Patents Assigned to VEHICLE ENERGY JAPAN INC.
  • Publication number: 20210194043
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a lithium ion secondary battery that ensures a replaceability of an electrolyte in a proximity of an active material and is excellent in output and responsiveness. The lithium ion secondary battery includes an electrode that includes a negative electrode foil, a negative electrode mixture layer disposed on a surface of the negative electrode foil, and an insulating layer disposed on a surface of the negative electrode mixture layer. The insulating layer contains ceramic particles. On the surface of the negative electrode mixture layer facing a border between the insulating layer and the negative electrode mixture layer, a plurality of holes (puddles) having diameters of 2.5 ?m or more are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: VEHICLE ENERGY JAPAN INC.
    Inventor: Motonari KIFUNE
  • Publication number: 20210159563
    Abstract: A fastening structure includes an insulation member disposed between a fastening member and a fastened member, and has a configuration wherein the insulation member is in close contact with the fastening member and the fastened member so that an adequate sealing area is secured. The fastening structure includes: a case; a fastening member extending through a through hole in the case; and an insulation member between the fastening member and the case. The fastening member includes a portion exposed from the case, and a penetrating portion extending through the through hole. The expose portion includes a confronting surface opposed to an outside surface of the case via the insulation member. A compression region is located, and defines a minimum distance between, the confronting surface and the outside surface. A projection is disposed at place not overlapping with the compression region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: VEHICLE ENERGY JAPAN INC.
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi TANAKA, Masato NAGATA
  • Publication number: 20210159572
    Abstract: To prevent an increase in the electrical resistance between a terminal for external connection and a cell terminal of a battery cell of a battery cell group. A battery module 100 includes a battery cell group 10, a pair of end plates 20, a bus bar 30, and a fastening member 40. The end plate 20 includes a recess 21 adapted to partially house the fastening member 40 in a mutually movable manner in one direction (X-direction) corresponding to the stacked direction of the plurality of battery cells 1. The battery module 100 also has a gap S between an inner side wall 21a of the recess 21 and the fastening member 40 in the one direction (X-direction).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: VEHICLE ENERGY JAPAN INC.
    Inventors: Osamu KUBOTA, Kazunori OJIMA, Yoshitaka WATAHIKI, Takashi SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 11011743
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a lithium ion secondary battery enabling improvement of output characteristics at the time of charge and discharge at low temperature and at room temperature. A lithium ion secondary battery according to the present invention for achieving the above object includes a positive electrode plate (11) including a positive electrode mix layer, and a negative electrode plate (12) including a negative electrode mix layer (45). The negative electrode mix layer (45) contains a graphite-type material (42), metal oxide (44), and a conductive assistant (43). The conductive assistant (43) is a carbon material that does not dope or dedope lithium ions, and a mixing ratio of the conductive assistant (43) is 0.4 weight % or more and less than 1.2 weight % of weight of the negative electrode mix layer (45).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: VEHICLE ENERGY JAPAN INC.
    Inventors: Hironori Sasaki, Shuichi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11011812
    Abstract: A secondary battery includes a diaphragm which is disposed on a current path between a current collector plate connected to a wound electrode group in a battery container and an external terminal, deforms when an internal pressure of the battery container increases, and breaks the current path. The diaphragm has a convex portion which protrudes to the current collector plate. The current collector plate has a through-hole into which the convex portion is inserted. An inner wall portion of the through-hole and a side wall portion of the convex portion facing each other are welded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Vehicle Energy Japan Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Urano, Keisuke Sawada, Shou Saimaru, Naoki Kojima
  • Publication number: 20210091379
    Abstract: Provided is a positive electrode for lithium ion secondary cell that includes an electrolyte holding layer excellent in electron conductivity, and a lithium ion secondary cell using the same. The present invention relates to a positive electrode for lithium ion secondary cell that includes a positive electrode current collector foil and positive electrode mixture layers laminated on both surfaces of the positive electrode current collector foil. The positive electrode mixture layer includes a first positive electrode active material layer, an electrolyte holding layer, and a second positive electrode active material layer. The first positive electrode active material layer, the electrolyte holding layer, and the second positive electrode active material layer contain positive electrode active materials, binders, and conductive agents containing carbonaceous material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: VEHICLE ENERGY JAPAN INC.
    Inventors: Yuki TAKEI, Shuichi SUZUKI, Takeshi MIKI, Hironori SASAKI
  • Patent number: 10955479
    Abstract: Provided is a battery control device that can achieve an improvement in computation accuracy of an internal resistance and an SOH. The battery control device includes an SOH computation unit which calculates an internal resistance value of a battery, and controls the battery on the basis of the internal resistance value calculated by the SOH computation unit. Then, an internal resistance computing determination unit calculates an index indicating a polarization voltage of the battery, and determines whether the index is equal to or more than a determination threshold. When the internal resistance computing determination unit determines that the index is equal to or more than the determination threshold, the battery is controlled on the basis of the internal resistance value calculated when the index is less than a determination threshold before the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Vehicle Energy Japan Inc.
