Charging apparatus and charging method thereof

Abstract

A charging apparatus having a safety circuit and a method thereof is disclosed. The charging apparatus includes a charging terminal unit having terminals exposed to the outside to supply a charging voltage therethrough, a voltage generating unit to generate a voltage which varies as a value of resistivity of an object contacting the terminals of the charging terminal unit, and a control unit to detect the voltage generated from the voltage generating unit, and to determine whether the charging voltage should be supplied through the charging terminal unit on the basis of a level of the detected voltage. The charging apparatus determines whether the charging voltage should be supplied, by using a voltage produced according to a value of resistivity of a mobile robot cleaner, so that it supplies the charging voltage to the mobile robot cleaner only when the mobile robot cleaner comes in contact with the terminals therewith, and it blocks the charging voltage from being supplied to a conductor or a metal object, such as metal chopsticks, when the conductor or the metal object comes in contact with the terminals therewith. Accordingly, a danger of fire or electric shock by the terminals exposed to the outside is reduced, thereby enabling only the mobile robot cleaner to safely charge.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

The above aspect and other features of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein;

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a charging apparatus having a safety circuit in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the charging apparatus having the safety circuit in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view exemplifying practical application of the charging apparatus in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a flow chart exemplifying a charging method of the charging apparatus in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A charging apparatus comprising: a charging terminal unit having terminals exposed to an outside of the charging apparatus to supply a charging voltage therethrough;a voltage generating unit configured to generate a voltage which varies as a value of resistivity of an object contacting the terminals of the charging terminal unit; anda control unit to detect the voltage generated from the voltage generating unit, and to determine whether the charging voltage should be supplied through the charging terminal unit on a basis of a level of the detected voltage.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage generating unit generates a first voltage based on a value of resistivity of a mobile robot cleaner when the mobile robot cleaner comes in contact with the charging terminal unit, and the control unit controls the charging voltage supplied through the charging terminal unit when a voltage generated by the voltage generating unit is the first voltage.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the value of resistivity of the mobile robot cleaner is approximately 1 Kohm, and the first voltage generated by the value of resistivity of the mobile robot cleaner is approximately 2.5V.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage generating unit generates a second voltage, smaller than a first voltage, when the charging terminal unit is shorted, and the control unit blocks the charging voltage from being leaked through the charging terminal unit when a voltage generated by the voltage generating unit is the second voltage.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a second switch connected to the control unit to be turned on according to a determination of the control unit on whether the charging voltage should be supplied through the charging terminal unit; anda first switch connected to the charging terminal unit to be turned on by the object and thus to act as a passage for supplying the charging voltage to the charging terminal unit, when the second switch is turned on under the control of the control unit.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the charging voltage is blocked from being leaked through the first switch to the charging terminal unit when the second switch is turned off under the control of the control unit with a short-circuit of the charging terminal unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second switch comprises a field effect transistor (FET).

8. A charging method, comprising the steps of: generating a voltage which varies as a value of resistivity of an object contacting terminals for supplying a charging voltage;detecting the generated voltage; anddetermining whether the charging voltage should be supplied on a basis of a level of the detected generated voltage.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the generating a voltage comprises generating a first voltage based on a value of resistivity of a mobile robot cleaner as the mobile robot cleaner comes in contact with the terminals, the detecting the generated voltage comprises detecting the generated first voltage, and the determining whether the charging voltage should be supplied comprises determining to supply the charging voltage when the generated first voltage is detected.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the value of resistivity of the mobile robot cleaner is approximately 1 Kohm, and the first voltage generated by the value of resistivity of the mobile robot cleaner is approximately 2.5V.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the generating a voltage comprises generating a second voltage by a short-circuit of the terminals generated as a result of a contact of a metal object therewith, the detecting the generated voltage comprises detecting the generated second voltage, and the determining whether the charging voltage should be supplied comprises determining to block the charging voltage from being leaked when the generated second voltage is detected.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising: turning a second switch on according to a determination on whether the charging voltage should be supplied; andcausing a first switch connected to the terminals to be turned on by the object, so as to enable the first switch to act as a passage for supplying the charging voltage to the terminals, when the second switch is turned on.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second switch comprises a field effect transistor (FET).

14. A method of charging a mobile robot cleaner, comprising the step of: determining a resistivity of an object contacting terminals;determining whether a charging voltage should be supplied to the object when the resitivity of the object is approximately a resistivity of the mobile robot cleaner; andcharging the mobile robot cleaner when the charging voltage is determined to be supplied.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the resistivity of the mobile robot cleaner is approximately 1 Kohm, and the charging voltage generated by the resistivity of the mobile robot cleaner is approximately 2.5V

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of determining a resistivity of an object contacting terminals comprises determining whether a short-circuit of the terminals has occured, and the step of determining whether the charging voltage should be supplied comprises blocking the charging voltage from being leaked.