (1-i) connected in series and each comprising at least one electrochemical cell (2), associated with a protection device comprising as many primary protection blocks (5-i) as there are electrochemical cell modules (1-i), each block (5-i) being connected in parallel with a respective one of the electrochemical cell modules (1-i) and comprising at least one 1S type electronic protection circuit (6) and a diode (7) connected in parallel with the 1S circuit and upstream therefrom relative to the current flow direction.

Abstract: A battery assembly comprises at least two electrochemical cell modules (1-i) connected in series and each comprising at least one electrochemical cell (2), associated with a protection device comprising as many primary protection blocks (5-i) as there are electrochemical cell modules (1-i), each block (5-i) being connected in parallel with a respective one of the electrochemical cell modules (1-i) and comprising at least one 1S type electronic protection circuit (6) and a diode (7) connected in parallel with the 1S circuit and upstream therefrom relative to the current flow direction.

Abstract: A battery assembly (E) comprises firstly a battery (B) having at least one module (1-i) constituted by at least two secondary electrochemical cells (2-j) connected in series, and secondly control apparatus comprising control means (4) for acting at the end of charging the battery (B) to determine the number of cells (1-i) that are in working condition in each module (2-j) and then for determining a threshold voltage value for each module (1-i) as a function of said number, and finally for acting at the end of discharge of the battery (B) to compare an end-of-discharge voltage measured across the terminals of each module (1-i) with the corresponding threshold voltage as previously determined so as to interrupt operation of the battery (B) when at least one measured end-of-discharge voltage (VFD-i) is less than the corresponding value determined for the threshold voltage.

Abstract: The battery unit includes a storage battery (AC) with an integral charge control circuit (CC). The charge control circuit (CC) includes a switch (S) adapted to prevent or allow charging current (Ic) to flow into the storage battery (AC), said switch (S) being controlled by a measuring system for measuring at least one physical parameter (T1, Tn, Vb) representative of the state of the storage battery (AC) in order to command successive opening and closing of the switch (S) to chop said charging current (Ic) if said measured physical parameter crosses a predetermined threshold The end of charging of the storage battery is then optimized by the battery unit itself, so that a simple constant current generator is sufficient to charge the storage battery satisfactorily.

Abstract: The battery unit includes a storage battery (AC) with an integral charge control circuit (CC). The charge control circuit (CC) includes a switch (S) adapted to prevent or allow charging current (Ic) to flow into the storage battery (AC), said switch (S) being controlled by a measuring system for measuring at least one physical parameter (T1, Tn, Vb) representative of the state of the storage battery (AC) in order to command successive opening and closing of the switch (S) to chop said charging current (Ic) if said measured physical parameter crosses a predetermined threshold The end of charging of the storage battery is then optimized by the battery unit itself, so that a simple constant current generator is sufficient to charge the storage battery satisfactorily.

Abstract: A battery unit includes at least one storage cell, two external connecting terminals, one of which is positive and the other of which is negative, and a safety circuit connected to prohibit entry of charging current into the cell as soon as a voltage applied between the external connecting terminals is greater than a particular maximum safety voltage. An additional protection circuit is connected between the external terminals and the safety circuit to prohibit the entry of charging current into the safety circuit as soon as the voltage applied between the external connecting terminals is greater than a particular maximum charging voltage which is less than the maximum safety voltage. This prevents the safety circuit operating unnecessarily.

Abstract: A battery unit includes at least one storage cell, two external connecting terminals, one of which is positive and the other of which is negative, and a safety circuit connected to prohibit entry of charging current into the cell as soon as a voltage applied between the external connecting terminals is greater than a particular maximum safety voltage. An additional protection circuit is connected between the external terminals and the safety circuit to prohibit the entry of charging current into the safety circuit as soon as the voltage applied between the external connecting terminals is greater than a particular maximum charging voltage which is less than the maximum safety voltage. This prevents the safety circuit operating unnecessarily.

Abstract: A cell charging voltage adapter circuit, and a battery including such a circuit, wherein the charging circuit includes terminals (2, 3) of resistor (8) between one of the connecting terminals (2; 3) and one of the output terminals (6; 7) and a comparator 910) between the connecting terminals and adapted to control the variable resistor in accordance with the results of comparing the voltage between the connecting terminals and a nominal voltage.