Patent ID: 6965216

Claim:
An apparatus for charging a rechargeable lead-acid battery, said apparatus comprising: generator means for generating a charging current for charging the battery, and an overcharge current increment to be added to the charging current to yield an overcharge current; and, controller means for controlling said generator means, said controller means including (a) feedback means for determining at least one of a charge acceptance ability and a state of charge of the rechargeable lead-acid battery during recharging; (b) overcharge instruction means for determining the overcharge current, the overcharge current exceeding the charge acceptance ability of the battery; and, (c) current control means for controlling the generator to supply the charging current and the overcharge current increment, the current control means being operable to deliver the overcharge current to the battery during charging; and wherein the overcharge instruction means is operable to determine an overcharge duration and an overcharge time; the current control means is operable to deliver the overcharge current to the battery for the overcharge duration at the overcharge time; and the overcharge duration is between a half minute and five minutes, and the overcharge current exceeds the charge acceptance ability of the lead-acid battery by less than one fifth of the battery capacity and by more than one twentieth of the battery capacity.