CHARGING CIRCUIT AND MODULE USING THE SAME

• US 20160380474A1
• Filed: 09/12/2016
• Published: 12/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Inventors: Nakai, Yasuharu, ltaya, Masaharu, Yoshida, Yusuke, Kuratani, Yasuhiro, Tenpaku, Masako, Wada, Yoshifumi
• Granted Patent: US 10,461,571 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4285 Testing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/465 with solar battery as charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/485 of mixed oxides or hydroxides for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiTi2O4 or LiTi2OxFy H01M4/505, H01M4/525 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/505 of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing manganese for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiMn2O4 or LiMn2OxFy
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/525 of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing iron, cobalt or nickel for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiNiO2, LiCoO2 or LiCoOxFy
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/5825 Oxygenated metallic salts or polyanionic structures, e.g. borates, phosphates, silicates, olivines
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A module includes a charging circuit and a driven unit. The charging circuit includes a power generation element and an electric storage element. The power generation element is connected to the electric storage element to charge the electric storage element. The electric storage element is connected to the driven unit to drive the driven unit with electric power stored. The power-generating voltage of the power generation element has a value equal to or more than the charging voltage of the electric storage element. The electric storage element is a secondary battery including a lithium-transition metal oxide in a positive electrode active material layer, and a lithium-titanium oxide of spinel-type crystal structure in a negative electrode active material layer.

Claims

1. A charging circuit comprising:

an electric storage element having a rated charging voltage;

a power generation element having a rated power generation voltage which is greater than the rated charging voltage, the power generation element being coupled to the electric storage unit so as to charge the electric storage element; and

the electric storage element having a positive electrode active material layer containing a lithium-transition metal oxide and a negative electrode active material layer containing lithium-titanium oxide having a spinel-type crystal structure

2. The charging circuit according to claim 1, wherein the rated power-generating voltage of the power generation element falls within the range of 100 to 130% of the rated charging voltage of the electric storage element.

3. The charging circuit according to one claim 1, wherein the power generation element includes a dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion element, an amorphous Si photoelectric conversion element, a compound-semiconductor thin-film photoelectric conversion element, and/or an organic thin-film photoelectric conversion element.

4. The charging circuit according to claim 1, wherein the power generation element is a photoelectric conversion element which when subjected to an illuminance in the range of 50 to 2000 lux generates a power-generating voltage which is at least 60% of the power-generating voltage of the photoelectric conversion element at 2000 lux.

5. The charging circuit according to claim 1, wherein a protection circuit is located between the power generation element and the electric storage element.

6. The charging circuit according to claim 1, wherein the positive electrode active material layer and the negative electrode active material layer are no more than 100 μ

m in thickness.

7. A module comprising the charging circuit according to claim 1, and a circuit driven by the electric storage element of the charging circuit, the circuit having a rated operating voltage equal to or less than the rated charging voltage of the electric storage element.

8. The module according to claim 7, wherein the circuit comprises a sensor that measures at least one of infrared, magnetism, temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, flow rate, illuminance, light, sound waves, odors, and tactile.

9. The module according to claim 7, wherein the circuit comprises a radio communication unit, a storage unit, and a control unit that controls both the radio communication unit and the storage unit.

10. The module according to claim 9, wherein the storage unit stores a personal identification number for identifying the module from other modules.

11. The module according to claim 7, wherein the circuit comprises a display unit, and a control unit that controls the display unit.