Pulse charging method and a charger

• US 5,945,811 A
• Filed: 01/21/1998
• Issued: 08/31/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsuda, Keita, Hasegawa, Hirokazu, Konno, Akihide, Iwao, Yasutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOATLEY, GREGORY J
• Application Number:
  US09/000,007
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 320/139, 320/141, 320/145, 320/157, 320/162
• US Class Current: 320/141
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00711 with introduction of pulses during the charging process

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pulse charging method and charging system for use with non-aqueous secondary batteries, employing a pulse charge controlling method all the way from the start to the end of charging. This pulse charging method has an on-duty ratio of pulses in a next specified charge period reduced when an average battery voltage has exceeded a charge control voltage during a specified charge period, has an on-duty ratio of pulses in a next specified charge period increased when the average battery voltage has not exceeded the charge control voltage and has the pulse charging ended when an on-duty ratio of pulses has reached a specified value. The pulse charging system comprises an on-duty ratio reducing means for having an on-duty ratio of pulses reduced, an on-duty ratio increasing means for having an on-duty ratio increased and a means for determining pulse charge ending for having the pulse charging ended when an on-duty ratio of pulses has reached a specified value. Thus, it has become possible to provide a charging system that can be built in a battery pack, is inexpensive, free of heat generation and, in addition, allows the charging time to be reduced.

Claims

1. A pulse charging method for charging by determining an on-duty ratio of pulses for a next specified charge period during a specified charge period after the start of charging, characterized by having the on-duty ratio of pulses for the next specified charge period reduced when an average battery voltage has exceeded a charge control voltage during the specified charge period, having the on-duty ratio of pulses for the next specified charge period increased when the average battery voltage has not exceeded the charge control voltage during the specified charge period and having the pulse charging ended when the on-duty ratio of pulses has reached a specified value in the next specified charge period.

2. A pulse charging system for charging by determining an on-duty ratio of pulses for a next specified charge period during a specified charge period after the start of charging, comprising:

a duty ratio reducing means for having an on-duty ratio of pulses for a next specified charge period reduced when an average battery voltage has exceeded a charge control voltage during a specified charge period;

a duty ratio increasing means for having an on-duty ratio of pulses for a next specified charge period increased when an average battery voltage has not exceeded a charge control voltage during a specified charge period; and

a means for determining pulse charge ending for having the pulse charging ended when an on-duty ratio of pulses has reached a specified value in a next specified charge period.

3. The pulse charging system according to claim 2, wherein said duty ratio reducing means, duty ratio increasing means and means for determining pulse charge ending are contained inside of a battery pack.

4. A pulse charging system for having the pulse charging ended when an on-duty ratio of pulses has reached a specified value, comprising:

a switching means for turning on/off a charge current;

a battery voltage detecting means for detecting a voltage of each respective battery cell; and

a pulse charge control means for performing an overall control over pulse charging, with said pulse charge control means further comprising;

a reference voltage generating means for generating a charge control voltage as a reference voltage;

a voltage comparing means for conducting a comparison between an average battery voltage obtained during a specified period from a battery voltage that has accumulated each respective cell voltage detected by said battery voltage detecting means and the reference voltage generated by said reference voltage generating means;

a periodic timer setting means for setting a charge period;

a duty timer setting means for setting duty time that is determined by the product of a specified charge period and a duty ratio;

a latching means for latching that an average battery voltage is found to have exceeded a charge control voltage after comparing voltages in said voltage comparing means; and

a control means for controlling said each respective means.

5. A pulse charging system for charging by setting an on-duty ratio of pulses for a charge period to a maximum value at the start of charging and by determining an on-duty ratio of pulses for a next specified charge period during a specified charge period after the start of charging, comprising:

a latching means for latching that an average battery voltage has exceeded a charge control voltage during a specified charge period;

a duty ratio reducing means for having an on-duty ratio of pulses reduced in a next specified charge period on a condition that said latching means is in a latching state when an average battery voltage has exceeded a charge control voltage during a specified charge period;

a duty ratio increasing means for having an on-duty ratio of pulses increased in a next specified charge period when an average battery voltage has not exceeded a charge control voltage during a specified charge period; and

a means for determining pulse charge ending for having the pulse charging ended when an on-duty ratio of pulses has reached a specified value in a next specified charge period.

6. A pulse charging system for charging by setting an on-duty ratio of pulses for a charge period to a minimum value at the start of charging and by determining an on-duty ratio of pulses for a next specified charge period during a specified charge period after the start of charging, comprising:

a latching means for latching that an average battery voltage has exceeded a charge control voltage during a specified charge period;

a duty ratio reducing means for having an on-duty ratio of pulses reduced in a next specified charge period on a condition that said latching means is in a latching state when an average battery voltage has exceeded a charge control voltage during a specified charge period;

a duty ratio increasing means for having an on-duty ratio of pulses increased in a next specified charge period when an average battery voltage has not exceeded a charge control voltage during a specified charge period; and

a means for determining pulse charge ending for having the pulse charging ended when an on-duty ratio of pulses has reached a specified value in a next specified charge period.

