Charge control apparatus for battery pack which uses rate of change of battery temperature adjusted by correction factor

A charge control apparatus for a battery pack, the battery pack comprising a series assembly of a plurality of battery modules which are charged while being cooled by passing forced air therethrough, said apparatus comprising:

• a first battery temperature sensor for detecting a battery temperature of at least one of said battery modules which does not easily radiate heat in said battery pack;
• a second battery temperature sensor for detecting a battery temperature of at least one of said battery modules which easily radiates heat in said battery pack;
• an air temperature sensor for detecting an air temperature of air exhausted from said battery modules by the forced air cooling process;
• temperature measuring means for measuring the battery temperature and the air temperature based on at least one of outputs of said first and second battery temperature sensors and an output of said air temperature sensor;
• sensor selection means for selectively outputting, on the basis of the air temperature, one of the outputs of said first and second battery temperature sensors, said selected output being supplied to said temperature measuring means;
• correction means for adding a correction amount based on a difference between the battery temperature and the air temperature to an amount of change of the battery temperature per unit time, to obtain a rate of change of the battery temperature;
• rate-of-change judging means for generating a predetermined output when the rate of change exceeds a predetermined value;
• and
• a charge apparatus which receives said predetermined output and controls charging of said battery pack.