ACCUMULATOR

• US 20100007213A1
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Morita, Kazuki, Odajima, Yoshimitu
• Granted Patent: US 8,063,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/103
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/392 Determining battery ageing or deterioration, e.g. state of health
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4264 with capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• 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

DC blocking capacitor and resistor are coupled in series with electricity storing section at its both ends, and ON/OFF circuit is coupled in parallel with resistor. Peak voltage holding circuit is coupled in parallel with ON/OFF circuit, and current sensing section is coupled in series with storing section, and an output from current sensing section is supplied to peak current holding circuit. In the structure of the storage device discussed above, a flowing direction of an electric current from a positive electrode to a negative electrode of storing section is referred to as a positive direction. ON/OFF circuit is controlled such that circuit is turned on when the current flows in a negative direction, and such that it is turned off when the current flows in the positive direction. An internal resistor of storing section can be found based on a peak voltage resulting from the control and held by circuit and a peak current resulting from the control and held by circuit. A degree of degradation of electricity storing section is determined with this internal resistor.

Claims

1. An electric storage device comprising:

an electricity storing section for storing electric power;

an electric current sensing section for sensing an electric current flowing through the electricity storing section;

a DC blocking capacitor coupled to a positive electrode of the electricity storing section;

a resistor coupled in series with the DC blocking capacitor and coupled to a negative electrode of the electricity storing section;

an ON/OFF circuit coupled in parallel with the resistor;

a peak voltage holding circuit;

a peak current holding circuit coupled to the electric current sensing section; and

a controller for controlling the peak voltage holding circuit, the peak current holding circuit, and the electric current sensing section,

wherein the ON/OFF circuit is controlled, based on a condition where a direction of an electric current flowing from the positive electrode to the negative electrode of the electricity storing section is a positive direction, such that the ON/OFF circuit is turned on when the electric current flows in a negative direction or a voltage at a junction point between the DC blocking capacitor and the resistor is negative, and such that the ON/OFF circuit is turned off when the electric current flows in the positive direction or a voltage at the junction point between the DC blocking capacitor and the resistor is positive, and

wherein an internal resistor of the electricity storing section is found based on a peak voltage resulting from the control and held by the peak voltage holding circuit as well as a peak current resulting from the control and held by the peak current holding circuit.

2. The electric storage device of claim 1, wherein the ON/OFF circuit is formed of a diode of which cathode is coupled to the junction point between the DC blocking capacitor and the resistor.

5. The electric storage device of claim 1 further comprising a determining circuit for determining whether a voltage at the junction point between the DC blocking capacitor and the resistor is positive or negative,

wherein the ON/OFF circuit can be controlled its turn-on or turn-off with an external signal, and

wherein the determining circuit issues an on-off signal for turning on or turning off the ON/OFF circuit.

6. The electric storage device of claim 1, wherein the ON/OFF circuit can be controlled its turn-on or turn-off with an external signal, and the controller receives a current from the current sensing section or a voltage at the junction point between the DC blocking capacitor and the resistor, and

wherein the controller determines whether the current supplied from the current sensing section or the voltage at the junction point is positive or negative for issuing an on-off signal, which turns on or turns off the ON/OFF circuit.

3. An electric storage device comprising:

an electricity storing section for storing electric power;

an electric current sensing section for sensing an electric current flowing through the electricity storing section;

a DC blocking capacitor coupled to a positive electrode of the electricity storing section;

a resistor coupled in series with the DC blocking capacitor and coupled to a negative electrode of the electricity storing section;

an ON/OFF circuit coupled in parallel with the resistor;

a bottom voltage holding circuit;

a bottom current holding circuit coupled to the electric current sensing section; and

a controller for controlling the bottom voltage holding circuit, the bottom current holding circuit, and the electric current sensing section,

wherein the ON/OFF circuit is controlled, based on a condition where a direction of an electric current flowing from the positive electrode to the negative electrode of the electricity storing section is a positive direction, such that the ON/OFF circuit is turned on when the electric current flows in the positive direction or a voltage at a junction point between the DC blocking capacitor and the resistor is positive, and such that the ON/OFF circuit is turned off when the electric current flows in a negative direction or a voltage at the junction point between the DC blocking capacitor and the resistor is negative, and

wherein an internal resistor of the electricity storing section is found based on a bottom voltage resulting from the control and held by the bottom voltage holding circuit as well as a bottom current resulting from the control and held by the bottom current holding circuit.

4. The electric storage device of claim 3, wherein the ON/OFF circuit is formed of a diode of which cathode is coupled to the junction point between the DC blocking capacitor and the resistor.

7. The electric storage device of claim 3 further comprising a determining circuit for determining whether a voltage at the junction point between the DC blocking capacitor and the resistor is positive or negative,

wherein the ON/OFF circuit can be controlled its turn-on or turn-off with an external signal, and

wherein the determining circuit issues an on-off signal for turning on or turning off the ON/OFF circuit.

8. The electric storage device of claim 3, wherein the ON/OFF circuit can be controlled its turn-on or turn-off with an external signal, and the controller receives a current from the current sensing section or a voltage at the junction point between the DC blocking capacitor and the resistor, and

wherein the controller determines whether the current supplied from the current sensing section or the voltage at the junction point is positive or negative for issuing an on-off signal, which turns on or turns off the ON/OFF circuit.