Patents Assigned to Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
  • Publication number: 20140030563
    Abstract: A secondary battery module 1 of the present invention stores cell blocks 40 in a module case 2, and cools battery cells 101 in the cell blocks 40 by circulating coolant to the inside of the cell blocks by introduction of the coolant into the module case 2. The secondary battery module has a structure of communicating coolant circulation ports 22 that open to a case wall section 21 of the module case 2 and coolant circulation ports 62a that open to the cell blocks 40 with each other by a communication member 71, and passing wiring through a space region 80 formed outside the communication member 71 and between the case wall section 21 and the cell blocks 40. Thus, wiring can be executed without interfering flow of the coolant, and the total secondary battery module 1 can be miniaturized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hoshi, Tsunemi Aiba, Naoki Kojima, Chikara Kikkawa, Toshiyuki Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20140023897
    Abstract: A storage battery module 20 includes plural battery cells 320 in which a wound electrode group 322 having positive and negative electrodes, and positive and negative electrode collector plates 327a and 327b connected to the positive and negative electrodes are accommodated in a battery cell 321, and positive and negative external terminals 331 and 341 are provided to be exposed to outside of the battery case 321, a circuit board 350 including a temperature detecting wiring 302 of the battery cell 320 connected to the positive and negative external terminals 331 and 341, and a temperature sensor 381 for detecting a temperature of the battery cell 320 provided above the wiring 302.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI VEHICLE ENERGY, LTD.
    Inventor: Atsuo Suga
  • Patent number: 8616311
    Abstract: An electrical storage device includes: a conductive battery house casing electrically connected to a chassis; a plurality of battery cells held in the battery house casing; and a control unit that comprises a circuit that manages the plurality of battery cells and is mounted on the battery house casing so that a negative terminal of the circuit and the battery house casing are electrically conducting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Tsurumi, Shinichi Fujino, Sadashi Seto
  • Publication number: 20130344364
    Abstract: A lithium ion secondary battery in which a winding type electrode group including a positive electrode having a positive electrode mix layer containing a lithium metal oxide, a negative electrode having a negative mix layer that stores and discharges lithium ions, and separators arranged on inner and outer peripheries of the positive electrode and the negative electrode is housed, and a nonaqueous electrolyte is poured, within a battery container, the positive electrode has one side edge along a longitudinal direction thereof exposed as a positive electrode mix unprocessed portion, and a positive electrode mix layer coated in the other area on both surfaces of a metal foil made of an aluminum alloy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Nanaumi, Takayuki Mitani, Katsunori Suzuki, Hideki Shinohara
  • Publication number: 20130337299
    Abstract: An electricity storage device comprises a plurality of electricity storage cells, a casing which stores the electricity storage cells, a plurality of conductive members for electrically connecting the electricity storage cells together, a control device which controls the electricity storage cells, and voltage detection lines for electrically connecting the electricity storage cells with the control device. The casing includes at least a pair of side plates made of resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI VEHICLE ENERGY, LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuo Sugawara
  • Publication number: 20130330579
    Abstract: In a battery block, a plurality of battery cells are arrayed, connected, and fixed, and the plurality of battery cells are separated into a plurality of sections, each of which includes a predetermined number of battery cells separated as one section by a section plate. The battery block is sandwiched between two end plates and the two end plates and the section plates are bolted down and fixed via a plurality of rods extending along a direction in which the battery cells are arrayed. The battery cells each include a gas vent valve, and the battery block includes a vent duct that establishes communication between the gas vent valves of the battery cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Ejiri, Naoki Kojima, Michihiro Kimura
  • Patent number: 8605450
    Abstract: An in-vehicle electric storage device includes: a battery block including a metal casing and battery cells; a control unit including a metal cabinet and a circuit board on which an electronic component is mounted, the control unit being on a top side of the battery block and monitoring a physical state of the battery cells; wherein the cabinet includes a case having a bottom plate and an open top surface and a cover closing the open top surface, the case has an internal boss protrudes toward inside of the case from a top side of the bottom plate and an external boss protrudes toward outside the case from a bottom side of the bottom plate, the circuit board is on a top side of the internal boss, and a top side of the casing is provided with a depressed portion in which the external boss is accommodated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kaneshige, Mitsutoshi Nakane
  • Patent number: 8604755
    Abstract: A lithium-ion secondary battery system is provided which can improve the cycle life and the storage property of a lithium-ion secondary battery and can decrease a discharge capacity which cannot be recharged. The lithium-ion secondary battery system includes a lithium-ion secondary battery having a cathode, an anode including carbon, and a non-aqueous electrolyte; a charge/discharge circuit for putting the lithium-ion secondary battery on charge according to a charge control parameter; and an arithmetic processing section for controlling the charge/discharge circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Etsuko Nishimura, Katsunori Nishimura, Akihide Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8603664
