Abstract: To provide a system for controlling the charging of a secondary battery (battery), which is capable of keeping an initial charging/discharging characteristic of the battery in consideration of a change in environmental temperature and deterioration of the battery with elapsed time. An ordinary charging portion for performing a first charging control specified to stop the charging at a charge level less than a full-charge level is used in combination with a refresh charging portion for performing a second charging control specified to stop the charging at a charge level more than the full charge level. After the charging by the ordinary charging portion is continuously repeated by a specific number of times, for example, ten times, the next charging is performed by the refresh charging portion.

Abstract: A battery mounting structure is provided for an electric vehicle which is operated using a motor as a driving source in which running wind is effectively utilized for cooling the batteries, and the cooling efficiency of a battery unit is enhanced. The electric vehicle is provided with a body frame where a front frame member extends from a head pipe diagonally downward toward the rear of the vehicle body. The battery mounting structure is attached to the front frame member of the body frame so that the cooling face of the battery unit is directly exposed to running wind. The battery mounting structure includes cooling fins which confront the running wind, and is covered by a body cover having louvered air intakes and air exhausts. The louvers direct the running wind smoothly to the cooling fins and protect the battery mounting structure.

Abstract: A battery arrangement structure for a vehicle including a motor for transmitting drive force to a drive wheel, a battery for supplying electrical power to the motor, and a storage box. The motor is arranged on one side of a vehicle center line oriented in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and the battery is arranged on an opposite side of the vehicle center line and around the storage box. A battery mounting structure for a vehicle having a composite battery that includes a plurality of electric cells stored in a battery case, and the battery case being covered from a side cover of an outer side part of a vehicle body cover. The composite battery is formed from a plurality of electrical cells arranged close together in a single row. The battery case includes an outer case half body with an outer shape that runs along an inner surface shape of the side cover.

Abstract: A battery mounting structure is provided for an electric vehicle which is operated using a motor as a driving source in which running wind is effectively utilized for cooling the batteries, and the cooling efficiency of a battery unit is enhanced. The electric vehicle is provided with a body frame where a front frame member extends from a head pipe diagonally downward toward the rear of the vehicle body. The battery mounting structure is attached to the front frame member of the body frame so that the cooling face of the battery unit is directly exposed to running wind. The battery mounting structure includes cooling fins which confront the running wind, and is covered by a body cover having louvered air intakes and air exhausts. The louvers direct the running wind smoothly to the cooling fins and protect the battery mounting structure.

Abstract: A battery arrangement structure for a vehicle including a motor for transmitting drive force to a drive wheel, a battery for supplying electrical power to the motor, and a storage box. The motor is arranged on one side of a vehicle center line oriented in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and the battery is arranged on an opposite side of the vehicle center line and around the storage box. A battery mounting structure for a vehicle having a composite battery that includes a plurality of electric cells stored in a battery case, and the battery case being covered from a side cover of an outer side part of a vehicle body cover. The composite battery is formed from a plurality of electrical cells arranged close together in a single row. The battery case includes an outer case half body with an outer shape that runs along an inner surface shape of the side cover.

Abstract: To provide a system for controlling the charging of a secondary battery (battery), which is capable of keeping an initial charging/discharging characteristic of the battery in consideration of a change in environmental temperature and deterioration of the battery with elapsed time. An ordinary charging portion for performing a first charging control specified to stop the charging at a charge level less than a full-charge level is used in combination with a refresh charging portion for performing a second charging control specified to stop the charging at a charge level more than the full charge level. After the charging by the ordinary charging portion is continuously repeated by a specific number of times, for example, ten times, the next charging is performed by the refresh charging portion.

Abstract: A method of controlling the charging of a secondary battery (battery) without deterioration of a charging/discharging characteristic of the battery. An ordinary charging portion performs a first charging control specified to stop the charging at a charge level less than a full-charge level is used in combination with a refresh charging portion for performing a second charging control specified to stop the charging at a charge level more than the full-charge level. When the charging by the ordinary charging portion is continuously repeated by, for example, 10 times, a switching portion is switched such that the next charging is performed by the refresh charging portion. A counter, which is reset when the charging by the refresh charging portion is terminated, is provided for deciding whether or not the number of times of the repeated charging reaches 10.

