Abstract:
A battery charger has an abnormal condition checking function for checking unintentional or accidental charging of a secondary battery. A charge circuit charges the battery when a switching element interposed between a power source and the battery is turned on. Current which may flow in the charge circuit is detected when the battery is not to be charged by turning the switching element on. When the current is detected in such a condition, an abnormality signal is produced to cause the charge circuit to be disabled.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-249139 filed Oct. 29, 2009. The entire content of the priority application is incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a battery charger for charging rechargeable (secondary) batteries. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-187366 discloses a battery charger in which a switching element, such as a relay, is interposed in an output line connecting a switching power source and the rechargeable battery. When charging the battery is not performed, the switching element is turned off. Thus, the battery is disconnected from the output line and placed in a charge disabled condition. The battery is not supplied with power from the switching power source until the charging operation is commenced. Power supply to the battery is not performed after the charging operation is complete. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    However, notwithstanding the fact that the battery charger is in the charge disabled condition, the battery may accidentally be supplied with power from the switching power source, resulting in proceeding unintentional charging of the battery. Such an accidental charging may occur due to malfunction of the battery charger. 
         [0007]    An unintended charging of the battery can be prevented if microcomputer-controlled battery chargers are configured to have an automatic time-up charge stop function. Specifically, a timer provided in the microcomputer is set to time up when a predetermined period of time has elapsed from the commencement of charging, and the charging operation is stopped in coincidence with time-up of the timer. 
         [0008]    However, such a solution to the above-noted problem is not available to the battery chargers with no microcomputer built therein. Such battery chargers are generally less expensive than microcomputer-controlled battery chargers. Modifying the inexpensive battery charges to have a microcomputer for the purpose of achieving the automatic time-up charge stop function increases the cost of the battery charger. 
         [0009]    Not only the battery charger but also the battery may have a malfunction or abnormality. Abnormality check of the battery has conventionally been performed during the charging operation based on a charge voltage or charge current supplied to the battery. Thus, the abnormality of the battery cannot be discovered before the commencement of the charging operation. It is desirable that the abnormality of the battery be discovered before the commencement of the charging operation. 
         [0010]    In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the invention to provide a battery charger to which a battery charge abnormality checking function can be added at low cost. 
         [0011]    Another object of the invention is to provide a battery charger that is capable of discovering the abnormality of the battery under a charge stop condition or prior to commencement of the charging operation. 
         [0012]    To achieve the above and other objects of the invention, there is provided a battery charger including a battery connecting section, a charge circuit, a current detecting section, and a signal outputting section. A secondary battery to be recharged is connectable the battery connecting section. The charge circuit is configured to charge the secondary battery. The current detecting section is configured to detect current flowing in the charge circuit when charging the secondary battery has been stopped. The signal outputting section is configured to output an abnormality signal when the current detecting section detects the current. 
         [0013]    The battery charger may further include an interrupting section configured to interrupt power supply to the charge circuit based on the abnormality signal output from the signal outputting section. Also, it may further include a battery detecting section configured to detect that the secondary battery is connected to the battery connecting section. The current detecting section detects the current flowing in the charge circuit when detection made by the battery detecting section indicates that the secondary battery is not connected to the battery connecting section. Further, there may be provided a temperature detecting section for detecting temperature of the secondary battery, and a charge stop section for stopping charging the secondary battery depending upon the temperature detected by the temperature detecting section. In this case, the current detecting section detects the current flowing in the charge circuit when the charge stop section stops charging the secondary battery. 
         [0014]    According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a battery charger including a battery connecting section, a charge circuit, a charge changeover section, a current detecting section, a current detecting section, and a signal outputting section. A secondary battery to be recharged is connectable to the battery connecting section. The charge circuit is configured to charge the secondary battery. The charge changeover section is configured to changeover a charge condition to a charge stop condition and vice versa wherein the secondary battery is charged by the charge circuit in the charge condition whereas the secondary battery is not charged in the charge stop condition. The current detecting section is configured to detect current flowing in the charge circuit when the charge condition is changed over to the charge stop condition by the charge changeover section. The signal outputting section is configured to output an abnormality signal when the current detecting section detects the current. 