    Abstract: An assembled battery is provided which can improve output density. Four unit cells are connected in series by a connection member 40 composed of a stacked metal plate obtained by stacking two metal plates 40a and 40b. The metal plate 40a is one of copper and aluminum while the metal plate 40b is nickel. Since the volume electrical resistance of both copper and aluminum is less than half that of nickel, the overall electrical resistance of the connection member 40 is lowered. Both end portions of the connection member 40 are joined to external electrode terminals by resistance welding so that the weld joint is formed from either a Cu—Ni or Al—Ni low resistance binary alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takenori Ishizu, Tooru Kojima
  • Publication number: 20130323574
    Abstract: An electric cell comprises: a power generating element including electrodes; a cell container including a cell case for housing the power generating element and a cell cover for sealing an opening of the cell case; two external terminals disposed on the cell cover; and two collector electrodes for connecting the electrodes of the power generating element to the external terminals; wherein each of the external terminals includes: a connector connected to one of the collector electrodes within the cell container; a flat section located right above the connector and exposed to the outside of the cell container; and a bolting section located adjacent to the flat section and having an insertion hole, and wherein the connector, the flat section, and the bolting section are integrally formed. The electric cell allows connection of external terminals to busbars either by bolting or welding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuro TSUNAKI, Takashi SASAKI, Kazuaki URANO, Sho SAIMARU
  • Patent number: 8583389
    Abstract: A plurality of resistance value tables of a battery group with respect to temperature and SOC of the assembled battery, which are measured in advance when currents of different change patterns flow in the assembled battery, are stored. A resistance value for the assembled battery is calculated, based upon its voltage and current. From among the plurality of resistance value tables, a resistance value table is selected so that it corresponds to the change pattern of the current flowing in the assembled battery when the voltage and the current of the assembled battery were measured, and a resistance value is searched for from that resistance value table corresponding to the temperature and the SOC of the assembled battery. Then the calculated resistance value and the one from the table are compared to determine the life of the assembled battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignees: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd., Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Aoshima, Masahiro Ueda, Youhei Kawahara, Kouji Higashimoto
  • Publication number: 20130295447
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a highly reliable secondary battery with organic electrolytic solution. The secondary battery has a set of plates for the positive and negative electrodes, with a separator interposed between them, and an organic electrolytic solution composed of an organic solvent and an electrolyte dissolved therein. The organic electrolytic solution contains polyethylene glycol and bis-3-sulfopropyl-sulfide-2-sodium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Hara, Tatsuhiko Kawasaki, Hirofumi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8568916
    Abstract: A lithium ion secondary battery comprises a case; a positive electrode foil having a current collector foil on which a positive electrode material is coated; an negative electrode film having a current collector film on which an negative electrode material is coated; a separator sandwiched between the positive electrode film and the negative electrode film, the films and the separator being arranged in multiple layers to form a group of electrodes enclosed in the case, a positive collector disc plate connected to the positive electrode side of the group of the electrodes, and an negative collector disc plate connected to the negative electrode side of the group of the electrodes. Each of the current collector foils has a non-coated portion extended along one side of the foils, a part or the entire of the non-coated portion being exposed from a side of the separator. At least one of the collector disc plate is welded to the side of the exposed non-coated portion of the group of the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Nakai, Akinori Tada, Masatsugu Arai, Kinya Aota
  • Publication number: 20130280571
    Abstract: A lithium ion secondary battery is disclosed in which an electrode assembly is accommodated in a battery container, the electrode assembly including a positive electrode having a positive electrode mixture layer containing a lithium transition metal composite oxide, a negative electrode having a negative electrode mixture layer for occluding/releasing lithium ions, and a separator disposed to inner and outer peripheries of the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The lithium ion secondary battery being charged with a non-aqueous electrolyte containing a lithium salt, wherein the relation shown by the following formula (I) is satisfied: 0.57<b×c/a<0.60??(I) assuming the area of the positive electrode mixture layer as a, the area of the separator as b, and the porosity of the separator as c.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Eguchi, Katsunori Suzuki, Youshin Yagi
  • Publication number: 20130273398
