Abstract: According to one embodiment, the power supply management portion includes a timer configured to output an ON signal every time set by the control circuit, an OR circuit configured to receive supply of an output signal from the timer, an external signal supplied from outside, and a switch control signal output from the control circuit, and a switch circuit configured to switch output of the power source voltage from an external power source according to an output signal from the OR circuit, and the control circuit turns on a switch control signal after confirming which of the output signal from the timer or the external signal has turned on the switch circuit and turns off the switch control signal when both of the output signal from the timer and the signal supplied from outside are turned off.

Abstract: A secondary battery pack includes a plurality of cells each comprising a positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal and arranged side by side, a battery management circuit board configured to monitor a voltage of the cells, and a plurality of bus-bars electrically connecting the electrode terminals of the adjacent cells. Each of the bus-bars includes first connecting portions connected to the electrode terminals and a second connecting portion connected directly to the battery management circuit board.

Abstract: An assembled battery voltage detecting apparatus includes a sampling switch section which samples a voltage of each of single batteries, capacitors charged with voltages of single batteries, a transfer switch section to transfer a charge voltage charged in each of the capacitors, a ground potential setting switch section which, in the case of reading the voltage charged in the capacitor, connects a reference electric potential of the capacitor to a grounding terminal of a voltage detecting apparatus, and a voltage detecting circuit which controls a switching timing of each of the above switches, and then reads a voltage of each capacitor.

Abstract: There is an apparatus includes a voltage acquiring unit which acquires an inter-terminal voltage of the battery cell; a battery information acquiring circuit which acquires battery information of the battery cell with the acquired voltage being supplied as a power supply voltage and; a transformer configured to have a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding being connected to a common wire; a communication circuit which transmits a signal of the battery information to a management unit, supplied with the acquired voltage as a power supply voltage; a rectification circuit which rectifies a signal of a predetermined frequency from the management unit to generate a DC voltage; and a control circuit which controls the supply of the power supply voltages to the battery information acquiring circuit and the communication circuit, the control circuit being supplied with the DC voltage as a power supply voltage.

Abstract: A battery information acquiring apparatus includes a voltage acquiring unit which acquires an inter-terminal voltage of the battery cell; a battery information acquiring circuit which acquires battery information of the battery cell with the acquired voltage being supplied as a first power supply voltage and; a radio circuit which transmits a signal of the battery information to the management unit via the antenna with the acquired voltage being supplied as a second power supply voltage and; a rectification circuit which receives a radio signal from the management unit via the antenna, rectify the received radio signal and generate a DC voltage; and a control circuit which controls supply of the first and second power supply voltages to the battery information acquiring circuit and the radio circuit wherein the control circuit operates with the generated DC voltage being supplied as a third power supply voltage.

Abstract: In an assembled battery system, parallel battery blocks are connected in series. Each of the battery blocks includes battery unit modules connected in parallel, and each of the modules includes a battery unit and a fuse connected in series. The battery block is provided with a common connection line connected to a fuse monitoring module, and MOS-FETs each having a gate, source and drain, wherein the fuse is connected between the gate and source, and the drain is connected to the connection line. The FET is turned on and a voltage is applied to the connection line through the FET from the battery unit, when the fuse is blown out. Thus, the fuse monitoring module can detects the blowout of the fuse, and a control module can turn off a control switch to stop charging/discharging of the assembled battery in accordance with the control signal from the fuse monitoring module.

Abstract: A voltage measuring device includes a sample-and-hold circuit which alternates between (a) a sample mode in which a signal input from a cell to be measured is sampled so that a voltage across a first capacitor becomes equal to a voltage across the cell to be measured, and a voltage across a second capacitor having its one end connected to one end of the first capacitor becomes equal to zero volts and (b) a hold mode in which the connection between the first and second capacitors is opened, the first capacitor establishes a connection between an inverting input terminal and a non-inverting output terminal of an operational amplifier, and the second capacitor establishes a connection between a non-inverting input terminal and an inverting output terminal of the operational amplifier, and an analog-to-digital converter which converts a signal output from the operational amplifier into a digital signal.

Abstract: A protection device for an assembled cell including battery modules connected in series includes protection units each of which is configured to operate using a corresponding battery module as a power supply and a management unit connected to the protection units in common, the protection unit includes a measuring unit configured to measure its own consumption current to obtain measurement data, a communication unit which transmits the measurement data to a management unit and receives setting data from the management unit, a discharging unit which discharges the corresponding battery module, and a control unit configured to control the discharging unit based on the measurement data and the setting data so that a total of the consumption current and a discharging current by the discharging unit is of a constant value among the protection units.

Abstract: In a battery system, battery modules (3a, 3b) connected to each other in series respectively include: one or more single cells (3a1 to 3an, 3b1 to 3b-n) connected to one another in any one of series, parallel, and series-parallel; cell voltage switches (7a, 7b) for detecting voltages respectively of the one or more single cells; module monitoring control units (9a, 9b) each for monitoring the detected voltages respectively of the one or more signal cells; and communications level converter circuits (14a, 14b). The battery system includes a master unit (8a) for receiving information on the voltages respectively of the one or more single cells from the module monitoring control units via the communications level converter circuits. One of the communications level converter circuits includes a switch element (Q32) for transmitting a signal of a low-potential battery module to a high-potential battery module.

