초록 ▼

A multi-battery charging system for reduced fuel consumption and emissions for an automotive vehicle. The system starts the vehicle with a start battery in a fuel savings manner, removing electrical torque from the alternator shaft, and allows a second (run) battery to provide all or some of the cur

A multi-battery charging system for reduced fuel consumption and emissions for an automotive vehicle. The system starts the vehicle with a start battery in a fuel savings manner, removing electrical torque from the alternator shaft, and allows a second (run) battery to provide all or some of the current required by the vehicle loads as a fuel savings measure. The system also utilizes an electrically heated catalytic converter (EHC) and a third (EHC or storage) battery to provide a 3 to 15 second preheat and/or a 20 second current, during vehicle start, to the EHC heater coil, e.g., of a small EHC located in series with a standard catalytic converter for emissions reduction to reduce emissions during start. The start battery is recharged after start and switched out of the system fully charged for future vehicle starts. The run battery is recharged when its charge level drops below a predetermined level with an on board battery charging device powered from a 115 volt or 220 volt ac power line source external to the vehicle.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A battery charging system for an automotive vehicle including a starter motor, a catalytic converter for reducing emissions, a fuel burning engine, and vehicle load and accessory load circuits, comprising:a start battery for providing a discharge current for operating the starter motor to start t

1. A battery charging system for an automotive vehicle including a starter motor, a catalytic converter for reducing emissions, a fuel burning engine, and vehicle load and accessory load circuits, comprising:a start battery for providing a discharge current for operating the starter motor to start the engine; a run battery for operating vehicle load and accessory load circuits; a storage battery having a first very high discharge current; a heater for heating the catalytic converter to an elevated temperature in response to the first high discharge current; means for initiating a starting operation by connecting the start battery to the start motor for a first period of time and for connecting the storage battery to the heater for a second period of time; an alternator having a variable output condition including a regulated and selectable output voltage with an output current, the alternator being driven by the vehicle engine; a first circuit for connecting the alternator output to the start battery for recharging the start battery; a second circuit for connecting the alternator output to the run battery for recharging the run battery; and a third circuit for connecting the alternator output to the storage battery for recharging the storage battery.