7. A pulse charging system for having the pulse charging ended when an on-duty ratio of pulses has reached a specified value, comprising:

a switching means for turning on/off a charge current;

a battery voltage detecting means for detecting a voltage of each respective battery cell; and

a pulse charge control means for performing an overall control over pulse charging, with said pulse charge control means further comprising;

a control means for controlling individually each respective means as described below;

a reference voltage generating means for generating a reference voltage that serves as a charge control voltage according to said control means;

a voltage comparing means for conducting a comparison between an average battery voltage obtained during a specified period from a battery voltage that has accumulated each respective cell voltage detected by said battery voltage detecting means and the reference voltage generated by said reference voltage generating means;

a periodic timer setting means for setting a specified charge period; and

a duty timer setting means for setting duty time that is determined by the product of a specified charge period and a duty ratio, wherein said pulse charge control means performs a voltage comparison by said voltage comparison means according to said excessive duty time set in said duty timer setting means.

8. A pulse charging system for charging by determining an on-duty ratio of pulses for a next specified charge period during a specified charge period after the start of charging, comprising:

a voltage detecting means for detecting a voltage of each respective cell;

a temperature detecting means for determining a battery temperature by detecting a temperature of each respective cell;

a maximum duty ratio setting means for setting a maximum duty ratio to a value obtained by dividing a first specified average current determined by said voltage detecting means and temperature detecting means with a charge current at that time when the charge current exceeds said first specified average current;

a voltage comparing means for conducting a comparison between an average battery voltage obtained during a specified period from a battery voltage that has accumulated each respective cell voltage detected by said battery voltage detecting means and a charge control voltage;

a duty ratio reducing means for having an on-duty ratio of pulses reduced in a next specified charge period when an average battery voltage has exceeded a charge control voltage during a specified charge period;

a duty ratio increasing means for having an on-duty ratio of pulses increased in a next specified charge period when an average battery voltage has not exceeded a charge control voltage during a specified charge period; and

a means for determining pulse charge ending for having the pulse charging ended when an average current in a next specified charge period has reached a second average current that is smaller than said first specified average current.

9. A pulse charging system for charging by determining an on-duty ratio of pulses for a next specified charge period during a specified charge period after the start of charging, comprising:

a means for finding charge circuit resistance from a voltage obtained by subtracting the voltage at the end of charging from the voltage during charging and a charge current;

a means for adjusting a charge control voltage by adding to a fixed charge control voltage a value derived from the product of charge circuit resistance obtained by said means for finding charge circuit resistance, a charge current, an on-duty ratio of pulses and a safety factor that is a constant between 0 and 1 and determined by the measurement accuracy of the charge circuit resistance;

a duty ratio reducing means for reducing an on-duty ratio of pulses in a next specified charge period when an average battery voltage has exceeded an adjusted charge control voltage during a specified charge period;

a duty ratio increasing means for increasing an on-duty ratio of pulses in a next specified charge period when an average battery voltage has not exceeded an adjusted charge control voltage during a specified charge period; and

a means for determining pulse charge ending for having the pulse charging ended when an on-duty ratio of pulses has reached a specified value in a next specified charge period.

10. The pulse charging system according to claim 9, wherein the voltage at the end of charging used in finding the charge circuit resistance in said means for finding charge circuit resistance is obtained within a time immediately before a voltage drop due to a chemical action in a battery takes place.

11. The pulse charging system according to claim 9, wherein the safety factor for use in said means for adjusting a charge control voltage is a constant between 0.3 and 0.7.

12. A pulse charging method for charging by determining a next specified charge pulse period during a specified charge pulse period after the start of charging, characterized by having the next specified charge pulse period increased when an average battery voltage has exceeded a charge control voltage during the specified charge pulse period, having the next specified charge period maintained or reduced when the average battery voltage has not exceeded the charge control voltage during the specified charge pulse period and having the pulse charging ended when the next specified charge pulse period has reached a specified value.

13. A pulse charging system for charging by determining a next specified charge pulse period during a specified charge pulse period after the start of charging, comprising:

charge pulse period increasing means for having a next specified charge pulse period increased when an average battery voltage has exceeded a charge control voltage during said specified charge pulse period;

charge pulse period reducing means for having said next specified charge period maintained or reduced when said average battery voltage has not exceeded said charge control voltage age during said specified charge pulse period; and

means for determining pulse charge ending for having the pulse charging ended when said next specified charge pulse period has exceeded a specified value.

14. The pulse charging system according to claim 13, wherein the charge pulse period increasing means, charge pulse period reducing means and means for determining pulse charge ending are contained in a battery pack.

15. The pulse charging system according to claim 13, further comprising latching means for latching when an average battery voltage has exceeded said charge control voltage during said specified charge pulse period, wherein said next specified charge pulse period is increased provided that said latching means is latching and said next specified charge pulse period is maintained or reduced provided that said latching means is not latching.

16. A pulse charging system for charging by determining a next specified charge pulse period during a specified charge pulse period after the start of charging and having the pulse charging ended when a pulse charge period has exceeded a specified value, comprising:

a switching means for turning on/off a charge current;

a battery voltage detecting means for detecting a voltage of each respective battery cell; and

a pulse charge control means for performing an overall control over pulse charging, with said pulse charge control means further comprising;

a reference voltage generating means for generating a charge control voltage as a reference voltage;

a voltage comparing means for conducting a comparison between an average battery voltage obtained during a specified period from a battery voltage that has accumulated each respective cell voltage detected by said battery voltage detecting means and the reference voltage generated by said reference voltage generating means;

a periodic timer setting means for setting a charge period;

an on-timer setting means for setting a pulse current on-time;

a latching means for latching that an average battery voltage is found to have exceeded a charge control voltage after comparing voltages in said voltage comparing means; and

a control means for controlling said each respective means.