         [0015]    The battery charger may further include an interrupting section configured to interrupt power supply to the charge circuit based on the abnormality signal output from the signal outputting section. 
         [0016]    The battery charger may further include a battery detecting section configured to detect that the secondary battery is connected to the battery connecting section, wherein the charge changeover section changes over the charge condition to the charge stop condition when detection made by the battery detecting section indicates that the secondary battery is not connected to the battery connecting section. 
         [0017]    The battery charger may further include a temperature detecting section configured to detect temperature of the secondary battery, wherein the charge changeover section changes over the charge condition to the charge stop condition depending upon the temperature detected by the temperature detecting section. 
         [0018]    According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a battery charger including a switching power source, a charge on/off determining circuit, a charge current detecting circuit, and a disabling section. The switching power source supplies power to a secondary battery to be recharged. The charge on/off determining circuit determines whether to charge the secondary battery based on qualitative information of the secondary battery. The charge current detecting circuit detects charge current supplied to the secondary battery for recharging. The charge current detection controlling section is configured to control the charge current detecting circuit so that detection of the charge current is to be executed or not. The disabling section disables the switching power source when the charge current detecting circuit detects the charge current. When the charge on/off determining circuit determines to charge the secondary battery, the charge current detection controlling section does not allow the charge current detecting section to perform detection of the charge current whereas when the charge on/off determining circuit determines not to charge the secondary battery, the charge current detection controlling section allows the charge current detection section to perform detection of the charge current. 
         [0019]    Preferably, the qualitative information is information about temperature of the secondary battery. 
         [0020]    According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a battery charger including a battery connecting section to which a secondary battery to be recharged is connectable, a charge circuit configured to charge the secondary battery, a current detecting section configured to detect current flowing in the charge circuit, a charge changeover section configured to changeover a charge condition to a charge stop condition and vice versa wherein the secondary battery is charged by the charge circuit in the charge condition whereas the secondary battery is not charged in the charge stop condition, a current detection controlling section configured to allow the current detecting section to detect the current flowing in the charge circuit when the charge condition is changed over to the charge stop condition by the charge changeover section, and a signal outputting section configured to output an abnormality signal when the current detecting section detects the current. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]    The particular features and advantages of the invention as well as other objects will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  is a circuit diagram showing a battery charger according to one embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating operation of the battery charger shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]    A battery charger  100  according to one embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0025]    In this embodiment, the battery charger  100  is used for charging a battery pack  2 . The battery charger  100  has a battery connecting section  80  to which the battery pack  2  is connectable. The battery pack  2  contains a plurality of rechargeable or secondary battery cells  2   a  connected in series (hereinafter referred to as “battery  2   a ”), and a thermistor  2   b . The battery  2   a  and the thermistor  2   b  are connected to the corresponding terminals of the battery charger  100  when the battery pack  2  is connected to the battery connecting section  80 . In the battery pack connected state, one terminal of the thermistor  2   b  is connected to the negative terminal of the battery  2   a  and another terminal thereof to a battery temperature detecting section  3  through the battery connecting section  80 . As is well known in the art, a thermistor is a type of resistor whose resistance varies significantly with temperature and is used as temperature sensors. 
         [0026]    The battery temperature detecting section  3  is provided for detecting temperature of the battery  2   a  and configured, in this embodiment, to selectively output a low-level signal and a high-level signal depending upon the temperature indicated by the thermistor  2   b . The high-level signal is output when the battery temperature is high or above a predetermined value whereas the low-level signal is output when the battery temperature is low or equal to or below the predetermined value. Output of the low-level signal indicates permission of charging. On the other hand, output of the high-level signal indicates prohibition or stoppage of charging. While the temperature detecting section  3  according to this embodiment is configured as described above, it may be configured to output a signal only when the battery temperature is above the predetermined value. Conversely, a signal may be output from the temperature detecting section  3  only when the battery temperature is equal to or below the predetermined value. 
