Patents by Inventor Jun Asakura
Jun Asakura has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8685554Abstract: A battery system includes a battery module that has a plurality of batteries which are provided with release portions each for releasing internal gas when an internal pressure is increased, and an exhaust portion which is provided with an opening portion and guides gas released from the release portions to the opening portion, a non-resettable switch element which is provided at a position where the guided gas passes in a vicinity of the opening portion, and is changed from a first state preset as one of an opened state and a closed state into a second state as the other one of the opened state and the closed state when a preset reference temperature or higher is reached, and a high-temperature abnormality determination unit which determines that the battery module has an abnormality when the switch element is in the second state.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2011Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Jun Asakura, Shunsuke Yasui, Hiroshi Takasaki
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Publication number: 20140021925Abstract: A battery power supply apparatus has: a battery including a parallel circuit that has series circuits connected in parallel, each of the series circuits having a secondary battery and a cutoff element connected in series, each of the cutoff elements becoming a disconnected state, when an abnormality occurs in the secondary battery; a first detector detecting an overall current value flowing through the battery block; a second detector connected in parallel to the series circuits to detect a block voltage value of the battery block; a setting portion setting a current limit value; and an estimation portion estimating, as the number of valid batteries, the number of cutoff elements which have not become disconnected states, based on the overall current value and the block voltage value. The setting portion sets the current limit value so that the current limit value decreases as the number of valid batteries decreases.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2012Publication date: January 23, 2014Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATIONInventors: Jun Asakura, Mutsuhiko Takeda, Yoshiki Ohsawa
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Patent number: 8487631Abstract: It is intended to provide a battery module having a long life by designing such that deterioration proceeds evenly among battery cells. Disclosed is a battery module including a plurality of battery groups being connected in series and each comprising a plurality of battery cells connected in parallel, wherein: a positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal are provided; the battery groups are connected to each other by a plurality of electrically conductive strips; and an electrical resistance value of the conductive strip arranged at a position near a virtual line drawn between the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal is high, and an electrical resistance value of the conductive strip arranged at a position other than the position near the virtual line is low, the electrical resistance value being measured in a direction of charge and discharge current flow.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2010Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Shin-ichi Yuasa, Jun Asakura
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Patent number: 8334699Abstract: A battery internal short-circuit detection apparatus includes: a voltage detection unit for detecting a terminal voltage of the battery; a current detection unit for detecting a discharging current of the battery; a voltage drop and recovery detection unit for detecting a momentary voltage drop of the battery and a recovery from the voltage drop, in response to a result of detection performed by the voltage detection unit; and a determination unit for determining that an internal short circuit has occurred, when a maximum value of the discharging current detected by the current detection unit between the voltage drop and the recovery is equal to or lower than a threshold current.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2008Date of Patent: December 18, 2012Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Jun Asakura, Takuya Nakashima, Toshiyuki Nakatsuji, Masato Fujikawa
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Publication number: 20120276423Abstract: A battery system includes a battery module that has a plurality of batteries which are provided with release portions each for releasing internal gas when an internal pressure is increased, and an exhaust portion which is provided with an opening portion and guides gas released from the release portions to the opening portion, a non-resettable switch element which is provided at a position where the guided gas passes in a vicinity of the opening portion, and is changed from a first state preset as one of an opened state and a closed state into a second state as the other one of the opened state and the closed state when a preset reference temperature or higher is reached, and a high-temperature abnormality determination unit which determines that the battery module has an abnormality when the switch element is in the second state.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2011Publication date: November 1, 2012Inventors: Jun Asakura, Shunsuke Yasui, Hiroshi Takasaki
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Publication number: 20120242290Abstract: The battery power source apparatus includes a battery block formed by parallel-connecting series circuits each formed of a rechargeable battery and an interrupting device, a parallel circuit formed by parallel-connecting series circuits respectively formed of the interrupting devices and first resistors having respective one ends connected to connection points between the rechargeable batteries and the interrupting devices of the series circuits, and respective other ends connected to each other, a second resistor having one end connected to a connection point of the respective other ends, a power source unit applying voltage to a series circuit of the parallel circuit and the second resistor, a voltage divider ratio calculating unit calculating a voltage divider ratio between the parallel circuit and the second resistor, and a judging unit determining presence or absence of an activated interrupting device of the plurality of interrupting devices based on the voltage divider ratio.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2011Publication date: September 27, 2012Inventor: Jun Asakura
