Disconnection detecting device

• US 8,269,460 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2010
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Satoshi, Matsuura, Kimihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US12/801,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20100327878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 320/116, 320/117, 320/120, 320/122, 320/134, 320/136
• US Class Current: 320/122
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/396 Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/52 Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/54 Testing for continuity
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or conductors testing of electric windings G01R31/72
• 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: 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

A switch element is configured to decrease an impedance of a voltage-detection integrated circuit that detect voltage between both ends of unit cells of a higher-ordered battery block, for adjacently-connected pair of the higher-ordered battery block and a lower-ordered battery block. The voltage-detection integrated circuit is configured to detect disconnection of an electrical wire when voltage between both ends of a lowest-ordered unit cell that is detected with the switch element turned on is equal to or lower than a threshold.

Claims

1. A disconnection detecting device for a battery including battery blocks each constructed by series-connected unit cells, the device being configured to detect a disconnection of an electrical wire that connects a connection point of an adjacently-connected pair of a higher-ordered battery block and a lower-ordered battery block to a ground terminal of a voltage detection unit configured to detect a voltage between both ends of a unit cell belonging to the higher-ordered battery block and to a power supply terminal of a voltage detection unit configured to detect a voltage between both ends of a unit cell belonging to the lower-ordered battery block, the device comprising:

a switch element configured to decrease an impedance of the voltage detection unit that detects the voltages between both ends of the unit cells belonging to the higher-ordered battery block; and

a disconnection detecting unit configured to detect the disconnection of the electrical wire based on a voltage between both ends of a lowest-ordered unit cell of the higher-ordered battery block, the voltage between both ends being detected by the voltage detection unit while the switch element is turned on.

2. The disconnection detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the disconnection detection unit is configured to detect the disconnection of the electrical wire based on comparison of the voltage between both ends of the lowest-ordered unit cell of the higher-ordered battery block with a threshold, the voltage between both ends being detected by the voltage detection unit while the switch element is turned on.

3. The disconnection detecting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first diode connected between both ends of the lowest-ordered unit cell of the higher-ordered battery block in a forward direction from a negative terminal of the lowest-ordered unit cell of the higher-ordered battery block to a positive terminal thereof; and

a second diode connected between both ends of the highest-ordered unit cell of the lower-ordered battery block in a forward direction from a negative terminal of the highest-ordered unit cell of the lower-ordered battery block to a positive terminal thereof.

4. The disconnection detecting device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a first diode connected between both ends of the lowest-ordered unit cell of the higher-ordered battery block in a forward direction from a negative terminal of the lowest-ordered unit cell of the higher-ordered battery block to a positive terminal thereof; and

a second diode connected between both ends of the highest-ordered unit cell of the lower-ordered battery block in a forward direction from a negative terminal of the highest-ordered unit cell of the lower-ordered battery block to a positive terminal thereof.