         [0027]    The battery charger  100  includes a charge current detecting section  4  which is configured from resistors  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c  and an operational amplifier  4   d . The operational amplifier  4   d  has an inverting input terminal connected to one terminal of a shunt resistor  60   i  through the resistor  4   c  and a non-inverting input terminal connected to the other terminal of the shunt resistor  60   i  through the resistor  4   b . The resistor  4   a  is connected in a feedback path between the output terminal and the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier  4   d . Voltage is developed across the shunt resistor  60   i  corresponding to charge current flowing therein. The voltage developed thereacross is subjected to inversion amplification with the operational amplifier  4   d , and the resulting signal is output from the current detecting section  4 . That is, when the charge current is flowing, a signal representing the level of the charge current is produced from the charge current detecting section  4  whereas when the charge current is not flowing, no output is obtained from the charge current detecting section  4 . 
         [0028]    A charge current detection controlling section  5  is provided in association with the charge current detecting section  4 . The charge current detection controlling section  5  is configured from a resistor  5   a , and N-type FETs  5   b ,  5   c . The output terminal of the temperature detecting section  3  is connected to the gate of the FET  5   b . The FET  5   b  has a drain connected to a power supply through the resistor  5   a  and a source connected to ground. The FET  5   c  has a gate connected to a junction between the resistor  5   a  and the FET  5   b , a drain connected to the output of the charge current detecting section  4 , and a source connected to ground. 
         [0029]    As described above, the high-level signal is output from the battery temperature detecting section  3  when charging the battery  2   a  is not permitted due to high temperature of the battery  2   a . This high-level signal is applied to the gate of the FET  5   b , thereby rendering the same ON. As a result, the FET  5   c  is rendered OFF. Accordingly, when the charge current detecting section  4  detects the charge current, the section  4  can output a signal representing the level of the charge current. On the other hand, when charging the battery  2   a  is permitted as the battery temperature is equal to or lower than the predetermined value, the temperature detecting section  3  outputs the low-level signal. This low-level signal is applied to the gate of the FET  5   b , thereby rendering the same OFF. The gate of the FET  5   c  is applied with voltage through the resistor  5   a , so that the FET  5   c  is rendered ON and no signal is output from the charge current detecting section  4  even if the charge current is detected therein. In this manner, the battery charger  100  is configured so that the charge current cannot be detected when charging the battery  2   a  is permitted whereas the charge current can be detected when charging the battery  2   a  is not permitted. 
         [0030]    The battery charger  100  further includes a switching section  6  and a switching control section  7 . The switching section  6  is interposed between a switching power source (to be described later) and the battery pack  2 . The switching control section  7  is connected to the switching section  6  to control the latter, and the battery temperature detecting section  3  is connected to the switching control section  7  to output either the high-level signal or low-level signal to the switching control section  7 . The switching section  6  is provided for ON/OFF control of the power supply to the battery  2   a  from the switching power source. In this embodiment, the switching section  6  is configured from a relay. However, other switching elements can be used in the switching section  6 . Whether the battery  2   a  is to be connected to the switching power source is controlled by the switching control section  7 . In this embodiment, based on the signal from the battery temperature detecting section  3 , the relay  8  is turned ON to allow power to be supplied to the battery  2   a  when charging the battery  2   a  is permitted. On the other hand, when charging the battery  2   a  is not permitted, the relay  8  is turned OFF so that the battery  2   a  is not supplied with power. 
         [0031]    A first photocoupler  8  serving as signal transmitting means is provided for feeding back the charge voltage control signal and a charge current control signal flowing in the secondary rectifying/smoothing circuit  30  to a switching control IC  23 . 
         [0032]    The battery charger  100  further includes a switching control IC stop section  9  which is configured from a light emitting section  9   a  of a second photocoupler and an N-type FET  9   b . The output of the charge current detecting section  4  is connected to the gate of the FET  9   b . The light emitting section  9   a  and the FET  9   b  are connected between the positive line in the secondary side of a transformer  21  (to be described later) and ground. When the FET  9   b  is rendered ON, light is emitted from the light emitting section  9   a  and dully received at a light receiving section  26   b  in an associated switching control IC stop section  26 . 
         [0033]    As described previously, when charging the battery  2   a  is permitted, i.e., the relay  6  is turned ON, the charge current is detected by the charge current detecting section  4 . However, the charge current detection controlling section  5  interrupts outputting a signal indicative of the charge current being detected by the charge current detecting section  4 . On the other hand, when charging the battery is inhibited, i.e., the relay is turned OFF, the charge current detection controlling section  5  outputs a signal indicative of the charge current being detected by the charge current detecting section  4  if the charge current detecting section  4  should detect the charge current. 