    Abstract: Provided are a battery block and a secondary battery module capable of holding a plurality of battery cells stably and so reducing a load applied to a welding part of a conductive member that is connected to an electrode by welding or the like. The battery block includes a lower holding frame and a middle holding frame, one of which includes two protrusions that are in contact with an outer peripheral face of each battery cell and the other includes a pressing part that presses the outer peripheral face of the battery cell inwardly in the radial direction. Then, one of an upper holding frame and the middle holding frame includes two protrusions that are in contact with an outer peripheral face of each battery cell and the other includes a pressing part that presses the outer peripheral face of the battery cell inwardly in the radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi HOSHI, Tsunemi AIBA, Naoki KOJIMA, Chikara KIKKAWA, Toshiyuki YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20130260190
    Abstract: Terminal insulating members 7A, 7B have inner side surfaces of a first support base 71A facing each other, and an engaging recesses 75 extending along a surface of a cover 6 are formed in inner surfaces of both the terminal insulating members. An outer surface along a short side of the cover in a second support base 72A is formed with an engaging recess 76 extending along a cover surface. The engaging recesses 75 and 76 of both the terminal insulating members are arranged to face each other. Further, both the terminal insulating members are also provided with engaging recesses 77 having a substantially circular cross-sectional shape on both side surfaces along a long side of the cover. The configuration can be used for positioning or fixing an accessory loaded into a secondary battery SB. As a result, a part only for loading an external part is unnecessary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi Vehicle Energy ,Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Sato
  • Publication number: 20130260212
    Abstract: A secondary battery includes a battery casing accommodating an electricity-generating element group, and a battery cover having through-holes and sealing an opening in the battery casing. A first face at one end of each of positive and negative electrode connecting plates, which are each formed from a single plate of metal, is connected to a non-coated section of the electricity-generating element group. A second face at the other end of each of the positive and negative electrode connecting plates is a face onto which a busbar is welded, and the second face is exposed outward from one of the through-holes. Insulating base materials are interposed between THE positive and negative electrode connecting plates and an outer circumference of each through-hole, the insulating base materials and the battery cover are connected by brazing, and the insulating base materials and the positive and negative electrode connecting plates are connected by brazing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuji Kohno, Takuro Tsunaki, Yutaka Sato, Mitsuru Koseki
  • Patent number: 8530068
    Abstract: A positive electrode sheet and a negative electrode sheet are laminated and wound around a shaft core 126 while being insulated by a separator. Spreading operation plates 90P and 90N are fitted to both ends of the shaft core 126 in a winding axis direction, and operation protrusions 91A to 92B of the spreading operation plates 90P and 90N protrude from both flat end surfaces of a wound body 120. The spreading operation plates 90P and 90N are spread, so that laminate parts of a positive electrode connection part 122A and a negative electrode connection part 124A are pushed and extended outward on the flat end surfaces of the wound body 120, and V-shaped openings 120V continuous with the innermost peripheries of the wound body 120 are formed. The laminate parts are welded to positive and negative electrode current collectors 115 and 116.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Urano, Fujio Hirano
  • Publication number: 20130224570
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a nonaqueous-electrolyte battery that exhibits high charge/discharge performance, i.e. high input/output performance, over a long period of time. This nonaqueous-electrolyte battery, in which a nonaqueous electrolyte and a group of electricity-generation elements that each have a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator that isolates said positive electrode and negative electrode are sealed inside a battery case, is characterized in that the negative electrodes contain graphite having an edge/surface ratio (fe), as defined by the following equation, of 0.03-0.1. fe=(2B/La+T/d002)/(2B/d100+T/d002). In this equation, B represents the mean grain diameter of the graphite, T represents the grain thickness, La represents the a-axis crystallite size, d002 represents the spacing between (002) planes, and d100 represents the spacing between (100) planes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI VEHICLE ENERGY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki Sasaki, Toru Kojima
  • Patent number: 8518570
    Abstract: A battery system includes: a battery unit formed by electrically connected in series a plurality of cell groups each made up with a plurality of battery cells electrically connected in series; a plurality of sensing lines for detecting voltages of respective battery cells in the battery unit; an integrated circuit provided to each of the cell group, to which the sensing lines for detecting voltages of respective battery cells in the cell group are connected; a case having housed therein a substrate at which a plurality of integrated circuits provided for the cell groups respectively are mounted; noise protection capacitors disposed between input terminals of the plurality of sensing lines; and at least one protection element against static electricity which is connected between the input terminals and the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiko Kudo, Gosuke Shibahara, Mutsumi Kikuchi, Satoru Shigeta