US 11,970,081 B2
Battery charging apparatus and method for vehicle
Sangkyu Lee, Yongin-si (KR); and Young Chan Byun, Hwaseong-si (KR)
Assigned to Hyundai Motor Company, Seoul (KR); and Kia Motors Corporation, Seoul (KR)
Filed by HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, Seoul (KR); and KIA Motors Corporation, Seoul (KR)
Filed on Nov. 23, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/102,052.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2020-0083094 (KR), filed on Jul. 6, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0001770 A1, Jan. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. B60L 58/19 (2019.01); B60L 53/53 (2019.01); H01M 10/42 (2006.01); H01M 10/44 (2006.01); H02J 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC B60L 58/19 (2019.02) [B60L 53/53 (2019.02); H01M 10/425 (2013.01); H01M 10/44 (2013.01); H02J 7/0024 (2013.01); B60L 2240/54 (2013.01); H01M 2220/20 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A charging apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
a first switching element configured to supply or cut off a first charging current supplied to a first battery from an external charger connectable to the vehicle;
a second switching element configured to supply or cut off a second charging current supplied to a second battery from the external charger connectable to the vehicle;
a third switching element configured to electrically connect and disconnect the first battery and the second battery to and from each other; and
a controller configured to:
control the first switching element, the second switching element, and the third switching element in order to selectively charge at least one of the first battery or the second battery, and,
when a charging amount of the first battery is different to a charging amount of the second battery, variably adjust via the first switching element a magnitude of the first charging current supplied to the first battery from the external charger connectable to the vehicle or variably adjust via the second switching element a magnitude of the second charging current supplied to the second battery from the external charger connectable to the vehicle so that the charging amount of the first battery is equal to the charging amount of the second battery.