Patent ID: 7989985

Claim:
A battery return disconnect circuit for use with a battery supply having a plurality of electrically parallel interconnecting batteries, the battery return disconnect circuit comprising: a plurality of DC input ports, each DC input port connectable to a corresponding one of the batteries and including: a DC input terminal; and a DC return terminal; a set of OR-ing diodes, each OR-ing diode of the set of OR-ing diodes electrically connected in series with one of a corresponding DC input terminal and a corresponding DC return terminal such that each OR-ing diode is forward-biased to conduct current when the battery return disconnect circuit is connected to the plurality of batteries and the batteries are at substantially the same voltage; a plurality of polarity detectors, each polarity detector monitoring the bias of an OR-ing diode electrically connected to a corresponding DC input terminal; and a plurality of switches, each switch electrically connected in series with a DC return terminal and electrically coupled to a polarity detector, each switch operating in a closed position when the corresponding polarity detector determines that its monitored OR-ing diode is forward-biased and operating in an open position when the corresponding polarity detector determines that its monitored OR-ing diode is reverse-biased.