Low-Voltage Charging Circuit for Over-Discharged E-Cigarette Batteries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic cigarette batteries face issues with low voltage charging inefficiency and safety concerns due to repeated discharging, leading to waste and potential safety hazards when the battery is overly discharged, as they cannot be effectively recharged and continued use under low voltage conditions is unsafe.
Innovation Solution
A low voltage battery charging control and protection circuit that includes an extended charging circuit and a charging integrated circuit, controlled by a microcontroller, which alternately charges the battery at different voltage levels to ensure full charging while preventing further use after a predetermined number of discharges, using external power sources to manage charging and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the battery is charged at 0V using conventional IC charging, then the charging current is limited to about 100mA, but the battery cannot be fully charged even after 3-5 hours and may still not be chargeable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the voltage parameter from 0V to a range of 0.5V-2V to enable effective charging. By adjusting the voltage parameter, the charging current increases from 100mA to several hundred mA, and the charging time is reduced from several hours to minutes, completely resolving the charging failure issue.
2Reliability
If the battery automatically shuts down at low voltage for protection, then safety is improved, but the user cannot use the battery when needed causing waste and environmental pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary quick charging to restore the battery voltage above the shutdown threshold before the automatic protection activates. This preliminary action prevents the battery from entering the shutdown state, allowing continued use and avoiding product waste.
3Ease of operation
If the battery continues discharging under low voltage condition, then immediate use is enabled, but safety issues such as swelling and fluid leakage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary quick charging to restore battery voltage before the automatic protection shuts down the battery. This preliminary action ensures the battery has sufficient voltage for safe operation, preventing safety hazards while maintaining usability.
Data Source
AI summary
A low voltage charging control and protection circuit for an electronic cigarette is provided. The circuit includes an extended charging circuit configured to charge a battery of the electronic cigarette at a first voltage. The circuit also includes a charging integrated circuit configured to charge the battery of the electronic cigarette at a second voltage. The first voltage is lower than the second voltage. The circuit further includes a microcontroller configured to control the extended charging circuit and the charging integrated circuit to alternately charge the battery of the electronic cigarette based on a high or low level of a voltage of the battery.