Power supply system and portable equipment using the same

• US 7,872,448 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2005
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Godo Kaisha IP Bridge 1 (IP Bridge, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ichinose, Toshihiko, Taniguchi, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): TORRES RUIZ, JOHALI ALEJANDRA
• Application Number:
  US10/581,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20070131268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,866 Days
• Field of Search: 320/134, 320/136, 320/150, 320/152, 320/154, 320/131, 324/433, 324/435, 324/441
• US Class Current: 320/131
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• 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 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: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A power supply system for portable equipment has a lithium-ion secondary battery as a power supply, a temperature detection portion for detecting a temperature of the power supply, a voltage detection portion for detecting a voltage of the power supply, a memory portion, and a forced discharge portion. The memory portion stores a control operating temperature, a control operating voltage and a control termination voltage. The forced discharge portion recognizes an abnormality of the power supply when the temperature of the power supply is at least the control operating temperature and the voltage of the power supply is at least the control operating voltage. Then, the forced discharge portion electrifies the notification portion and makes it inform a message indicating that the abnormality is being avoided. The forced discharge portion forcedly discharges the power supply until the voltage of the power supply reaches the control termination voltage.

Claims

1. A power supply system for supplying portable equipment with electric power, comprising:

a notification portion;

a power supply for supplying electric power to at least the notification portion, the power supply including a lithium-ion secondary battery;

a temperature detection portion for detecting a temperature of the power supply;

a voltage detection portion for detecting a voltage of the power supply;

a memory portion for storing a first temperature, a first voltage and a second voltage that is smaller than the first voltage; and

a forced discharge portion for recognizing an abnormality of the power supply when the temperature of the power supply detected by the temperature detection portion is not lower than the first temperature and the voltage of the power supply detected by the voltage detection portion is not lower than the first voltage when a power feed from the power supply to the portable equipment for operation of the portable equipment is off, for forcedly discharging the power supply until the voltage of the power supply detected by the voltage detection portion reaches the second voltage, and for electrifying the notification portion by the power supply, thereby making the notification portion continuously notify a message indicating that the abnormality is being avoided while the power supply is forcedly being discharged,

wherein the forced discharge portion includes a control portion configured to make the memory portion store data indicating that forced discharge has completed when the forced discharge completed, and

the control portion is further configured to make the notification portion notify a message indicating that the abnormality has been avoided based on the data indicating that the forced discharge is completed, when the power feed from the power supply to the portable equipment for operation of the portable equipment becomes turned on.

2. The power supply system according to claim 1, wherein the forced discharge portion further includes:

a switch coupled in series to the power supply together with the notification portion, and

the control portion is configured to turn on the switch when the abnormality of the power supply is recognized, and to turn off the switch when the voltage of the power supply detected by the voltage detection portion reaches the second voltage.

3. The power supply system according to claim 1, wherein

the forced discharge portion further includes a switch disposed in the power feed line from the power supply to the portable equipment;

and

the control portion is further configured to turn on the switch for forcedly discharging the power supply when the abnormality of the power supply is recognized.

4. The power supply system according to claim 3, wherein the control portion turns off the switch when the voltage of the power supply detected by the voltage detection portion reaches the second voltage.

5. The power supply system according to claim 1, wherein an active material of a positive electrode of the lithium-ion secondary battery comprises nickel complex oxide.

6. The power supply system according to claim 5, wherein the first temperature is not lower than 55°

C. and not higher than 65°

C., the first voltage is not lower than 4.05V and not higher than 4.15V for each lithium-ion secondary battery, and the second voltage is not lower than 3.85V and not higher than 3.95V for each lithium-ion secondary battery.

7. A power supply system for supplying portable equipment having a notification portion with electric power, comprising:

a power supply for supplying electric power to at least the notification portion, the power supply including a lithium-ion secondary battery;

a temperature detection portion for detecting a temperature of the power supply;

a voltage detection portion for detecting a voltage of the power supply;

a memory portion for storing a first temperature, a first voltage and a second voltage that is smaller than the first voltage; and

a forced discharge portion for recognizing an abnormality of the power supply when the temperature of the power supply detected by the temperature detection portion is not lower than the first temperature and the voltage of the power supply detected by the voltage detection portion is not lower than the first voltage when the electric power from the power supply to the portable equipment for operation of the portable equipment is off, for forcedly discharging the power supply until the voltage of the power supply detected by the voltage detection portion reaches the second voltage, and for electrifying the notification portion by the power supply, thereby making the notification portion continuously notify a message indicating that the abnormality is being avoided while the power supply is forcedly being discharged,

wherein the forced discharge portion includes a control portion configured to make the memory portion store data indicating that forced discharge has completed when the forced discharge completed, and

the control portion is further configured to make the notification portion notify a message indicating that the abnormality has been avoided based on the data indicating that the forced discharge is completed, responsive to turning on the electric power from the power supply to the portable equipment for operation of the portable equipment.

8. Portable equipment comprising:

a notification portion;

a power supply for supplying electric power to at least the notification portion, the power supply including a lithium-ion secondary battery;

a temperature detection portion for detecting a temperature of the power supply;

a voltage detection portion for detecting a voltage of the power supply;

a memory portion for storing a first temperature, a first voltage and a second voltage;

a forced discharge portion for recognizing an abnormality of the power supply when the temperature of the power supply detected by the temperature detection portion is not lower than the first temperature and the voltage of the power supply detected by the voltage detection portion is not lower than the first voltage when an electric power from the power supply to the portable equipment for operation of the portable equipment is off, for forcedly discharging the power supply until the voltage of the power supply detected by the voltage detection portion reaches the second voltage, and for electrifying the notification portion by the power supply, thereby making the notification portion continuously notify a message indicating that the abnormality is being avoided while the power supply is forcedly being discharged; and

an equipment circuit for operating the portable equipment, the equipment circuit being supplied by the power supply,

wherein the forced discharge portion includes a control portion configured to make the memory portion store data indicating that forced discharge has completed when the forced discharge completed, and

the control portion is further configured to make the notification portion notify a message indicating that the abnormality has been avoided based on the data indicating that the forced discharge is completed, when the electric power from the power supply to the portable equipment for operation of the portable equipment is turned on.

9. The portable equipment according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the voltage detection portion, the memory portion, and the forced discharge portion is integrated with the equipment circuit.