Title: Battery charging circuit with thermostat control

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Claims: What is claimed is:

1. A battery charging circuit adapted to be supplied with a source of current and to charge a battery by the application of current thereto, said circuit comprising:

a. a first current path for the current supplied by the source and adapted to contain the battery to be charged;

b. a second current path for the current supplied by the source;

c. a relay having a winding connected in said second current path;

d. coincidence means for completing the second current path and permitting current flow through said relay winding to actuate said relay including:

1. a manually operable switch, and

2. a thermostat thermally coupled to the battery and designed to be actuated when the battery temperature is below a predetermined temperature, the coincident actuation of said manually operable switch and said thermostat causing the completion of the second current path;

e. means responsive to the actuation of said relay for permitting current flow through said first current path to said battery; and

f. holding means for retaining said manually operable switch in the closed position after manual operation thereof until said thermostat actuates.

2. A battery charging circuit as claimed in claim 1, where said thermostat has contacts connected in series with said relay winding in said second current path, said contacts being closed when said battery temperature is below said predetermined temperature.

3. A battery charging circuit as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

a. said relay has an armature, and

b. said permitting means includes a first normally-open contact of said relay connected in said first current path and responsive to the movement of said armature to be closed thereby when said relay is actuated.

4. A battery charging circuit as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a. a resistor connected in parallel with said relay contact to permit a trickle current to flow through said first current path when said first contact is open.

5. A battery charging circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

a. said permitting means includes a first normally-open contact of said relay which closes in response to the actuation of said relay, and

b. said relay further comprises a second normally-open contact operably connected to said second current path, said manually operable switch being coupled to said second contact to effect manual closure of said second contact upon actuation of said manually operable switch.

6. A battery charging circuit as claimed in claim 5, wherein said second normally-open contact is connected directly in said second current path in series with said relay winding to additionally serve as a holding latch for said relay upon actuation thereof.

7. A battery charging circuit as claimed in claim 6, wherein said thermostat has contacts connected in series with said relay winding in said second current path, said contacts being closed when said battery temperature is below said predetermined temperature.

8. A battery charging circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

a. said permitting means includes a first normally-open contact of said relay which closes in response to the actuation of said relay and wherein said relay further comprises:

b. a second normally-open contact connected in series with said winding in said second current path, and

c. an armature coupled to said first and second contacts.

9. A battery charging circuit as claimed in claim 8, wherein said holding means includes:

a. a detent positioned to contact said armature and be retained thereby upon actuation of said manually operable switch.

10. A battery charging circuit as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

a. said manually operable switch is coupled to said second contact to effect manual closure thereof and said holding means includes:

1. a detent positioned to contact and move said armature upon actuation of said manually operable switch to effect closure of said second contact, and

2. said armature includes a bar formed thereon which engages said detent upon actuation of said manually operable switch and which releases said detent upon movement of said armature in response to the actuation of said relay.

11. A battery charging circuit as claimed in claim 10, wherein said thermostat has contacts connected in series with said relay winding in said second current path, said contacts being closed when said battery temperature is below said predetermined temperature.

12. A battery charging circuit adapted to supply a charging current from a source to a battery, said circuit comprising:

a. means defining a first current path for supplying current from the source to the battery;

b. means defining a second current path in parallel with the portion of said first current path which is adapted to include the batteries;

c. switch means in said first current path controlled by current flow through said second current path;

d. a thermostat adapted to be placed in said second current path and adapted to be thermally coupled to the battery;

e. manually operable, normally-open switch means in said second current path;

f. latch means for holding said manually operable switch means in the closed position; and

g. means responsive to the flow of current in said second current path for releasing said latch means, holding said manually operable switch means closed and closing said switch means in said first current path.

13. A battery charging circuit adapted to be supplied from a source of current and for charging a battery by the application of current thereto, said circuit comprising:

a. thermostat means thermally coupled to said battery for controlling the flow of current thereto;

b. manually operable switch means for controlling the flow of current to said thermostat and the battery;

c. latch means for holding said manually operable switch means in the closed position; and

d. electrical means for holding said manually operable switch means in the closed position while releasing said latch means in response to the flow of current therein.

Other info:

Inventors: Elson, Donald Edwin (Timonium, MD, US)
Walter, Richard Thomas (Baltimore, MD, US)

Application Number: 510391
Filing Date: 1974-09-30
Publication_date: 1976-01-27
Assignee: The Black and Decker Manufacturing Company (Towson, MD)
Primary Class(es): 320/154
Other Classes:
US Patent Ref:

2296924	Sep, 1942	Heyer et al.	320/36.
2354877	Aug, 1944	Peters	320/35.
2369826	Feb, 1945	Heyer et al.	320/36.
2796577	Jun, 1957	Arnot	320/36.
3312889	Apr, 1967	Gold	320/54.

Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Miller, J. D.
Assistant Examiner: Hickey, Robert J.
Attorney: Murphy; Edward D., Slotnik; Joseph R., Bloom; Leonard