Charging apparatus and method for determining conduction state
AssigneeNissan Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorMasahiro Bandai
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A charging apparatus is provided with a connector, a pair of power lines, a charger, a holding part and a controller. The connector has a pair of connection terminals electrically connectable to an object to be charged. The power lines electrically connected to the connection terminals. The charger is connected to the power lines for charging the object to be charged. The holding part holds the connector. The controller is programmed to determine the conduction state on the power lines and the connection terminals. The holding part has a conduction part for bringing about conduction through the connection terminals.
Claims18
A charging apparatus comprising:
- a connector having a pair of connection terminals electrically connectable to an object to be charged;
- a pair of power lines electrically connected to the connection terminals;
- a charger configured to charge the object to be charged, the charger being connected to the power lines;
- a holding part configured to hold the connector when an electrical connection with the object to be charged is disestablished;
- and
- a controller programmed to determine a conduction state on the power lines and the connection terminals;
- the holding part having a conduction part that is configured to bring about conduction through the connection terminals.
A method for determining conduction state comprising:
- electrically connecting connection terminals of a connector to an object to be charged;
- charging the object to be charged via power lines electrically connected to the connection terminals, and accumulating charge in a capacitor connected to the power lines;
- following the charging of the object to be charged, electrically disconnecting the connection terminals from the object to be charged, causing the connector to be held by a holding part, and electrically connecting a conduction part included in the holding part to the power lines, the capacitor, and the connection terminals;
- following the connection of the conduction part, discharging the charge accumulated in the capacitor due to previously being charging;
- and
- determining the conduction state in the power lines and the connection terminals during the discharging of the charge accumulated in the capacitor, based on the discharge state of the capacitor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.