Battery assembly system and electric-motor vehicle system using the same

• US 6,984,961 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2003
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kadouchi, Eiji, Takada, Kanji
• Primary Examiner(s): TIBBITS, PIA FLORENCE
• Application Number:
  US10/346,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20030146737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 320/132, 320/116, 320/118, 320/120, 320/121, 320/124, 320/127, 324/426, 324/427, 324/429, 324/430
• US Class Current: 320/132
• 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 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/14 Preventing excessive discharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0019 using switched or multiplexed charge circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

The battery assembly system 100 includes a battery assembly including a plurality of storage batteries C1 to Cn connected in series, a voltage detector 3 for detecting respectively voltages generated in the storage batteries, a current detector 4 for detecting a current flowing in the plurality of storage batteries, a state-of-charge (SOC) calculator 2 for calculating the state of charge (SOC) of the storage batteries, respectively, based on the voltages detected respectively by the voltage detectors 3 and the current detected by the current detector 4, and a charging/discharging unit 1 for charging or discharging at least one of the plurality of storage batteries so as to equalize the SOC of the storage batteries calculated respectively by the SOC calculator 2.

Claims

1. A battery assembly system comprising:

a battery assembly comprising a plurality of storage batteries connected in series,

a voltage detector for detecting respective voltages generated in the storage batteries constituting the battery assembly,

a current detector for detecting a current flowing in the plurality of storage batteries,

a state-of-charge (SOC) calculator for calculating the state of charge (SOC) of the storage batteries, based on the voltages detected by the voltage detectors, respectively and the current detected by the current detector,

a charging/discharging unit for charging or discharging one of the plurality of storage batteries so as to equalize the SOC of the storage batteries calculated by the SOC calculator, respectively, and

a deviation judging unit for judging whether a maximum value of the deviation of the SOC of each storage battery calculated by the SOC calculator exceeds a predetermined value,

wherein the charging/discharging unit is capable of being connected selectively to each of the plurality of storage batteries, and

when the deviation judging unit judges that the maximum value of the deviation of the SOC of each storage battery exceeds the predetermined value, the charging/discharging unit charges or discharges at least one of the plurality of storage batteries.

2. The battery assembly system according to claim 1, wherein the charging/discharging unit charges or discharges a storage battery in which the deviation of the SOC exceeds the predetermined value.

3. The battery assembly system according to claim 1, wherein the charging/discharging unit charges a storage battery in which the deviation of the SOC is deviated to the negative side and discharges a storage battery in which the deviation of the SOC is deviated to the positive side.

4. The battery assembly system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined value is 5%.

5. The battery assembly system according to claim 1, wherein the deviation is a deviation with respect to the median value of the SOC of the plurality of storage batteries.

6. The battery assembly system according to claim 1, wherein the charging/discharging unit has 1/100C to 1/10000C of charging/discharging capability with respect to a capacity of the battery assembly.

7. A battery assembly system comprising:

a battery assembly comprising a plurality of storage batteries connected in series,

a voltage detector for detecting respective voltages generated in the storage batteries constituting the battery assembly,

a current detector for detecting a current flowing in the plurality of storage batteries,

a state-of-charge (SOC) calculator for calculating the state of charge (SOC) of the storage batteries, based on the voltages detected by the voltage detectors, respectively and the current detected by the current detector,

a charging/discharging unit for charging or discharging one of the plurality of storage batteries so as to equalize the SOC of the storage batteries calculated by the SOC calculator, respectively, and

a deterioration detector for detecting a storage battery with deteriorated performance among the plurality of storage batteries, wherein the charging/discharging unit is capable of being connected selectively to each of the plurality of storage batteries.

8. The battery assembly system according to claim 7, wherein the deterioration detector detects the deteriorated storage battery based on the quantity of charged/discharged electricity that is an accumulation of the quantity of electricity for each storage battery being charged or discharged.

9. The battery assembly system according to claim 8, wherein the deterioration detector detects the deteriorated storage battery based on an elapsed time until the deviation of the SOC exceeds the predetermined value.