    Inventors: Ryohhei Nakao, Keiichiro Ohkawa
  • Publication number: 20210083243
    Abstract: A battery module including a plurality of battery cells that prevents the movement of the battery cells due to impact and has excellent cooling performance of the battery cells includes a battery cell group including a laminate of a plurality of flattened rectangular battery cells stacked in a thickness direction of the battery cells, and a housing storing the battery cell group. The battery cell group includes a plurality of cell holders configured to hold the individual battery cells from both sides in the thickness direction, and a plurality of side plates disposed at both ends of the plurality of battery cells in a width direction via the plurality of cell holders. Each of the cell holders has a restriction portion configured to restrict movement of the corresponding battery cell in a direction intersecting the thickness direction, and fixing portions that engage with the side plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: VEHICLE ENERGY JAPAN INC.
    Inventors: Masayuki NAKAMOTO, Takayuki NAKAJIMA
  • Publication number: 20210057779
    Abstract: Provided is an electrolyte solution for lithium ion secondary cell capable of suppressing a decomposition reaction of a graphite negative electrode by optimizing an amount of a cyclic carbonate, and capable of improving a cell performance in a low temperature range. The electrolyte solution for lithium ion secondary cell of the present invention includes; 10 volume % to 20 volume % of ethylene carbonate (EC) and/or propylene carbonate (PC) as a cyclic carbonate; 0.38 mol/L to 0.75 mol/L of at least one selected from lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6), lithium tetrafluoroborate (LiBF4), or lithium bis(oxalate)borate (LiBOB) as a first lithium salt; and a lithium imide salt. A sum of the lithium imide salt and the first lithium salt is in a range of 0.5 mol/L to 1.5 mol/L, and a mole ratio of the cyclic carbonate/the first lithium salt is in a range of 3 to 5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Applicant: VEHICLE ENERGY JAPAN INC.
    Inventors: Hironori SASAKI, Takeshi MIKI, Shuichi SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20210036280
    Abstract: Provided is a battery pack capable of improving load resistance of a reinforcing part and protecting battery cells inside a case. The battery pack 100 includes a reinforcing part 30 that is in contact with a bottom wall 10e of the case 10. The reinforcing part 30 extends in one direction D1 along the bottom wall 10e, and has dimensions d1, d2 in directions orthogonal to the one direction D1 that are larger than thickness t of side walls 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d of the case 10 and of the bottom wall 10e. The reinforcing part 30 has a pair of end fixed parts 31 that are fixed to both ends of the battery module 20 in the one direction D1, and an intermediate fixed part 32 between the pair of end fixed parts 31 and fixed to the battery module 20 or the case 10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Applicant: VEHICLE ENERGY JAPAN INC.
    Inventors: Hitoshi NISHIMORI, Takayuki NAKAJIMA
  • Patent number: 10879570
    Abstract: A current of a storage battery is appropriately controlled depending on the situation. In a battery controller, a battery information acquiring unit acquires information on the storage battery. A first allowable current calculating unit calculates a first allowable current of a battery module in accordance with a rated value of a component through which a current flows by charging or discharging of the battery module. A second allowable current calculating unit calculates a second allowable current of the battery module in accordance with an SOC of the battery module on the basis of the information acquired by the battery information acquiring unit. A third allowable current calculating unit calculates a third allowable current of the battery module in accordance with an SOH of the battery module on the basis of the information acquired by the battery information acquiring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Vehicle Energy Japan Inc.
    Inventors: Shin Yamauchi, Kei Sakabe, Masahiro Yonemoto, Takanori Yamazoe, Keiichiro Ohkawa, Ryohhei Nakao
  • Patent number: 10845417
    Abstract: A battery management device includes an SOCv calculation unit that calculates a state of charge using voltage across both ends of a battery, an SOCi calculation unit calculates a state of charge by integrating currents flowing in the battery, and an SOCw calculation unit performs weighted addition of the battery's state of charges calculated by the SOCv and the SOCi calculation unit. An SOCi biased time calculation unit calculates an SOCi biased time based on one or a plurality of elapsed time from the end of a previous system operation or the end of charging or discharging during the previous system operation to the start of the current system, temperature, degree of degradation, and polarization voltage of the battery. The SOCw increases a weight of the state of charge of the battery calculated by the SOCi calculation while the elapsed time from the activation is within the SOCi biased time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: VEHICLE ENERGY JAPAN, INC.
    Inventors: Yohei Nakamura, Keiichiro Ohkawa
  • Patent number: 10840722
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a control device and a control method for a storage battery, which calculates an appropriate maximum allowable input/output power that suppresses deterioration of the storage battery while suppressing deterioration of power performance of a vehicle when a current is continuously charged or discharged. When it is detected that charging or discharging is continuously performed over a predetermined duration time with respect to the maximum allowable charge power and the maximum allowable discharge power which can be input and output during the calculated predetermined duration time, the value of the maximum allowable charge power or the maximum allowable discharge power communicated to a vehicle controller on the basis of the state of charge or discharge is reduced based on the time during which charging or discharging is actually continued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: VEHICLE ENERGY JAPAN, INC.
