CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

The present application claims priority to and incorporates by reference the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-215022 filed in Japan on Nov. 15, 2018.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to a charging device.

2. Related Art

JP 2006-238686 A discloses, as a double-ended inverter system mounted in a vehicle, a power supply circuit that drives one load with two storage batteries and two inverters.

SUMMARY

In order to quickly charge a storage battery mounted in a vehicle with power from an external power supply, direct current (DC) power from an external power supply is supplied to the storage battery mounted in the vehicle. At the time of this quick charging, current larger than conventional current flows, and large heat can be generated in the inverters and the load during charging in the above double-ended inverter system. In addition, charging efficiency is reduced when current flows through the inverters and the load at the time of the charging from the external power supply.

It is desirable to provide a charging device that can improve the charging efficiency when a storage battery is charged with power supplied from an external power supply and that can prevent heat from being generated in inverters and a load.

In some embodiments, a charging device includes: a power supply circuit including a first inverter connected between a first storage battery and a load, and a second inverter connected between a second storage battery and the load, the power supply circuit being configured to drive the one load; a charging port configured to be connected to an external power supply when the first storage battery and the second storage battery are charged with power from the external power supply; and a relay configured to allow current to bypass the first inverter, the second inverter, and the load between a positive electrode terminal of the charging port and a negative electrode terminal of the charging port, when the first storage battery and the second storage battery are charged with the power from the external power supply.

The above and other objects, features, advantages and technical and industrial significance of this disclosure will be better understood by reading the following detailed description of presently preferred embodiments of the disclosure, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