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Patent number: 8111035Abstract: A charging system is provided with a secondary battery, a charging current supplier for supplying a charging current to the secondary battery, an internal resistance detector for detecting the resistance value of the internal resistance of the secondary battery, and a charge controller for increasing the charging current to be supplied to the secondary battery by the charging current supplier as the resistance value detected by the internal resistance detector decreases.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2007Date of Patent: February 7, 2012Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Hajime Nishino, Jun Asakura, Yoshio Nakatani
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Publication number: 20120013340Abstract: It is intended to provide a battery module having a long life by designing such that deterioration proceeds evenly among battery cells. Disclosed is a battery module including a plurality of battery groups being connected in series and each comprising a plurality of battery cells connected in parallel, wherein: a positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal are provided; the battery groups are connected to each other by a plurality of electrically conductive strips; and an electrical resistance value of the conductive strip arranged at a position near a virtual line drawn between the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal is high, and an electrical resistance value of the conductive strip arranged at a position other than the position near the virtual line is low, the electrical resistance value being measured in a direction of charge and discharge current flow.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2010Publication date: January 19, 2012Inventors: Shin-ichi Yuasa, Jun Asakura
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Publication number: 20110291619Abstract: A battery power source device includes a battery block configured by parallel-connecting a plurality of series-circuits each constituted of a secondary battery, and a cut-off element which is operable to be in a cut-off state where a charging and discharging path of the secondary battery is cut off; a current limit value setting section which sets a current limit value representing an upper allowable limit of an entire current value as a current value of a current flowing through the battery block; and an available battery number detecting section which detects the number of cut-off elements which are not in the cut-off state, out of the plurality of cut-off elements included in the battery block, as the available battery number. In this arrangement, the current limit value setting section sets the current limit value so that the current limit value is decreased, as the available battery number detected by the available battery number detecting section is reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2010Publication date: December 1, 2011Inventor: Jun Asakura
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Publication number: 20110195284Abstract: The battery module includes a plurality of battery units, a housing, a wiring board, and a lid. The battery unit is composed of one or more battery cells each having a vent mechanism. At least one surface of the housing is an open end. The housing has a plurality of storage parts partitioned by one or more partition walls. Each battery unit is stored in each storage part. The wiring board covers the open end of the housing, is disposed at the vent mechanism side of the cell, and has connection terminals connected to the battery units. The lid covers the open end of the housing and the wiring board, and has an open part. Through holes are provided on the wiring board in positions facing the battery units and in a different region from that of the connection terminals.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2009Publication date: August 11, 2011Inventors: Shunsuke Yasui, Takuya Nakashima, Yasushi Hirakawa, Jun Asakura
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Patent number: 7801579Abstract: A positional relation sensing section (23) of a control section (22) senses the relative position relation between first and second cabinets (30 and 31) based on output of magnetic sensing elements (20a and 20b) and outputs a position determination signal (S3). If the state is “transition state” in which one cabinet slides and moves based on the position determination signal (S3), a voice control section (24) outputs a mute control signal (S4) to a voice processing section (11) as a muting instruction. Accordingly, all outputs of voice signals collected by a microphone (10) to a receiver (12), a loudspeaker (13), a wireless communication section (16), a short-range wireless communication section (17), and a voice output terminal (14) are stopped.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2004Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventor: Jun Asakura
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Publication number: 20100201321Abstract: A battery internal short-circuit detecting device has: a battery temperature detection unit for detecting a battery temperature Tr; an ambient temperature detection unit for detecting an ambient temperature Te; an average heating value detection unit for detecting an average value Pav of battery heating values per predetermined first period ?W1, which are generated by discharging or charging the battery; a battery temperature estimation unit for obtaining a battery temperature Tp estimated to be reached after a lapse of a predetermined second period ?W2 since the detection of the average value Pav of the heating values, based on the average value Pav of the heating values and the ambient temperature Te; and an internal short-circuit determination unit for determining that an internal short circuit has occurred when the actual battery temperature Tr after the lapse of the second period ?W2 is equal to or greater than the sum of the estimated battery temperature Tp and a predetermined coefficient ?.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2008Publication date: August 12, 2010Inventors: Jun Asakura, Takuya Nakashima, Toshiyuki Nakatsuji, Masato Fujikawa
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Publication number: 20100188050Abstract: A battery internal short-circuit detection apparatus includes: a voltage detection unit for detecting a terminal voltage of the battery; a current detection unit for detecting a discharging current of the battery; a voltage drop and recovery detection unit for detecting a momentary voltage drop of the battery and a recovery from the voltage drop, in response to a result of detection performed by the voltage detection unit; and a determination unit for determining that an internal short circuit has occurred, when a maximum value of the discharging current detected by the current detection unit between the voltage drop and the recovery is equal to or lower than a threshold current.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2008Publication date: July 29, 2010Inventors: Jun Asakura, Takuya Nakashima, Toshiyuki Nakatsuji, Masato Fujikawa
