Patents Assigned to Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
-
Patent number: 8409757Abstract: A lithium secondary battery is intended to suppress deterioration upon storage at high temperature of 50° C. or higher without deteriorating the output characteristics at a room temperature. The battery includes a positive electrode capable of occluding and releasing lithium ions, a negative electrode capable of occluding and releasing lithium ions, a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and an electrolyte. The electrolyte contains a compound having a double bond in the molecule and a compound having a plurality of polymerizable functional groups in the molecule, and the electrolyte contains a compound represented by formula (4): (in which Z1 and Z2 each represent any one of an allyl group, a methallyl group, a vinyl group, an acryl group, and a methacryl group).Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2010Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Takefumi Okumura, Shigetaka Tsubouchi, Ryo Inoue
-
Patent number: 8409737Abstract: An upper base portion of a top portion of a battery cell cap functions as a positive terminal, and paths for flow of electrical current are defined between the top portion and portions for welding. The portions for welding are positioned to face a side wall region between a pair of apertures adjacently provided in the top portion, and the current flowing regions are defined between the portions for welding and the side wall regions of the top portion facing to the portions for welding, each forming a symmetrical current flowing region.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2011Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Katsunori Suzuki, Yuki Hato
-
Patent number: 8401728Abstract: A battery system for vehicle comprises a battery unit that is constituted with a plurality of serially connected cell groups each include a plurality of serially connected battery cells, integrated circuits that are each disposed in correspondence to one of the cell groups of the battery unit and each measure terminal voltages at the battery cells in the corresponding cell group, and a signal transmission path through which one of the integrated circuits is connected to another one of the integrated circuits or to a circuit other than that of the integrated circuits.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2012Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Kenji Kubo, Akihiko Kudo, Mutsumi Kikuchi, Akihiko Emori
-
Patent number: 8367243Abstract: In a lithium secondary battery, the electrode assembly includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode which are assembled together with a separator interposing between said both electrodes. Each of the electrodes includes an active material mixture layer portion and an active material mixture layer free-portion which are arranged on a surface of said metal foil. A relationship of B1<B2 is satisfied, and a value of (A1+A2)/(B2?B1) is set equal to or less than 4. Where B1 (mm) is a width of the active material mixture layer portion of the positive electrode; B2 (mm) is a width of the active material mixture layer portion of the negative electrode; and each of A1 (mm) in the positive electrode and A2 (mm) in the negative electrode is a deviation between a straight line linking both corners of the active material mixture layer-free portion in the length direction of the metal foil and an edge of the active material mixture layer-free portion at a middle point in the length direction of the metal foil.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2009Date of Patent: February 5, 2013Assignee: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Takenori Ishizu, Toru Kojima
-
Publication number: 20130022862Abstract: A flange 37b of a cap case 37 is provided with protrusions 37c that, before being swaging, project upward from the flange 37b. When the flange 37b is swaged along an upper surface of the cap 3, the protrusion 37c projects along the upper surface of the cap 3 from the flange 37b toward a center of the cap 3. The cap case 37 is welded to the cap 3 by friction stir welding at a welding portion 37d located at a substantially center of the protrusion 37c. The protrusions 37c are formed approximately in a letter-T shape that is symmetric left and right, and width W2 of a connecting portion 37r in a cap circumferential direction is smaller than the maximum width W1. The rigidity of the connecting portion 37r against deformation is reduced by forming a portion with small width W1 at the connecting portion 37r.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2010Publication date: January 24, 2013Applicant: HITACHI VEHICLE ENERGY, LTD.Inventors: Katsunori Suzuki, Mikio Oguma, Sho Matsumoto
-
Patent number: 8353374Abstract: A battery module includes: a plurality of battery cells; a casing in which the plurality of battery cells are housed; a plurality of conductive members used to electrically connect the plurality of battery cells; a first chamber, formed in the casing, in which the plurality of battery cells are disposed; and a second chamber, formed in the casing and isolated from the first chamber, into which emitted matter from the battery cells is released, wherein: the conductive members and the battery cells are connected together within the second chamber.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2009Date of Patent: January 15, 2013Assignees: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd., Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Tatsuo Sugawara, Seiichi Satoh, Yoshihisa Tsurumi, Masato Isogai, Sadashi Seto
-
Publication number: 20130011713Abstract: Equalization of a temperature distribution in a flow direction on a cooling plate is facilitated so that temperatures of plural cells that thermally contact with the cooling plate are equalized, to reduce variability in the state of charge-discharge and the lifetimes of the respective cells. A battery module includes a cooling plate having a refrigerant channel in which a refrigerant circulates, and plural cells that are thermally conductively coupled onto a surface of the cooling plate, in which the refrigerant channel is formed with plural large diameter pipes that decelerate the refrigerant, and plural small diameter pipes that accelerate the refrigerant, a channel sectional area of the large diameter pipes is larger than a refrigerant channel sectional area of the small diameter pipes arranged on an inflow side of the large diameter pipes.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2012Publication date: January 10, 2013Applicant: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Susumu HARADA, Atsuo SUGA, Sadayuki AOKI
