Dimensions Unlimited, Inc.

Saft America

American Monarch Corporation

Frederick D Heavey

Dennis L Getter

Bradley P Cornell

Rudolph Engleman

Mark R Kaldun

A power supply apparatus comprising a first apparatus for supplying power having a first power output, a second apparatus for supplying power having a second power output and a load monitoring apparatus for monitoring a third power output. The load monitoring apparatus has an input coupled to the third power output, and the load monitoring apparatus also includes a monitor output. A switching apparatus connects the first power output and the second power output to the third power output, wherein the switching apparatus has an input connected to the monitor output and switches in response to the monitor output.

Co-inverter apparatus

A battery charger employing the gassing point of a lead-acid battery to determine the end of charge time and voltage. A charging level sensor takes two voltage samples of a predetermined time period to determine the change in voltage rate. If the change in voltage rate exceeds a predetermined amount the batteries are considered to be gassing. The batteries are further charged for a predetermined amount of time after the gassing phase has been entered. The invention provides a load management control function to provide a safe DC charge voltage when a hall effect sensor senses a DC load. The charger is cut off if a house load is used while the battery is being charged. The charging circuit achieves different end of charge voltages depending on a user selected battery type. The battery charger is a constant voltage temperature compensated current limited charger.

Battery charging method and apparatus

An improved DC to AC electrical inverter has a new and improved method and apparatus with forced air ventilation cooling that significantly increases sustainable AC power output. The methods include the steps of forcing an air flow out of the inverter enclosure and over an external heat sink, and forcing an air flow through a special power transformer between the windings and the core. The apparatus has at least one fan, an air outlet and structure for guiding and directing a forced air flow to and over an external heat sink for the power switches. A structure to continuously force cooling air through the power transformer is also provided.

DC to AC inverter with improved forced air cooling method and apparatus

A dual state power system utilizing power drivers to switch an alternator from 12 volt to 24 volt charging. A 12-24 volt alternator regulator charges a 12 volt battery or a 24 volt battery depending on the position of a mode switch. The invention allows the use of one alternator/engine combination to charge either a 12 volt or 24 volt system. The invention uses a 12 volt mode priority to override a 24 volt charging mode. The 24 volt charging mode is interrupted to provide voltage to a 12 volt battery for a predetermined time period. A voltage controller drives a smart electrical current driver which controls the output of an alternator. A reset circuit determines from system parameters reported from system components whether the charging system to a reset error circuit whether or not the alternator is operating correctly. A sense lamp driver indicates to the user that the system is in a non functioning state. A 12 volt mode lock-out and 24 volt mode lock-out isolates the 12 volt or 24 volt modes where appropriate. An open circuit sensor drives a reset circuit that prevents an open circuit from damaging the system. The reset shuts off alternator fields for many conditions including a fault in the alternator or the two power drivers or an open circuit.

12-24 volt power system

A method and apparatus for charging batteries of the type characterized by entry into a gassing phase just prior to reaching full charge, are disclosed. Means are provided for periodically applying a load across the battery terminals during charging of the battery and for accurately measuring the battery discharge through the load. All signals other than those directly attributable to the battery energization of the load are removed from the measured signal. The isolated load response signal is compared to a predetermined threshold value established for the battery being charged to accurately determine when the battery enters into its gassing phase. Battery charging is maintained following entry of the battery into its gassing phase for a period of time known to return a predetermined overcharge of approximately 5 to 15% to the battery.

Method and apparatus for charging batteries

A standby AC electrical power system connected between a load device and the AC line voltage comprises a voltage responsive control circuit connected between the AC line voltage source and a DC to AC inverter circuit. The control circuit generates a continuously pulsating DC control voltage which has an envelope which responds to and follows but at a different rate the increase and decrease in the envelope of the output of a full wave rectifier fed by the AC line voltage. The control voltage remains above a given triggering level when the average value of the rectified output for the current half cycle involved stays above a given monitored level indicating that the average value of the current half cycle of the AC line voltage is above a given low level and drops to the triggering level when the average value of the current half cycle of the AC line voltage drops to the given low level. The circuit which generates this control voltage comprises a multi-branched capacitor charge and discharge circuit having a first relatively long time constant producing branch which provides a relatively slowly increasing envelope in response to the rise in the envelope of the rectified output of a relatively short time constant producing branch which provides a relatively rapidly decreasing envelope in response to the drop in the envelope of the rectified output. A trigger circuit responds to the dropping of the envelope of the control voltage to the triggering level by connecting a DC battery to the DC to AC inverter circuit which then supplies an AC voltage to the load device.

Growing community of inventors

Saint Paul, MN, United States of America

Frederick D Heavey