Abstract: In a charging/discharging control system for controlling an allowable power level of a secondary battery at the time of charging/discharging operations, excessive discharging or recharging of the secondary battery is prevented, and excessive suppression of the charging/discharging of the secondary battery is prevented. A vehicle ECU controls charging/discharging of the secondary battery in accordance with a predetermined allowable power level. A battery ECU detects an actual loading power level of a secondary battery; calculates a differential power level between the detected actual loading power level and an allowable power level; measures the number of times the calculated differential power level has become equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold value; and downwardly revises the allowable power level when the count has become equal to or greater than a predetermined upper-limit level.

Abstract: A controller for a rechargeable vehicle battery that prevents drivability from being lowered. The controller includes a voltage measurement unit for measuring terminal voltage of the rechargeable battery and a control unit for setting a plurality of output maximum voltages, each indicating an upper limit for discharge power allowed to be output from the rechargeable battery during a predetermined time. The control unit compares the measured terminal voltage of the rechargeable battery with a plurality of reference voltages respectively corresponding to the plurality of output maximum values. The control unit simultaneously lowers each of the output maximum values or sequentially lowers the output maximum values from the highest one of the output maximum values based on the comparison result.

Abstract: In a nickel-metal hydride rechargeable battery comprising a positive electrode of nickel hydroxide and a negative electrode of hydrogen-absorption alloy, prolonged battery life is achieved by limiting the charge and discharge operations to be performed in the range of 20-60% of the hydrogen-absorption capacity of the hydrogen-absorption alloy.

Abstract: A controller for a rechargeable battery that improves the recovering efficiency of the energy used to charge the rechargeable battery and prevents the life of the rechargeable battery from being shortened by overcharging. The controller includes a voltage measurement unit for measuring terminal voltage of the rechargeable battery and a control unit for setting a plurality of input maximum voltages, each indicating an upper limit for charging power input to the rechargeable battery during a predetermined time. The control unit sets a plurality of reference voltages respectively corresponding to the plurality of input maximum values. When the terminal voltage of the rechargeable battery increases to one of the reference voltages, the control unit lowers the input maximum value corresponding to that reference voltage.

Abstract: A plate core material is manufactured by a method including the processes of soaking a core material (11) that is made of nickel or nickel-plated steel and includes copper as an impurity in an aqueous solution (12) containing ammonium ions and hydrogen peroxide, so that the copper is dissolved in the aqueous solution (12), and removing the aqueous solution (12) from the surface of the core material (11). Further, an alkaline storage battery is manufactured by a method including this manufacturing method. According to the manufacturing method of the present invention, an alkaline storage battery having higher reliability than that of a conventional alkaline storage battery can be obtained.

Abstract: A plate core material is manufactured by a method including the processes of soaking a core material (11) that is made of nickel or nickel-plated steel and includes copper as an impurity in an aqueous solution (12) containing ammonium ions and hydrogen peroxide, so that the copper is dissolved in the aqueous solution (12), and removing the aqueous solution (12) from the surface of the core material (11). Further, an alkaline storage battery is manufactured by a method including this manufacturing method. According to the manufacturing method of the present invention, an alkaline storage battery having higher reliability than that of a conventional alkaline storage battery can be obtained.

Abstract: A controller for a rechargeable battery that improves the recovering efficiency of the energy used to charge the rechargeable battery and prevents the life of the rechargeable battery from being shortened by overcharging. The controller includes a voltage measurement unit for measuring terminal voltage of the rechargeable battery and a control unit for setting a plurality of input maximum voltages, each indicating an upper limit for charging power input to the rechargeable battery during a predetermined time. The control unit sets a plurality of reference voltages respectively corresponding to the plurality of input maximum values. When the terminal voltage of the rechargeable battery increases to one of the reference voltages, the control unit lowers the input maximum value corresponding to that reference voltage.

Abstract: In a charging/discharging control system for controlling an allowable power level of a secondary battery at the time of charging/discharging operations, excessive discharging or recharging of the secondary battery is prevented, and excessive suppression of the charging/discharging of the secondary battery is prevented. A vehicle ECU controls charging/discharging of the secondary battery in accordance with a predetermined allowable power level. A battery ECU detects an actual loading power level of a secondary battery; calculates a differential power level between the detected actual loading power level and an allowable power level; measures the number of times the calculated differential power level has become equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold value; and downwardly revises the allowable power level when the count has become equal to or greater than a predetermined upper-limit level.