-
Publication number: 20120315525Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2010Publication date: December 13, 2012Applicant: HITACHI VEHICLE ENERGY, LTD.Inventors: Kazuaki Urano, Fujio Hirano
-
Patent number: 8299757Abstract: A secondary battery module includes a battery information storage unit for storing electric characteristic information and usage history information of the secondary battery module. A battery information management device and a terminal device respectively include interfaces to be connected to the secondary battery module. The battery information management device is provided with a battery information database. The battery information management device is connected to the terminal device through a communications network. In this way, battery information stored in the battery information storage unit, which is acquired by the battery information management device and the terminal device, is accumulated in the battery information database. Moreover, the battery information management device grades the secondary battery module for reuse based on the battery information and a predetermined threshold.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2010Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Shuko Yamauchi, Youhei Kawahara, Akihiko Emori
-
Patent number: 8264204Abstract: A cell controller with excellent reliability in which noise and soon are suppressed is provided. The cell controller includes, corresponding to the number of cell packs, a plurality of ICs each having a voltage detecting circuit detecting voltages of respective cells of a cell pack in which four cells are connected in series, a switch control circuit controlling conduction and a blocking operation of a plurality of switch elements connected in parallel to the respective cells via capacity adjusting resistors, a LIN1 terminal for inputting control information, a LIN2 terminal for outputting control information, a Vcc terminal and a GND terminal, and a LIN2 terminal of a higher-order IC and a LIN1 terminal of a lower-order IC are connected in a daisy chain.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2008Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Masaki Nagaoka, Akihiko Kudo, Mutsumi Kikuchi, Kenichiro Tsuru, Tatsumi Yamauchi, Akihiko Emori
-
Patent number: 8263269Abstract: The present invention provides a lithium secondary battery which has improved safety, mainly coming from use of an electrolyte solution which is not inflammable at room temperature (20° C.), while not deteriorating output characteristics at low temperatures and room temperature or output maintenance characteristics after storage at high temperature (50° C.). The lithium secondary battery of the present invention, encased in a container, is provided with a cathode and an anode, both capable of storing/releasing lithium ions, a separator which separates these electrodes from each other, and an electrolyte solution containing a cyclic carbonate and a linear carbonate as solvents and a compound such as VC at composition ratios of 18.0 to 30.0%, 74.0 to 81.9% and 0.1 to 1.0%, respectively, based on the whole solvents, all percentages by volume.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2010Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Takefumi Okumura, Takahiro Yamaki, Masanori Yoshikawa, Yoshimi Yanai, Toyotaka Yuasa
-
Publication number: 20120223722Abstract: A voltage measurement device, includes: a multiplexer that includes a plurality of input terminals at which voltage signals are inputted; a control circuit that performs voltage measurement by acquiring the voltage signal at a selected input terminal from the multiplexer; and a decision circuit that makes a decision as to whether or not an abnormality has occurred, based upon voltage values measured by the control circuit, wherein: the plurality of input terminals include input terminals at which voltage signals from a plurality of subjects of measurement are inputted, and an input terminal at which a potential for diagnosis is inputted; the control circuit, when performing voltage measurement for the plurality of subjects of measurement, measures voltages at the input terminals at which the voltage signals from the plurality of subjects of measurement are inputted, and a voltage at the input terminal at which the potential for diagnosis is inputted.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2012Publication date: September 6, 2012Applicant: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Masahiro UEDA, Yoshinori Aoshima, Akihiko Kudo
-
Publication number: 20120214041Abstract: An electricity storage module includes: an electric storage unit block that is constituted by arraying a plurality of prismatic electric storage units through a holding member; and a cooling channel that is formed between the electric storage unit and the holding member, through which a cooling medium for cooling the electric storage unit flows. A part of a cooling medium inlet opening of the cooling channel is covered so that a flow speed of a cooling medium after flowing into the cooling channel is higher than a flow speed of a cooling medium before flowing into the cooling channel.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2010Publication date: August 23, 2012Applicants: HITACHI VEHICLE ENERGY, LTD., HITACHI, LTD.Inventors: Susumu Harada, Masayuki Nakamura, Kenji Kubo, Ryuji Kohno
-
Publication number: 20120214034Abstract: An electricity storage module according to the present invention includes: a battery case that includes a cooling medium intake port, a cooling medium outlet port, and a cooling flow passage through which a plurality of battery cells housed therein in a parallel array pattern are cooled; and a duct detachably mounted at the cooling medium intake port of the battery case.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2012Publication date: August 23, 2012Applicant: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.Inventor: Nobuo Minokawa
-
