The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 17, 1996
Filed:
Dec. 09, 1994
Mamoru Suzuki, Saitama, JP;
Minoru Iijima, Tokyo, JP;
Yasuyuki Ishihama, Kanagawa, JP;
Nobuhiro Fujiwara, Kanagawa, JP;
Sony Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A battery charging apparatus for charging the electricity from a current source to a cell includes a variable resistor in parallel with the cell, a cell voltage detection unit for detecting the current voltage value of the cell and a comparator for comparing the current voltage value to a pre-set voltage value. The resistance value of the variable resistor is controlled responsive to the results of comparison so that the current from the current source is caused to flow through both the cell and the variable resistor with progress in the charging of the cell. The current is prevented from flowing through the cell when the cell is fully charged, so that overcharging is eliminated. If plural cells are charged in series, the control operation of not causing the current to flow through the fully charged cell can be carried out for each of the cells, so that integrated charging may be continued until all of the cells are fully charged thus shortening the cell charging time.