BATTERY ASSEMBLING APPARATUS AND BATTERY ASSEMBLING METHOD

• US 20120011706A1
• Filed: 09/22/2011
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Research Institute Limited (Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Japan Research Institute Limited (Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: MURASE, Hiroaki, MUTO, Kazuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,916,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/593
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/44 by parameter estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0038 relating to sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 for controlling the temperature of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49004 including measuring or testing of device or component part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53022 with means to test work or product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53135 : Storage cell or battery

Abstract

Provided is a battery assembling apparatus comprising a selecting section that selects as battery cells to be assembled into a battery pack, from among a plurality of battery cells, battery cells having similar charge curves that indicate a relationship between voltage and charge period, which is a time period necessary for a battery cell to be charged from a first voltage to a second voltage that is higher than the first voltage. As a result, the lifetimes of battery cells and of a battery pack assembled from a plurality of battery cells can be extended.

Claims

1. A battery assembling apparatus comprising a selecting section that selects as battery cells to be assembled into a battery pack, from among a plurality of battery cells, battery cells having similar charge curves that indicate a relationship between voltage and charge period, which is a time period necessary for a battery cell to be charged from a first voltage to a second voltage that is higher than the first voltage.

2. The battery assembling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the selecting section selects as the battery cells to be assembled into the battery pack, from among the plurality of battery cells, battery cells having similar charge periods.

3. The battery assembling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the selecting section selects as the battery cells to be assembled into the battery pack, from among the plurality of battery cells, battery cells having similar charge periods and similar voltages at each of a plurality of times within the charge period.

4. The battery assembling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a charge curve measuring section that charges and discharges the plurality of battery cells, and measures the charge curve of each battery cell, wherein

the selecting section selects, as the battery cells to be assembled into the battery pack, battery cells having similar charge curves as measured by the charge curve measuring section.

5. The battery assembling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a charge curve reading section that reads information indicating the charge curves from memories provided respectively in the plurality of battery cells, wherein

the selecting section uses the information indicating the charge curves read by the charge curve reading section to select, as the battery cells to be assembled into the battery pack, battery cells having similar charge curves.

6. The battery assembling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a purpose selecting section that selects a usage purpose for the battery pack, according to the charge curves of the battery cells selected as the battery cells to be assembled into the battery pack.

7. A battery assembling method comprising selecting as battery cells to be assembled into a battery pack, from among a plurality of battery cells, battery cells having similar charge curves that indicate a relationship between voltage and charge period, which is a time period necessary for a battery cell to be charged from a first voltage to a second voltage that is higher than the first voltage.