    Inventors: Keiichiro Ohkawa, Yoshinori Aoshima
  • Patent number: 10818983
    Abstract: Provided is a battery management device capable of effectively utilizing battery performance while securing battery life. The battery management device includes: a divergence amount calculation unit that calculates a divergence amount between a life target value or a degradation amount target value of a storage battery, which is a secondary battery, and a life prediction value or a degradation amount prediction value according to use history of the storage battery in an arbitrary period; and a limit value change unit that changes charge/discharge limit values for controlling degradation of the storage battery based on the divergence amount. The limit value change unit includes a first limit value calculation unit that calculates a first limit value set that is a combination of the charge/discharge limit values for each of a plurality of types of control parameters that change in correlation with each other based on the divergence amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: VEHICLE ENERGY JAPAN, INC.
    Inventors: Masahiro Yonemoto, Kei Sakabe, Takanori Yamazoe, Shin Yamauchi, Keiichiro Ohkawa, Ryohhei Nakao
  • Patent number: 10807494
    Abstract: The state of internal resistance is appropriately expressed for a battery being energized. A battery management system includes a battery information acquisition section, a voltage calculation section, a current fluctuation amount calculation section 109 and a resistance correction amount calculation section. The battery information acquisition section acquires a voltage value V of a storage battery being energized. The voltage calculation section acquires a predicted battery voltage value Vmodel of the storage battery being energized by a method different from that of the battery information acquisition section. The current fluctuation amount calculation section calculates a current fluctuation amount dI/dt of the storage battery per unit time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Vehicle Energy Japan Inc.
    Inventors: Masahiro Yonemoto, Kei Sakabe, Ryohhei Nakao, Keiichiro Ohkawa, Daiki Komatsu
  • Patent number: 10804722
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a control device and a control method for a storage battery, which calculates an appropriate maximum allowable input/output power that suppresses deterioration of the storage battery while suppressing deterioration of power performance of a vehicle when a current is continuously charged or discharged. When it is detected that charging or discharging is continuously performed over a predetermined duration time with respect to the maximum allowable charge power and the maximum allowable discharge power which can be input and output during the calculated predetermined duration time, the value of the maximum allowable charge power or the maximum allowable discharge power communicated to a vehicle controller on the basis of the state of charge or discharge is reduced based on the time during which charging or discharging is actually continued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: VEHICLE ENERGY JAPAN, INC.
    Inventors: Keiichiro Ohkawa, Yoshinori Aoshima
  • Publication number: 20200321589
    Abstract: Provided is a battery module that prevents a new current path that may be formed due to molten metal resulting from a molten and cut fuse, and has better safety than conventional battery modules. A battery module includes: module terminals; a battery cell group including a plurality of battery cells; and a plurality of bus bars connecting the plurality of battery cells of this battery cell group and connecting this battery cell group with the module terminals. At least one of the plurality of bus bars has a fuse. The battery module has a space that is located below the fuse and that allows the molten fuse to fall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Applicant: VEHICLE ENERGY JAPAN INC.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka WATAHIKI, Takayuki SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 10784480
    Abstract: An assembled battery that can be easily assembled and that has high reliability is provided. An assembled battery includes secondary batteries with a flat prismatic shape that are stacked in a thickness direction (X-axis direction), spacer members that are stacked alternately with the secondary batteries, and side plates that extend in a stacking direction of the secondary batteries and face side surfaces of the spacer members along the stacking direction. The spacer member includes an engagement part to be engaged with the side plate in a manner that sliding is possible in the stacking direction (X-axis direction).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: VEHICLE ENERGY JAPAN INC.
    Inventors: Sadayuki Aoki, Kazunori Ojima
  • Publication number: 20200280204
    Abstract: A battery control device capable of obtaining an allowable charge/discharge current value can further accurately reflect a polarization state of a battery. A battery controller includes a first allowable current value calculation unit, a battery equivalent circuit model, and a correction amount calculation unit. Assuming a non-polarization state, a current limit value of the battery based on an open circuit voltage and upper and lower limit voltages set in the battery, the first allowable current value calculation unit calculates a first allowable current value Imax1. The battery equivalent circuit model estimates a polarization state of the battery when the current limit value is being calculated. The correction unit calculates an allowable current value correction value based on the estimated polarization state for correcting Imax1. A second allowable current value Imax2 which is the corrected first allowable current value is output as an allowable charge/discharge current value of the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Applicant: VEHICLE ENERGY JAPAN, INC.
    Inventors: Kei SAKABE, Keiichiro OHKAWA, Takanori YAMAZOE, Ryohhei NAKAO, Masahiro YONEMOTO
  • Patent number: 10725111
    Abstract: A battery state detection device detects a battery state and includes: a first permissible current calculating unit configured to calculate a first permissible current of a battery based on a voltage of the battery detected by a voltage detecting unit; a second permissible current calculating unit configured to calculate a second permissible current of the battery without using the voltage of the battery; and a correction unit configured to compare the first permissible current and the second permissible current and to perform a predetermined correction process on the basis of the comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Vehicle Energy Japan Inc.
    Inventors: Youhei Kawahara, Masahiro Yonemoto, Keiichiro Ohkawa