Abstract: A controller for a rechargeable vehicle battery that prevents drivability from being lowered. The controller includes a voltage measurement unit for measuring terminal voltage of the rechargeable battery and a control unit for setting a plurality of output maximum voltages, each indicating an upper limit for discharge power allowed to be output from the rechargeable battery during a predetermined time. The control unit compares the measured terminal voltage of the rechargeable battery with a plurality of reference voltages respectively corresponding to the plurality of output maximum values. The control unit simultaneously lowers each of the output maximum values or sequentially lowers the output maximum values from the highest one of the output maximum values based on the comparison result.

Abstract: To provide a method of controlling charge and discharge of a secondary battery for automatic guided vehicle that can decide the timing of refresh charge and discharge accurately and minimize the frequency of refresh charge and discharge.

Abstract: To provide an alkaline storage battery, a cobalt compound obtained by mixing a cobalt hydroxide powder and a sodium hydroxide powder and applying a heat treatment to the same in an atmosphere containing oxygen, a cobalt compound obtained by adding a sodium hydroxide aqueous solution and an aqueous solution containing an oxidizing agent to a cobalt hydroxide powder, or a cobalt compound obtained by baking a cobalt hydroxide powder in an atmosphere containing oxygen is used. This provides cobalt compounds suitable for producing long-life and highly reliable alkaline storage batteries, methods for manufacturing the same, and positive electrode plates of alkaline storage batteries employing the same.

Abstract: A group of electrodes are accommodated in a prismatic cell case of a rechargeable battery. Intervening separators are provided between positive and negative electrode plates arranged alternately in parallel to long lateral walls of the cell case. The positive electrode plates each include a lead portion having a surface on which at least one lead plate is attached. Lateral edges of the positive electrode plates protrude beyond the negative electrode plates on one side, and lateral edges of the negative electrode plates protrude beyond the group of positive electrode plates on the opposite side. The protruding portions form the lead portions. Upper open ends of the cell cases are closed by an integral lid member.

Abstract: A negative electrode of a battery, chiefly includes hydrogen absorption alloy particles each having a surface layer. The alloy particles satisfy R2/R1?0.004 and 5 ?m?R1?20 ?m, or preferably 5 ?m?R1?12.5 ?m, where R1 is a half of a median diameter of the particles and R2 is thickness of the surface layers.

Abstract: An alkaline storage battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator, and an alkaline electrolyte retained in the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the separator. The alkaline storage battery further includes a first compound for adsorbing ammonia between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The positive electrode comprises a second compound for increasing oxygen overvoltage at a time of overcharge. Thus, an alkaline storage battery with particularly little self-discharge can be provided.

Abstract: An electrode plate for an alkaline storage battery of the present invention includes a conductive core material as a current collector, in which a plurality of through-holes are linearly provided in the core material so as to be parallel to a longitudinal direction of the core material, each through-hole having an aperture area of 10 mm2 or less and at least two pairs of opposite sides parallel to each other.

Abstract: A separator for an alkaline storage battery includes a plurality of polyolefin resins. The polyolefin resins include a first polyolefin resin that is sulfonated, and a second polyolefin resin that is sulfonated. The degree of sulfonation of the first polyolefin resin is different from that of the second polyolefin resin. Thus, a novel separator having high liquid retention properties and high air permeability, and an alkaline storage battery using the same can be obtained.

Abstract: A plate core material is manufactured by a method including the processes of soaking a core material (11) that is made of nickel or nickel-plated steel and includes copper as an impurity in an aqueous solution (12) containing ammonium ions and hydrogen peroxide, so that the copper is dissolved in the aqueous solution (12), and removing the aqueous solution (12) from the surface of the core material (11). Further, an alkaline storage battery is manufactured by a method including this manufacturing method. According to the manufacturing method of the present invention, an alkaline storage battery having higher reliability than that of a conventional alkaline storage battery can be obtained.

Abstract: In a nickel-metal hydride rechargeable battery comprising a positive electrode of nickel hydroxide and a negative electrode of hydrogen-absorption alloy, prolonged battery life is achieved by limiting the charge and discharge operations to be performed in the range of 20-60% of the hydrogen-absorption capacity of the hydrogen-absorption alloy.

Abstract: An alkaline rechargeable battery, having an electrode plate group including positive electrode plates and negative electrode plates stacked alternately with separators interposed therebetween, arranged in such a manner that a volume of the separators before the initial charge and discharge accounts for 30 to 60% of a volume of the electrode plate group.

Abstract: To provide a method of controlling charge and discharge of a secondary battery for automatic guided vehicle that can decide the timing of refresh charge and discharge accurately and minimize the frequency of refresh charge and discharge.