Patent number: 8212571Abstract: A vehicle power supply device comprises a lithium battery module that includes a plurality of lithium battery cells, first control devices, voltage detection harnesses via which terminal voltages at individual lithium battery cells are input to the first control devices, a second control device and a signal transmission path through which signals are transmitted. The first control device comprises a selection circuit that selects terminal voltages at individual lithium battery cells, a voltage measurement circuit that measures the selected terminal voltages, balancing switches used to discharge individual lithium battery cells, a balancing switch control circuit that controls open/close of the balancing switches, and a diagnosis circuit for detecting an electrically abnormal connection in the detection harnesses.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2008Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Akihiko Emori, Youhei Kawahara, Kei Sakabe, Mutsumi Kikuchi, Tatsumi Yamauchi, Akihiko Kudo, Kenji Kubo
-
Publication number: 20120161708Abstract: A cell control device according to the present invention includes: a discharge circuit that discharges each unit cell selected by the first switches among a plurality of unit cells connected in series; a charging circuit that charges each unit cell selected by the second switches among the unit cells connected in series, and; a voltage detection unit that detects a voltage of each unit cell via voltage detection lines respectively connected to positive and negative electrodes of the unit cells; an oscillator that irradiates high frequency electromagnetic radiation upon the voltage detection lines; and a charging control unit that controls switching of the first switches, thereby performing discharge of the each unit cell, and a charging control unit that controls switching of the second switches, thereby performing charging of the unit cells, based on voltages of the unit cells that are detected by the voltage detection unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2011Publication date: June 28, 2012Applicant: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Hikaru MIURA, Akihiko KUDO
-
Patent number: 8207704Abstract: A cell controller having excellent productivity is provided. A cell-con 80 has 12 ICs IC-1 to IC-12 mounted on a substrate, and these ICs detect voltages of respective cells constituting a cell pack, perform capacity adjustment on the respective cells, and are mounted two by two on rectangular longer sides of a rectangular continuous straight line L-L? defined on a substrate from the IC-1 on a highest potential side to the IC-12 on a lowest potential side continuously in order of potential differences of the corresponding cell packs. Distances between the rectangular shorter sides of the rectangular continuous straight line L-L? are the same. On the cell-con 80, between the IC-1 to IC-12 having different ground voltages, each of the ICs has signal output terminals connected to signal input terminals of a lower order IC respectively in an electrically non-insulated state.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2011Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, LtdInventors: Tsuyoshi Kai, Tunemi Aiba, Akihiko Kudo, Yoshinori Aoshima, Akihiko Emori
-
Publication number: 20120156561Abstract: A welded construction according to the present invention has a first metallic member, on one surface of which a projecting portion is formed and on the other surface of which a depressed portion corresponding to the projecting portion is formed, and a second metallic member are welded together at a welded portion which includes a summit portion of the projecting portion; wherein, on at least one of the first metallic member and the second metallic member, on its opposite surface to its surface that faces the other one of the metallic members, a recessed portion is formed that is recessed from its peripheral region towards a region which corresponds to the welded portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2011Publication date: June 21, 2012Applicants: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd., Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Shin ONOSE, Keiji KAWAHARA, Hiroshi FUJIMOTO, Kenta HASEGAWA
-
Publication number: 20120141848Abstract: A suppressed noise cell controller includes, corresponding to a number of cell packs, a plurality of ICs each having a voltage detecting circuit detecting voltages of respective cells of a cell pack in which four cells are connected in series, a switch control circuit controlling conduction and a blocking operation of a plurality of switch elements connected in parallel to the respective cells via capacity adjusting resistors, terminal LIN1 for inputting control information, terminal LIN2 for outputting control information, terminal Vcc and GND terminal, and terminal LIN2 of a higher-order IC and terminal LIN1 of a lower-order IC are daisy chain connected. The Vcc terminal of each IC is connected to a positive electrode of a higher-order cell among cells constituting a corresponding cell pack via a noise eliminating inductor, and the GND terminal is coupled directly to Vcc of the lower-order IC. Noise isn't superposed on LIN1 or LIN2.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2012Publication date: June 7, 2012Applicant: HITACHI VEHICLE ENERGY, LTD.Inventors: Masaki Nagaoka, Akihiko Kudo, Mutsumi Kikuchi, Kenichiro Tsuru, Tatsumi Yamauchi, Akihiko Emori
-
Patent number: 8193763Abstract: The present invention provides enhanced serial communication reliability in a situation where a plurality of cell controllers and a battery controller are daisy-chained to form a serial communication configuration. While the plurality of cell controllers and the battery controller are daisy-chained to form a serial communication configuration, the battery controller or each cell controller includes a communication speed detection means, which detects the communication speed of data input from an additional controller, and a reception timing correction means, which corrects the reception timing for data input from the additional controller in accordance with the communication speed detected by the communication speed detection means.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2011Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Takahiro Kawata, Akihiko Emori, Youhei Kawahara, Akihiko Kudo