Patent ID: 8598846

Claim:
A device for stabilizing a battery cell comprises: a comparator having an input and an output, wherein said input is configured to monitor the voltage of the battery cell in comparison to a reference voltage; a series coupled potentiometer and a first resistor adapted to be coupled in parallel with the battery cell, wherein said input is coupled to a node between said potentiometer and said first resistor, such that said potentiometer is adjusted to set a voltage across said first resistor based on the battery cell type; a first transistor having an input and an output, such that said input of said first transistor is coupled to said output of said comparator, such that the output of said comparator controls the on and off state of said output of said first transistor; and a second transistor having an input and an output, such that said input of said second transistor is coupled to said output of said first transistor to control the on and off state of said output of said second transistor, and said output of said second transistor is coupled in series with a second resistor, wherein said input of said second transistor and said second resistor are in parallel with said output of said first transistor, and wherein the battery is coupled in parallel with the output of said second transistor and said second resistor; wherein when said comparator detects that said voltage across said first resistor is approximately greater than or equal to said reference voltage, said first transistor is turned on by said output of said comparator, and said second transistor is turned on by said output of said first transistor, such that electrical current applied to the battery cell is shunted away from the battery cell and through said output of said second transistor to said second resistor.