Controllers for Battery Chargers and Battery Chargers Therefrom

A controller for a battery charger that includes a power converter has parametric sensors for providing a sensed Vin signal, a sensed Vout signal and a sensed Iout signal. A battery current regulator (BCR) is coupled to receive the sensed Iout signal and an Iout reference, and outputs a first duty cycle control signal. An input voltage regulator (IVR) receives the sensed Vin signal and a Vin reference. The IVR provides a second duty cycle control signal. A processor receives the sensed Iout signal and utilizes a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm, and provides the Vin reference to the IVR. A selection block forwards one of the first and second duty cycle control signals as a duty cycle control signal to the power converter. Dynamic switching between the first and second duty cycle control signals maximizes the power delivered to the battery

Quick Change Lamp Ballast Assembly

This invention relates to the ceiling fluorescent light fixtures, which all feature lamp ballasts, which is powered by AC voltage, and controls the lighting of the bulbs. In the existing architecture the lamp ballast is physically, electrically, and thermally attached to the interior of the light fixture. No wire harness is used, requiring semi-permanent methods of wiring. Typically this is done with a plastic wire nut. The installation and removal of the lamp ballast requires the removal of the lamp fixture lens, ballast covering plate, and usually at least one light tube. This process can become cumbersome and time consuming. The lamp ballast is located on the human occupied side of the light fixture and not on the side which is exposed to the plenum space. This combined with the fact that the ballast is thermally connected to the light fixture, causes most of the heat generated by the ballast to be directed to the human occupied space. Additional air conditioning capacity m