Series-connected rechargeable cells, series-connected rechargeable cell device, voltage-balance correcting circuit for series-connected cells
First Claim
1. A series-connected rechargeable cell device, comprising:
- a plurality of rechargeable cells that are series-connected, and that are divided into a plurality of series-connected cell groups placed continuously in order of connecting; and
a voltage-balance correcting circuit that balances the voltages of the cells, and that is provided with;
an inter-cell voltage-balance correcting circuit that performs voltage-balance correcting between adjacent cells in each of the cell groups and confined within the cell group, wherein one end of an inductor is connected between a common point between the two cells to be balanced, and the other end of the inductor is connected between two switching circuits, andan inter-group voltage-balance correcting circuit that performs balance correcting of series-connection voltages of the cell groups by AC-coupling formed with a transformer coil and a switching circuit,the inter-group voltage-balance correcting circuit including;
a plurality of transformer coils each having ends respectively connected to series-connection ends of each of the series-connected cell groups, that are magnetically coupled at the transformation ratio of 1;
1, anda plurality of switching circuits, disposed between the transformer coils and the cell groups, respectively, that apply a current to each of the transformer coils simultaneously by being turned ON/OFF in phase in accordance with a periodic pulse signal.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
[Object] There is provided series-connected rechargeable cells in which a large number of cells are series-connected and that makes it possible to improve performance on operations such as assembly or exchange and to perform speedy and smooth voltage-balance correcting for all cells.
[Means for Solution] Series-connected rechargeable cells includes: a large number of rechargeable cells that are series-connected, and that are divided into a plurality of series-connected cell groups placed continuously in order of connecting; and a voltage-balance correcting circuit that balances the voltages of the cells, and that is provided with an inter-cell voltage-balance correcting circuit that performs voltage-balance correcting between adjacent cells in each of the cell groups and an inter-group voltage-balance correcting circuit that performs balance correcting of series-connection voltages of the cell groups by AC-coupling formed with a transformer coil and a switching circuit.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A series-connected rechargeable cell device, comprising:
-
a plurality of rechargeable cells that are series-connected, and that are divided into a plurality of series-connected cell groups placed continuously in order of connecting; and a voltage-balance correcting circuit that balances the voltages of the cells, and that is provided with; an inter-cell voltage-balance correcting circuit that performs voltage-balance correcting between adjacent cells in each of the cell groups and confined within the cell group, wherein one end of an inductor is connected between a common point between the two cells to be balanced, and the other end of the inductor is connected between two switching circuits, and an inter-group voltage-balance correcting circuit that performs balance correcting of series-connection voltages of the cell groups by AC-coupling formed with a transformer coil and a switching circuit, the inter-group voltage-balance correcting circuit including; a plurality of transformer coils each having ends respectively connected to series-connection ends of each of the series-connected cell groups, that are magnetically coupled at the transformation ratio of 1;
1, anda plurality of switching circuits, disposed between the transformer coils and the cell groups, respectively, that apply a current to each of the transformer coils simultaneously by being turned ON/OFF in phase in accordance with a periodic pulse signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A series-connected rechargeable cell device comprising:
-
a plurality of rechargeable cells that are series-connected, and that are divided into a plurality of series-connected cell groups placed continuously in order of connecting; and a voltage-balance correcting circuit that balances the voltages of the cells, and that is provided with; an inter-cell voltage-balance correcting circuit that performs voltage-balance correcting between adjacent cells in each of the cell groups and confined within the cell group, wherein one end of an inductor is connected between a common point between the two cells to be balanced, and the other end of the inductor is connected between two switching circuits, and an inter-group voltage-balance correcting circuit that performs balance correcting of series-connection voltages of the cell groups by AC-coupling formed with a transformer coil and a switching circuit, the inter-group voltage-balance correcting circuit including; a primary coil that connects to an end of all series-connected cell groups; a primary coil-side switching circuit that is series-connected to the primary coil; a plurality of secondary coils that respectively connect to an end of each of the series-connected cell groups and that are magnetically coupled to each other with the transformation ratio between each other being 1;
1; anda plurality of secondary coil-side circuits, disposed between the secondary coils and the cell groups, respectively, that apply a current to each of the secondary coils simultaneously in accordance with a periodic pulse signal.
-
-
7. A series-connected rechargeable cell device, comprising:
-
a plurality of rechargeable cells that are series-connected; a voltage-balance correcting circuit in which; a semiconductor switching device includes a MOS-FET and is configured to balance the voltage between the cells, the MOS-FET being turned on or off by a control signal having a first level for turning on and a second level for turning off; and a level conversion circuit configured to convert the second level of the control signal to a third level to control the MOS-FET to be in an intermediate state between an ON state and an OFF state, the MOS-FET acting as a resister in the intermediate state to allow current to flow therethrough, wherein the level conversion circuit is configured not to operate in a normal condition, but to operate in an overcharge condition to convert the second level of the control signal to the third level to cause the MOS-FET to be a bypass circuit so that a charging current flows through the MOS-FET to bypasses the researchable cells. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
-
-
10. A voltage-balance correcting circuit for series-connected cells, comprising:
-
a plurality of rechargeable cells that are series-connected; a plurality of transformer coils that are wound around a same magnetic core having the same number of turns and that have the transformation ratio of 1;
1;switches that are turned ON/OFF in conjunction with each other and through which the rechargeable cells are connected to the transformer coils on a one-to-one basis so that the voltage of each of the cells is balanced; and a commutation circuit that during a period when the switches change from ON to OFF, a self-induced current generated in the coil that is supplied with a primary current from the rechargeable cell discharges through a path for charging the cell other than the cell that is not connected to the coil, the commutation circuit including a first discharge circuit and a second discharge circuit that are connected between a first transformer coil and a second transformer coil, the first discharge circuit being configured in such a manner that a self-induced current that is generated when the first transformer coil is supplied with the primary current charges the rechargeable cell that corresponds to the second transformer coil through a backflow-preventing diode, and the second discharge circuit being configured in such a manner that a self-induced current that is generated when the second transformer coil is supplied with the primary current charges the rechargeable cell that corresponds to the first transformer coil through a backflow-preventing diode. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification