IP Library Patent Application 11686484
Patent Application
App. No. 11/686,484

PULSE CHARGING APPARATUS

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
11/686,484
Abstract

A pulse charger perform fine control of a charging current according to a battery voltage. The pulse charger includes a switch that turns a charging current from an external power supply on and off. A current detector detects charging current using a current detection resistor. An averaging section averages the output of the current detector. A reference voltage generator generates a reference signal. A comparison section compares an output voltage from the averaging section with the reference signal. A controller controls the switch section based on the output of comparison section. The comparison section includes a comparator that has a hysteresis width. The comparison section outputs an inverse signal between reference voltage and the hysteresis width. The controller performs on/off control of the switch section based on an inverse signal from the comparator and sets an average value of the charging current to a target constant value.

Claims (23)

1 . A pulse charging apparatus comprising:

a switch section that turns a charging current from a direct-current source on and off;

a current detection section that detects the charging current;

an averaging section that averages output of the current detection section;

a reference signal generation section that generates a reference signal;

a comparison section that compares output of the averaging section with the reference signal; and

a control section that controls the switch section based on output of the comparison section.

2 . A pulse charging apparatus comprising:

a switch section that turns a charging current from a direct-current source on and off;

a current detection section that detects the charging current;

a voltage averaging section that smoothes output of the current detection section;

a triangular wave generation section that generates a triangular wave signal;

a comparison section that compares output of the voltage averaging section with the triangular wave signal; and

a control section that controls the switch section based on output of the comparison section.

3 . The pulse charging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the comparison section is composed of a comparator having a hysteresis width, and outputs an inverse signal between the reference voltage and the hysteresis width; and

the control section performs on/off control of the switch section based on the inverse signal from the comparator, and makes a charging current from the direct-current source a constant current as an average charging current.

4 . The pulse charging apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein:

the comparison section compares a signal smoothed by the voltage averaging section with the triangular wave signal and outputs an inverse signal; and

the control section performs on/off control of the switch section based on the inverse signal from the comparator, and makes a charging current from the direct-current source a constant current as an average charging current.

5 . The pulse charging apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the voltage averaging section has an integrating circuit that smoothes output of the voltage detection section.

6 . The pulse charging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a battery voltage detection section that detects a battery voltage of a secondary battery;

wherein the control section performs control that turns the switch section off when a predetermined battery voltage is detected by the battery voltage detection section.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 20, 2008
From: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021897/0534 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2007
From: ARAI, SHIGENORI; TAKADA, KAZUHISA
To: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 019381/0458 →