         [0034]    When the battery charger  100  is operating normally, the relay  6  is turned OFF when charging the battery  2   a  is not permitted. Thus, the charge current detecting section  4  does not detect the charge current. Nonetheless, the relay  6  is, for some reason, turned ON despite the fact that charging the battery  2   a  is not permitted, the battery  2   a  is unintentionally charged. The charge current detecting section  4  then detects the charge current and outputs a signal indicating the detection of the charge current. The signal output from the charge current detecting section  4  is applied to the gate of the FET  9   b  in the switching control IC stop section  9 . The fact that the battery  2   a  is being accidentally or unintentionally charged is transmitted to the disabling section  26  through the second photocoupler  9   a ,  26   b . As a consequence, a MOSFET  22  (to be described later) is disabled and further charging of the battery  2   a  is not continued. With such a configuration, stoppage of an unintentional or accidental charging of the battery  2   a  is ensured. 
         [0035]    The battery charger  100  includes a primary side rectifying/smoothing circuit  10  configured from a full-wave rectifier  11  and a smoothing capacitor  12  connected across the full-wave rectifier  11 . The battery charger  100  further includes a switching circuit  20  and a high frequency transformer  21 . The switching circuit  20  includes a MOSFET  22 , a switching control IC  23 , a start-up resistor  24 , a constant voltage circuit  25 , and a disabling circuit  26 . 
         [0036]    The high frequency transformer  21  has a primary winding  21   a , a secondary winding  21   b , a tertiary winding  21   c , and a quaternary winding  21   d . An input voltage is applied to the primary winding  21   a . An output voltage induced across the secondary winding  21   b  is applied to the switching control IC  23 . An output voltage induced across the tertiary winding  21   c  is applied to the battery  2   a  for charging the same. The output voltage induced across the quaternary winding  21   d  is used for powering various parts of the battery charger  100 , such as a constant voltage circuit  40 . The polarity of the secondary and quaternary windings  21   b ,  21   d  is the same as that of the primary winding  21   a , and the polarity of the tertiary winding  21   c  is opposite to that of the primary winding. 
         [0037]    The switching control IC  23  is provided for adjusting the output voltage applied to the battery  2   a  by changing the width of a driving pulse applied to the gate of the MOSFET  22 , known as a PWM control. The constant voltage circuit  25  is provided for supplying constant voltage to the switching control IC  23  and is configured from a diode  25   a , a capacitor  25   b , a resistor  25   c , a transistor  25   d , and a Zenor diode  25   e . Normally, the switching control IC  23  is applied with a voltage equal to the sum of the voltage developed across the Zenor diode  25   e  and the base-emitter bias voltage of the transistor  25   d . The switching control IC  23  performs switching actions for such a voltage applied thereto. The Zenor diode  25   e  must show relevant Zenor voltage as the power source voltage for the switching control IC  23 . 
         [0038]    The disabling circuit  26  is provided for disabling the switching control IC  23  and configured from a resistor  26   a , a light receiving section  26   b  of the second photocoupler, a Zenor diode  26   c , a P-type FET  26   d , and N-type FETs  26   e ,  26   f . The light emitting section  9   a  of the second photocoupler includes an LED and the light receiving section  26   b  includes a phototransistor. Normally, the disabling circuit  26  is not active. When the phototransistor in the light receiving section  26   b  receives light from the LED and is turned on in response to a signal produced from the disabling circuit  9 , the voltage on an AC line rectified by the rectifying diode  11  is applied to the Zenor diode  26   c  through the resistor  26   a . Then, voltage corresponding to the Zenor voltage of the Zenor diode  26   c  is applied to the gate of the FET  26   e , thereby rendering the FET  26   e  ON. When the FET  26   e  is rendered ON, the FET  26   d  is in turn rendered ON due to the potential between the gate and drain of the FET  26   d . Simultaneously, the FET  26   f  is rendered ON by the voltage corresponding to the Zenor voltage of the Zenor diode  26   f  applied to the gate of the FET  26   f . The switching control IC  23  is applied with relevant voltage and thus in operation. 
