Abstract: In a battery cooling device for cooling a battery with cooling air from a cooling unit, such as a cooling fan, the cooling fan is not to be driven more than necessary. A cooling air flow control unit calculates a battery temperature change rate indicating an amount of change in battery temperature over a predetermined time based on the battery temperature, and if the calculated battery temperature change rate satisfies a predetermined suppression control condition, the cooling air flow of the cooling fan is suppressed regardless of whether or not the battery temperature is at or below a reference temperature.

Abstract: In a battery cooling device for cooling a battery with air from a cooling unit, such as a cooling fan, the air flow of the cooling unit is optimally controlled. A air flow control device calculates a calorific value of the battery based on an internal resistance of the battery and a charge/discharge current measured by a current measurement unit, calculates the difference as a differential temperature between battery temperature measured by a battery temperature measurement unit and ambient temperature measured by an ambient temperature measurement unit, and controls the air flow of the cooling fan on the basis of the calculated calorific value and the differential temperature.

Abstract: To provide an electrode unit for a prismatic battery capable of increasing the output of the battery while suppressing the battery internal resistance value and improving the degree of freedom of the size of the electrode plate. An electrode unit for a prismatic battery including an electrode group in which positive electrode plates and negative electrode plates in an almost rectangular shape are alternately stacked with separators interposed therebetween. In each of the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate, core material exposed portions are formed at least on two side edges. The positive electrode plates and the negative electrode plate are stacked such that their core material exposed portions are directed not to overlap each other in the stack direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for accurately estimating the SOC of a rechargeable battery installed in a hybrid electric vehicle. A voltage variation measurement unit measures terminal voltage variation amount of the rechargeable battery in a no-battery-current state in which a charge-discharge current does not flow in the rechargeable battery. A polarization voltage calculator calculates a polarization voltage from the measured variation amount. An electromotive force calculator subtracts the polarization voltage from a non-load voltage in a state in which a charge-discharge path is open to calculate the electromotive force of the rechargeable battery. An SOC estimator estimates the SOC of the rechargeable battery based on the electromotive force.

Abstract: To provide a voltage measurement device for measuring a battery voltage of a secondary battery formed by serially connecting a plurality of battery blocks, which is able to calculate the battery voltage in block units even though a potential detection line is disconnected. Specifically, when the voltage detection unit fails to measure the battery voltage of the measurement target battery block by selecting potential detection lines connected to both terminals of the measurement target battery block, the switch control unit selects the potential detection lines connected to both terminals of the battery block group including a serially connected plurality of battery blocks including the measurement target battery block, then measures the integrated voltage of the battery block group, and measures the battery voltage of the measurement target battery block based on the measured integrated voltage.

Abstract: A battery pack structure with heater including a plurality of secondary batteries, a housing case housing them, and a heater is arranged to prevent uneven heating among the secondary batteries, reducing temperature variations among the secondary batteries. Specifically, the battery pack structure with heater of the present invention includes: a battery pack including a plurality of secondary batteries and a housing case housing them; a first heater; and a second heater. The housing case includes a metal spaced part separated with a space S from each of the secondary batteries. The first heater and the second heater are placed on at least part of an outer surface of the spaced part of the housing case.

Abstract: A reconstituted battery pack producing method comprises an obtaining process for obtaining, by use of one of a first charged-state control device having ever controlled a charged state of a used battery pack when it was used before and a second charged-state control device arranged to control the charged state of the used battery pack as with the first charged-state control device, a reference-time charge amount charged in each used secondary battery constituting the used battery pack; a selecting process for selecting more than one of the used secondary batteries close to each other in the reference-time charge amount from a group of the used secondary batteries whose reference-time charge amounts have been obtained; and an assembling process for combining and assembling the selected used secondary batteries into a new reconstituted battery pack.

Abstract: A cooling device including an intake duct achieving fluid communication between a vehicle interior and an inner part of a battery case, a fan unit for supplying the air via the intake duct to the inner part of the battery case, and a control device is used. The fan unit includes a fan and a motor driven by a constant voltage system. The control device includes a current value detecting portion and a judging portion. The current value detecting portion detects a current value of an electric current supplied to the motor. The judging portion compares the detected current value and a preset reference current value and, when the detected current value is lower than the reference current value, judges that there is an anomaly in a volume of the air supplied to the battery case.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically peeling a removal tape from a removal-tape-attached adhesive tape and affixing the adhesive tape to a battery module. A removal-tape-attached adhesive insulation tape supplied from an uncoiler is held in a folded state by means of a carrier plate. The carrier plate reciprocates between a first position and a second position. When the carrier plate has moved from the first position to the second position, a tape holding unit holds the tape by means of suction. Subsequently, as a result of movement of the carrier plate from the second position to the first position, the removal tape is peeled from the removal-tape-attached adhesive insulation tape T, thereby uncovering an adhesive surface of the adhesive tape. The battery module is dropped toward the adhesive tape at an inclination with reference to the vertical direction, whereby the adhesive tape is affixed to the battery module.

Abstract: A device for appropriately controlling capacitive variations between battery blocks. A voltage measurement section periodically measures a terminal voltage of each battery block by way of respective potential detection lines electrically connected to both terminals of the respective battery blocks. A discharge section effects electric discharge of each battery block by electrically connecting both terminals of a discharge element to both terminals of the respective battery blocks by way of the potential detection line.

