JPS62239835A - Method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Technical Field of the Invention) The present invention relates to a storage battery charging method and a charging device, and particularly relates to charging of a sealed nickel-cadmium storage battery.

(Prior Art to the Invention) Sealed nickel-cadmium storage batteries, which are widely used in general, have the characteristic of being able to be used repeatedly by being charged appropriately depending on the usage status of the battery capacity, but the charging method is Since batteries tend to be easily damaged if their characteristics are not suitable, various charging methods and devices are used to ensure safety during charging operations. To explain these methods and devices: (a) There is a method of charging the storage battery using a weak current of 0.10A or less. According to this method, there is no risk of overcharging, and It will not deteriorate the battery. However, it has the disadvantage that charging takes a very long time.

(b) There is a method and an apparatus in which a charging end voltage Va is set based on a charging characteristic curve of a storage battery, and charging is performed for a period of time until the battery voltage reaches the ending voltage. However, this method and device have the disadvantage that each storage battery has a different charging characteristic curve, and depending on where in the charging characteristic the charging end voltage is set, overcharging or undercharging may occur. However, there was a problem in that the charging end voltage had to be constantly changed depending on the state of the storage battery.

(C) There is a method of predetermining the charging time with a timer and charging only for a predetermined time, but with this method, charging is performed without detecting the battery voltage or charging capacity of the storage battery being charged. Therefore, there was a drawback that overcharging or undercharging was likely to occur.

None of the methods and devices described above can reliably charge the battery in a short period of time.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art, and provides a method and apparatus that can perform complete charging in a relatively short period of time.

(Structure and operation of the invention) The present invention will be described in detail below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a method and apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a specific circuit diagram of FIG. 1, and FIGS. This is an explanatory diagram showing the characteristics.

In each figure, 1 is a voltage setting circuit that can variably set the charging voltage, 2 is a voltage detection circuit that compares the charging voltage based on the voltage set in voltage setting circuit 1, and 3 is a timer that controls charging for a certain period of time. circuit, 4 is a current value determining circuit that can set a plurality of charging currents, 5 is a storage battery to be charged, 6a, 6
b is a charging connection terminal.

In the device configured as above, the storage battery 5 to be charged is connected between the charging connection terminals 6a and 6b,
The voltage setting circuit 1 sets the voltage to be charged by the first charging operation performed first, and sends information on the set voltage to the voltage detection circuit 2. The voltage to be set is shown in Figure 3 (
As shown in b), it is necessary to set a value vb that is slightly lower than the charging end voltage Va. When first charging is started in this state, charging of the storage battery 5 is started via the current value determining circuit 4 with the current 11 shown in FIG.

The state of the charging capacity charged in the storage battery 5 is constantly monitored by the voltage detection circuit 5, and when the voltage charged in the storage battery 5 reaches the voltage vb shown in FIG. 3(a) set by the voltage setting circuit 1. At this time, the voltage detection circuit 5 sends information to the current value determination circuit 4 and the timer circuit 3 to change the charging current for the storage battery 5 from 1 to 12 shown in FIG. 3(a), and
The operation of the clock circuit 3 is started. The charging current for the storage battery 5 changes from I to 12, and the second charging is carried out by the timing circuit 3.
Charging is performed for the time set in . When charging for a certain period of time by the timer circuit 3 is completed, information is sent from the timer circuit 3 to the current value determining circuit 4, and the charging current for the storage battery 5 is changed from ■ to ■3 as shown in FIG. 3(a). The storage battery 5 is configured to be charged until the charging operation is completed.

FIG. 2 is a specific circuit configuration diagram of the voltage detection circuit 2 and the current value determination circuit 4 for performing the above operation. The setting voltage set in the setting circuit 1 is compared with the charging voltage for the storage battery 5, and the timing circuit 3 is controlled based on the comparison result. It is configured to change the charging current value by sequentially controlling the operations of transistors Q1 to Q3 depending on when the comparator of circuit 2 outputs and when a certain period of time has elapsed from timing circuit 3. is.

Regarding the charging current values 11 to I3, 11 is a substantially constant current that is slightly smaller than the battery capacity, and I2 is a substantially constant current that is smaller than T1 and is such that the gas generated from the anode of the storage battery 5 can be absorbed by the cathode. , and I3 is a substantially constant weak current that will not cause the battery to deteriorate even if it is charged for a long time. Charging at current value (3) continues charging until the storage battery is used. - It is widely known that storage batteries generally self-discharge, and this is done to prevent this.

Further, Va is the charging/N termination voltage explained in the prior art section, and vb is the voltage setting value in the present invention.

As explained above, according to the charging method of the present invention, the first charging up to a predetermined voltage, the second charging performed for a certain period of time by the timing circuit after the first charging, and the second charging performed after the second charging. The battery capacity (remaining capacity) of the storage battery is determined by charging in three stages: voltage value, time, and weak constant current, such as the third charging with a weak current that can prevent self-discharge. This charging method allows charging regardless of the capacity of the battery, and does not cause overcharging or undercharging.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, the method of charging the storage battery of the present invention and the charging N
According to the device, the first charging is performed to charge to a predetermined constant voltage value, the second charging is performed for a certain period of time after the first charging, and the third charging is performed using a weak current after the second charging.
Since charging is performed in multiple stages, it has the excellent effect of reliably charging a storage battery in a short period of time, regardless of its condition.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a specific circuit diagram of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3(a). (b) is an explanatory diagram showing charging characteristics. 1...
Voltage setting circuit, 2... Voltage detection circuit, 3...
...Clock circuit, 4...Voltage value determination circuit, 5.
...Storage battery, 6a. 6b...charging connection terminal, a...charging end voltage, vb...charging voltage setting value.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a method of charging a storage battery in which charging is performed using a voltage difference between a DC power source and a battery voltage, a first charge is performed until the battery voltage reaches a predetermined voltage value due to charging from the DC power source. and a charging current in a plurality of stages: a second charge for a certain period of time by a timer that operates after the battery voltage reaches a predetermined value, and a third charge that is performed after a certain period of charge by the timer. A storage battery charging method characterized by switching values. (2) A charging device that charges a storage battery using a voltage difference between a DC power source and a battery voltage, which includes a voltage setting circuit that sets the charging voltage of the storage battery, and a voltage setting circuit that detects the charging voltage of the storage battery and detects the detected value. and a value set by the voltage setting circuit, and sends out a control signal based on the comparison result; a timekeeping circuit that operates based on a signal from the voltage detection circuit; and the voltage detection circuit and timekeeping circuit. A charging device comprising: a current value determining circuit that determines the DC current value for the storage battery through circuit operation.