         [0039]    As described previously, the voltage applied to the switching control IC  23  is equal to the sum of the voltage developed across the Zenor diode  25   e  and the base-emitter bias voltage (0.6V) of the transistor  25   d . The Zenor diode  26   f  is short-circuited resulting from the FET  26   f  being rendered ON. As a result, the voltage applied to the switching control IC  23  falls to a level around 0.6V. When the voltage applied to the switching control IC  23  falls below the relevant voltage necessary for operating the switching control IC  23 , the switching control IC  23  stops the switching actions in due course. When the switching action is stopped, the light transmitting section  9   b  of the second photocoupler does no longer emit light toward the light receiving section, so that the FET  26   f  is rendered OFF again. Then, the switching control IC  23  is placed in an operating condition as the same is applied with the sum voltage of the voltage across the Zenor diode  25   e  and the base-emitter bias voltage (0.6V) of the transistor  25   d . According to this embodiment, however, once the phototransistor in the light receiving section  26   b  of the second photocoupler is turned on, the FETs  26   d ,  26   e ,  26   f  are rendered ON by utilizing the voltage on the AC line regardless of whether the phototransistor of the second photocoupler is ON or OFF. Accordingly, insofar as the voltage on the AC line is not lowered to a great extent, the FET  26   f  is maintained at an ON state, thereby prohibiting the switching control IC  23  from being operated. 
         [0040]    A second rectifying/smoothing circuit  30  is connected to the tertiary winding  21   c  of the transformer  21 . The circuit  30  is configured from diode  31 , smoothing capacitor  32 , and resistor  33 . The output of the second rectifying/smoothing circuit  30  is connected to the battery pack  2  for charging the battery  2   a . A constant voltage circuit  40  is connected to the quaternary winding  21   d . The constant voltage circuit  40  is configured from diode  41 , three-terminal regulator  43 , and capacitors  42 ,  44  and serves as a power source for the operational amplifiers in the battery charger  100 . 
         [0041]    A display section  50  is provided for displaying a charging status. In this embodiment, the display section  50  includes an LED which is lit during charging and is distinguished when charging is not performed. In response to the output of the temperature detecting section  3 , the LED is either lit or distinguished. 
         [0042]    A charge current controlling section  60  is provided for controlling the level of the charge current to be supplied to the battery  2   a , and configured from resistors  60   a ,  60   b ,  60   c ,  60   d ,  60   e ,  60   f , operational amplifier  60   g , diode  60   h  and shunt resistor  60   i . A charge current control signal is produced by the charge current controlling section  60  and fed back to the switching control IC  23  through the first photocoupler  8 . 
         [0043]    Power source voltage (Vcc) is applied between the serially connected resistors  60   a  and  60   b , and the voltage difference between the voltage developed across the resistor  60   b  and the voltage drop at the shunt resistor  60   i  is divided by the resistors  60   c  and  60   d . Voltage at a junction between the resistors  60   c  and  60   b  is applied to the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier  60   g . A voltage corresponding to the charge current is applied to the non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier  60   g  through the resistor  60   e . The level of the charge current is controlled to be a target value when the difference between the voltages applied to the inverting and non-inverting input terminals becomes zero. 
         [0044]    A charge voltage controlling section  70  is connected between the positive line of the charge path and the first photocoupler for controlling the level of the charge voltage to be applied to the battery  2   b . The charge voltage controlling section  70  is configured from resistor  70   a  and Zenor diode  70   b . The charge voltage is determined by the Zenor voltage. Similar to the charge current, the charge voltage is controlled by feeding back a voltage control signal to the switching control IC  23  through the first photocoupler  8 . 
         [0045]    Referring to the flowchart shown in  FIG. 2 , operation of the battery charger configured as described above will be described. First, with the battery temperature detecting section  3 , whether the battery temperature has reached a predetermined value or not is determined (step  201 ). When the determination made in step  201  indicates that the battery temperature has not yet reached the predetermined value, the battery temperature detecting section  3  outputs the low-level signal to indicate that charging the battery  2  is permitted (step  202 ). 