Abstract: There are provided a heater unit and a battery structure with heater, which are capable of heating the battery structure appropriately and preventing a heater (part or whole of the heater) itself from excessively increasing in temperature. A first heater unit is provided with a first sheet heater, a first holding member holding it, and a first sheet placed between a lower surface of a first heater and the first holding member in such a manner as to be deformable in at least a direction of thickness of the first heater. The first heater is deformed when the first heater unit is fixed to the battery pack 50, thereby pressing the lower surface of the first heater to bring an upper surface of the first heater into close contact with an outer surface (a surface to be heated) of a spaced part of the battery pack.

Abstract: A cooling device including an intake duct achieving fluid communication between a vehicle interior and an inner part of a battery case, a fan unit for supplying the air via the intake duct to the inner part of the battery case, and a control device is used. The fan unit includes a fan and a motor driven by a constant voltage system. The control device includes a current value detecting portion and a judging portion. The current value detecting portion detects a current value of an electric current supplied to the motor. The judging portion compares the detected current value and a preset reference current value and, when the detected current value is lower than the reference current value, judges that there is an anomaly in a volume of the air supplied to the battery case.

Abstract: A charging/discharging apparatus for simultaneously charging or discharging multiple battery blocks forming a battery pack individually or at one time is provided at low cost.

Abstract: The present invention can speedily and accurately estimate an SOC of a secondary battery immediately after a charge/discharge operation resumes. A determination unit determines whether a dormant period is longer than a predetermined time in response to an initiation of power supply from a secondary battery to a motor generator. The dormant period is equivalent to the duration from a previous stop of power supply to a present initiation of power supply. If the dormant period is longer than the predetermined time, a state-of-charge estimating unit sets an initial SOC based on a peak battery voltage drop ?Vs and a peak discharge current Is, wherein the peak battery voltage drop ?Vs represents a difference between a battery voltage Vo measured before initiating power supply and a lowest battery voltage Vs measured after initiating power supply and the peak discharge current Is represents a maximum current value measured after initiating power supply.

Abstract: An apparatus, which controls the temperature of a secondary battery formed by combination of a plurality of single cells or a plurality of battery modules each made by series connection of multiple single cells, prevents variations in the temperature or voltage of the single cells or the battery modules, which could otherwise be caused when the secondary battery is heated. A temperature control section controls the quantity of heat by means of which a heater heats a secondary battery formed by combination of a plurality of battery modules made by series connection of multiple single cells. The temperature control section detects a rate of temporal changes in an open circuit voltage of the secondary battery. When a detected rate of temporal changes in open circuit voltage has exceeded a predetermined threshold voltage value, the heater is controlled to thus diminish the quantity of heat used for heating the secondary battery.

Abstract: An apparatus for lessening variations in a state of charge (SOC) or remaining capacity of a battery pack. The battery pack is made up of a plurality of blocks, and slave units are provided for the respective blocks. Terminal voltages of the blocks are detected and supplied to a master unit. Variations arise in a state of charge or remaining capacity of the respective blocks for reasons of differences among the slave units in terms of electric power consumption. The master unit controls deactivation timing of the respective slave units incidental to turning off of a vehicle ignition according to the variations in the state of charge of the respective blocks. The deactivation timing is delayed much longer with an increase in the state of charge, thereby equalizing the state of charge or the remaining capacity.

Abstract: A battery is adapted such that a nickel hydroxide particle group constituted of a number of nickel hydroxide particles filled in a void part of a positive electrode substrate contains, at a ratio of 15 wt % or less, small-diameter nickel hydroxide particles each having a particle diameter of 5 ?m or less. The positive electrode substrate is configured such that a front-surface-side nickel layer and a back-surface-side nickel layer are made larger in thickness than a middle nickel layer, and an average thickness B of either the front-surface-side nickel layer or the back-surface-side nickel layer, which is thicker one, and an average thickness C of the middle nickel layer satisfy a relation of C/B?0.6.

Abstract: A power unit including a plurality of series-connected battery modules and safety circuit wherein a service plug is inserted from the side of a terminal board of a battery pack, thereby establishing an electrical connection among battery modules. A connector is provided on a back of a terminal cover by way of a projecting section, and a second safety switch is activated by attachment of a terminal cover and insertion of the connector to the terminal board, thereby establishing an electrical connection among the battery modules. Even when the service plug is attached at the time of completion of maintenance without attachment of the terminal cover, the battery modules are still kept in an unconnected state by means of a second switch, and energization, which would otherwise arise with exposed terminals, is prevented.

Abstract: A lithium-ion secondary battery includes an aluminum case, an electrolytic solution, a positive plate, a negative plate, a positive terminal, a negative terminal, and voltage sensors. The positive terminal and the negative terminal project to the outside of the case while being insulated from the case. The voltage sensor is connected between the case and the positive terminal and detects the potential of the positive terminal with respect to a potential VR of the case. The voltage sensor is connected between the case and the negative terminal and detects the potential of the negative terminal with respect to the potential VR of the case. From the detected results, the states of the positive plate and the negative plate are separately detected.

Abstract: A method for disassembling a battery pack to separate a secondary battery which can be reused, without impairing the performance of a secondary battery, having remaining life which, constitutes the battery pack. A pair of holding plates is brought into contact with binding plates on both ends of a battery pack to compress the battery pack in the stacking direction. The open circuit voltage before and after the compression is measured, and based on an amount of change of the open circuit voltage before and after compression, a battery pack which can be reused is separated.