Battery system and battery safety alarm system

• US 8,097,352 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Fuse, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hodge, Robert
• Application Number:
  US12/895,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20110262786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 429/61, 429/90, 324/426
• US Class Current: 429/90
• 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 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/00 Safety devices for primary or secondary batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/107 having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/103, H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/505 Cells combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5055 End of discharge indicated by a voltage step
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery system that can prevent a battery from bursting and a battery safety alarm system therefore are provided. A battery system includes an optical fiber wound around an outer circumferential portion of a battery. The battery system detects an abnormality of the battery on the basis of a loss of the laser beam caused by lateral pressure acting on the optical fiber. An alarm warns a user of the abnormality when the abnormality is detected.

Claims

1. A battery system comprising:

a lithium ion battery formed in a cylindrical shape and including an organic electrolytic solution as an electrolyte;

a laser beam source that emits a laser beam;

an optical fiber of a single mode that is wound around an outer circumferential portion of the lithium ion battery in a plurality of lines and via which the laser beam emitted from the light source is transmitted;

a housing that houses the lithium ion battery and a region of the optical fiber that is in contact with an outer surface portion of the lithium ion battery and is arranged in contact with the optical fiber, the optical fiber being disposed between the housing and the lithium ion battery, such that when a lateral pressure from the lithium ion battery acts on the optical fiber, the lateral pressure is exerted on a first side of the optical fiber facing the lithium ion battery while a second side of the optical fiber is restrained by the housing;

a detector that receives the laser beam transmitted via the optical fiber and detects abnormality of the lithium ion battery on the basis of a change in transmission properties caused by lateral pressure acting on the optical fiber or a change with time of the loss; and

an alarm that warns, when abnormality of the lithium ion battery is detected by the detector, a user of the abnormality.

2. A battery system comprising:

a lithium ion battery formed in a cylindrical shape and including an organic electrolytic solution as an electrolyte;

a laser beam source that emits a laser beam;

an optical fiber of a single mode that is wound around an outer circumferential portion of the lithium ion battery in a plurality of lines and via which the laser beam emitted from the light source is transmitted;

a housing that houses the lithium ion battery and a region of the optical fiber that is in contact with an outer surface portion of the lithium ion battery and is arranged in contact with the optical fiber, the optical fiber being disposed between the housing and the lithium ion battery, such that when a lateral pressure from the lithium ion battery acts on the optical fiber, the lateral pressure is exerted on a first side of the optical fiber facing the lithium ion battery while a second side of the optical fiber is restrained by the housing;

a detector that receives the laser beam transmitted via the optical fiber and detects abnormality of the lithium ion battery on the basis of a change with time of an amount of received light; and

an alarm that warns, when abnormality of the lithium ion battery is detected by the detector, a user of the abnormality.

3. A battery system comprising:

a battery;

a light source that emits light;

an optical fiber of a single mode that is wound around an outer surface portion of the battery and via which the light emitted from the light source is transmitted;

a housing that houses the battery and a region of the optical fiber wound around the outer surface portion of the battery, the optical fiber being disposed between the housing and the battery, such that when a lateral pressure from the battery acts on the optical fiber, the lateral pressure is exerted on a first side of the optical fiber facing the battery while a second side of the optical fiber is restrained by the housing; and

a detector that receives the light transmitted via the optical fiber and detects abnormality of the battery on the basis of a change in transmission properties caused by lateral pressure acting on the optical fiber.

4. The battery system according to claim 3, wherein the housing is arranged in contact with the optical fiber.

5. The battery system according to claim 3, further comprising an alarm that warns, when abnormality of the battery is detected by the detector, a user of the abnormality.

6. The battery system according to claim 3, wherein the battery is a lithium ion battery.

7. The battery system according to claim 6, wherein the lithium ion battery includes an organic electrolytic solution as an electrolyte.

8. The battery system according to claim 3, wherein the light source emits a laser beam.

9. The battery system according to claim 3, wherein the battery has a cylindrical external shape.

10. The battery system according to claim 3, wherein the optical fiber is wound around the outer surface portion of the battery in a plurality of lines.

11. An automobile comprising the battery system according to claim 3.

12. A cellular phone comprising the battery system according to claim 3.

13. A personal computer comprising the battery system according to claim 3.

14. A battery system comprising:

a battery;

a light source that emits light;

an optical fiber of a single mode that is wound around an outer surface portion of the battery and via which the light emitted from the light source is transmitted;

a housing that houses the battery and a region of the optical fiber wound around the outer surface portion of the battery, the optical fiber being disposed between the housing and the battery, such that when a lateral pressure from the battery acts on the optical fiber, the lateral pressure is exerted on a first side of the optical fiber facing the battery while a second side of the optical fiber is restrained by the housing; and

a detector that receives the light transmitted via the optical fiber and detects abnormality of the battery on the basis of a change with time of an amount of received light.

15. The battery system according to claim 14, wherein the housing is arranged in contact with the optical fiber.

16. The battery system according to claim 14, further comprising an alarm that warns, when abnormality of the battery is detected by the detector, a user of the abnormality.

17. The battery system according to claim 14, wherein the battery is a lithium ion battery.

18. The battery system according to claim 17, wherein the lithium ion battery includes an organic electrolytic solution as an electrolyte.

19. The battery system according to claim 14, wherein the light source emits a laser beam.

20. The battery system according to claim 14, wherein the battery has a cylindrical external shape.

21. The battery system according to claim 14, wherein the optical fiber is wound around the outer surface portion of the battery in a plurality of lines.

22. An automobile comprising the battery system according to claim 14.

23. A cellular phone comprising the battery system according to claim 14.

24. A personal computer comprising the battery system according to claim 14.

25. A battery safety alarm system comprising:

a light source that emits light;

an optical fiber of a single mode that is wound around an outer surface portion of a battery and via which the light emitted from the light source is transmitted;

a housing that houses the battery and a region of the optical fiber wound around the outer surface portion of the battery, the optical fiber being disposed between the housing and the battery, such that when a lateral pressure from the battery acts on the optical fiber, the lateral pressure is exerted on a first side of the optical fiber facing the battery while a second side of the optical fiber is restrained by the housing; and

a detector alarm that receives the light transmitted via the optical fiber, detects abnormality of the battery on the basis of a change in transmission properties caused by lateral pressure acting on the optical fiber, and warns, when abnormality of the battery is detected, a user of the abnormality.

26. A battery safety alarm system comprising:

a light source that emits light;

an optical fiber of a single mode that is wound around an outer surface portion of a battery and via which the light emitted from the light source is transmitted;

a housing that houses the battery and a region of the optical fiber wound around the outer surface portion of the battery, the optical fiber being disposed between the housing and the battery, such that when a lateral pressure from the battery acts on the optical fiber, the lateral pressure is exerted on a first side of the optical fiber facing the battery while a second side of the optical fiber is restrained by the housing; and

a detector alarm that receives the light transmitted via the optical fiber, detects abnormality of the battery on the basis of a change with time of an amount of received light, and warns, when abnormality of the battery is detected, a user of the abnormality.