Method for exchanging rechargeable batteries

• US 8,362,749 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2009
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Company, Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Company, Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Komori, Katsunori, Sato, Naoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Koval, Melissa
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, DANIEL R
• Application Number:
  US12/466,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20090284226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 320/135, 320/136, 429/49
• US Class Current: 320/136
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A rechargeable battery exchanging method which exchanges rechargeable batteries of an assembled battery to rebuild new assembled battery. The method includes discharging a rechargeable battery derived from an assembled battery until the rechargeable battery becomes a fully discharged state and storing the rechargeable battery in a storage region for a predetermined period of time or longer from when the rechargeable battery becomes the fully discharged state to prepare a reusable rechargeable battery. The method further includes rebuilding a regenerated assembled battery by combining the stored reusable rechargeable battery with a stored reusable rechargeable battery derived from other assembled batteries or combining the stored reusable rechargeable battery with a fresh rechargeable battery.

Claims

1. A rechargeable battery exchanging method, comprising:

discharging a nickel metal hydride (NiMH) rechargeable battery derived from a vehicle assembled battery used as a power source for a vehicle until the nickel metal hydride rechargeable battery reaches a fully discharged state;

preventing the nickel metal hydride rechargeable battery in which memory effect accumulation is not reduced from being used for rebuilding a regenerated vehicle assembled battery by storing the nickel metal hydride rechargeable battery that is in the fully discharged state in a storage region for three hours or longer from when the nickel metal hydride rechargeable battery reaches the fully discharged state to prepare a reusable nickel metal hydride rechargeable battery in which memory effect accumulation is reduced; and

rebuilding a regenerated vehicle assembled battery to be used as a power source for a vehicle by combining the stored reusable nickel metal hydride rechargeable battery derived from the vehicle assembled battery with a stored reusable nickel metal hydride rechargeable battery derived from other assembled batteries or combining the stored reusable nickel metal hydride rechargeable battery derived from the vehicle assembled battery with a fresh nickel metal hydride rechargeable battery.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said discharging includes discharging only the rechargeable battery or discharging a whole battery unit formed by less rechargeable batteries than the assembled battery.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said rebuilding includes combining the rechargeable batteries by combining whole battery units, each formed by less rechargeable batteries than the assembled battery and including the reusable rechargeable battery.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

inspecting the rechargeable battery for a defect based on discharge voltage of the rechargeable battery detected during a period of discharging the rechargeable battery to the fully discharged state.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

inspecting the rechargeable battery for a defect based on battery voltage of the rechargeable battery detected during a period of storing the rechargeable battery in the stored region.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the assembled battery is an electric vehicle power source or a hybrid vehicle power source.

7. A method of rebuilding a regenerated assembled battery, the method comprising:

collecting used vehicle assembled batteries used as a power source for a vehicle;

discharging nickel metal hydride rechargeable batteries forming the collected assembled batteries to a fully discharged state;

preventing the nickel metal hydride rechargeable batteries in which memory effect accumulation is not reduced from being used for rebuilding a regenerated vehicle assembled battery by storing the nickel metal hydride rechargeable batteries that are in the fully discharged state in a storage region for three hours or longer from when the nickel metal hydride rechargeable batteries reach the fully discharged state to prepare reusable rechargeable batteries in which memory effect accumulation is reduced; and

rebuilding a regenerated vehicle assembled battery to be used as a power source for a vehicle by combining the stored reusable nickel metal hydride rechargeable batteries or combining at least one of the stored reusable nickel metal hydride rechargeable batteries with a fresh nickel metal hydride rechargeable battery.