Abstract: A fuel cell unit for supplying electric power to an electronic apparatus includes a DMFC that generates electric power using methanol as fuel. A microcomputer examines whether or not the fuel cell unit has been installed in the electronic apparatus. When the fuel cell unit has been installed in the electronic apparatus, the microcomputer visually informs the user, using LEDs, of the operating state of the DMFC detected by various sensors, including an installation and removal sensor, a liquid level sensor, a temperature sensor, and an acceleration sensor.

Abstract: A plurality of cells are housed in a metal case with positive (+) terminals and negative (?) terminals thereof connected through a connection member. The metal case includes positive-side and negative-side external terminals, and the external terminals and terminals of respective cells are connected to each other by a lead wire. In the metal case, there are provided a protective circuit for preventing the respective cells from being overcharged or overdischarged and a battery output control switch interlocking with a power switch of the protective circuit. The power switch of the protective circuit is provided outside the metal case to permit turning-on/off operations from the outside of the metal case.

Abstract: A fuel cartridge to be connected to a direct methanol fuel cell power generating device includes a spare fuel tank which stores a liquid fuel and is to be connected to the direct methanol fuel cell power generating device and a harmful substance trap member. The spare fuel tank stores a liquid fuel and is to be connected to the direct methanol fuel cell power generating device. The harmful substance trap member is fixed to the spare fuel tank and is to be connected to the direct methanol fuel cell power generating device. The harmful substance trap member contains a harmful substance trap material which traps gaseous harmful substances exhausted from the direct methanol fuel cell power generating device.

Abstract: A protection device for an assembled battery includes a sampling capacitor, first switches and second switches to sample the voltages of the battery cells and hold the voltages in the capacitor, a detection unit which detects the voltages of the battery cells based on the voltage sampled by any one of the first switches and the second switches and held on the capacitor and output the detected value, a computing unit which computes an average value of the detected values, a comparator which compares the detected value with the average value so as to obtain a result of comparison indicating a relation in size between the both, and a controller which controls the first switches and the second switches, for the second switches to sample if the detected value obtained by sampling by the first switches is higher than the average value according to the comparison result.

Abstract: A protection device for an assembled battery includes a sampling unit which individually samples voltages of batteries of the assembled battery to generate sampled voltages, a holding unit which holds the sampled voltages to generate a plurality of holding voltages, a multiplexer which sequentially reads the holding voltages and outputs each voltage to a common output node, a measuring unit configured to measure the individual voltages and the state of charges of the batteries based on a voltage of the node in a measuring period within a constant measuring cycle, and a control unit configured to turn on/off the sample switches at the same time within the measuring period and repeatedly turn on/off at least one sample switch selected from the plurality of sample switches in accordance with the state of charge in a term other than the measuring period.

Abstract: The invention provides a direct methanol fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell main body comprising an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte membrane provided between the anode and the cathode, and a feed tank containing a methanol-containing liquid fuel to be fed to the anode, a first liquid fuel storage tank which contains a methanol-containing liquid fuel to be supplied into the feed tank, a second liquid fuel storage tank which contains a methanol-containing liquid fuel to be supplied into the first liquid fuel storage tank, and a liquid level change detecting mechanism which detects changes in the level of the liquid fuel stored in the first liquid fuel storage tank.

Abstract: A fuel reforming apparatus has a reformer for heating and reforming a liquid fuel to produce a hydrogen-containing gas, a combustor for burning hydrogen with an oxidant to obtain a combustion heat used for heating the reformer, a heat insulation container for surrounding the reformer and the combustor, a heat-sensitive switch for conducting switching operations when a temperature of an outer wall of the heat insulation container exceeds a set value, a fuel supply section having a first electrical driving section for receiving feed of an electric current from a power source through the heat-sensitive switch, and supplying the liquid fuel to the reformer during a period in which the temperature is equal to or less than the set value, and an oxidant supply section for supplying the oxidant to the combustor.

Abstract: A fuel cartridge to be connected to a direct methanol fuel cell power generating device includes a spare fuel tank which stores a liquid fuel and is to be connected to the direct methanol fuel cell power generating device and a harmful substance trap member. The spare fuel tank stores a liquid fuel and is to be connected to the direct methanol fuel cell power generating device. The harmful substance trap member is fixed to the spare fuel tank and is to be connected to the direct methanol fuel cell power generating device. The harmful substance trap member contains a harmful substance trap material which traps gaseous harmful substances exhausted from the direct methanol fuel cell power generating device.

Abstract: The invention provides a fuel cartridge for supplying methanol aqueous solution to a direct methanol fuel cell system, comprising a memory which stores at least a concentration of the methanol aqueous solution.

Abstract: The invention provides a direct methanol fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell main body comprising an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte membrane provided between the anode and the cathode, and a feed tank containing a methanol-containing liquid fuel to be fed to the anode, a first liquid fuel storage tank which contains a methanol-containing liquid fuel to be supplied into the feed tank, a second liquid fuel storage tank which contains a methanol-containing liquid fuel to be supplied into the first liquid fuel storage tank, and a liquid level change detecting mechanism which detects changes in the level of the liquid fuel stored in the first liquid fuel storage tank.

Abstract: The invention provides a direct methanol fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell main body comprising an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte membrane provided between the anode and the cathode, and a feed tank containing a methanol-containing liquid fuel to be fed to the anode, a first liquid fuel storage tank which contains a methanol-containing liquid fuel to be supplied into the feed tank, a second liquid fuel storage tank which contains a methanol-containing liquid fuel to be supplied into the first liquid fuel storage tank, and a liquid level change detecting mechanism which detects changes in the level of the liquid fuel stored in the first liquid fuel storage tank.