Patent ID: 7965060

Claim:
A device for equalizing capacity of a secondary battery comprising: a voltage measurement section for periodically measuring a terminal voltage of each battery block by way of potential detection lines electrically connected to both terminals of the respective battery blocks constituting the secondary battery, a discharge section for effecting discharge in each of the battery blocks by electrically connecting both terminals of a discharge element to both terminals of the respective battery blocks by way of the respective potential detection lines, and a discharge control section which, in parallel with measurement of the respective terminal voltages performed by the voltage measurement section, periodically computes an amount of variations in electromotive force of battery blocks in accordance with respective terminal voltages measured by the voltage measurement section; which commands the discharge section to effect discharge of at least a battery block exhibiting highest electromotive force when the amount of variations exceed a first reference amount; and which commands the discharge section to stop discharge of the battery block being discharged before measurement is performed when the voltage measurement section measures a terminal voltage of the battery block being discharged by the discharge section.