Abstract: There is provided a metal hydride negative electrode having excellent discharge characteristics at the beginning of a charge and discharge cycle, excellent gas absorptivity during charge, and an excellent cycle life, and a method for producing the same without the need of any complicated producing processes. The metal hydride negative electrode (1) is used for a nickel hydride cell, and comprises a substrate (2) and a negative electrode plate (3) which is formed by applying a hydrogen absorbing alloy composition containing a hydrogen absorbing alloy powder, a conductive material, a binder and a dispersing agent on the substrate, wherein the negative electrode plate has a surface portion (4) which has a predetermined water repellent rate and a plurality of convex portions.

Abstract: An electrode plate of a storage battery includes a rectangular, conducting, porous base plate 12 and a paste 13 containing an active substance, spread over the surfaces of the base plate 12, and filled in the hollow spaces in the base plate by rolling so as to form layers attached to the surfaces of the base plate 12. When shaping the base plate 12, the corners C of the base plate 12 are rounded, and the edge of at least one of the sides S of the base plate 11 is rounded in cross section. Thus, burrs at the corners C and along the sides S are removed so that the exertion of excessive contact pressure on the corners C and the sides S of the base plate is prevented in the assembled state of the storage battery, whereby the occurrence of short circuit is also prevented.

Abstract: A method of controlling the charging of a secondary battery (battery) without deterioration of a charging/discharging characteristic of the battery. An ordinary charging portion performs a first charging control specified to stop the charging at a charge level less than a full-charge level is used in combination with a refresh charging portion for performing a second charging control specified to stop the charging at a charge level more than the full-charge level. When the charging by the ordinary charging portion is continuously repeated by, for example, 10 times, a switching portion is switched such that the next charging is performed by the refresh charging portion. A counter, which is reset when the charging by the refresh charging portion is terminated, is provided for deciding whether or not the number of times of the repeated charging reaches 10.

Abstract: The positive electrode plate is a plate material which is formed by filling a foaming nickel substrate with a paste-like kneaded substance containing nickel hydroxide, and drying and pressure forming the substrate. The foaming nickel substrate is prepared by removing a plate foaming core material of urethane foam or the like after nickel-plating the foaming core material. First, the mass per unit area of nickel in the foaming nickel substrate is set to be 0.5 kg/m2 or more, so that the ohmic resistance of the foaming nickel substrate can be lower than those of conventional foaming nickel substrates. In addition, the upper limit of the mass per unit area of nickel in the foaming nickel substrate is set to be 1.1 kg/m2, so that it is possible to prevent the reduction of the energy density from exceeding the effect of the reduction of the ohmic resistance of the foaming nickel substrate.

Abstract: Since it is possible to optionally adjust the used region of a negative electrode, it is possible to obtain a cell having an excellent balance of durability and discharge characteristic, and it is possible to reduce the resistance of a positive electrode. If only the positive electrode is charged before assembling the cell, it is possible to optionally adjust the used region of the negative electrode, so that it is possible to obtain the cell having the excellent balance of durability and discharge characteristic. Also after a large number of charge and discharge cycles are repeated, it is possible to suppress the internal pressure rise of the cell at the last stage of charge. In addition, it is possible to form a good cobalt conductive network on the active material of the positive electrode, and it is possible to reduce the resistance of the positive electrode.

Abstract: There is provided a metal hydride negative electrode having excellent discharge characteristics at the beginning of a charge and discharge cycle, excellent gas absorptivity during charge, and an excellent cycle life, and a method for producing the same without the need of any complicated producing processes. The metal hydride negative electrode (1) is used for a nickel hydride cell, and comprises a substrate (2) and a negative electrode plate (3) which is formed by applying a hydrogen absorbing alloy composition containing a hydrogen absorbing alloy powder, a conductive material, a binder and a dispersing agent on the substrate, wherein the negative electrode plate has a surface portion (4) which has a predetermined water repellent rate and a plurality of convex portions.