Patent ID: 8294425
Filing Date: 2012-10-23
Classification: H01M,H02J,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A charging apparatus that charges a battery made up of a plurality of serially connected cells by means of constant voltage and constant current control, the charging apparatus comprising: a charging current configuration unit that configures a set value for a charging current flowing to the battery; a charging current controller that controls the charging current on the basis of the set value configured by the charging current configuration unit; a cell voltage detector that detects the cell voltages applied to each cell; a voltage determining unit that determines whether or not at least one of the cell voltages detected by the cell voltage detector has exceeded a threshold voltage; a charging current detector that detects the charging current; a termination current configuration unit that configures a threshold current for each set value of the charging current configured by the charging current configuration unit; and a full charge determining unit that determines whether or not the charging current detected by the charging current detector is equal to or less than the threshold current configured by the termination current configuration unit, wherein: if it is determined by the voltage determining unit that at least one of the cell voltages has exceeded the threshold voltage, then the charging current configuration unit switches the set value to a smaller value, and if it is determined by the full charge determining unit that the charging current is equal to or less than the threshold current, then charging of the battery is aborted.