A History of Battery Chargers

The history of battery chargers is long but interesting. Chargers and rechargeable batteries date back to the 1800's. The concepts and designs have taken on new meaning in the era of portable electronics. With new technology there is charger for almost everything imaginable. The devices are widely used, and their progression over time is huge.

The first battery charger was for the car. The idea came from Gaston Plante, a French physicist that invented the lead acid cell battery in 1859. Though, it was years later that the idea became what it is today, he was the pioneer of the concepts. It was Waldemar Jungner that discovered the Nickel-Cadmium battery in 1899. The Swedish scientist developed this product and it was on the market by 1906. These men of science had ideas before their times. Imagine what they would think of today progress of their once simple ideas.

Chargers for lithium-Ion batteries are almost a necessity in society today. Being used in everything from mobile phones, to laptops, and many other portable devices, they are a must for most. They were introduced in 1991 by Sony. The twenty year phenomenon in the making was originally theorized in the 1970s. Nickel-Metal Hydride was created in the 1980s. This battery comes in all sizes and is probably the most common household battery used today.

Battery charging devices are a common item to own. They come into play with the invention of rechargeable batteries. The idea behind it all was not only to save money but to save time. The average person can save hundreds of dollars per year by using rechargeable batteries with a battery charger. That same person can also save a great deal of time. The more modern designs were also intended to help save the environment by reducing waste and eliminating unnecessary uses of extra energy. The researchers of the pasts would be proud of where the designs have led.

The thought of not having a battery charger for practically everything you own has probably never crossed your mind, but let it for a moment. If you did not have a mobile phone charger or if you weren't able to recharge those AA batteries for the digital camera what would you do? The concepts may not all have been intended for what they have become, but the transition over time is surely remarkable. Chargers and rechargeable batteries in yesterday's world are the building blocks for today's models. So much has developed in the last hundred years in this science. When one looks back at the past and sees what has become, one can help but to think of the future and wonder what will be.