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Publication number: 20100188054Abstract: An internal short-circuit detecting device for detecting an internal short circuit of a battery being subjected to constant current charge using a constant current amount (I) has: a voltage detection unit for detecting a terminal voltage of the battery; a terminal voltage acquisition unit for acquiring a terminal voltage (V1), as predetermined by the voltage detection unit, at a starting point of a first period (?W1) and a terminal voltage (V2) at an ending point; a voltage increase amount calculation unit for calculating an actual increase amount (?V3) of the terminal voltage of the first period (?W1) from the terminal voltages (V1 and V2); a voltage increase amount prediction unit for calculating a predicted increase amount (?V4) of the terminal voltage for the period when charging is performed using the current amount (I) for the first period (?W1); and an internal short-circuit determination unit for determining that the internal short circuit is generated when the actual increase amount (?V3) is equal toType: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2008Publication date: July 29, 2010Inventors: Jun Asakura, Takuya Nakashima, Toshiyuki Nakatsuji, Masato Fujikawa
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Publication number: 20100156356Abstract: A charging current is maintained at a predetermined constant quick charging current (S1) and a full charge determination is made at a point in time (S7) when the terminal voltage (V1) (S6) reaches the charge end voltage Vf?. The charge end voltage Vf? is taken as a voltage (S5) obtained by adding a voltage drop amount VD (S4) that is obtained by multiplying an internal resistance value (S3) estimated from the temperature T (S2) of a secondary battery by a quick charging current value to a predetermined initial charge end voltage Vf. Therefore, a constant high current can be supplied from the beginning to the end and quick charging can be performed up to a full charge, while preventing overcharge, in place of the conventional CC-CV charging.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2008Publication date: June 24, 2010Inventors: Jun Asakura, Takuma Iida, Hajime Nishino
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Publication number: 20090213232Abstract: An image pickup device by which the size of a device main body can be reduced and the assembly process can be easily automated. In the image pickup device, a wiring (118) and relay terminals (115, 116, 117, 119) for electrically connecting a shutter driving section (114) with a shutter driver (112) are integrally formed with a solid wring board (101) and a lens tube (106), respectively. An electric terminal (120) of the shutter driving section (114) for driving a shutter (107), i.e. an actuator, is electrically connected with a printed board (108) through the wiring (118) of the lens tube (106) and the wiring of the solid wiring board (101). Thus, the shutter driving section (114) is electrically connected with the shutter driver (112) which controls the shutter driving section (114) mounted on the printed board (108).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2006Publication date: August 27, 2009Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.Inventors: Jun Asakura, Kazunari Ueda, Koji Taniguchi
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Publication number: 20080268814Abstract: A wireless communication device and a wireless communication method are provided that enable a reliable short-range wireless communication with a wanted wireless communication terminal without requiring a user to determine whether to permit a connection. The control units 30a and 30b of the wireless communication terminals 1a and 1b transmit the short-range wireless communication addresses thereof, respectively, while the infrared communication path being established (step S108, step S111) and the wireless communication terminals 1a and 1b receive the corresponding short-range wireless communication addresses (step S110, step S113).Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2005Publication date: October 30, 2008Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.Inventor: Jun Asakura
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Publication number: 20080197813Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolytic secondary battery which includes a heat-resistant layer formed by a porous protective film or the like having a resin binder and an inorganic oxide filler between its negative electrode and a positive electrode has such a characteristic that the higher the battery's temperature becomes, the smaller its internal resistance value becomes. In a CC-CV charging method as a general method for charging a secondary battery, using such a characteristic that the internal resistance value of the non-aqueous electrolytic secondary battery lowers as the battery's temperature rises, a VC-charge range where a charge is given using an optimum charging-current value at a maximum level up to which the battery's temperature does not reach an excessive temperature even if a charging current flows is provided within a CC-charge range.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2008Publication date: August 21, 2008Inventors: Jun ASAKURA, Hajime NISHINO, Masato FUJIKAWA
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Publication number: 20080122399Abstract: A charging system is provided with a secondary battery, a charging current supplier for supplying a charging current to the secondary battery, an internal resistance detector for detecting the resistance value of the internal resistance of the secondary battery, and a charge controller for increasing the charging current to be supplied to the secondary battery by the charging current supplier as the resistance value detected by the internal resistance detector decreases.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2007Publication date: May 29, 2008Inventors: Hajime Nishino, Jun Asakura, Yoshio Nakatani
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Publication number: 20070060215Abstract: The challenge of the invention is to prevent an unnecessary contact sound produced when a cabinet slides and moves in a mobile terminal apparatus from being output from loudspeakers, etc., of the mobile terminal apparatus and the communication machine of an intended party. A positional relation sensing section (23) of a control section (22) senses the relative position relation between first and second cabinets (30 and 31) based on output of magnetic sensing elements (20a and 20b) and outputs a position determination signal (S3). If the state is “transition state” in which one cabinet slides and moves based on the position determination signal (S3), a voice control section (24) outputs a mute control signal (S4) to a voice processing section (11) as a muting instruction.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2004Publication date: March 15, 2007Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventor: Jun Asakura