Sun Electric Corporation

Warwick Electronics Inc.

Raymond T Kostecki

An automatic apparatus and method for charging a storage battery from a source of electrical current. The charger includes a current control circuit for conducting regulated charging current through the battery in steps. A voltage monitoring circuit determines when the steps occur by monitoring battery voltage conditions. The steps are sequenced by a ring counter that varies the bias conditions on the current control circuit and voltage monitoring circuit as the steps occur.

Automatic battery charge apparatus and method

In a DC power supply, a switching transistor and an inductor are connected in series between an unregulated DC supply and a DC output terminal. The output DC voltage is a function of the on to off ratio of the switching transistor. The switching period of the switching transistor is controlled by a load feedback circuit which compares the output voltage, as sensed by the voltage drop of the current through the switching transistor, with a sawtooth voltage from a synchronized oscillator. An overload detection circuit includes a diode and integrator coupled to a junction between the inductor and the switching transistor. When the switching transistor is turned off, the load current which was flowing through the switching transistor is diverted to the diode. The current through the diode is thus directly proportional to the load current. The load current is detected and causes disabling of the load feedback circuit when the load current rises above a predetermined level.

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Glenview, IL, United States of America

Raymond T Kostecki