         [0046]    As described previously, when charging the battery  2   a  is permitted, the charge current detection controlling section  5  prohibits detection of the charge current based on the signal fed from the battery temperature detecting section  3  (step  203 ). Concurrently, the display section  50  indicates that the charging is being processed based on the signal fed from the battery temperature detecting section  3  (step  204 ). 
         [0047]    When determination made in step  201  indicates that the battery temperature is equal to or above the predetermined value, the battery temperature detecting section  3  outputs the high-level signal to thereby prohibit charging the battery  2   b  (step  205 ). At this time, the charge current detection controlling section  5  permits detection of the charge current based on the signal from the battery temperature detecting section  3  (step  206 ). The display section  50  indicates that charging the battery is not performed (step  207 ). The charge current detecting section  4  then determines whether or not the charge current is detected (step  208 ). When the charge current is not detected, the routine returns to step  205 . Detection of the charge current in step  208  implies that malfunction has been occurred, because the charge current is detected despite the fact that charging the battery  2   a  is prohibited. When it is the case, switching actions by the FET  22  are stopped by the switching control IC stop section  9 . 
         [0048]    According to the embodiment described above, the battery temperature detecting section  3  is used to detect the connection of the battery pack  2  to the battery charger  100 . The section  3  is also used to detect a fully charged condition of the battery  2   a . The section  3  is further configured to operate the switching control section  7  for controlling ON/OFF of the relay  6 . In lieu of the battery temperature detecting section  3 , a battery voltage detecting section may be provided for detecting the voltage across the battery  2   a , and detections of the battery pack connection and the fully charged condition of the battery  2   a  may be performed based on the detected battery voltage. 
         [0049]    In the above-described embodiment, the secondary side rectifying/smoothing circuit  30  serves as a charge circuit for charging the battery  2   a . The charge current detecting section  4  and the charge current detection controlling section  5  serve as a current detecting section for detecting current flowing in the charge circuit when charging the battery  2   a  has been stopped. The switching IC stop section  9  serves as a signal outputting section for outputting an abnormality signal when the current detecting section ( 4 ,  5 ) detects the current. The disabling circuit  26  serves as an interrupting section for interrupting power supply to the charge circuit ( 30 ) based on the abnormality signal output from the signal outputting section ( 9 ). 
         [0050]    The battery temperature detecting section  3  serves as a battery detecting section for detecting that the battery  2   b  is connected to the battery connecting section  80 . The current detecting section detects the current flowing in the charge circuit when detection made by the battery detecting section indicates that the battery  2   b  is not connected to the battery connecting section  80 . The relay  6  and its associated switching control section  7  serve as a charge stop section for stopping charging the battery  2   a  depending upon the temperature detected by the temperature detecting section which detects the temperature of the battery  2   a . The current detecting section detects the current flowing in the charge circuit when the charge stop section stops charging the battery  2   a . The battery temperature detecting section  3 , relay  7  and switching control section  7  in combination serve as a charge changeover section for changing over a charge condition to a charge stop condition and vice versa wherein the battery  2   a  is charged by the charge circuit in the charge condition whereas the battery  2   a  is not charged in the charge stop condition. The switching circuit  20  also serves as an interrupting section for interrupting power supply to the charge circuit based on the abnormality signal output from the signal outputting section. 
         [0051]    The primary side rectifying/smoothing circuit  10 , switching circuit  20 , transformer  21 , and secondary side rectifying/smoothing circuit  30  in combination serve as a switching power source for supplying power to the battery  2   a  to be recharged. The battery temperature detecting section  3  also serves as a charge on/off determining circuit for determining whether to charge the battery  2   a  based on qualitative information (battery temperature in this case) of the battery  2   a . The first photocoupler  8 , MOSFET  22  and its associated switching control section  23  serve as a disabling section for disabling the switching power source when the charge current detecting circuit detects the charge current. When the charge on/off determining circuit determines to charge the battery  2   a , the charge current detection controlling section  5  does not allow the charge current detecting section  4  to perform detection of the charge current whereas when the charge on/off determining circuit determines not to charge the battery  2   a , the charge current detection controlling section allows the charge current detection section to perform detection of the charge current. 
         [0052]    Although the present invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that a variety of changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.